New York was great, totally underestimated the weather. I was sweating bullets in my blazer and hat. I am getting tempted to CUT MY HAIR, yes I said it…But not yet. Thursday I spent the day walking for about 5 hours. Just thinking of how I can change the world and make a difference. In the midst of the world there in Times Square i realized I am a grain in the sand in the grand spectrum of the World. Sometimes I walk around thinking I am at the center of the Universe. I wondered how God could keep track of me, while keeping track of others at the same capacity and priority. Very interesting.
I ran into a street band called “hypnotic Brass Ensemble“, they were off the chain. They stood right infront of the Subway station and had multitudes watching them. They are all blood brothers and are originall from chicago. We got to talk music for a little. I had lunch at Maxies Bar and Grill, I had the most expensive burger ever…well the last time I had a 14.00 burger was in London. It was an amazing turkey burger though.
I spent the rest of the evening in my room, reading, writing, thinking, creating, dreaming and trying to figure out what kind of leader I am…There’s gotta be a true purpose behind all this…that was my night, very relaxing and productive…I’m ready.
The Journey Sessions with Jason Hatley were awesome as always. Everytime I am there its like a renewal of awakening in my mind. Sometimes, more like all the time the simplest words are the ones that pierce through the deepest. Before I give you my rough notes…Here are a few of my takeaways on John Maxwells 360degree leader.
Couldn’t quite figure out what my takeaways would be. There is so much in this book that I could not put it down. It is amazing to see how much influence one can have from the middle. It totally eliminates the misconception of, When I am on top I will lead best and be in control, when I am on top I will no longer be limited, I can’t reach my potential if I am not on top. Maxwell says, “Sometimes you can make the greatest impact from somewhere other than first place. I really think that stands out more. Making noize from the inside. It seems easy to make noise from the top, but when its coming from the inside, thats some major revolution in the making. A big question for me was, “If you wouldn’t follow yourself, why should anyone else?” gulp…chew on that one. People think that being on top makes life easier, it actually makes it a little more complicated…Its alot tougher then we think. Embrace the time now where you can learn all you can, that is the key to taking the road to the top. Some of us will never be top leaders in churches and organizations, but we can make a heck of a difference from where we are. But we can’t get content, we need to strive to excel in our present locations with plans to move forward to the next. We gotta take risks, get out of our comfort zones. Its easy and safe there, but there’s no room for growth. We stay where we are because we are super familiar with it and can defend our ground. We need to get up an go, giving people the benefit of the doubt. We can learn alot from each other, not matter age, race, color, culture etc…With every way there is always a better and faster way of doing things. “this is the way I used to do it 10 years ago, it worked for us then it can work now. Being Stubborn nails your shoes to the floor, you gotta be open to new ideas and take those risks. Being out of our comfort zones pushes off the nest, it forces us to talk to people around us, ask questions, discover, and grow. I end with this maxwell thought, “Although vision tells the people where they need to go, purpose tells them why they should go…I will be writing a few more takeaways throughout the week and start a new book. Reading is so freakn amazing. Here is someone not too fond of reading books for one’s own gratification other then necessity. When we read you make your own world alot bigger. New insights, new prospectives, other minds let you enter theirs. When you don’t, you are the old guy that knows it all, and has it all figured out, but waives goodbye to everyone else. He is the guy in the stands complaining about the athlete while he sits on his chair and chugs his brew.
Here are my rough notes from the Journey Coaching network
the pastor challenge
Learning how to maximize my relationship with the Pastor.
-What’s easiest is not always the best
-It is not about the Pastor, its about understanding the role I play in this relationship
The things I can work on:
-A clearly defined role: What is my role? What is expected?
• Without it, it can lead to confusion
• Clarity on the front end resolves misplaced confusion on the back end
• “How can success be defined in my role?”
4 key areas:
• Loyalty
o Alignment is crucial
o One degree off can lead to misalignment
o It may be difficult to see at first, but if we don’t realign as soon as possible, we become further then we intended.
o Misalignment can be due to a vision that is unclear.
o If we agree, we should whole heartedly. the sin is in not agreeing in the heart in result mirroring the misalignment
• Trust
o We have to guard and take care of
o It is not quickly built, but it is easily lost
o (5 dysfunctions of a team) book reference
o we can be in the best situation but if trust does not exist, no plan will meet its goal and it doesn’t succeed.
o We must give them a reason to trust
o Do I do what I said I agreed to do
o Will I be at the place I said I would be and time.
o We can not force anyone to grow, but we can create opportunities for them to serve and grow.
o Opportunities in front and behind the stage
o Raising volunteers
o Our pastor needs to able to be themselves for a while at least. Take the pastor hat off and vent, maybe kick a chair over and maybe let out a curse word. Lol
• Excellence in every area of my Ministry
o Do the best in the opportunity I have been keeping
o If I am not pursuing what’s best I am settling for what is.
o We have to take ownership, be bigger then the circumstances around us, and take responsibility for all outcome. – and +
o No excuses…MAN UP…My own take on it. Js
o Initiate new things
o Pastors initiate a lot of things we make a reality
o Not just thinkers and creators, we need to be doers
• What good is it? Worthless as the paper its on!!
• Make it happen. Put action behind the plan
• Put legs, arms and feet to the paper.
• Evaluating and Improving
o Happy where we are, discontent with where we should be
o Get passed satisfaction into action
o Everything worthwhile in life comes with an element of risk
o Failure is proof of trying something new, failing at the same thing is foolish
o Failure is the greatest teacher…Alan Hirsch shared with me at exponential conference
• Over-communication
o The extra mile
o Initial
o Pastor should not be last to know what is new and going on. Plans, ideas, movement, confrontations,
o Pastor can assume Nothing is going on, until its communicated that everything is going on.
o Don’t hold anything back
o Vehicles
• Meetings
They are the playground of high performance teams
If you bring nothing its worthless
Make the most of the meetings
Action oriented, plans, open, dreams
• Hallway Conversations
Open free flow at all times and all places
o Ask for help when you need it
o Pastors will always provide help
o You don’t have to feel invisible, and super hero worship pastor
o We need to be committed to the whole vision of the church and mission not just our area
• Where Am I?
o Are we in the same place?
o Thinking alike?
o Are we on totally different pages
o
o
• Pastor/Worship Pastor can be:
• Actively disengaged(pastor)
o Pastor tends to be in, “do your thing I will do mine, don’t bother with me. Do whatever you want
• Worship pastor
o Tends to concentrate on just music
o Status quote mentality
o Challenges
• We need to ask..
o Why does our church exist?
• Intentional communication needs to happen
• Passively Disengaged(pastor)
o He is not against the arts, just doesn’t have time to think about it
o Tends to Thinks more about the message rather than all other elements
o Wishes services were more productive and structured better
•
• Worship pastor
Open to new ideas when others suggest
Often thinks pastor on’t be open to new ideas
Gets music right, on Easter and Christmas,,,that’s it..
Challenges:
Awareness
Collaboration
Engagement
o Passively Engaged( Pastor)
• Favorable opinionated on the arts
• Last minute ideas
• Not constantly thinking how arts and worship can work with message. Not against it , just not sure
•
• Worship pastor:
Tends to not bring new ideas to pastor for messages
Tends to blame pastor for not leading arts ideas
Tends to have creative volunteers, but uses them inconsistently
A lot of openness and willingness just no organization and action
Challenges:
Intentional communication
Structure for Advanced planning
o Actively Engaged(pastor)
• Tends to desire the arts to be part of the service with purpose
• Tends to take a hands on approach to service as a whole/collaborating with worship pastor and team
• High level of communication
• Builds structure with planning for mission/series
• Gives a lot of feedback about Sunday
•
• Worship pastor
Welcomes pastors input on Sunday programs
Multiple ideas to the table beyond just music
Seen as a leader and contributor in the process not just an innocent bystander.
