Leading through the gauntlet of local church ministry I often forget some of the most motivating and important leadership truths. Change, staff issues, finances and broken lives will leave you burying forward-thinking influence. These principles must be brought back to mind intentionally and distributed liberally to the leaders serving with you.

#1 INSPIRATION
A “shared” vision is the fuel that inspires a great team. The vision cannot be shared too much or too often. You also inspire with a great marriage, giving leadership, high five encouragement and written thank yous.

#2 INVOLVEMENT
In the details of organizational change, find out what is happening on the ground floor of ministry. What would make purchases, recruiting and check-in more effective?

#3 INFLUENCE
Remind your leaders and volunteers that “something eternal is taking place” with every cup of coffee, opened door, smile and clean bathroom stall. Recall their impact each and every time they serve to build God’s church.

#4 INCLUDE
Leaders that get close to the vision will carry that vision. Include leaders as often as you can to big vision decisions.

#5 INCREDIBLE
Every staff member, leader and volunteer want to make a difference. No one wants busy work, but life changing opportunity.

God is reminding me to be a more effective leader with leaders. What would you add to the list?

This picture was the most powerful element this past Easter for my family. Creative ideas like this need to be shared and replicated at your church. May 16th we want to discuss areas just like this and find out what you are doing to make your impact greater. Roundtables are one of the most effective ways to collaborate, and you are invited to attend. We are receiving the first 20 churches to register. Bring your team leads in each of these ministries so we can benefit from their wisdom.

Details…

Location – Brand New Church NWA Campus
6644 East Mission Boulevard
Fayetteville, AR 72703
479-966-9641
Register – Email megan@brandnewchurch.com
Cost – $39 per person due May 7 (you pay HERE)
Time – 9am-3pm
Topics – Song, Series, Set Design, Spending and Staff.  What are the trending worship styles? How does a series impact the expectation of your listeners? Who should be on your creative team? How do we create with limited resources? What are the spending percentages in a healthy church? How do I hire staff with little or no salary cap space?

We will learn more from each other than you will from us. So network and increase your networth. See you the 16th of May.

St Patrick was a defender of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He desired to abolish “religion” and communicate the truth of a real relationship with The Messiah Jesus. In Britain he was stolen by raiders from his family at the age of 16 and carried to Ireland as a slave. His message to the church declaring them worshipers of “idols and unclean rituals” was unpopular and he became threatened with martyrdom. Patrick was called “the first bishop to Irish Christians” and his legacy lives on. So where did Leprechauns’, Irish beer, three and four leaf clover, green, pinching and luck come from? Every truth always has a “anti.” Here are a few of the traditions explained…

#1 Shamrock…
St Patrick used the Three Leaf Clover to illustrate the story of the Godhead. He would show the one stem, and the three leaves as a demonstration for the Trinity.

#2 Green…
Ireland carries a mental image of rolling green hills and green in most of it’s national symbols.

#3 Leprechauns…
St Patrick has the reputation for praying all snakes out of Ireland. Somehow it turned into evil little midgets.

#4 Why March 17th…
That is the day the St Patrick died and Irish Christians celebrated with a feast yearly.

#5 Why do we toast a big beer…
Someone just made that up!

#6 St Patrick real name was…
Maewyn Succat – and he was from Wales not Ireland.

#7 Pinching…
This is an American tradition stating that if you wear green you would be invisible to Leprechauns.

We do not desire to have an average service or worship experience at Brand New Church, but there are times when we just get in “norm” mode. This February BNC emphasized four weekend game changers, and they have proven to add value. Give it a try in your setting and see what happens.

#1 Energy
We have added intentional lobby and restroom audio to go with the series. “The House of Love” series we created a “love” playlist that was a showstopper. We also added an extra line of greeters and more audio in our parking lots. Energy vacuums create an uncomfortable moment for guests – so let’s keep the energy up in every area of our facility.

#2 Expectation
We challenged our staff and key volunteers to bring ideas that they would implement for the weekend. It is amazing the accountability and readiness this brings. Create new expectations for your attendees as well…new check in, more kiosk info, series T-Shirt or sticker designs, new offering envelopes, etc.

#3 Excitement
One element of excitement is in the ladies restroom. Our staff ladies and volunteers have been applying lotions to hands. It is the talk of the church. This simple act of creativity is a game changer. We also had Starbucks Blonde Sunday (exciting for us rural folks), grinding all flavors; then offered them to those desiring a hot beverage. Placed it all with the Starbucks logo and on a great looking table. We had balloons, gave candy and gift cards to the first 50 people, along with series note sheets and more.

#4 Excellence
Walk through your facility and see what is not excellent. Styrofoam cups, printed paper signs, hand written signs, pens that are mis-matching, kids areas with dirty old toys, cords laying all over the stage, stains in the carpet, stains on the ceiling, cheap toilet paper… These are just a few that we had to change in our facilities that cost almost nothing. God requires and responds to excellence.

Throw some more ideas and E’s at our readers so we can grow together! Thank you for participating with us on this blog.

Nothing is more important to growth and church success than the right leader. In our environment we have paid staff, part-time paid staff, and full-time covenant staff. God is teaching me through good hires and incorrect hires. Here are three things I am doing right now and using for God-given discernment…

#1 Watch their spouse during interview.
The way a spouse looks at their mate is a great indicator. Their eyes, attentiveness, and how they speak of them. If they are interruptive, slightly disengaged, or negative I am running.

#2 Their Facebook page.
Right after the first phone call I am running to their Status updates.

#3 Honor
Their communication about previous or current employers is always a tell tell sign. Honor is what I am looking for as they speak about past job experiences.

#4 Questions
If they are question askers they are scoring big. There are Lenders and Leaders…”Lenders are always saying “Lend me your ear so I can talk about me”, Leaders are always asking questions.

Just a few thoughts…let me know what you have discerned about hiring team members?

Transforming Church in Rural America has been a tool to assist church leaders that are rural or operate in a large city with a rural mindset. Chapter 6 deals with my favorite topic of leadership in the home. Chapter 1 and 2 deal with calling and the last chapter concludes with how to stay on task when everything is nipping at your visionometer.

Today, I am giving away a new and improved e-version of the book. Be one of the first 10 to comment below and we will get you the codes for a FREE upload immediately. New Leaf has created a wonderful e-reading experience and I am so thankful for their investment in this project.

Let me know if we can serve your church as you read through this testimony. Leadership for boards/committees, revivals, or how to become a Brand New Church campus.

COMMENT QUICK

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
You can choose the maternity ward, children’s ward, or psych ward. God wants us to choose our wards to live in day by day. God is ready to reward your life of obedience and seeking. We must dismiss negative thinking, unbelief, layers of flesh, and put on God’s mind for our future.

What to WARD OFF…
-Awkward
Live in God confidence!
Jn 1:16 “ From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another”
-Backward
Phil 3:12 “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
-Coward
Prov 29:24 “Befriend an outlaw and become an enemy to yourself. When the victims cry out, you’ll be included in their curses if you’re a coward to their cause in court.”
-Downward
-Inward
Matt 28:19 “GO”
-Warden (Legalism)
Let go of tradition and move in freedom!
Etymology teaches us “tradition” means betrayal of a friend or TREASON
WARD ON….
-Forward
-Onward
-Upward
-Outward
-Reward
-Steward
Stewardship is our obedient witness to God’s sovereignty. He owns we manage!
Not money, but gifts, talents…recognize they are His!
-Toward
-Wardrobe
Lk 24:49 “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
-Award

Make the trade and Put on the right and Put off the wrong.

Here are the remaining 10…

#11 Marketing Mayhem –
T’s, Stickers, Mugs, Wrist Bracelets, Facebook, etc…Marketing works!
You have the best product on earth, now go tell others about Him.
Silence is agreement with the world’s view, so speak out!
#12 Decide
Don’t sit on the fence…Do something!
#13 Details
Are the Deal Maker. If you are not a detail guy, get around one.
#14 No Collaboration
Equals no Integration. Dream with a Team.
#15 Work Around
Means more Work Abounds…if you are working around someone, release them.
#16 Curiosity
What’s new, changing, innovative…THEN COURAGE TO IMPLEMENT. “What if we…”
#17 Innovation…
More than successful ideas, but DISRUPTIVE VALUE!
#18 Prowess
Skill and Bravery…be skilled in your area of leadership. Read, write, and network.
#19 Tweak
Facebook adds a feature or update that adds Value every time and often. Tweak to a new Peak!
#20 Ideas
The powerful change agent to reach the LAST LOST LEAST. Nothing more powerful than an idea.

Instead getting all passengers to port safely, the captain charted a course to horn blow for a retired captain and drifted to close to danger. We have all been in a season of drifting…engines in neutral, directionless, and drifting away from our goals. I took time to write down 20 ways to prevent drift in my life and ministry.

Here are the first 10…Part 2 tomorrow:

Leadership Lessons that Prevent Mission Drift
#1 Over Communicate
You cannot say it enough.
#2 Listen with Empathy (Hear the Vision ring out)
Complaints are often ones understanding of the vision, don’t fear them.
#3 Tell the Story
Share your story at every opener, meeting, offering, and in every message!
#4 Refuse to let others to Define you
So easy to have a conference, build a building, or start a multi site ministry because of someone else.
#5 Use Authentic Experiences
No one wants to hear the same story, share fresh, this month stories.
#6 Inspire
Inspiration is the lighthouse of hope for many.
#7 Don’t promote a Product you don’t Use! (Prayer, Daily Reading, Tithe…)
Enough said!
#8 Value and Stick to it!
Recognize that value in the scripture is what you and I must place value on.
#9 Open don’t just Operate
Vision opens, Viability Operates…Vision is rarely Viable!
#10 Persuasion
This is an art that keeps you from selling the vision short. You toughest critic must feel the direction in your persuasion. If you are not persuaded, you will not persuade others.

Next tomorrow…

To experience all that God has for you in a 21 day Fast you need to do two things (Daniel 10)…
#1 ASK GOD Don’t just resist from food, ask God for big stuff. Daniel asked, and God answered. Ask for your kids, family, finances, health, church, the impoverished, and the lost. Approach each day with a goal you want to see God accomplish during this 21 day fast.
#2 OPEN YOUR EARS Listen and watch God answer. Don’t ask to receive with a thimble, but with a dump truck! Can you hear that…it’s the windows of heaven opening.

Now that you are resisting flesh here are some recipes to help with menu creativity:

O’Dell’s Favorite Fasting Fast Snacks
#1 Natural Peanut Butter and Banana
#2 Fruit Kabobs
#3 Peanuts, Almonds, and Popcorn
#4 Yonanas makes ice cream out of frozen fruit… @yonanas
#5 Looking at pictures of cupcakes!

Garden Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white part only (from approximately 3 medium leeks)
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic Salt
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds (approximately 2 medium)
2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 quarts vegetable broth
4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
2 ears corn, kernels removed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 – 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preparation:
1. Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot,
add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften,
approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the carrots, potatoes, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more
minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer.
4. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low,
cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with kosher
salt. Serve immediately.

Southwest Corn and Black Bean Salad
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup minced red onion
Preparation:
1. Place pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until
fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
2. Whisk lime juice, oil, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the corn, pine nuts,
beans, cabbage, tomato and onion; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste just before serving.

More recipes on our Facebook Next Thirty Days Page (Don’t forget to click “Everyone Most Recent” to see all of the page)