Skip to main content

Category: Uncategorized

Replant wife pray together

Resources for the Replant Wife

Written on .

“You can’t be a pastor!  That would make me a pastor’s wife!  And I am NOT a pastor’s wife.”  These were the very first words I said to my husband after he confessed to me that he felt God was calling him to be a pastor.  (Encouraging, I know… Bear with me.) Some women attend seminary and meet their future husband while he is studying for a career in ministry.  She’s prepared to be known as the “pastor’s wife” for their marriage.  That is not what happened to me.  I was completely unprepared to be a pastor’s wife– my husband was in logistics at a warehouse. I never imagined God would call him to be a pastor and I would be a “PW”– I didn’t even know what PW meant!

Thankfully, God brought me around and I joyfully accepted this new role. I looked at it as a big, new adventure we would go on together.  My husband and I, in ministry, doing the Lord’s work.  Proclaiming the Gospel to hurting and broken people, together! What could be better than that?

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Oh man… She might be in for a shock.”  You’re right.  I was!

After 16 years in ministry, I can honestly say it has been a big adventure– one that has included many wonderful, joyful mountains, but one that also included several painful and dark valleys. Most of those valleys have happened in the season of replanting/revitalization in our church.  In those valleys, it’s easy to feel isolated and alone in ministry.  Looking at other churches, I would think, “They have it all figured out.  They don’t seem to struggle the way we’re struggling!  Maybe we just aren’t called to this.” Perhaps you have felt that way, too. If you’re a pastor reading this, I can almost guarantee your wife has felt that!

On a recent episode of the Replant Bootcamp podcast, host Jimbo Stewart spoke with three replant wives (one of whom is probably his favorite guest of all time) to take a look at the resources available to the wives working alongside their husbands in church renewal.

The Replant Wife Experts

A woman prays alone

During those moments of isolation and loneliness, sometimes all we need is a small reminder that we aren’t alone. This is where I found myself at the first Replant Summit I attended with my husband.  We had navigated some very discouraging and hard times in our church and we signed up hoping to be refreshed and renewed.  I was burdened with many needs, some spiritual and some within our own family. When I saw a breakout session for “Replant Wives,” I thought, “Nope.” The last thing I wanted to hear was how amazing life was for all those wives and how wonderful their churches were.

My husband convinced me to go, and I entered that room overwhelmed and anxious.  I sat at an empty table prepared to sit quietly and speak to no one. But before I could enact that plan, other women came to sit at the table.  These women were all so friendly and kind, and I found myself sharing some of my concerns with them briefly before the session even started.  They seemed to understand everything I had experienced.  They seemed like they “got it,” in a way that my other friends didn’t.  Those women were Audrea Stewart, Darlene Dryer, and Barb Bickford, the hosts of the breakout session and the spouses of Jimbo Stewart, Josh Dryer, and Bob Bickford, respectively.  Turns out, I hadn’t sat down at an empty table– I was at “their” table! (I had somehow missed the purses, laptop bags, and materials they had around the table.)

For the next couple of hours, I sat with many other women in the room as these three incredible women poured into us with biblical, practical advice for this journey.  They each shared their stories, complete with heartaches and struggles.  They were transparent and relatable, but also gently and wisely continued to point us each back to Christ and His leadership.  As we each began to open up with our own worries and anxieties, I realized I had been wrong. I wasn’t alone or isolated.  There were so many women struggling with the same issues I was– and these three “expert Replant Wives” had struggled with them, too!

I know these three women would object to being called “experts”– they are just wives who are doing their best to assist their husbands in this work of church renewal. But that day, Audrea, Darlene, and Barb gave us more than the resources of books to read, biblical passages to study, and tangible tools for problem-solving– they gave us the resource of friendship.  We were able to connect with each other, as women all over the room began to bond over shared trials, joys, and everything in between.  The connections I formed that day reminded me that I wasn’t alone.  The resource of friendship was something that I will never forget.

The Replant Wife Facebook Page- a Source of Connection

After the Summit, I went home and immediately joined the Replant Wife Facebook Group.  There, I get to interact with Audrea, Darlene, and Barb, but I have also met Replant Wives from the Midwest, the Pacific Coast, and the Northeast United States.  It is a closed group, so wives can be transparent without worrying about breaking confidentiality.  They can share their burdens and know that someone out there understands what they are going through.  They can share helpful articles and books they’ve read, but they also share prayer requests and biblical questions.  It’s a forum for pastor’s wives in church renewal, so there are even helpful tools for struggling congregations.

Some of the questions that are asked and answered are practical– “Has anyone done VBS on a budget?  What tools were helpful?” “Has anyone been involved in rewriting bylaws?  What did you run into that you didn’t expect?” “What is a great meal for unexpected company or for feeding a large crowd?”  These questions are answered by other women in the context of church renewal– churches with normative attendance, budgets, and resources.  Churches a lot like yours.

This online connection fosters a community.  Now, when I go to a replant conference with my husband, I can connect with the women I know from the Facebook page and get updates on their lives and ministries.  We look forward to seeing each other and catching up.  Our community has borne each others burdens and celebrated each others successes.  We are truly in it together.

The Replant Wife Website, Blog, and Podcast

women shaking hands in collaboration

Another important resource for Replant Wives is the website, which also houses the blog.  Audrea, Darlene, and Barb have all penned blog posts regarding common issues in this renewal life.  Audrea wrote on navigating the post-holiday blues, Barb has written a series on longevitiy in ministry, and Darlene is writing about finding joy in trials. Think of this website as the “landing page” for all things Replant Wife.  In addition to Audrea, Darlene, and Barb, there are also resources from Kathy Addis (wife of Andy Addis), Jeanette Pugh (wife of Colin Pugh), and Joyce Jackson (wife of David Jackson), each of whom bring their own stories of  ministry mountains and valleys.

In addition to the incredible resources the three women have cultivated, they also have links to NAMB’s replanting resources.  NAMB is consistently looking for ways to support and care for pastors in ministry and one of those focuses has to be the pastor’s family.  In a replant/revitalization, where there are potentials for seasons of change and conflict, this is even more important.  A pastor does not weather the conflict alone– his family will feel it, too.  His wife will need support and encouragement, and she can find it within those resources.

But I think the best resource the women leading this effort have cultivated is their podcast.  This podcast seeks to be a refuge for the replant wife to be equipped and encouraged for the work God has called her to do.  Listening to it, you feel like you’re sitting around with three friends discussing Jesus, the bible, ministry, and families.  There, the three women discuss their blogs and talk about important topics in church renewal. They take the time to really dive into scripture and give biblical, practical advice.  They remind the listener that she is not alone in this work.  But they also remind her that this work is God’s glorious calling.

For every replant pastor, there is a replant wife who needs to know she is not alone.  We are here for you and we want to hear from you!  The Lord has called us to bring dying churches back to life– that’s an amazing honor!

If you want to meet these amazing women in person, you can do so at the Am I a Replanter conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary April 5-6 or at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary April 12-13.  (And, yeah, their husbands will be there, too.)

Crises and Dealing with Change

Written on .

This week, the Bootcamp sat down with Will Cofield, pastor at Central Baptist Church in York, South Carolina. Will shared some highlights of his ministry over the past 15 years at Central Baptist, where he started as the youth pastor. Throughout his time, he became the church’s pastor and eventually led them through a Replant. Now, Central Baptist is committed to loving God, loving people, and making disciples. They do this through specific goals you can read about here. 

One of Will’s passions is raising up church leaders and members to make disciples and help other churches revitalize and replant. The ministry of Central Baptist is one of many churches that have gone through the process, and not without hardships. As Jimbo and Will sat down to discuss this topic, Will shared relatable stories that many can identify with. Here are a few takeaways from the conversation:

The Breaking Point for Every Dying Church

What is the breaking point, the thing that every dying church must need before it undergoes any revitalization? Desperation. With desperation comes an understanding that there is nothing that we can do in our own strength to reverse the decline. We need the power of God, the leadership of Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit in our churches.

As Will led his church toward this effort, they needed congregational repentance. They had to repent that their church did not have a history of loving God and loving others the way God called them to. It was only through repentance and desperation that the church yielded its ways to God’s ways and sought after him. Through that time came the decision to Replant.

Many churches will continue to hang on by a thread if they have people in the pews and money in the bank. As time passes, a window of opportunity starts to close. What will happen when it’s too late, and Jesus removes the lampstand? What will happen if the favor of God’s hand is removed from the church?

We need repentance. If a doctor diagnosed you with cancer and simply told everyone you just had a bad cough, that doesn’t make it any less deadly. We must ask spiritual questions to properly diagnose a church’s spiritual condition. Are we loving Christ as we should? Are we worshipping any idols? Does anything else in our church have our allegiance, devotion, and loyalty? The breaking point for a dying church is this: we must be desperate for God’s work, no matter the cost.

Suffering Stories Matter

As Will shared some of his stories, it brought up memories for me, as I’m sure all of our listeners, of the hardships we face in our churches. Suppose you’ve served in any leadership capacity at your church. In that case, you know that people are sinful, suffering happens, and usually, it teaches us something about life and ministry that we need for the journey. 

Consider these relevant, timely, and important verses from 1 Peter for situations of suffering in ministry:

1 Peter 3:13-14, “Who will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed.”

3:17, “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”

1 Peter 4:12-13, “Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. 

1 Peter 4:16-17, “But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it starts with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? 

1 Peter 4:19, “So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.”

The Bible teaches that suffering will be expected, and God uses typically suffering experiences to prepare us for the next season of life. And when we come into a situation after suffering for a little while, we usually have been tested, proven, and challenged in ways that only suffering can produce in us.

Jimbo’s advice for seasons of suffering is that we shouldn’t try to “fix it” by addressing the symptoms. Instead, we should sit in it, seek to understand it and move forward in God’s timing, not our own. If you’re struggling in some area of your ministry, know that God sees you. He is near, and we only need to trust him through it.

Biblical Truth & Beauty from Ashes

In ministry, we can see things around us go up in flames. 

Sometimes, turmoil causes us to question God, asking where God is through the turmoil. Do we not know the God that we worship? It is in his nature to redeem, restore, and make beauty from ashes. God’s work is often a refining work. He often brings us through hardship to bring us to something beautiful. Our experiences are meant to be life lessons learned only in a dark valley.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding.” Isaiah 40:28

God has not disappeared from you; he loves you, and there is a point in the struggle you may be experiencing. Sometimes, the disciplinary hand of our father. Other times, the refining fire of adversity. No matter your church’s current or past turmoil, it can be repented of and given a fresh, new beginning.

We encourage you to rest in the Sovereign hand of God and allow him to do refining work in your life and the life of your church. Please reach out to us if we can help in any way.

A picture of Henry Blackaby

Reflecting on the Life and Legacy of Dr. Henry Blackaby

Written on .

Henry Blackaby

When we talk about “spiritual giants,” few names loom larger than that of Henry Blackaby.  His bible study, Experiencing God (co-authored with Claude King), was published in over 75 languages and has sold more than 8 million copies in English since being published in 1990.  Countless pastors, ministry leaders, and church members have been radically challenged and changed by the bible study and its subsequent spinoff studies, books, and devotions.  Blackaby also coauthored several other books with his son, Richard, including one near and dear to most replant pastors, Flickering Lamps: Christ and His Church, which tells the story of the senior Blackaby’s journey of replanting a small church in Canada.

I never had the opportunity to meet Henry Blackaby during his life.  But if I had, I imagine he would find my naming him a “spiritual giant” a little humorous. He simply wanted to be known as a “servant of God.” Blackaby was not someone who bought into his hype– he never allowed himself to fall into the entitlement that sometimes comes with fame. He was not someone who dismissed others or expected them to cater to him.  Instead, he served God humbly, doing the Lord’s work wherever and however he was called to do so.

Richard Blackaby sat down with Jimbo on a recent episode of the Replant Bootcamp podcast to discuss his dad’s life and the legacy he left behind.  

A Fearless Follower of God

Henry Blackaby didn’t believe in limiting God to what was practical.  Was it practical to move a family of seven from the US to Saskatoon, Canada to a church with only 10 people in attendance and an offering of only $90 for the previous month?  No.  But as Richard stated, his dad believed “Ten people can’t start a church, but ten people plus God can start anything God wants them to.”

When he was faced with questions about moving to this small church in the middle of nowhere, Henry Blackaby believed even if no one else understood it, God called him to it.  He truly felt that if God called him to go, God would provide for his needs.  He said, “God called me to this. If you’d been there when we heard from God, you’d be just as convinced as we were. The difference is you haven’t heard from God and we have.”  

Richard expressed that some people assumed his dad was impulsive, or that he just thought, “We serve a big God. So let’s just try and start a lot of things.” But that wasn’t Henry Blackaby.  Instead, he made a practice of remembering who the master is and who the servant is. He would say, “We’re just the servants. We don’t come up with a plan. But when the master tells us to get busy and fulfill his plan, we’ve got no choice but to get moving.”

Henry Blackaby believed that once you heard from God, you’d be crazy to stay where you are. He was a fearless follower of God.  He didn’t take unnecessary risks, but he believed in God and took Him at His word.  He trusted that God would do what He said He would.  He trusted that God was all-powerful and he was reliable.

An Encouraging Optimist for Others

One thing Richard learned from his dad was the power of a few minutes.  After Henry’s passing, people would stop Richard to tell him how much his father had changed their lives.  Many times, the story wasn’t about a book Henry wrote or a sermon he preached.  It was usually the result of a short, ten-minute conversation they had with him between sessions or during a lunch break.  And many of the stories centered on Henry’s encouragement as he poured hope into their lives.

We’ve talked many times about discouragement in ministry.  It is no secret that working as a pastor can be discouraging– even more so as a pastor in a replant.  Change is difficult and people who supported you in the beginning will occasionally turn on you.  Your family will struggle, many times emotionally, spiritually, and financially.  Your work may go unnoticed or unappreciated. Honestly, it can be exhausting.

It was in that season of discouragement and exhaustion when a pastor might find himself at a conference standing face to face with Henry Blackaby.  Dr. Blackaby was always willing to spend time talking to people and hearing their stories.  (Richard shared the story on his blog of the time his dad offered to sign his book for a couple of people on their way to a lunch break, and FOUR hours later, Richard found him still talking to people and signing their books.) Dr. Blackaby would take the time to listen.

For many pastors, those ten minutes changed their lives.  It wasn’t just a quick conversation for them.  It was a lifeline of hope in a season of doubt.  When they would tell Henry about all of the problems they were facing, he would say, “I know all that’s true, but what, what do you have? You have Almighty God. The ruler of the universe is in your church. He’s the head of your church. He’s the provider for your church. What more do you need when you have him?”  

That changed their perspective.  Instead of seeing the problems, they saw the opportunities for God to work in their ministries.  Instead of feeling discouraged about where they were, they felt hopeful about where they could go. They left the conversation excited to get back to their churches and see what God would do. Richard described his father as a “raging optimist,” and that quality was contagious for those who spoke with him.

Dr. Blackaby also took time to remind pastors that replanting and revitalizing their churches wasn’t all their responsibility. Yes, He called them to that church.  But it was God who would do the work of revitalization, not them.  He reminded pastors that their role was one of a willing servant. Richard stated that men who were feeling overwhelmed and inadequate would leave a conversation with his dad with the reminder that they didn’t have to solve every problem themselves. Instead, they could rest in the knowledge that God has never been scared or overwhelmed by the church’s problems. All they had to do was follow God’s leading in obedience.

A Legacy of Faithfulness

The Henry Blackaby family

When asked what lessons Richard had taken from his father’s life, he shared that he wanted to follow the ancient paths his dad had walked.  Henry, he said, walked in deep fellowship with God.  He didn’t sway, didn’t falter, didn’t lose sight of God’s leading.  Richard expressed a desire to follow that same pattern of faithfulness and to depend on God the way his dad had.

Richard also said that he learned to never treat any moment with someone as “ordinary.” If God is present, he said, nothing about that moment is ordinary.  That quote really sat with me this week.  When we look at that in light of Matthew 18:20, we realize any time two or more followers of Christ are present, He is in their midst. And if the Almighty author of the universe is present, that moment has an extraordinary, supernatural quality to it.  Whether I am in the car with my children, sharing a coffee with a friend, or just quietly sitting with someone who is struggling, that moment is holy and has the potential for God to move and do something incredible with it.  

Another lesson Richard learned from his father was to keep your family as your most important ministry.  Sometimes in replanting a church, we get so focused on rebuilding that congregation that we neglect to realize our own home is breaking down.  The truth is, you may not always pastor that church.  But you will always be your child’s father. 

I have seen this to be true in so many ways. Pastors who were gifted at leading and who built wonderful congregations have pushed their families to the side while they do the work of the Lord. Instead of looking at their family as a part of their ministry, they sometimes saw them as a hindrance to it.  And when you put your family behind the church, you run the risk of losing both.

An Ordinary Man and an Extraordinary God

As Richard points out on his blog, his dad “didn’t write a book or become famous until he was 55 years old. For most of his life, he served faithfully in relative anonymity.” Henry Blackaby wasn’t a famous pastor because he had a mega-church.  His church membership never grew over 250 at most.  He wasn’t famous because he was perfect.  He had frailties and faults like everyone.  He wasn’t extraordinary on his own.  He was extraordinary with God by his side.

When we look at our legacy– at the things we will leave behind– we must remember that the books we’ve written and the sermons we preach will fade. The degrees we worked so hard to earn will no longer hang on the walls of our offices.  The churches we’ve poured our lives into will be under someone else’s leadership.  What will last are the people we invested in.  The relationships we built.  The time that we took to speak life into others.  

We are just ordinary people.  But as Henry Blackaby taught us, our extraordinary God can do a lot with ordinary people.

Lessons from “Effective Interim Pastors”

Written on .

In a church’s transitional stages, there is a big difference between an interim who simply fills the pulpit and an interim who is intentional in his ministry during that transition. I have seen interims who are there to simply “fill a hole” during the preaching hour, but I have also seen interims who are effectively leading change in a church that desperately needs it.

Every life stage in a church can be a pivotal moment. The transitional stage between pastors is one of the most unnoticed critical moments in the life stage of a church. Biblically speaking, there are many “waiting stages.” We must not forget that oftentimes that’s when God is up to something. We are told to “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)

While a church is waiting on the next Pastor that God has called to their church, it is critical to have an intentional interim pastor in lieu. Even though this podcast is for Replanters, there are some important lessons we can learn from the tenure of an effectual interim. So, this week on the podcast, we spent some time with Scott Catoe, a Replant Pastor in South Carolina. As a result of his doctoral work, Scott has written a great resource on Effective Interim Pastors. 

Here are a few highlights of the conversation:

Relative Principles for Church Leaders

The goal of an interim pastor is to shepherd effectively while helping a church be equipped for its future. While some people think the goal of an interim is to “not ruffle any feathers or change anything,” Scott recommends a more gospel-centered way. In the book Effective Interim Pastors, he lists 8 principles to focus attention. This list is helpful as it relates to the work of a Replant Pastor: 

  1. Fear God more than man.
  2. Prepare God’s people for a hopeful future. 
  3. Settle crisis-level conflicts
  4. Teach the church to glorify Christ through decision-making
  5. Put in order what remains
  6. Lead the church to pray fervently
  7. Be directed by the word
  8. Equip the saints to fulfill the great commission

We encourage you to pick up a copy of this book. Because while the position of an interim may not apply to you, the principles most certainly do.

Being Intentional

Sometimes, the phrase “being intentional” is thrown out a little too much. But the word couldn’t carry more weight than in the context of a church’s transitional stage. In the book, Catoe says, “When we fail to address sin, conflicts, disagreements, and brokenness in our churches, it does not simply disappear over time, rather it gradually embeds itself into the culture of the church becoming a part of the fundamental identity of the congregation.”

The need for change is urgent. But there is a balance in moving steadily, at a moderate pace. Don’t encourage complacency by failing to act, and don’t move too quickly that you fail to see the land mines around you. He says, “When sinful habits are reinforced over time they become strong points of contention early in the ministry of the church’s new pastor.” Interim Pastors (and Replant Pastors) may be tempted to run quickly towards your vision, but you must not fail to see the land mines that can blow up along the way.

Beware of “Hero Syndrome”

Sometimes, church leaders have “Hero Syndrome.” Hero Syndrome is the idea that its our responsibility to “save” the church and receive the glory for doing so. Such an idea can only come from a prideful and misunderstood heart. Remember that God alone can give the growth. We are planters and stewards. 

If we desire to receive the glory, we’ve missed the point. The cry of commitment from Psalm 115:1 says, “Not to us, not to us! But to your name give glory.” Let us point to the true hero: Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can change the heart of a person, so only Jesus can change the heart of a church.

Essentially the work of interim pastors is focused on making disciples. In the podcast, Catoe said, “The work of making disciples is a growing affection of Christ and a holy hatred of sin.” That’s what our focus should be. 

Scott says, “When we fear God more than we fear men, we are freed by the power of the gospel to love our church members they way God has commanded us. This means we can call them to repentance, show them the serious nature of sin, and point them to Jesus who will freely forgive according to his word, when we fear the Lord more than we fear men, we will understand that sin isn’t just an inconvenience. It is death, it brings death. It leads to death. The reality of the matter is that many declining churches and a great number of churches in transition have unrepentant sin that must be dealt with for them to see positive change.”

two hands partnership together two puzzle pieces

The Power of Partnership

Written on .

A few weeks ago, my husband Will and I attended the AMS Lab from NAMB in Atlanta, Georgia.  Hundreds of pastors and AMS leaders from across the country gathered together to learn more about partnerships and collaboration in revitalizing dying churches.  We listened to several leaders discuss ways their associations and churches had worked cohesively for the spread of the Gospel and each other’s benefit.  We heard testimonies of how these collaborations bore the fruit of faithfulness, health, repentance, and revival. The message was clear: There is power in partnership.

In Genesis 2:18, we read that God formed Man and then came to an important realization: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”  Now, we know that God then formed Woman and declared it “very good.” But the main idea was not merely for man and woman to be in partnership together– the main thought is that it is not good for man to be alone.  Over and over in God’s Word, He reminds us that collaboration is better than alienation. 

We often remind our congregations that God has formed our church like a body, quoting from 1 Corinthians and Ephesians.  We tell them that we all need each other, we all have different gifts, and that we all benefit from our unity.  And yet when it comes to churches partnering with other churches, many pastors neglect to foster and encourage partnership in their ministries.

On a recent episode of the Replant Bootcamp podcast, Jimbo talked with Mark Hallock, author and Lead Pastor of the Calvary Family of Churches in Colorado, and Brandon Moore, Replant Specialist at NAMB, about the benefits of radical collaboration.  When we partner together, ministries flourish, churches come back from the dead, and pastors are strengthened.  On His way to the cross, Jesus prayed that the church’s unity and partnership would display God’s plan and His love for the world to see (John 17:23). 

God’s Command to Partner

Here is the truth of the matter.  Pastors who neglect to partner with other churches are working against God’s plan for the Gospel.  You might not realize it, but God desires us to be in close collaboration with other churches– not competition.  Too often, we get wrapped up in the human desire to grow our personal kingdom and not God’s.  

Of course, that’s not the language we use.  Pastors would never say they desire their kingdom to grow over God’s.  But when we hoard our resources for our gain, when we disparage the church across town (especially from the pulpit), and when we isolate ourselves from other pastors, we’ve created a “my church, my growth” mindset instead of a “God’s church, His kingdom” mindset.

God commands us to work in unity with other churches.  Our passion must be for God’s Kingdom to grow, because His plan is to reach the lost world through people– not only your church but mine, too.  His plan is for all of us to cooperate so that His name is magnified throughout the nations.

Where do I start?

At the AMS Lab, one of the phrases we heard from pastors and AMS Leaders was, “Partnership sounds great, but we don’t have that mindset in our association.  No one seems to want to share or to cooperate.” What a missed opportunity!

When pastors alienate themselves and build walls around their ministry, it typically signifies an area of personal weakness.  Maybe they’ve been hurt by other pastors in the past and they are hesitant to be vulnerable again.  Perhaps they are afraid to be transparent or admit that something isn’t working.  Or maybe it’s just good, old-fashioned pride that makes them feel like they don’t have anything to learn from someone else.  Regardless of the root issue, a pastor who “Lone Rangers” his ministry may need to evaluate his behavior and repent.

Often, one of the first steps toward collaboration is one of embracing humility. It’s one thing to agree we need pastoral friendships for encouragement, but it’s quite another to be willing to share resources like money, time, and leadership with fellow pastors.  It’s one thing to say, “I’m willing to help the church down the street,” but it’s different to say, “I don’t care who gets the credit, I just want to see God’s Kingdom grow.”  Humility offers us a chance to let go of our ego and step out of the picture, and it allows God to step in and do radically transformative work in both our congregation and in the other church.  Laying down our pride for the Gospel reaps fruit we can’t even begin to imagine.

Once we’ve embraced the command to partner with fellow pastors and churches, and we’ve repented of any pride or fear standing in our way, it’s time to lean in and pursue partnership.  Now I wish this was as easy as simply passing a note to another pastor at the next Association meeting that says, “Do you want to partner with me in ministry? Check yes or no.”  Unfortunately, radical collaboration takes a little more time and effort! 

To start with, you need to actually attend association meetings.  Those meetings aren’t merely to give you information and discuss everyone’s budget and church attendance numbers.  Those meetings are opportunities for networking with other pastors and for encouraging each other! You have something to learn from them.  The Holy Spirit indwells them just as He indwells you!  God has given them unique perspectives, experiences, and giftings that can benefit you, even if they are different than yours. 

Being a good partner in ministry means being a good friend.  When you’re at the meetings, ask good questions of your fellow pastors.  Pray over their churches.  Have someone from your church send them a card to encourage them.  Some of our best partnerships have come from having close friends in ministry.  Last year when we were gone on a mission trip, we needed help with our worship service– we were short a pastor and a worship leader.  We were able to call our best friends in ministry and ask for their help– and they sent a worship team over to lead our service, even though it meant their church struggled a little that morning.  Why?  Because we aren’t in competition, we’re in cooperation.

Maybe not everyone will understand your desire for partnership.  That’s ok. Start with a few guys who do.  Plan a night of worship and combine your campuses. Look for ways your church can help with their VBS (or vice versa).  Do you have a couple of talented musicians while their church struggles to have live music? Ask one of your people to serve there a couple of weeks a month. Not because you don’t love your church and your people, but because you’ve taught your church to love other churches. And before you know it, a funny thing happens when other people see radical partnership thriving… they’ll want to join, too.  That’s where you see the culture change.  That’s where the goal of “church growth” becomes “Kingdom growth.”

The Superpower of Partnership

Hopefully, by now you’ve realized that we need to partner with fellow churches for one very good reason: God commands us to!  But partnership isn’t merely a rule to follow.  Radical collaboration is a superpower.  Once we tap into it, the benefits to our ministry and our personal walk with Jesus are huge!

One of the main benefits of partnership?  We are better together! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”  There will always be times when ministry is a struggle.  I have a friend who swears her husband quits ministry every Monday morning.  Discouragement, disappointment, and feelings of frustration with church members or church politics can feel overwhelming.  But partnerships with other churches mean your problems aren’t just your own to solve.  You have helpers to pick you up and raise your arms, as Aaron and Hur did for Moses (Exodus 17).

Another benefit?  Faithfulness in the ministry. A recent Barna study found that 65% of pastors reported feeling isolated or alone in 2022… that’s up from only 42% feeling that way in 2015. It seems many pastors are feeling like Johnny Cash when he sang, “I’ve got no one to tell my troubles to, no one to care to call my own. It seems that I must always be alone.” And when pastors feel isolated, they are more susceptible to temptation, hip-shot decisions, and leaving the ministry altogether. When you partner with other pastors, you have built-in encouragement, but you also have built-in accountability.  Your partners are also pastors who can tell you, in humility and love, where you might be going off-track.

Lastly, there is the benefit of having a cohort to help you navigate the complexities in the culture and society we face today.  We are dealing with aspects of culture that society has not wrestled with before and in our digital and technologically advanced society, these complex questions do not stop at the church’s front door.  Increasingly, these cultural issues are encouraging pastors to take a new look at their by-laws, their polity, and even their own personal beliefs. Having other pastors beside you as you walk through these decisions gives you a plurality of educated leaders that you may not yet have access to within your own congregation.

The Superhero of Partnership

 

I hope that you now see the superpower of partnership and the ways collaboration benefits your ministry.  Now, allow me to introduce a superhero who can help you in your quest for partnership– your local AMS.  

Hopefully, the local AMS at your association has been there long enough to have the one gift you need– the power of connection.  The AMS has an acute knowledge of not only the churches in his association, but of each pastor, and each congregation.  When you need ministry partners, there is no better place to start than your AMS.  Have a music/worship need?  He knows of a local cohort of worship leaders you can join.  He also knows which churches have large choirs and an abundance of musicians who may be able to join you for a while.  Have a question about polity?  He knows which church recently rewrote their bylaws, and what roadblocks they ran into, and he knows who you need to call at the state level for assistance.  Need help with VBS?  He knows the church doing theirs weeks before yours, and he’s happy to put you in touch with them so you can borrow their decorations when they’re done.

If you’re interested in hearing more ways your AMS and your local association can assist you in radical collaboration, the Replant Bootcamp has a podcast and blog on the partnership between pastors and Associations.  

Opportunities to Partner with Us

When we talk about partnerships between pastors and associations, there is no better place to explore that than at the Replant Bootcamp events.  We have several coming up, from two Am I a Replanter labs in April, the Revive Summit in May and September, and of course, through our website and archives.  

Don’t forget to let us know how much your ministry partners have helped you by suggesting them as future guests using the “Suggest a Guest” button!  We would love to hear your stories!

Know Your Context

Written on .

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” – Peter Drucker.

You may be able to rightly divide the word of God. You may lead people, teams, and organizations. You may care well for those in your congregation. However, without understanding your surrounding context, it will be difficult for you to connect with your people.

Bob Bumgarner, guest on the Replant Bootcamp podcast this week, said, “Listening to the field will lead you to the future.” This statement emphasizes the importance of cultural exegesis. Cultural exegesis is paying close attention to the surrounding culture around you and being able to use that to minister wherever God has placed you. 

If you are involved in a Replant or Revitalization of any kind, cultural exegesis will be critical to consider, and there are several tools to help you in that effort.

Here are a few ways to be more intentional about your surrounding context, ranked from least to most important.

Study your demographic

In episodes 86 and 89 of the podcast, Josh Dryer helped us understand demographics’ vital role in your ministry. When I began working with churches at our association, we used a resource called Mission Insite to provide a detailed report of demographics in our area. Using those reports, I created customized demographics for all our churches and began speaking on Sunday evening services, doing a presentation called “Who’s My Neighbor?” 

While “demographics” sounds boring to some people, this presentation helped our churches understand what the most significant ministry needs in their area. Part of cultural exegesis involves thinking missiologically. If you use demographics to pull income information, average age, ethnicity, and family structures, ask yourself, “Does my church look like my community?” Demographics paint a picture with broad strokes to help us recognize how God wants to use our churches most effectively.

Be in your community.

Another way to “Listen to the Field” is by being active in your community. As a Replant or Revitalization pastor, you will do yourself a favor by being as active in the community as possible. Some of the most helpful conversations I have been in have been at the coffee shop, a football game, or a city council meeting. 

Please forgive me for quoting a Johnny Cash song instead of a theological book. Still, in the song “No Earthly Good,” Johnny says, “The gospel ain’t gospel until it is spread, but how can you share it where you’ve got your head; There are hands that reach out for a hand if you would, so heavenly minded, you’re no earthly good.” In the podcast, Bob said, “You can’t exegete your community from your desk.” Don’t forget that as a shepherd, you need to smell like the sheep. Be where your people are, and use your insight from the surrounding community to help you minister to their needs.

Listen to your people.

The best way to learn about your community and surrounding culture is to listen to your people. 

What do they fear? What do they value? What is essential for your church in this community?

After doing a “Who’s My Neighbor” presentation, one of our churches recognized the need to focus outwardly on their low-income neighborhoods. So, they consulted an agency to do food drop-offs and started doing a bi-monthly food giveaway. On the second Saturday of those months, I drive through their town and see cars lined up for miles. With each bag of food, they give away tracts and invitations for people to visit their church. It all started with a pastor asking his congregation, “What do you think are major needs in our community?”

Don’t forget that those congregation members have likely been in your town longer than you and will be there long after you are gone. As they listen to you preach the word, listen to their needs and let them lead their engagement in the community.

Be led by the Holy Spirit.

Mentioned in this episode was Henry Blackaby’s classic work Experiencing God. In the book, Blackaby suggests that we should look around, see where God is at work, and then join him in that work. Blackaby would say that we need to be led by the Spirit if we are seeking to engage our communities where we are. 

The Holy Spirit’s work involves prompting, convicting, and leading. If we are walking by the Spirit, expect to think of prompted ways you can understand and minister to your context. Karl Bart once said we should “Have the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in another.” Use scripture to exegete your culture. One example given was in Acts 6, where there was a need that arose among the apostles. The widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. The word of God continued to spread when the apostles addressed the need, listened to the people, and met the community’s needs (Acts 6:1-7).

My encouragement to church leaders is that we would not be tone-deaf to the culture but would instead be good students of the culture. While the gospel’s message never changes, ministry opportunities sometimes change around us. If we study the people and listen to them while we are in the community, the Holy Spirit will lead us to minister effectively for the glory of God.

a graph paper showing a rhythmic pattern

Creating a Rhythm of Rest and Renewal

Written on .

“It’s just a busy season.” 

“I just need to find a better balance.”

“Once we’re through this, things will slow down.”

“I just need to get back to a normal rhythm.”

If I had a dollar for every time my husband or I have said one of those phrases in the past twenty years of ministry… Well, let’s just say we wouldn’t need to have five jobs between us! 

I’m sure you can relate.  Pastors and their families often feel overworked, overburdened, and overstimulated.  We look at the December calendar, take a deep breath, and plow through the busy holiday season of multiple services, Christmas dinners, small group get-togethers, end-of-year meetings, children’s plays, and family time only to flip the page and realize January is full, too.  Easter sneaks up on us before we can blink, and then BAM– we’re in the center of summer with VBS, youth camps, the SBC convention, weddings to perform, and maybe we can squeeze in a family vacation before school starts.  Before we know it, the year has gone and we’re back at Thanksgiving, looking ahead to the Christmas chaos again.

And if we’re honest– we don’t even have the energy to plan the following year’s calendar because if it looks like this year… we aren’t sure we’ll make it.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.  Andy Addis, a friend of the Bootcamp and fellow Replant laborer, talked to Jimbo recently about his new book, Rhythms.  Andy explained why we need rhythms, how to establish rhythms, and most importantly, what God says about rhythms in our lives.

The Rhythm God Established

When we read Genesis 2:2-3, we see God do something interesting.  The creator of the universe stops, pauses, and rests. Why does He do this?  Is He tired?  Is He worn out from all the creating and designing?  Does He need to rest?  Absolutely not.  God does not need human rest. But God knew we would!

God didn’t rest for His sake, He rested for ours.  God established this pattern of rest after work for our benefit, so we would see the importance of a set apart, intentional time of rest.  But we ignored that pattern and stayed overworked and overburdened. In fact, by Exodus 20, God commanded that we honor the Sabbath.  Instead of a mere pattern to follow, we now had a command from the Lord.

We know that this is something God desires for us to do and a law He wants us to follow.  As Andy pointed out on the podcast, “pastors will be disqualified for breaking commandments [murder, adultery, or lying]. But do you realize that the fourth commandment is to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy?”  It’s not a small thing to break one of God’s commandments. But so many pastors I know break this one every week.

The Rhythm You Need

Why is it so important that we honor the Sabbath and establish a rhythm of rest in our lives?  Because a pastor who is overworked and out of rhythm is most likely also a husband and father who is out of rhythm.  And that busyness without rest leads to a phrase we’re hearing more and more lately: Burnout.  If you crash and burn in ministry, you will likely find another type of job.  But if you experience burnout in your family… you lose everything.  

The truth is, churches and ministries in general will take everything you have to give.  They aren’t the bad guys, they just won’t draw the boundaries for you.  It’s up to you to draw those lines in the sand and say, “I have to institute some pauses for my health and for my family’s well-being.” No one else will do this for you.  

As pastors, we often don’t have the luxury of having every week go according to plan.  While we might look at a calendar on Sunday and map out our week, a congregation member’s death on Monday and the ensuing funeral on Thursday will have us completely out of step.  We might think we have built-in margins in our schedule but throw in an unexpected need for pastoral counseling and a few hospital visits and those margins evaporate.

The Rhythms of Renewal (and Rest)

Rhythm is not just about rest, although that’s certainly part of it.  We need rest, yes.  But we also need renewal– we need time to reflect on God’s Word, refresh our souls, and replenish our energy tanks.  This is no mere vacation– because let’s face it, most of us need a vacation from our vacation, especially if there are small children involved!  Instead, we must establish regular times of renewal.

I offer the following recommendations on rhythms of renewal with the following two caveats:

  1. This is a broad overview.  Andy’s book goes deeper into each of these rhythms and has a workbook on how to implement each of them.
  2. We do not recommend attempting to implement all of these rhythms at once.  Instead, work on one at a time, and go from ones within your control to those that need further input or require structural change.

The Annual Rhythm

The first rhythm Andy suggests is an annual sabbatical break. Ideally, pastors should take three weeks off: one for a vacation to spend intentional time with their family, one for time to study something new, and one to plan. 

Now when we talk about a week of study, we don’t mean a week to do some heavy theological lifting.  This is “restful studying.”  It is studying with purpose, of something that you want to learn.  Maybe it’s a new hobby, a new interest, or a new language.  Maybe it’s baking the perfect loaf of sourdough bread, or attending a writer’s conference, or apprenticing for a week as a pyrotechnician.  You’ll need to dream a little to discover what would feel both reenergizing and restful to you.

When we talk about a week to plan, this is not “back in the office, back to normal.”  This is time to spend with God reworking discipleship pathways or revamping the church calendar.  This is an intentional time to focus on leading the church well.

This annual rhythm of renewal ensures that pastors are not just surviving but thriving in their roles. This is particularly important if you are a longer-tenured pastor as we have discussed before.

The Regular Rhythm

Another crucial rhythm is a regular break every six to eight weekends.  This break allows you as a pastor to be out of the pulpit at least every other month.  This intentional break creates time for personal spiritual growth and for family time.  Your church can hear from another perspective and your family gets to have you in a normal role of father and husband instead of pastor.

I can speak to this rhythm personally.  My husband has used the past year to establish a theological training program for men in our church and surrounding churches who are called to preach. Not only has this provided them with valuable knowledge and theological education, but it has also established a pipeline of men who are qualified and equipped to fill the pulpit.  On those weeks when they preach, my husband can focus on something other than sermon preparation. That is hours he wouldn’t have otherwise.  

The Bootcamp dove a little deeper into this subject on a recent podcast, where we shared helpful tools for establishing a similar pipeline at your church and within your context.

The Weekly Rhythm

Another rhythm to implement is the weekly rhythm.  This involves designating one day a week as a true Sabbath day of rest.  For most pastors, this will NOT be Sunday.  Sunday for pastors is just like gameday for an athlete.  You aren’t resting this day– you get up early, preparing and planning, and you are most likely up late, closing up the church after evening activities.  This is a work day for you, and you won’t likely find “soul” rest on this day– even if you’re fortunate enough to get in a Sunday afternoon nap.

When we decided to establish this rhythm, we chose Friday as our day of rest. My husband and I are both fortunate enough to have the same day off since we both work in ministry. You may have to find a different day or use a different time frame (maybe Friday night to Saturday morning). For us, Friday is sacred. Nothing goes on the calendar on Fridays.  We try not to set an alarm or have specific plans unless those things are set aside for an activity that we find engaging in our lives and spirits. Now– it isn’t perfect.  There are Fridays when a hospital visit must be done or someone needs us to be at an event of some sort.  In those cases, we try to carve out Saturday if we can.  But the goal here is progress, not perfection.

The Daily Rhythm

Finally, we have the last rhythm of renewal, the Daily Rhythm.  In this rhythm, Andy encourages pastors to choose two out of three parts of the day (morning, afternoon, or evening) for work and leave the other one for family time.  This intentional approach ensures that the family gets dedicated time and attention, preventing the exhaustion that comes with working non-stop. By planning family activities during specific day parts, pastors can create a healthy balance between ministry responsibilities and personal life.

For example, the pastoral training class my husband leads is every other Thursday night.  Since he will be working on those specific Thursday nights, he takes time for rest that morning.  Or he may take the afternoon to go for a motorcycle ride through the backroads.  When our children were younger, he might grab lunch with them at school on a day he knew he would miss dinner.   

Dividing your day into three parts and leaving one open for rest and renewal allows you to be present with your children and your spouse while still recognizing that there are unavoidable church responsibilities that fall under your leadership and role.

Get Rhythm

Johnny Cash once sang, “Get rhythm when you get the blues.” But here’s a greater truth– get rhythm and maybe you can avoid the blues! Start small and gradually incorporate these practices into your life. The goal is to move from the trap of constant busyness to a sustainable ministry that allows for rest, family time, and personal growth. By embracing intentional rhythms, pastors can model a balanced life for their congregations and lead by example in navigating the demands of ministry. 

If you want more information on pastoral self-care, establishing boundaries, and leading without burnout, be sure to sign up for The Replant Summit in 2024.  You can also check out our blogs and podcasts on these subjects by searching for those topics on our website and browsing the resources listed on NAMB.

Bivocational Ministry

Written on .

Bivocational Ministry

In our past two episodes

of the Replant Bootcamp podcast, Jimbo and Bob have been discussing Bivocational Ministry.

Three years of ministry at a local Baptist Association taught me much about what ministry looks like daily. When I began, I started getting to know our pastors. We have young pastors, more “seasoned” pastors, pastors with families, and pastors without. We have pastors with 30 years of experience and some with two years of experience. Only a quarter of our pastors are full-time, vocational, whereas the rest are bi-vocational. 

As common as it is nowadays to meet pastors in full-time, vocational positions, it was rare 100 years ago. Usually, pastors have been marketplace workers, having a ministry on the side while they worked. Due to a lack of finances and people, working a part-time or full-time job on the side of ministry has been the standard practice. Of course, there is no such thing as part-time ministry.

Bivocational or Covocational ministers can sometimes feel overlooked and underappreciated, knowing that full-time ministers are doing similar work for better pay. There will always be a need for bivocational ministers, and some studies have suggested that bivocational is a renewed, everyday occurrence for a pastor trying to make ends meet and help their church succeed.

But before we use this blog to write about some realities of bivocational ministry, let us first consider the definitions of these words since there is no one-size-fits-all position for pastoral ministry.

According to NAMB: 

Vocational: Vocational ministry is a full-time position solely focusing on ministry, generally including salary and benefits.

Bivocational: Bivocational ministry is when a pastor has other employment that helps supplement the salary a church provides.

Covocational: Covocational ministry involves intentionally working in a secular setting to provide oneself the opportunity to minister in that setting. A Covocational pastor is committed to the workplace as a missionary endeavor. While all work is a ministry in some sense, a pastor may do this intentionally for more evangelistic opportunities.

In Acts 20:33-35, the apostle Paul communicated why he worked with his hands to help support the work of ministry. He said, “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me. In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 

This serves as an excellent summary of what bivocational ministry is.

The Realities

Last year, I attended a leadership retreat highlighting Karl Vaters as a keynote speaker. Vaters has written resources about small churches – one of his books being The Grasshopper Myth. Naturally, many of his writings include the topic of bivocational ministry. Writing for Christianity Today, Vaters says, “If I could only teach one vocational principle to young pastors-to-be, it would probably be this: Learn how to pay the bills outside your pastoral salary. You’ll probably need it.”

Some think bivocational ministry is a stepping stone to vocational ministry or that bivocational pastors are “half-pastors.” Nothing could be further from the truth. It is usual for pastors to work bivocationally. It is even more common for a church to provide supplemental income, while a full-time job offers the primary income for a pastor and his family. 

Some recent studies show that bivocational ministry is on an upward trend, and it is becoming a more common practice, especially in churches that cannot afford a full-time salary. Bivocational ministry is not a “less-than” ministry but requires double the sacrifice. Bivocational pastors should be honored for their service, just like any other pastor should.

The Blessings

Just like any other ministry, there are blessings and hardships. The blessings result from hard work, a sacrifice of time, and the unique opportunity to work in the marketplace while serving a church. Bivocational pastors get to see the blessing of working alongside their church members, interacting with their community, and seeing ministry opportunities all around them.

If there is one thing that full-time vocational pastors don’t get to see very much, it’s a regular interaction with lostness all around them. Pastors working in the marketplace can minister to people who will never interact with them. Further, bivocational pastors can set an example for their church members on what it looks like to live on a mission daily in their community.

Perhaps another blessing hidden in disguise is the relief of a financial burden laid upon the churches where they serve. While some churches are doing everything they can to make ends meet to support a full-time salary for a pastor, bivocational pastors can relieve that burden by working jobs for their primary income that helps supplement what a church can provide.

The Hardships

Still, this type of ministry is challenging. Most hardships center around a lack of time. If you factor in a part-time or full-time job, this puts a strain on time in many different areas, whether that be a strain for time with your family, your rest, or even time for sermon preparation.

In an article on churchleaders.com, Dr. James Scott discusses some of these hardships. He speaks about how bivocational ministry often causes emotional duress and spiritual depression. While the same could be said about vocational ministry, it is more likely in a vocational setting due to increased stress or a lack of time.

Leaders must decide whether or not the blessings outweigh the hardships. Whether or not you are in this ministry, know that you are not alone; you are doing great work, and resources and help are available.

No matter where you are or what kind of ministry you do, there is always joy in our calling. Consider these verses from Paul in Philippians 1:3-6: “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

For more information about bi-vocational ministry, check out these resources:

Helping Small Churches Thrive – https://karlvaters.com/

Bivocational and Small Church Leadership Network – https://www.bscln.net/

The Grasshopper Myth – https://www.amazon.com/Grasshopper-Myth-Churches-Thinking-Divides/dp/0988443902

Small Church Essentials – https://www.amazon.com/Small-Church-Essentials-audiobook/dp/B07DKFLCQY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=M604BT2T8SM5&keywords=small+church+essentials&qid=1707750533&s=books&sprefix=small+church+essentials%2Cstripbooks%2C154&sr=1-1

 

A brain with the title working genius under it

What is Working Genius and How Does it Work for You?

Written on .

Over the past eighteen months, our church has been revising and rewriting the church bylaws.  This has been an arduous, complicated process that took much longer than anyone expected.  The team that took on the project was coed and economically and generationally diverse. We expected to have disparate opinions and different ways of looking at many of the same issues.  We expected to have different strengths and weaknesses as we worked through this important project.

But there was one thing we didn’t expect– some of us felt excited during the same phases that left others feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. For several of us, the project’s initial phase was the most exciting– we loved asking questions and defining what needed to happen.  The possibility of creating a new document for our church that would be used for years to come was so inspiring! The lack of structure and organization during this time felt time-consuming and unproductive for others.  Likewise, some of us felt energized toward the end of the project as we saw all of the hard work come together, and we began to encourage our church about some new directions and ideas.  Others were ready to move on to the next project and wished we could move quicker to the next thing.

Did these differences mean that our team was unsuccessful?  Not at all. These differences are necessary and beneficial!  On a recent episode of the Replant Bootcamp podcast, Jimbo and Bob walked listeners through a new tool called “Working Genius” by Patrick Lencioni.  Though the premise may sound similar to other personality tests and quizzes, the “genius” behind Working Genius is finding out where your team’s skills lie and which parts of a project line up with those specific gifts.

six types of working genius

The Good News: We’re All Geniuses!

One of the best aspects of Working Genius?  We are all geniuses!  It’s true– we all have an area of uniquely talented gifting.  We are more fulfilled and happier when we can work within what we are naturally good at.  In addition to seeing what our skills and gifts say about us, we can also find out where we fit within our team and project phases.  

The Six Types of Working Genius

According to Lencioni, the six types of Working Genius are:

  • The genius of wonder: The natural gift of pondering the greater potential and opportunity in any situation.  People gifted in this area love asking questions and feel creative in ambiguity.
  • The genius of invention: The natural gift of creating original and novel ideas and solutions. People gifted with this genius find joy in taking the challenges and generating solutions. They enjoy innovating from scratch and love a blank whiteboard piece of paper with which they can brainstorm.
  • The genius of discernment: The natural gift of intuitively and instinctively evaluating ideas and situations.  People gifted in this area are good curators of what’s going on around them and can recognize patterns. They know how to connect the dots and give people good feedback across a broad range of topics.
  • The genius of galvanizing: The natural gift of rallying, inspiring, and organizing others to take action.  People with this genius love to get things moving. They’re great at pushing people out of their comfort zones, inspiring them to get started, and moving them in the right direction.
  • The genius of enablement: The natural gift of providing encouragement and assistance for an idea or project.  This genius is people-oriented– they want to help realize a vision and provide the support needed to move.
  • The genius of tenacity: The natural gift of pushing projects or tasks to completion to achieve results. People gifted in this genius are task-oriented.  They love to take things across the finish line, and they ensure that a project is going to have the impact it’s supposed to have.

Project Stages

Every project has a workflow structure that follows a specific pattern.  The initial stage, where we are asking questions and answering with possible solutions, is called “ideation.”  This is the stage where people with the workplace geniuses of Wonder or Invention will feel energized, focused, and most productive.

In the next stage, we have answered our questions and have decided on a possible course of action.  But we are still getting ready for the next step.  We need people whose workplace genius is Discernment or Galvanizing to help us move into activation.  They will help us create “buy-in” for the ideas and ensure we move in the right direction.  The people with these geniuses will be excited to engage others in the work and cooperate with every team member.

Finally, after we ask and answer all the questions, cohesively move toward solutions, and ensure we are heading in the right direction, we are ready for the final stage of the project: Implementation.  In this stage, people with the working genius of Enablement or Tenacity will find joy in checking off boxes, encouraging others in their work, and getting the project to completion.

The Bad News: We’re Not Always Geniuses!

A name tag that reads "Hello I am a Genius"

Lencioni states that each person has two geniuses that fit them well– these strengths allow them to feel the most joy while at work on a project. Each person also has two Working Competencies.  These are the areas where we can perform the work, and we may even find satisfaction in it.  While we might be somewhat gifted in these areas, they do not bring us joy.  We also have two areas that are working frustrations.  These areas bring us– you guessed it– frustration.  These are the areas where we just really don’t enjoy this aspect of a project.  

Unfortunately, we are not always able to avoid those Working Frustrations.  As Replant Pastors, we are often called to work on a project from start to finish, regardless of which stage of the project brings us joy. So, how do we work within those moments of frustration without getting… frustrated?

Finding Einstein

A picture of Albert Einstein

There is this temptation, especially as a Replant Pastor with limited resources and limited people, to believe that you have to do it all.  Everything rests on you.  Each project is for you to accomplish from start to finish, whether rewriting bylaws or redoing the children’s classrooms.

Pastor, here is some truth: You can’t do it all.  If you thought you could, you would quickly discover that road leads to exhaustion, discouragement, and burnout.  (See last week’s podcast episode and blog for some tips to avoid burnout.)  You need other people.  You specifically need other people who aren’t just like you.  You need other geniuses in the room!

I can tell you from experience it isn’t easy to work with someone with a different genius.  If you have the genius of Wonder, you’re going to frustrate someone with the genius of Tenacity.  While you’re asking all the questions, they’ll just want to push forward to the part where they can start doing something.  If you have the genius of Invention, you may feel unsupported by someone with the genius of Discernment who doesn’t think your idea is a perfect one.

But we must recognize that those differences, however frustrating they may be, allow us to work better. Romans 12:3-8 reminds us that God, in His grace, gives us different gifts– but just as important, it reminds us that we aren’t to think more highly of ourselves because of our specific gifts.  We cannot envy someone else’s unique gifts or judge their gifts as somehow less than ours.

I recently attended a symphony concert with my daughter.  As we listened to the incredible music, I never thought, “Man, I wish this was just 150 trumpets all doing the same thing.” As much as I might love to hear the trumpet, the music was beautiful because every instrument was playing its part at the perfect time and volume.  The trumpet player wasn’t jealous of the violinist because it took both of them to create the symphonic sound.  Likewise, the trumpet player didn’t look down on the harpist because a trumpet couldn’t make that sound, which was necessary for the piece. 

Find the other Einsteins in your congregation with a genius that is different than yours– and then work with them on projects to make sure you’re all playing your part cohesively and beautifully for the Gospel.

If you want to take the Working Genius test or purchase it for your team, you can find more information here: https://www.workinggenius.com/about. And if you’re interested in other resources for team building and team strategies, check out our podcast episodes on Leadership Judo by searching the term or by looking at Les McKeown’s work on Predictable Success.

Steps to Preventing Burnout

Written on .

“My burnout happened because of two reasons. First, my church expected me to serve them in the place of God. Second, I had unhealthy, personal characteristics that made me feel like I had to serve in the place of God.”

His statement convicted and unsettled me. I was sitting in prayer service a few weeks ago, listening to the testimony of someone who pastored a previous church in the area. He was sharing about the anxiety, exhaustion, and eventual burnout that was the result of serving in three challenging ministry assignments. Now, months later, God reminded him of the call to ministry placed on his life. He opened up to our church about the realities of exhaustion that ministers face. 

From John 3:22-30, he shared how John the Baptist responded when his followers were more concerned about people following Jesus’ teachings than John. But John did not falter. He did not grow envious. He understood his ministry assignment, reaffirmed his calling, and clarified something for his followers about Jesus: “He must increase, I must decrease.”

He illustrated his ideas and explained that John the Baptist was like the best man in a wedding. He made all the preparations, but the wedding was never about him. The wedding was about the bridegroom. In ministry, when we make our work about us, it leads us to inevitable hopelessness. Ministry was never meant to be about us.

A Place of Hopelessness

Burnout is a topic that most ministers hear and know about, but none consider that it could actually happen to them. In the podcast last week, Jimbo and Bob discussed burnout this way: “Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress,” adding, “That sounds like ministry.”

It does.   

Let’s understand what burnout is. Is it too much stress? Is it fatigue or depression? Fatigue can be cured with a three-day weekend. Stress can be relieved by the completion of projects or tasks. Depression may be close, but depression is  doesn’t capture the level of cynicism and escapism frequently associated with burnout.

Brad Hambrick of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors says, “Burnout occurs when the things that we once relied upon for life and energy become a source of discouragement and drain. Burnout occurs when we begin to live as if caring were a necessary enemy, and we begin to prefer the ‘living death’ of numbness to ‘caring exhaustion’ of Christian relationships and service.”

Is Burnout Inevitable?

There has been some disagreement between some pastors about the certainty of burnout. Is it a choice we make or a choice made for us? We dealt with Forced Termination in another blog, But burnout is typically a choice we make when we are past the point of hopelessness. When facing this type of hopelessness, asking the right questions is essential. Instead of asking, “What did I do wrong,” we should ask, “Where am I emotionally, spiritually, and mentally?”

I recently spoke with a pastor who is considering relocating and quitting his church. Here are some of the things he said to me:

“I just don’t like my job anymore.” (no joy)

“There are a hundred people who could do this job better than me.” (comparison)

“I think our search team regrets hiring me.” (lack of self-esteem)

“I think God is pushing me out.” (disillusionment with God)

“Things would be better if we were just back home right now.” (escapism)

“If I were to grade myself, it would probably be marriage: D, parenting: C, school: C…I’m not sure about ministry.” (feelings of failure)

“I’m going to give it to the summer and probably be done.” (giving up)

These are all warning signs of someone dangerously close to burnout. Maybe you’ve had these feelings yourself! As an AMS, how did I respond?

“Brother,” I said. “The last thing I want to do is “be” the voice of God for you, because that is a dangerous place to be! But from an outsider’s perspective, I will say this: this is not about your ministry, your marriage, your parenting, or your education. This is about your walk with the Lord. And if the Lord is releasing you from this ministry assignment, and you have peace about his leadership in that area, that’s one thing. But if you’re exhausted, depressed, lacking joy, and comparing yourself to others, that’s something entirely different.”

Please hear my heart: I know how difficult ministry is! The Bible never promises to us that it will be easy! But by the grace of God, there are a few ways we can deal with the stress of ministry and prevent the looming burnout that we can all grow close to. I will propose four things.

Grace

Do not forget about the grace of God. To dwell on the grace of God is to allow God’s work to heal our wounds and mistakes. Many leave ministry because of some mistakes that they feel forever remove them from ministry. Did you preach a lousy sermon? Did you forget to visit that church member, and now they have passed away? Did you lose your temper during a business meeting?

Do not forget about the grace of God. Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then, with confidence, draw near to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.”  John said, “From His fulness we have received grace upon grace.” John 1:16. 1 Cor. 15:10 says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” 

The song says, “Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,

Freely bestowed on all who believe,

All who are longing to see His face,

Will you this moment His grace receive?”

Will you? Will you receive the grace of God when you’ve failed? Will you, when you’re feeling lost? Will you, when you cannot turn anywhere else? Look to the grace that is greater than all our sins.

Rest

As exhausting as this may sound, you need to schedule rest. I am not talking about planning a week of vacation in your calendar, per se. I am speaking about scheduling rest in your daily rhythms of life. If you work with your mind, rest with your hands. If you work with your hands, relax with your mind. A healthy life requires a good amount of rest. We live in a day of restlessness, and many leave the ministry because they simply have not found rest. 

Consider the very gentle and lowly heart of Jesus, who says, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus promises to give rest to all who come to him. Here is my question: are you going to him? Are you resting in Christ? If you get to work, and you are so focused on getting the sermon done, getting the bible study planned, and thinking about the draining budget from your church’s account, yet you have not sat in the presence of God for a while, you are not a person of rest. Rest comes naturally with the designation of time. How much time are you intentionally pursuing to rest and spend with God? 

Fruit

When Jesus spoke with his disciples in John 15, he encouraged them to “Abide” in him. He said, “By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples (v8).” Richard Blackaby said, “I have never met a burned-out pastor ready to quit that was deeply abiding in Christ.” In the context of personal holiness, this is such a true statement.

I understand there are good reasons to leave a ministry position at a church. If God calls you elsewhere, you are dealing with an unethical dilemma or do not think it is wise to remain given various circumstances. But burnout is a choice that stems from a point of absolute hopelessness, exhaustion, and depression. Usually, this is an indicator that something wrong has happened on the inside. I understand there is a variety of circumstances that can change the dynamic of departure. But if you are leaving the ministry, it helps to ask, “Why” and “How did I get here?”

Business is not the same thing as fruitfulness. It is all too easy to get “busy” in ministry. But it is possible to be busy without bearing fruit. Accordingly, Jesus did not say, “By this, my Father is glorified: that you do a bunch of busy things for me.” This passage also speaks of pruning. Pruning is when God takes anything away from your life that is not fruitfulness. So, if something gets taken away from you in the ministry you worked so hard for, it could very well be God’s gracious, pruning hand.

Trouble

Here’s my last word to help prevent burnout: trouble. Well, maybe not trouble itself, but the likelihood of it. Going into ministry with a realistic perspective is helpful. Trouble will come. Church members (and we) are sinful sometimes filled with pride. Financial trouble stings. Hurtful words are said. Thankfully, we have the God of comfort on our side.

By the way, I’ve always loved the beautiful words of Paul in 2 Cor. 1. Blessed be the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction! Why did he say this? Oh, he tells us in verse 8:

“For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt like we received the sentence of death!” The closeness of burnout sounds inevitable if not for the separation of one sentence: “But that was to make us not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” 

There is nothing that our resurrecting God cannot handle. Know his grace. Rest in Him. Bear fruit. And be aware of trouble. You will have set your mind on him when trouble comes and stayed the course. And if, perhaps, you do leave your church, at least leave after doing all that you could have done to abide in Him.