Confessions of a Recovering Ministry Addict

I AM A RECOVERING MINISTRY ADDICT!  There... I said it.  I, Joey Dean, have spent the vast majority of my adult life loving ministry.  As you read those first couple of lines, I'm sure that you probably have no problem with what was just said.  I must admit that I, myself, didn't see any fault with admitting such a statement either.  That sentiment has changed during the past couple of years though.  You see, during the past couple of years, God has been showing me how I had substituted a love for HIS church for a love for MY ministry.  I had actually convinced myself that MY ministry was more important than anything else and was willing to do whatever it took to advance MY ministry forward, even if that meant at the expense of the church as a whole.  Instead of loving and cherishing the church, I actually resented it and saw it as competition for what God had called me to do in MY specific area of ministry.  Now before you begin to throw rocks at me, let me suggest that this problem is not mine alone, but is actually a problem that many pastors and church members struggle with.  Are you now wondering if you're a ministry addict?  Allow me to give you a litmus test that could help shed light on your possible addiction:

1. If you talk about the need for corporation and coordination from all ministries, but then act as if you're ministry events are actually more important than everyone else's, then you may be a ministry addict.
2. If you get nervous when the pastor lays out vision for the church because it may not line up with your perfect vision for YOUR ministry, then you may be a ministry addict.
3. If you spend time criticizing other ministries use of resources instead of being an encouraging team member, then you may be a ministry addict.
4. Lastly, if you can't wait to not be in worship on a Sunday morning because you just need a break from church because your exhausted from YOUR ministry, then you may be a ministry addict. 

Trust me when I say that I'm not throwing stones here.  In fact, I'm trying to help you from traveling down the same treacherous road that I have spent the vast majority of my adult life on.  Allow me a moment to offer a couple of helpful tips on how you can stop being a ministry addict.

1. Recognize that YOUR ministry does not make up the church overall.  In fact, YOUR ministry most likely didn't even exist when the church was established in the book of Acts, and the church could probably survive if you're ministry went away.
2. Acknowledge that the lead pastor's vision for the church ALWAYS trumps your vision for YOUR ministry.  It is more important to align every ministry up with the same vision then pushing YOUR solo vision.
3. Lastly, be willing to sacrifice any area of your ministry for the benefit of the overall health of the church.  This might hurt a lot, but is the overall health of the church not more important than your single ministry?

May this blog help all ministry addicts out there, and may we all strive to love the church more than our OWN ministry.

How to slowly kill your church

"Where there is no vision, people perish."  We have probably all heard this proverb at least one time in our life.  However, have you ever stopped to think about what that really means?  Without vision, people run around frantically hoping to end up at the right place in the end.  Without vision, armies suffer defeat.  Without vision, nations fall.  Without vision, churches suffer a slow, painful death.  You see, if there is no vision, there is nothing for people to rally behind.

God is a God of vision.  What is God's ultimate vision?  To bring glory to Himself.  That's why he created everything.  That's why he sent His Son to die for you and me.  That's why He's coming back to take His family home.  It's all to bring Himself glory, and everything that he does is focused towards caring this vision out.  I think that it's time that churches learn a thing or two from God and get a vision to follow.

Let me take a moment to explain how a lack of vision leads to a slow, painful death for your church.  Across America, there a thousands of churches who do not have a singular vision to get behind.  What happens in these churches is that well intentioned church members come up with their own vision and begin to do things that they believe will accomplish the vision.  Also, staff members come up with their own vision and begin to do things in their specific ministries that they believe will fulfill their vision.  The end result is a church that has multiple different visions, doing multiple different things, which eventually leads to frustration and burnout.  Perhaps this describes your own church right now.  Is your church busy about doing a lot of good things in order to accomplish several visions?  If so, your church is experiencing this slow death that I am writing about.  It may not appear that way at the moment, but one day you'll wake up and realize that the church has been spinning it's tires continuously, but has never moved.

So how does a singular vision help?  First off, it unites people.  If everyone is on the same page as to what the vision of the church is, then people stop coming up with their own visions because they now have something to rally behind.  Secondly, a singular vision allows the church to say NO to good things in order to focus all of its time and resources on GREAT things that will carry out the vision.  Lastly, a singular vision within a church will bring God more glory than a 100 people running around doing their own thing.

Churches are dying a slow, painful death, and we are all to blame.  The journey to becoming singularly focused is a difficult one, and an area in which I will be blogging about in the coming weeks.  However, the journey is well worth it in the end.  So... what vision does your church have?

Discipleship Fail

Discipleship... has anyone else noticed that this is a big buzz word around churches lately.  There appears to be a renewed effort to return to biblical discipleship in the local church, and for that I say BRAVO!  For too long churches have been satisfied with seeing someone get saved and baptized while hoping that they will get plugged into the church in some way or another.  Not surprisingly, the local church is now reaping what it has sown.  Shallow believers, with spotty attendance, and a low commitment level. The answer... Discipleship.  How can we expect anything else out of a new believer if no one ever comes beside them and helps them grow in their new found faith?  However, with all that being said, is it possible that "we," meaning the local church are caught in the middle of a discipleship fail?  Let me explain.

Lets say that you are a committed church member, in your mid-30's, married, with 2 elementary age children.  You are currently meeting with 2 adults who are younger and new in the faith.  You consistently text them, meet with them on a weekly basis, and devote a good amount of time pouring into their lives.  Now, let me ask you this question... "Who's discipling your kids?"  Please hear what I'm not asking.  I'm not asking: who feeds them; who bathes them and tucks them into bed at night; or who tells them they are loved dearly.  I'm not even asking if you're a good parent or not.  The question is: "Who is discipling your kids?"  You see, my fear is that while we are busy discipling others, we are forgetting to disciple the one's whom God gave us to disciple in the first place... our children.  Because of this, many adults are caught in the middle of a discipleship fail. 

I'm not suggesting that you stop discipling people outside the walls of your home.  In fact, I strongly encourage you to actively be pouring into other's lives.  I am suggesting that if you are currently discipling someone while neglecting doing the same thing for your children, you are in the wrong and you need a course adjustment pronto.  I know that discipling your children is harder, and can be more frustrating.  However, God has placed them under your care so that you can do just that.  

For many of you parents, the problem is that you were never discipled by your parents and you have no clue where to start.  Allow me to offer a couple of quick suggestions:

1. PRAY TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.  This means more than just before meals.  Show your kids that praying is a very important aspect of a believer's life.  Pray for their future spouse, protection, and most importantly, their salvation.
2. READ GOD'S WORD TOGETHER.  Every night before laying down your kids to bed, take a few moments and read through God's word.  I might suggest purchasing the "Jesus Storybook Bible."  It is a great resource that every parent should have.
3. POINT YOUR KIDS TOWARDS JESUS DURING TIMES OF DISCIPLINE.  I'm not saying that you should Jesus Juke your kids, but it's important for them to know that we should be obedient to Jesus in everything, including obeying mom and dad.  They also need to know that mom and dad are being obedient to Jesus in disciplining them.
4. TALK ABOUT WHAT EVERYONE LEARNED DURING LUNCH ON SUNDAY'S.  Be intentional with your lunch time after church on Sunday.  Talk to your kids about what they learned and MORE IMPORTANTLY, how it applies to their life.
5. Lastly, MAKE JESUS AS COMMON OF TOPIC AROUND THE HOUSE AS ANYTHING ELSE.  Most people feel super awkward when talking about Jesus in public.  The reason is that they are not use to Jesus being apart of our every day vernacular.  Change this mind-set by making Jesus an important component of everyday conversation at home.

Discipleship is too important not to do.  Find someone to disciple and pour into their life.  Just don't neglect doing the same thing at home, otherwise you too will be caught in the middle of a discipleship fail.  Hope this helps!

The Ultimate Team Sport: Church

I love sports!  Whether it's playing or watching them, I just love sports.  Even though I love all sports, there is something about team sports that appeals to me more.  Don't get me wrong, tennis is a great sport and so is golf, however, there is something special about a group of athletes coming together for a common goal.  Think about it for a minute... how exciting is it to watch an alley-oop dunk or a 6-4-3 double play?  How mesmerizing is it to watch precision passing occur in order to execute the perfect play?  Team sports is exciting to watch!  It is incredible to see what happens when a group of athletes rise up together with a single purpose in mind.  It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it!

With all that said, might I suggest that the ultimate team sport of all is the church.  The church is made up of a group of people all working towards a common goal... To Make Disciples.  It is important for everyone to remember that we are all on the same team and all play an integral part.  And just like in sports, when one player falls down on the job, the whole team suffers.  What part are you playing on your team?  Are you sitting on the bench watching the game go by?  Perhaps your wearing yourself out trying to make up for your teammates lack of effort?  You might think that you've learned everything that you need to know and have stopped paying attention to the coach.  The point is simply this:  if you have made Jesus Lord of your life, than you are part of the greatest team sport ever, and we need you to get in the game.

I saw a great example of this play out before my eyes this past week.  During one of our services, we had a couple of stay-at-home moms visit for the first time.  Before they could walk out the door to head to their cars, they had already been talked to by several of our ladies in the service.  Not only that, they were invited to join a life group the next week.  The crazy thing is that the team effort did not stop there.  The next morning, they were contacted by a pastor to see how they liked everything, and were immediately connected to the woman's ministry who had already taken the initiative to invite them to a woman's bible study that Tuesday.

You know the greatest thing about this story?  It all happened naturally.  No one had to force anyone to talk to these ladies.  Inviting them to a life group was not a "have to," but a "want to."  In fact, the women's ministry was already on top of things before a pastor could even say anything.  How does something like that happen?  It's called teamwork, and it's the most effective way to work towards the goal of making disciples.
What role are you playing on the team?  Might I suggest that you jump in the game and help out.  The team desperately need your help as we continue to move towards the goal of making disciples.  Trust me when I say, it's always more exciting to play the game than to sit and watch it go by.

What the Church can Learn from Jimmy Fallon

For those who haven't heard, Jimmy Fallon has taken "The Tonight Show," by storm.  Replacing a comedic legend, Jimmy Fallon was handed the baton to the highest rated late night show and has not disappointed. In fact, Fallon has actually increased viewership in the 18-49 age range, while topping the combined results of "The Late Show with David Letterman," and "Jimmy Kimmel Live."  How has he been so successful?  How has his team of writers helped to take the most popular night time show and make it even more popular.  The answer is CHANGE.

From the very first show that Fallon appeared on, the audience could tell that this was going to be a new "Tonight Show."  It was not going to be exactly what they had grown accustomed to with Jay Leno for the past 20 years.  Fallon was here and he brought CHANGE with him.  The weird thing is that it actually worked.  As word spread, more people began tuning in.  His hilarious "outside the box" skits became instant hits on You Tube, garnering anywhere from 5 to 15 million hits within the week.  The new flair that Fallon brought to "The Tonight Show," paid off and has helped to reach even more people than before. 

Now I would be amiss if I did not take a moment to mention, that even though Fallon brought CHANGE to "The Tonight Show," he still stayed true to the overall purpose of the show...  To entertain people and make them laugh while helping them relax from a long day's work.  Please do not miss this point.  The CHANGE did not take away from the overall purpose of the show, it actually helped to accentuate it.  

Lets apply this to the church.  No one seems to be against CHANGE more than church members.  We grow complacent in our pews, and content with where the church is as a whole.  Most times, when CHANGE is introduced, it is met with resistance and skepticism.  This resistance and skepticism leads to murmurings which eventually leads to disgruntleness and complaining.  Thus, CHANGE is stopped in its tracks and the church continues on its stagnant tracks. 

Might I suggest that not all CHANGE is bad.  In fact, CHANGE can often times be the catalyst used by God to help accentuate the overall purpose of the church... To Make Disciples.  Instead of fleeing from change, help to cultivate it in order to continue to propel the church forwards and not backwards.

Fallon took the most successful late night show on t.v. and made it better by introducing CHANGE.  He took the opportunity that was given him and ran with it.  Perhaps it's time for churches to follow his lead. Who knows... we just might be more successful too!

Would Your Church Make a Good Buddhist Temple

3 miles down the street from the church that I serve in sits a shell of a building.  For as many years as I can remember, this building was known as a gathering place for Baptists to worship in during the weekend, and as a christian school for children to learn in during the week.  This is no longer the case.  In fact, if you drive by that building today, you will no longer see words such as:  church, baptist, Jesus, or Christ anywhere on the building.  What you will read in big bold letters is:  BUDDHIST TEMPLE.  That's right.  Let it soak in for a minute.  What I typed is not a typo, but 100% fact.  A once thriving church with a Christian school now serves as a meeting place for Buddhist's in southwest Oklahoma City.

Now before you pass judgment and point your finger at them angrily, allow me to pose to you a question:  
"Would your church make a good Buddhist temple?"  Don't shake your head in disbelief and write off the question like it has no validity.  This is a very serious question that you should ask yourself.  Would your church make a good Buddhist temple?  Please believe me when I say that there was no way that the members of that church, nor the teachers of that school, would have ever imagined what was in their future. However, that is the truth in which they are faced with today.

In order to help you process this question, allow me to post a couple of questions that might serve as a litmus test for your church:

1. Is your church in the community meeting people where they are, or do you just expect people to come to you?
2. Do you only meet on Sunday's and Wednesday's and go home after service and feel as if you're doing enough to make an impact in the world?
3. Do you have sacred cows in your church that would cause a war to break out if a motion was made to do something different?
4. Do you often reminiscent about the "good old" days, and long for how things use to be?
5. Are your finances more inward focused than outward focused?
6. Is the word "visitor"a foreign word to you because you see them so rarely?

If you've answered "yes" to any of these questions, your church may be on their way to becoming a Buddhist temple too.  It's already been proven that it can happen.  Perhaps your church is next!

Would the Community Miss Your Church?

I would like to pose a hypothetical question to you.  It is a very tough question to ask, that requires some serious thought.  Ready?  Here it is...

"If your church closed its doors tomorrow, would the community miss you?"

Read that last sentence again.  Did you catch what I am asking.  Do you understand the significance of the question, and, especially, the answer that accompanies the question.  How about I ask it in a different way...

"If your church closed its doors tomorrow, would your community even know?"

 



These two questions are not meant to indict your church, nor are they meant to send you down a "pity-party" road.  They are simply meant to get you thinking about your churches role in the community.  As many of you ponder the question, I am sure that thoughts of relevance, being missional, and intentionality come to the forefront of your mind. 

I have to believe that the overwhelming answer for most churches would have to be "NO, the community wouldn't miss them."  The reason for this conclusion is due to the fact that a lot of churches sit mostly empty throughout the week, including Sunday morning. 

If you are like me, the next question that goes through my mind is, "how did this happen?"  At what point did a church go from being active in the community and relevant, to be nothing more than another building sitting on a street corner? 

If you're having trouble coming up with an answer, allow me to get the ball rolling by asking you three questions.  These questions are not comprehensive, but are meant to begin the process of self-examination.

1. Does your church expect people to show up just because the church doors are open?
2. How involved is your church in community events?  (football games; carnivals; fair; etc.)
3. Does the vast majority of your outreach events involve people coming to your building or you going to the people?

May all of our churches be impacting the community in such a way that there would be a huge void if the church did close its doors.

Playing it Safe

If you were asked to come up with a simple, single sentence description of your ministry to-date, what would it be?  That's a really tough question to answer.  I know that when I began asking myself that question recently an immediate response did not pop into my head.  In fact, it took me several weeks of praying, reading God's word and talking to various people in my life.  After doing much searching, this is the phrase that I came up with:  "Plays it safe."  That is a tough pill to swallow, because I pride myself on being forward thinking and pushing the envelope to the extreme.  However, in all reality, I have always played it safe.  Let me explain what I mean.

Throughout ministry, I've never placed complete and total trust in God.  I've set goals before, but I always placed them within an attainable reach.  I've seen a lot of students get saved, but I've never fervently prayed for a movement of God to sweep across the church and city.  For the most part, most everything that's been accomplished in ministry so far has been far too "Joey-based" than "God-based".  Because of this, I've never truly experienced a super-natural movement of God.  However, why should this surprise me, when I have never sought out a super-natural movement of God?  I play it safe, and if you know me at all, you know that it kills me to admit that.

I'm currently reading a book by Mark Batterson entitled, "The Circle Maker."  There are many good things that Mark says in his book, however, one phrase stood out above the rest.  On page 78 of his book, Mark says this:  "If you've never had a God-sized dream that scared you half to death, then you haven't really come to life.  If you've never been overwhelmed by the impossibility of your plans, then your God is too small.  If your vision isn't perplexingly impossible, then you need to expand the radiuses of your prayer circles."  As I read that paragraph, I realized that was me.  That describes someone who plays it safe.

Now please understand that I'm not saying that I've wasted all my years of ministry and now I'm throwing a pity party for myself.  That is not the point of this post at all.  However, I do want to have the most effective, vibrant, Kingdom-impacting ministry possible, and I do believe that I have handcuffed myself by not relying and trusting in God to the fullest.  

So let me ask you again, if you were asked to come up with a simple, single sentence description of your ministry to-date, what would it be?  May the Lord use this post to challenge you and to spur you on to press into Christ more and trust in Him fully.  

Siloed Ministries

I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but along the course of church history leaders came up with the concept of separating out ministries into categories.  Pre-school, children, teenagers, young adults, senior adults, music, missions, etc.  The further along we move down the road, more "ministries" are created.  Now please do not misunderstand me.  I am not bashing the need to separate out ministries in the church.  I completely understand that pre-schoolers and teenagers learn differently and need to be focused on separately.  I get the fact that missions is a big part of what a lot of churches do and it is helpful to have someone who is over that area of ministry in order to make things move a little more smoothly.  The point of this post is not to belittle ministries in and of themselves.  No, the point of this post is to address a problem that arises when each of these ministries begin to compete against one another and lose focus of the overarching mission of the church.

Even though I was not there when the original concept was discussed, I am sure that competition was the furthest thing from the leaders discussion when they began down the path that has led us to how our churches are structured today.  I am positive that they saw this as an opportunity to hone in on specific needs and to help be more strategic in their efforts to reach a lost and dying world.  However, somewhere along the way ministries began to build walls between themselves, becoming focused only on their specific area and not interested in the success or failures of the other ministries around them.  I know this is true because I was a minister who functioned this way.  I thought that as long as student ministry was healthy and growing that everything was good.  During the early years of ministry I was so intently focused on student ministry that I was willing to jump over other ministries in order to ensure that the student ministry was moving forward.  I was completely caught in this trap called "silo ministry."  In other words, I had built a wall around the student ministry and wasn't interested in helping others out in the church, nor did I need help from other ministries.  I became so focused on "my" ministry, that I lost focus of the big picture.

I am curious if this might describe you as well.  Please understand me when I say that I did not even realize what I was doing at the time.  I couldn't see how difficult I was making things for other ministries and how self-centered I was.  I was trapped in a vortex and didn't even know it.  The horrible thing is this, I wasn't the only staff member who had this same mentality.  We were all trying to do our own thing, believing we were helping the church move forward when in fact we were stunting growth.  

Why would I share this thought?  Simply put:  siloed ministries hinder church growth greatly.  Open your eyes to the bigger picture and tear down the walls that you have placed around your ministry.  Ask yourself tough questions like:  "How is the ministry that God has placed me in fitting into the overall picture?" and "What might I need to sacrifice for the greater good?"  If a church staff could come together without bringing a personal agenda to the table and begin to work together in order to move forward, just imagine how that could change your church forever.  What are you focused on?  Is it your individual ministry, or the health of the church overall?  Just something to think about.

Procrastination is Killer Everytime

Has the following scenario ever happened to you before?  Monday morning arrives and you head to work with a plate full of things to do.  You sit down at your desk and begin to tackle the gigantic to-do list that lies before you.  You start strong but then get interrupted by a co-worker stopping by to chat for a few minutes.  Suddenly, a few minutes turns into thirty. After the casual conversation subsides you begin to tackle the project that you started earlier.  That lasts for a few moments until your phone goes off informing you of a message that you just received.  Of course you have to check the message just in case it is important.  Before long, you blink and it's lunch.  After taking a prolonged lunch break that you have justified in your mind, you return to work with the full intent to get something done.  Through a series of unplanned interruptions it is time to head home.  As you are driving home you assess your day and realize that you accomplished very little and yet managed to stay busy the entire day.  It's okay though, because you always have tomorrow.  Unfortunately, by the end of the week you still hadn't accomplished as much as you would have liked to.

Welcome to my life story for the first several years of ministry.  I was the king of staying busy but accomplishing very little.  Procrastination was something that I thought I left behind in college, but realized that I took with me into the work force.  The funny thing about procrastination is that it always comes back to bite you in the rear.  You never really put out a product that you are truly happy with because "you didn't have enough time to finish it."  I was half-way doing ministry, and getting upset when things didn't work out how I pictured them in my head. 

If this describes you, may I make three suggestions that helped me attack procrastination head on.  This is not an exhaustive list, but it is a great place to start.

1. Make a weekly agenda.   There are certain things in your job that must be done on a weekly basis.  Make an agenda and write those repetitious events in INK on your calendar.  This does not have to be an exhaustive list, but it does need to include such things as: study time for lessons; staff meetings; church service prep; etc. 
2. Make a daily agenda.  Every morning when you get to work, sit down with your calendar and come up with a detailed list of everything that you must accomplish before that day has ended.  After you complete an item, check it off in order to give yourself the satisfaction of actually completing something.  It's very satisfying to look down at your list at the end of the day and see everything checked off.
3. Be held accountable by others.  Let your supervisor, assistant, or even spouse know what you're wanting to accomplish and allow them to call you on the carpet if you don't follow through.  There is great motivation in knowing that someone is going to ask you what all you got done at the end of the day/week. 

Basketball, Ministry, and Work Ethic

I love basketball.  It is my favorite sport to watch and play.  The fast paced tempo; the game winning shot at the buzzer; and break-away dunks gets my blood pumping.  However, my favorite moment in a basketball game is when the star player takes over and becomes a scoring, rebounding, and play-making machine.  When that moment happens, I just know that no one is going to stop that player.  If you are a basketball fan you know exactly what I'm talking about.  It's Shaquille O'Neal posting up in the paint, or Kevin Durant nailing a shot at the top of the key.  It's Michael Jordan sailing through the air and scoring on a reverse layup as defenders are collapsing down on him.  There is nothing like it in sports. 

Throughout the years as I have watched great player after great player come through the league there is one attribute that links them all together:  Work Ethic.  When teammates are interviewed and asked what separates the "star" player from everyone else it all comes down to work ethic.  They are always the first ones in the gym and the last ones to leave.  They put in extra time at film study and hit the weights hard.  The reason they are the best players is because they practice hard to get that way. 

Lets flip this conversation around and ask a very important question of everyone who's not a sports star:  How's your work ethic?  When you go to work do you give it your all?  Do you walk away from a hard day's work with a feeling of accomplishment because you did all you could possibly do?  I believe that in order to be a great leader in the work place you have to have a strong work ethic.  If you are constantly walking in late and cutting out a little early you are not leading well.  In fact, you are setting a poor example.  Leaders should inspire others to want to work harder and be better, and I believe this starts with a strong work ethic. 

Co-workers, just like teammates, are watching what you do and how you do it.  My prayer for my own life is that my work ethic inspires, just like "star" players inspire their teammates to work harder and get better.  Might I challenge each of you to examine your work ethic and see how strong it is.  If changes need to be made, make them quickly.  Your team is counting on you.

Accountability

Accountability is a necessity!  In fact, accountability is one of the most essential things that everyone must have in their lives.  This is especially true for those in leadership.  There will never be a time in your life when you reach the point where accountability is no longer necessary.  Leaders who think this way will eventually fall flat on their face.  If you don't believe me just take a moment to research every CEO, company president, or politician who's fallen from their lofty status.  At some point during their tenure, accountability grew lax.  This cannot happen in your own life.  Below are a couple of suggestions as to how you can remain accountable in your life as a leader:

1. Keep your spouse in the know.  Your spouse does not need to know every little detail, but make sure they know the big picture and what your day consisted of.
2. Keep a detailed scheduled.  A lot of people find this difficult, but it is very necessary.  Every luncheon, meeting, training time, etc., needs to be in your calendar.  This will allow your assistant to know where you are at all times, and not open the door for accusations that you are wasting your time or not doing anything.
3. Have someone monitor your internet history.  Don't allow a one-time mishap become a life-long struggle.
4. Avoid collecting money.  Have someone else be the designated money collector.
5. Have an accountability group.  You need a group of 2 or 3 close friends that you can meet with at least once a week to open up and be completely honest with.

These five things seem so simple, but if you are not careful, you can slowly squeeze them out of your life and leave yourself open to a painful fall.  Always remember that accountability is too important not to do.

The Local Church is Sinking and Most People Don't Know it.

When a ship hits an iceberg and begins to sink, no one needs to tell the passengers.  Everyone knows what has happened and they know that it is not good.  No amount of arguing or disagreeing can change the fact that the ship is in trouble and action must be taken.  In fact, failure to acknowledge the problem will do nothing but lead to a passengers' own demise.  This is especially true if the captain denies that anything is wrong.  Just picture it:  You are a passenger on a luxury cruise line and suddenly you are tossed to the ground due to a sudden impact. You then realize that you're cabin is slowly starting to fill with water.  Suddenly, the captain comes over the PA system and announces that nothing is wrong and for everyone to keep going on as normal.  How foolish would that scenario be if you found yourself in it.  Of course something is wrong.  Otherwise there would not be water filling up your cabin.  To deny that truth does not change the fact that it is true!

With all that being said, I would like to make an announcement to most local churches:  YOUR SHIP IS SINKING!  You might be in denial,and hoping that it is not true, but that does not change the fact that it is happening rapidly all across America.  The worst part about this truth is that most churches do not even realize it.  We have basked in past successes for far too long and in the process are losing an entire generation.  May I suggest that the time has come for church leadership to stop trying to ignore the problem and to come out and let the people know that we are in trouble.  I know that it's not the best news in the world, and I know that no one likes to paint a dismal picture.  However, if we are unwilling to acknowledge that there is a problem, how can it ever be fixed?  My biggest fear is that the American church will continue to sink and that everyone, including the captain, will go down with her.  

There is a silver lining in this gloomy post, and His name is Jesus.  If you look all throughout the Old and New Testament, you will see example upon example of a God who is in the business of bringing renewed life and revival to desperate situations.  A couple of suggestions:

1. Admit that the ship is going down and let everyone else know too.  There's no reason to mask the problem any longer.  Share it with your people.
2. Point everyone back to the cross of Christ.  This may sound cliche, but the answer is found at the foot of the cross and no where else.  You cannot rip the rug out from underneath everyone without giving them hope as well.
3. Pray earnestly.  Somewhere along the way the American church stopped praying corporately   I'm not speaking of praying for every boo boo that everyone has, but earnestly praying for revival.
4. Be prepared to make tough decisions.  I will try and put this as delicately as I possibly can.  WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS NOT WORKING.  We have to be willing to change in order to be effective once more.
5. Be willing to put in the time.  As far as I see it, leadership and laity have one of two options.  We can either abandon ship, or we can roll up our sleeves and work together to fix the problem.  Which choice will you make?

Few Leaders Lead

Leaders lead.  Sounds like a simple enough statement.  If one wants to be a leader, then he or she must lead.  Even though this statement is an easy one to grasp mentally, I have discovered that it is an extremely difficult one for people to execute.  There are a large number of people who are in leadership roles that do not know how to lead.  Now please don't misunderstand me.  Hear what I am not saying.  I'm not saying that people don't know how to lock themselves in their office and come up with some sort of direction for their ministry.  I'm not saying that people in these positions are not motivated to do good and desire to see great things happen.  I'm not even saying that success does not occur on some level.  What I am saying is that a large number of people in ministry have been thrust into a leadership role never having been taught how to lead others, and because of this, a lot of ministries are floundering.

I am going to do a dangerous thing and assume that a large number of ministers in leadership positions are praying for their ministries.  I'm also going to assume that biblical truth is being taught and that your own walk with the Lord is growing.  I'm also going to assume that the vast majority of ministers are frustrated that nothing is happening within their ministries.  I do not claim to have all of the answers, however, I do believe that lack of leadership stiffles growth and can even paralyze a ministry.  What if a couple of small tweaks in your leadership style helped to catapult your ministry forward instead of it remaining stagnate.  Allow me to make a couple of small suggestions:

1. Make long term plans.  Leaders should constantly be asking the question, "Where are we heading."  Unfortuntatly, so many leaders are just trying to keep their heads above water that they neglect to cast vision to their organization.  If you do not have a vision for the future, no one else in your ministry will either.
2. Communicate, communicate, communicate.  If you think that you have overcommunicated something, then people are just starting to hear what you are saying.  Overcommunication is always better than under communication.  Find multiple ways to communicate.  E-mails, social media, lunch meetings, videos, etc.  The more you communicate, the better off you'll be.
3. Recruitment never ends.  Just because you have all of your sunday school spots filled does not mean you should stop looking for future workers.  Constantly be in recruitment mode.  If you are in a smaller church where help is hard to find, this is doubly important.  Find someone and begin investing in them NOW.
4. Encourage your team.  Encourage them during the good times and encourage them during the bad.  Write notes, send an e-mail, take them out for lunch.  Find ways to encourage the team that's around you.

The Student Ministry Fraternity

Recently I sat in a meeting with other ministers from around the state as we evaluated an event that had occurred the previous month.  As we sat and evaluated the event, a very profound observation was made by an individual who has been serving in student ministry for many years.  He noted that during the event you could tell who came with a group and who came by themselves.  The individual who came with a group had buddies to hang out with during the event.  During breaks, they would all leave together and go eat.  When it came time to attend a session, they would all go together and enjoy it as a group.  This was not so for individuals who came by themselves.  These people stand against the wall looking for opportunities to join a group.  When it comes time to go and eat, they oftentimes go by themselves.  During a session, they are the ones who sit in the chair with no one else around them.  In other words, they are surrounded by people who are in the same profession, who deal with the same daily struggles, yet they are on an island by themselves in a sea of people.

As I've sat and thought about these words of wisdom it dawned on me that student ministry is like a fraternity.  Once you're in the group, it's great!  However, it can be a daunting task to get into.  I remember when I first started off in ministry.  I would go to youth ministry meetings and events and sit awkwardly at tables while it seemed like everyone else had a buddy but me.  And while attempts were made on my part to try and include myself into a group, it never quite worked out for the longest time.  Once I was included into the group, things were great, but I remember making a vow to myself that I would never become "that guy" who ignored the new people because I was too busy hanging out with my "own" group.

The words spoken by this seasoned veteran in ministry suddenly became a harsh reminder that I had become the one thing that I vowed not to.  I have been in ministry for a while now and have been inducted into the "fraternity" and have my own group that I hang out with.  However, I have sequestered off new faces and am not trying to solve the problem, but I have helped hinder it.  Please hear my heart when you read this.  This post is not an indictment against student ministers.  However, it is a plea for everyone of us to look for new faces and welcome them into the fraternity that is student ministry.  We've all been there before when we we're the "new guy" on the block.  Instead of unintentionally closing the doors, let us swing them wide open and welcome everyone in.

Overreaction is Never Good

Why is that people have the tendency to overreact to things?  Everyone has been around that person who takes unexpected hiccups and immediately begins to spin it to being the worst thing in the world.  In fact, from the moment something "bad" happens, this person becomes the negative Nancy in the room.  Nothing positive is heard out of their mouth from that point forward.  Perhaps you are that person.  Perhaps you have a tendency to overreact when something doesn't go quiet right.  I saw this played out Saturday night as the news broke that the OKC Thunder had traded James Harden to Houston.  As I read the articles, listened to the sports broadcasts, and perused people's comments, one word summed up the whole ordeal... OVERREACTION.  You would have thought that the Thunder had become the worst team in the league overnight.  It was actually very comical to read.  In the blink of an eye, people were transformed from level headed, clear thinking individuals, to crazy lunatics overreacting to something that they did not see coming.

As crazy as that sounds, I'm curious how many leaders do this.  Take a moment and think about it.  You take the time to carefully plan something.  You have every last detail down.  The people who are following you are 100% on-board with what is happening and you feel really good about everything.  Then, something goes awry.  For whatever reason, something unexpected happens and all of a sudden you're off script.  You are taken off-guard and you have to respond accordingly.  I wonder what your response would be?  Do you panic?  Do you think through things calmly and come to a solution?  Do you run around franticly like a chicken with its head cut off?  Do you lead out in such a way that your people know that everything is going to be okay?  How do you respond?

Overreaction never does any good.  In the end, it will only give you a headache, and will convey to the people who are following you that you do not have it all together.  If you have not figured it out yet, allow me to let you in on a little secret... nothing ever goes as planned!  Hiccups will happen along the way, and that's okay.  You will be surprised at times and taken off-guard, but how you respond is critical.  If you are a leader that overreacts, you need to stop.  Take a few breaths, examine the situation, and move forward accordingly.  If you don't, you're just like a crazy fan who one day has his team winning the championship, and the next, not even making the playoffs.  Don't be a leader who overreacts.

Encourage Regularly

To be affirmed by others is imporant to everyone.  Whether they admit it or not, people need a pat on the back from time to time to help encourage them to keep moving forward.  When those moments do not come, individuals become discouraged and less driven.  No one likes to work on something that goes unnoticed.  Though we may not be actively seeking affirmation, it's always nice when it comes.

I'm wondering how often you take the opportunity to encourage others.  Look around you, it's a very discouraging world that we live in, and this is the exact reason you need to be in the business of affirmation and encouragement.  Randomly walk by a co-workers office and tell them good job.  Take someone out to lunch and pay for their meal.  Send an encouraging FaceBook message to someone.  There are so many different avenues to encourage people in today's world that we should not have an excuse as to why we do not do it.  The craziest thing will happen when encouraging people becomes a priority for you... productivity will go up, attitudes will be more positive, and an encouraging atmosphere will be fostered. 

A couple of weeks ago, this was played out in a church staff meeting.  Our children's minister who has served on staff for over fiftheen years told everyone that a former pastor that she served alongisde of acted more like Jesus than anyone she's every met.  That is a huge compliment!  That is something that needs to be shared.  Later that week I was on FaceBook and noticed our Lead Pastor had posted on the formers pastors wall this encouraging word, and it really got me thinking.  He did not have to post that, but yet he did.  Why would he do such a thing?  Because people need to be encouraged and what better compliment to encourage someone with than that comment.

How much do you encourage people?  Is it something that you do on a regular basis or just when ever it's convenient for you?  Let me encourage you to be the best encourager that you can be.  Build an enviroment where affirmation and encouragement isn't unnatural, but the norm.

An Unwelcoming Church

Last week while visiting family in Oklahoma City I came across a church marquee that read, "Visitors are Welcome." As I drove by that church shaking my head it dawned on me that this church was probably a very unfriendly church trying too hard to come across as friendly. I mean, if you have to advertise to the outside world that visitors are welcomed in a church, you've missed the mark at some point in time.  Should it not already be known that churches are welcoming of visitors? I pondered these thoughts as I continued driving and it suddenly dawned on me that the church that had that saying on their marquee was probably like a lot of churches located in the midst of the bible belt. We know that we should be accepting of "outsiders" and shoud be in the business of inviting people to church, but when it comes right down to it, we kind of like things the way they are. If new people started coming into the church that may mean our comfort levels might be lowered a little bit. We might have to give up the pew that our family sits in week-in and week-out. In fact, now that we think about it, we're probably better off the way that we currently are. However, we can't let others know that we feel this way, so lets continue to talk about inviting people to church. Lets even throw an "outreach" event and see who shows up. Heck, lets just post on the marquee that visitors are welcome, but lets secretly hope things stay the same.

Now I know that this might seem a little extreme and even critical, but I'm curious how many secretly think this way? What camp are you sitting in today? What type of mentality does your church have? It's one thing to appear friendly and inviting, it's a whole different ball game to actually be that way. Don't be a church that has to advertise that visitors are welcome, be a church that has a reputation for welcoming new people to the fellowship.

Perfection Doesn't Always Happen

On my drive to work this morning, I was listening to sports radio.  There was a special guest on the program this morning who was a former NFL lineman.  During the course of the conversation between the radio host and the guest, something was said that really made me think.  The topic was great teams vs. bad teams and great coaching vs. bad coaching.  The former player told the radio host that the difference between a good and bad team was how they handled mistakes.  Great teams know that during the course of a game mistakes will happen and they know that they will have to overcome them.  Bad teams wait for the mistakes to happen and then crumble from there.  The same goes for coaching.  Great coaches do not pout when mistakes happen or hang their head for their team to see.  Instead, they coach their players through the mistake and work towards finishing the game strong.  On the flip-side, bad coaches tell their players that in order to beat the oppossing team they have to play a "perfect" game.  The problem with this pep talk is that perfect games rarely happen.  There will be mistakes made on the field, and once that first mistake is made the head coach sulks and does not coach with all of his heart anymore because he feels demoralized and defeated already.

After listening to this comparison on the radio, it really made me think about leadership as a whole.  Great leaders do not sit around and pout because something did not go right.  They continue to lead in such a way that the mistake can be overcome.  However, I've noticed that a lot of leaders do the exact opposite.  When a bump comes along in the road they sit around and stop coaching because they feel defeated.  The problem with this approach is that people are still looking to you for leadership no matter what has happened.  They need to know, "where do we go from here?"  If we are busy sitting around pouting, people will become discouraged and momentum will be lost.  However, if a leader can maintain their composure and continue to push forward, people will follow.  I want to encourage everyone to not get down when that "perfect" game doesn't happen.  Overcome mistakes, and lead your people to victory, not defeat. Be a great leader, and not a bad one.

Empowering Others

During my many years in ministry, I have received a lot of advice on how to be a better leader.  Some advice has been good, some not so much.  However, one of the best pieces of advice that I ever received was told to me early in ministry by a veteran minister.  He told me that the best leaders empower their people to lead.  I asked him exactly what he meant by that and he told me that many times leaders are insecure and feel the pressure to receive credit for every little thing that happens in the organization that they are in charge of.  However, if a leader can get past his/her insecurities and empower others to lead the organization will be healthier than ever before and will flourish beyond anything the leader could imagine.

Take Jesus for example.  He strategically picks a team of 12 individuals whom He invests in for over 3 years.  During that time of investment, He teaches them truths central to the mission that has been set before them and empowers them to lead out in various situations.  When the time comes for Jesus to ascend to the Father, He looks at his disciples and tells them to go get the job done and then He ascends.  What a great leadership model.  Help encourage people to be leaders and walk them through what that looks like, and then someday when God moves you to another area of ministry, the ministry continues to function and grow because of the leadership that is left once the main leader has moved on.
I mean, that should be the goal for every minister, right?  Work in such a way that ministry is totally not about you and when the day comes for you to move on, the ministry continues.  I tell my students and adults all the time that my prayer is that if I were to ever leave the ministry suddenly one day, the only difference that people would see is that the guy who speaks on Wednesday night would be different.  Now, I know there would be other differences, but you get what I'm trying to say.

Ever since that day I have tried to incorporate that bit of knowledge into everyday ministry.  How can I help empower people to be leaders?  I would encourage you to ask yourself that exact same question.  A couple of pointers if you are serious about doing this:

1. You won't be in the know about every single thing going on, but that's okay.
2. Things won't always be done the exact way that you would have done it, but that's okay.
3. Bad decisions will be made, and you will have to deal with it, but that's okay.
4. You will need to become the biggest cheerleaders for those people that you are empowering to lead, but that's okay.

So what are you waiting for?  Go out and empower people to lead!