Does your method matter?

Does your method for reaching the outside world resonate or not?
I submit the following:

1. Be open to re-think.
Be willing to re-think your methods and assess whether they are being done because they are effective and not just because that's the way you've always done it!
2. Realize change is constant.
More changes than technology, the means by which people want communicated and ministered to does as well ...nearly daily.
3. Everyone is a consumer.
Like it or not people don't always choose a church or ministry to support because they are being led by the Spirit to do so. More often than not it's no different than how they choose their favorite coffee or grocery store. What's convenient, friendliness, and modern approach are far bigger reasons people make decisions on.
4. Reinventing how we communicate isn’t sinful, it’s essential!
Seriously do we even need to talk about this?
5. The message stays the same the method doesn’t!
What worked for my parents and their mega church going friends is not going to appeal to the culture today. You can't keep the Gospel packaged in 1970's wrappers and expect the current generation to see it as relevant to their lives.
6. It never stops being about people!
The second any organization loses sight of this is the exact moment that it has lost it's way. People, not your personal philosophy, are what makes ministry. Start understanding the needs of people right in your daily world and find out what are the issues they face. It's more than just a mission statement or catchy slogan that matters. It's meeting people right where they are with God's love.

What ones can you add to the list?

Getting things done

I just finished reading John Eldredge's "Walking with God". (I know I have been slow lately getting my reading on) Anyway, one line in the book stood out and has made me ponder for days now.
Essentially John said he came to the realization that he didn't live, rather he just got things done.
Wow, you might as well have hit me in the head with that hardback book! That is exactly how I feel sometimes ...honestly too much of the time. Just gettin' things done. Create a plan, act on it, mark it off the list, on to the next. Don't get me wrong ...getting those very tasks done with excellence (I am a perfectionist which might explain all this) But losing myself in the busy forest ...and not seeing the trees.
Seriously this can be a real snare of the enemy. Keeping so busy that we don't live life. I know that it's caused me to take a look at the areas that I don't slow down and think about purpose and goals. Not just accomplishing tasks for accomplishment sake.
How does this make you think? Or reflect?

Where did summer go? No really ...where did it go?

Where did summer go? No really ...where did it go?
The kids are getting ready for school which seems to begin sooner every year. It intrudes upon the great respite unlike when we were all kids when it seemed we never started before Sept.
But I have to admit we can't have college football soon enough! For some reason this year I am anticipating the upcoming season more. Maybe because my favorite of the four seasons is football. Or because I always miss the cool temps of growing up a child in the mid-west and seeing the leaves fall ...
Either way ...I have deviated from a more deep and thought provoking blog this week to say bring on the pigskin!

God speed,
D

Ah Ha! Moment of the Week

My wife calls these "ah ha!" moments...

"Why?" A simple question I asked my team this week. When it comes to creating, or any other process in your ministry or on your job ...why do you do it the way you do it? More importantly, what is the answer?
Sometimes the answer shows that we have a good process for the program, event, etc.
But when the answer is the dreaded "That's the way we have always done it." Then I think it's time to re-think.
So much of the time we have just followed what someone else has lined out for us. The process ...the style ...the whatever.
I know that for me I have felt the need to ask this question in more than how it relates to work.

Why do I approach my walk with God the way I do? Why do I pray in the manner I do?
What about my daily devotions? Why does it look the way it does?
So much of the time are we the most worried about whether or not those prayers get answered because we just need something? I'm honestly beyond that ...seemed like that was a concern for me once. Now it's more this gut-wrenching, crushing, heaviness in my heart ....that I am not getting any closer to my Father ...instead I've reduced myself to a "give me God" so called Christian.
Only concerned about God when I want something or in dire straits.
I can't be that guy anymore. I loathe that guy. My heart wants to be a warrior's ...but I come to the king's court acting like a peasant.

One of the most over used phrases in Christendom is "personal relationship with God". I think we've heard it so much we have forgotten completely what it even means. It means more than vending machine "give me" Faith. No it's walking more than daily with God. It's second by second. Not some weird religious, flaky thing.

We ask God to use us, guide us ...then when things don't go as we planned them ...outside our little box ...we do what a friend of mine calls "trying to get it all back to normal". News flash ...there is no normal.
This was my "ah ha!" moment this week.
My normal ...is non-existent. I don't want to live the lie that is normal ...cause it isn't real.

Greater Focus?

No one can make you focus. No one can make you do what you don't want to do.
A little back story:
A while back my wife and I both felt that we were being led of the Lord to get out of debt. It wasn't easy ...because we had to say no to ourselves a lot. No eating out, no unnecessary spending and so on. Others treated us like we were missing out on so much! Yes we were ...more debt like them!
Now that hard decision has proven to be a real blessing. It's a great thing to see what truly focusing on something can do. It taught our kids that responsibility with money and how we spend it is of huge importance.

So much of the time we ARE focused ...on things that are not important at all. Worrying about what others think about us. Or how we appear ...having stuff to impress others.
All of that which matters little. That's what we spend most of our time focusing on.

Why? I think that in today's modern world we are obsessed with appearances. The Bible says in Matthew 6:21(Message) ...The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
I think where you place your focus is directly connected to what you treasure.
Makes sense doesn't it? You value what you place importance on ...and focus on that.
I have been very bad at focusing on what doesn't matter ...more than I would like to admit.
To man up and change our focus is the challenge. Ask God for His guidance to have the Greater Focus we need. The greatest realization that I have ever had is ...I can't do this on my own.
Through my own ability I will fail every time.
This journey is complex. This journey is always challenging.
Greater focus ...for what really matters on this journey is what I am striving for.

Thank You's

I want to thank all of you that attended the MLH Conference this week. Great questions and I hope that my team and I were able to help with understandable information.
Sometimes the hardest part is trying to keep it simple but at the same time worth your while.
Don't hesitate to be in contact with any questions regarding the material that was covered.
Things are busy and I will do my best to post again shortly.

God Speed,

D

Conference notes and such

We are in the midst of MLH -Minister's, Leadership, and Helps Conference ...and as promised here are some followup notes for the classes:
I will be updating as I teach the classes this week.

-Technology is always changing and the only way to stay relevant is to keep in the know.
(Great leaders are readers)
-Our culture's language is Media
-It's all about the people ...staying connected to them as a church leader is essential. People attend and remain at a church because of connection to friends. Twitter, Facebook and the like are excellent tools.
-People most of the time decide whether to return to your church before you finish your first worship song.