Right now I’m taking a class about building an effective ministry team. The following are some good thoughts from today’s lecture:
“A long-time seminary president was asked what he considered the greatest challenge in team-building for churches and church ministry teams. His response - most teams are ineffective because they lack a common purpose.
Too many team leaders are complacent about a foggy, uninspiring, ill-defined purpose. They wrongly assume that because the purpose is clear and important to them, it must appear that way to their team members as well.
‘Alignment is the link between the individual team member's goals and the team purpose. Individual team members agree that the task of the team is important. It is important because it lines up with their individual goals and interests. They want the team to succeed because if it succeeds, they succeed. When a team is in alignment every member is highly committed to the team purpose. They are in the same boat, heading in the same direction, pulling together.’
Pat MacMillan’s The Performance Factor: Unlocking the Secrets of Teamwork”
What is your ministry team’s purpose?
Youth group was great tonight. Two of our table groups multiplied tonight. We had to set up two more tables. It is great that we have such a great team of adults investing into the lives of the students. We are growing so it will be cool to see how God grows the team.
I'll just go ahead and apologize to the parents for the sugar rush your kid may have had tonight when you picked him/her up. We move to the beach next week so we cleaned out the snack shack cabinet. Everyone got candy bars tonight.
DEVELOPING HABITS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Part 5: Money, Tithing, God & me
The truth about money
Money is important Loving God is most important No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Luke 16:13 Money gives me power Loving money makes me powerless For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. 1 Tim. 6:10a Money gives me happiness Loving money leads to pain For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10b Money gives me security Loving money makes me insecure Don't weary yourself trying to get rich. Why waste your time? For riches can disappear as though they had the wings of a bird! Proverbs 23:4-5The world’s way says …
God’s way says…
The truth about giving
1. Giving proves that I recognize God as the rightful owner
When you have eaten your fill, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Deuteronomy 8:10
2. Giving proves that I put God First in my life
"Well, then," Jesus said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." This reply completely amazed them. Mark 12:17
and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. Matthew 6:33
3. Giving proves I trust God to provide for me
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine. Proverbs 3:9-10 (See also Malachi 3:10)
When you give…
1. Inspect your Heart (give cheerfully)
You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully. 2 Corinthians 9:7
2. Reject Recognition (give in secret)
Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you. Matthew 6:4
3. Expect God’s blessing (get beyond expectations)
If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you." Luke 6:38
One Last Thought: Giving back to God is a constant reminder that he is first in my life.
Parent/Teen discussion starter:
Have you talked with your teen about your expectations of them and their finances and when and if they will be expected to get a job? With summer fast upon us now would be a great time to come up with a plan and discuss it with your teen.
"A vision without a task is but a dream;
a task without a vision is drudgery;
a vision and a task are the hope of the world."
- seen at a 17th century church in Sussex, England
“A Vision without a task is but a dream”
There are many churches that state they have vision statement but no one does anything about it. When a church is at this stage then what is the point of a vision statement? Many have a vision but expect the paid staff to get it done, after all that’s what they are there for.
What is the vision of your church and what are you doing to accomplish it?
Many pastors sit in their studies dreaming, the look forward to the day when…
But that day won’t come if the church won’t roll up her sleeves and serve.
Some have a vision but no one to point them in the right direction. No one to lead and say, “Here is the task before us. Who will join me in accomplishing this task so we can see our vision become reality?” I don’t know about you but there are times that I’m pretty much clueless about certain tasks and it always helps to have someone show me how to accomplish the task.
“a task without a vision is drudgery;”
Some churches have lots of tasks but there is no end point. There is no picture of “this is where we are going”. This is when ministry becomes a headache rather than a joy. You might be able to relate to what I’m saying if you have ever seen a member of the Committee on Committees walking your direction and you have a sense of panic and the need to flee come over you. There are actually, this may be hard to believe, committees out there that people get enlisted to join that don’t ever accomplish a thing, and some of them meet every month. I could see where that would become drudgery. Anyone ever been in a meeting like that and ask, “Why are we here?” How churches would change if we just started asking “Why?”
What God is letting me do at NHC is so much fun to me because at NHC there is vision.
“a vision and a task are the hope of the world.”
So when the two meet. . .
“Hey, you got your ministry in my vision.”
“Hey, you got your vision in my ministry.”
At NHC our purpose statement is “Reaching people to discover life in Christ.” There is no way the incredible vision before us will happen if we don’t get involved and serve. We are the hands and feet. We have the opportunity before us to impact the lives of others. I don’t know about you but I think that is incredible. God wants to use us to reach others, to serve others, to build relationships with others and worship with others and this should be plenty of motivation to accomplish the task, to do ministry, and to do whatever it takes in our local church.
How are you involved in the hope of the world?
My new web site which now hosts my blog posts is up and fully functional. You can check it out at andylawrenson.com . There is also a ...
