Care

"Nobody cares about me." It's not uncommon that when disgruntled members in a church leave it's because they claim no one cared." 

It's a sad truth.  

However, it is also true that Small Groups can be the best antidote to overcome this complaint. Small Groups are the place where true friendships are established; people nurture those friendships; and members experience listening to one another and even caring for one another. 

If a church is serious about caring for one another, there is no substitute for involving people in a Small Group.

Now, it's also true, someone may want to be cared for, but not want to establish relationships or get involved in a Small Group. But that brings up the old proverb: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Our job is to make sure there is water to drink. 

The caring waters of your Small Group help people connect with the water of life.

Joy,

dale

Transparent Leadership?

In the 21st century, leadership styles have changed.  Not long ago, the leader was the captain of the ship, and the captain stood stoically on the bridge, a rock of courage, with unflinching determination and decisiveness.  But times have changed.

Today we live in a much more transparent world.  The captains, the leaders, are considerably more open, revealing their thoughts, concerns, fears...but how much transparency is too much?

A WWII movie of not long ago, U 571, had a scene that always rattles around in my thoughts when I ponder what is the wisdom of transparency for the church leader of the 21st century.  In the movie, a young executive officer takes charge through a series of peculiar events; he is now the captain of the ship.  Yet in the midst of a terrible crisis, the entire ship looks to the new captain for a command decision.  However, the rookie captain doesn’t know what to do;  clearly he is unsure, maybe even afraid to make a call, and even appeals to the other sailors at the helm?

 "What do you think we should do?"  

In that moment a grizzly ol' swabbie petty officer interrupts, "Captain, could we meet in your quarters?  We need to talk."  

Moments later the veteran old salt asks the unsure captain, "Sir, permission to speak freely."  

Then he speaks freely.  "Captain, if you don't know what to do, or are not sure, there's one thing a captain must never do.  You can be unsure, but you can never let the crew know that.  You must look like you know what you're doing even when you don't know what you're doing!"

Admittedly, church leadership is not the same as commanding a ship of war.  But in our day of team leadership and transparency, how much is too much?  How much self-revelation leads to disheartening the team, and the church at large?

So, how much?  In truth, I don't know, and I'd answer with the famous, "It depends."  

Maybe the answer comes from the example of Jesus.  Those closest to Jesus got a deeper peek into his thoughts than those more toward the periphery.  For example, the 5000 didn't get much explanation or exposition, but The Twelve often got deeper insights.   Peter, James and John, more than anyone else, received even deeper insights.

By analogy, in these days of transparency, a leader is often wary of too much transparency to the congregation at large and large subgroups.  Yet as a minister's circle of leadership narrows to the closest few, I am convinced that the stoic lone commander on the bridge and no one knows what's going on inside her/him—this model of pastoral leadership is not necessary, and more than likely is not wise.

Even the "supreme leader" needs a closest few, to live out "bearing one another's burdens," not only to fulfill the mind of Christ, but to exercise faithful leadership in the Body of Christ.

Joyfully,

Dale Patterson

Alone?

Pastors, especially “solo pastors,” are familiar with the word and practice of “alone.”  Yet there are few things that are less consistent with the gospel, and few things, if changed, can affect a greater positive benefit immediately than to repent of the practice of alone.

What is this guy talking about?  Pastors often function as lone rangers.  We go to conferences, meetings, seminars, hospitals, pastoral visits…we have been trained to do it alone, even convinced there is no way else to do it.  But to reiterate, this is questionable biblical practice. Howeve a change of one’s pattern of behavior can begin to pay immediate benefits to enhance the development of leaders in a local congregation.

Biblical?  More than likely, if you are familiar with the Acts 16:5 Initiative materials and the efforts of Vital Churches Institute, you’ve heard of the “with me” principle.  Just a few illustrations:

“For he and all who were with him [Jesus] were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken…”--Luke 5:9 NRSV

“ Soon afterwards [Jesus] went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him…”—Luke 8:1

“Only Luke is with me [Paul]. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry.”—2 Timothy 4:11

As a rule Jesus, and certainly the Apostle Paul, did very few things alone.  They had people with them, and they were intentional about it.  Yet for many pastors, this requires a significant change in our modus operandi.  Yes, it requires some planning, but mostly it requires a deliberate intentionality as in, “I will no longer go it alone.  I will plan and be intentional about having people with me.”  After all, it’s biblical.

But, here’s the bonus, imagine going to a training event, a leadership event, and you have one or more people along with you; they witness the same content that you hear, and it inspires them, motivates them to get on with it.  You did nothing but have them “with you,” but in doing so, you have convinced them, “sold them.”  You become a leadership genius.

All it takes is your resolve to repent of the lone ranger mentality, and increasingly commit to go throughout your ministry life “with.”  We know it; we know the “with me” principle.  No leadership in “alone.”  So today, start doing it “with.”

Joyfully - Dale Patterson

Focus & Tenacity

Many years ago, one of my most influential mentors was asked by a leading Christian publisher to be part of the editorial board and key contributor to a new journal.  The purpose of the publication was to provide oodles of new ideas to church pastors and leaders on a monthly basis.  It was a flattering offer to my friend; but he told them, in his wisdom, that he didn’t think he’d participate. His reason was this: focus and tenacity.

My mentor went on to explain.  It wasn’t that there aren’t oodles of terrific ideas that can be circulated amongst church leadership people—nothing wrong with that idea.  But my friend told the publisher that it wasn’t more ideas that church leaders need to be flooded with, but tenacity and focus.  His rule, and one that gave him considerable success: Don’t embrace, don’t flit from one good idea to the next good idea. There will always be lots of great ideas.  What is needed is focus.  Lock on to one or only a few ideas, and then be tenacious. Stay focused, see the good idea through, and you may discover that you don’t need a continuous flow of good ideas.

Focus and Tenacity.  I suspect that many church leaders are infected, even victims of flitting from idea to idea.  They go to another conference and hear a plethora of fine ideas, but what really may be needed is to lock on to one or a few good ideas and see them through to completion. 

That’s what some of us may need more than new ideas - focus and tenacity.

Joyfully - Dale Patterson