Be Encouraged

Life in ministry can be overwhelming at times.  Right now we have a lot of "irons in the fire" if you know what I mean.  We have our annual Fall Festival this weekend, we are producing about 12-15 minutes of video a week for our kids church service, and oh yeah, we are building a new auditorium, foyer, and kids facility.  I am amazed at all of the things that are going on and going so well.  I think the key is to maintain focus on the task at hand.  It is so easy to feel like you are spiraling out of control. 

Have you ever gone on one of those rides at the fair or at an amusement park that spins you around and around (I use to like those rides, now I guess I am getting too old, because they make me sick!).  I learned a trick when I was younger, if you focus on one thing, and not allow your eyes to see everything else that is going on around you, it is much easier to not "lose your lunch".  It is the same way in ministry I think.  We, as a society (and therefore in ministry) are moving faster and faster.  We have to keep our eyes fixed on the thing right in front of us to make sure we don't "lose our lunch"!

Be encouraged, seasons of life tend to be busier than others, and this is a season that is almost always busy for every kids pastor.

Go Penn State!!!!  My team had me a bit worried tonight.  I got to watch the first half before church, and recorded the rest of the game.  They lived up to their billing though and crushed the Michigan Wolverines in the second half.  All we have to do is get through the Buckeyes next week, and we should be on our way to the BCS championship game.

This game made me think about leadership a little bit.  It is easy to do just what Penn State was probably doing in the first half of the game.  TO Look past the challenge you are facing, to a challenge that is coming in the future. Though they said all the right things, they were probably a little guilty of looking ahead to Ohio State next week.  How many times have I done that.  I have lost focus on the challenge at hand because I have too much of my attention on the challenge that is on the horizon. 

The challenge for every leader is to focus on the task in front of you while spending enough time preparing your team and yourself for the future challenges you have to be ready for.

Go Penn State!!!!  (Now we can worry about Ohio State)

This is Ministry

I was reminded again today of something that I heard Craig Groeschel say at The Leadership Summit this year.  He was talking about a particularly busy week he was having and how he ended up having to spend an extraordinary amount of time counseling one individual. He found himself getting frustrated, because he was not able to do the "work of the ministry".  He said that he felt extremely convicted when God reminded him that "this is Ministry".  Ministry is all about people.  I have to remind myself of that fact almost every day.  I am very much a systems and procedures type of guy.  I find it difficult to slow down and spend time with people.

Today was one of those days, which seem to be coming a whole lot more frequently, that God reminded me that "this is ministry".  

Thanks for the reminder God.  Help me, and everyone else who has the privilege of serving you remember that ministry is not about programs and systems, but it is about people.  Being there for people in the hardest moments of their lives and making sure that I am being your hands and your feet.

rest

Mondays are typically my day off, and today was a great one.  I got up at 5:20 and went for a run (a short one, but at least I am staying faithful, right???)  I then met up with Eric around 5:35 am for a good workout.  After we finished, I went upstairs, showered and went back to bed...but only for a little while.  

Today was fun because Sarah and I took the girls and got Donuts.  Myah experienced her First donut (she is very much like her daddy, she liked it).  We then went to do some shopping for Myah's birthday.  (Sometimes I can not believe how fast my little girls are growing up!!!).

From there, Sarah had a hair appointment and I had the girls for a while.  We had a ton of fun.  

As soon as Sarah got back we left for a Staff vs. Student football game (we won easily)

Finally made it home at around 4:45 and took a nap with MJ for 45 minutes before we were off to the Clanton home for some fun time.  We had a great time.

I usually don't write a whole lot about personal stuff like this, but I am amazed that even though today was non-stop, I feel rested.  It was a great day with family and friends, and I loved every minute of it.

Oh, and now we are watching Monday Night Football and MJ is yelling "GO PENN STEAK, GO PENN STEAK!!!!"  She is a bit confused, but at least she is cheering for a great team!

Rest comes in all forms, todays rest was a bit more active, but it was still really great.

The Book "churched"

Just finished a brand new book by Matthew Paul Turner called "churched- one kid's journey toward God despite a holy mess". If you are interested, you can find out more info at www.matthewpaulturner.com.

The book was a good read, it's title tells much of the story.  It is a memoir book where Mr. Turner is taking readers through his childhood memories of growing up in a Fundamental Baptist Church.  I was very skeptical at first while reading the book because I grew up in a very "holiness" driven church and culture as well, and I see many benefits to that "lifestyle" that are often overlooked by people who grew up hating it.  I felt that the author did a fairly good job of depicting that "reality" without bashing it entirely.  

As a kids pastor, it made me think about some of the lessons that I have taught, and how I need to make sure that I am communicating clearly to the little minds who are hearing me.  I can see how easily some "lessons" could be misunderstood in the minds of kids and how it is necessary to make sure that every child understands.

I also appreciated what Mr. Turner had to say about some churches insatiable desire to "win" souls. I think that witnessing is important, and sharing our faith is huge, but I think there needs to be a greater emphasis on discipleship as well.

All in all, it was a good read.  I would recommend it to mature believers who may have had similar struggles.

 

Team Leadership 2

As I sit and watch "The Biggest Loser", I am reminded again about how it is all about teams.  This year on the show, they paired contestants up with family members.  It is allowing them to work together to achieve a goal.  I want my team to work together to achieve the ultimate goal.  

I have already talked about how important it is to have "faithful" members on the team, but I also think that it is vital to have the "detail" people on the team.  I think of how Stephen, and several others, came along side the apostles to help them accomplish the gigantic task that was laid ahead of them.  It was their hard work, and their attention to detail that allowed the apostles to focus on the study and preaching of the word of God.  I think detail people are awesome because they allow the leader to focus on what only the leader can focus on.

So, it has been a while...

This has been an unbelievably busy month.  With family coming in, a conference in Indiana, and a ton of stuff going on at Hope, things have been crazy fun.

I have been thinking a ton lately about team leadership.  Specifically, who do I need on the team if the team is going to win.  I have been able to come up with a few "types" that have to be on the team in order to have a winning team.  The first one I know for sure is the "faithful" player. The Faithful player is high on the priority list because they are the one that can help you keep things moving.  They are always there, making things happen and helping the leader get things done.  I am thankful that I have several members of this "type" on our team.  The key to keeping "faithful" people on the team is making sure that they know how much you appreciate them and making them aware of all that they are doing to make your life easier.

I love leading a team of people that is committed to making Hope Fellowship a great place for kids and families!