Your Journey Blog

Nine Prayers of a Missional Leader - Part 8

“Father, help me build authentic relationships outside and inside the church.”

Relationship building takes time, energy and discipline. As a movement leader my life has always been on the move, traveling at a high rate of velocity. I am often darting from one appointment or project to another trying to catch my breath between meetings and yet God moves according to his time frame, not mine. I have to admit that because of my busyness and people intensive schedule that there are times that I just get "peopled out." I don't have the mental, emotional or physical energy for another spiritually intense conversation. I end up hoping that person next to me on the plane will just keep to themselves because I am just too tired. Then after about 30 minutes into the flight God pricks my conscience and I repent and look for ways to start up a conversation to see if God will open a door in this person's life.

As pastors and leaders we need to be spiritually sensitive to those divine opportunities where God can use us in his redemptive plan. Paul asked for prayer in this matter in his letter to the Church in Ephesus: "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." (Ephesians 6:19-20 NIV) Remember, Paul was under house arrest and chained to a Roman solider. Every word he spoke was under the listening ear of a potential convert.  I am sure there were times when Paul was weary and just plain "peopled out." This could be behind his appeal for prayer on the matter.

As leaders we must not just build relationships with those outside the church but also learn how to create true community in the church where we will learn to love, build and encourage one another.  There is a power the only a true community of faith can provide. Psychologist Larry Crabb in his book “Connecting” offers three insights regarding the power of community in which he has gleaned from over twenty-five years of counseling.

• Beneath what our culture calls psychological disorder is a soul crying out for what only community can provide.

• We must do something other than train professional experts to fix damaged psyches.  Damaged psyches aren’t the problem.  The problem beneath our struggles is a disconnected soul. 

• The greatest need in modern civilization is the development of communities –communities where the heart of God is home, where the humble and wise learn to shepherd those on the path behind them, where trusting strugglers lock arms with others as together they journey on.  (Pg. XVI-XVII)

Wow!  What an admission from a man who has made the focus of his life teaching and training professional counselors.  Yet, what he is describing is the New Testament principle of "one another" ministry.

But why is it so hard to build true community?  Crabb offers this answer in what he calls  the four selfish urges that can kill our ability to connect others deeply:

• City building – is when we try to control our environment by trusting our own resources and our own adequacy.  And yet we only move towards kingdom building when we move through the valley of death—which in this case, is going through the desert of inadequacy.  Having all our resources stripped away and humbly trusting the God who delights in me and provides all the resources I need.

• Fire Lighter – is one who controls his environment through a strategic lookout.  Always looking for a play, a formula and people who will agree with him.  And yet, to experience true and deep connection with others God must take them through the valley of death, which is irresolvable confusion.  A time when none of his plans work, none of his strategies seem successful and God leads him to become a trusting follower completely dependent on his leader.

• Wall Whitewasher – is one who controls their environment through craving safety and being around people who will provide more protection to them.  And yet, for them to genuinely connect with others they must face the difficulties that make them feel completely vulnerable then they can become a confident risk taker and develop the courage needed to move from self-protection to self-surrender to God’s leading and guiding.

• Well Digger – is one who tries to control their environment by eliminating painful experiences through things or experiences that relieve or deaden the pain. It is a type of escapism.  And yet it is that escapism that God uses to show them their need.  Through it they usually hurt those close to them.  It is only when they see the damage they have caused others that they are set free to become a water drinker who experiences the joy of knowing God and the pleasure of serving Him.

If we are going to make meaningful connections inside and outside the church we must be willing to slow down and reexamine our motives.

Next time: “Father, allow me to see my city transformed by the gospel of Christ.”

Excerpt from Gary's book: NextSteps for Leading a Missional Church

 

GoD and DoG - Video

This is for all you dog lovers out there who love God! Enjoy!

Engaging Your Entire Congregation in a Spiritual Conversation

Equipping yourself and others for getting into and sustaining spiritual conversations is critcial to a church's ability to impact its community missionally. Are you sending your people out without resourcing them?

We have had several reports from pastors all over the country who have handed out the Spiritual Journey Guide to their entire congregation on a Sunday morning.

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The Spiritual Journey Guide is a simple conversational guide that helps people self-assess where they are on their spiritual journey while providing guidance and direction for taking the next step towards spiritual discovery and spiritual maturity. (Click to see a Sample Version)

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Nine Prayers of a Missional Leaders - Part 7

There is nothing like having a team of people around you, who you have done life with, who you have grown with, who you have sacrificed with for a greater cause. When I was a 27 year old church planter I prayed, “Father, bless me with life long partners who will keep me on mission.” Twenty years later I have seen this prayer answered in my life on many levels, within the local church, and throughout my regional and national partnerships.  God has provided deep friendships and strong partnerships, some that are over twenty years old.

A number of years ago I developed a philosophy of team ministry built around four convictions.  Team ministry (1) is biblical; (2) is more effective; (3) provides an opportunity for personal growth and maturity among it members, and (4) provides an opportunity for modeling love and oneness in the body of Christ, so that others may believe that the Father sent His Son (John 17:23).

First, team ministry is important because it’s biblical.  Jesus prayerfully selected 12 men that He served, trained, developed, and mentored for three years for the single task of sharing God’s Good News with the world (Luke 6:12-16).  Jesus also had a team of women who worked at meeting the practical needs of Jesus and His disciples (Mark 115:40-41; Luke 8:1-3).  Jesus also demonstrated His team philosophy by sending out the disciples in ministry teams (Luke 9:1-6, 10:1-2).

Along with Jesus, the Apostle Paul was a master team strategist.  Paul always traveled with a team and within those teams He always had at least one ministry partner (Acts 13:1-3) and a ministry apprentice (Acts 13:5, 16:1).  Paul believed in team ministry but also planned for team multiplication.  It is said that there are 13 different teams mentioned in relationship to Paul’s life and work.  Not only did Paul exemplify team ministry, but he also taught that the church was to function as a team, with the use of diverse gifts, in a spirit of love and unity (1 Cor. 12 & 13; Romans 12). I believe in Harold Westing’s comment, “It is not biblical to think of ministering alone.”

The second reason team ministry is important is it’s more effective.  Solomon said, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.”  (Ecclesiastes 4:9)  Solomon continues to say two provide better returns because they each help, comfort and support one another (Ecclesiastes 4:10-12).  Teams are more effective in reaching the ever-increasing harvest.  This is why Jesus taught his disciples to pray for more workers (Matthew 9:35-38).  Teams are more effective in providing a variety of gifts, strengths, personalities, talents and offering different perspectives and insights.

The third reason for team ministry is that it provides an opportunity for personal growth and maturity among its members.  Stephen Covey, in his book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” developed a maturity continuum which every individual faces.  The stages are from dependence to independence to interdependence.  He sums it up like this: “On the maturity continuum, dependence is the paradigm of you - you take care of me; you come through for me; you didn’t come through; I blame you for the results. Independence is the paradigm of I – I can do it; I am responsible; I am self-reliant; I can choose.  Interdependence is the paradigm of we – we can cooperate; we can combine our talents and ability and create something greater together.” (Covey, 49)

Team ministry has a way of exposing our emotional, relational and spiritual immaturity.  Team ministry challenges us to grow up.  It invites us to trust, and it forces us to look within our own lives and deal with our own selfish and controlling tendencies.  Covey puts it this way: 

“Interdependence is a far more mature, more advanced concept.  If I am physically interdependent, I am self-reliant and capable, but I also realize that you and I working together can accomplish far more than, even at my best, I could accomplish alone.  If I am emotionally interdependent, I derive a great sense of worth within myself, but also recognize the need for love, for giving, and for receiving love from others.  If I am intellectually interdependent, I realize that I need the best thinking of other people to join with my own.  As an interdependent person, I have the opportunity to share myself deeply, meaningfully, with others, and I have access to the vast resources and potential of other human beings. Interdependence is a choice only independent people can make.  Dependent people cannot choose to become interdependent.  They don’t have the character to do it; they don’t own enough of themselves.” (Covey, 51)

The fourth reason for team ministry is that it provides an opportunity for modeling love and oneness in the body of Christ, so that others may believe that the Father sent His Son (John 17:23).  When team ministry works well there is nothing like it in the world. Colonel Red Blaik, the Head Coach of the U.S. Military Academy Football Team during the 1940’s captures the essence of team ministry is this single quote, "Once in a while you are lucky enough to have the thrill and satisfaction of working with a group of men who are willing to make every sacrifice to achieve a goal, and then experience the achieving of it with them.  In this, believe me, there is a payment that cannot be matched in any other pursuit."

May God give us all this experience within our churches.

Next time: “Father, help me build authentic relationships outside and inside the church.”

Excerpt from Gary's book: NextSteps for Leading a Missional Church

Join Gary "live" at an upcoming "NextSteps Workshop" August 27-28th

Hands-On Workshop for Taking Your Church to the Next Level

NextSteps for Leading a Missional Church

One of the differences between a follower and a leader is that a leader knows what the next steps are for their organization. Even if they don't know what the actual next steps are they will relentlessly search for ideas, advice and counsel to get their organization to the next level. NextSteps For Leading a Missional Church is designed for any church leader who embraces the missional lifestyle. It offers ideas and tools to build healthy church systems that allow the church to actualize its values and achieve its mission.

Here are a few questions we explore:

• How will your leaders reproduce?
• What does inspiring worship look like?
• How do you sustain relational health in your church?
• How can small groups serve the mission of the church?
• Are your structures & systems functional?
• How does one raise the evangelistic temperature of the church?
• How does one handle a financial crisis?

This two day seminar is designed for any pastor seeking to lead their church toward health and global impact.

Who should attend:

• Church Planters who have just launched their church or who are ten years old. 
• Pastors who desire to take their church to the next level
• Coaches who desire to know what's new in church growth and church health
• Restart Pastors who desire to lay a new foundation for a sagging ministry
• Lay Leaders who desire to just want to be a part of the harvest

Schedule:

Chicago Area - August 27-28 - Sign up here - Hosted by ChurchSmart Resources