On the Worst Day of Your Life

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Church Leadership Center As a leader, you've navigated through times when everything falls apart, even times when you've thought, "This is the worst day of my life." Pastor Tom Holladay of Saddleback Church offers guidelines on his "Drive Time" podcast of October 17, 2013. To listen to the podcast, click here. The guidelines are based upon the book, What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life (Brian Zahnd) that was used in a sermon on the Sunday after the suicide of Pastor Rick Warren's son, Matthew. Six ways are identified for dealing with the worst of situations. 1. Weep. With dependence upon God, allow the emotions of your heart to reflect your pain. 2. Don't get bitter. Focus on healing rather than revenge. Ask God for the strength so that you are able to forgive. 3. Encourage yourself in God. Get around those of God's people who are the encouragers in your life. Get a word from God. Open the Bible and let God's word soak in. 4. Look to the future with hope. This is different for everyone. Regain and restore vision. Start to see again the future that God may have in store. 5. Attack evil. Recognize that we are living in a broken world. Evil will never be overcome by focusing on evil: evil will only be overcome by focusing on the good. 6. Keep on giving. When you have the worst day of your life, you may want to pull in and focus on yourself. It is easy to become selfish. Instead, break through this and reach out to the needs of others. The above six stages are based on an exposition of 1 Samuel 30. Other related passages are listed below.  - "Jesus wept" (John 11:35).  - "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).  - "Cast your cares on the LORD, and he will sustain you" (Psalm 55:22).  - "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (I John 4:4).  - "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).  - "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). So, reflect on what have been the worst of days for you. Have there been stages listed above that you have skipped? By looking back with these stages in mind, are you now better equipped to deal with the days when everything falls apart? What characteristics do you come by easily and which ones are more challenging… weeping?, bitterness?, encouragement?, hope?, evil?, giving? What new commitments are you willing to make to deal with the worst of days, the times when everything seems to be falling apart? Church Leadership Center helps leaders grow in strength through personalized training plans, classes, and mentoring so that they are able minister effectively, even during the struggles and challenges of life. Church Leadership Center assists leaders and churches with leadership development through personalized training plans, contextually-relevant approaches to learning, and mentored support. Click here for more information. To view videos about Commissioned Pastors and those who support them, click here. To read previous blogs, click here. Last chance to register: Leadership and Commissioned Pastor Retreat is this week, October 25 – 26, 2013 at Camp Geneva, Holland, MI. Guest presenter: Pastor Marlin Vis. Topic: Reading the Bible through Middle Eastern Eyes." For additional information click here. To be put on the retreat mailing list, contact Alison DeBoer, adeboer@rcagl.org Please forward this email to a lay leader or church staff member who may benefit from information about leadership development and Church Leadership Center. To contribute financially to CLC or to learn about options for leadership development in your church, reply to this email.  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Go, Dog. Go!

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Church Leadership Center Go, Dog. Go! is a Seuss-esque children's book about dogs on the go. The story includes lots of things that go, all ridden on or driven by dogs… bikes, scooters, skates, skis, cars, roller coasters, carts,  boats, ferris wheels, and hot air balloons.  You can have someone read the book to you by clicking here. A leader needs to be on-the-go… a Go, Dog. Go! kind of person, pursuing purpose and showing satisfaction. While there are constructive voices calling for balance in the lives of leaders (see  Balanced Leadership in Unbalanced Times by Robert Pasick), I'm more comfortable with a modus operandi that is singular and springs from inner commitment and strength. Sometimes we refer to this as a person "being in his/her sweet spot." The "balanced" approach to life makes a distinction between work-life and personal-life, often concerned that a high-capacity leader may be working too much. A dichotomy is made between personal time and work time. The book, Off Balance (Matthew Kelly), points out that we do not have two lives, and we should not, therefore, compartmentalize areas of our lives. (This sounds like a holistic view to me!) Kelly says, "People need and want a satisfying experience of life" (chapter 1). In other words, they need to live all of life to the full… Go, Dog. Go! An area of emphasis that I especially appreciated in Off Balance is the description of four levels of energy. Here they are, ranging from least desirable to most desirable: Level one: low energy – feeling depressed, exhausted, burned-out, defeated, and overwhelmed. Level two: high negative energy – feeling angry, fearful, anxious, defensive, and resentful. Level three: restorative and reflective energy – feeling mellow, serene, and content. Level four: high level positive energy – feeling confident, joyful, enthusiastic, and invigorated. Level four is the Go, Dog. Go! level; "It is contagious, attractive, life-giving" (Off Balance, chapter 4). When functioning at level four, even at level three, it is not necessary to talk about "balance," because the total person has a high degree of fulfillment, satisfaction, and direction. Level four is what I imagine the Apostle Paul to be in when he wrote in Philippians, "I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings…" (3:10), as well as "I can do all this through him who gives me strength" (4:13). I think of Paul as always being "on the go," even while in prison. So, what is your level of energy as you read this? If it is not at level three or four, what changes do you need to make? Church Leadership Center develops training plans and puts together mentoring relationships to help leaders grow. How can we serve you, your church staff, or leaders in your congregation? Church Leadership Center assists leaders and churches with leadership development through personalized training plans, contextually-relevant approaches to learning, and mentored support. Click here for more information. To view videos about Commissioned Pastors and those who support them, click here. To read previous blogs, click here. Mark your calendar: Leadership and Commissioned Pastor Retreat is planned for October 25 – 26, 2013 at Camp Geneva, Holland, MI. Guest presenter: Pastor Marlin Vis. Topic: Reading the Bible through Middle Eastern Eyes." For additional information click here. To be put on the retreat mailing list, contact Alison DeBoer, adeboer@rcagl.org Please forward this email to a lay leader or church staff member who may benefit from information about leadership development and Church Leadership Center. To contribute financially to CLC or to learn about options for leadership development in your church, reply to this email.  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Rainy Days and Mondays – Dealing with Discouragement

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Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Church Leadership Center When in juxtaposition to one another, the songs "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "Singin' in the Rain" reflect the extremes of our emotions. Karen Carpenter sings, "Hangin' around, nothing to do but frown. Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down." To feel sad, click here. Gene Kelly, in contrast, soft (soggy)-shoes while crooning, "I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain, what a glorious feeling, I'm happy again." To experience a few moments of bliss, click here. There are times when leaders must deal with their own discouragement. If they do not, the ministry will suffer. Here's how to do it according to a few strong leaders. General Colin Powell has rules for dealing with himself. Here are a few that relate to discouragement: -It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. -Get mad, then get over it. -Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. -Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. -Check small things. -Remain calm. Be kind. -Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers. -Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. (for more of Powell's thinking, see his latest book, It Worked for Me.) Dan Rockwell, in his "Leadership Freak" blog, in part says to deal with discouragement by remembering… You're never at your best when you're tired. Problems are bigger and success is smaller. Regret follows exhaustion. You end up saying, "I wish I hadn't said/done that." Refuel your tank - -Hang with positive people. -Let someone care for you. It's time for self-reflection if no one cares for you. -Do more of what you love. -Eat healthy food. -Sleep or nap. (For the entire blog, click here) Rick Warren gives some "Keys to Getting Victory Over Discouragement in Ministry." -Keep your eyes on your vision, not what things look like now. -Keep your personal relationship with God strong. When you are weary, spending time waiting upon Him is the answer to getting refreshed. -If possible, have people you can turn to and talk to... We need to be able to be real with others - especially peers in ministry - and not feel like we have to put on a front for them. Ministers need to be able to be a support system for each other. -Seek God for wisdom about why things are not going according to plan! There are times when we may have missed God or disobeyed an instruction and now the project is not going right. It may not be that the actual project is wrong, but maybe that we are not implementing it how God intended. -Numerical growth is not everything! Don't get caught up in the numbers game and feel it is all about how many people you have compared to another church down the road! Focus on God's call for you and be faithful to minister to those you have. (For the full article, click here) Church Leadership Center assists leaders and churches with leadership development through personalized training plans, contextually-relevant approaches to learning, and mentored support. Click here for more information. To view videos about Commissioned Pastors and those who support them, click here. To read previous blogs, click here. Mark your calendar: Leadership and Commissioned Pastor Retreat is planned for October 25 – 26, 2013 at Camp Geneva, Holland, MI. Guest presenter: Pastor Marlin Vis. Topic: Reading the Bible through Middle Eastern Eyes." For additional information click here. To be put on the retreat mailing list, contact Alison DeBoer, adeboer@rcagl.org Please forward this email to a lay leader or church staff member who may benefit from information about leadership development and Church Leadership Center. To contribute financially to CLC or to learn about options for leadership development in your church, reply to this email. Church Leadership Center assists leaders and churches with leadership development through personalized training plans, contextually-relevant approaches to learning, and mentored support. Click here for more information. To view videos about Commissioned Pastors and those who support them, click here. To read previous blogs, click here. Mark your calendar: Leadership and Commissioned Pastor Retreat is planned for October 25 – 26, 2013 at Camp Geneva, Holland, MI. Guest presenter: Pastor Marlin Vis. Topic: Reading the Bible through Middle Eastern Eyes. For additional information click here. To be put on the retreat mailing list, contact Alison DeBoer, adeboer@rcagl.org Please forward this email to a lay leader or church staff member who may benefit from information about leadership development and Church Leadership Center. To contribute financially to CLC or to learn about options for leadership development in your church, reply to this email.

Learning to Flop

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Church Leadership Center Instead of approaching the high jump bar straight-on or from the side, Dick Fosbury leapt backwards over the bar, landing on his shoulders and back. The 1968 Olympics were a turning point in the history of the high jump. Up until this time, jumpers would mainly use the straddle, scissors, or roll techniques to clear the bar. Everything changed when Dick Fosbury won the gold metal. Within a few years the "Flop" became the standard for high jumpers. You can see the contrast in styles by clicking here. Author Vijay Govindarajan* uses the "Flop" as an example of innovation. He says, "When you're outstanding at 'scissors' [the most typical high jump technique of the past], you are bound by dominant logic which, left unchecked, causes self-imposed boundaries. The central leadership challenge is how to preserve dominant logic while moving ahead… The 'scissors' can improve 'scissors,' but they can't make it into a 'Fosbury Flop.' You need a new model and team for innovation…" Govindarajan refers to three levels (or boxes) of organizational strategy, pointing out that "Strategy is not about celebrating the past or present but about the future. If you want to be a leader in the future, you have to adapt to change (innovation). So strategy is innovation. Put projects in 3 boxes: Box 1-- Manage the present (competition for the present is efficiency), Box 2--Selectively forget the past (competition in #2 and #3 is innovation), Box 3--Create the future."** As an example of applying these three levels of strategy to church multiplication, planning looks something like this. Box 1 planners have a model for church planting that is based on what is currently effective (e.g., multi-site or parent church models). They use what is working well and invest in improving the model. Box 2 and 3 planners intentionally eliminate significant aspects of past and present practice, even while seeing results that are meeting expectations. Box 2 and 3 planners continue with what is currently effective but also realize that the rapid rates of societal change require approaches that are not being imagined today. They implement enough change to allow for a percentage of "flops" in order to achieve a new level of "Flop." Leadership requires facing the fact that the church which many of us know is a paradigm of the past. God is doing a new thing before our very eyes. Education and training approaches that emphasize stability through the preservation and transmission of knowledge are being replaced by approaches with contextualized applications, focused outcomes, demonstrated competencies, individual and corporate transformation, and implementation of productive practices that are emerging from lay leaders and pastors in the field. Church Leadership Center assists leaders and churches with leadership development through personalized training plans, contextually-relevant approaches to learning, and mentored support. Click here for more information. To view videos about Commissioned Pastors and those who support them, click here. To read previous blogs, click here. Mark your calendar: Leadership and Commissioned Pastor Retreat is planned for October 25 – 26, 2013 at Camp Geneva, Holland, MI. Guest presenter: Pastor Marlin Vis. Topic: Reading the Bible through Middle Eastern Eyes. For additional information click here. To be put on the retreat mailing list, contact Alison DeBoer, adeboer@rcagl.org Please forward this email to a lay leader or church staff member who may benefit from information about leadership development and Church Leadership Center. To contribute financially to CLC or to learn about options for leadership development in your church, reply to this email. *Books written by Vijay Govindarajan (with Chris Trimble) include Beyond the Idea (2013), How Stella Saved the Farm (2013), Reverse Innovation (2012), The Other Side of Innovation (2011). **Quotes are excerpted from an interview at the 2013 Willow Creek Leadership Summit. Copyright © 2013 Church Leadership Center, All rights reserved. This email is being sent to persons who are on the email leadership contact list of Burt Braunius (burt@braunius.org). Because correspondence has been received from and/or sent to you in the past or because of a common organizational affiliation; your permission to make occasional email contact is appreciated. You may unsubscribe at any time. Our mailing address is: Church Leadership Center 4500 60th Street 616-616-698-7071 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Everyone Wins When A Leader . . .

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Church Leadership Center "Everyone wins when a leader gets better." - Bill Hybels   This email celebrates* (see link at page bottom) those lay leaders who are growing in their ministry competencies. In addition to the courses that they are taking, each has a mentor with whom he or she regularly meets. CLC coordinates the mentoring process, the facilitation of courses, and the development of training plans. One of our participants writes, "I'm interested in the commissioned pastor calling. I have read the competency standards and have spoken with a few people regarding this. Our youth pastor, Ted Polleys is currently in the program and I have watched him grow through it." – Theda Williams, Worship Director, Community Reformed Church, Charlevoix, MI (used with permission) Fall Course Participants Following is a list of Fall courses, participants, facilitators, locations, and dates. Course Name: Old Testament (Mondays, 10:30 am-12:30 pm at Christ Memorial Church, Holland) Beginning Date: Oct. 7, Ending Date: Dec. 2 Name of Facilitator: Mark Veldt Names of Participants: Gene McClellan, John Davidson, Troy Stansberry, Allison Vandermeer, Chris Hall, Daniel Nino, Dennis Gaither, Theda Williams Course Name: Old Testament (Tuesdays, 5:30 pm-7:30 pm at Hudsonville ReformedChurch, Hudsonville) Beginning Date: Oct. 15, Ending Date: Dec. 10 Name of Facilitator: Richard Bates Names of Participants: Rodrigo Cano, Craig Hoekstra, Ken Kleinheksel, Steve Martin Course Name: Pastoral Care (Tuesdays, 5:30 pm-7:30pm at Harbor Life Church (formerly Olivet Reformed Church) Beginning Date: Oct. 8, Ending Date: Dec. 3 Name of Facilitator: Dick Van Dop Names of Participants: Arden Eadie, Larry Lowis, Ken Kleinheksel, Steve Martin, Eric Peterson Course Name: Standards and Government (Tuesdays, 2:30 pm-4:30pm at Jim Heneveld's home in Zeeland) Beginning Date: Oct. 8, Ending Date: Dec 3 Name of Facilitator: Jim Heneveld Names of Participants: Israel Alvarado, Enrique Cuevas, Larry Lowis, Rachel Patmos, Eric Peterson, Lisa Urivez, Hugo Vasquez Church and Ministry Leadership Development Partnerships In addition to the above courses, CLC has leadership development agreements with several  ministries. These include: Beechwood Church (Holland, MI with church staff and Hispanic church planters); Christ Memorial Church (Holland, MI with members and staff); Fair Haven Ministries (Hudsonville, MI with multi-site pastoral staff); Faith Church (Dyer, IN with multi-site venue pastors); iPlant (Church Multiplication Team of RCA Illiana-Florida Classis); MissionIndia (leadership development, national and international staff), Synod of the Great Lakes (RCA); and Synod of Mid-America (RCA). Church Leadership Center is also listed as a provider of training for Commissioned Pastors in the Christian Reformed Church. How to identify leaders To expand upon the leading quote ("Everyone wins when a leader gets better."), are you wondering how to identify leaders in your church so that they can get better and everyone can win? Here's a checklist of the kind of people to look for.** They . . . __have minds that are open and interested. __know how to change their mind without becoming wishy-washy. __spend time in self-reflection. __receive correction humbly and gratefully. __submit to, align with, and model organizational values. __remain cool when things get hot. __love learning. __display optimism. __maintain focus. __have track records of personal and group achievement. __resist pressure to conform with grace rather than anger. __speak well of others. __lean into insights from others. __learn from the mistakes of others as well as their own. __care about the development others. __are growing in Christlikeness. Once you identify a few leaders, start investing in them. Consider encouraging them to get better, to grow in their ministry competencies, and to check with CLC to discuss options for their development. Church Leadership Center assists leaders and churches with leadership development. Click here for more information. To view videos about Commissioned Pastors and those who support them, click here. To read previous blogs, click here. Mark your calendar: Leadership and Commissioned Pastor Retreat is planned for October 25 – 26, 2013 at Camp Geneva, Holland, MI. Guest presenter: Pastor Marlin Vis. Topic: Reading the Bible through Middle Eastern Eyes. For additional information click here. To be put on the retreat mailing list, contact Alison DeBoer, adeboer@rcagl.org Please forward this email to a lay leader or church staff member who may benefit from information about leadership development and Church Leadership Center. To contribute financially to CLC or to learn about options for leadership development in your church, reply to this email. *For video clip of the "Dance of Joy," click the following link. http://youtu.be/GfPg5LjGYz8 **Most of the items on this list are from a "Leadership Freak" blog. Click the following link for the full content. http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/20-ways-to-spot-leaders-with-understanding/

Serotiny and Leadership

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Church Leadership Center It takes heat for them to fulfill their purpose. Only when being burned do they release seeds that begin a new cycle of life. I'm referring to the serotinous pine cone of the lodgepole pine tree. These pine cones sit stagnant for years, appearing to be dysfunctional in comparison to other pine cones. But then, when you would least expect it, during a forest fire; they burst open. It is in the heat of the fire that the cones open and seeds are released for a new cycle of tree life to begin.   We learned about serotinous pine cones during last week's trip to Yellowstone National Park, when the park guides talked about the fires of 1988. The fires affected 793,880 acres, or 36 percent of the park. Amazingly, many of these areas are now lush, green forest lands from which lodgepole pines have emerged. Because the trees were burned, the seeds of new life were released from serotinous pine cones. The leadership lesson is that new life emerges through times of fire and heat. As much as it hurts, leaders are often refined and renewed when passing through fires in life and in ministry. The challenges that hurt us most deeply often become the means by which new perspectives and directions in life begin. Fire and death can lead to new life. This is the message of Jesus: "Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24). And, it is also the message of Peter: "So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world" (1 Peter 1:7). Technically, the word serotiny means "late in blooming, developing, or opening." As the term applies to serotinous pine cones, they are delayed in opening, rather than being late. And, this apparent delay in terms of the cycle of nature is actually right-on-time according to the purpose for which the pine cone was created. Another lesson of the serotinous pine cone is for leaders to serve according to the purposes for which they have been created… even if these do not appear to be the same as the other "trees" and "cones" in the "forest." Church Leadership Center assists leaders and churches with leadership development. Click here for more information. To view videos about Commissioned Pastors and those who support them, click here. To read previous blogs, click here. Mark your calendar: Leadership and Commissioned Pastor Retreat is planned for October 25 – 26, 2013 at Camp Geneva, Holland, MI. Guest presenter: Pastor Marlin Vis. Topic: Reading the Bible through Middle Eastern Eyes. For additional information click here. To be put on the retreat mailing list, contact Alison DeBoer, adeboer@rcagl.org Please forward this email to a lay leader or church staff member who may benefit from information about leadership development and Church Leadership Center. To contribute financially to CLC or to learn about options for leadership development in your church, reply to this email. Copyright © 2013 Church Leadership Center, All rights reserved. This email is being sent to persons who are on the email leadership contact list of Burt Braunius (burt@braunius.org). Because correspondence has been received from and/or sent to you in the past or because of a common organizational affiliation; your permission to make occasional email contact is appreciated. You may unsubscribe at any time. Our mailing address is: Church Leadership Center 4500 60th Street 616-616-698-7071 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Church Leadership Center This week marks the 112th anniversary of the beginning of an interesting era in American politics. On September 14, 1901, President McKinley was assassinated, and Theodore Roosevelt, at age 42, became the youngest person to ever serve as our nation's president. "Teddy" would lead his country for the next seven and one-half years. On his way to the presidency, he had endured and accomplished many things. In 1884, he lost his wife and mother on the same day. He led the Rough Riders to victory at San Juan Hill, one of the most brutal and difficult battles of the Spanish-American War. As president, Roosevelt was known for standing tough against the big-business trusts and promoting conservation interests. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to ending the Russo-Japanese War. Many people regard him as one of our nation's great presidential leaders. For more information on President Theodore Roosevelt, click here. And Teddy was a leader! In military service and in government, he earned a reputation for leading decisively. Perhaps his most well-known quote was, "Speak softly and carry a big stick!" His view of being a leader was deeper than that, however. He also said, "People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives." President Roosevelt recognized that strength and bluster, though perhaps temporarily effective, cannot provide a sustainable foundation for the leader. The one who leads well offers, instead, his/her own character and commitment as an example to those who are watching and thereby influences them because they find the leader to be a compelling person, one who is worth following. I like to think that Teddy drew this insight on leadership from our Lord Jesus Christ, the perfect leader. The president was actually a member of the St. Nicholas Collegiate Church in New York City, a part of the same denomination known today as the Reformed Church in America. Perhaps it was there that he heard these words from Jesus to his disciples on the occasion of the Last Supper: But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. . . So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you (Luke 22:26-27; John 13:14-15). Leadership based on character and commitment demonstrated through service is how Jesus led the twelve, and it is how he would have leaders function in today's church. Church Leadership Center assists leaders and churches with leadership development. Click here for more information. To view videos about Commissioned Pastors and those who support them, click here. To read previous blogs, click here. Mark your calendar: Leadership and Commissioned Pastor Retreat is planned for October 25 – 26, 2013 at Camp Geneva, Holland, MI. Guest presenter: Pastor Marlin Vis. Topic: Reading the Bible through Middle Eastern Eyes. For additional information click here. To be put on the retreat mailing list, contact Alison DeBoer, adeboer@rcagl.org Please forward this email to a lay leader or church staff member who may benefit from information about leadership development and Church Leadership Center. To contribute financially to CLC or to learn about options for leadership development in your church, reply to this email. This guest article was written by Dr. Mark Veldt who is a Leadership Development Specialist on the staff of Church Leadership Center.