For Whom Do I Work?

A Pastor of Student Ministries has many people he or she 'serves:' the students, their parents, the volunteer leaders, the elders/deacons, the staff leadership. Understand which relationship is the key one.

Thoughts from my conversation with Pastor Geoff at Waukesha First 3/24/2011.

Momentum vs. Inertia

"Church Plants" and ministries that have 'It' have more conversion growth. Would you use the term 'Momentum' to describe your congregation or perhaps 'Inertia.' Positive Life Change reinforces itself (Momentum) as does the attitude 'We've always done it this way before' (Inertia).

God served me...

Why is it important "to serve"? The decisions we make reveal who we believe God to be. If He has served me (who could do nothing in return), it's logical that we'd make the same choice.

My thoughts from a conversation with Pastor Geoff at Waukesha First.

Pure Religion

James 1:27 directs us that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
I've read a lot about keeping myself from being polluted and I've put effort into it as well. What have I done for widows and orphans? I'd sure like my religion to be pure and undefiled...

My thoughts from Pastor Verne's message (3/20/2011 Fatherly Advice - Relationships) and Doug McConnell's message to DTS (11/05/2010 Being the Family of God)

Yes to Children's ministry

"So I said, Yes! Not just to a job, but to a vision. Yes, I want to help make Promiseland the best hour of every kid's week. Yes, I see kingdom potential in every child. Yes, I believe that children's ministry really does matter. And Yes, I'll do whatever it takes to become more effective every year... Each must be deliberately and prayerfully adopted."

Sue Miler made the implication for me. (From her book Making Your Children's Ministry the Best Hour of Every Kid's Week)

Kids and Ministry

Ministry was never designed to stand still (a trait shared with kids)!
From Sue Miller's Making Your Children's Ministry the Best Hour of Every Kid's Week

Combustible Vision

From Sue Miller's Making Your Children's Ministry the Best Hour of Every Kid's Week: "How Clear and Contagious is your ministry vision?... Too many leaders try to lead a ministry fueled by something other than the combustible conviction that comees from a God-directed vision."

If this is true about Christian leaders, how much more is it true for everyone else? Does my life radiate a "combustible conviction of God-directed vision" that I can invite other people to share?

Thanks for lending me the book, Jon Glass.

When God disagrees..

I stand before God who will judge me with regards to what I've done. He won't judge me based on what you've done ('cept in regard to how I was a leader...).

When God calls, He expects us to answer. When our leaders direct, He expects us to listen. What happens when the two seem to be in tension? Perhaps He wants us to work out His plan from melding the two.

Whatever God does not reveal to us immediately, He intends for us to work out in the context of community. (from P Guy (if memory serves) who said "Whatever God does not deliver us from immediately, He intends for us to work out in the context of community.")

"Good" Small Group Leaders Pray

"Pray for Group Members Daily." Next Bible Study, I'm taking everyone's picture to put on my computer so I'll remember to pray. or maybe I'll just write your name next to my mirror.

My thoughts based on 8 Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders by Dave Earley

"Good" Small Group Leaders Dream

"Dreaming of Leading a Healthy, Growing, Multiplying Group" is now on my to do list for Bible Study. Now I just have to make time for it...

My thoughts based on 8 Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders by Dave Earley

Generosity Is The Antidote

What's the opposite of "Giving is the antidote to materialism"? Perhaps "Acquiring and Enjoying Stuff is a Worthy Goal." If we aren't living as though the first one is true, are we living as though the second one is?

My thought from Pastor Verne's message on 3/13/11 at Waukesha First. Listen online.

Live for the Line, not the Dash

What's the opposite of "Live for the Line, not the Dash (on your tombstone)"? Perhaps "Our choices have no serious eternal consequences." If we aren't living as though the first one is true, are we living as though the second one is?

My thought from Pastor Verne's message on 3/13/11 at Waukesha First. Listen online.

Our Hearts Follow Our Treasures

What's the opposite of "Our Hearts Follow Our Treasures "?Perhaps "What I can't see is unimportant." If we aren't living as though the first one is true, are we living as though the second one is?

My thought from Pastor Verne's message on 3/13/11 at Waukesha First. Listen online.

God Owns It All

What's the opposite of "God owns it all"? Perhaps "I can do whatever I want since it's mine." If we aren't living as though the first one is true, are we living as though the second one is?

My thought from Pastor Verne's message on 3/13/11 at Waukesha First. Listen online.

Don't Choose a Church for Yourself

I Love Ephesians 2:8-10. Whenever I hear it, my ears perk up... Oddly, the churches that I enjoy most use this verse often. Are they geniuses like me, or is it Selection Bias?

If I'm comfortable (in life, at church, at work), is that a sign that I'm healthy (physically, mentally, spiritually) or that I'm merely paying attention to the few items that I value?

(*Pastor Verne, Can you use Ephesians 2:8-10 more often? That'd be great.)

Making Decisions

We're not too good at making decisions. We make decisions based on our available knowledge, but if we were to think about the outcome of our decisions, we’d make better ones. I want to think about all sorts of decisions and situations in order to be ready for them or for similar ones in the future.

God's Measurement

I hate it when you get suprised by a boss's assessment - thankfully it's been rare in my life. It does make one wonder though...

Do we measure the same thing God does? When we get to heaven, will we be suprised by His assessment?

He has told you, oh man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you.
To Do Justice
To Love Kindness
And To Walk Humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8

Pastor of Archival?

Churches are fantastic at creating content, in my opinion. Pastors, teachers, & small group leaders spend countless hours preparing messages, lessons, & experiences.

How many excellent resources have been lost because the tape, CD, or DVD containing it has not been properly archived or not even created?

Measuring the Unseen

In the preface to the REVEAL study, Greg Hawkins points out that churches need to measure the unseen. Whatever we equate with spiritual growth is what we'll work on at church.

If we think Spiritual Growth is somehow equivalent to church activity, we'll generate even more church activity. REVEAL did discover that "Church activity IS NOT a blueprint for spiritual growth." An interesting implication...

Measuring Importance

Everyone measures something.

How many people like me or don't like me?
How does my income compare to those around me?
Am I at least as good as everyone I know?

The thing we measure is given importance just by the act of measuring it. Changing what we measure will change what we do.