Life-long learners constantly cycle through a developmental process to sharpen their leadership skills. It may be intuitive or it may be intentional. But the 6 steps are real: LEARN-EMPOWER-ASSESS-DECIDE-EVALUATE-REVIEW.
John was struggling. He served as a volunteer organizing various mission events, with amazing results. But then he was asked to lead the Global Outreach Ministry for his church.
He was flattered, excited – but overwhelmed.
How was he going to lead?
Who was he leading?
And most important, where was he supposed to start?
That’s when we met.
Too often, people are put into leadership positions without the tools, skills or understanding required to lead. What normally happens to people is that they either pursue help OR they die! The death of a vision leads to the death of a leader. Worse yet, the leader becomes frustrated, apathetic and disinterested in everything to do with the “church”.
Back to John, after he brought me up to speed, I asked him some questions and as he reflected – he began to calm down. John shared his heart for missions, and for the Global Outreach Ministry.
He had a vision.
He had ideas of what he didn’t want – essentially he did NOT want to work alone!
He DID want to become more effective at helping others lead essential areas of the Global Outreach Ministry.
As a leader, one thing you must ask is – Where do I begin?
Here are three questions I asked John:
What are your strengths?
What essential skills are necessary?
Who do you need?
John had recently completed an assessment that the entire church staff was asked to take. We discussed the strengths he brought to a team. And then identified some areas he did not enjoy, what he lacked and potential blind spots. Finally, we identified what it would take for his team to be successful and who would be good to have on his team.
John is in the process of:
Learning who he is as a leader.
Learning about the various roles he needs to fill on his team.
Learning who he could approach as potential members of his team.
Learning is an important step in the Leadership Development Process. But Learning in itself is not enough. In fact, going to a workshop, listening to a podcast or even receiving a degree in leadership does not guarantee a person can lead. I’ve found that many people have knowledge but lack the experience of actually leading a team. Applying the knowledge and learning from success as well as failure is critical in the development process.
Questions for your reflection:
Who are you developing?
How are you helping them learn about themselves and the people on their team?
What possibilities are there for them to take the next step forward?
The next step in the journey to develop as a leader is – Empower. Empower team members to help them clarify “whats next”. This is where we will pick-up next week.
Learn about the 2019 Collectives. Each Collective will engage you in the 6 Step Leadership Development process above.
As Christians, we have so many privileges to be thankful – but they can get lost in the midst of the daily grind.
Be mindful this Thanksgiving to recall all that God have given, especially the people He was surrounded you. Remember that every human being has worth, value and significance. That your friends, family and even those God has put in your life that might not see the world as you see it are created in His image.
This Thanksgiving, receive with a heart of gratitude, share what He has blessed you with and give thanks.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love and his kindness go on forever.
One of the most impactful worship environments that I’ve participated in was in a marginalized community in Springdale, Australia. The Gospel was potent that Sunday evening many years ago. We met in a community center where me and Gina (my wife) ate a meal with other members of the community, from donated food. A closet set aside for clothing and other necessities, was made available to those in need. After we ate together on the first floor, we went upstairs to participate in worship together. That evening was memorable in many ways:
Inter-generational – from twenty-somethings to 60 year-olds
Multi-ethnic – Pacific Islanders to Aussies
Socially diverse – current and former drug addicts, prostitutes and people working towards sobriety
The evening began with scripture reading and prayer. A cardboard box with percussion instruments was passed around so everyone could have a shaker, tambourine or drum to beat. Then in a light-hearted manner, the worship leader led this rag-tag band in a couple of familiar worship songs, inviting people to engage in a non-threatening manner.
Perhaps the highlight that sticks-out for me was the leader that led the Bible portion of the night who was from the local community. After various people read the passage aloud, we broke-up into smaller groups to explore insights from the passage and ways to apply the truths we had gleaned. To culminate our time together we shared Communion as a symbol of the New Covenant Jesus had called this gathering to live-out together, in a missional community called the Rainbow Church.
You might have thought I was going to share the content of the Gospel with you as if something had changed. The New Covenant Jesus preached and lived-out remains the same as 2,000+ years ago. However, the church of today must return to a more incarnational and missional expression of the Gospel.
One church staff team I consulted with recently came up with the slogan to rebrand their ministry: Be Missional to Multiply! This is what Jesus did. This is what the church must return to. This is what the church must be and move towards.
Reflect on the questions below so that you and your ministry can. Be Missional to Multiply!
How are you making the Gospel unnecessarily resistible?
What does it mean to be missional in your context?
What can you do differently to make missional living part of your DNA?
What does it take to see a person reproduce the character of Christ in a new apprentice of Jesus? If you’re like me you’ve seen a number of approaches, perhaps, too many to count. Some have been super fruitful, while others not so much.
Assuming the approach includes the key qualities of disciplemaking like the power of the Holy Spirit, application of Scripture, fellowship, prayer and coaching – the soil is ripe for multiplication. In the expediency of time I find many of us are troubled with the lack of reproduction even into the second, not to mention the third and fourth generation. This impatience can and will result in growth by addition – looks amazing in the short-term but malnourished in the long-term.
What can you do to move from expediency to significance?
You have probably heard about the practice of prioritizing activities into Quadrant II – Important and Not Urgent (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey). Multiplication is a Quadrant II activity. Over a three year period, one pastor I have been coaching has changed the expectations of their small groups, which his church calls Life Groups:
Participation: 79% of the congregation are in Life Groups
Growth: the number of Life Groups has more than tripled
Multiplication: 22% of the Life Groups have reproduced into the second generation
Here’s five lessons for your reflection, to keep your eyes on the long-term fruit of a multiplication movement and not get distracted with instant gratification.
Five Lessons to keep your attention on Multiplication
Lesson #1: Be willing to fail – Multiplication requires an element of to risk – which requires faith.
Lesson #2: Be open to learn – The best teacher is experience.
Lesson #3: Be clear with your vision – If you’re unclear where you’re headed, good chance you will get there!
Lesson #4: Be ALL about the process – The joy is in the journey.
Lesson #5: Be realistic with your expectations – Go slow at first so that you can go fast later.
What image comes to mind when you hear the word “church”?
In a world where the Christian apologetic is under scrutiny, Andy Stanley suggests intriguing insights in his book entitled “Irresistable” on the:
New vs. Old Covenant
the Resurrection
deeply held theological assumptions.
In the discussion about the church he identifies the first time the term is used in scripture. In Matthew 16:17-18 Jesus says to Peter: “… and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
The author goes on to say this is a future part of the New Covenant.
In 1522, William Tyndale began translating the Greek New Testament into English. The Greek word “ekklesia” is accurately translated as “assembly” or “gathering”. The word “church” is not a translation, but a substitution – and a misleading one at that.
Stanley says, that the term “church” should not have appeared in the text at all. Tyndale lost his battle over the term, and others; along with his life. For this reason, “ekklesia” is substituted with our word “church” and used in the scriptures more that 100 times after this.
This makes a tremendous difference in the way we coach, teach and disciple. The connotation of church is very different than the term assembly – as in a gathering of people (whether it be a civic gathering, an assembly of soldiers or an assembly of idol manufacturers as in Acts 19:28-29). What Tyndale was attempting to do was set the record straight.
Today, I imagine, if you surveyed 100 Christians and asked them how they would describe the term “church”, that description would include a building or campus, where people gather for worship. They might describe an organization vs. and organism. Or they might think of the cultural interpretation of the church; whatever that might be in their context.
Which leads me to suggest the following 5 exercise of a local church. These are intended to be broad is scope. The question is intended to help you reflect on your gathering of Jesus Followers.
5 Exercise of a Church
Exercise #1: A community of Jesus Followers loving God Together
How are you and your community of Jesus Followers expressing your love of God?
Exercise #2: A community of Jesus Followers loving their neighbor together
How are you and your community of Jesus Followers loving your neighbor?
Exercise #3: A community of Jesus Followers making Apprentices of Jesus together
How are you and your community of Jesus Followers making disciples together?
Exercise #4: A community of Jesus Followers collaborating with other communities to reach their city
How are you and your community of Jesus Followers collaborating with other gatherings of Jesus Followers to accomplish the mission of Jesus in your city?
Exercise #5: A community of Jesus Followers stewarding all their resources in God-honoring ways
How are you and your community of Jesus Followers stewarding all their resources in God-honoring ways?
Every leader and network of leaders will have their definition of “church”. Reflect on the core exercises Jesus had in mind when he spoke to Peter and his intention for us today. Here are three questions to help you identify how to move forward in your thinking about His community of followers that he has entrusted to your care:
What exercises are you doing well?
What exercises are a challenge?
Which exercises do you need to address now?
Here are a few coaching resources to help you guide leaders.
Donald McGavran cited the “professionalisation of ministry” as one of the top challenges for the ongoing cultivation of a movement (“Understanding Church Growth” pgs. 163-164). Specifically, the aspirational goal for credentialed and paid, vocational ministers and missionaries can be detrimental to the very things we need to be doing as apprentices of Jesus. Disciplemaking and church planting are oftentimes lost in the “busyness” of qualifying for, earning an income and doing ministry.
The professional minister is good and necessary – in some cases. In other situations, the pathway to credentialization, the schooling required and financial incentive that many aspire to in ministry, can detract from the making of disciples, caring for the poor and the planting of churches. I wonder how this model influences our understanding of ministry?
I believe the phrase that Neil Cole coined can be helpful: lower the bar of leadership and raise the bar of discipleship. How does this statement influence your understanding of “ministry”. Let me suggest five characteristics of ministry to accelerate movement.
5 Characteristics of Ministry to Accelerate Movement
Characteristic #1 – Gift-based
Ephesians 4:11-12 is one of my favorites passages. You know of others, but I like to keep things simple and believe that Alan Hirsch, and others, have thoughtful arguments that suggest all apprentices of Jesus are gifted accordingly to one or more of the APEST giftings (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, Teacher). Regardless if you agree with the APEST paradigm, the principle is to mobilize people according to their spiritual gifting.
Key Question: How are you mobilizing people?
Characteristic #2 – Maximizes ALL opportunities for spiritual fruit
Whether a person is crunching numbers or laying brick or serving in the home – we would be wise to connect what they do to help people take the next step on their spiritual journey. Too often we push aside what people do for the majority of their lives in the workplace or community, as non-ministry. The best place for apprentices of Jesus to reach people far from God is in their place of employment or in the community where they live.
Key Question: How are you helping people see their vocation or their service in the community as ministry?
Characteristic #3 – Progresses the movement forward
Movement is simply defined as disciples and churches reproducing into the third and fourth generation. With that as the filter it helps prioritize where to commit time and resources. The real challenge is when other good opportunities are presented that appear good and right but at the expense of movement-building activity.
Key Question: How are you progressing you movement forward?
Characteristic #4- Kingdom-focused
The Kingdom of God is not destined for a single church or denomination; it is the reign of Jesus in every nook and cranny of society. This encompasses the three primary institutions addressed in Scripture: the family, government and the local church (including para-church, mission socientes and networks or denominations). For heaven’s sake, we need participation in all sectors of society (business, education, the arts, etc) to establish the Kingdom of God!
Key Question: How are you helping people see that the Kingdom is bigger than the local church?
Characteristic #5 – God is glorified
In John 4: 23-24 Jesus states “…true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth“. When our acts of service are in alignment with the heart of God, it is pleasing to our Creator – this is how I would define ministry. Perhaps another way of describing ministry is to borrow John Piper’s definition of worship:
The inner essence of worship is to know God truly and then respond from the heart to that knowledge by valuing God, treasuring God, prizing God, enjoying God, being satisfied with God above all earthly things. And then that deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in God overflows in demonstrable acts of praise from the lips and demonstrable acts of love in serving others for the sake of Christ.
Key Question: How is God being glorified?
Once you have a moment to reflect on the five characteristics of ministry to accelerate movement., ask yourself the following questions:
How do I define “ministry”?
What characteristics are firmly established in my ministry?
What characteristics need more attention?
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Here is the second of seven mission critical concepts leaders are re-thinking strategically to create a more robust disciplemaking + church multiplication culture.
Concept 2 – Fruitfulness:
How do you measure fruitfulness?
Have you heard the statement – “You measure what matters” when discussing ministry.
In their book “The 4 Disciplines of Execution” the authors introduce Wildly Important Goals (WIGs). From their experience the challenge that comes when a leader and/or team identify WIGs is, EXECUTION! To support leaders, the authors emphasize the importance of Lead and Lag Measures.
Lead Measures are focused on the outcomes you are aiming for in the WIG – these are Predictable and Influencable. Predictable in that if you accomplish this, then you can expect certain results (“this” then “that”). A good lead measure for our church is: 80% of our active adults in small groups to engage our congregation missionally.
Lag Measures are focused on the goal. Here are four good lag measures our church set this year to engage our people in mission:
Two Mission Weekend
Two Mission Trips
Two Missional Moments
Two Missional Invites – view Going Together sermon for more.
These are really important to our church; therefore, we track the weekly attendance in all our small groups. We believe that people who are engaged in a small group will have a much great chance to being engage missionally. Every church has their WIGS.
WIGs simply give focus with language to establish what is important (Lead Measure) track and assess where you are (Lag Measure).
I was discussing the idea of goals with a leadership team at a church and they were clear that they did not have any goals – by choice.
If you are of that same line of thought then I would point you to the notion that God knows the exact number of hairs on our head (Luke 12:7 & Matthew 10:30). This could be figurative – communicating the Lord’s care and concern for His people. But would it be fair to say that if he cares this much about hair follicles that He probably cares a lot more about the individual lives we are able to influence with the love of Christ? And could it be possible that He might be pleased if we gave focused attention to that in our efforts to make disciples?
Many churches do a competent job of tracking the low-lying fruit e.g. nickles and noses. But to move into a missional paradigm I suggest 5 metrics of fruitfulness in ministry.
5 Metrics for disciplemaking and church planting movements using a coach approach
This is not an exhaustive list – but is a good start:
Disciples taking the next step on their spiritual journey
What percentage of your people are in disciplemaking communities?
Caring for the poor
What percentage of your time and resources are dedicated to serving the poor?
Disciples making disciples
What percentage of your people are reproducing apprentices of Jesus into the third and fourth generation?
Leaders being developed
What percentage of your leaders-in-training are taking the next step in their development?
Planting new churches
What percentage of your time and resources are dedicated to the planting of new churches?
Once you have that data the three questions below can help you set WIGs to measure fruitfulness of your ministry:
What percentages do you want to alter?
What is your lead measure(s)?
What is your lag measure(s)?
Please continue the conversation and respond below….
Here is the first of seven mission critical concepts leaders are re-thinking strategically to create a more robust disciplemaking + church multiplication culture.
Concept 1 – Discipleship:
What is your discipleship pathway?
Immediately when I asked this question to a youthful church staff regarding their list of “indicators” for a disciple – the notion of a non-organic, results-oriented disciplemaking process was rebuffed. Over the next few minutes I attempted to logically explain the rationale behind my question. I earnestly explained my “why” observable behaviors are important for a growing disciple are essential – but lost that battle!
Whether you have a relationally driven, organic disciplemaking process or a highly structured approach, the point is, every disciplemaker has a process they follow. A deeper question is, what are the essentials of a growing disciple?
My conclusion is that a discipleship pathway that leads to a disciplemaking movement embraces the following missional behaviors:
Grounded in Biblical principles
You can have disciples of all kinds, such as, religious, philosophical schools of thought, diets, etc. For apprentices of Jesus the Scriptures are the moral compass we follow.
Key Insight: Stay true to the Word of God.
Clear understanding of what a growing, reproducing disciple does
I like Covey’s Habit #2: “Keeping the End in Mind”. The principle holds true to making disciples. A framework with the essential outcomes, like the Making Disciples Storyboard, is helpful to keep the end in mind.
Key Insight: set boundaries for disciplemaking relationships, then stay within those.
Values relationship(s)
Some leaders gravitate towards 1-1 vs. others leaders who think 2-3 OR some leaders think small group vs. missional community. Crosspoint Community Church is the local church I attend with my wife, Gina where we lead a small group of 15 apprentices of Jesus. Our church consistently has 85% or more of the adult church attenders in small groups which is one of the strategic focuses of our disciplemaking process.
Key Insight: Relationship(s) trumps content.
Takes a coach approach
I write a lot about this. Essentially, taking a coach approach is anchored in the ability of the disciples to hear and respond to the Holy Spirit and the disciplemaker helps the disciple draw out new insights by listing and asking questions. See 5 Shifts to be a Great Coach blog.
Key Insight: Listening & asking questions help disciples go further, faster.
Revolves around transferable concepts
I remember a conversation I had with my mom when I was first starting out in ministry. She was an amazing leader who discipled many people, families and groups over her lifetime – that are still making disciples to this day. However, to my knowledge she never completed the 1-1 discipleship program our church (which is a great church) had introduced. In my niavete, I had a conversation with mom to critique the way she had made disciples over her lifetime to help her see “the enlightened path” I was following. Needless to say, she did the program and I am sure benefitted – to a degree. To this day, I regret having this conversation with my mom who is one of the most influential disciplemakers I have ever known.
Key Insight: transferable concepts have the potential of reproducing disciples into the 3rd-4th generation.
Take a moment and reflect on your experience:
What missional behaviors do you practice?
What missional behaviors do you need to adopt?
Please continue the conversation and respond below….
There are seven mission critical concepts that you must grapple to create a robust culture of disciplemaking + church multiplication. Each worthy of deep reflection, prayer and adept coaching. I’ve listed these as “concepts” along with a key question.
Here they are:
Concept 1- Discipleship:
What is your discipleship pathway?
Concept 2 – Fruitfulness:
How do you measure fruitfulness?
Concept 3 – Ministry:
What is your definition of ministry?
Concept 4 – Church:
Describe what constitutes the local church?
Concept 5 – Time:
What can you do to move from expediency to significance?
Concept 6 – Gospel:
List your Gospel imperatives?
Concept 7 – Love:
How do you express your love of God?
Who is your neighbor?
You probably aren’t surprised by these. On the other hand, you may have others you would add to the list. Take a moment and reflect on your experience:
What concepts are you rethinking?
How are these changing your approach to disciplemaking + church multiplication?
Please continue the conversation and respond below….
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