George Barna is the President of the Barna Research Group. He shared the following:
"Why We Need Leaders to Step Up"
1. The more selfish our society becomes, the more important Godly leadership is
2. The more choices we have without a biblical worldview, the more confused our priorities become and the more crucial Godly vision and strategy are
3. In times of rapid cultural change, superior leadership must guide us
4. Recent poor decisions have ushered in skepticism; Godly leaders must restore trust
5. Focused leaders make sense of reality and promise vision in a culture that rejects absolute moral and spiritual truth
6. Team based leadership is needed in a culture of hyper-individualism
7. Churches have given lip service to leadership but there is a lack of real leadership
"Six Leadership Checkpoints"
1. Leaders can strategically change reality, but they cannot change people
2. Nobody is the complete "leadership package" so it's important to work in a leadership team
3. One of the most undervalued and lest common skills among leaders is listening
4. Leaders must master conflict and confrontation
5. Success is helping people achieve their potential
6. Do not accept a leadership position unless you're ready to pay a stiff price. The more significant the outcome you seek to achieve, the more substantial the price you can expect to pay
A few other thoughts from Barna:
People need to be led
Leadership is a calling, not a job
Commit yourself to others and a vision; the vision should be from God
Success is cooperating with God to facilitate life transformation
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Right Now Conference- Ross, Danielson
Last month, I attended the Right Now Conference in Dallas, TX along with Tim Miller and Brad Damas. The goal of the Right Now Conference is to connect young adults to ministry because "The Mission of the Church Matters". With Tim leading our church's college ministry (http://www.insidethewalk.org/) and Brad serving as our church's student worship leader along with my involvement with young married couples, we each were challenged by the conference with regard to our different areas of ministry. On a side note, one blessing of the 3-day trip was that no one asked me if Brad (early 20's) was my son.
Over the next several posts, I will share some of my notes from the conference. Here are notes from a session by Tim Ross who serves as the Young Adult Pastor at The Potter's House in Dallas, TX:
If people follow me, will they get to Christ?
Young adults have seen and heard it all on TV; they can probably handle honesty. A lack of honesty is hard to handle.
The church cannot have matching alternatives to modern culture.
We must not desire to be cool for 5 years but rather to be effective for decades.
Alan Danielson, the Editor-at-Large for http://www.smallgroupexchange.com/, shared this thought:
We are so far educated above our level of obedience.
Over the next several posts, I will share some of my notes from the conference. Here are notes from a session by Tim Ross who serves as the Young Adult Pastor at The Potter's House in Dallas, TX:
If people follow me, will they get to Christ?
Young adults have seen and heard it all on TV; they can probably handle honesty. A lack of honesty is hard to handle.
The church cannot have matching alternatives to modern culture.
We must not desire to be cool for 5 years but rather to be effective for decades.
Alan Danielson, the Editor-at-Large for http://www.smallgroupexchange.com/, shared this thought:
We are so far educated above our level of obedience.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
A Learning Experience
I've just begun coaching a basketball team comprised of kindergartners and 1st graders, and none of them has ever played basketball before. Everything is new. Where to stand, how to dribble, the concepts of offense and defense; it's all new. A major challenge is trying to explain what, to me, are long-ago learned concepts without using language the players on the team don't understand. Man-to-man defense, the lane, and posting up are phrases that might as well be spoken in a foreign language.
But then I remember that many of these children can't even read yet.
It's going to be a learning experience for both them and me.
But then I remember that many of these children can't even read yet.
It's going to be a learning experience for both them and me.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger
This week, The Point was accepted as a Thomas Nelson Book Review blog. What that means is I will receive books from Thomas Nelson Publishers, read them and then post a review on The Point as well as on a consumer retail website. Thanks to Matt Pickwell (www.mattpickwell.com) for information on this opportunity.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Remembering Jeremy Frye
It's hard to believe it's already been one year since my friend Jeremy Frye passed away following a hiking accident in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. An accomplished hiker, Jeremy was spending the day traversing the mountains and trails he loved so well.
Jeremy (I and many others just called him Frye) grew up with me. For most of his middle school and high school years, I was his Sunday School teacher. When our student choir ministry took summer mission trips, he and I always ended up loading and unloading equipment (Frye would do most anything so he didn't have to sing or "dance"). While he was in college, I hired him to work with me as a recreation assistant (since we lived near each other I offered to let him ride with me on his first day of orientation but when I got to his house he was still asleep). Eventually, we both ended up working at Sevier Heights together.
The last conversation I had with Jeremy was a phone call on Thursday evening that went something along the lines of:
Me: Hey Jeremy, can you make sure the wheelchairs get back in the rotunda after the wedding?
Frye: Sure, I've got a couple more things to get done and then I'll take care of them.
Me: Thanks a bunch. Have a great weekend.
Frye: You too, sir. You have a good evening.
He often called me "sir". Not because he had too. He spoke that way to lots of people. He was just a very well-mannered, likable guy. How many guys in their early 20's come by your house to see your first-born son and then willingly hold your newborn for a picture? Jeremy Frye did.
As I remember Jeremy Frye, I'm reminded of the following and so much more:
He loved his family He smiled all the time He loved the game of soccer (especially World Cup), hiking in the mountains and firearms Man, could he sweat He could prepare two softball fields for play faster than anybody I've ever known Everyone liked him; if you didn't like Jeremy Frye, you were the one with the problem He would have been a great husband and dad He was one of my all-time favorite people (maybe you're not supposed to have favorites, but he was one of mine and he knew it)
Jeremy (I and many others just called him Frye) grew up with me. For most of his middle school and high school years, I was his Sunday School teacher. When our student choir ministry took summer mission trips, he and I always ended up loading and unloading equipment (Frye would do most anything so he didn't have to sing or "dance"). While he was in college, I hired him to work with me as a recreation assistant (since we lived near each other I offered to let him ride with me on his first day of orientation but when I got to his house he was still asleep). Eventually, we both ended up working at Sevier Heights together.
The last conversation I had with Jeremy was a phone call on Thursday evening that went something along the lines of:
Me: Hey Jeremy, can you make sure the wheelchairs get back in the rotunda after the wedding?
Frye: Sure, I've got a couple more things to get done and then I'll take care of them.
Me: Thanks a bunch. Have a great weekend.
Frye: You too, sir. You have a good evening.
He often called me "sir". Not because he had too. He spoke that way to lots of people. He was just a very well-mannered, likable guy. How many guys in their early 20's come by your house to see your first-born son and then willingly hold your newborn for a picture? Jeremy Frye did.
As I remember Jeremy Frye, I'm reminded of the following and so much more:
On this day last year, I had the horrible privilege of being in Jeremy's room with his family and some other close friends as he breathed his last breath on this earth. It was a moment and an event I will never forget. But there was, and is, comfort in knowing that his eternity was secured.
And today is a great day to be remembering Jeremy Frye.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Where Life Is
This week as we were heading to meet some family for dinner, we drove over a dried-up creek bed. One of those creeks that flows freely in the spring and summer but does not sustain itself over the winter. As we passed over the dry creek bed, Tonya asked Parker if he knew where the fish went, the ones that were in the creek back in summer. "They died" he replied. "Could be, but what might be another option?" we asked. His answer: "They went where there was more water".
And that got me to thinking. People, as well as fish, go where life is. They want to, they need to, go to where things are happening.
Some examples:
1. When a sports team gets off to a slow start to its season, people stop attending games. There becomes a sense that, since the team is not good, the games are not worth attending and people stay away.
2. Shopping malls that once thrived with customers become relative ghost towns. Why? Because stores that once drew crowds no longer do and close their doors. The stores that replace the original stores are usually less effective than the originals. A downward spiral begins.
3. Young adults and young families are looking for churches that have ministries that meet their needs. The preaching and teaching of the Gospel must be foundational to who the church is but many churches do not offer opportunities to allow individuals to connect with one another in meaningful ways. People are looking to live life with others. A church must be more than just Sunday morning.
Here's The Point: Just as fish make the effort to avoid seasonally dry creek beds, so do people as they look to find life. Churches that do not help people connect in meaningful ways, outside simply Sunday morning, are destined to dry up. People want to be where life is happening.
And that got me to thinking. People, as well as fish, go where life is. They want to, they need to, go to where things are happening.
Some examples:
1. When a sports team gets off to a slow start to its season, people stop attending games. There becomes a sense that, since the team is not good, the games are not worth attending and people stay away.
2. Shopping malls that once thrived with customers become relative ghost towns. Why? Because stores that once drew crowds no longer do and close their doors. The stores that replace the original stores are usually less effective than the originals. A downward spiral begins.
3. Young adults and young families are looking for churches that have ministries that meet their needs. The preaching and teaching of the Gospel must be foundational to who the church is but many churches do not offer opportunities to allow individuals to connect with one another in meaningful ways. People are looking to live life with others. A church must be more than just Sunday morning.
Here's The Point: Just as fish make the effort to avoid seasonally dry creek beds, so do people as they look to find life. Churches that do not help people connect in meaningful ways, outside simply Sunday morning, are destined to dry up. People want to be where life is happening.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Last 15%
I'm learning that it's that last 15% that separates good from great. That separates good organizations from great ones. That separates good students from exceptional ones.
Running at 85% effectiveness is difficult for several reasons:
1. For some people, 85% is good enough. "We can't get much better than this. Why try harder?" is the response of some.
2. 85% looks really good to those on the outside. They compare your 85% effectiveness to the rate they perceive for their own organization and they think you look great. Outsiders tell you how great you are and your organization can begin to believe the hype. But in your heart, you know better.
3. In some areas of life, particularly sports, 85% is great. Teams that win games at a .850 clip win championships; a free throw shooting percentage of 85% means you're really good.
Here's The Point: For these reasons and more, improving above the 85% line is difficult for an organization. The incentive is not great because improvement is difficult and often taken via painstaking steps. But that does not mean it's not worth the effort. While difficult, slow and sometimes frustrating, moving even from 85% to 86% is a great achievement and well worth the effort.
Running at 85% effectiveness is difficult for several reasons:
1. For some people, 85% is good enough. "We can't get much better than this. Why try harder?" is the response of some.
2. 85% looks really good to those on the outside. They compare your 85% effectiveness to the rate they perceive for their own organization and they think you look great. Outsiders tell you how great you are and your organization can begin to believe the hype. But in your heart, you know better.
3. In some areas of life, particularly sports, 85% is great. Teams that win games at a .850 clip win championships; a free throw shooting percentage of 85% means you're really good.
Here's The Point: For these reasons and more, improving above the 85% line is difficult for an organization. The incentive is not great because improvement is difficult and often taken via painstaking steps. But that does not mean it's not worth the effort. While difficult, slow and sometimes frustrating, moving even from 85% to 86% is a great achievement and well worth the effort.
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