GROWTH POINTS MEMO

GROWTH POINTS MEMO, Volume 1 Number 2 September 8, 2011

How to know if your people understand that ‘vision thing’

Too many times churches spend time and money trying to find God’s vision for their church. Leadership retreats. Bring in a consultant or two. Sermon series. Assessments. Focus groups. These tools and more are used to discover, communicate and implement the vision to members and communities. After all that work, is there a way to know if it’s all worth the effort? Let me suggest five ways to evaluate whether or not your people understand God’s vision for your church:

First, do your members remember and share the vision? Your church’s vision should include only 3-4 important elements. Why? It’s easier to communicate and it should be repeatable. In my life I’ve paid for a couple of hundred golf lessons. Unfortunately, none were for me----my oldest son played junior golf at a pretty high level in North Texas. A good God-given vision is like a great golf swing: it should be repeatable! Are your members sharing the vision with others?

Second, your members can point to specific actions and behaviors that show the vision. Embracing vision happens incrementally. Obviously, you want members to remember, embrace and share it with others. But the next step is implementation. Are your members doing the vision? They must be doers of the vision, not just hearers only. A classic example involves evangelism. Most evangelical churches would say it’s important. They may even believe that they share the good news. But what they really mean is: ‘Go ahead pastor, reach all the people you want as long as it doesn’t change our church, make us uncomfortable and nobody sits in my pew! Are your people beginning to be involved in making the vision happen?

Third, your vision is publicly integrated in how your church does its ministry. Lots of churches spend time, energy and resources embedding the vision inside their congregations. That’s good. You want your people to “get it.” But they don’t take it to the next level. You should be sharing it with your community. The community grapevine is a powerful tool. You can do one of two things with it: ignore it and let someone else frame it for your community or take a proactive step to share it with your community. Several years ago I served on a large regional church with a passion for ministry and missions. We invited a local community leader (who was not a church member, but a well-known and respected believer) to participate in our mission and ministry emphasis. Several years later he was the two-term governor of our state. His involvement reinforced to our community we were actually implementing our vision.

Fourth, your church public perception matches your vision. The issue here is credibility. If you market your church as a place for young couples and families but the median age of your church is seventy years old, you’ve got a credibility problem. Keep it real! Be truthful. Don’t over promise. Certainly don’t under deliver. Several years ago my wife and I travelled to another region of the country about the possibility of a move in our ministry. We had a good weekend with the search committee and staff. As we were leaving to return home we stopped at a gas station on our way out of town. My wife had a conversation with the lady running the cash register. Somehow my wife mentioned the name of the church, we had just visited. The lady behind the counter got very excited and said, “That is a great church-----full of wonderful people.” She’s wasn’t a member but her public perception matched the church’s vision. That was one factor in God leading us to relocate and serve there.

Finally, your members own experiences are aligned with your vision. The most powerful organizational principle and process I know is alignment. When church members begin making life-changing decisions due to the vision of your church, you’ve reached the final step. I’ve known Christians who’ve turned down opportunities in their careers because they didn’t want to leave their church. That’s powerful. It’s transformational. If your vision isn’t ultimately transforming lives is it really a God-honoring vision at all?

Ten Essential Books for Every Leader’s Library

1. Good to Great by Jim Collins. Great book even though one of the great organizations in his model is Fannie Mae (oops!). Still worth it though.
2. Seven Principles of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. This book changed my life years ago. It helped me transition my leadership from being driven to understanding I’m called.
3. What Leaders Really Do by John P. Kotter, helps leaders understand the process of change and the challenge of relationships. If we don’t get that right, nothing about our leadership will be right.
4. The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins, provides leadership strategies for new leaders at all levels. Start right and you’ll finish strong. Watkins helps you do that.
5. Spiritual Leadership by Henry & Richard Blackaby. This book is a great resource to multiply leaders in your church and ministry.
6. The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make by Hans Finzel. We need both positive and negative examples to refine our leadership. Finzel helps us by showing us what to avoid and not do.
7. Go Put Your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham. Buckingham is leading a movement that says don’t focus on changing your weaknesses, instead build your life and career around what you do best. Well written and researched.
8. The Five Pillars of TQM (Total Quality Management) by Bill Creech. Ok, yeah I’m a process guy and this is one of my handbooks.
9. The Leadership Challenge by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. Classic primer on leadership.
10. Landry on Leadership: Noble Leadership in the Age of Celebrity by yours truly. It’s shameless plug and it’s not out yet. Hopefully this will motivate me to finish it!

GROWTH POINTS MEMO

Growth Points
• Years ago Lyle Schaller published a small but very important book, The Seven-Day-a-Week Church. One of the key things he anticipated in that classic volume was the fact that many churches would be offering several worship services every weekend. On this point Schaller nailed it. In many places we now see churches offering seven or eight worship services every weekend. For Schaller, the key was the stamina of the senior pastor. He did not foresee multi-site churches or the multiplication of the use of teaching pastors and the technology so many churches now use each weekend.

• But the theme of Schaller’s book is right on. Is your church a seven day a week church? The larger your church is, the more days it should be impacting your community. If your church is small you need to add impact with excellent, making it a part of your church culture before adding something else. Smaller churches historically try to do too much. They over commit resources, especially leaders. So what should you do to begin?

Small churches (fewer than 125), make sure you are a one-day-a-week church. Be tenacious, but kind, at looking at your Sunday services and programming. Find out what is working and what isn’t. Fix it before you move on.

Medium size churches (125-300 in attendance), look at your ministries and programming on Sunday evenings and mid-week services. What groups are growing? Which ones are struggling? Which need to be fed or starved? Are they outdated and/or outmoded? Are there needs that aren’t being met? Could this be an opportunity for your church?

Larger churches (300 +) should ask a couple of questions about everything they do: does this ministry align with our values and vision? Is this who we are? Is there enough support for us to do this? What kind of staff and resources do we need to do this or make it better?

• Your goal should be to create as many quality entry points as possible. How many do you have? If you don’t know how many you have, then that’s your first assignment. Get started. Now.


Leader Lifts
Winston Churchill is one of my heroes, for so many reasons: leader, writer, speaker, and his famous wit. He once said that “courage is the greatest of all virtues because it guarantees all others.’ So true. Pastor Ron Edmondson describes the seven traits that separate a courageous leader: http:www.ronedmondson.com/2011/7-traits-that-separate-a-leader-of-courage.html.@via RonEdmondson. Become a leader with courage! Enjoy.
Conversations from the field
Recently, I spent a couple of hours with a pastor. He’s been at his current ministry less than a year. His last church he served for nearly 40 years. So he’s not your typical new pastor. But he has fresh eyes for a church that needs it. He pastors a county seat ‘first church’ in a fast growing county of nearly 120,000 people. He’s in his mid-sixties. I asked him why he wasn’t bass fishing somewhere and he laughed, “I’ve still got too much preach in me I guess.” The fire still burns. The passion remains.
We talked about some of his leadership challenges. The next five years are critically important for his church. It will determine if they have a healthy future or see a decline in community impact and influence. I’ve had this conversation before. I have it on a regular basis. I believe that is the challenge of the vast majority of evangelical churches in North America. Yes, there are great islands of health. Yet, most of our churches continue to operate and make decisions like it’s the 1950s. This will not do. It cannot continue. Too many churches are past the tipping point.
My pastor friend has five years. So many of our churches have less. How many years does your church have? Be a difference maker. Be a leader. The fire must burn. The passion must remain.

Quotes for Preaching, Teaching & Leading
Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble.
Laura Maxwell, John Maxwell’s mother
If God only used perfect people nothing would get done. God will use anybody who’s available.
Rick Warren
Light houses blow no horns; they only shine.
D. L. Moody
Pride is the mother of all sin.
Martin Luther

Summer tIME rEADING!

Summertime Reading
Summertime is a time for reading. Each summer I put together a list of certain subjects I want to cover before the summer ends. Among these subjects include Texas history, biography, World War II, biblical studies, and at least one work of fiction. Here’s what I’m reading or read this summer to stay out of this withering Texas heat:
This I read a couple of volumes of fiction. Usually don’t read a lot of fiction but Tom Clancy had a new book out this year so I read his Against All Enemies. It’s not part of his Jack Ryan series but a good work nonetheless. Just think about our worst nightmare: Al Qaeda partners with the largest drug cartel in Mexico. Enough said. But an ex-Seal is on the hunt. This past week I got a small paperback book Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia. It’s the basis of a new movie starring Robert Duvall and Lucas Black. To say it’s a story about golf would miss the point. It’s full of life lessons. Its gospel centered. I am looking forward to seeing the movie when it opens September 3.
My friends no I love World War II history so no summer would be complete if I didn’t read from that genre. This summer I read three books on the Second World War: 11 Days in September: Christmas at the Bulge, 1944 is the story of the Allied response to the last German counteroffensive on the western front during the war. I may have read it trying to get some relief from the Texas heat! The author is Stanley Weintraub a noted historian on World War II. He retells the story of Patton’s Third Army that stopped fighting the Germans head on and pivoted ninety degrees to cut off the German bulge. He even includes a chapter on Patton’s famous prayer for good weather telling the Lord: “Sir, you have to make up your mind whose side you’re on.” But mostly he uses new documents and interviews to tell the story of the ordinary citizen soldiers who made the difference. We should be grateful for all they have done. In Jonathan Jordan’s book, Brothers, Rivals, Victors he describes the partnership between Eisenhower, Patton and Bradley that led the American forces to victory in Europe. The three men began the war as longtime friends. But by the time V-E Day came they were barely talking to each other. Jordan describes how they argued and fought each other while at the same time vanquishing the Wehrmacht. It was both triumphant and tragic. When Patton died in December 1945 from injuries received in an automobile accident, Patton’s widow Bea refused to let Ike visit. It’s a reminder that even our heroes are human. Sir Martin Gilbert is one of my favorite historians; he is official biographer of Winston Churchill. In the spring I found a copy of Gilbert’s, Winston Churchill, Road to Victory, 1941-1945. Meticulously researched it reads almost like a daily diary of Churchill’s actions during the war. He is bluntly honest on the differences between Churchill and FDR. A must for anyone who loves Churchill or World War II.
I also try to read something related to Texas history each summer. This year I read David Stokes book, The Shooting Salvationist, the story of Dr. J. Frank Norris, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas for most of the first half of the 20th century. He was the first American mega church pastor. It was controversial. He was indicted three times. This is the story of his murder trial. He shot an unarmed man in his study at church. He was indicted and tried for murder in the late 1920s. This is the story of that trial. I had heard bits and pieces of this story my entire life. This is the complete history of that story. All I can say is that it is fascinating.
Summer is baseball time. I always try to include a book about baseball in my summer reading. This year I read two baseball bios: Jane Leavey’s The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America’s Childhood and George Vecsey’s, Stan Musial: An American Life. Mantle is a hero of mine from when I was a kid. He lived in Dallas in the off season. Leavy is sensitive to his struggle with alcoholism with shirking from telling his tragic story. She also details how Mickey got his life under control in the last 18 months before he died, going through Betty Ford, getting things right with his family and trusting Jesus. Vecsey’s book tells the story of a humble superstar, Stan Musial one of the greatest players in major league history. Musial is often overlooked by fans today. This bio will remind them of a man with humility and talent.
Finally I always try to read something in biblical studies and theology each summer. Because I am teaching from Genesis 1-11 this fall I read Kenneth A. Matthews, Genesis 1-11 New American Commentary. It’s been a longtime since I read a commentary cover to cover, but I did this year. It is a treasure of biblical exegesis, theological reflection and personal application. The last book I read this summer was actually a reread. Every year I try to read or reread from one of three: J.I. Packer, C.S. Lewis and Carl F. H. Henry. This was a Packer summer for me. So I reread his Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. It is a great essay from the reformed view on the Christian duty of evangelism.
What are you reading this summer? What should I read this fall? Love to hear your thoughts.

39 Simple Ways to Jump Start Your Spiritual Fitness

This is the second part of our series on jump starting your spiritual fitness.

21. Find an accountability partner or group and meet regularly.

22. Discover your spiritual gifts and put them to use!

23. Develop a list of people you know who need to know Jesus and begin to pray for opportuniities to share Jesus with them.

24. Mentor and encourage a new Christian and/or church member.

25. Write a letter of thanks to someone who has impacted you spiritually.

26. Turn your passion into a ministry.

27. Take notes on your pastor's sermons.

28. Conduct a Bible word study.

29. Go to your pastor or a church staff member and offer to help them with their greatest ministry need.

30. Give an anonymous gift to help meet someone's need.

31. Do a personal study of a Bible doctrine or theme for an extended period of time.

32. Practice the Sabbath----at least one day a week for rest, reflection & worship.

33. You can't outgive God but have fun trying.

34. Whenever you meet a person make them the focus.

35. Determine to show people love no matter what they say or do to you.

36. See every problem as an opportunity for God to be God.

37. Be positive and proactive by living a life that motivates people to go beyond where they are.

38. Pray for your critics. Better yet do something nice for them. It'll keep them up at night.

39. Remember to be Jesus to your family and friends by serving them.

Love to hear your comments! Find a few, suggest a few, but just do it!

Confessions of an Ecclesiologist: 39 Simple Ways to Jump Start Your Spiritual Fitness, Part 1

Confessions of an Ecclesiologist: 39 Simple Ways to Jump Start Your Spiritual Fitness, Part 1

39 Simple Ways to Jump Start Your Spiritual Fitness, Part 1

Why are so many churches not growing? Whay are so many unhealthy? Why are so many local churches more like clubs and clans than the Church Jesus died for? A complete answer is rather complex. But in thirty years of ministry one thing I have learned: Our churches are unhealthy because many of our members are spiritually unhealthy. It has always been so-----Paul's letters in the New Testament show us that.

Here are 39 simple ways to get in spiritual shape. Get started today. It's time to own your faith. Accept responsibility for your own spiritual fitness. Don't outsource it to your spouse, or pastor or anyone else. Do it now!

1. Use a one year reading Bible to develop the discipline of daily time in God's Word.

2. Learn to meditate on a verse or passage of Scripture. Chew on it like a dog on a bone. You won't exhaust it but you will learn so much by trying.

3. As you go through your day ask the Philippians 4:8 questions. I'm not going to give them to you. Look it up.

4. Pray Scripture. Simple enuff!

5. Take a prayer walk through your neighborhood. Pray for that neighbor who's barking dog keeps you up at night. It'll do wonders for your attitude.

6. Adopt those areas in your daily life as your own mission field (work, school, gym, etc.). Ministry is where ever you find it or it finds you.

7.Pray over your daily to-do-list.

8. Use prayer prompts as reminders to pray for people. Prayer prompts can be anything from pictures of family and friends to your local school. The only limit is your own imagination.

9.Keep a spiritual journal. It's a great way to measure your spiritual growth, keep a proper perspective and count your blessings!

10. Fast from television, the internet or social media for a week. After six days, the last one is easy!

11. Participate in an in-depth Bible study.

12.use a hymnal in your quiet time. You should be able to find one cheap!

13. Go on a short term mission trip. You will recieve so much more in blessings than you will give. Trust me on that!

14. Develop your testimony to share with someone in 60 seconds or less.

15. Ask people how you can pray for them----and then do it!

16.Adopt a city, nation or people group to pray for.

17. Adopt a missionary (family) and pray for them each day.

18. Conduct a monthly or quarterly mission or ministry project.

19. Sharpen your saw----attend ministry training events a couple of times a year.

20. Memorize a verse or passage of Scripture every week.

A Blessed Journey

Last fall, life was good. In early November our youngest son and I spent several days at our family ranch in the Hill Country of Texas. Part working vacation and part spiritual retreat, we had a great time. When we returned to the Metroplex, I spoke to a politics class a friend of mine teaches (on the mid-terms). Later that week our son and I met former President George W. Bush and bought several signed copies of his memoir, Decision Points. The next weekend, our oldest son came home from Baylor to celebrate his 20th birthday. Life was indeed good. Our new ministry helping churches and Christians live more missional lives was growing. Our preaching, speaking and equipping opportunities were growing. Life was indeed very good.

Then I got sick. Really, really sick. Early one Sunday morning my wife rushed me to a local emergency room. I had double pneumonia, I couldn't breathe. Baylor University Medical Center (BUMC) Dallas, where all my doctors are was full. No beds were available. So I was rushed to Lewisville (Texas) Memeorial Medical Center and placed in the ICU. There the wonderful doctors and nurses went to work on me immediately. They fought to keep me alive. I got sicker (not their fault). My kidney failed. And my liver, lungs and pancreas. That's right four major organs were failing. I also began to bleed internally. My wife Cheryl stayed at my bedside. Our boys, family, friends and church family were at the hospital everyday. Our pastor, Dr. Stephen Hatfield often beat my Mom and Dad to the hospital each day. I was put on Continous Renal Therapy to help my (one) kidney.

Cheryl began to mobilize our friends to pray. Eventually friends and others all over the world began to pray for me. The Catholic archdiocese of Dallas prayed for this ordained Baptist preacher every day by name during the Daily Mass. At a very critical juncture, Central Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia dedicated an entire midweek service to intercession on my behalf. Within hours that particularly stubborn internal bleed stopped. On at least four different occassions my doctors prepared my family, telling them I might not live through the night. I was finally strong enough to be transferrred by ambulance to Baylor-Dallas. My admitting physician prayed over me with Cheryl when I got to BUMC. He told her, "I can't fix your husband. Only God can."The good news is, I don't remember a thing! I was in a drug induced coma for 26 days. I missed Thanksgiving and Christmas in our new home.

As God's people prayed, I held on. I woke up finally during the second weekend in December. I can remember that because it was the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's assassination. I couldn't talk much, couldn't walk, couldn't feed myself. But I was alive. Our youngest son had read portions of George W. Bush's book to me in the hospital when I was in a coma. My brain was not fully functioning when he asked if I wanted him to read to me after I had come out of the coma. One thing I do reget is saying, no. But my brain was not yet fully processing information!

After spendinga few weeks in 4 Truett ICU at Baylor, I was moved to Baylor Speciality Hospital to begin therapy to help me talk, walk, think, dress and fully function again. But my stubborn esophogeal bleed roared back with avengance. Cheryl, who teaches at Baylor University's Louise Harrington School of Nursing (across the street from Baylor Hospital) was set to attend a pinning ceremony at the school when I was rushed to the emergency room. I was out of my head. My blood count was dangerously low (4/13) for any of you with medical training. I couldn't keep still. I couldn't keep my robe on. I was nutty. I was holding the hand of a very attractive woman doctor (so my Dad tells me. He was there). Many members of the nursing school faculty who work with Cheryl rushed over after the ceremony. A couple of them took charge. Others offered prayers and support. My pastor set a NASCAR record, getting to BUMC from Lewisville. It was the 17th of December. I ended up back in 4 Truett ICU for several more days.

By Christmas I was back at Baylor Specialty Hospital starting rehab all over again. In 30 years of ministry I must admit not knowing much about this part of medicine. As difficult a time I was having I saw so many people suffering from strokes, or accidents, missing limbs and digits. I was blessed and I still am. Shortly after New Years I was moved to Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation. There my therapy intensified. One of my therapists there told me she loved what she does because in her words, "We see miracles happen." Indeed, they do. On January 15th I reached my goal: With the help of a walker, I walked out of the hospital, headed home. 63 days in the hospital. A medical bill of nearly 2 million dollars and 65 lbs. lighter, I was home.

I still had a couple of months of outpatient rehab, three times a week. But it was great to be home. I am thankful for all those who prayed for me, comforted my family. Many friends gave my family money to help with expenses, get my father-in-law here from Virginia and prepared us meals. Several friends and family drove where I needed to be until I was able to drive again. My doctors and nurses and BUMC and Lewiville Memorial were great. I am blessed to know so many people love and care for me and my family. Thank you to all who ministered to us. We love you all.

I am blessed.

Mike