Monday, June 30, 2008

Building a Team

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I feel like the greatest way to lead is through teams.  I have been blessed with a great team, and it is becoming even greater.  I think it is my job as the leader of the team to make sure that every member of the team is moving in the right direction.

There are people on the team that are on all different levels.  Some are brand new to the team, it is my job to make sure they are finding their place, and feeling like they are a part.  That is why we are working our way through interview after interview. Other members, ones who have been on the team longer, need me to challenge them and stretch them.  Team members like Julie and Eric need new leadership challenges.  I have to make sure that they are learning to lead leaders.

This leadership challenge is the greatest one of my life, but it is also the most fun I have ever had!

Friday, June 27, 2008

St. Paul Assembly of God




I Have spent the week in St. Paul, Va with a good friend, Jimi Watson.  Besides not having any cell phone coverage, or even a Walmart for about 15 miles in either direction, we have had a great week. Wednesday we got to visit the world's fastest half mile!  Bristol Motor Speedway was really cool. I got to climb up the embankment and touch the wall, visit the track owners "SWEET" (yes I know it is suite, but you should have seen it), and stand in victory lane (which at Bristol is on top of a building).  I even got to take a few laps on the track, we were in a tour bus, so the experience was more frightening than it was exciting.  
I have had a great time here though.  Jimi has taught me some great leadership lessons and really taken time to pour into my life about what it means to truly pastor people.  He has a love for this city and these people that is obvious.  I know he will do great things here. I want the love in my heart for the kids of Frisco, McKinney, and the surrounding areas to be as real and as visible as Jimi's love for these people is.  I know that God has called me to Hope and I believe great things will begin to happen as we continue to move forward with that call!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Feeling Prepared

Have you ever felt unprepared for something?  I hate the feeling of walking into a room full of kids and not being completely ready.  It really seems like more things go wrong when I am unprepared than when I am set and ready to go. I can have my service prepped and all the things completely ready to go, and nothing will go wrong.  Or I can come into the room and not be quite ready to go, and everything will fall apart.  I had a coach in College who would always use a popular saying, "Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance". I want to do my part to be prepared so that God can use me to great things.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

What a Weekend

We made an emergency trip to SC this weekend.  I learned a few things along the way:
1.  I have a great right hand man, and an incredible team here at Hope.  You all are awesome, I had no doubts that you all could handle things flawlessly!
2.  I want to leave a Legacy.  We went for the funeral of a former Pastor's wife.  Hearing stories and watching people, she obviously left her mark on her Family, her church, and the world.
3.  My Butt falls asleep after multiple hours in the front seat of our truck (that one was just for fun, but it did fall asleep multiple times).
4.  I love Hope Fellowship.  Much like the last time Sarah and I went back to SC (for Jonathon and Kim's Wedding) we realized how awesome God is and how much we enjoy serving Hope Fellowship now.  
5.  My wife is awesome!  She is an amazing Mother and wife, and I love spending Quality Time with her (Like 37 hours in the truck over 4 1/2 days!).   I love you Sarah.
6.  God has a magnificent plan for my Life.  I could see once again how God has orchestrated things in my life and really moved me to a new level as a leader.
7.  Tell the ones you love how you feel every chance you get!  Mrs.  Tania Burgbacher was killed in a tragic car accident 50 feet from her driveway traveling at only 25 mph.  You truly never know when your time might come to an end.  YOU MUST be ready Spiritually and you must take every opportunity to tell the ones you love how you really feel.

This was a worldwind trip, I am glad we made it, but I am even more happy to be home.
I am looking for great things the next few weeks at Hope!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

People

I heard a saying once, "If it wasn't for people, the ministry would be a really easy job"!  I can definitely appreciate that sometimes, but lately I think I have come to grips with the fact that we are here first and foremost to help People get closer to God.  I am sometimes easily frustrated by people,  some people are easily offended, some people are over-concerned, some people are "unwise" in the choices that they make, and some people are just plain lost.  I think I had a turning point tonight in my ministry.  I was really frustrated about a situation, and it was almost like a switch flipped and I understood that people are just people, they are going to frustrate you, disappoint you, and sometimes even hurt you, and you have to continue to love them no matter what, because that is what we as Christ-followers are called to do, LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE.
It doesn't take away from the conflict, it just helps me to keep my focus and priorities where they need to be while I am dealing with the conflict.

I had a Pastor tell me one time, the individual is always more important than the ministry.  I think that is what I have to keep in mind.  I have to be worried more about people, as individuals and where they are at in their walk, than I am with moving the ministry from here to there.  I think I lose sight of that pretty often.


Sunday, June 8, 2008

interviews

It was really cool to spend some time with some people today talking about Kids ministry.  Everyone was really responsive.  I think I did about 10 interviews this weekend, and everyone was excited to jump on board.
I started this interview thing to try and place people where they can be most effective, but what I found today was a totally unexpected benefit.  People were able to share their stories and connect with Hope on a deeper level.  It is cool to hear how people are all at different stages of their journeys.  I really like this process and feel it is going to be really effective.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Momentum

Momentum is a cool thing! I love it when everything is moving forward, and nothing feels like a struggle. Sometimes ministry can feel like pushing a giant rock. When you have momentum, it is like pushing that rock down a hill, and when momentum is not on your side, it can be like pushing that rock up a hill! I think the key is to take advantage of those momentum times and push the rock as fast and as long as you can. I feel like I am in that mode right now. With our kids ministry, we are pushing that rock as fast as we can because so many really cool things are happening with relatively minimal effort. It is my job to push and see even greater things happen during this time when God is blessing us with this powerful force called "momentum".

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Teams and Interviews

Continuing where I left off before, Teams are awesome only when they are utilized to their fullest extent.  I am looking for ways to use my teams strengths to their fullest.  I want to allow people to be fully used by God to do great things.  I know that if I can get the right people on board, then powerful things can happen.  Right now I have a bunch of really talented people serving along side me in ministry.  I have the over-the-top energetic people, and I have the more reserved behind the scenes people.  I want to capitalize on all these gifts and make sure that AK is a better place because of it.

I am trying to totally change the way we place volunteers in kids ministry at Hope.  A few weeks ago, we had a huge influx of people that wanted to serve, 52 to be exact, and I saw it as the perfect opportunity to start are new system.  We are tracking this process and we know exactly where each person is on the road to become a volunteer that will stay with us for a long time.  Here is what we are trying to accomplish:  First, a person will sign up to be involved with Kids ministry, they will then get an email from me and a follow up phone call.  The email explains the process to them, and during the phone call I am setting up a personal interview.  Once we get them into the interview, we have them fill out an application, so we can run the background check on them, and we also find out a little bit more about them as a person.  We then share with them the different areas of Adventure Kidz, and we find out what they might be interested in.  We are trying to place them based on their interests/strengths, instead of based on our needs.  After the interview, we will place them in a position, and then do a follow phone interview at one month, and again at 3 months making sure they are happy where they are serving, if they are not, we will move them.  I know this sounds like a lot, but I really feel like this process has the potential to take our volunteer team to a new level of excellence.  (Imagine, a ministry where people are actually serving where they want to serve and where they feel like they can succeed.  That would be something, wouldn't it).  The next step in the process will be to find a test that I can give them that will let me know what some of their strengths/weaknesses are.  Then, I can really set them up to do great things!