#540 - SUNDAY AFTERNOON ENCOURAGEMENT

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You prepared like it's the last message you'd ever preach. You prayed like it's the last message you'd ever preach. You preached like it's the last message you'd ever preach. 

Now, all you can do is rest. 

Don't overly concern yourself with the impact. Don't insecurely fish for the feedback. Don't mistakenly overestimate or underestimate your effectiveness.

Your work is through. You did all that you could do. Your only job now is to trust God to do all that He can do. 

And He can do marvelous things!

#539 - WHY LISTENING MATTERS

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Listen. To what people are saying. To how people are responding. To when people are silent. To who people are trusting. To where people are turning. To why people are leaving.

Listen. To doubts. To fears. To hesitations. To questions. To concerns. To hurts. To hangups. 

Listen. To hopes. To dreams. To aspirations. To ambitions. To longings. 

Listen. When it's offensive. When it's critical. When it's condemning. When it's personal. When it's accusatory. 

LISTEN.

Not only are people longing to be heard, but they are longing to be spoken to in light of how they feel. 

#532 - WE LABOR FOR THIS

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Hope is extended.
Grace is received.
Salvation is experienced.
Burdens are relieved.
Lives are renewed.
Friendships are formed.
God is worshipped.
Christ is exalted.
The Spirit is enjoyed.
Wounds are healed.
Marriages are strengthened.
Communities are served.
The Gospel is spread.
The Kingdom is advanced.
God's will is accomplished!

Pastor, these are the fruits of your labor. Don't grow weary. The difference that is being made is worth the price that is being paid.  

#531 - ON CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

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Tonight is a very big night in the life and history of theMOVEMENT Church. For the first time in our 4+ year history, following a fairly rigorous, thorough process, we are affirming members into our congregation and committing ourselves to serve and love each other in intentional ways. 

We have been working on and working through this process for about a year, and I have learned a lot. And, in a day and age when church membership and membership “covenants” may seem like an antiquated thing, I think it is wise for me to attempt to articulate what I have learned about what church membership is and what it isn’t.

WHAT CHURCH MEMBERSHIP ISN’T

  • It isn’t prescribed, nor is it very well described in the New Testament.

  • It isn’t a command of Christ.

  • It isn’t intended to create a “higher class” of Christian. 

  • It isn’t for everybody.

WHAT CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IS

  • It is implied throughout the New Testament.

  • It is necessary to follow the commands of Christ. 

  • It is intended to create a higher degree of responsibility between the pastors and the congregation. 

  • It is for everybody with a desire for accountability towards holiness and a willingness to submit to pastoral leadership.

I know myself and our church has a lot to learn as it relates to facilitating and carrying out a membership process, but I am confident that God is honored by efforts! Like everything else we do, we will humbly carry out what we believe God is calling us to do, how He is leading us to do it, until He notifies us differently! Stay tuned!

#529 - THE GIFT WE MUST NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED

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We must not lose the wonder of it all. The amazement. The significance. 

To be invited into someone's life, to give our opinion, counsel, advice, guidance, wisdom, correction, encouragement, or insight - it is an HONOR. 

To be trusted. To be sought out. To be heard. This is SERIOUS BUSINESS!

There are plenty of people who have more experience, education, and expertise than we do, yet, people still come to us. This is a PRIVILEGE. And we must remember, we are not owed this privilege, we are gifted this privileged. 

We must cherish the gift. Steward the gift. Maximize the gift. 

Being a voice in someone's life is not our right. It's our responsibility. 

 

#528 - ALL OR NOTHING

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All their sin.
All their shame.
All their regrets.

All of their past.
All of their history.
All of their story. 

All the deep hurts.
All the bad habits.
All the embarrassing hangups.

All of their wickedness.
All of their pride.
All of their rebellion.

All of what is disgusting.
All of what is deplorable.
All of what is disappointing. 

ALL OF IT.

As church leaders we must be willing to receive all that people show up to our doors with. We must be willing to walk with people through all of their messes. We must be willing to apply God's grace to all of their shortcomings.

Why?

Because Jesus paid for it ALL.

#527 - WHAT YOUR JOB ISN'T

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There are very few things that are as frustrating as doing a job or attempting to do a job that was never yours to do in the first place. With that in mind. Let me provide both you and I with this very simple reminder:

You can't change the hardened heart. You can't force the truth to be received. You can't cause the advice to be followed. You can't speed up the process of change. You can't control the outcome.

That's not your job.

Your job is to speak the truth in love.

God's job is to transform. God's job is convict. God's job is to reveal. God's job is to enlighten. God's job is to save. 

Our job is the natural. God's job is the supernatural.

Don't mix up the two. Nothing good ever comes from it.  

#525 - MY SECRET WEAPON AND ITS BENEFITS

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Over the last 7 years or so, I have committed myself to engaging in an extended of time of fasting and prayer at the beginning of the year. Whenever people hear that this is a part of my rhythms and routines as a believer they are taken aback and, often times, see it as extreme. 

In an effort to remind myself of why I engage in this "extreme" spiritual discipline and to also possibly encourage others to do the same, here are 10 reasons why I fast and pray:

1. Jesus prophesied that believers would fast. 

Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. Matthew 9:15

2. Jesus assumed that believers would fast. 

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:16-18

3. Fasting re-orders my affections.

Abstaining from food for an extended period of time for spiritual purposes gives me the opportunity to place God as my supreme joy and fulfillment rather than God's gifts.

4. Fasting re-directs my hunger. 

Instead of looking for satiation and fulfillment in food, television, social media, or other worldly pleasures, fasting forces me to hunger for and be fulfilled by the only One who can truly satisfy - Jesus Christ. 

5. Fasting increases my sensitivity to the voice of God.

Food and other worldly enjoyments many times numb me to the voice of God and make me less sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. But when I fast, I find myself listening intently to the Bread of Life and Living Water because without Him filling me, I am unfulfilled. 

6. Fasting displays my desperation. 

Because I can't avoid sin. Because I can't lead effectively. Because I can't save a soul. Because I can't meet every need. Because I can't be the husband I'm supposed to be. Because I can't keep things together. Because I can't foresee the difficulty ahead. Because I am weak. Because I am fearful. Because I am ill-prepared. Because I can't do anything of eternal value apart from the power and presence of God, fasting is my way of communicating to God, "This Lord, is how much I need your power, wisdom, guidance, protection, and anointing in my life!"   

7. Fasting initiates self-control. 

On most days throughout the year and in most instances, I eat what I want, I go where I want, I watch what I want, I buy what I want, and I do what I want. This, by and large, is the "American Way." Fasting forces me to practice the type of self-control that is required of the way of Christ! Fasting exercises my "self-control muscle" so that when needed, long after the fast is over, it can be relied upon and activated. 

8. Fasting deepens my appreciation for God's gifts. 

Upon my fast's end, I am always more thankful for the gifts of food and other delights that God has made available for His creation to enjoy. I see God's gifts less as blessings that I am entitled to, and instead I see them more as joys that point to the greatness and glory of God. 

9. Fasting reveals my weaknesses.

Nothing reveals my character flaws like taking away my food! When I do not have the option of numbing my anger, fear, insecurity, restlessness, anxiety, or selfishness with food, when I fast, these things are immediately exposed. My true self comes to the surface. Though this is painful to see, I am thankful for this gift that fasting gives.  

10. Fasting sets an example. 

Lastly, as a pastor of a local church, fasting sets an example for the people I am privileged to lead. It is very unlikely that if I didn't fast, that others would. It is very unlikely that if I didn't see fasting as a powerful means of connecting with God, that others would. It is very unlikely that if I didn't experience the profound joys and delights from abstaining from certain types of food over an extended period of time, that others would. In this sense, I fast not only for my spiritual vitality, but also for the spiritual vitality for those in my sphere of influence.  

Prayerfully, after reading a list like this you would be able to see that fasting, for me, isn't "extreme," it's NECESSARY! As much as I dread the idea of committing myself to one each year, I can't see how I could neglect to do one after clearly seeing what's at stake each time I do!

If you are interested in committing to a fast, leave a comment below and I'll send some resources your way!

#524 - SAY IT

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You've gotta' say it. You've gotta' be the one to verbalize it to the person or persons whom you feel a conviction to say it to. You are the one from which the words need to come. 

The encouraging word. The corrective word. The faith-filled word. The disciplining word. The challenging word. The paradigm-shifting word. The supportive word. The oppositional word. 

If you don't, no one else will. 

Say it.

No one else has the insight you have. No one else has the relationship with the person that you do. No one else has the influence on this group of people like you have. 

Say it. 

You abdicate your responsibility as a leader if you don't. You shouldn't be a leader if you can't. You will not be a leader if you won't. 

#516 - THE LEADERSHIP TOOL YOU CANNOT LEAD WITHOUT

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So much has been said about it, but its power cannot be underestimated. So much has been written about it, but its impact cannot be under appreciated.  Though it has often been criticized, its utility cannot be undervalued. 

For a leader to be effective, a compelling vision is a must.

But how do you know if you have one? How do you determine if its valid? How do you decide whether or not its worth giving your life to?

As I find myself in a season of being absolutely infused with fresh vision for my life and my ministry, here are a few ways I know a compelling vision has been given to me.

THE IMPACT A COMPELLING VISION HAS ON YOU

  1. You get excited considering it.

  2. You get energized believing it.

  3. You get motivated casting it.

  4. You feel morally responsible to do it.

  5. You feel spiritually accountable to pursue it.  

  6. You feel physically unable to ignore it.

  7. You're willing to risk your reputation for it.

  8. You're willing to sacrifice your comfort for it.

  9. You're willing to surrender your ego for it.

  10. You can see the fruit it will bear.

  11. You can feel the impact it will have.

  12. You can taste the joy it will bring.

  13. You have the vision and then the vision has you.

THE IMPACT A COMPELLING VISION HAS ON OTHERS

  1. People are inspired by it.

  2. People are invigorated by it.

  3. People are enamored by it.

  4. People give money to it.

  5. People sacrifice time for it.

  6. People contribute talents to it.

  7. People come together for it.

  8. People set aside differences for it.

  9. People collectively cooperate for it.

  10. People awaken to their purpose by pursuing it.

  11. People rediscover their joy by participating in it.

  12. People find their fulfillment by connecting themselves to it.

  13. The vision is cast to them and then they cast the vision to others.

A compelling vision is powerful. 

The question that remains for you is simply this:

Are you being driven by one?

#513 - LOVE AND LEAD WITH THIS IN MIND

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Over the last several weeks, I have been convinced of a sobering reality that, if I allow it to have the impact on me that it should, I am confident will improve my ability to love and lead more effectively.

The sobering reality is this:

Most people have a smile on their face that is not an accurate reflection of the heaviness of their heart.  

The pressure at work is heavier.
The challenge of parenting is harder.
The difficulty in marriage is higher.

Love and lead with this in mind. 

The pain from the past is deeper. 
The confusion about the present is stronger.
The fear about the future is greater.

Love and lead with this in mind. 

The lies of self-doubt are louder.
The voice of God is quieter.
The ability to see truth is cloudier. 

Love and lead with this in mind.  

The journey through life that most people are traveling has way more struggles and difficulties than they ever imagined having to face. 

They are more tired. They are more weary. They are more discouraged. They are more frustrated. They are more hopeless. They are more confused. They are more "over it." - than they have led you to believe. 

Don't allow the facade to fool you. The level of brokenness that exists in the people that we interact with day in and day out is much more real than we think.    

Love and lead with this in mind. 

It may make all the difference in regards to whether or not your love and leadership in their life can make a difference.  

#512 - WISDOM FROM GREG POPOVICH

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Though I am a very faithful and committed Warriors fan and fully expect the Warriors to beat the San Antonio Spurs tonight to lock in a third NBA Finals appearance in the last 3 years, today, I read an article about the culture of the San Antonio Spurs in which Popovich shared what I believe to be some very wise thoughts. Popovich stated that the primary question in player evaluation for the San Antonio Spurs was...

“Has this person gotten over himself?”
— Greg Popovich

He would go onto say... 

"He should take pride in the work, but shouldn't be prideful. I have a problem with proud."

Whether you are a leader of a team or a member of a team, I think these are wise thoughts to consider. Here are several questions you can ask yourself to see if you have "gotten over yourself."

  1. Have you placed the mission of the team ahead of the furthering of your career?

  2. Do you desire for the team to win more than you desire to personally succeed?

  3. Can you be genuinely happy for a teammate's success even if it overshadows your contribution?

  4. If the team is advancing, but you aren't receiving the amount of recognition or notoriety that you would like, can you still enjoy being on the team?

  5. Is your primary concern your prominence or the team's effectiveness?

  6. What would you rather be remembered as, a great player or a great teammate?

I think that these are very important questions that we should all be willing to ask ourselves. There are too many examples of "players" who never reached their potential because of an unwillingness to "get over themselves." 

Let's not let that be our story. 

#509 - THE TIGHTROPE I DESPISE

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Humble confidence. It's not an oxymoron, but it might as well be. It's such a difficult tension to manage and, most times, I end up neglecting one at the expense of the other. Or, I end up emphasizing one at the expense of the other.

In its' most simple terms, the challenge is:  

How does one confidently and expectantly walk in all that God has for them without developing an attitude of arrogance and presumption?

And for church leaders, the stakes are high. Whether a leader can get this right can be the difference between someone being attracted to the gospel or disgusted by it. Whether a leader can get this right can be the difference between high-capacity leaders being drawn to the church or repelled by it. Whether a leader can get this right can be the difference between the reputation of Christians being improved or diminished.

Cockiness or false humility. How can you avoid the danger of falling prey to either of the extremes?

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is currently providing a tremendous amount of insight in regards to how this can be done.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

"Much fruit" (productivity, results, blessing) is a result of living a life connected to Christ. This is where our confidence should find its source. Fruit is a promise. But, apart from Christ we can do nothing. This is where our humility should find its source. Fruit is something only Christ can produce. 

In short, humble confidence can be achieved by being absolutely convinced of both what is promised and who makes it possible...at the very same time.   

Christ promises fruit - walk confidently in this promise! Fruit apart from Christ is impossible - walk humbly in this reality!

#508 - MY WORST NIGHTMARE

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Sin has consequences. Some of the consequences are anticipated and expected, others are unanticipated and unexpected. The problem is, certain sins, when committed, have irreversible consequences that can change the course of a person's life forever. 

Though this is true for anyone, regardless of their occupation, this is particularly true for a person in vocational ministry. The number of men and women who I know personally and whom I have seen from afar lose their families, ministries, and influence, within the Kingdom of God, because of a single bad decision is disheartening.

It's not that God doesn't extend grace. It's not that God doesn't forgive. It's not even that people don't forgive. It's just that certain sins committed by men and women in leadership positions in vocational ministry can cause a person to lose their ministerial privileges forever. The consequences of sin, especially for a ministry leader, are nothing to take lightly.  

Being that I NEVER want to experience or endure such consequences, here is a list of all of the things that I can expect to experience if I allow certain sins to get the best of me. (Note: I do not write this list so that I will live in an unhealthy fear, but I do this so that the reality of the consequences of my sin can clearly be before me.)

  1. I will grieve my Heavenly Father who sent His Son to pay for the price for my freedom from the very sin I committed.   

  2. I will break my wife's heart, cause her to question God's faithfulness, and lose her trust in me and my marriage to her.  

  3. I will bring upon my parents a huge amount of unnecessary pain, sorrow, and heartache.  

  4. I will letdown my younger siblings who look up to me and expect me to be an example of godliness and faithfulness.  

  5. I will sadden my extended family members who have believed in me and God's calling on my life. 

  6. I will disappoint the staff I lead and put their jobs and financial well-being at risk. 

  7. I will inconvenience the pastoral team and place them in the extremely difficult position of having to lead the church in the aftermath of my sin. 

  8. I will confuse, anger, and discourage many of the people in my congregation and cause a number of them to have a crisis of faith which cause many to give up on Christ and the local church.  

  9. I will fail the church partners, denominations, and networks that invested in my success. 

  10. I will give an excuse to the skeptics and unbelievers who stay away from the church, because of scandal within the church, to continue to keep themselves at an arm's distance. 

  11. I will tarnish the reputation of the local church in the city of Oakland. 

  12. I will invalidate the ministry of theMOVEMENT.  

  13. I will disqualify myself from pastoring the church I've invested the last four years of my life loving and leading.  

This is heavy. This is real. This is my worst nightmare. And...this is possible. 

If the "right" sin is committed, the above consequences could, one day, become my reality. 

But, the exercise of writing out a list like this provides me with a deep motivation to be vigilant about uprooting the current sin in my life and guarding myself against the sin that is "crouching at my door."

Writing out a list like this puts me on notice. Writing out a list like this keeps me "woke." Writing out a list like this causes me to take very seriously the consequences of indulging in the desires of my flesh.

My list is written. I am "scared straight." 

Would writing a list like this be beneficial to you? What do you stand to lose if you do not get serious about uprooting the sin in your life?

#507 - HOW WE ARE CREATING A CULTURE OF CORPORATE PRAYER

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No pastor or group of ministry leaders would (or should!) ever deny the importance of corporate prayer in the life of a church community. The problem is, if asked what corporate prayer looks like at a particular church, most leaders would say it is relegated to a weekly corporate prayer meeting (if they even have that!) This is not a criticism, it is just what I know to be most church's reality. 

At theMOVEMENT, we are aiming to create a culture of corporate prayer.

We are striving to develop an atmosphere of corporate humility, dependence, and desperation for the hand of God to move in us and through us in only the way that He can. We are on the road to weaving corporate prayer into the very fabric of our organization. 

I will, very likely, write a post in the future about why corporate prayer is imperative, but the purpose of this post is to share with you a few of the ways how we are pursuing this:

1. Monday is our pre-determined day of corporate prayer and fasting. An encouraging video is sent out each Monday morning to the congregation to motivate our corporate prayer efforts and provide direction in regards to the corporate prayer focus for the week.  

2. Monday is also the day of our corporate prayer meeting. (I am obviously not against a corporate prayer meeting, but a meeting alone will not create a culture.) During this meeting, there is a time of brief teaching, equipping us to pray more effectively, and a time of both private and corporate prayer.

3. We have developed a list of 10 Corporate Prayers that we will unite ourselves around and contend for until God answers. These prayers include: 

* Uproot Sin
* Increase Awe
* Renew Oakland
* Spirit Fall
* Save Souls
* Enlarge Territory
* Guard Unity
* Burden Hearts  
* Supply Needs
* Send Laborers

4. We pray one of these corporate prayers in our Sunday service prior to the preaching of the message.

5. We pray one of these corporate prayers in our midweek groups upon the conclusion of that evening's meal and discussion. 

6. We pray one of these corporate prayers in our team meetings every time they gather either to serve on Sundays or to prepare for the future. 

7. We encourage that one of these corporate prayers be prayed in our one-on-one discipleship relationships upon the conclusion of each discipleship meeting. 

8. We pray at least one of these corporate prayers at our membership gatherings that we hold once a trimester. 

9. We pray at least one of these corporate prayers in our pastoral team meetings each time we gather.

10. We pray at least one of these corporate prayers in our staff meetings each time we gather. 

10 corporate prayers. 10 different ways we are pursuing creating a culture of corporate prayer. There are, very likely, many more ways in which this can be done, but we can't wait to see how God honors our efforts to consistently posture ourselves in humility, as a community, before Him! 

#505 - THE ONE THING PASTORS ABSOLUTELY NEED TO REMEMBER ON SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH

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I am writing this on a Saturday evening in preparation for what I know I'll need to remind myself of on Sunday after church... 

Pastor, the number isn't everything.  

The number of people who attended the service.
The number of people who were first-time guests.
The number of people who were second-time guests.
The number of people who went forward to receive prayer.
The number of people who volunteered to serve on a team.
The number of people who "responded well" to your message.

The number isn't everything.

The number of people who didn't show up.
The number of people who were critical of you. 
The number of people who left without talking to you.

The number isn't everything.

The number of tweets from your message.
The number of likes on your church's Instagram feed.
The number of pictures on Instagram from your service.
The number of shares/views from your service on Facebook Live.

The number isn't everything.

What God is doing in His Church cannot be quantified by a number. 
How God is drawing in His elect cannot be tracked on a spreadsheet.
When God will increase His blessings cannot be predicted by an average.

So stop it. 

JESUS IS EVERYTHING.
JESUS IS ENOUGH.
JESUS IS SUFFICIENT.

His love for you is everything.
His approval of you is everything.
His life, lived for you is everything.
His death, died for you is everything.
His resurrection, claiming victory for you is everything.

And the crazy thing is, all of the above is true regardless of what happened in your service today!

And if, on this Sunday, afternoon, following yet another Sunday worship service, He is not your Everything...

You need to take a moment to "smoke" what you're "selling."

#504 - 3 COMPELLING REASONS WHY PASTORS NEED A HOBBY

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I have been in pastoral ministry for seven years and over these last seven years I have seen many pastors disqualify themselves from ministry, quit the ministry, and continue in ministry void of any real passion or vision. Though there are many reasons for the "burning out" of pastors, I would argue that one may be, a lack of a hobby. With that in mind, here are 3 compelling reasons why pastors need a hobby: 

#1 - PASTORS NEED ESCAPE FROM THE WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY THEY CARRY

It's heavy. The responsibility for the spiritual well-being of the congregation.  The responsibility to attain financial sustainability for the organization. The responsibility of leading a staff/pastoral team. The responsibility to consistently preach clear, compelling, and convicting messages from the Word of God. The responsibility to discover, develop, and deploy leaders. When each responsibility is taken seriously, "success" in each of these areas can weigh very heavy on a pastor's heart.  

A good hobby, on the other hand, is not heavy. A good hobby is not emotionally draining. A good hobby does not require leadership. Instead, a good hobby provides a momentary release, escape, and outlet for a pastor to experience joy and happiness in an arena that doesn't have eternal consequences! A hobby is not heavy, and, for a pastor, this is healthy. 

#2 - PASTORS NEED EXPERIENCE WITH BEING PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN CHRIST

As startling or offensive of a statement as that may be, the reality is, 97% of the people a pastor ministers to are passionate about something other than Jesus Christ and their relationship with Him. People are passionate about work, family, wealth, etc., and if a pastor doesn't have a real-time understanding of being passionate about things other than/in addition to Christ, He will be unable to connect with a majority of the people he comes into contact with. He will be ill-equipped to understand why/how a person could have deep affections for something other than faith. He will be unprepared to speak into, from a first-hand experience, how passions can leave you unfulfilled and wanting more.  

A hobby can give a pastor a taste of why people would invest so much time, effort, and energy into a thing. A hobby can give a pastor a feel for why someone would want to spend their Sunday mornings doing something other than go to church. A hobby can also be a reminder to a pastor, in a very real way (because a hobby can only be so fulfilling), of the sufficiency of Christ! Experience with a hobby, gives pastors empathy for people who are passionate about a hobby and this is healthy.   

#3 - PASTORS NEED EXPOSURE TO NON-CHURCH CULTURES AND NON-CHRISTIAN GROUPS OF PEOPLE

Church can be a bubble. The programs. The people. The priorities. If a pastor is not careful, the church can actually isolate him from the very world he went into ministry to reach! If a pastor leads Christians on his staff, interacts with Christians on Sundays, meets with Christians during the week, and goes to church conferences with other Christians, how will he even be aware of a culture other than his own?!

Whether it is running, traveling, hiking, cooking, etc., every hobby has a culture - a way things are done, a lingo, and a community who interacts with each other around their passion. Exposure to the culture within a hobby as well as to the non-Christians within the culture can give a pastor an awareness of the world that is absolutely necessary to reaching people outside of the church. Not only does exposure to non-church cultures equip a pastor to more effectively "speak the language" of the world, it also can give a pastor ideas of elements of culture that a pastor can "bring into" the church! Consistent exposure to a hobby's culture, pops the bubble of Christianity's culture, and, for a pastor, this is healthy! 

Though there are many "dangers" to a hobby, for pastors who are neck deep into their pastoral duties and overwhelmed by their responsibilities, I'm convinced a good hobby can be a gift from God. A good hobby, properly engaged with, can keep a pastor joyfully and effectively serving in ministry for more years had he not had one.   

How do I know this to be true? Because I have one, and it has been one of the best decisions I have made in my seven years of pastoral ministry. So what is my hobby exactly?

I am a collector of Air Jordans. And most recently, I have focused my efforts on collecting the models and colorways that Michael Jordan wore while playing in the NBA.

To view my "passion project" follow me on Instagram (@AirJCollector) or click here to see a part of my collection!

#498 - LEADERSHIP PIPELINE: TEAM LEADS (BE)

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Our leadership pipeline "levels" at theMOVEMENT are Team Members, Team Leads, Ministry Leads, Department Leads, and Organizational Leads.

At every level we have a "curriculum" of "Who You Need to Be" and "What You Need to Do" to succeed at the current level and be considered for advancement to the next level. 

For the purpose of this post, here is a snapshot of the "curriculum" for Team Leads. 

WHO TEAM LEADS NEED TO BE

  1. Humble - Willing to deal with insecurities?
     

  2. Hungry - Willing to increase involvement?
     

    • Are you willing to serve at least 3 times a month?

    • Are you willing to invest a minimum of 5 hours a week into the building of your team?

    • Are you a MOVEMENTMAKER, following through on the covenant's commitments?
       

  3. Smart - Willing to improve interpersonal skills?
     

    • What are your interpersonal weaknesses?

    • What are your interpersonal strengths?

    • What is the interpersonal skill that, if developed, would have the greatest positive impact on your role as a Team Leader?

    • Resources:

  4. Healthy - Willing to pursue intimacy with Christ?
     

    • Are you hungering for God's Word?

    • Are you trusting God with your sin?

    • Are you enjoying the beauty of God's gospel?

    • Are you offering God your worship?

    • Resources:

#495 - LEADERSHIP PIPELINE: TEAM MEMBERS (BE)

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Our leadership pipeline "levels" at theMOVEMENT are Team Members, Team Leads, Ministry Leads, Department Leads, and Organizational Leads.

At every level we have a "curriculum" of "Who You Need to Be" and "What You Need to Do" to succeed at the current level and be considered for advancement to the next level. 

For the purpose of this post, here is a snapshot of the "curriculum" for Team Members. 

WHO TEAM MEMBERS NEED TO BE

  1. Humble - Coachable?

  2. Hungry - Available?

    • Can you serve 1-2 times/month?

    • Can you be inconvenienced to serve if there is a "call out?"

    • Can you put thought/effort into the role during the week?

    • Resources

      • Book Excerpts

        • Bill Hybels on Volunteering (The Volunteer Revolution)
           

  3. Smart - Personable?

    • Are you kind?

    • Are you caring?

    • Are you calm?
       

  4. Healthy - Spiritual?

    • Are you seeking a relationship with Jesus Christ?