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TwentyTen Vision

Our staff's prayers and strategic planning have been consumed with our vision for 2010.  Our January teaching series, What If?, will unpack where and how God is leading our church community in the months ahead.

As we prepare to take our ministries to the next level, I've found the following articles on biblical vision fascinating and helpful.

Michael Hyatt on Why Vision Matters:

Leadership is more than influence. It is about reminding people of what it is we are trying to build—and why it matters. It is about painting a picture of a better future. It comes down to pointing the way and saying, “C’mon. We can do this!”

When times are tough, vision is the first causality. Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing we must recover.

Seth Godin on Fear of Bad Ideas:

Someone asked me where I get all my good ideas, explaining that it takes him a month or two to come up with one and I seem to have more than that. I asked him how many bad ideas he has every month. He paused and said, "none."

And there, you see, is the problem.

And Jeff Kapusta on Vision.  Opposition.  Response.:

Every great vision is followed by opposition. The moment you begin to step up to what God is calling you to do somebody is waiting to knock you down.  It’s true.  There are vision vandals out there that want nothing more than to keep you from achieving God’s best in your life.

Staff Values

This week is review week for Colwood Staff.  Heading into 2010, we're committing to these Staff Values.  For what its worth, here is how our staff team is intentionally doing life together seeking to advance our church's vision:

Community

We are a team, modeling community for our church.   We’ll celebrate each other’s victories, pray for each other, and treat each other with respect.  We’ll do life together.

Professionalism and Excellence

We value each other’s privacy and schedules in the office and in the home.  People will know where we are during the day, what time we’ll be in and what time we will leave.  We will do the things that matter most first, and not overlook the important for the urgent.  We will do what we say we will do and be on time and prepared for meetings.  We believe that excellence honors God and inspires people.

Team Ministry

We can accomplish more together than we can individually. We are not a federation of sub-ministries and realize that we all have a part in the overall vision of the church.   We will communicate with each other and collaborate with each other.   We will respect each other’s roles and positions.

Honor and Integrity

We will make integrity an issue before it needs to be.  As leaders striving to live and serve above reproach, we will protect the unity and reputation of Colwood Church at all costs. 

Right Priorities

We will meet with God every day.  We will cheat the ministry and the church before we cheat God and our families. We will work hard so we can honor our days off.  We never take our staff hat off and realize that people are always watching.

Retreat and Relax

We will retreat once a year as a staff.  We will retreat once a year by ourselves.  We will use our vacation time and attend conferences. 

People Matter

People matter more than programs, buildings and budgets, but not more than principles and purpose.  We will get back with people within 24 hours when they call or e-mail us.  We will close the loop on communication.

Kaleidoscope of Kingdom Diversity

There was a time when I arrogantly pounded my chest and dismissed the "other churches" in town.

My pride blinded me to 1 Corinthians 12.  My ego eclipsed Kingdom-mindedness.

I hung my immature hat on secondary-issues and missed out on the primary issue of Jesus and His kaleidoscope of Kingdom diversity.

Now? 
God has helped me realize that it takes all different flavors of churches to reach all different flavors of people.

We're on the same team.  We're advancing the same mission.  We fly the same Jesus flag.

If I can cheer on another local church, God gets the fame.

I'm not here to compete with the Body of Christ; I want to help complete the Body of Christ!

Bottom-line: I don't want Colwood to ever become "that big, preppy church."  I want us to be part of a blessing-others-movement.

Yes

Yes moves forward.

No moves no where.

Yes is proactive.

No is reactive.

Yes progresses.

No paralyzes.

Yes extends.

No retracts.

Yes requires faith.

No requires nothing.

There's a Hidden Camera in My Church Office

It's true.

I had a tiny hidden camera installed in my church office last week.  Its the size of my thumb.

Just like on Punk'd or Candid Camera.

It was my initiative and my decision.

Why?

I simply want a second pair of eyes during counseling in my private office so that I can never be wrongfully accused of anything.

It only takes one false allegation to destroy a lifetime of ministry.

Billy Graham always lived by the principle, "Make integrity an issue before it needs to be."

Just some food for thought for all my ministry friends.

For what its worth, here's the one I went with.  Highly recommend it.

Be Encouraged

Study after study reveals that pastors are at their lowest on Mondays.  The temptation to give in and give up under stress & criticism is compounded by the emotional holy hangover from the previous day.

If that is you today, be encouraged.

"Because of false brothers secretly brought in - who slipped in to spy out our freedom in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery - to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you" - Paul in Galatians 2.4-5 (ESV)

Don't allow a small voice to become a big voice.  Filter out what is false and cling to what God has already given you - freedom!

Remember the ancient Chinese proverb,
"Tall trees attract wind." 

If you are wrestling through a season of criticism and second-guessing, follow Paul's example. 
"We did not yield in submission for even a moment."

Why? 
Because you are specifically called and appointed by the Most High One to declare the message of Jesus.

Find your peace in Him.
Find your security in Him.
For if God is in you and for you, who can be against you?

What I Wish They'd Told Me in Seminary

November 15th will mark a decade for me in full-time ministry.  I have learned a TON over the years - more often than not the hard way! 

Chuck Swindoll is right: "When God has an impossible task to be done, He takes an impossible person and crushes him."

If I could go in a time-machine and give myself advice on the crushing back on Day One, here are some thoughts I might share with myself - - this is what I wish they'd told me in seminary:

1)  It's all about Jesus. 

2)  Sheep bite.  But love wins.

3)  You are not the Messiah. 
Being the Messiah gets you killed.

4)  Protect your family.

5)  Say "No" more than you say "Yes" (see #4).

6)  Don't try to be "well-rounded." 
Amplify your strengths and hire out your weaknesses.

7)  Ask questions.  Never stop reading and learning.

8)  Grace builds trust.  Truth builds confidence.  Balance builds community.

9)  Your church will never be perfect so long as you are the pastor!

10)  Have fun.  Don't take yourself so seriously!  God will accomplish His work in spite of your messiness (see #1).

Anything else you'd say to yourself back on Day One?  I'd love to learn from you!

Thoughts on Dealing with Conflict as a Church Leader

When you accept being in leadership, you accept conflict.  Nobody enjoys conflict, but its part of being a leader.

For what its worth, here are some key principles to keep in mind when engaging in healthy conflict:

- Never attempt to resolve a problem over phone/email/Facebook/Twitter.  Meet in person!

- Deal with any problem immediately - - that day!  Letting something fester invites the enemy.

- There is no room for grudges among Christ-followers.  Grudges imprison you and create a distorted lens for experiencing reality.

- Gossip tears down.  Transparent grace builds up.

- Be quick to listen and slow to speak.

- You can choose to either believe the best about a person's motives or assume the worst.  The former builds trust over the long-haul.

- Humility is contagious.  Humility builds bridges.

- Asking for forgiveness is a freeing experience.  Offering forgiveness is a freeing experience.  Both bring you and the other person closer together in relationship.

Catalyst 2009 Wrap-Up - Thank You, Colwood

The 10th annual Catalyst Conference is now history.  What a week!
I was most impressed with AT&T; with 13,000 in attendance, I had no problem with twittering the entire event (just had to manually shut off 3G to get through!).

It was great catching up with old friends from around the country - iron sharpens iron!

I am so thankful for the people of Colwood Church and their generosity. 
If you regularly support Colwood through prayers and financial giving, know that this conference week was a tremendous gift to our staff team.  The combination of team-bonding and intense learning will ripple through all our leaders and ministries in the months ahead!

I am posting my personal takeaways from Catalyst - my hope is that these notes will help you understand the direction our focused passions will take Colwood in 2010.  Further notes are available on my Twitter feed.

[ pictured: Jay Hardwick & me; Greg Davis, Ryan Geiger & me ]

Catalyst 2009: Perry Noble

Perry Noble opened up the PreLab on Wed morning with Thoughts on Vision.  My takeaways:

• Leadership Myth: Someday it all gets easier.  No, the steps get TOUGHER.  God said, "Abraham, kill your son."
  
• Acts 26 - Vision begins with an accurate view of Jesus.  1st revelation to Paul was NOT the PLAN, it was the PERSON!
  
• Acts 26:16 = Vision calls us to action.  People say, "I'm waiting on God."  What?  You ran ahead of Him?!  No - God's waiting on US!
  
• You can't PLAN a move of God, but you've gotta PREPARE!