Tag: Church

5 Marks of Culture in Growing Churches

You might have trouble believing this.

The culture of your local church is the greatest predictor of potential growth. Culture is sometimes a hard and abstract-like concept. I’ll try to explain it.

Culture is a general noun that we often use to describe the thought patterns and accompanying behaviors of humanity. It broadly includes their attitudes, beliefs, and values within a certain region and time. Culture is fluid in that it is often changing

Simply put, an unhealthy culture will keep a local church in a rut with only occasional positive movement. Tweet

Even worse, some congregations have developed a toxic culture. When that is the situation, it will take an abrupt and abrasive set of changes to bring life back into the cultural DNA of that local church.

I want to share 5 marks of culture that I see in growing congregations.

1. Regular invitations are normal.

Healthy churches have members with an intentional habit of looking for people to invite. They regularly extend invitations to friends, relatives, associates from work and school, and neighbors to “come to service with me this Sunday.” They understand the evangelistic power of an invitation.

That invitation often leads to a spiritual conversation which becomes a positive witness. That is actually an invitation for the unchurched person to come to Christ. In growing churches the pastoral staff keeps plenty of reasons in front of the members for them to want to invite others in. Once in a worship service, the pastor of a growing church will extend the invitation for a commitment to Christ.

2. Relative change is acceptable.

You should use the word change sparingly. But you know very well that growing organisms are consistently changing. Even if it’s slight changes that aren’t quickly perceived, change is constant and necessary for growth. The same is true for your local church.

Observe any growing congregation in your town, and ask an insider about them. You’ll soon learn that there is a steady flux of change which brings more people in to hear the Gospel. Those who are against any and all change must remember that Christ is always changing His Church. Christianity is all about change!

3. Real fun is okay.

All fun is not sinful. Healthy churches look for reasons to celebrate the goodness of God. They’re okay with an occasional clean joke from the pulpit. Smiles and laughter abound. Their joy-filled lives make them fun to be around.

Lost and backslidden people are not attracted to a joyless version of Christianity that looks like anything but fun. There is no biblical mandate that says Christians or their worship services have to be boring, stale, or lifeless. You can be holy and fun to be around. If real fun is okay in your church, there is potential for growth.

4. Reaching children is a priority.

Jesus loves children. Any church that loves Jesus should also love children. If children’s ministry is a priority, it will be reflected in the staff and financial reports of your church. When this priority is practiced, children will be brought to Jesus, and your church will have the favor of God.

I know there are some exceptions, but any church where children are not a priority has a limited shelf life. Personally, I don’t want to be a part of a local congregation with no little ones running around, making smudges where they shouldn’t, and dropping crumbs in the floors. Give me those good problems, and I’ll show you a church with a bright future.

5. Racial diversity is celebrated.

In most growing churches, diversity is celebrated. The blood of Christ knows no color lines! The love of God has no boundaries!

Diversity must take place naturally and cannot be contrived. So, whether or not a congregation is an exact reflection of its community is not my point. My opinion is that each race in your community should know that your church loves them, and they are welcome in your services.

When I see various shades of pigmentation in the pews and padded seats, I’m positive that these are my people. It’s a true reflection of the Body of Christ. In eternity, we will see that God has redeemed people of all nations, tribes, and tongues. We love people of all different colors in His Church.

This is list could be expanded. But, at least I’ve got you thinking about the culture your local church.

Even with all of the above and more positive characteristics in your local church, growth is not automatic. But if these are in place, it can take place with a lot less effort than if they are missing.

Why do I believe this? These cultural marks make for a healthy church and a healthy church is more likely to reach more people and assimilate them than an unhealthy church.

Written by William Strickland. Pastor of Harvest Christian Center in Cantonment, FL. Husband to Lisa and father to three kids. To read more of Williams’s work, take a look at his blog and be sure to follow him on social media.

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PLAN AHEAD – 5 ADVANTAGES OF PLANNING IN ADVANCE

The deadline is five minutes away and you are scrambling to complete a simple task made difficult because you waited. I have been there, but I typically avoid such situations by planning in advance.

Planning is engraved into my workflow. I was the student who sat down with all my syllabi prior to a semester to efficiently plan each day. I am the traveler who looks at maps to find possible stopping locations and alternate routes in the months prior to the trip. Planning ahead will likely eliminate obstacles that you otherwise are limping through. Planning ahead may be the difference between you completing a project or allowing something to fall through the cracks.

Here are five key advantages to planning ahead:

1. PLANNING AHEAD ENABLES YOU TO PRIORITIZE TASKS.

Every task is important, but some require more focus and have a higher priority. When you plan ahead, you have a larger perspective on the upcoming agenda. Knowing the outlook of your week will allow you to set goals that are attainable at your pace. Plan to tackle the harder tasks when your energy level is up and your mind is sharp (morning, afternoon, evening, etc).

2. PLANNING AHEAD SETS YOU UP FOR EASY WINS.

You should start each day with an easy win. Completing a task quickly and efficiently sets you up for further success. As you plan your week, month, and year, assign easy goals that you can accomplish to get the day rolling. Accomplishing tasks early and quickly give you the motivation to keep going.

3. PLANNING AHEAD ALTERS YOUR WORKFLOW EFFICIENCY.

Organized and unorganized people both have a workflow. Typically the unorganized individual has a workflow that is a wild ride to the finish line. While this works for some, planning ahead and spending some time up front, could frantically increase your efficiency. Always be prepared for possible changes, but planning ahead provides you a path for future success.

4. PLANNING AHEAD PAVES THE WAY FOR THOSE TIMES YOU MUST SAY NO.

Let us be honest, it is hard saying no. Helping people and serving is what we do. However, if we are going to be most effective, there are times where saying no is the best thing we can do, even if it is a good thing. Your probability of saying no is challenging to determine if you do not know your plan. A solid thought out plan builds in time to say yes. Knowing your plan also enables you to say no without scrambling or submitting to another’s plan.

5. PLANNING AHEAD ALLOWS YOU TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE SPIRIT.

There is nothing worse than feeling tied to an agenda. While an agenda is necessary, often our agenda can easily get in the way of God’s agenda. A well thought out plan should be Spirit led as we pray and ask for God’s will to be done. Our willingness to plan ahead often keeps us on target with deadlines and tasks. Therefore, when the Spirit moves, we do not feel the overwhelming pressures of deciding which way to turn. Planning ahead helps us to be sensitive to God’s Spirit.

Take time at the beginning of the week, month, and year to plan. Write out goals and tasks. Use an app if necessary. Plan ahead and be excited about what God has directed you toward. Be sensitive to the Spirit and plan according to His plan for your life!

What do you use to plan ahead? Do you have any helpful apps that you use? How far do you typically plan ahead?

Written by Justin Beville. Justin has been married to Amanda Beville for over six years and has one son named Luke and twin boys, Tucker and Turner! He received his Bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies with a minor in Student Ministry from the College at Southeastern. Justin went on to complete his Advanced MDiv. at Southeastern. He currently serves as the Pastor of Students and Outreach at Kingsland Baptist Church. Like this article? Read more from Justin here!

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Five Ways to Influence Your Community

You have heard the question, “What would happen to your neighborhood if the church you served closed tomorrow?”

In many ways, the Coronavirus shutdown caused churches and organizations to ask that question in a more real way. Sunday morning in-person services moved to online. The church scattered from a sanctuary to living rooms, workplaces, and social media.

We have heard a lot about a “new normal” in the process of reopening. As leaders, we have had to pivot to the timeless truth of influence beyond the church’s walls and circles. Never forget that God had uniquely placed you in your city or town to influence people through the gospel’s mission.

I believe every church leader should read Know What You’re For by Jeff Henderson. He makes this statement, “The larger you can draw your circle of influence, the wider your potential impact spreads.”

We have an opportunity in this season of disorientation to make a difference as pastors and church leaders. Part of that means taking tangible steps toward becoming more present in the community.

Here five ways that you can start influencing the community around you:

Support local businesses.

Make a routine to go to the same coffee shop—frequent the same restaurant. The more consistent we show up to the businesses around us, the more we can understand the best way to minister to our community. Wherever you are in the reopening process, start to schedule meetings at local businesses and get to know the people.

Meet local leaders.

Do you know the mayor of your town? Do you know your city councilperson? Do you know the principle of the school? The Creative Arts Director at the church I serve coaches in our little league. I’m impressed by his visibility and presence in this area. Our role in meeting local leaders is to ask what we can do for them. Then we can begin to mobilize the church to be FOR the community.

Follow the Online Conversation.

I recently downloaded the Nextdoor app. I was shocked at how much conversation happens there. Also, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with people from my town in local social media groups. Never underestimate the power of being visible in these conversations.

Post on Social Media.

Now more than ever, pastors and church leaders need to value posting on social media. I think of the power of posting a photo of you at a local business or meeting with a local leader. You are modeling to the rest of the church how to be a part of the community and finding the common good. Posting on social media is critical in this season to help people recognize their role in living out faith in this time.

Walk around your neighborhood.

The shutdown brought more people outside in our neighborhood. I was amazed at how many people were greeting each other. Take a moment to wave at the people walking by and get to know them. Part of influencing the community around us means becoming more visible.

What other suggestions would you have to influence your community? Share it in the comment section below.

Written by Peter Englert. Peter is married and has a young daughter. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Ministry and a Masters in Theology from University of Valley Forge. He currently serves as the Adult Ministries Director at Browncroft Community Church in Rochester, NY. Like this article? Read more from Peter here!

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Creating Quality Experiences

“Create quality experiences that help people engage with Jesus”. What does that mean? And how do we do that? This is my “why”, its the driving vision behind what I do. Historically the Church was the primary driving force behind art. The Church is where the best artists, musicians, and craftsman spent their lives creating beauty and telling the story of Jesus.

Unfortunately in some cases the opposite is true today, The church has become the place where “we get by” because the people involved “have a good heart”. Thats all well and good, but the problem is the Church is called to reach the lost. We live in a world where there is so much other noise and often times when content is presented below a certain standard, people just shut down and or swipe away because it can be difficult to consume.

Create

In Genesis we see that God created all things and that he created man in his image. It is in our nature to create things. Creativity looks different from person to person, but it is in all of us. For some, it’s painting a beautiful picture, for others its using a camera to capture a moment, and for others creativity is coming up with a solution to the problem in front of them. Creativity isn’t some far out abstract idea, creativity is simply fixing a problem.

Quality

Quality means a standard of excellence. That means that there is a measurable expectation for the quality level of something. Often times you may hear the word excellence thrown around by itself. Excellence means to do the best you can with what you have. Thats all well and good until it gets flipped and becomes an excuse. “This is what we have , so this is the best we can do.” This can lead to an attitude of “its not even worth trying”.

It is also easier to know you have attained a goal when it is measurable. When there is a standard, it’s very easy to know whether or not the goal has been reached, either you’ve hit all the marks, or you haven’t. In the case of the latter you also know what you need to work on for next time.

Experience

An experience is a specific event that leads to a significant change in someones life. If the event only served as entertainment then it was all for nothing. We need to strive to create events that leave such an impact on peoples lives that it leads to life change.

People

It’s all about the people. The equipment is cool and the projects are fun, but at the end of the day it’s the people around us that matter and their relationship with Jesus. Don’t move so quickly from task to task that you miss the people around you.

Engage

To engage with means to join in together. Engaging is working toward a common goal together. For churches with the great commission in mind, this usually means: serving, growing, and giving. These are the things that fuel churches to reach those who don’t yet know Jesus.

If you’d like to talk more specifically about what it could mean for your church to create quality experiences that help people engage with Jesus, send me a message, I’d love to talk with you.

Written by Chris Eslinger. Chris is from Fairfield, OH where he’s married and has three kids. Chris is the Production and Technical Media Director at New Freedom Church. To learn more about Chris, read his blogs or talk more about how he can help you create quality experiences, visit his site.

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The Right Way to Leave Your Church

There is a right way for you to do it. There are also several wrong ways to go about it.

Few people address this topic publically. Yet, we need to apply some wisdom to this necessary occurrence.

Pastor, you don’t want to handle this wrong. It doesn’t matter whether you are a paid or a volunteer staff member; leaving wrongly will jeopardize your future opportunities.

There is a right way and a wrong way to leave the pastorate (tweet this). Too often I learn of tendered resignations that are not grace-filled departures.

If you give me the opportunity to help before the resignation, you’ll think I’m trying to talk you out of it. Why? Because you might be trying to leave without going through the painful conversations that lead to a right decision.

What is the wrong way to leave your pastorate?

If you think it doesn’t matter how you leave your pastorate, perhaps you lacked the spiritual maturity to serve in the first place.
You are forced to leave because of unrepentant sin, you will leave wrongly.
If you simply leave without praying about the matter over the course of several weeks, you will leave wrongly.
You make the decision to leave without discussing the matter with your spouse, you will leave wrongly.
If you leave without discussing the matter with the advice of peers that know you well and the wisdom of those who are over you in the Lord, you will leave wrongly.
You think that the decision to leave is solely your decision and that it does not matter what others think, you will leave wrongly.
If you leave without actually leaving, but stay in the mix as advisor emeritus, you will leave wrongly.

My big point is this: In spite of how discouraged you are, how poorly you might have been treated, or how irreplaceable you think you are, you are accountable to God and others for how you leave.

What is the right way to leave your pastorate?

The right way is to leave voluntarily because you sense that God’s perfect will for you is changing. He has a slow and steady way of making it crystal clear when He has a new assignment for you.
I pray you are not forced to leave because of the habitual practice of willful sin. However, if you are asked to leave, for this reason, do so in confession, repentance, and with the assurance that you are doing the right thing.
You should be prayerfully assured that it is God’s will for you to move on. This process should rest in Scripture and supplication.
Discuss it with your spouse and come to an agreement. Your ministry is not entirely dependent upon you since the marriage covenant means that two become one.
Acquire the godly counsel of those who can testify that they have been there and done that. You can learn from their mistakes and from their successful departures.
You need to talk with those who are over you in the Lord. Their discernment can help you know whether or not you should leave and help you make a wise transition.

For ministers who are members of my tribe within the Kingdom of God, let me speak frankly.

Pastor, please do not officially resign your pastorate until after consultation with your district (conference) superintendent. God places authority over you to help protect you. When you submit to God-ordained oversight, He empowers you to do more for Him.
Pastor, please understand that the authority to shut down your local church belongs to your district presbytery (conference council) and that can only be done with their approval, even if you founded the church from scratch. Member congregations within our organization are under the responsible oversight of these godly people who want to help you do the right thing for the Kingdom of God at large.
As a credentialed minister, you are accountable to your overseers. They don’t seek to hold you back. They want to help you fulfill your ministry.

Know this: seeking wisdom and counsel from others does not deny your competency as a leader. Instead, it causes you to grow and enhances your reputation as a person of wisdom.

Leaving well qualifies you as a person of good character to continue serving the Kingdom of God (Click to Tweet). If you’ve been looking for a sign to tell you how to leave well, this article could be it.

Ministry transitions can be filled with grace for everyone involved when handled with care and prayer. What would you describe as the right way to leave?

More on “How Not to Leave Your Pastorate” can be found here. Click over and keep reading. Join the discussion, leave a comment, and pray for pastors and churches in transition. If you are in the process of leaving, leave well my pastor friend. Leave well.

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Cultural Intelligence: How Do We Engage Faithfully in a Polarized and Hostile America?

A week from tomorrow, the climate of our nation will be in upheaval as the counting of presidential ballots begins. Presumably, the total number of ballots won’t be counted for at least a few days or weeks after Election Day, as the number of mail-in and absentee ballots will dramatically increase this year. Regardless of which candidate is declared the victor, the inflammatory rhetoric and hostile stance of various groups will be intense…and the Church will be in the midst of it all.

How can we engage faithfully in a culture and atmosphere that’s arguably more divisive than ever before? How can we make sure our tone is prioritized alongside our beliefs? Can we do so successfully while avoiding inflammatory and hostile responses?

Darrell Bock addresses this in his new book, Cultural Intelligence: Living For God in a Diverse, Pluralistic World. Bock notes that Western Christians have maintained the individual level as their prominent communication focus, when the Church historically has been designed to address issues on three levels: individual, community, and society. While some interpret the latter two levels as a nod to political responsibility, Bock presents it in the context of how we establish and carry on in one-on-one conversations.

Highlighting six different New Testament passages, Bock crafts a theology of “cultural intelligence,” arguing for the eradication of an “us versus them” mentality (which Christians have largely not done a great job of recently). People made in God’s image are not the enemy – sin and brokenness are. As ministers and messengers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-21), we are to consider the elements of love and relationship in every interaction.

While Scripture makes clear that forgiveness is a command and not just a viable option, reconciliation (forgiveness + trust) is admittedly not always possible this side of heaven. However, no matter our depiction in the media or greater public’s eyes (or our frustration with it), the body of Christ is to proceed with love, kindness, and intentional seeking of understanding and mutual ground. Reconciliation defines our relationship to the Father through Christ’s death and resurrection, so it should be foundational to how we approach any person or issue.

Bock provides details and strategies for a “triphonic” dialogue structure (triphonic means three sounds or tones playing simultaneously), so the analogy highlights that we should take all three levels (individual, community, and society) into account when conversing with others.

A simple contrast can be realized by asking the question, “How do I talk about culture, and how do I engage culture? Those two questions should have different answers and resulting methods. Much like the Scriptural contrast of Paul in Romans 1 and Acts 17, our tone in engaging culture matters greatly.

We consistently need to ask ourselves if we care more about facts and being right than being an example of Christ’s love in conversation. Next, we need to see if our actions reflect our answer to that question. Of course facts are important.

But if people know we belong to Jesus by how we love one another, will our “undeniable facts” root them out of their opinion stronghold…or will our tone and actions be a better method?

If you have the best answers and information (which we do with the gospel), but terrible tone, your answers and information won’t matter to other people. Yes, God is sovereign and can use and work with things however He chooses. But a big part (if not the biggest part) of making disciples is modeling for those disciples. You can and should stand firm in your beliefs, but that doesn’t mean your tone always needs to be firm. In fact, it rarely does if we’re modeling an appropriate strategy of loving others well. Again, if we are people of the resurrection, then we are ministers of reconciliation.

Finally, how we engage culture has to do with salvation. While an unfortunate amount of Christians have an unhealthy link between salvation and good works via legalism, salvation and sanctification (the process of being brought into closer relationship with and attaining the likeness of Christ) are linked. They’re not just linked in some theologically abstract way, but in a practical way for us to live out.

If we are new creations who are helping to usher in the kingdom, as Jesus preached, than we must realize a truth that Bock masterfully states in his book. “Salvation is not about gaining a place but about regaining a Person and learning to live in ways that are pleasing to Him” (Bock, 77) Conducting ourselves in a manner that reflects our reconciled relationship to the Father is a big part of that, but so is our willingness to engage others by demonstrating we believe and desire to love our neighbor as ourselves.

I encourage you to read Cultural Intelligence, as we all require a long-term methodology of healthy interaction for ministry and relationship purposes… especially starting next week. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t see our nation and culture becoming less polarized any time soon. Let us not lose hope, but remain humble, lead with love, and lean in dependence on our one true hope – Jesus Christ. The author and perfecter of our faith.

If you would like to hear my interview with Dr. Bock about his book, it will drop on November 3rd (Election Day) via my podcast, Youth Ministry Maverick. You can listen on youthministrymaverick.com or wherever you stream podcasts.

Jeff Harding has been working in youth ministry since 2004. He currently serves as youth minister at Trinity Fellowship Church in Richardson, TX. He is also the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area Coordinator for the National Network of Youth Ministries, blogger for Youth Specialties, and host of the Youth Ministry Maverick podcast. Oh, and he loved Chipotle before it was cool. He hopes you can connect with him on social media @jeffdharding, or through youthministrymaverick.com.

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Dear Church Worker, You Need to Get Out More: 4 Unique Benefits of Getting Outdoors for Those Who Work in Ministry

I love being physically present in the outdoors. My ideal vacation is a few weeks in the Rocky Mountains with each day split equally between fly fishing on a rock strewn mountain stream and spending hours in a comfortable chair just staring at the mountains. Being outdoors and in nature is where I find peace and mental refreshment. I don’t love that it is a struggle for me to find time to be outdoors. I must intentionally look for opportunities to get outdoors often because I know that it makes me a better leader and servant.

A simple google search reveals numerous mental and physical health benefits to being outdoors. I won’t attempt to discuss all the possible benefits of being outdoors. I know that those who work in a church or related ministry struggle with a unique set of challenges and stressors that can cause a multitude of spiritual, physical and mental pitfalls. A speaker at a recent church leadership conference I attended noted that most church work environments are designed (unintentionally) to keep workers “spiritually disillusioned, physically fat and out of shape, and mentally drained.” His words were a harsh indictment of most ministry work places. I agree with his assessment.

Most of the stress that church workers experience stems from the fact that we place an extra burden on ourselves because we believe (rightly so) that our work has eternal consequences. The local church is God’s way of bringing people to faith and keeping them spiritually fed. As church workers, we are a crucial component in that mission. We shouldn’t take our charge lightly. Those who work in the church walk a fine line between being motivated by our mission and being overwhelmed by it. I believe that getting away from the church and being outdoors has some unique benefits to offer to the church worker.

Getting Outdoors Better Connects You to Jesus

My most influential school teachers made learning an experience. They immersed me through their storytelling and made sure I learned science through hands-on activities. We learn best through experience. What better way to learn from and experience God than to sit in the midst of His creation

and let Him do the teaching. Look at the beautiful words of Job 12:7-10 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. (NIV)

By simply being present in God’s creation, we experience Him, we learn about Him and are drawn closer to Him. There is good reason that most church camps and retreat centers are in wooded areas and not in the middle of a suburban subdivision or on the 12th floor of a city skyscraper.

Getting Outdoors Reduces Ministry Stress

I suppose being outdoors reduces stress for most everyone, not just church workers. There is research that it helps increase good chemicals and hormones in our bodies and decrease the bad ones. Breathing in clean air and getting more Vitamin D helps reduce stress for the church worker and the atheist alike.

I feel that the unique benefit for the church worker is that being outdoors helps put things in perspective. There is nothing like standing in a vast open space or gazing at a mountain to remind us that God is big and the day to day worries of our ministry are small. Most of the time this realization comes not in a conscious thought: “Hey, look at those trees. Wow! God is mighty and not having the outline for the next worship series done is small.” Rather, this realization of perspective occurs most often as at subconscious level. As created creatures, we instinctively know that our value is in the one who created us and not in the things that we do. The more we experience the wonder of His creation, the more we realize that our work, while important, is not larger than the one who made us.

Getting Outdoors Helps Set Clear Boundaries

Dr. Henry Cloud says that “Every human being must have boundaries in order to have successful relationships or a successful performance in life.” Most dedicated church workers feel a deep commitment to their job. For many, that commitment serves their church and people well. For others, that commitment makes it difficult to set healthy boundaries in life. Church work comes at the expense of margin, family, physical health, mental clarity, and healthy relationships. Making time to be physically away from the church and in nature sets a clear boundary for you physically and mentally. Physically, the boundary is clear: I am in the outdoors and I am not at church. A boundary is also established mentally:

I am not at church, therefore I am not required to think about it (although my mind often wanders back to work issues and stress). Making a commitment to being outdoors and away from church is a commitment to set healthy boundaries.

Getting Outdoors Improves Your Ministry Focus

In ministry, there is never a shortage of good ideas or new ways to do things. The challenge for leaders in ministry is to discern the important from the not so important and to keep our eyes on our church’s mission and vision for ministry. We know focusing on what is important is key to ministry growth, but there always seems to be more distractions and legitimate challenges that need to be addressed. Push the eject button and get away for a while. Take a walk, a one-day retreat, or some extended time away and in nature to clear your head and remind yourself of the important things in your ministry. Simply being away from the office limits the distractions and the opportunity for others to fill your time and mind with competing ideas. Being outdoors lets you escape for a bit and helps you focus. Your ministry will benefit greatly from your increased focus on what is truly important.

Getting outdoors can benefit you and your ministry. What are some things that you do to get outdoors more often?

Bryan Blackford works with ministry leaders to help their ministries grow. He walks ministries through a planning process and resources ministry leaders, so they are equipped to lead well. Bryan serves as an Executive Director at a large church, so he gets ministry and the everyday struggles of ministry leaders. Check out his resources at blackfordsolutions.org

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3 Thoughts on What Christian Leadership Should Look Like

Christian leadership should stand in contrast to the secular world’s understanding of what it means to be successful. Alas, I think too much of the American church at large is not concerned with the New Testament pattern of leadership and success.

What should Christian leadership look like? Here are three brief thoughts on what Christian leadership should look like, according to my scripturally biased opinion.

Primarily, I have a hard time getting away from the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:11-12. According to Jesus, Christian leadership looks like servanthood.

Interestingly, J.B. Phillips provided a challenging translation of Matthew 23:10-12. “And you must not let people call you ‘leaders’—you have only one leader, Christ! The only ‘superior’ among you is the one who serves the others. For every man who promotes himself will be humbled, and every man who learns to be humble will find promotion.”

So then, Christian leadership is about following Christ, serving others along the way, and learning to be content with obscurity.

Secondarily, Christian leadership does not look like prosperity or the lack thereof. It’s not about stuff, it’s about following Christ and serving those whom He loves. The admonition of Hebrews 13:5 is clear. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” His presence matters more than your stuff.

Please understand that as a Christian leader, you might never have a luxurious office, a large expense account, or a lofty title. And that’s okay. If your mode of ~~leadership~~ servanthood never measures up to this world’s definition of success, you are in really great company with a host of people whose names fill the New Testament. I’ll refrain from making a list and encourage you to be a student of the Book.

Thirdly, Christian leaders should not act as though because they are graced with ministry gifts that they have no need of working with others. The practice of continually isolating yourself from others is what our adversary (the devil) likes to see. He can wreak havoc through that practice.

What am I talking about with this third point? God has not called the Body of Christ to independence. But rather, He has called us to the blessedness of interdependence. That’s the whole point of 1 Corinthians 12:21-26.

What this really means is that to best fulfill the New Testament pattern of servanthood leadership, you need me. And I need you, more than you could possibly understand. Besides the ample evidence of Scripture, I’m not really smart enough to do this without your help. The best ideas and ministry are often generated from those without any official ministry title.

We can wrap this up in summary style. What does Christian leadership look like? Christian leadership looks like serving others and being okay with only God knowing your name and what you have done. This New Testament servanthood model is more possessed with the presence of Christ than the things of this world and with that, you can be content. And in this neighborhood, joint servanthood is the only model that works.

Finally, I ran across this quote from Pastor Benny Tate and it will serve as a thought-provoking conclusion. “You haven’t served God until God gets the glory and someone else gets the credit.”

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5 Signs of a Productive Follower

Everybody desires to be the leader, but few desire to follow. As I write this, my oldest son (in preschool) is designated as class leader today. He is three, so do not expect him leading on his own. If he was, expect candy, monster trucks, and toys for all. The class leader is set up as a big helper. The teacher is still in the leading role, but my son will assist and have opportunities to lead at the same time.

The church is set up in a similar fashion. Above all, God is the leader of the flock. God appoints Pastors as leaders under His sovereign will, and other Pastors and staff under the Pastor’s leadership. Jesus called the apostles and He simply called them to follow Him.

I serve as a Pastor of Students and Outreach at my church. I’m naturally in a role that requires me to be a follower and leader. I have opportunities to lead, but my leading comes in response to how I follow the direction the senior pastor and leadership set, including direction I help with at times. Here are five signs of a productive follower.

1. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS KNOW THEIR ROLE.

This often takes humility, but knowing your exact role will propel you as a productive follower. Job descriptions and guidelines are there for a reason. Your role is generally laid out. If for some reason it is not, ask and let it be known.

2. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS PLAN TO FOLLOW.

Planning and preparing is essential for most areas of life. We plan vacation, leisure, entertainment, education, and many other day-to-day activities. A productive follower must plan to lay aside our agenda so that what we are following is championed. Not planning to follow will result in a me…me…me mentality.

3. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS STRIVE FOR UNITY.

Unity takes hard work and dedication. Ephesians four highlights the importance of unity in the body of Christ. The church should be the most united place on earth, yet, unity is often neglected for personal preference. It is essential that we aim to be a united front. If we the leadership fail to be united, how can we expect the church to follow?

4. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS ENGAGE CAREFULLY.

Careful and precise engagement is necessary for productivity. Patience can be difficult to achieve and maintain. However, a good leader ought to be willing to have productive engagement with their followers. When you engage (and you should sometimes), ask yourself if you are being careful and not careless. If we follow well, we will have plenty of opportunities for engagement. Earn the right to be engaged.

5. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS INTERJECT APPROPRIATELY.

Some of us believe we have to interject our thoughts and opinions early and often. Sometimes this is warranted (if something is unbiblical) right away, but more so than not, the timing might be too soon. Understanding you leader’s personality will be the key to unlocking when and how you interject. You better have a good reason (and be able to back it up) when you interject your thoughts on a situation. Do not be afraid to speak up, but understand that there is a time and place to do so.

A productive follower essentially strives to maintain this status. It takes a daily heart check to fully be productive. You may have the best idea, but it may not be best for this particular time or moment. Be willing to humble yourself and ultimately follow Jesus first and the rest will follow. The Disciples set aside opinions and personal preference to follow Jesus. We should be willing to do the same!

Written by Justin Beville. Justin has been married to Amanda Beville for over six years and has one son named Luke and twin boys on the way! He received his Bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies with a minor in Student Ministry from the College at Southeastern. Justin went on to complete his Advanced MDiv. at Southeastern. He currently serves as the Pastor of Students and Outreach at Kingsland Baptist Church. Like this article? Read more from Justin here!

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It’s Too Loud

Many Churches have begun reopening and getting back to live services. People no longer have a personal volume control which will inevitably lead back into volume complaints. While there is no sure-fire way to eliminate them, there are some factors that may be contributing to the comfort level of your audience. Most importantly, there are probably some things you can do about it that don’t involve earplugs.

Disclaimer: I’m not going to address SPL (Sound Pressure Level) in this post but rather the factors that an SPL meter can’t tell you. I’m going to assume that you are running at a reasonable SPL and still receiving complaints.

1. “I want to hear myself and the people around me sing”
There is power in corporate worship when the people of God sing His praises together. It serves as a way of reminding each other of who God is and what he has done.

2. “I want to sing loudly and not worry about others around me hearing how bad I sound.”
There is also a personal side to worship as we each individually praise God for the things he has done in our life or cry out to him for the things we need.

But They’re Still Coming….

Once you’ve reached a decision and adjusted accordingly. There are some further considerations to make as to why you may be receiving volume complaints.

Often it is a quality of sound and not a quantity of sound issue. Meaning there isn’t too much level but how it sounds is abrasive no matter the volume level. If things are out of balance or hard to distinguish from one another it can be hard to listen to. The average person doesn’t have (and doesn’t care to have) the knowledge to differentiate between abrasiveness and volume so they will simply say ” it’s too loud”. This is even more true in cases where an individual’s ability to differentiate between sounds diminishes like in cases of hearing loss where medical devices are required for the individual to hear.

In my experience, there are 3 primary reasons people perceive it as being “too loud” (not including if it is extremely loud).

1.Room Issues

There’s an old audio joke that goes something like “In the beginning, God made perfect sound, then man built walls”. While you could easily poke holes in the jokes realism, it gets the point across that reflective surfaces add complexity to the sounds around us that then have to be differentiated by our ears. For the most part in normal circumstances, our ears are very good at doing this and we don’t even have to think about it. Think about when you’re in a crowded space where there are a lot of people talking. It’s usually reasonably easy to hear and focus on the person you are having a conversation with. With music, however, it can be a different story. Drums especially can create additional challenges for intelligibility. When a highly percussive sound bounces off everything and all the new sounds hit the ear at varying times, it makes it hard to understand what you are hearing.

It is also important to note that when this happens our natural inclination is to try and increase the volume level of the “main source” (usually the sound system). To address these issues (once the room already exists), you need to work with a professional. Acoustics is an exact science and requires specialized knowledge to get right. Guessing on solutions can be very costly. The way we have come to listen to music is very clean and processed and when you mix this clean processed sound with a raw acoustic source in the same space, it can greatly affect the intelligibility of the sound if they are not working together properly; which leads to the second factor.

2.System Issues

When a sound system isn’t correctly designed for or installed in a space or isn’t working properly it can create significant discrepancies between zones within that space. A good system should deliver consistent and even sound across every part of the room. When it’s uneven, people can have good or bad experiences based on where they are sitting and how it sounds there in comparison to what it sounds like at the soundboard (where the mix decisions are being made). This is a recipe for bad sound in certain parts of the room and good sound in others which can create additional frustration. This is not something the average person thinks about but instead, they would express that “things are inconsistent sounding from week to week (if they move seats regularly)”. Or they may say “ the bass is overwhelming” when it’s balanced from the mix position. If you are experiencing this, you want to see what can be done to better balance out your room. If you don’t have experience doing this, you may need to call in a professional to help. This is another area where guessing gets expensive. (How Not to Waste Your Churches Money)

3.Mix Issues

Now that we have either Identified a challenge that needs addressed or ruled the hard things out, it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room. What’s the quality of the mix? At the end of the day, it comes down to the person behind the board. Do they know how to mix in such a way that things are balanced well and intelligible or is it harsh and overwhelming? Does it sound like music or noise? (You Don’t Need More Gear) To remedy this, you can either hire a professional to mix every week or get training for your volunteers.

Unfortunately there is no quick and easy fix for sound complaints, so take the pressure off. You don’t have to fix everything overnight. Break it down. Discover where the problems actually lie, then develop solid solutions that move you closer to your goal. (How not to waste your churches Money)

If you are experiencing any (or multiple) of these challenges and want to talk further about specifics of fixing them in your context, send me a message.

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5 Marks of Culture in Growing Churches

1. Regular invitations are normal.

2. Relative change is acceptable.

3. Real fun is okay.

4. Reaching children is a priority.

5. Racial diversity is celebrated.

PLAN AHEAD – 5 ADVANTAGES OF PLANNING IN ADVANCE

1. PLANNING AHEAD ENABLES YOU TO PRIORITIZE TASKS.

2. PLANNING AHEAD SETS YOU UP FOR EASY WINS.

3. PLANNING AHEAD ALTERS YOUR WORKFLOW EFFICIENCY.

4. PLANNING AHEAD PAVES THE WAY FOR THOSE TIMES YOU MUST SAY NO.

5. PLANNING AHEAD ALLOWS YOU TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE SPIRIT.

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Support local businesses.

Meet local leaders.

Follow the Online Conversation.

Post on Social Media.

Walk around your neighborhood.

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5 Signs of a Productive Follower

1. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS KNOW THEIR ROLE.

2. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS PLAN TO FOLLOW.

3. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS STRIVE FOR UNITY.

4. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS ENGAGE CAREFULLY.

5. PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWERS INTERJECT APPROPRIATELY.

It’s Too Loud

But They’re Still Coming….

Once you’ve reached a decision and adjusted accordingly. There are some further considerations to make as to why you may be receiving volume complaints.

1.Room Issues

2.System Issues

3.Mix Issues

If you are experiencing any (or multiple) of these challenges and want to talk further about specifics of fixing them in your context, send me a message.

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