moving targets

When you serve kids, teens and college students you are serving moving targets. They are in constant motion. Their outlook is constantly changing. They influences are consistently morphing. This generation and all that will come ahead of us are moving targets. How do we know we are getting through to them? How do we know we are communicating what is most important? These are questions those of us who are thinking Orange are constantly asking because we are trying help preschoolers, children, teens, and college students to become fully devoted followers of Christ. Today at the Orange Tour we processed the idea of focusing our message so we are communicating what matters most to this generation. We are trying to move this generation in a specific direction. We are trying to incite wonder, push for self discovery, and fuel authentic passion . Check out what this looks like and process this idea...are you helping the moving targets you serve hit the right target as they grow in their faith?

Incite Wonder / design (we are intentional) Identity (you were made in the image of God) Connection (the God of the universe wants a relationship with me)

Self Discovery / faith (relationship with Jesus) Transformation (tension that we are in process, we have not arrived) Truth (God has given truth and it can be a compass)

Fuel Passion / The Cross (Jesus gave himself for others, we do the same) Community (we are connected, we are a family and we are connected) Compassion (others!) Restoration (we can be a part of the solution)

What would happen if our ministries helped the moving targets we lead embrace these truths?

Integrated Strategy / getting on the same page

Strategy is such a cool word but really strategy is a very simple concept. Strategy is nothing more than a plan with the end in mind. The question I hope you will think about this morning is what would happen if your preschool, children, youth, and college leaders synchronized their strategy? Sure I know every team will have different methods but what if we linked arms with a strategy that would help us all move the next generation toward the same destination? When we all have our own plan, our own strategy, our own global direction, then we take families in different directions in every stage of life. When leaders collaborate they help move families in the same direction. This is hard work and I already know some of the immediate resistance you have but check out these ideas that Reggie Joiner helped us process at the Orange Tour today…

When you integrate strategy it simplifies everyone’s focus.

When you integrate strategy you synchronize everyone’s effort

When you integrate strategy you get to celebrate as a team.

When you integrate strategy you enhance everyone’s capacity. 

All of these statements are so intense that I am not even going to comment. These are things that we dream about and I now can say that they are possible because our team at Grace Community did the hard work of synchronizing. When you take the time and synchronize your strategy these statements are possible for your church. I know it is different but trust me integrated strategy is possible.

blogging from the Orange Tour today

Excited about spending the day here at the Orange Tour with some of our Grace Community Church team thinking Orange. I will be blogging and tweeting and thinking out load through the day so check back here for a few updates. More importantly I hope you will check out the upcoming Orange Tour dates and see if the team is stopping at a location near you. I look around the room today and I see hundreds of amazing leaders dreaming about how to do ministry BETTER. This is a great event to bring you team to. Check out the dates! Look for a few posts from the tour later today.

responding to lost momentum

If you lead a ministry then you face challenge on a regular basis. There are always problems to work on and things to improve. There are also times when you feel like you are losing momentum and maybe even moving backwards. That's a terrible feeling that we have all experienced at some point in our leadership journey. I had the chance to hear Phil Fulmer (former coach at the University of Tennessee) speak last year and he talked about how he responded to losing. Coach Fulmer said that when the team lost he wanted to be the first person back in the office to map out the plan for the next week, to address what caused the loss, and to mentally work through the loss so he could be ready to lead the team in a new direction. In ministry our losses look different but we can learn from the idea of being the first one "back in the office." Our volunteers know when we are not making progress and they need direction from us when momentum is lagging. When we are losing momentum our team needs...

• Extra time // when your team is losing momentum you need extra time to work, to pray, to process, to plan. Times of struggle are not the time to hide and run from the issues. Make sure your clear your calendar so you can focus on what matters most during this season.
• Forward thinking // lost momentum can drag us into focusing on the past...what you need now are ideas that will shape the future not recreate the past. If momentum is to be gained then we have look ahead...what is next.
• Clear communication // our role as team is leader to help define reality. In times of struggle make sure you are communicating clearly and frequently with your team.
• Change // usually lost momentum indicates changes need to be made. Have the courage to change what needs to be changed for the health of the team and organization. When our "wins" are clearly defined then our methods are flexible. Change inspires growth.

Remembering...

Today has been a day to look back and remember those who sacrificed so much on 9-11-01 ten years ago. I find myself just being thankful for all those who stand in the gap in this fight to protect our nation. I'm so blessed to know so many incredible people who serve as soldiers, firemen, police officers, and first responders. For ten years so many have worked together to make sure and seek justice and fight this war on terror. Thanks for what you do. Thanks for making our country a safer place for my daughters to grow up in. Today we did a simple interview with a group of guys I am honored to call friends who serve in the military. Two of these guys are in my community group so hearing them share today was so incredible. Hear a little of their story...


Grace's 9-11 Tribute from Gcomchurch Sermons on Vimeo.

VOLUNTEERS need to...do significant things

Every volunteer on our team needs to be doing significant things. Volunteers need to know what what they do matters and if they are not on our team they will be missed. Our family ministry team is on a mission right now to empower our volunteers like never before. We believe that every volunteer that buys into our mission is helping to advance the kingdom of God. We believe that kids and teens need loving adult mentors in their lives. We believe that people grow the most spiritually when they serve. Because of that we are trying to make sure every volunteer on our team is doing significant things by...

• Elevating team leaders // We are trying to empower more volunteers to function like staff on our team. We have even asked some people to step into new roles who did not because it seemed like to big a role for them right now. High impact volunteers need high impact roles! We are elevating many volunteers into new roles of leadership and I am so grateful for each of them.
• Communicating clear expectations // This has been big this year. We have tried to communicate clearly what we expect of every volunteer so they know how to succeed. Volunteers have to know what we need from them...they need the win defined for their role.
• Adding, adding, then adding some more // We want to add more volunteers than ever before. What we are learning is that we have to recruit, train, and then recruit some more. In a growing community like ours you can never have enough volunteer power. We have learned that we simly need more volunteers if we are going to be better at what we do.
• Listening and improving // We want our volunteers to be shaping our environments and tweaking our methods. Yep, volunteers have some amazing ideas if we will just listen and then improve.

Senior Pastors...this is what your Student Pastor needs from you!

Yesterday I talked about what senior pastors need from student pastors. If you are a student pastor and you want a healthy relationship with your senior pastor then you have to be willing to fight for it, to make it a priority. There are also some basic things that student pastors need from their senior leadership. If you are out there fighting for a healthy relationship with your pastor and you don't see these in return then you will probably be looking for a new church soon. Senior pastors, here is what your student pastor needs from you...(these are in no specific order)

• Public Support // This is priceless for your student pastor because youth ministry is always going to stretch many people in authority. When senior leadership stands in the gap publicly for youth ministry then many other people join he cause. Youth ministry is messy when we are reaching students not just building a club for church kids. Pastor, your youth pastor needs your support.
• Funding and Space // Your student pastor needs proper space and funding to reach teens in your community. When a senior pastor makes next generation ministries a budget and facility priority the student pastor is free to dream big and reach teens. If teens are a priority for your church then make sure it reflects in the budget. In a portable environment people ask how we have been able to reach teens...our pastors have made it a priority and given us the proper tools.
• Encouragement // Many times youth pastors only hear from other staff when something is messed up or broken. Student pastors need the mentoring and encouragement of their senior pastor. When senior leadership encourages and invests in their staff then the staff feel a part of the mission of the church as a whole. Senior pastors need to seize the opportunity to be a mentoring voice in the life of their youth staff!
• Leadership // Student pastors long to be a part of a bigger mission than just building a "youth program." Youth pastors want to be led and be a part of the mission of the church. Senior pastors...lead strong, dream big and I promise your student pastor will be ready to push that dream with you.
  

Hey student pastor...this is what your senior pastor needs!

Head to any conference, listen to conversations around you, and you will soon discover that tons of senior pastors and student pastors have chaotic relationships. Sure they love each other and need each other but they often find themselves butting heads. Yes...I'm a student pastor. Yes...I have had my share of bad days with my senior pastors. I now work with 2 of the best senior leaders in the country (love ya Ron and Chad) and there are days I drive them crazy and they drive me up a wall. It's very simple and every student pastor needs to here this...THAT'S NORMAL. Leaders who work as a team are going to rub each other wrong occasionally because they are leaders. Leaders always think their way works. That's why we lead. With that said, there are some thing your senior pastor needs from you. If you want a healthy relationship with your senior pastor you are going to have to work at it just like any other healthy relationship. Your senior pastor needs...

• Public Loyalty // Your pastor needs to know you can be trusted. Andy Stanley says that maintaining loyalty in public leads to greater leverage in private. Your senior pastor needs to know that when things are not going well you have their back!
• Commitment to the Church // Your senior pastor needs to know you are for the church not just the ministry you lead. As we fight for the health of the church our senior pastor can fight to advance the student ministry we lead. This is a partnership!
• Vision and Passion // Our senior pastors need us to lead and lead strong. When our senior leaders see us succeed they have the freedom to empower us and let us do our jobs. Our senior leaders have enough on their minds without having to worry about the direction of the student ministry. Lead, reach teens, partner with parents, and make disciples and your senior pastor will have tons to celebrate.
• Information // This is critical. Keep your senior pastor in the loop. Let them know where you are headed. Share your victories and your struggles. I have never met a senior pastor who enjoys being surprised with info they did not know. Keep them in the loop.

Breaking free from failure

This week I had the chance to speak at Grace Community as we started our series called Free. Sunday we checked out how we can break free from failure and looked at how Jesus helped Peter move forward after failure in John 21:15-19. Jesus stepped into an awkward moment with Peter and helped him understand that his failure couldn't be allowed to define his future. The same is true in our own lives...failure can never be allowed to define our future. Here is the video from Sunday...

Breaking free from failure from Gcomchurch Sermons on Vimeo.

Check out the Orange Tour this year

One of my favorite weeks of the year is the Orange Conference in April. This fall a one day version of the Orange Conference is coming to a city near you and it is called the Orange Tour. The tour is a great way to set aside time for your team (staff and volunteers) to get away and think orange for a day while staying close to home. In our busy schedules we have to make time to think and dream. This is a great way to set aside some time to look forward and process what is next for your ministry. Some of our family ministry team will be at the Nashville stop and we hope to see many of you there. Now is the time to get registered...now is the time to make plans...if you are hesitant check out this video and see what the Orange Tour experience is all about!