"Jesus spent the maximum amount of time with those who would bear the maximum amount of responsibility. Even though he fed the 5,000, he spent most of his time with the 12. Even with the 12, he had the inner circle with Peter, James, and, John. Paul, in the book of Galatians, calls Peter, James, and John "pillars of the church” because they were the ones who would bear the maximum responsibility. " Rick Warren
Today I was doing some leadership reading and came upon an article by Rick Warren on church growth. He was talking about moving beyond growth barriers in the church and talked about "loving everybody, but moving with the movers" as he calls it.
I have come to realize that part of pastoring, growing, dealing with criticism, moving forward, etc. is simply in keeping the right focus. Someone once said that the reason most people fail is broken focus. I agree. There are always going to be challenges, plateaus and criticisms. Part of moving beyond them is taking things with a grain of salt...generally loving everybody, while steadily moving with the movers. (the inner circle - staff and key ministry leaders.)
The longer I pastor the more I realize you can't apologize for moving with the movers, you just have to do it and let the chips fall where they may.
Right now we are in a big season of change at Northside. We are changing to grow to the next level and break through our next attendance barrier. That means a change for many people myself included.
For the people it's a change in how we relate to all of them (we are no longer in personal relationship with everybody - many who come to see me out to ask a question or something, I have never met and they have attended for quite a while). In the past I would half kill myself to maintain close ties with everyone. Now I realize not only is it not possible but for me to keep doing that actually stymies the growth of the church.
There are many more changes but this is probably the biggest. In my personal world the biggest change for me right now is sometimes ministering to people - in my own church - that I do not know. I have found it's a whole new ballgame. It used to be when someone came to receive ministry from me at the altar or whatever, I knew who they were and had somewhat of a relationship with them. If they called me on the phone, I knew them. Now that may not be the case. After they leave the altar, or I hang up from a call, I may not really cross paths in the church with them very much after that and they are connected with others in the church. And...that's okay.
The same goes for critics. Right not I do not believe we have any critics in leadership, whether staff or our key ministry leaders. Any criticizers we have are outside our leadership or on the fringe. And the thing is, when an arrows is aimed at us by a criticizer (and it falls by our side, according to psalm 91) I just have to let it whiz by and land, and meanwhile keep moving with the movers. Part of the change in my leadership style needs to be to just let somebody else pick up the arrows and dispose of them while I just keep moving with the movers...
Changes aren't always easy but you've got to press through them to get to the next level. And I'm willing to do that. Move with the movers...that's my new mantra.
Today I was doing some leadership reading and came upon an article by Rick Warren on church growth. He was talking about moving beyond growth barriers in the church and talked about "loving everybody, but moving with the movers" as he calls it.
I have come to realize that part of pastoring, growing, dealing with criticism, moving forward, etc. is simply in keeping the right focus. Someone once said that the reason most people fail is broken focus. I agree. There are always going to be challenges, plateaus and criticisms. Part of moving beyond them is taking things with a grain of salt...generally loving everybody, while steadily moving with the movers. (the inner circle - staff and key ministry leaders.)
The longer I pastor the more I realize you can't apologize for moving with the movers, you just have to do it and let the chips fall where they may.
Right now we are in a big season of change at Northside. We are changing to grow to the next level and break through our next attendance barrier. That means a change for many people myself included.
For the people it's a change in how we relate to all of them (we are no longer in personal relationship with everybody - many who come to see me out to ask a question or something, I have never met and they have attended for quite a while). In the past I would half kill myself to maintain close ties with everyone. Now I realize not only is it not possible but for me to keep doing that actually stymies the growth of the church.
There are many more changes but this is probably the biggest. In my personal world the biggest change for me right now is sometimes ministering to people - in my own church - that I do not know. I have found it's a whole new ballgame. It used to be when someone came to receive ministry from me at the altar or whatever, I knew who they were and had somewhat of a relationship with them. If they called me on the phone, I knew them. Now that may not be the case. After they leave the altar, or I hang up from a call, I may not really cross paths in the church with them very much after that and they are connected with others in the church. And...that's okay.
The same goes for critics. Right not I do not believe we have any critics in leadership, whether staff or our key ministry leaders. Any criticizers we have are outside our leadership or on the fringe. And the thing is, when an arrows is aimed at us by a criticizer (and it falls by our side, according to psalm 91) I just have to let it whiz by and land, and meanwhile keep moving with the movers. Part of the change in my leadership style needs to be to just let somebody else pick up the arrows and dispose of them while I just keep moving with the movers...
Changes aren't always easy but you've got to press through them to get to the next level. And I'm willing to do that. Move with the movers...that's my new mantra.
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