>100%

Go to almost any church in America and you can hear someone say “you need to give everything to Jesus”. While at the same time, as I write this, 94% of churches in America are in some rate of decline. Something that’s been on my heart for the last couple of years, working in and for several churches and ministries, is that churches say they want to change the world through their ministry but they don’t understand why they are not growing spiritually or in numbers.

(disclaimer: numbers of attendees or dollar figures are NOT what I am talking about in this blog)

One of the unseen, chronic habits of churches in this situation is this:
They ask people to give 100% of their lives to God but do not allow them the ability to practice it. I think the best place to start in this discussion is to realize that God gave each and every one of us gifts, talents, and life circumstances so that as a group of believers we can meet specific needs of the people that God will put before us. So what does this mean???

A church or ministry can not and must not try to follow a formula or template for meeting the needs of others. What we must do, is take a look at the people that God has provided and use them to meet the needs of the people that God puts before you-without man made barriers.

But take a look at any of the churches that fall into the 94% that are declining, and you will find an organization that unknowingly requires people to give less than 100% of their abilities to serve the God that has changed their lives. Churches do this by limiting resources, not letting go of past failures, legalistic behavior, putting personal preference above effective ministry, negativism, and the list goes on.

So how does this play out??

I would love to give you examples of this, but the reason I haven’t written this blog yet, is that every time I try to come up with an example, there are too many ways a person could look at it and completely miss the point.

Instead what we need to look at are some basic Biblical principles.

Don’t try to make your organization something it’s not! Take a good solid look at who is there, and who God has called you to minister to.
Provide the resources for the people in your organization to be creative to their fullest potential as God leads them. Don’t ask them to give God their all and then not give them the resources available to you.
Don’t get angry, upset, annoyed, offended, hassled, inconvenienced, or bothered by God providing you with people, gifts and talents that are outside your comfort zone.
Remind yourself that your personal opinion does not equal God’s will or truth.
Realize that change is not bad.
Are you prayerfully, as a body, working together to follow God’s call?

The solution to this problem is simple, but admittedly one of the hardest things to do. Simply ask yourself, “how have I, through my words or actions, told someone that they can’t give 100% of their gifts to God”. If you can’t find any, look harder, they’re there! Then, as a group, intentionally create an environment where people can give God 100% without fear of being shut down.

Geremy

The Wrong Question

In the movie IRobot, Detective Del Spooner, played by Will Smith, is investigating the death of a dear friend, Doctor Alfred Lanning, the father of the three laws of Robotics.  At first, the Doctor’s death appears to be suicide, but then, aided by a holographic “memory” of the now deceased doctor, the detective begins suspecting foul play.  To the first few questions asked to the holograph the response was not what Detective Spooner wanted, they focused on why he, a homicide detective would be called on for a suicide.  Finally the Detective switched his perspective and asked the question differently, from the Doctor’s perspective, 

     

"That, Detective is the right question."  

While the Doctor doesn't answer directly the question burning in the brain of the Detective, his response gives the Detective the path that will ultimately lead to a final showdown with the evil that is running amuck in this sci-fi film. 

This exchange echoes in my head and heart as I have sought of late to change my perspective on life and ask the right questions. 

I lost my job in April, it was unexpected and abrupt as terminations usually are.  This began a journey over the next 9 months of looking for a new job, all the while wondering what good I was and questioning God and why he would allow me and my family to suffer this pain and potentially disastrous financial fallout. 

“Why can't I just get a job?”

“Why can't I take care of my family?”

“Why are you playing with me?” 

“Why won’t anyone hire me?”

Then something happened and I stopped blaming God.  My questions turned deeper, and began seeking God.

“God, what do I need to learn from this time?”

“How can I  praise you in this storm?”

“Help me be a Godly father during this trial”

“This hurts, please comfort us in our pain!”

You know what happened?  I still couldn’t find a job, but what I found was much more than a job, I found a place of peace.  I realized that God had never left me and my family.  I was just looking in the wrong places for Him.  Like detective Spooner I believe I was asking the wrong question.  My questions to God were "Me" centered, selfish. 

Do I believe God cares about my job? Well, yes and no.  Yes he cares for our housing and food and clothing; read the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. But He is more concerned with the greater issues of my heart than with the issues of my pocketbook and especially my pride.  

Now, before I declare myself cured of all selfishness and errant thoughts you should know that I am still very much in the midst of this process.  I wanted to write about it though, because as I look around I see so many people suffering and hurting as businesses fail, houses are taken away, and lives are torn apart and all. This, seemingly, while God just “stands by” and watches.  You and I are not the first to accuse God of ignoring those in pain, look at the Bible for the story of Job, a man who had everything he needed in life and suddenly it was all taken from him?  Job had a right to be ticked, and ticked he was.  Sitting on the ground covered in ashes listening to the “advice” of some friends, Job unleashes his feelings about his life: 

"Why does God bother giving light to the miserable, why bother keeping bitter people alive, Those who want in the worst way to die, and can't, who can't imagine anything better than death, Who count the day of their death and burial the happiest day of their life? What's the point of life when it doesn't make sense, when God blocks all the roads to meaning?” 

Brutal. 

Don’t be afraid to tell God how you feel, He can take it.  But after you get it all out, spend some time listening to what God is telling you.  He does love you and He does care about your every day needs.  Even Job, before he has everything restored remembered God, 

“Still, I know that God lives—the One who gives me back my life—and eventually he'll take his stand on earth. And I'll see him—even though I get skinned alive!—see God myself, with my very own eyes. Oh, how I long for that day!”

A bit dramatic maybe, I don’t think I will get skinned alive, at least not in this country.  But I do long for the day when I will see God with my own eyes, I pray I will be ready.  This pain and suffering is God getting me ready, purifying me, purifying you.  Don’t waste this time, and this pain, seek after God with all you have and see what He does.  I’ll be honest, it may suck, Jesus does not promise us an easy life. John, one of Jesus’ friends and disciples, who wrote about His life chronicled this discussion with the other disciples. 

“Jesus answered them, "Do you finally believe? In fact, you're about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I'm not abandoned. The Father is with me. I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world." 

Only Jesus can promise you peace.  Only Jesus knows the path you and I are on.  In the words of John Fischer, “I’m just one old hungry beggar, showing you where I found food.” 

Phil

The Mailbox

A few years ago, my family moved into a new house on a small acreage. While far from elaborate, it is safe to say that it was our “dream house.” One of the first things that I noticed while driving up to our new home for the first time was the placement of the mailbox. I grew up in a home with a mailbox attached to our house, right next to the front door. You could literally crack the door open and reach your arm around the door frame to grab the mail. This was very convenient, especially on those cold and blistery Minnesota winter days.

However, this was not the case with the new house we had just moved into. In fact, the driveway was quite long and, to make matters worse, it was hilly (and did I mention this was in Minnesota?). Most winter days I looked like Bambi on ice while navigating the long icy hill on a cold and slippery winter day. I am sure any passerby would have been very entertained watching me comically slip and slide my way up to retrieve the day’s mail. Getting back down is a whole separate story that I will save for a different time.

Oftentimes, I would mumble, grumble and complain the entire way to and from that white complex of wood and steel. “I am tired, my back hurts, I have had a very long day, why can’t they just bring it to the door like they used to, most of the items are solicitations anyway, does winter have to last five months, global warming...really, etc.”

Little did I know that, shortly after moving into our new home, my health and life would be held at bay for nearly a year while both become prisoner to a medical issue. In the following months, my rare journeys outside of the house were isolated to occasional visits to medical centers and eventually back to the end of the driveway to retrieve the mail. At my worst, I would have given most anything for the ability to make that climb. In fact, a trip to that piece of wood and steel became a main objective. This was a goal that had never entered my radar screen before and a task that I had always and completely taken for granted

After a few months, I eventually felt well enough (and the need to get out of the all too familiar four walls of my room) to retrieve the mail. To be quite frank, the first several trips were extremely difficult. That short walk and exertion of energy would be enough to throw my body into a complete frenzy of pain and the need for hours of sleep. However and in spite of all of this, I noticed something had changed. Something big.

After the ability was taken away for me to make the daily walk to the mailbox and then given back again, I had a newfound appreciation for the ability to make that once embittered walk. Now, rather than grumbling or complaining during that trek, I found myself being thankful for the ability to walk, even if it was slow and painful. I was also, for the first time, noticing and feeling gratitude for ears to hear birds chirp and sing, eyes to see the radiant colors of a Minnesota fall landscape, a nose to smell the lilacs coming off the breeze, a heart to pump blood, lungs to breathe, etc. I could go on and on. I began (perhaps for the first time since I could recall) to notice and be thankful for nearly everything that I once viewed as annoying, along with noticing (and enjoying) the simple pleasures that I once allowed to pass me by on my journey to “bigger and better things.”

I am extremely grateful for this experience, because, while I lost the convenience of good health for a time, the situation forced me into a realm of necessary reflection and perspective. I was forced to take things at face value and to re-prioritize the values in my life. In fact, I believe I have the unfair advantage of having something, having it taken away, and then graciously receiving it back again. Like so many important things in life, we often understand our appreciation towards something once it is no longer present.

I still deal with lingering effects and most likely will for the rest of my life. I may even relapse. That is all the more reason to make the absolute most of the moments that I “have.” Nothing puts things into perspective quite like not knowing when things may change or how much longer things will be “well.” I choose to view the challenges that I face as reminders of my “Great Awakening.” I choose to live (not simply exist) now and intentionally.

Don’t let the perceived “little things” pass you by or let annoyances distract you from living intentionally. We have the far-too-often overlooked right to choose gratitude today. Exercise that right daily. Identify, understand, and establish your priorities. This will help you live intentionally. Take a few moments each day to express gratitude. This will change the lens you view life through. You check your mail every day...why not check your perspective?

Jim

All I Want For Christmas

This Christmas we’ve had an opportunity that no one ever prays for. But I’m thankful that we got it. 

Simply put...we were just plain old short on money. Now it’s not like we are in the same situation that a lot of people are in across the country. The cupboards and freezer are full of food, we are not at risk of losing our house, we have 2 working vehicles and the 6 of us are for most part healthy. 

Over the last 15 years, I can’t remember a Christmas holiday where we weren’t working for some kind of ministry or church. 

And this year, we had big plans to have some meetings about some new ventures. 

But here’s what happened...

Payments from businesses came late, reimbursements from some organizations that we’d worked for never came at all, and by the middle of December we just didn’t have any money to pay for gas to even go to church. 

It was then that God reminded us that we had never spent a Christmas at home at our house with our family...just being us. We then made the decision to not go anywhere, but to simply stay at home and together as a family learn what Christmas is really all about. So, the plans were made that instead of buying presents, with money we didn’t have, we would make presents together for each other and those we love, with the resources that God provided.

On Thursday, December 15th, knowing that we had no money to get to church for the kids’ Christmas program on Sunday, we knew that we had to go to church for worship practice. It sure didn’t make sense to go to church that night...but we knew we had to go. We ended up having a very long talk with our pastor about everything that was going on and walked away knowing deep down inside that everything was going to be ok. 

And that’s when it started...

Friday, December 16th, 11:30AM. Got the mail. In it...a couple Christmas cards and a check that was a month early from a client. Now we have money for gas and utility bills. 

Sunday, Dec. 18th. Went to church. It was definitely a good day. The kids’ Christmas program was priceless! 

Monday, Dec. 19th. Got the mail today. More Christmas cards...and the rebate check from our new furnace we had to buy last month. Money for a few needed things and the ability to give a Walmart gift card to another family in need. 

Tuesday, Dec. 20th. 7AM. We’ve got a business loan payment due today. Better get that done. Look at bank website. Cool! An unexpected gift! Plenty to pay that loan payment! 11:30AM. Get the mail. Another nice pile of Christmas cards. Fun to read! Read 1 card and see that this certain friend’s extended family decided to lump their Christmas gifts together and gave us a rather sizable check! Really!! I can hardly see thru my tears! God is opening doors that will give our family the opportunity to give to others. 

Wednesday, Dec. 21st. Today we had to go to Bismarck for business supplies. We also got a call from a friend to stop by since we were in town to get our Christmas card. When we opened it, there was yet another monetary gift. It’s kinda getting crazy now!

Saturday, Dec. 24th. It’s Christmas Eve. I got a visit from a friend who left a Christmas treat for me with a Christmas card that had enough money in it to cover the last expenses we had for December. 

And so it was, we as a family cooked, baked and created Christmas treats, made gifts and decorations. We were blessed with the opportunity to share Christmas with people who had recently lost loved ones, who were without jobs, people who were missing family and with those we love and some that we’d never met before. 

This Christmas showed our family that one of the best gifts of all, is to NOT get what you are expecting.  

Kirsten

Trust

A little known fact among leaders is that your perception of reality is not the same as the facts. 

Leaders gets tunnel vision when they start looking at how they would do things by themselves and in the time they want things done instead of what is actually achievable. This is BAD, VERY BAD!   Here’s why, as leaders you have a team of people that need to work together.  If you’ve put your team together properly you have a good mix of talents and not a team of cookies.  One of the most motivating things said to me early in my career was this, “We hired you as a professional, do your job and let us know what you need to do it with.” The worst thing that can happen to any employee is to be given a job and not the responsibility or resources to do it with. The difference between these two extremes is TRUST, and not only the trust of your team but the trust in your own leadership abilities.  The result of these lack of trust issues is bad morale, polarizing staff against each other or yourself, continual staff turn over and eventually poor public perception of your organization.  We need to remember that to be trusted we need to first trust others, not with our words but with our actions. And realize that we all make mistakes. 

As leaders there are a few things that we need to keep in mind to prevent us from showing people through our actions that we don’t trust them. First of all, you need to work with facts and not your perceptions. Secondly, you need to understand that you don’t know everything and you need to allow the people you’ve picked do their jobs to the best of their abilities and supply them with the resources they need. Finally, listen to your people. And you need to understand their perspective. Not only will this build trust, but it will give you a better understanding of the facts. This builds a solid working relationship, staff loyalty and ownership in the organization by all involved. 

So when it’s all said and done, we need to remember that trust is the cornerstone of every quality organization and building upon that trust starts with you the leader.   

Geremy

Accountability

Accountability is a word that’s thrown around quite a bit nowdays, but do we truly understand what accountability really means when it comes to leadership? As leaders, it’s easy for us to focus on keeping those who we lead accountable for their actions. We, as leaders, keep ourselves accountable to a board or another team of peers to keep ourselves out of the troubles that society considers to be wrong. This extremely narrow definition of accountability, however, leads to a lot of pain and suffering amongst leaders, staff, family members and even society. Maybe instead of the word “accountable” we need to start using the word “responsible”. Because as a leader, we are not only responsible for the things that we or our people do wrong; we are responsible FOR our people. Because if we are not, we are falling into the sin that’s described in James 4:17 “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

One example of this in my career was when I had a staff member who one day just looked like something was wrong. So when the time was right, I pulled her aside and inquired about what was wrong. She told me that she was going through a hard time, but that it didn’t matter because she needed the work and she didn’t want to let me down. After hearing her story, I immediately offered to put her on a plane and still pay her what was already arranged. With tears in her eyes, she said she couldn’t accept it. But I told her that she and her family were more important than any job we would ever do together. 

Accountability in leadership means that we know who our people are, what their needs are, where they’re at emotionally and spiritually, and that we take care of them. This means making your people more important than your bottom line. And the bottom line is more than dollars and cents; but what you measure success as. 

So what does this mean for you? 

First of all, take a good honest look at where you’ve been lacking in accountability, how you haven’t been responsible for your people. 

Second, ask God to help you learn how to properly serve the people you lead. 

Third, start carrying out what God teaches you to do. And don’t forget to apologize where needed.

The accurate definition of accountability is best taught by a leader’s example. That’s why it’s our responsibility to lead the way God created us to lead: as servants. 

Geremy

Limitations

There are a world of pressures that make the responsibility of leadership sometimes overwhelming. One of the key principles that helps us as leaders is knowing what our limitations are. Too many times as leaders we think because we have the authority and the responsibility that we need to do it all. This can’t be further than the truth. We are all human and have limitations and will never be able to do it all. The trouble is that life becomes very miserable for everyone involved when we get sucked into the mentality that we have to do it all. For starters, when we can’t do it all, we compensate for our inability to get it all done with control. Without knowing it, we try to keep our  authority intact by controlling others. Usually, we try to control insignificant activities that have no bearing on productivity. Another issue that leaks out is the inability to forgive mistakes, while going overboard to defend your own actions. When these things don’t work (and they never do) we separate ourselves from others and that places a barrier between us and our staff. This separation gives a false and misleading impression of respect and authority. Finally, when we have dug  ourselves into a deep hole of frustration and everyone has lost all respect for us, it is human nature to get angry. We are not talking about justifiable anger here, but the kind where you kick your dog just to feel better about yourself. Needless to say, this doesn’t help either. 

So, how do we avoid all of this? First, we need to be honest with ourselves and others about our limitations. Remember, we are not all the same intentionally, and because of that we can work together successfully.  Second, we need to be up front with our mistakes and not try to cover them up. We all make them, so let’s all learn together. Finally, never take yourself or your people for granted. When we know our limitations, we can work together as a team and rely on our strengths. By working together, we avoid the barrier of separation and gain the respect and authority that has been given to us. It al boils down to being real. We need to stop trying to be somebody we’re not; then we will be the leader God made us to be.

Geremy