Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category

Posted on March 2, 2010 - by rfrank

James MacDonald and the compelling church

I have always appreciated the preaching ministry of James MacDonald. Maybe you have heard his radio program, Walk in the Word, or you have visited one of his churches in the Chicago area. James is up there on my list and is on my Mount Rushmore of Preachers.

James has a great blog for pastors and ministry people. I want to share his latest blog post. It answers this question: Is Your Church Compelling?

There is a deafening, non-stop discussion in evangelicalism about what the church needs to be (many of the most vocal are those who pastor no one and win very few to our Lord). On and on they pontificate about how church needs to be personally relevant and interesting and meet felt needs. About how it needs to be entertaining for people without making them uncomfortable. About how it needs to be cool and compassionate and connected and cultural and . . . Here’s a “C” word for you, CHURCH NEEDS TO BE COMPELLING.

I believe with all my heart, that much of what the church has become in our day is measly, milk-toast, and malnourished. It’s about as compelling as a ‘walk in the mall.’ I believe the New Testament church needs to be compelling. By that I mean, window-rattling, life-altering, Almighty God unveiling, COMPELLING! (I was yelling when I thought/wrote that).

Here are five things that make church compelling:

1) “Thus Saith the Lord,” Preaching
The most common observation about Jesus’ teaching was “he teaches as one who has authority.” Yet even Jesus used the Word of God for his teaching. “Did not our hearts burn within us as he walked with us on the road and taught us from the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). A preacher who has been gripped by the Word of God and who is overflowing with Holy Spirit conviction will make a more compelling impact and draw a bigger crowd that all the cheesy substitutes currently popular. Nothing is more compelling than people coming to church and hearing from God through the word preached. Everything else is just pathetic by comparison. “And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4).

To read the rest of the post click here to go to Pastor James’ blog. It will be worth your time for sure.

Posted on February 16, 2010 - by rfrank

Leadership in two words

How do you define leadership? Google it and you’ll find somewhere near a bazillion definitions. How would you define leadership in just two words? I am anxious to hear what you have say.

And while we are talking about leadership, watch this video. It’s been around for a while but it’s one of my favorites. You’ll see some leaders here – even some unexpected ones.

Once you’ve watched the video, define leadership for me in two words. Let’s see what kind of list we get.

Posted on February 1, 2010 - by rfrank

American Idol and Children’s Ministry

Season 9 of American Idol is underway. Thousands of people are lining the streets of cities like Dallas and Chicago for their once-in-a-lifetime shot at an American Idol audition. This show has taken off like mad and has thousands of would-be stars giving it their all for that lucky golden ticket and a shot at fame. They range from awesome to awful and from fabulous to foul.

Over the next few days, I’m going to share some leadership tips that we can all learn from watching American Idol.

Idol Lesson #1: Everyone wants to be a somebody. A high-point in the season for many viewers are the first few shows of each season when thousands of high-hoped contestants are shocked to discover they don’t have what it takes to be the next star. They line up a mile long and a mile deep to get their chance to be the next American Idol only to be told they don’t have what it takes.

Everyone wants to be a somebody. This is a basic need that everyone has. Ready for the good news? Everyone can be someone in Christ! What a prime opportunity we have to share this with people when they are little – in children’s ministry! Do your kids know that they are special? Not because of what they do, but because of who they are in Christ?

Idol Lesson #2: Everyone wants face time with the leader. Tens of thousands line up hoping to show their goods. What a lot of TV viewers don’t realize is that less than 100 are actually permitted to stand in front of Simon, Randy, Kara and the guest judge. Those 100, as well as their other thousand-plus competitors, actually begin their audition process over a week prior, auditioning before several other layers of judges. They each want face to face time with the judges – the Supreme Court of reality TV.

Your volunteers, your kids, your parents, your staff share this in common: they want face to face time with you. Are you giving it to them? Unfortunately, you don’t have the option of picking and choosing on this one. After all, pastoral work is about people. Giving your people face to face time is vital to your ministry. When is the last time you stepped into every classroom at the church to spend a few minutes talking to your leaders? Have you been getting on your knees to talk to the kids that call you their pastor?

There you go – the first two lessons from American Idol that I’ve been thinking on. I’ll post the next two in a few days. Oh, in case you are wondering, I won’t be making any connections between children’s ministry and Pants on the Ground. Don’t even ask.

Posted on January 20, 2010 - by rfrank

6 models of family ministry – part 6

Model 6: Experience It Together Model

Philosophy:
1. The emphasis is on learning and growing together.
2. It is characterized by family fun nights, movie nights, family camps, family services, etc.

Pros:
1. If use properly, these can really help families connect.
2. Works best with parents of children, not teens.

Cons:
1. Taken to an extreme, there would be no age-level programming.
2. Kids are establishing independence and don’t always want mom and dad around.
3. It often requires extra time outside of the regular service times.

Posted on January 18, 2010 - by rfrank

6 models of family ministry – part 5

Model 5: Each Department For Itself Model

Philosophy:
1. Each department adds family ministry components into already-planned programming.
2. Each ministry determines how to approach outreach and training for families, as long as a basic goal of family ministry is acknowledged.
3. Each age-group department, and possibly other departments as well, plans activities and programs for families independent of each other.
4. You just challenge departments to think family and everyone gets in their corner and starts offering programming for parents and families.

Pros:
1. The departmental approach is where most churches land.
2. It is usually the cheapest.
3. Because so many people are involved, it breed creativity.

Cons:
1. Creates silos – where each ministry does what it does without regard to a step-by-step process toward an end objective.
2. Calendars quickly get clogged with multiple programs for the family and members of the family will be pulled in numerous directions by different departments.
3. Dollars disappear into divergent programs that divide the family instead of bringing it together.
4. Programming is usually characterized as being random and haphazard instead of strategic and intentional.

Posted on January 16, 2010 - by rfrank

6 models of family ministry – part 4

Model 4: Let’s Create A Position Model

Philosophy:
1. A new staff position (usually called a “family minister”) is added.
2. This family minister works independently of other ministries.
3. The family minister does programming for families and parents, while the student ministry focuses on students and the children’s ministry focuses on children.

Pros:
1. It is the easiest if you have margin to plan programs for the family or if the church has money to throw into a staff position.
2. It’s what most churches are doing in an attempt to start doing family ministry.

Cons:
1. The overriding disadvantage is that these programs can create competing systems and your children and student staff will continue to function independently.
2. Those who have the direct connection with children never really take ownership of a strategy for their parents.
3. Kind of connected but not integral to planning and strategy.

Posted on January 14, 2010 - by rfrank

6 models of family ministry – part 3

Model 3: You Do It Model

Philosophy:
1. Parents hold the church responsible for discipling their children.
2. The church is accountable for the results.
3. The church is gifted with pastors and leaders to help parents raise good kids.

Pros:
1. Very traditional and accepted in the church.
2. A children’s pastor and youth pastor view the kids as their sheep.
3. Age-level needs are met through Sunday School, children’s church, midweek programs, etc.

Cons:
1. Families are at church together but are always in different rooms.
2. Parents feel off the hook.
3. When parenting gets though, mom and dad often direct their worries at the church.

Posted on January 12, 2010 - by rfrank

6 models of family ministry – part 2

Model 2: Teach Us Model

Philosophy:
1. Parents need to be educated on raising their children. They want to be taught and helped.
2. Since the task is so big, parents need support and encouragement.
3. Mentors who have “been there and done that” play an important role.

Pros:
1. Parents get the answers they are looking for.
2. Parents see the need to be proactive in their parenting.
3. Parents get the support they need.

Cons:
1. It’s easy to get “educated beyond our obedience” (James 1:22)
2. This can minister to the head but not the heart.
3. You lose many parents in the process.

What do you think about this model?

Posted on January 10, 2010 - by rfrank

6 models of family ministry – part 1

In the next two weeks, I will be sharing with you six models I have discovered that churches use when doing family ministry. Which one is best? Which is right for your church? I’ll let you decide.

Model 1: “We Can Do It” Model

The philosophy:
1. Parents are the called to educate their children (Deuteronomy 6). In this model, parents own it,  take the lead, and say “we can do it.”
2. Most activities center around the home.
3. The emphasis of the church is on building strong families rather than building a large church with lots of programs.

Pros:
1. This model is based on the needs of the children, not the desires of the church.
2. Parents take the lead in pastoring their own children.
3. This is very age-specific and inter-generational.

Cons:
1. This doesn’t interest every parent.
2. The family can be over-emphasized and the church becomes unimportant.
3. How are kids from un-Christian homes reached?

What do you think about this model?

Posted on November 25, 2009 - by rfrank

More books that our K! editors are reading

Monday night we had a K! Magazine editors meeting. I love these meetings! There were eleven of us on the phone from all over the country talking children’s ministry.

After our last meeting I shared with you some of the books mentioned that our editors are reading. I heard from a lot of you that you really appreciated the book recommendations. So, here we go again!

Jim Wideman talked about his own book (a great read!): Children’s Ministry Volunteers That Stick

Sam Luce mentioned a book that I want to buy for myself: The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer

Judy Comstock mentioned this one: Simply Strategic Volunteers

I recommended that everyone read this book: Mad Church Disease: Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic

Time to go shopping!