It happens so often. I speak to someone and ask the question, “How’s it going?” or “How are you doing?” Often times, the response relates to some struggle, pain, discomfort, or trial the person is experiencing. Almost always the struggle and the pain is genuine. What is often also clear…is that the pain is winning.
Struggles in life are always certain. Jesus promised these
pressures (Greek word- thylipsis) would be part and parcel of our daily
lives (John 16:33). The Scriptures bear numerous accounts of these struggles in
the lives of God’s people. Somehow though, many of God’s people seem surprised
by these struggles and many of these seem to be defeated by them.
What is the answer? Does God intend for our lives to be
miserable, painful existences here for 70, 80, or 90 years until we finally get
to heaven? Are the troubles too big for God? If God really loves us… then why
does He permit our suffering?
Here are two truths:
Struggles are a non-negotiable part of life.
[Full Stop]
Jesus came that we would [present tense] have
life and have it to the full! (John 10:10b) [Full Stop]
Somehow, these two
truths must be reconcilable (no matter how difficult to do so).
The Apostle Paul indicates that these truths are reconciled in our attitude and approach…our focus:
5For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus
as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of
darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the
surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8we are afflicted
in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not
destroyed; 10always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that
the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for
Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal
flesh. 12So death works in us, but life in you.
13But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is
written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe,
therefore we also speak, 14knowing that He who raised the
Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 15For all things are for your sakes, so that the
grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks
to abound to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is
decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal
weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the
things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor 4:5-18, NASB)
Paul’s
suffering (a suffering for the gospel by the way…and not the consequence of
unwise or sinful choices on his part) was extreme…yet He considered it “momentary
and light affliction” that produces a “weighty glory beyond comparison” (v.17).
Paul’s
focus was on the future days in His eternal reality. He looked to heaven and to
eternity. In comparison with these realities and in light of the expansive
Kingdom of God…His sufferings seemed light and temporary.
Furthermore,
Paul’s motivation was eternity but His purpose (as He seems to understand it) is
to produce life in others (v.12). Follow the flow of thought if you will: The
glory of God (light) shines out of darkness (Paul’s sufferings) and produces
life in others even as it produces death in him. And that is ok…even desired by
Paul.
My
reflections on this today are multi-faceted:
First…I focus more on my own
sufferings that I should. This is a product of my fallen nature and an area of
my life that must be mastered. How about you?
Second…my focus must be on
eternity. “No one gets out alive,” and no one stays here forever. This world
and the sufferings of it are a temporary state.
Third…my suffering, if approached
with the right focus may result in death in me but also life in others. I am
convinced that the “cotton candy and unicorns” image of life as a Christian
that many try to sell is damaging to the witness of His people, since it is
disconnected from reality. The world we are purposefully desiring to win for
Christ cannot relate to this “pie in the sky” fantasy that if you believe
enough and sow enough faith seed then you’ll have only good things in your
life! Why should they believe it? After all, our King was crucified! Yes…but He
was raised from the dead you may say…which is true…but the resurrection
followed the crucifixion.
So,
choose.
Choose today to focus on reality…on the existence that transcends…then
purposefully yield to whatever it takes for light to shine in darkness through
you today.
Patriotism. /n/ love for or devotion to one’s
country. (Webster)
I love the patriotic holidays. Honestly, I stand a little taller and my chest swells a little more when saluting the flag or during the playing of the National Anthem. I enjoy speaking of the greatness and even (if you will) the exceptionality of the United States.
I am moved when reentering the United States from travels abroad to hear welcome home from a Customs Agent. I become reflective and appreciative on remembrances like Veterans Day and Memorial Day because I recognize that the freedoms I enjoy today as a United States citizen have been declared, pursued, defended, and secured by other patriots through the ages.
I don’t have the same reaction when standing at attention
for the anthem of Mexico, Canada, France or the like. I stand respectfully…and
I understand why citizens of those nations stand taller during those moments
than I do, exhibiting the same response to their nation’s flag that I feel.
Honestly, I cannot imagine it any other way.
In my patriotism, I find common ground with other patriots:
Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, atheists and agnostics, Republicans, Democrats,
Independents, and even with budding socialists. After all, patriotism is simply
devotion to one’s country. I am not naïve. I know that not everyone shares my
specific ideals when the flag is displayed. Not everyone agrees with my views
on political policy. For every patriot though there is a sense of union even with
those who align in opposition on numerous subjects…a union around a single
shared and transcending tenet: we are lovingly devoted to our country.
For me, one of the greatest elements of the American experience is that there is no uniformity. I have a set of beliefs that I believe are right, a perspective that I believe is correct, and feelings that cry out with conviction without rival; however, I am glad that there are others who see it differently.
Some would say today, in our politically charged culture that the America I am loyal to and the one supported by people of differing political, racial, or social status are simply different “Americas.” I would disagree. It is the same America with a plethora of differing voices, differing desires and dreams, differing backgrounds and experiences, differing views of God, and differing perspectives on the rightful role of government; Each one, divinely endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable rights including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I love that at the family table of the American experience, there are many seats, many perspectives, and many more opinions on a multiplicity of issues. I love that in view of (not in spite of) these distinctions, there is a singular anchor point that strengthens us in the assembled diversity…an anchor point of love and devotion to one’s country. That is what it means to be a patriot.
I challenge you on this fifth day of July…in light of our common patriotism, to live out your conviction of belief in a sea of diversity exhibiting the grace and patience of a holy God toward those also created in His image and seek unity…pressing in to the ideal that unity and uniformity are not synonymous but that unity acknowledges (and even appreciates) differences while clinging to a shared sense of patriotism—love for or devotion to one’s country.
A friend asked me recently what advice I would give to a man who was beginning his first year as a pastor. My initial answer felt a bit “lame” but I have since had an opportunity to process and refine my thoughts. In doing so, I find four things that a leader should intentionally embrace during the first year, and particularly if that leader is a pastor.
LISTEN. I know this sounds a bit cliche’; however, there is wisdom to have “having two ears and one mouth” so listen twice as much as you talk. What’s always true is that organizations appear different during the interview stage than they do once you’re on the inside. The leader’s perspective is also different. Take time to listen to all of the voices. Hear the words but listen for perspectives as well. Every opinion has a back story. Try to unpack the “why” behind the “what,” without signing on to anyone’s agenda. Bear in mind that some perceive your attention in listening without disagreement as ENDORSEMENT. Don’t endorse. Simply seek first to understand.
LEARN. One of the television shows I enjoy is “NCIS: New Orleans.” One of the signature phrases of the lead character is “go learn things.” He commissions his team of investigators to this task as they take on a new case. You have to take what you hear from the people and start to process it. Put it into buckets. Investigate. Verify. Validate. Seek oppositional views. Seek to understand motives as well as actions. This will help identify the institutional memory. A wise man once said, “Don’t tear down a fence until you learn why it was built to begin with. There may be a bull just beyond your view.”
LOVE. This one sounds “sappy” but it really isn’t from a biblical perspective. Take what you’ve heard and learned and deal with it with the people. Most everyone believes they are “right” in their perspective. Their conclusion is not always accurate but their opinion certainly seems that way to them. No one is entitled to a private version of the truth. Love requires you to challenge assumptions and conclusions at times. Be gracious in doing it, but love demands that you challenge wrong thinking. By the way, this is almost never popular…but now as the leader, you don’t have the luxury of seeking popularity. You are responsible for a higher calling and correction is one of the difficulties in that responsibility.
LEAD. Ultimately, you were not sent or commissioned to take opinion polls and then implement popular desires. You were sent to equip the people and lead them to engage. Equip and lead. Nothing truly happens in any organization without movement. Leaders affect movement; otherwise, you are a commentator and not a leader. You must help people move. Finally, and particularly for pastoral leadership these 10 bullets have proven true in my experience. At times, they have served as an anchor for my soul. At other times, they served to prod me on when sitting comfortably seemed more attractive.
“You cannot lead those you do not influence.” Dr. Johnny Hunt. There is a reason that great generals lead from the front edge of battle. Their courage, bravery, and passion is contagious. It inspires people to follow.
Remember who you serve and WHOSE you are. Some people will think of you as theirs. You must remember that you are His. You serve the people by listening, learning, loving, and leading but they are not your authority. Your authority is derived from the One who called you. Many “pastors” have been fired and continued to serve as a pastor of the church. They are chaplains and event coordinators, orators and entertainers. The pastor’s authority has long since been revoked by the One who owns him.
Criticism goes with the calling. Many will refuse to follow while simultaneously charge you with not leading. They will make their errant opinions known broadly. Take it in stride.
“Don’t read your own press clippings.” Dr. Michael Cloer. You are not as good as some claim you are. You are also not as bad as some claim you are.
Work hard. Your family will be OK if you work hard. Some evenings away are actually a good example to your children. Make the most of the moments you have. Engage the entire family in the calling.
Have a pastor/coach. You need a truth speaker who has already earned battle scars. He must love you enough to wound you and to encourage as the circumstances dictate. This is not a peer, an evangelist, or a friend you lead in ministry. It must be a pastor that you think of as pastor. Every pastor needs someone who understands without having to explain.
Gather friends in ministry for a safe place to offload the weight of Office. Think of this as peer support or peer accountability. There is a rising tide of peer coaching/support groups today for pastors.
It is not as easy as it looked before you took the chair. It sometimes takes weeks but often months before the weightiness of the Office sets in. The difficulty is not a sign you are doing it wrong…it is just validation that it looked easier from the outside looking in.
Lighten up. Fun is important. You’re not perfect and shouldn’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does (smile). Try to laugh–a lot. It is hard to be angry with a guy who is laughing.
Soak in every minute. I’ve done some difficult things in my life. Pastoring has proven to be the most grueling and also the most rewarding. Watching the lights turn on and seeing people grow to understand and love Jesus absolutely lights my fire! Most leaders never experience the kind of joy that pastors do. You are involved in an eternal enterprise as a select servant of the Sovereign King!
So…new pastor (and a few old pastors who benefit from the reminder)…fulfill the calling you have been entrusted with.
If this article has been a blessing to you, or if you’d add to it, let me hear from you. Press on!
In my seminary days in New York, the beginning of each chapel included the singing of the alma mater.
To all the world for Jesus’ sake Where bodies hurt and sad hearts ache Lift high the cross, His love proclaim Mid-America bear His Name.
One thing I noticed, particularly in a school which was focused on training pastors and missionaries: everyone heard that calling through a filter. If you sensed the calling to foreign missions… “all the world” meant panta ta ethne (all the people groups of the world). If you knew that God had called you to local church ministry, it meant the unreached people in your city.
Regardless of one’s filter, the alma mater reminded us, regularly and consistently that we exist for the glory of God and are purposefully deployed in this world to proclaim Christ’s love for the broken and hurting. Our message is simple: “The Cross.”
In “the cross” we see the gravity of sin. In its day, the crucifixion was reserved as punishment for the highest of crimes and the worst of criminals. God’s view of our sin is not that of some little indiscretion but of a capital offense. Only a perfect God could hold such a view…since we, as sinners, are often seeking to minimize the offensiveness of sin. We turn “false witness” into a partial truth or “little lie” as if that were so. Ultimately though, it is the Judge’s judgment that stands, not the person on trial. Sin is horrendous.
In “the cross” we see the substitutionary sacrifice of God for us. He is both JUST (in His judgment of sin) and JUSTIFIER of man (because He assumed the punishment for our sin). His justification was not in response to some sense of merit in us, but according to His own good purpose and predetermined plan.
In “the cross” we find hope. No one is crucified twice. For those condemned (cursed) to die on a tree, once the penalty is paid, it is paid. In Christ’s vicarious (representative) atoning work, each person’s debt is settled.
In “the cross” we find the prescribed response. We look at the Innocent One who took our place, experienced the fullness of the cup of God’s wrath poured out on Him, and as it (the cross) is lifted high, we are called to look upon it. If we do, we feel conviction, shame, and unworthiness. As we hear Him call to us we are drawn. The acknowledgment of our sin and insufficiency of our efforts to atone for our sin are overshadowed by the gracious invitation to yield and KNOW eternal life.
News flash: I was not known for my athleticism in my younger years. That said, my dad lettered in everything so he also enrolled me in sports. I played little league baseball (for the Royals by the way) …perhaps because they were required to play every player at least for an inning each game…even the guy they put in right field.
I remember a single phrase from my time playing coach’s pitch baseball: Keep your eye on the ball. This admonition, repeated often by the coach, was a reminder to ignore the catcher trying to distract me, the chants from the opposing team dugout, and the well-meaning tips from “almost” major league ball playing dads in the stands.
What my coach knew was that the key to a base hit was staying intently focused on the ball and simply swinging the bat to meet it. That’s it! Super simple and incredibly difficult at the same time. That piece of coaching advice was true not only of baseball but in other areas of life, including the life of the church. Every church (and every individual believer consequently) is subject to distractions and drifts toward complexity in life. Our calendars fill up and our activity schedules grow. Every good idea has a champion and every champion wants their idea to succeed. However, every leader knows that when a church becomes too complex, it sometimes loses sight of “the ball.”
Jesus identified “the ball” when He directed His disciples to “make disciples.” (Matthew 28:18-20). While many churches are good at many things, we still must ask, “Is their eye on the ball?” At Englewood (the church I serve), we say that our mission (the ball) is to “glorify God, by leading all people into a growing, reproducing relationship with Jesus Christ.” To do that, each one of us must embrace the Lord’s commission as if we alone are responsible for carrying it out. It is good when our team gets a “base hit,” but our responsibility when we step to the plate is to keep OUR EYE on THE BALL and swing the bat to meet it.
I believe that many adoring Christians with proper motives
seek to please Jesus with so many things; however, sometimes we do them to the
exclusion of the main thing…we fail to keep our eye on the ball.
As you walk your neighborhood, shop at the market, converse
with neighbors, go on vacation, carry out your duties at work and peruse social
media—let me ask you to keep your eye on the ball. How are you making
disciples?
Recently, I was in a gospel conversation with a woman in my city. She was cordial and I extended an invitation to an upcoming event at our church…and then proceeded to ask her about her religious background. She confidently shared with me that she was a committed Jehovah’s Witness. I went on to ask her if this was a faith she was introduced to as a child or if she had embraced it later in life. Her response should be convicting and illuminating for all who lead worship in the local church.
She said that she was raised in the Baptist church. As a
child she attended regularly and was frequent even into her adult years, but something was missing. She described her
church experience as one of emotionalism. “We would sing a lot…and there was
always a lot of shouting,” she explained. But I had questions. In her
evaluation, the church of her childhood failed to equip her with answers for
life.
At a point in her journey, she began to wrestle with purpose
and meaning. Then came the questions around death. She asked her grandmother, a
fixture in the church, about these things who simply told her that dying was
our purpose and then we go to be with Jesus. That’s it. The answers failed to
satisfy and the question marks in her mind made her a willing listener for
anyone with a coherent explanation. Then she was introduced to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
These nice evangelists gave her answers that made sense, were logical, seemed
plausible and even made her feel better. The woman began to study her new found
religion and became versed in its tenets and fairly adept (if I may say so) in
telling her story in a winsome way.
As I probed further, I found that she has had numerous
encounters with Christians, mainly Baptists, whom she always talked with but
with little more success at discovering answers to life’s questions. I went on
to present the gospel but this woman was not remotely interested. Of course, I
left a wide door for future conversations, but left the encounter frustrated.
Here’s why:
Christians have the market cornered on life’s purpose, on
answers about things like death, suffering, and the afterlife. In fact, no
non-Christian source can speak holistically and authoritatively about these
things. Here is a woman who was in a church from childhood and was not properly
equipped to think rightly about them. Instead, her church, and specifically the
pastor as lead worshipper,
substituted clichés and emotional appeals, dancing and shouting… for the pure
Word of God. Now some may push back on this and tell me that only the Holy
Spirit gives understanding. Forgive my direct response: That is a cop out. Yes, the Holy Spirit DOES give understanding;
however, the pastor is required to set the table, make the food palatable, and
insure there is a balanced diet for consumption. Some may argue that the human
instrument (the preacher) is insignificant, to which I would ask, “Why then
must an overseer (pastor) be able to teach?” (1 Timothy 3:2).
As pastors, we have incredible influence among our flock.
They trust us to feed them. If we serve up a steady diet of cotton candy,
they’ll know no different. If we teach on some cerebral level that fails to
connect with the heart, they will simply not care. But if we do our job…then we
will be able to stand and give an account for our ministries. So, what must we
do? I would suggest five things. I’ll only mention them for sake of time, but
may expand in a follow-up article.
Make the
Word a priority. Study it diligently and present it clearly.
Measure
often. If you think you’re doing a faithful work but your people cannot
articulate and apply basic doctrines, you’re not fulfilling the task.
Teach
doctrine. As a professor once said to a group of preachers, “Preaching
doctrine is not a sin. Being dull and boring is a sin. Teach doctrine but don’t
be boring.”
Demonstrate
dependence on the Scriptures. If you’re citing the latest book on the best
seller’s list or never stray far from Calvin’s Institutes, you’re doing it
wrong. If John Calvin himself discovered you were citing him more than the
apostles, the prophets or the Lord Himself, he’d flog you.
Own it.
A shepherd knows well the condition of his flock. They are a reflection of your
leadership, your investment, and your teaching. If they get bored unless
there’s dancing parades or purple flags waving, then you’ve taught them to love
the wrong things. If this persists across generational lines, you’ve made the
devil’s job easy.
Now I am a pastor. I am not mad at anyone. I love pastors
and respect the calling. I know of the many draws on a pastor’s calendar and
the multiplied agendas seeking “just a quick minute” on Sunday morning during
the service. You must guard that time, minimize the distractions and expose the
people to the self-revelation of God through His Word.
I wonder, had the pastors in the case of the woman I spoke
with done differently…had they equipped the people with the Word…would she have
defected to a false religion and become an evangelist for the Jehovah’s
Witnesses? May that not be true of us and may we be able to say before the
throne of God, “I am innocent of the blood of all men for I did not shrink back
from declaring to you the whole counsel of Scripture.”
There it was. Another graphic on social media about the Bible. It looked like a flow-chart or a recipe you might find in grandma’s kitchen. “If you need peace…turn to (bible verse). If you’re discouraged…turn to (bible verse). And on. And on. And on.
Lists or guides like this are not bad in themselves. I have a similar reference tool that I use sometimes when counseling. But what stirred my heart was this: “Have we (in our information-saturated society) reduced the Bible to another information outlet merely to be mined for tidbits of information that we think we need?
Imagine with me for a moment. What if my interactions with Jodi (my wife of more than thirty years) were only for such “transactional purposes?” I speak to her when I need laundry. I call her when I want to schedule dinner. She gets a text from me when I have a question about the activities. If this represented the backbone of my marriage communication…how would you evaluate the relationship? You might say, “What relationship? You simply treat your wife like a commodity or a human ATM machine…where you push a few buttons to get what you want out of her!” You’d be right.
The problem is…this is often the relationship we foster with
God through Scripture. We hear a sermon on five or six verses. Then, again the
next week…same pattern. We look up information on children, divorce, money, or
a host of other subjects…only to push the Bible aside afterwards until the next
occasion when we want it to speak to a specific need we have. But where is the
relationship? Where is the time spent listening to God tell us a story about
what’s on His heart? Where is the deep consideration of otherwise random
nuggets of wisdom, poetic pictures of God’s creative work, or stories of His
interactions with a wandering people over thousands of years?
God’s people need
to know Him. We cannot do so without a firm resolve to spend time…without
agenda…just listening to the Lord speak to us…through His Word. An unhurried
encounter with the Divine. A listening ear and a longing heart…simply to know
Him more deeply. This is what the people of God must have!
Consequently, this is why, at Englewood (the church I am privileged to serve), we encourage everyone to be part of a Connect Group, so there is time to reflect on and share about those relational encounters with friends. This is why we use a curriculum structure which walks us through the entire Bible over three years…story by story, not just the stories we think we need or have piqued our curiosity.
If you’re not investing in this…in spending time in the
Lord’s living room listening to His stories and hearing His heart…why not start
today? You don’t know what you might be missing.
I recently saw the movie Unplanned, a testimonial of Abby Johnson about the evils of abortion and her time with Planned Parenthood. While I found the movie disturbing in so many ways and difficult to watch in several scenes, I think it is helpful on a number of levels. I have spent many days now trying to sort and organize my thoughts on the movie. It struck deeply in a number of areas and awakened many thoughts in my heart. Of course, I could write for days on all of the lessons, but I have been impressed for several days to zero in on one thought: I am the abortionist.
It is easy in the Christian sub-culture to form and us/them
mindset. Those people…out there…in the culture…they need saving! While that’s
not untrue…it is incomplete. We can, at times, forget that THEY are US. Stick
with me for a few short statements…then let me draw a conclusion or two.
The abortionist is no more lost or evil than any other unforgiven sinner.
We were all, at one time, unforgiven sinners.
Some, in fact many of our neighbors, friends, family members, and people in our community are still unforgiven sinners.
Abby Johnson is a great picture of God’s grace.
The actions of the Christians portrayed “at the fence” should be instructive for each of us.
I think, as believers, we can lose touch with who we were
before Christ saved us. We can forget that we could not save ourselves. We did
not clean ourselves up and present ourselves to God. He picked us up and
covered our sin. We added nothing to God’s salvation work. We simply responded
to His invitation and took His hand.
The fact that we can create an us/them dichotomy in our
minds is evidence of those parts of our nature that still require God’s
sanctifying touch. After all, we were all THEM to Christ.
It is high time that we learn to “love at the fence.” We must,
if we are to be faithful to God in worshipful obedience, stop looking at people
as “them” and invite them to walk with us toward Him. We are no better than the
most accomplished of all blasphemers…or the one who takes innocent lives. The
only thing that separates US from THEM is the shed blood of God’s perfect Son
who came…that THEY could become WE.
I am the abortionist…saved by God’s substitutionary sacrifice and called to live under His grace…as a bond-servant on mission. Completely free…yet indebted to my neighbors who are in active rebellion against a magnificent and glorious God!
If God can save Abby Johnson…if God can save me…then I must love at the fence, build bridges in humility before God and my neighbors and lead my neighbors to a “fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins.” Because, “sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”
(P.S. If you have not seen this movie or want to view a trailer on it, there is one at THIS LINK.)
“… ‘Go out at once into the streets and the lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame’… ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.’’ Luke 14:21-23.
The King has spoken. He has issued a command and His servants obey. In my estimation, this parable is one of the most interesting in the gospels.
First, it is a parable…meaning it is an earthly
story that illustrates a heavenly reality. The setting is a celebration
banquet, a huge fellowship event where the grace of the Master is freely given
and on full display.
Second, many of those on the “most likely” list
were too busy, too distracted, and too self-consumed to accept the invitation.
Third, the King never changed His plan, only expanded
His guest list. He still chose to show His grace but He focused on those who
most would overlook…the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame, and the
outsider. Yes, those who were far from God became the focus of His attention.
Fourth, the King directed His servants… ‘go get
them’…all of the needy who would appreciate His gracious invitation. The
servant did over and over…calling and compelling, inviting and encouraging
all who would come to join the banquet of celebration.
Fifth and finally, the King was not satisfied until
all of the seats at the banquet were filled.
We are the servants…men and women who are under authority and entrusted with the message, to call and compel…telling them, “The King desires for them to join the banquet!”
The King’s heart is what prompts us as a church to embrace the vision…to see that 96,000 of our unchurched neighbors would hear the invitation from the King… “come and take your seat at the banquet.” We go, not according to our own initiative, but under instruction. We do not provide the banquet from our resources but proclaim His plentiful resources. We do not glory in our own generosity but as eyewitnesses of His!
Who have you told about this incredible invitation? It is my heart and my hope that every person who calls Englewood home would have the privilege to go into the streets and lanes of our city, into the highways and along the hedges of our counties…to call and compel others to come, so that they may experience the glorious grace of the King personally! I believe this is your heart as well. So, GO…and share with us the stories that we may rejoice together at the grace of our Lord.
When was the last time you were in a meeting and wondered, “Why am I even here?” Over the years I spent in the military, in corporate America and now in the work of the church, I cannot begin to count the times I have asked that question.
In reflecting on the leadership aspect of church revitalization, there is a necessary aspect of shifting culture. Organizational culture is critical and can be the wind that fills the sails or the wind that batters the ship. One of the aspects of culture includes the process of communication and specifically, the meetings.
Confession time:
I am not a huge fan of meetings…at least meetings in the way most people think
of them. Years ago, I was part of a church that met monthly to simply talk
calendaring. This was a multi-hour gathering of every leader of every ministry
to simply review the calendar, schedule new events, and adjust activities for
the month. The purpose was essential but I noticed that the contribution of
everyone around the table varied. Some folks were very active…particularly the
leader and the staff. Others were not. They attended, sat dutifully, and left
with a new piece of paper identifying what others were going to do. These
meetings were intended to generate unity and excitement but left people feeling
divided and despondent. Why? Because someone just gave a couple of hours of
their lives to an activity that had no perceived value for them.
Some years ago, I heard a leader say that those who dislike
meetings need to be part of an organization with more meetings. Not just more
meetings but meetings of different types, with different people at different
times. For instance, Patrick Lencioni suggested in his book, Death by Meeting (Jossey-Bass, 2004)
that meetings should involve (1) the right people who are stakeholders in the
discussion and (2) a defined purpose that requires the parties to discuss.
Sometimes, leaders desire a plenary meeting because they are most comfortable
seeing the people in the organization. Other leaders like to control their own
calendar and it is simply more convenient for them to have a two-hour block set
aside to do everything, even if the meeting is mostly ineffective for the
participants.
What do we do?
Fundamentally, if the leader desires to create a strong
organizational culture that includes meetings that are exciting and
fulfilling…the leader must change. The leader must shift his or her thinking to
reflect a more servant-oriented approach. In other words, convenience for the
leader or preferences of the leader must take a back seat to the productivity
of the people around the table. If having productive team members is important
to you as a leader, here are four questions to answer to make meetings more
effective.
Is my desire to give direction or to discuss insights? If you are giving directives and the approach is straightforward…send an email instead. What you can implement by proclamation can often be communicated in writing. If the desired actions are unclear, invite recipients to follow-up in a short meeting.
If collaboration is the leader’s desire, whose input is valuable; in other words, who are the stakeholders in the discussion? Some meetings have a strategic objective. Some need coordination. Some are for the purpose of a 360 degree evaluation of a completed project. Pull in those people who are the best to offer insight into the matters and hash it out.
Prepare, prepare, prepare. As the leader, you should spend a minute of preparation for every minute of meeting time. Know what needs to be discussed. Make sure the players are around the table. Make sure they are prepared to discuss what is on the agenda. Servant-leaders honor the time of others by preparing well.
Promote drama. I know this sounds counter-intuitive. After all, who wants drama at a meeting? Those who have done the hard work of building trust, communicating value for the team members and genuinely believes that there is wisdom in the counsel of man (Proverbs 11:14, 15:22, 24:6). If those around the table do not participate in the discussion, ask yourself, “Do they need to be here? Are they engaged? Why are they not weighing in?”
Finally, limit the agenda for greater effectiveness. Don’t schedule a meeting to discuss upper level strategy, get activity reports, address calendar items, and discuss human resource policies. Instead, have a stand-up meeting 3 times a week to give 2-minute reports on activity. Schedule to meet with the HR manager to hammer out policy matters. Bring in senior staff to formulate or evaluate strategy. Let department heads work with their teams to drill down on specifics. If it is necessary for the leader to see everyone in that department, set aside 10 minutes for a drop by “check-up and encouragement” visit. The department head can unofficially schedule the leader in for this and everyone wins!
Some may push back and suggest that they did not work for decades to climb the organizational food chain only to run around the organization accommodating others. However, if that kind of service is the culture you want to promote throughout your organization, what better way to emphasize it than to model it? I would suggest that while the approach of more and better meetings may be time consuming and a little awkward at first, over a short time they will pay off with greater productivity, more collaboration, and improved morale. In other words, this is a step toward that organizational culture you’ve dreamed of but always seemed to elude your grasp.
Group of office workers in a boardroom presentation
How does your organization
currently do meetings?
Is your approach effectively
delivering on the desired outcome?
What would you change immediately
if it were your purview?
What will you implement
immediately to make your meetings more engaging?
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