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The word Consensus is written in blue and underlined by a female hand holding a blue marker

Navigating Consensus Decision-Making: Identifying Challenges and Opportunities

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In a recent episode of the Replant Bootcamp podcast, Bob and Jimbo walked us through what it looks like to weigh big decisions.  In that episode (and accompanying blog linked here), we discussed seven steps we can take when making difficult decisions as a replant pastor or leader.  These decisions can be made unilaterally, allowing the pastor to think through his choice and move forward. But many decisions require more than just the pastor thinking through them– they require a consensus of thought from many different voices and viewpoints.  

Consensus is defined as, “a general agreement, [or] to arrive at an agreement about a matter, thing, or initiative.”  And this process of collaborative consensus has real benefit when it comes to unity and support within the church, but it is not without challenges.  Thankfully, Bob and Jimbo are here to guide us.  Let’s dive into episode 216 and look at the challenges and correctives in consensus decision-making.

Obstacle One: 100% Agreement Might Be 100% Impossible

10 Ways To Keep Team Agreements Alive - Hanna Cooper

As I write this, Thanksgiving is two weeks away.  That means it’s time to send the annual “What does everyone want for Thanksgiving Dinner”  family group text.  You might think Turkey Day has a standard menu of Turkey, Dressing (or Stuffing, depending on your regional preference), cranberry sauce, etc.  And in most families, you’d be right.  But not in mine.

I have one kid who hates turkey.  He always requests a small ham.  I have another family member who doesn’t care for mashed potatoes but will eat sweet potatoes.  I have one child who despises green bean casserole and two who can finish the entire casserole dish themselves. I have one person who prefers pumpkin pie and one who prefers pecan.  One who wants corn casserole and one who wants macaroni and cheese. Only one person will eat cranberry sauce.

I am only feeding between 5 and 10 people any given Thanksgiving, but getting all 5 to 10 people to agree on a menu for that day is nearly impossible because everyone has their own preferences. If I wait for everyone to agree on a menu I run the risk of Christmas being here before we can eat.

Church decisions are often like this. One faction wants one thing, while another would prefer something else. If we wait for everyone to agree, we may never reach the place of decision.  

Our challenge is often in seeking 100% agreement in the outcome.  Instead, we need to look for 100% support for the outcome.

Bob Bumgarner, the Lead Missional Strategist for First Coast Churches in Jacksonville, Florida, sees it this way: Maybe we can’t get 100% of the people to agree on 100% of the decision, but can we have 100% of the people agree to 80% of the decision? In other words, can we all agree on the fundamentals so we can support the decision and stand by it without disunity and disharmony? Can we give up our preference for one stroke of the painting to allow for a decision that provides the best portrait?

Consensus decision-making requires us to acknowledge that we may not achieve a unanimous decision, but we can agree on the essentials enough to move forward. 

The First Opportunity Found in Consensus

When we go into a decision knowing 100% agreement might be 100% impossible, we might run the risk of feeling somewhat discouraged.  But there is an opportunity here in this obstacle.  While we can’t guarantee a unanimous decision, we can seek to love each person at the table in mutual submission and grace.  

Ephesians 5:21 states, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  I can push my personal preferences aside when I remember that it’s not about me. We must honor each other as we sit around a table and seek wise counsel. 

In any collaborative decision-making process, there will be opportunities for discussion and perhaps even debate.  In those moments, it is crucial that we remind our people to truly listen to each other.  When we actively listen to someone else’s position, we aren’t looking for new ways to convince them toward our side.  We are instead serving them and honoring them by seeking to understand them better.  

Mutual submission allows each person to not only feel heard and validated, it also acknowledges a very powerful truth: We do not have all the answers.  Spoiler alert: We do not know everything! In hearing someone else’s opinion and truly listening for deeper understanding, we are humbly recognizing that we don’t know it all.

We may not be able to agree on everything, but we can all agree that honoring each person at the table is more important than anything.

Obstacle Two: Desperate Times Make for Desperate Decisions

Have you ever been in a meeting that just… wouldn’t… end…?  I was once in a staff meeting where 15 different staff members were all trying to decide on a solution to a very frustrating situation.  Every person had a valid opinion and every person felt that they were correct. No one seemed to know how to fix the problem.  After 3 hours of back-and-forth discussion, do you know what was finally decided?  Absolutely nothing.  The decision was tabled until the next month’s staff meeting.  

There was just one problem… That situation still needed a solution.  In desperation and frustration, management made a unilateral decision that angered everyone and threatened to induce a mass walkout.  

Their desperation to make a decision, ANY decision, led them to make one that really didn’t solve the problem and instead led to newer, far more serious, problems.  Churches can experience that desperation, too. In our rashness for ANY decision to be made, we can jump into the wrong one.  We can allow the conversation of our preferences, our desires, and our thoughts to become the standard for decision-making.

I know what you’re thinking… But Erin, you JUST SAID we needed to humbly listen to everyone! You’re right.  But there’s one more person we must listen to over everyone in the room: The Holy Spirit.  

If the only standard we use for decision-making is our own flawed human logic, we are bound to fall into desperate decisions that aren’t Kingdom-minded.

The Second Opportunity Found in Consensus

The best decisions we can make are those that honor God: His Word, His Work, and His Way. Our logic, preferences, and opinions all take a back seat to the wisdom that is only found in the Holy Spirit.   

As leaders in the room where it happens, we have a unique opportunity to guide our people toward listening for the Holy Spirit’s guidance.  When we remember to rely on God’s timing and God’s provision, we are less likely to jump into desperate decision-making that leaves Him behind.  

When we encourage our members to pray for upcoming decisions, we are reminding them to look for God’s leadership and not just ours.  When we guide our members to search the Scriptures for verses specific to the topic, we are reinforcing our mutual belief that God’s Word is alive and active, even for our “modern-day” decisions.  When we shepherd our members to wait for God’s timing, we are motivating them to remember that He is faithful even in the waiting.

We are strengthened as a community when we remind ourselves that the Holy Spirit’s voice should be the strongest in the room.

Obstacle Three: “I Never Liked It From the Start”

Hindsight bias: the knew-it-all-along phenomenon - Ness Labs

You know the expression, “Hindsight is 20/20?” I know a woman whose hindsight is not only crystal clear, but she will also be happy to remind you that her foresight was, too.  “I was never on board,” she boasts. “I knew this was a bad idea from the beginning.” The problem is, she never says anything in the beginning!  It’s only after a decision has been made and then found to be less than ideal that she finds this voice.  

You might imagine that consensus decision-making would discourage this because there is ample opportunity to speak up and collaborate on decisions.  But instead, sometimes the opposite is true.  In a consensus where everyone is part of the process, there is a challenge for everyone to not only agree with the decision but support it, as well.  

As we said in the first obstacle, we may not all agree on the entirety, but we hope to agree enough on the fundamentals to come to a decision.  But even if we don’t agree with it all, we MUST support it all.  It is imperative that every person involved in a decision-making process leaves the room ready to champion the final option.

We must remember that those of us making decisions will occasionally make a decision that doesn’t turn out exactly how we imagined.  In that moment, we must be able to acknowledge the reasons why and move forward without finger-pointing and murmuring against each other.  The full support of each person in the consensus is necessary for unity and accountability.

The Third Opportunity In Consensus

In Galatians 5, Paul reminds the Galatians to live ”by the Spirit.” He tells them that the works of the flesh are evident.  The first few refer to sexual impurities, but then he mentions, “enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, [and] envy.”  Paul’s reminder is fitting for us, as well, as we think through collaborative decisions. When we walk in the flesh, we are prone to backbiting and dissension.  We allow rivalries to build up and bitterness toward our fellow members to grow roots in our hearts.  We make decisions not out of a spirit of love, but out of pettiness and jealousy.

But when we are led by the Spirit, Paul writes, we bear the fruit of the Spirit, namely, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Imagine being in a room where decisions were made in that kind of generosity of Spirit.  Imagine collaborating with fellow Christians who all listened to each other with those fruits evident in their interactions.  

Now imagine that the decision didn’t work out for some reason, and imagine seeing those same people respond to each other with grace and mercy, the fruit of the Spirit on display as they support each other and encourage each other.

Consensus decision-making can be challenging, but when we meet those challenges with biblical community, we honor God and testify to His Spirit in us.  We see our members grow in grace, love, and unity with each other, and that overflow informs our decision-making process.  We make better decisions with better support and we see a transformation as we do so.

A man stands in front of a multiple branched tree trying to decide a direction

Weighing Heavy Decisions: 7 Steps for Better Decision Making

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three arrows pointing in different directions that say decision, right, wrong

Early in our marriage, my husband and I were offered an opportunity to move from our home in Georgia, where he was born and raised, to a new job opportunity in Virginia. We had a very hard time making the decision.  There were advantages and disadvantages to both moving and staying.  I made a list of pros and cons, which were roughly equal.  We prayed but hadn’t received a clear direction.  

Finally, while we were on our official visit to Richmond, my husband and I jokingly talked about “throwing out a fleece,” Gideon-style (Judges 6:36-40). We were in a mall outside of town, just killing time between meetings, and said, “God, if this is what you want for us, let us run into someone we know here.” We were very casual about it, and I don’t think either of us was very serious. Within minutes of making that joke, we ran into (literally– I bumped into him) our deacon from our church back home.  He happened to be in the area for a company conference and was just killing time between meetings!  We were shocked– and at that point, our decision became easy!  We moved to Richmond and spent a wonderful two years there.

But not every decision has such a clear and direct answer.  Often, pastors in a replant or revitalization must make difficult choices that directly impact their congregations.  How can we determine the best course of action when faced with these weighty decisions?  Is there a way to know the “right” and “wrong” answers?  What steps can we take so that we can say, as David does, “I sought the Lord, and he answered?” (Psalm 34:4)

Bob’s Big Move

On the most recent episode of the Replant Bootcamp Podcast, Jimbo and Bob discussed decision-making in light of Bob’s recent announcement.  Bob will be transitioning off the Replant Team at NAMB and heading to a new adventure, partnering with and working for threeonethree in Nashville, TN. (Don’t worry, though– Bob will still partner with the Replant Bootcamp, so we aren’t losing him!)

In their discussion, the guys identified seven helpful steps to take when weighing decisions.  You may not have a crystal clear answer after following these steps, but by leaning into them, you can know that you’ve followed a clear purpose and plan in your choice.

Step One: Pray about the Decision

James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” When praying over a decision, we are not merely asking God to give us a clear answer.  We are asking for His wisdom and His guidance.  This seems like an obvious step, but I’m always surprised at how often I talk about a decision without actually praying about it.  Sometimes, I realize I’ve gotten everyone’s opinion about what I should do without asking God for His wisdom.

Step Two: Spend Time in the Word

When considering a big decision in our modern world, sometimes we forget that scripture still speaks to us. We might think we must read the latest book, blog, or article while overlooking God’s Word. But we must look to God’s word for wisdom and discernment before we seek man’s.  While we are not Biblical characters, there are biblical examples we can study for guidance. There are also areas where the Bible gives clear, specific directions that we must obey.  When we are in daily study of the Bible, seeking God’s guidance, He may reveal warnings and commands that lead us to a decision.

multiple block with different arrows pointing in different directions

Step Three: Take Enough Time

There is so much pressure to make decisions quickly– it sometimes seems everyone is pushing for an answer immediately.  Too often, we rush to decide out of worry that if we don’t do it quickly, opportunities will pass us by, or people will become irritated.  And while there are time limits on many types of decisions, we must acknowledge this truth from Proverbs 19: “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” When we rush into a decision, we risk missing the mark because we haven’t taken the time to examine it honestly. 

Step Four: Get Some Perspective

Bob referred to this as “walking around the issue,” and I think that’s the best analogy I’ve heard in a while. See the decision not only from the perspective of the decision maker but also from the perspective of those affected by it.  Think about what impact the decision will have in the immediate, but also what the future effect will be.  Taking the time to see the outcomes from every angle will inform your decision, but it also shows others that you care about the consequences of it.

Step Five: Seek Wise Counsel

In this step, I want to focus on a specific word: “Wise.”  Sure, there may be friends who can offer encouragement and support, but when you have a tough decision, you need to seek out those friends with biblical wisdom to help. When deciding whether to stay in a secular career or go into ministry full-time, a well-meaning friend discouraged us from God’s calling.  “You’ll be broke; how can you support your family?” And while this came from a place of love and concern, it did not come from a place of biblical wisdom.  Proverbs 11:14 reminds us, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Surround yourself with people who will give you biblical counsel as you weigh your options.

Step Six: Let it Marinate

Take some time to sit with the decision.  During this time, just be still.  Remind yourself of the truth of Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God.” Stop striving.  If you’ve taken all these steps, now is the time to just sit with God and trust that He is God.  God is big enough to handle the outcome of your decision.  Confirm your decision in your heart and sit with it quietly before you announce it.  Let it settle into your soul.

arrows that say this way, that way, the other way

Step Seven: Decide!

We have moved across multiple states three times in our marriage.  Each time, we weighed the pros and cons and talked endlessly about whether or not the decision was the “right” one.  At a certain point, we had prayed about it, looked at all the angles, read every scripture we could find, and threw out every fleece…But eventually, we had to move, both figuratively and literally.  We couldn’t sit still.  We had to trust in God’s word in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”  We trusted that He had a plan, and we just needed to follow it.  Sometimes, we weren’t sure what the future would be like, but we knew our next step, and that was enough.

One Last Note

Pastor, as you weigh decisions big and small, let me encourage you to remember that God has never experienced shock or surprise.  God is not floored by this decision, nor is He tying Himself in knots, wondering what will happen.  If we believe that God is in control, let’s trust Him to know our next steps and guide them.  There will always be unknowns and challenges down the road, but they are not surprises for Him.  Rest in knowing that God is ordaining your steps and follow His leading.

We Need More Volunteers!

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We Need More Volunteers!

Picture this: You wake up in the morning, ready to preach God’s word and love on God’s people. As you head to church, you go through your sermon points a few times in your mind, spend some time in prayer, and walk into the church building. Stepping inside, you notice the greeters aren’t at the door. As you pass the children’s area, you’re notified that three of your children’s workers didn’t show up that day. 

You feel bad for repeatedly asking the same few people to fill those slots, but you assure them you’re trying to get more volunteers. When you take a copy of the bulletin, you glance at it. “Shoot,” you think. “The Announcements.” As you run through different calendar events coming up and things to be prepared for, you remember to write it down: ask for volunteers. Then comes that part of the service when you walk up and give the morning announcements.

“Ahem, good morning everyone. It’s so good to see you in the house of the Lord. Before we continue to worship, I want to give you a few announcements. Don’t forget about our Fall Festival coming up in a few weeks. We need helpers in several areas, so don’t forget to look at the sign-up sheet on your way out. We also need some additional workers in our children’s area on Sunday mornings. Also, we need more greeters. Please let me encourage you to sign up to fill in these areas.” 

Blank stares. 

You preach an awesome sermon. Grab your bible, talk to a few people, and then go to lock up everything behind you. On your way out, you check the sign-up sheet. “Seriously?!” 

This is Common

This week in the podcast, Jimbo and Bob talked about how to recruit volunteers. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a Replant, a Revitalization, or any other type of church or ministry. You know the struggle: The lack of volunteers is an issue in many churches. Is it that they don’t care? Is it that they are immature in the faith? What is it? The reason for this need is multifaceted, and as a new pastor or leader, there may be some things in a member’s  history you are unaware of.   d

Some church members are new to the faith and think the church is a service to attend rather than a family they contribute to. Some members are burned from over-service. They’ve volunteered and led under every committee, every team, and every role you can imagine. Some are lulling and going through the motions. Some members have fallen asleep to the needs and don’t recognize the value of servants. Some may be walking in sin and don’t feel like they are in a place to serve. Lastly, some members just…don’t want to. 

As difficult as this is, our mission as church leaders is clear. “…to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to edify the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12). So how do we address the need biblically AND practically?

Biblically Address the Need

For those members who may not understand the need and the value of church service, there are some ways to address it biblically. Remember, the word of God doesn’t return void! When you preach and teach scripture, rest that God works in peoples’ hearts. You can do this both through short conversation points with members but also as sermon topics. Listen to these powerful scriptures. 

“But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-20:

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24

“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” Romans 12:4-8

Numerous scripture passages about the joy, benefit, and need for serving exist. Click here to see a list of several other scriptures on this topic. When we make statements to our churches and back them up with scripture, it adds to the validity and purpose of that point.

Practically Address the Need

Recruiting members to serve at your church can be challenging, but with the right approach, you can successfully use individuals willing to contribute their time and skills to the body of Christ. Here are some steps and tips to help you recruit more servants and volunteers at your church:

Identify Service Areas

Begin by identifying specific areas in your church where additional volunteers are needed. This could include roles such as greeters, ushers, children’s ministry workers, worship team members, administrative support, or any other areas that require help. You can begin developing a plan for addressing these needs by identifying them.

Organize an Initiative

Most volunteer programs are messy and chaotic in churches. Some children’s ministry workers are never relieved of their duties. We hardly allow for rotation of workers and expect people to sign up and work in a ministry area for the rest of their lives. Instead of “sharing a need,” we must communicate an opportunity. You can write a well-defined opportunity with a time commitment so people know what they are signing up for!

Churches need a pathway where if someone says, “I want to volunteer,” they have an exact place to start looking at how to serve. Utilize your church website by creating tabs for different areas with a description under each. If you don’t have a website, send members home with some information, sharing a description of each need, so that they can go home, pray about it, and be willing to come back and join in. Use a point person who is aware of all church needs. This may be someone on staff or…a volunteer. This helps to streamline all your volunteer opportunities through one person.

Broadcast the Opportunities

This is where you promote, announce, and spread the word about volunteer opportunities. Utilize various communication channels such as your bulletin, social media platforms, website announcements, and an email list to reach out to existing members and potential volunteers. Highlight the specific roles available and emphasize the positive impact volunteering can have on spiritual growth for you and the others they serve.

Church members are not quick to sign up for the next service area because we don’t discuss it correctly. We discuss it in passing, such as “We need more workers. Please sign up.” But if you communicate the need, stress the urgency, and encourage the work, you will get more quality volunteers. “We have a great opportunity to serve in our children’s area on Sunday mornings. We know we want to be a church that loves the family and gives children every opportunity to learn, grow, and know Jesus from a young age. This is a one-year commitment, and we would love to have you help serve in these areas.”

Provide Volunteer Training and Support

Once volunteers join the work, they must be provided with proper training and ongoing support. We often need to do this better. Give volunteer training opportunities and ensure they have all the tools necessary to serve well. Conduct orientation sessions to familiarize new volunteers with the church’s mission, values, and expectations. Offer workshops to enhance their skills and knowledge in their respective roles. Regularly check in with volunteers to address their concerns or provide guidance.

Recognize and Appreciate Volunteers

Consider organizing volunteer appreciation events or providing small tokens of gratitude to express your thanks. Feeling valued and appreciated will encourage volunteers to continue their service and inspire others to join. Outside of your regular encouragement of them, make sure at least once a year, you take time to honor your volunteers with a meal and a gift. This shows them they are valued and honored for their hard work and service.

In summary, recruiting more volunteers at your church requires a strategic approach that involves identifying needs, developing a straightforward program, promoting opportunities, providing support, and recognizing contributions. For any needs that arise, don’t forget to contact us.

Arresting Negative Thoughts

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Three years ago, you started at Random Church. You were so excited! There was some traction at first, but one failed idea after another, you started meeting heavy resistance from the people. Now, you don’t even want to stay after church and talk to your members. You want to preach your sermon and go home. You start thinking, “This church wastes my time.” Or, “They need a better pastor; certainly not me.” 

The longer the labeling and negative thoughts continue, the further you step away from the church where God called you, for His glory. If we don’t step back and regularly have some self-awareness, and if we are not mindful of our current state of emotions, we can easily let negativity consume us and rob us of our calling. 

Mindfulness and Ministry

Mindfulness may be a secular term, but the implications of it are seen throughout the scriptures. Mindfulness means that you pay attention to the thoughts in your mind and discover if your thoughts are either being informed by truths or lies. Negative thinking can also drift into a place of darkness or discouragement.

Second Corinthians 10:3-5 says this: 

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…”    

This scripture tells us that Christians have been given the power of the Holy Spirit to take every thought captive to obey Christ. Toxic negativity can drive our minds to madness where we feel there is no way out. But the reality is that sometimes we need to arrest those thoughts and remind ourselves of our identity in Christ and the validity of the situation we are in.

Arresting Negative Thoughts

Negative thoughts can be a detriment to your ministry.

While we are redeemed people who have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit, the reality is that we are still living as physical beings with flesh. That means having a mind that can sometimes be distorted by sin. In this recent podcast series, we’ve been looking at the topic of mindfulness. Mindfulness involves being self-aware of our state of mind while serving in ministry. 

According to the Sage Neuroscience Center, negative thoughts can manifest as incorrect assumptions, unrealistic self-criticisms, and even the denial of reality itself. Here are a few ways that these negative thoughts can seem to overcrowd our minds and put us in a state of confusion:

  1. Black-or-white thinking: 

This type of thinking paints unrealistic expectations of decisions. Examples are “me vs. them” thinking, good vs. bad, right vs. wrong, and “If someone is not for me, they are against me.” This type of thinking doesn’t give grace towards people who share different opinions and make mistakes. It forces you to feel trapped in a decision and doesn’t give room for gray areas.

  1. Emotional Reasoning: 

This happens when we insist that something is true, but our only “facts” are our feelings. Emotions can cloud our judgment. In ministry, sometimes we confuse “discernment” with feelings, and let those drive us to make unnecessary and rash decisions.

  1. Overgeneralization: 

Someone may overly fixate on one negative detail and overgeneralize it to all of life. As an example, a pastor may say, “I preached an awful sermon Sunday. Maybe I shouldn’t even be the pastor here! Who would want a pastor like me?” Speaking of a church member, they might say, “That person always raises a question during business meeting! They are always against me.”

  1. Labeling: 

This means you are putting negative labels on yourself and people around you. It’s a type of negative-self talk that comes from a sense of shame. If you label yourself as a bad leader, father, husband, or pastor, you are labeling yourself. At the root of this in ministry is a failure to understand that your actions do not define you or your identity.

  1. And more:

There are several more ways that negative thoughts can manifest themselves, such as: jumping to conclusions, fortune-telling and mind-reading, catastrophizing, inability to be wrong, minimizing, and self-blame. 

In a Replant or Revitalization, tensions can become even higher and more emotional than ever. Think about it: you are working with historical landmarks, memories, control, power struggles, and so much more! But how can we get to a place where we can arrest our thoughts and think rationally, and not let negativity ruin our ministry?

Transform Your Negativity

Here is another scripture to consider: Romans 12:1-2

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

When God saved you, he gave you a new heart, but your mind is something that has to be renewed over time! While God gives us new desires and we are a new creation, we have to discover what that means through a renewal process. The Bible calls it sanctification. So as my mind is being sanctified, what are some ways I can be mindful of negativity in my life?

Be a Worshiper

Based on that scripture, the first question we need to ask if we have negative thoughts is this: Am I regularly giving myself to God as a worshiper? There is undoubtedly a wrong way to worship. Jesus taught in John 4:24 that “God is spirit. And those who worship him worship in Spirit and Truth.” The downward spiral of negativity all begins with our belief in a lie. 

But when I regularly present myself to God as a living sacrifice, and I live a life in worship of him, I surround my thinking and my mind with truth—the truth about God, the truth about myself, and the truth about my situation. If your mind is starting to go in that direction, recognize that you have the opportunity to surrender it to the Lord. 

Don’t be Conformed to the World

In the same verses, Romans tells us not to be conformed to this world. One of the reasons we get caught up in negativity is because we listen to what the world says about issues we are facing instead of listening to God’s word. The world tells us that if we are overly negative, it’s because we are missing something. So we try to fill that void with everything the world offers. But God’s word tells us that we can cast all our anxiety on the Lord, for he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). The world tells us to cut out all the “toxic people” from our lives, but pastors have a responsibility to care for people’s souls! (Hebrews 13:17). We know that the gospel has the power to transform people…even “toxic” people. 

1 John 2:15-16 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world.” If we listen to the world, and wordly solutions, our negativity is not being answered by God’s word. Let’s listen to him, instead.

Renew Your Mind

Renewing your mind takes an intentional effort to be aware of your emotions. Where are your thoughts coming from? Did they come from an experience that actually happened? Or did you draw conclusions from something that could have happened? 

Sometimes we need an outside perspective from others. Confide in a friend and ask someone to help you normalize your emotions and analyze what is actually going on. In the podcast, Jimbo mentioned “Anxiety is the disease of self-focus.” We can be so inside our thoughts and feelings, it may be challenging to see the truth. But when you pull yourself out to get perspective from others, they can remind you of what is happening around you.

Once we give these things to the Lord, make sure you spend time in the word each day (not for ministry, but for yourself). Apply scripture to the things that God reveals about where you are. You will find that when you open the word for the renewing of your mind, not others, God will meet you in that place.

Instead of listening to your negative thoughts, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and God’s word. That transforms our thinking and our mind. Don’t just identify negativity, but chase it out and get back to a healthy, vibrant mindset. Let God use the testimony of others to teach you how to renew your mind and put your hope in him again. And always be mindful…of your mind.

Multiple pages from busy calendar scattered on a flat surface as seen from above.

Making Sure Busy Doesn’t Equal Burnout

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“You need a break.  We’re a little concerned that you’re stretching yourself too thin. You just seem really busy and stressed out.” My friend was concerned, and to be honest, I was, too.  I was going through our busiest season of ministry and I was so exhausted that I was snapping at my family regularly enough that my kids were walking on eggshells around me. I was mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually drained.

I agreed with my friend that I did absolutely need a break, and I was grateful that they at least acknowledged how hard I was working.  But then, in the very next breath, they said, “It would be great though if you could please counsel with my friend– I told her you’d be happy to call her and talk her through some emotional stuff she’s going through.”

Sigh.

Unfortunately, this story isn’t unique.  Pastors everywhere are facing jam-packed schedules and struggling under the weight of congregational expectations. Replant pastors are often their church’s pastor, discipleship leader, janitor, maintenance man, events coordinator, interior designer, and communications director. With all these jobs and more, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day!

In 2021, a study conducted by Soul Shepherding, a Christian leadership training ministry, found 75% of pastors reported feeling extreme stress, 90% reported feeling extreme fatigue, 90% were working an average of 55-75 hours per week, and 85% had never had the opportunity to take extended time off. 

With those statistics in mind, the latest episode of the Replant Bootcamp podcast sought to give pastors some tips to prevent our busyness from leading to burnout. 

The Truth About Being Busy

a busy man with multiple arms and legs juggling a briefcase, clock, cell phone, and papers

We are wired to enjoy being needed– and as a pastor, you are definitely needed! Usually by everyone, all at once!  But there is a danger in finding your satisfaction in being needed: eventually, you make yourself so necessary that you can never take a break.

Here is a fun fact about work– our brains are also wired to find accomplishing tasks rewarding. Recent studies have proven that your brain releases dopamine when you achieve goals, and that checking off a “to-do” list can make you feel happier.  

There are two problems in this, as Bob pointed out. First, sometimes we allow ourselves to love the ministry that we have for Christ more than we are loving Christ. Second, as Jimbo says, ministry never ends– there is always another meeting, someone in the hospital, someone’s house you need to visit, some marriage that needs counseling, a committee that needs to be met with, or a contractor that has to be negotiated with for your AC or your copier lease. Then, of course, you always need to get a weekly sermon prepared. (Whew.) 

If the ministry is never “done,” then we never get that rush of dopamine from checking things off.  Instead, we just keep feeding the ministry beast– but it’s a monster that is never satisfied. And if you aren’t careful, you will feed your own ego, as well.

Another truth about our busy schedules is that we don’t always allow ourselves to have a proper “Rest Day.”  For us, Sunday is a work day.  It may be a “day of rest,” for many of our congregation members, but for us, it’s Game Day. It’s the day we show up early, stay late, and preach the Gospel in between. 

The command to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy wasn’t about making sure you went to church and then napped.  It is a command from our creator to rest– not because He needed it, but because we do. God knew we needed time to reset our minds and to refocus on Him. He knew this about us because He created this need in us!  When we get so busy that we neglect the Sabbath, we operate outside of God’s will and His power.

Too Busy or Too Distracted?

Here’s the thing– many times, when we’re busy, it isn’t because we are doing everything God has called us to do.  Some of us have lists of ministries, activities, and tasks that aren’t ours to do.  Either we have taken on someone else’s responsibilities or we have placed too much emphasis on our own abilities.

Take a look at your life– where are you feeling the most stress?  The most anxiety?  What task feels like it’s taking more time than you can possibly give?  Is this something that God called you to do?  Sometimes we forget that while, yes, God called us into ministry, He never asked us to do every part.  We forget that He said we are all one body, but different parts, and instead we try to take on every single role in the church.  This is a trap of Satan– if we get busy enough, we get stressed, then burnt out, and then distracted.  We take our eyes off the goal of loving God and loving people and start to focus on working for God and working for people.

Sometimes it’s not that it’s someone else’s responsibility, but their expectation.  Frequently, pastors are approached by people who really feel their church needs a specific ministry or a specific event. These are good projects, and pastors may agree they are needed.  But when asked about who will lead it, typically members will say, “Well, not me.  I just had the idea.  Can’t you lead it or head it up or find someone else to do it?”  Their expectation is that we have the time and energy to lead every single thing at the church.  In reality, God most likely called them to that ministry.  He gave them the vision and he impressed it upon their heart. 

When we take on someone else’s expectations of what we should be doing, we shortchange God’s work in their lives, while simultaneously creating unnecessary stress on our own. We feel this pressure to make sure they know we’re working hard.  We want our members to see that our car is always in the parking lot, that we are the first to arrive and the last to leave, and that we are always in the office (never mind the fact that so much of ministry happens outside of normal office hours). We feel like being present at every event and every meeting somehow secures our job and makes us seem like the hardest worker in the room.

But here is a hard truth:  You’re not God.  You aren’t omnipresent. You can’t be everywhere, all the time.  The faster you operate knowing that you aren’t capable of doing it all, and the quicker you remind other people of that, the better your schedule looks.

Before You Burn Out

a sloth hanging from a tree

Now that we’ve diagnosed why we’re busy, what can we do about it?  Should we just quit everything and become sloths?  Tempting, but no.

First, you need to set a sane work schedule.  Look at everything you do in a week– literally everything.  How much of your time is spent in sermon prep?  Bible study?  Personal time with God?  Kids sporting events?  Date night with your spouse?  Now start recognizing what is important versus what is urgent. A recent podcast and blog can help you identify those terms better to help you make that decision.

Next, focus your work according to your wiring.  You are naturally geared toward specific schedules and productivity times.  I am not a morning person– I don’t come alive until after the coffee is in my system and my body is sufficiently awake, usually around 10 am.  I am super productive until about 2 pm, then I eat lunch.  Typically I have an afternoon slump after lunch but pick back up around 4 and stay powered up until 9 pm.  If I schedule an intense meeting at 8:00 am and pencil in my bible study at 3 pm, it’s a recipe for disaster.  

Look at your rhythms of productivity and schedule accordingly. When are you most creative?  When is a good time for administration related tasks that require less brainpower?  When are you at your best physically for those tasks that require more physical strength?

I am also an introvert.  I know if I have “peopled” too much for too long, I will eventually run out of power in my social meter.  I have to remember to schedule myself appropriately and leave time for me to recharge so I don’t grow weary of socialization.

Now, delegate and elevate.  Those people who thought of a great ministry activity and expected you to lead it?  Empower them!  Allow them the grace to find their footing and lead it themselves.  They may make a mistake– that’s OK. You can train them and release them much easier that you can try to do everything yourself. Is there something you’re doing that falls under the description of a committee, elder, or deacon responsibility?  Delegate it.  They have a job God has called them to do; it’s time for them to do it.

And last, but certainly not least— remember to pencil in time with Jesus at the top of your list.  He calls us to come to Him and receive rest when we are weary (Matthew 11:28). Before you burn out completely, start making it a priority to come to Him.  Meditate on His words, not just for sermon preparation, but for your own personal time with Him.  Allow Him to show you areas of weakness and areas where your ego may be leading instead of Him.  Take time to talk to Him, but make sure you include time to listen, too.  Jesus longs to bring rest to your exhausted soul– let Him.

Resources for the Busy Pastor

a front copy of the book Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Raynor

Many of the applications we mentioned in this podcast and the accompanying blog are tips we’ve learned from our friend, Jordan Raynor.  Jordan’s book, Redeeming Your Time, has reshaped and changed our schedules for the better and we highly recommend it.

Right now, Jordan is offering Bootcamp listeners a discount for his online course where you will learn the principles Jordan teaches on how to make your work more productive and more meaningful. The course is normally $249, but Bootcamp listeners can sign up for only $49 using the discount code “JImbo.” Email us to connect with Jordan’s online course.

We also have the Replant Summit coming up in exactly one month.  If you haven’t registered for it, please do so now!  The theme this year is “Renew” and we are excited to meet each of you and spend time with one another.  

As always, if digital marketing is taking up too much of your time, our friends at 180 Digital are happy to help.  Contact them and see what resources they have to make your life a little easier!

Measuring Success in Ministry (Part 3)

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Over the past couple of weeks, we have learned to measure success in a better way. Here’s a summary of what we have heard so far: 

  • Discerning and Adapting vs. Doubling Down
  • Leading Paradigmatic Change vs. Reinvigorating Old Programs
  • Equipping Others for Ministry vs. Exhausting Yourself in Ministry
  • Measuring Actions vs. Counting Outcomes
  • Multiple Financial Streams vs. Single Financial Streams

And this week, we focus on the last two of this series: 

  • Pursuing faithfulness vs. chasing fruitfulness
  • Committing to the long haul vs. considering another call when things get difficult

Take up your Cross

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus says, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” In 18 words, Jesus helps his audience understand what it means to follow him in this world. Jesus would say that if you want to make much of yourself, exalt yourself, and live for yourself, you cannot follow Him.

We all have a cross to bear. For some, it means sacrificing a lavishing career, suffering through physical means, or struggling through a painful life. But ultimately, the cross we bear is worth bearing, because Jesus died and rose to life, so we can have life in his name. Ultimately, our “cross” is what the Bible calls a light, momentary affliction that is “preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Cor. 4:17).

Whether you are a Replant Pastor or another ministry leader, each one of us has a cross to bear in ministry itself. Paul says, “For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor. 4:11). When Paul said this, he was helping the church in Corinth understand what it was like to do the work of ministry: painful, yet joyful. Every pastor should understand what scripture says about suffering, because many may have the wrong expectations of what ministry may look like.

Pursuing Faithfulness vs. Chasing Fruitfulness

Far too many pastors and leaders have been burned out in ministry, and quit altogether because of burnout, wrong expectations, and unexpected conflict. but there is certainly a better way to measure success, and it has little to do with the fruit that we produce in our work. It has more to do with our walking in obedience to our calling. We have a tendency to sometimes take matters into our own hands. Like Abraham and Sarah, we want to fulfill God’s promises ourselves. The problem is that our way normally results in dissension and destruction. God’s way is better.

In a normal career, our performance is evaluated by the work we are able to accomplish. When I was in the landscaping field, my work was evaluated on the efficiency and quality of my work. But ministry should be seen differently. That’s because in kingdom work, we are not the ones who give growth to the body, and the business does not belong to us. Our “company” has one founder and one CEO, Jesus Christ. He is the one that gives fruit and gets the glory for any fruit that is produced. Our job is simply to steward and care for what he has entrusted to us.

I was speaking to a friend of mine, who recently entered a new pastoral role. He very quickly told me about some of the stress that he’s already experienced in serving, and it had much to do with the attendance of those in that church setting. He already was experiencing the early signs of depression over a lack of attendance. “I’m working hard, studying hard to get up and deliver, and I feel like it’s falling on deaf ears, or hardly any ears at all,” he said. Do you feel the same way?

One thing that’s important to remember and understand is that we are limited in what we can do. The past twenty years have seen a plethora of church growth strategies and movements. Some of them, unfortunately, are void of the power of the Holy Spirit. Only God can bring life to a dying church. No one can or has risen from the dead apart from the work of God. So, we need Him to work in our dying churches again. Our role is simply to be faithful to God’s calling in our lives.

Committing to the Long Haul

Replant Pastors all over our nation are working hard, serving faithfully in their roles. Depending on the dynamic, some of them are still in a plowing stage, preparing the ground. Some of them are tilling the toil, and some are planting seeds. In my role at the Association, I have talked to a few of our pastors who are struggling with the difficulty of seeing little fruit. Some of them have considered being called elsewhere, or leaving the ministry altogether. 

But we cannot call ourselves somewhere else, and force God’s hand. Like Jonah, we may try to run in a different direction, but God will have his way. Like Jonah, God will either convict us of our disobedience, or remind us of our calling and place us where He wants us. Like Jonah, you may find yourself in a variety of situations, from the belly of a whale, to a seat under the hot sun because of a hungry caterpillar. We can choose to either remain under God’s calling and be content, or be miserable in our disobedience.

I want to encourage Replant Pastors to commit to the long haul. In conversations with pastors, some are frustrated in trying to enact change. But sometimes it takes difficult work and time to build trust. There is ebb and flow in a church’s willingness to get behind your leadership, so trust building is important. It does help to remember Paul’s words in Colossians 1:10. Paul says, “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” 

“Wait, I thought you said not to focus on fruitfulness!” Notice what Paul is saying, because there is an important sequence of events. He is saying, “First, walk worthy of the Lord. Obey Him. Serve Him. As a result, you will bear fruit in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God.”

Is the Grass Greener?

God may do something in you, on you, and around you before he does something through you. We should not be surprised when there are fiery trials, when there is persecution, when there is hardships. Any pastor who wants to bypass difficulty should reconsider the ministry. God often brings us through hardship to produce something in us. So I would encourage any pastor or leader to have a well-developed understanding of suffering, especially in the life of a minister.

When we read through the persecution of the early church and the hardships of Paul and his fellow workers, it gives us a calm assurance to make it through difficult business meetings and disputed financial decisions. While the thorn in your flesh may not be the building and grounds committee, one thing should be remembered: Hardship is natural for anyone in ministry. Rest assured, you’re not alone.

The grass may be greener on another side, but that grass withers as well. If things get tough, don’t begin looking at the job board so quickly. Instead, get on your knees before God and began seeking Him. If He called us, He will sustain us. Let us look to Him.

For resources listed in this week’s podcast, see the following: The Insanity of God, The Insanity of Obedience, The Cost of Discipleship, This, Too Shall Last. See our other blogs here. Please reach out to us for any feedback, and let us know how we can help.

Measuring Success in Ministry (Part 1)

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My father has been in the ministry for almost 34 years. In many conversations, he has commented on the summer season of church life during those few hot months in between school sessions. In talking with him this week, he said, “Many families are gone over the summer, but we don’t slow down very much. However, the dynamics of our ministry change.” Instead of continuing with the same caliber of ministry activities, they place their focus on summer events for the community and missional engagements such as VBS and Mission Trips. They also use summer months to focus on their teams and committees, even having a short retreat for their staff.

Summer presents a unique challenge to the life of our churches, and depending on the DNA of your Sunday gatherings, missing out entirely for a few months seems like a normal practice for young families. Of course, people need vacation time and rest to spend with their families. But when several core families are missing for a fourth of the year, the effects can seem devastating and confusing. 

During these summer months, many pastors even take sabbatical time themselves. Or, they will use the opportunity to restructure and rethink their ministries and calendars. Continuing with the same momentum in June and July, versus the rest of the year can seem like a daunting task. To avoid burnout, there are several ideas presented on this week’s podcast episode, and last week’s blog, that will help you think about the upcoming months in the life of your church.

Discern and Adapt

Some leaders want to double down and get into a deep study during the summer. But it can help to take a step back and use less-attended church services to focus on your core people and discern a ministry plan for the rest of the year. In Romans 12:2, Paul says to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The type of mind-renewal Paul is talking about takes time. 

But if you’re anything like me, there are some seasons that you are running so fast, and so chaotically busy, that you have no time to think. And when you don’t have time to think, it’s difficult to discern the will of God for you and for your church. Summer should be a time of reflection and focus. This is why many pastors take a season of rest during the summer while continuing to maintain the regular services and ministries of the church.

This time of discernment and adaptation takes place by:

1. Immersing yourself in the Word of God

In John 15:8, Jesus says, “By this my Father is glorified. That you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” Did you catch that? Did you know that it is possible for God to be glorified by you simply abiding in Christ and bearing fruit? Sometimes we forget that in the busy-ness of ministry, God is not solely pleased by our righteous deeds. He is also glorified when we simply rest in Him. Sometimes we need to talk less and listen more to the voice of God to discern what the next steps are. 

2. Reflecting on culture, the world, and the church

What’s going on in the world today? This question will affect the way you do ministry and the elements you highlight, even in preaching. The gospel of Jesus Christ never changes, but the world around us constantly does. How can you be a faithful pastor that speaks directly to what your congregants are facing? I’ve talked to some leaders who are completely unaware of what is going on in the culture. Yes, we are called to “not love the world or the things of the world.” But the way we can love others is by speaking the truth of the gospel to the current situations our world is facing. God can and does use cultural affairs around us to open up gospel conversations! Spend significant time reflecting on the surrounding culture, and it will make you a more direct and pertinent leader.

3. Exercising good decision-making by utilizing your teams and leaders

No one is expecting you to do ministry alone. Summer can be the perfect time to identify leaders, equip them for the next season of church life, and deploy them to help serve and minister. Ephesians 4:12 tells us the purpose of church leadership: “…to equip the saints for the work of ministry and for edifying the body of Christ.” When you dialogue with your deacons, elders, or members of a leadership team, their unique viewpoints of church life can help you determine how to engage with church members in the upcoming season. Every pastor has to learn the tools of delegation and equipping.

Lead Paradigmatic Change

Summer can also feel like a time to re-invigorate old programs that have no value. But if there is one thing that the COVID years taught us, it’s that some programs have not resurfaced, and they don’t need to. Summer presents a time to simplify, evaluate the functions of your church and determine whether or not any change is necessary.

In the podcast, Bob talks about the difference between a leader and a manager. A leader asks questions about how the ministry you’re doing affects the Kingdom of God. But a manager simply seeks to maintain the same strategy without asking any questions. As Peter Drucker once said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” And if a leader is unwilling to determine where change is needed, then they should not expect the church to change in any positive direction.

Empower and Equip the Body

Don’t exhaust yourself to the point of no return. A good leader is one who recognizes leadership around them, identify and develop them, and then deploy them to the work of ministry. There is a reason God gave us deacons and gifted church members! To use for the work of ministry, in ways that a Pastor is unable due to time restraints and exhaustion. 

There is a sense in which we need to “deconstruct” the Pastor-only mentality. Recently, our Church Development team was looking through an Job Description to help a Pastor Search committee at one of our local churches. In the job description, we changed a lot of language because the language seemed to elevate the Pastor’s responsibilities to…everything, while reducing the member’s responsibilities to nothing. One of the duties was, “The Pastor will plan and conduct all worship services on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights.” Is this the Pastor’s role in the church, or can it be delegated to other members?

Pastors can easily burn themselves out with too much ministry related programs and activities. But in many ways, a man can only do what a man can do. Summer gives us an opportunity to identify and develop members around us, using their gifts and abilities, to carry on the work of ministry themselves. 

Be intentional this summer. At the beginning of it, set some goals for yourself, your ministry, and the church. Then, put some of these tools in place. God wants to use you this summer for His glory in the most effective way possible.

Leadership Capital

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Through college and seminary, my wife and I jumped from rental to rental, often finding the cheapest, most functional places we could. We knew our stay was temporary, so we tried to find rentals with a 6-month lease. Until we finished up our degrees, we lived in a variety of homes. But after moving back to Florida and temporarily staying with family, we began to search for a home to purchase and live long-term.

The language of mortgage loans was frustrating for me, and I felt ill-equipped to understand it all. Underwriters and Realtors were helpful, but I wish I had more economical knowledge before running into barrier after barrier. I didn’t understand why it was difficult and time-consuming to be approved for a mortgage loan, until my underwriter explained it to me in a way I finally understood: “Caleb, this process is all about trust.” 

In order to be approved to pay back a loan, the bank has to establish trust with you, by evaluating your proof of income, history, employment, family, and other factors. At some point, they’re willing to approve your request, because you’ve had time to build that valuable trust with them. 

And in the same way a bank might approve your request after adequate time, you have to build trust with your church before making any major decision.

Trust-Building Takes Time

Whether you are a Replanter or Revitalization Pastor, every leader must learn how to build “Leadership Capital.” Think of Leadership Capital as stored influence you acquire over time, that you can access when you need to make leadership decisions. A tendency among new leaders is to come in, shake things up, and move quickly. You may desire to make “big changes,” to prove yourself as a leader or visionary. However, trust-building takes time, and leaders need to learn the art of building Leadership Capital. Leadership decisions must be made in great wisdom.

If you think of this illustration in financial terms, capital isn’t earned overnight. It is built over time. The rate of growth is equivalent to the time spent in earning. As a church leader, you would be hard-pressed to find a church whose members will do everything you desire the first time you ask, with no question. Church members want to know if the pitfalls, the possibilities, and the opportunities around them are worth the risk. A healthy leader will build trust with them first, before enacting major changes.

Some leadership decisions have to be done quickly. But decisions require capital, and time builds trust. Leaders normally start out with zero trust. Or, you may be building back trust that has been lost by former leadership. If a former pastor overspent their capital, it could have left the church in burnout with trust issues, and confused about how to trust a future leader. 

Important and Urgent

As a church leader, you must understand the importance of discerning between things that are important and things are urgent. John Ortberg says that leadership is, “Disappointing people at a rate they can absorb.” Most leadership decisions will be met with feedback, pushback, and accountability. So before making too many decisions at once, consider Eisenhower’s Matrix:

Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States, once said, “The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” This matrix has been a helpful resource for many leaders. It helps you schedule your time, manage your resources, delegate others, and get rid of the things that are wasting time. Tools like this are helpful for church leaders.

Often, I will be working on several projects simultaneously, and need to write out everything on a big white board. Then, I have to list out several priorities, and delegate whenever I possibly can. And yes, there are some things that I have to look at and take an eraser to, because they are not urgent, not important, and way too time-consuming. 

The main point of using a tool like this is to make leadership choices in wisdom and lead your people with effectiveness. Leaders will often experience a pace of change that is slower than what is expected. 

The Value of Trust

It is so easy to get frustrated with certain groups of church members because they aren’t moving as quickly as you want. However, each time you are eating a meal with a family, sitting in a classroom, praying with someone, or even giving some counsel about a mundane decision in someone’s life, you are building valuable trust with them. Finally, when you say, “Let’s start a new ministry to our community,” they will listen to the leader who has spent adequate time with them.

A helpful recognition is our lack of capital that we have to begin with, and how quickly it runs out. It takes time to demonstrate competency, character, and display commitment and consistency with people. It also takes time to build connections with people emotionally, so that your leadership will go a longer way and yield better results.

Don’t forget that once you decide to “use” some of your capital by making a big decision, you are responsible for organizing it in such a way that you establish healthy credibility with those around you. If you delegate, delegate with the right people, and make it the best you can. Plans made like this go a much longer way than we think.

When you love people well, listen well, pastor well, and establish credibility, you are building your capital, and you can feel a greater freedom to spend it when the timing is right. Some questions to ask yourself when making a decision is: “Which of these decisions will help our church move together more holistically towards church health? Are there any of these that are barriers to church health?”

For more information on leadership decisions, check out some of our previous podcasts on this topic:

 

EP 190 – LEADERSHIP CAPITAL

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EP 190 - LEADERSHIP CAPITAL
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Hey Bootcampers, Jimbo and Bob are back home for a bit before heading out once again and take some time to break down a question posed by one of the Participants  they received during a recent event regarding how to lead changes in your church. In short, Leadership Capital.  The guys spend time unpacking this idea a bit more.  Sit back, grab your favorite beverage and listen in as they talk about this important leadership issue.

Leadership Capital: is the influence that you acquire over time, which is stored in the minds and hearts of those you lead. When leading changes, you make withdraws from this account.

As a leader you build this capital over time, in slow, regular steady increments. If you are new to a church, you don’t acquire instant leadership capital just from your position. It must be earned through leading well, demonstrating competency, character and establishing credibility.

Check out this EP and the ones listed below for more insights on leading well.

Here are some additional bootcamp EPs to check out regarding leading change:

 

Lead your church in developing a credible presence online by contacting our great sponsor, One Eighty Digital. Their expertise can get your church message into your community in a clear and credible way.  Let them know you are a Bootcamper!

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The Church Dies Without Discipleship (Part 1)

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Note: This is Part 1 in a 2-Part series on Barriers to Discipleship.

All Revitalization is Discipleship

During a conference, I heard Bob Bickford say, “All Revitalization is Discipleship.” At first, I didn’t know what that statement meant. I had read a lot of books on revitalization, and discipleship is always a part, but it sounded like he was boiling down discipleship to be the main factor in all church revitalization.

But the more I thought about it and worked with churches, the more that I discovered that statement to be true. No, discipleship is not the only thing involved in a church revitalization, but it certainly is the underlying factor.

How can this be true? Consider what discipleship is and what happens in a declining church. Is a Church not declining in numbers because in some way, they have failed to continue growing and maturing in Christ? Perhaps the conversation of “discipleship” has become boring for many. In 1980, Eugene Peterson wrote a book called A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. This classic book on Discipleship was originally rejected by 17 publishers. It wasn’t “new” or “exciting” enough, but it was a needed book, rooted in the realities of the Christian life.

I was working with a church recently that has gone down to about 10 people, whereas 40 years ago, they were averaging closer to 80. After our team met with theirs, we saw one of the most glaring reasons why. The church has had one baptism since 2005, that’s one baptism in the past 17 years.

The church was not reaching their community, they were not doing evangelism, they had become stagnant where they were. But discipleship beckons a life of following Christ, continually. And just as God sanctifies believers, he also sanctifies his church. In Philippians 2:12, Paul says to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” This means that there is something on our part when it comes to working out this faith in our lives. God sanctifies us, but we also have a part to play.

The same can be said true of our local church. When we stop growing in Christlikeness, we begin to fall apart. It’s true in our life as much as it is in the church. 

And Luke 9:23, Jesus gives us a good definition of Discipleship. He says “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

This type of denial means that we sacrifice our desires, our wants, and our preferences, for the sake of following Jesus. This verse implies something that Paul picks up on later on in Galatians. That is that our desires (in the flesh) are actually set at odds with God’s desires. And that the desires of the flesh are against the desires of the spirit (Gal. 5:17).

This denial of self must be practiced in our churches, if we desire to grow in Christ. 

Still in following Jesus, we face many barriers along the way. But it’s difficult to overcome those barriers when we can’t define them. Thankfully, Walker Armstrong was a guest on the podcast this week and gave several ways we can identify barriers to discipleship. Think about these closely, and seek to identify them in your own church.

Barriers to Discipleship

#1. Human Ego

In the book, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, Tim Keller quotes Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:3, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.” Keller argues that this was a totally unnatural view of self. Quite frankly, one needs the Holy Spirit to think of himself this way. It’s not that Paul thought of himself less, it’s that he didn’t think of himself at all. 

Human Ego naturally gets in the way of everything God wants to do in us and through us. When we think too highly of ourselves, it prohibits us from growing in our relationship with Christ. Likewise, in a church that wants to revitalize, the pastor, leaders, and members must do all they can to humble themselves and realize that it is not all about their image or reputation. If the end goal of a Church Revitalization is a changed trajectory of a congregation’s spiritual life, that begins by following Christ’s plan for his church again. It won’t happen until we deny ourselves. 

Just to recenter and focus back on its origins, it helps to ask this question: “Who does the Church belong to?” Here is Jesus’ claim: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). In Colossians 1:18, who is the head of the body, the church? Who is the chief shepherd that gives the crown of glory in 1 Peter 5:4? In Revelation 2:1, who is it that holds in his hand the seven stars and walks among the golden lampstands? The name of Jesus Christ is on the deed of our churches. And no affidavit can transfer that title to us. 

Paul said in Philippians that you must “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” and he explains how Jesus emptied himself, became a servant, and humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. Jesus could have brought all attention to himself and escaped the accusations of religious leaders and Roman authority. Instead, he willingly brought himself low, and as a result, He is now exalted.This is the type of humility we are to have in a Church Revitalization or Replant. This humility actively denies self for the greater purpose of exalting Christ.

#2. Spiritual Consumerism

Another great barrier to real discipleship in a church is spiritual consumerism. The past generation has seen a wave of church growth techniques and resources to help churches grow a mile wide in numbers, but often an inch-deep in spiritual maturity. The sentiment is often to “get people’s foot in the door,” and immediately engage them with entertainment. Draw them in, and allow people to slowly learn about the love of God and the gospel. 

I do not want to be too cynical. There are surely good and meaningful tips that can come from this advice. Many walk in the doors of church with aesthetically pleasing decor, catchy music, and a pastor with the latest clothing line and shoes. Some would never walk in the door of a smaller church because of personal preference. Indeed, some churches are “fishers” and some are “catchers,” to use a fishing analogy. I believe it can even be helpful to have a sanctuary and music that is appealing, an enjoyable worship experience, and a place for plenty of activities and events for kids and students. 

But if a church is more focused on production and entertainment than spiritual maturity and depth, the numerical growth can be more of an unfortunate illusion. Churches that use entertainment as a replacement for gospel-saturated discipleship are not going and making disciples, they are going and appealing to consumers. 

Where did this model come from? It did not come from New Testament Church principles, but American Culture. If we look at how the New Testament church grew, we see that it grew by adding and by multiplying. (1) How did the Jerusalem church go from 120 persons to over 5,000 (Acts 2:41, 4:4)? It was simply the clarity of the gospel, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the favor of God’s hand. People got saved, and immediately were brought into the church family. (2) How did the New Testament Church multiply? They multiplied by being committed to the word of God, and by being obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7). This is what biblical discipleship looks like: commitment to the word and obedience in the faith. In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “teach them to observe everything I have commanded them.”

Spiritual Consumerism is dangerously close to prosperity-gospel theology. The method of easy-believism is to have people believe in you or appreciate you at a superficial level by tickling their appetite with things that appeal to the eye. But pure charisma and entertainment can not turn a dying church around. I would venture to even say that the growth that often takes place in churches like this creates the illusion of God-glorifying life and vibrancy. When in actuality, it exposes the difference between a believer and a disciple. Anyone can believe in God, even the demons do (James 2:19). But where are the followers? The disciples? 

Perhaps a litmus test is necessary to determine whether or not a church is focused on biblical discipleship or spiritual consumerism. As Paul said in Galatians 6:7, “whatever one sows, that he will also reap.” Therefore, we can determine the main focus of a church based on the type of disciple that this church produces. Believers who come to church to be entertained and leave with no life change have been visiting a church that is more focused on production than the gospel. But a disciple who not only hears the word of God, but does it, and one who is actively growing in Christlikeness, is part of a disciple-making church.

#3. Organizational Complexity

This may be one of the most important, practical barriers to overcome, especially in a re-plant situation. Every church has a few sacred cows, programs and ministries that they’ve held onto for years. 

I remember attending a church once, and there was a new member class afterwards. I decided to go out of curiosity to see what the church was about. For a couple of hours I learned all about the different ministries and programs of the church, but I never once heard what was the mission or the vision of the church itself. I left with a great confusion about everything that the church offered, but never understood the purpose or driving force of this particular church body.

I believe this type of problem persists in many churches that have focused on programs and ministries. For many years, oftentimes without remembering the reason why they first began, churches added ministries on top of ministries. But in a replant or revitalization, simplicity is key. With organizational structure, the best thing a revitalizing church can do is get to its bare bones and focus on fellowship, worship, evangelism, discipleship, and unity.

We understand it can be difficult to recommend changes like this. However, it is important for the church to understand the complexity of structure. Would we rather run 12 ministries decently, or run 4 ministries extremely well? How can we be most effective and fruitful for the Kingdom of God? These are questions for churches to ponder. 

There are other barriers to discipleship in a church, but I will give some others in a “Part 2.” If you think your church is in danger of closing, take this church health assessment. This self-assessment is meant to help assist you in determining the current state of your local church. Another way to get started is by taking an introductory course that will help anyone understand what church replanting is and how it provides hope for dying churches.