Top 50 Quotes From the #GLS18

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August 10, 2018

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

The 2018 Global Leadership Summit carried on the spirit and tradition of past Summits. Experts in the church and business world shared their best thoughts on leadership and we are all better for their wisdom. Although the Summit is over, their words and ideas will continue to ruminate in our minds in the days and months ahead. The following are just 50 of our favorite quotes from #GLS18. It was hard to narrow the list down to 50!

Craig Groeschel

“We can make excuses or we can make a difference, but we cannot do both.”

“Some leaders make you feel they are important. The best leaders make you feel important.”

“If you don’t trust your team, you’re either too controlling or you have the wrong people. Either way, the problem is yours to solve.”

“People would rather follow a leader who is real than one who is always right.”

“Most leaders could learn from their mistakes if they weren’t so busy denying them.”

Read more about Craig Groeschel’s speech.

Angela Ahrendts

“It’s our job as leaders to keep pace with everything changing around us.”

“Trust: With it, you can do anything; without it, you can do nothing.”

“If anything, I would love to rebrand religion.”

Juliet Funt

“The future of work will be simpler. It has to be.”

“Legacy is a story about you that is yet to be written, but for which you hold the pen.”

Read more about Juliet Funt’s speech.

Simon Sinek: Leaders, You Are Playing an Infinite Game

By

Bob Ditmer

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August 10, 2018

Are you playing a game you can’t win? Author Simon Sinek told #GLS18 that’s what many of them are doing with their leadership styles.

Drawing from James Carse’s book Finite and Infinite Games, Sinek said, in business, “there’s no such thing as winning. There’s only ahead and behind.”

Carse wrote that finite games have known players, agreed upon rules and they end. Infinite games have some known and some unknown players, rules govern the game but the game continues forever. Finite games focus on the final score. Infinite games are dictated by deep philosophical questions.

“Finite players can never win an infinite game,” Sinek warned. “When organizations operate to beat a competitor, they are playing a game they cannot win.”

That’s because the goal of any organization, whether it’s a business or a ministry, should be in providing a service or meeting a need. Those are philosophical, not bottom-line concerns.

He told GLS18 attendees there are five things they need to win an infinite game.

1) A just cause

Those who work for organizations with a just cause are willing to sacrifice to further the cause. They’ll work late, shun better offers and forego family time to further the mission.

The just cause of a church or ministry is easy to define, but for other types of organizations Sinek offered some characteristics of a just cause.

Resilient (can overcome changes in technology, society)
Inclusive (everyone contributes to the vision)
Service oriented (the primary benefit has to go to someone other than the contributor)

2) Trusting teams

The team members believe they can work at their natural best. They can ask for help or admit a mistake without fear of reprisal. In fact, such admissions in an organization with trusting teams will bring “leaders running to their aid,” Sinek said.

Sinek pointed out the opposite is true of organizations that lack trust. The team member won’t admit mistakes and will hoard information out of fear and self preservation.

They are preoccupied with self, not the company.

3) Worthy rival

Erwin McManus: You Need to Tell Death and Fear to Get Behind You

By

Megan Briggs

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August 10, 2018

While other talks at the 2018 Global Leadership Summit will go on the record for the most practical, the most poignant or the most leadership-y, Erwin McManus’ speech during Session Six has got to be the best sermon of the gathering. Like so many good sermons, McManus mixed personal story, passion, Scripture (and volume!) to deliver his main point: Too many of us live in constant fear of death, thus robbing ourselves of the ability to really live up to our potential.

“We’re all afraid that there is greatness inside us that will never be accessed,” McManus said as he began his stirring speech. In other words, we are all struggling to pull out of the “momentum of mediocrity” that drives us to fit in and avoid things we fear like pain or death.

McManus referred to a somewhat obscure story in 2 Kings about King Jehoash. We don’t get much detail about this king, but we read a story where he went to the prophet Elisha during a time of distress and war in Israel. Seeing victory over the enemy, Elisha instructed Jehoash to strike the ground with an arrow. After striking the ground three times, Jehoash is reprimanded by Elisha: “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.”

What is probably keeping this story out of the sermon topics of many a pastor is its ambiguous meaning. Why didn’t Elisha tell Jehoash from the beginning to strike the ground more? What does this story even mean? McManus relates it to the problem of mediocrity we face in our lives. We all know, especially Christians, that we need to strive to achieve great things and live up to the potential that God has built into us. But we allow some things to just be good enough. We, like Jehoash, strike until it is “enough.” Nothing more. We don’t want to rock the boat.

The Fear of Death

All of us, McManus argues, will live with a fear of death until we confront it. Several years ago McManus was diagnosed with cancer. As he was wrapping his mind around the diagnosis and what it would mean for the future, he realized that many people live as if they are saving their best for the next life. Why do we do this, McManus wonders, if all we have is this life?

He decided that living as if you are dying is not a bad way to live. It causes you to take risks you normally wouldn’t because you don’t know if you’ll have the chance to take those risks again.

Recalling another life lesson from early in his ministry, McManus said he had decided he wanted to minister in the roughest neighborhoods of Los Angeles and drove into one of them one day. He remembers sitting in his car, paralyzed by fear and unable to get out of the car. Recalling the verse “to live is Christ and to die is gain,” he compelled himself to get out of the car.

“I know too many people who say they have faith but are absolutely paralyzed by fear,” McManus laments.

The Fear of Pain

After having surgery to remove cancer in his body, McManus recalls waking up in the hospital after the six-hour procedure around midnight. He had holes in his stomach and was hooked up to a catheter. Still, he wanted to get up and walk around. He woke his wife up and told her his intentions. She urged him not to, and called the nurse who also urged him not to get up.

When he refused both of their suggestions, the nurse told him to at least take some pain medication before he tried it. Again, McManus refused. He was insistent that if he could work through this present pain, which would likely be the worst pain he would experience on his road to recovery, then he would be able to work through all of it.

The point? We can’t allow pain (more importantly—the fear of pain) to keep us from walking. “If Jesus communicates anything to us, it’s that pain is not the end of the story,” McManus reasons. Jesus endured the cross for us, not so that we could escape pain, but to show us how to get through the pain. He modeled what we are to do.

“Your freedom is on the other side of your fears,” McManus says, and “your greatness is on the other side of your pain.” For this reason, McManus argues we must confront our fears and lean into our pain to push through to freedom and greatness.

On the other side of these barriers, we will be living the lives God intended for us. The lives not defined by mediocrity, but defined by the things God built into us when he created us.

Trump Hits Turkey’s Economy in Fight for Pastor Brunson

By

Bob Ditmer

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August 10, 2018

It appears the Trump administration is punishing Turkey for its failure to release American pastor Andrew Brunson.

On Friday, Trump said he is doubling steel and aluminum tariffs “with respect to Turkey.” The announcement caused further damage to Turkish currency, which already had hit a record low Friday. Trump said tariffs on Turkish aluminum imports will increase to 20 percent, and steel tariffs will rise to 50 percent.

The tariff increase comes on the heels of meetings between the White House and Turkey over Brunson who has been held by Turkey for more than two years on espionage and terrorism related charges.

The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being. He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2018

Negotiations Fail to Gain Release of Andrew Brunson

High level meetings in Washington between senior U.S. and Turkish officials on Wednesday ended without an apparent resolution to the case.

Turkey raised concerns about a state-run lender, Halkbank, that’s under investigation for its role in a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran and faces the prospect of a large fine by the U.S. Treasury, according to the official, who spoke Wednesday with Bloomberg on condition of anonymity.

Turkey was seeking to stanch an economic meltdown amid fallout from U.S. sanctions. U.S. officials said they wouldn’t discuss relief for Halkbank, or one of its bankers currently in jail, until Brunson was freed, the official said.

After the failed summit, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, “the conversations continue.” She did not elaborate.

Brunson is currently under house arrest after being held in a Turkish prison since his arrest.

The increased sanctions by the White House should have been anticipated by Turkey. Last week Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that “the clock had run out,” as he urged Turkey to free Brunson.

“The Turks were well on notice that the clock had run out and that it was time for Pastor Brunson to be returned. I hope they’ll see this for what it is: a demonstration that we’re very serious,” Mr. Pompeo told reporters before the meeting, during the short flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.

What You Need to Know to Work in Diverse Groups

By

Bob Ditmer

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August 10, 2018

Finding ways to lead diverse groups of people is no longer the exception, it’s the rule. And it isn’t easy.

Whether your audience comes from different parts of the world or were born in different decades, finding effective ways to work together and communicate is a challenge.

David Livermore, executive director of the Global Learning Center at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, told GLS18 that a leader’s success in this area often comes down to his or her cultural intelligence (CQ).

He identified four characteristics that define a culturally intelligent person:

1) High CQ drive.

Also known as curiosity. Livermore said when confronted with something different, a person with a high CQ drive wonders why.

She will try to see the difference through someone else’s eyes and determine how to explain the situation from another point of view.

2) High CQ knowledge.

Livermore describes this as a “decent understanding of the leadership styles, communication and values of diverse groups.”

He referred to a study done by Mark Powell to understand how different cultures interpret Scripture.

Powell used the story of the prodigal son.

He asked pastors from different parts of the world “why did the prodigal son end up in a pig pen?”

A Russian said it was because of famine. A Tanzanian said it was because no one gave him anything to eat. A pastor from the United States said the prodigal son squandered the wealth he was given.

To get the true answer, Powell looked at what Jesus said about the story from Luke 15.

In verse 13 Jesus said the prodigal son squandered his wealth. In verse 14 Jesus blamed a famine in the land and in verse 16 Christ noted that no gave the prodigal son anything to eat.

All three views were correct, but all three were also incomplete.

“Having a diverse group of leaders,” Livermore told GLS18, “will give you a fuller understanding from different perspectives.”

David Livermore Tells GLS18 Where Leaders Most Often Fail

3) CQ strategy.

This is the ability to take what you understand about cultural differences and channeling that knowledge in a direction.

Livermore called this “the area where we most often fail.”

He warned that by focusing only on the differences between groups, you make the situation worse. “You put people in boxes.”

Livermore suggests sketching a brief plan when determining tasks with an unfamiliar culture or age group.

4) High CQ action.

The final characteristic of a culturally intelligent person is the action taken when working in diverse groups.

Livermore recommends three questions to keep from trying too hard to adapt.

Is it a tight or loose culture?
Will adapting compromise the organization or me?
Will retaining the difference make us stronger?

Fully adapting can be patronizing. Not adapting at all can be insulting. A leader with a high cultural intelligence knows how to navigate the middle ground.

Diversity is a reality in today’s business and ministry world. Many will claim that’s good because diversity leads to innovation.

“No it doesn’t,” Livermore surprisingly contends.

He said studies show that homogeneous teams were more innovative, with one exception, when diverse teams have high CQ values.

Otherwise, Livermore warned, your project is destined to be stalled in gridlock.

Livermore delivered this message at the 2018 Global Leadership Summit.

Spiritual Inspiration From Great Pastors and Theologians

By

Daniel Henderson

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August 9, 2018

In my new book, Transforming Presence: How the Holy Spirit Changes Everything From the Inside Out, I have included more than 250 footnotes. I wanted this book to be clear, well-researched, and in line with some of the historic and contemporary voices of the Christian faith. Below are just a few of the many insights I discovered from some of the great pastors and theologians of today and yesteryear. I trust these will be an inspiration to you today.

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“The Holy Spirit is God’s agent on earth, yet He is the least understood member of the Trinity.”[1] Jim Cymbala

“If we review the history of the church, we notice how many important truths, clearly revealed in Scripture, have been allowed to lie dormant for centuries, unknown and unappreciated except by a few isolated Christians until it pleases God to enlighten the Church by chosen witnesses, and to bestow on His children the knowledge of hidden and forgotten treasures. For how long a period, even after the Reformation, were the doctrines of the Holy Ghost, His work in conversion, and His indwelling in the believer, almost unknown!”[2] Adolph Saphir – A Jewish Presbyterian Missionary (1831 –1891)

“There have always been people in the Christian church who were very sure about the Holy Spirit. It was simple. He was the divine backer of their particular emphasis in theology and practice.”[3] Michael Green

“When it comes to the Holy Spirit, churches are either cemeteries or insane asylums.” Jim Cymbala

“If some churches marginalize the Spirit in favor of the institution and its forms, others react simply by making the opposite choice. However, there are myriad ways of domesticating the Spirit besides assimilating His sovereign work to formalism. If some render the Spirit an ecclesiastical employee, others presume to make the Spirit a mascot for a movement or a prisoner of their own private experience.“^[4] Michael Horton

“Without the Spirit of God we can do nothing; we are as ships without wind, or chariots without steeds; like branches without sap, we are withered; like coals without fire, we are useless; as an offering without the sacrificial flame, we are unaccepted.”[5] Charles Spurgeon

“The biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit suffers today from three extremes: abuse, neglect and distortion.”[6] Robert Lightner

“Are you willing to pursue truth in your journey to know and be known by the Holy Spirit? Do you have enough humility to be open to the possibility that you have been wrong in your understanding of the Spirit? It’s easy to get into ‘defensive mode’ where you quickly disagree and turn to proof texts and learn arguments to defend what you’ve always believed. Rather than guarding your perspective, consider taking a fresh look at familiar passages to make sure you haven’t missed something. You may end up with the same theology you’ve always had, but maybe you won’t. Don’t let your view be determined by a particular denomination or by what you’ve always been told. Within the context of relationship with other believers, seek out what God has said about His Spirit. Open your mind and your life to the leading of the Spirit, regardless of what others may think or assume about you.”[7] Francis Chan

5 Stages of Recovery When Toxic People Leave the Church

By

Thom Rainer

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August 9, 2018

I have been working with church leaders for three decades on the issue of toxicity in the church. Toxic church members grieve the Holy Spirit with “bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander” (Ephesians 4:30-31). They are gossipers, naysayers, bullies and generally negative people. You can count on them to gossip, spread rumors and disrupt the unity of the church.

They are the opposite of what God commanded of church members: “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ” (Ephesians 4:32).

Pastors and other church leaders are often hesitant to deal with toxicity in the church. I get it. It’s just more conflict, confrontation and possible loss of members.

But here is the hard reality: The congregation will not move forward with toxic church members.

I will save the discussion for later on how to deal with toxicity in the church. For now, let’s look at what happens in a church when toxic members leave. Essentially, for the church, it becomes short and mid-term pain for longer-term gain.

Stage One: Exodus. The church will definitely lose members. After all, it has already lost the toxic members. And it is more common than not for the toxic members to have a following of other members. They will likely leave too. Some of the followers are toxic themselves; others simply have not heard the full story.
Stage Two: Questioning. The majority of church members typically are unaware of the conflict and strife caused by toxic members. So, when there is a point of confrontation and exodus of members, the quiet majority doesn’t fully comprehend what is taking place. Some are dealing with shock and grief; others simply have questions.
Stage Three: Lull. During this stage, the congregation continues to deal with the shock of the conflict and departure. The members begin to feel a new reality in the church, and it will take them a while to adjust to it. I sometimes call this stage “adjustment apathy.” The good news is this stage is most often short-term.
Stage Four: Healing. The toxicity is gone. Relationships begin to heal. Trust grows. Church leaders and members now have greater emotional resources to focus on others and to focus on their community.
Stage Five: Recovery. The good news about this stage is that the period of recovery is usually a time of great opportunity for the church. I worked with a pastor in a church where the attendance dropped from (in round numbers) 400 to 300 as the church moved into stage one. But, by the time the congregation reached stage five, attendance was over 500. While numbers are not the ultimate measure for church health, they were indicative of a greater focus on the Great Commission and the community the church served.

Toxic church members were present in first-century churches. They are still present in 21st century churches. They are painful realities for pastors and other church leaders. Such is the bad news.

But the good news is what takes place when toxicity leaves the church. After a painful initial reaction, congregations often rebound and are healthier than they have been for a long time.

This article originally appeared here.

Tim Keller Answers: Why Is Sex Outside of Marriage So Destructive?

By

Megan Briggs

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August 9, 2018

Why is sex outside of marriage so destructive? Tim Keller offers compelling insights.

Few people would doubt that our sexual desires can be extremely powerful. Added to that desire is a surrounding culture that caters to our sexual desires on practically every front. The Christian ethic of abstaining from sex until marriage is one of its most unique and yet difficult ways to live. How can something so natural and powerful be so wrong outside of marriage? Pastor Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian offers this short insight in the following video.

Sex outside of marriage, according to Keller, is a way of receiving fulfillment and pleasure but not actually a giving of oneself. Sex is addictive and like all addictions, the more that you do it the less payoff there will be. Sex then becomes less powerful and therefore less pleasurable. However, sex within marriage becomes sweeter and more powerful because it is more about giving than receiving in this context. Even as married couples get older (and may not look as good as they did when they were younger), sex is still powerful because it hasn’t been devalued within the marriage. Sex within the marriage is a powerful statement of exclusive commitment and faithfulness to the other person.

Simple Ways to Serve Your Local Community

By

Lindsey Whitney

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August 9, 2018

The goal of many parents is to teach their children to be empathetic, compassionate and productive members of society. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is by getting kids involved in their community. Not only will it help them learn more about the world that surrounds them, but it will also foster important skills that will last a lifetime.

There are plenty of ways that kids can serve their community that will not only benefit others, but will benefit them, too!

A great way for kids (and their parents) to serve the community is by volunteering. Of course, it helps others, but it also provides a wealth of other benefits.

Volunteering can strengthen the family bond and encourage the development of communication and interpersonal skills. Plus, it just makes you feel good. When you give to others, you feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. Children feel a sense of purpose and happiness as they connect with others in a meaningful way.

Whether it’s at a local food pantry, a nursing home or offering to help neighbors that are in need, there’s so much that children can gain when they volunteer.

Clean Up a Local Park
Kids love spending time at the park, but their enjoyment can be marred when they see that it’s littered with garbage and graffiti.

Instead of finding another park to go to, encourage children to help clean up the space. Doing so will not only benefit them, but it will also benefit other neighborhood children. Bring along trash bags, gloves and any other equipment that would come in useful. Ask friends to chip in and lend a hand.

Your children will love knowing that they played a part in beautifying a space that they—and their entire community—enjoy using.

Encourage Water Conservation
Conserving water is another excellent way to encourage kids to help their community on a much larger scale. Their local community will benefit from their efforts, and so will the planet.

Teaching your kids to conserve water starts at home. Encourage them to reduce their water consumption in the following ways:

Turn off the water while brushing their teeth
Take shorter showers (set timers, if it helps)
Make sure faucets are tight when turned off

Use “recycled water” to water the grass and gardens—use any water left in water bottles, water that was used to boil pasta (after it cools), collect rainwater in containers, etc.

Offer Skills to Others
Children of all ages have valuable skills that they can offer to others. Whether it’s pulling weeds in a neighbor’s garden, reading books, playing a musical instrument, or offering to go grocery shopping for someone who is elderly or disabled, there are so many ways that kids can help others. They can offer their services free-of-charge and do so much good for someone else.

By encouraging your kids to take an active part in their local community, they can learn invaluable skills and gain a true understanding of the impact they can make in the global community.

This article originally appeared here.

4 Ways Amazon.com Will Impact The Future of Churches

By

Jeremy Roberts

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August 9, 2018

Amazon’s net sales for 2018 surpassed $230 billion. Yes, you read that correctly. That’s billion with a “b.” A majority of their sales are generated through e-retail sales of electronics and other products. They have more than 310 million active customer accounts worldwide.

My wife and I were walking through Opry Mills Mall in Nashville recently, and we found ourselves saying the same thing multiple times while we were there. We’d see something we liked, then say, “I wonder what that’d cost on Amazon.” Then, we’d look it up on our phones.

The way we go shopping has changed. No longer do we walk through a store, buy stuff, then walk out without thinking of other options. Now, we do serious analysis of our options because Amazon makes it easy.

If someone says they have the least expensive gadget, we can just check on Amazon. If someone says a product is amazing, we read their reviews on Amazon.

What does this have to do with churches?

1). When people hear a preacher say something that they question, they’ll look it up on their phones.

As I said above, when a company claims to have the least expensive gadget, I look it up. Amazon’s growth has resulted in people developing more of a habit of fact-checking. This is a good thing. It keeps preachers honest.

2). If people are looking for a new church, they’ll read reviews people post online.

If a church claims they’re strong in a certain area, people can figure it out fairly quickly due to being more familiar with hunting for truth on Amazon, Google, and other popular websites.

I never make big purchases without first reading reviews. I can’t imagine joining a church without going to their Google and Facebook reviews. Whether I like it or not, reviewing churches is important to a church’s reputation.

This, of course, brings up the conversation between idealism vs. pragmatism. Idealistically, people wouldn’t go online and click a certain number of stars to judge how good a church is. This is consumeristic. Pragmatically, people do this. Deal with it and be strategic about it.

3). Amazon SEO is going to become a much bigger deal.

We’ve heard a lot, the last few years, about search engine optimization (SEO), specifically in pertinence to Google. Amazon SEO is going to become a much bigger deal. Articles like this one will help you in this area.

Since so few churches are dealing with Amazon SEO, now is the time to be on top of this. Get on the front end of a major technological need. Fortunately, there are companies like Freelancer SEO which you can rely on.

4). People will do more and more used to shopping online, and this will trickle into people getting more and more used to “going to church” online.

This is a major topic that I’ve addressed in a two-part post (part 1 & part 2). In 20 years, we will all wear contact lenses that blend together reality, augmented reality, and virtual reality. This means it will be hard to discern the difference between myself physically standing on a stage or Steven Furtick augmented onto our church’s stage.

The beginning part of this transition to the extreme societal transition to the acceptance of online church is Amazon’s growth and the acceptance of online dating. Ten years ago, online dating was weird. Now, its hard to find single adults who don’t have an account with one of the various services available to help them find a mate.

A new day is here and a new day is coming. Accept it. Leverage it for Jesus. Reach people in our ever-changing world with the unchanging Gospel!

Eight Areas Where Pastors Wish They Were Better Equipped

By

Thom Rainer

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August 9, 2018

I thank God for pastors. They are often criticized, second-guessed, underpaid and expected to do too many things. Pastors would be perfect if they were simply omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent.

Indeed, the expectations of pastors can be overwhelming. In that light, I asked seasoned pastors to share with me the areas they wish they could be better prepared and better equipped. The results were voluminous, and the needs are great. Here are the top eight:

Leading the church in evangelism/reaching the community. Many pastors felt as if evangelism and healthy growth are neglected topics. They admitted their own sense of inadequacy in leading their churches to reach more people with the gospel.
Leadership development. Pastors know they can’t do the work of ministry alone. But many of them shared poignantly how they wish they could become better at developing leaders in the church. They understand both biblically and intuitively that more leaders are imperative for a church to be healthy.
Finances/business issues/administration. “I never considered how much of church life is running an organization,” one pastor shared with us. “I was never trained for that aspect of ministry, and it has come back to haunt me again and again.” Another pastor confessed that he had never learned to balance his checkbook, but he was expected to lead a church with a half-million-dollar budget.
Leading staff. We heard it again and again: “I have no idea how to lead my staff. I have no idea how to evaluate my staff. I have no idea how to deal with conflict among my staff.” In fact, one pastor told me he joined Church Answers for one reason: so he could ask questions about dealing with staff.
Counseling. Many pastors shared how much their congregations demand in counseling. They also said the demand seems to grow every year. They not only lack the training to know how to counsel, they often don’t know when to refer people to professionals.
Dealing with change and conflict. It is a common theme among pastors. They were told to expect conflict before they became pastors, but the reality was consistently worse than the warnings. They long to know how to lead change and deal with conflict better, but they often feel inadequate in those areas.
Dealing with their own depression. A number of pastors admitted surprise when depression hit them. They simply did not expect it to happen to them. Many also admitted shame and embarrassment in talking to others about their struggles. Some even shared confidentially with me their own thoughts of suicide in the past.
Equipping others. This particular need is similar to number two, leadership development. But in this case, pastors desire to equip the entire body of Christ, not just leaders. But many pastors feel woefully inadequate in doing so.

It was fascinating to see what topics did not make the list: Bible, theology, ethics and preaching, to name a few. The pastors expressed gratitude to the Bible colleges, seminaries and books that prepared them well in the classical disciplines. But the cries were for better preparation in practical issues and practical ministries.

How about you? Where do you think pastors need to be better equipped? What would you add?

Let me hear from you.

This article originally appeared here.

How to Communicate With Your Band

By

Rob Rash

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August 9, 2018

One of the biggest issues I see in many worship leaders and their bands is a failure to communicate.

If you can effectively and efficiently communicate to your band, not only will they feel more confident in their playing, but your worship will take another step in the right direction.

For instance, I know there’s a big band break right after the second chorus, but if I don’t clearly explain this, my drummer might not fall out and my guitarist might keep shredding a solo. However, if everyone in my band knows exactly where we drop out and faithfully executes their parts, we eliminate any sort of music distraction while at the same time helping to create a worshipful atmosphere.

Speaking the Same Language…

We have to speak the same language. Having been married for almost 10 years, I understand the difficulty and work it takes to speak the same language. There’s a reason there are hundreds and hundreds of books on marriage and communication…because it’s not easy. But it is necessary for a good relationship.

The same holds true for worship teams. Everyone needs to be on the “same page.”

Tips for Better Communication

Preparation

Being prepared is a key component when it comes to communicating with your team. This means that you, as the leader, are prepared both spiritually and musically. It means you have to know the songs, the scriptures, and that you have spent time connecting with God through private worship.

It also means that you have prepared the songs for your team. You’ve sent the music to them, along with the notes for each song and the overall worship flow.

Email Notes and Expectations

Once you get yourself and your songs prepared, utilize your available resources like a simple email. Share your vision for the week, how God has been working in and through these songs, and how each person plays a vital role in helping your church worship.

You can include notes for each song, particular song parts and notes for each person. Let them know what you are expecting from them and then follow through.

Music

Getting the music to your team is also extremely important. You want your team to worship through these songs and, in turn, to know them. And not just musically, although that’s important; it’s just as important for them to know and love the songs.

You can use Planning Center or other worship planning software. You could also put your Sunday playlist in Spotify or upload your mp3s to Dropbox. No matter what you do, make sure you are getting the music out to your team well in advance and that you’re doing it legally. That might mean you have to get a Rehearsal license from CCLi or buy everyone an iTunes card. Regardless, resource your team with the music you will be leading.

Rehearsal Walk Through

During our band rehearsal, I find it very beneficial to take the first few minutes with each song and walk through the intros, builds, drops, ending and transitions. Make sure you are connecting with each band member and that they are taking notes.

As you go through each song, don’t be afraid to stop and go over each part with your team, especially if your team isn’t doing what you’re asking. Take your time and walk through it with them.

These are just a few of the things I do when I’m leading my team. It’s being intentional about communicating as well as being open to the ebb and flow of our team. It’s important to find what works best for you and to make sure you are leading your team and not leaving them.

This article originally appeared here.

6 Stock Expressions Every Leader Should Stop Using

By

Carey Nieuwhof

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August 9, 2018

You say things every day as leaders that work against you, not for you.

Have a look at the list below, and you’ll immediately recognize that you probably say some (or all) of these things without even realizing it. They’re almost verbal ticks in our culture. They’re stock expressions that everyone uses and nobody should.

Even if you don’t really mean anything by them, these statements undermine your effectiveness as a leader.

So why do little phrases matter to your leadership?

Two reasons.

First, what we say reflects what we believe. Especially the little phrases that slip out without giving them much thought. They expose convictions that are worth letting go.

Second, they matter because each of these six phrases I’m sharing with you is a lie—not in the horrible moral sense, but in the sense that they’re actually not true.

Of all the lies we tell, the lies we tell ourselves are the most deadly because they follow us everywhere we go in life and leadership.

Thoughtfully choosing your words about how you handle time is one small step out of the spin of constant busyness and low productivity that kills both your leadership and your life.

I’ve tried to eliminate all of these phrases over the years. It’s hard because they roll off the tongue so naturally. But I think I’ve become a better leader, husband and dad as a result.

With that in mind, here are six stock expressions everyone uses, and every leader should eliminate.

1. I Didn’t Get a Chance To…

It’s so easy to say you didn’t get a chance to do something.

You didn’t get a chance to get that report done, or write that email you promised someone, or empty the dishwasher.

Well, yes you did. You had the chance.

Actually, you had the chance to do whatever you said you didn’t get a chance to do. You just didn’t take it.

Imagine what might happen if you started admitting to yourself that you had all the chances in the world to do whatever you needed to do…you just didn’t take them.

A little sobering. But a little liberating too.

Hours and minutes don’t discriminate. They let you do whatever you decide to do.

You just didn’t decide to do it.

10 Results of Poor Discipleship in the Church

By

Chuck Lawless

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August 9, 2018

I have written other posts about discipleship in the church, including how to evaluate a discipleship strategy and how not to fix that process. In future posts, I’ll look at how to strengthen a church’s discipling approach. For this post, though, here are 10 results our Lawless Group consultants have seen when a church does not do discipleship well.

Biblical illiteracy. Listening to sermons and attending small groups are great for learning the Word, but many believers who attend both still know very little of the Word. Strong discipleship deepens the knowledge gained and helps believers apply biblical truths.
Faith struggles. That’s what happens when people don’t really know the Word. That lack of knowledge makes it difficult to trust God when believers face their own obstacles and impossibilities.
Inward focus. Churches typically default into an inward focus; that is, their attention is more on themselves than others. Only an intentional strategy to direct believers to the Word and the Great Commission can change that focus. That’s what discipleship does.
Lost church members. People must know the gospel to respond to the gospel and to proclaim the gospel to others. Apart from being taught and equipped, how can they know the gospel enough to evaluate their own lives and then evangelize others?
Unqualified leaders. Churches often select leaders based on their faithfulness and willingness. Both of these characteristics matter, but poor discipleship sometimes leads to faithful, willing, yet unqualified people in leadership positions.
Continual whiners. This one is almost inevitable when discipleship is lacking. Baby believers remain babies unless they are fed and learn to feed themselves. Babies who never grow up, but who nevertheless lead, often become whiners.
Sin struggles. One reason believers wrestle continually with sin is that they have never been taught how to deal with temptation. It’s tough to win a battle when you don’t understand the armor you have to wear.
Weak families. Even healthy Christian marriages and strong God-centered parenting are the result of discipleship. When we assume couples and parents will just “get it right” apart from the church’s teaching, we’re often proven wrong.
Powerless churches. God’s blessing falls on churches that walk with Him in obedience and pray to Him in dependence. Undiscipled people, however, seldom do either one—and the church goes through the motions without the power of God.
Generational problems. When one generation is not discipled, the next generation also pays a price. The unhealthy, unbiblical cycle continues, and the church suffers for decades—though (and here’s part of the tragedy), they don’t always recognize the problem because they haven’t been equipped to do so.

What other results of weak discipleship have you seen?

This article originally appeared here.

3 Things to Do Each Week In Your Communications

By

Chris Evans

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August 9, 2018

For most church communicators, weeks are filled with attending ministry meetings, responding to yet another promotional request, and wearing multiple hats around the office. In the midst of the busyness, it can be easy to lose focus and default to a reactionary communication approach.

The best way to combat the busyness is to build a weekly communication strategy around a few foundational principles. With that in mind, here are three basic elements that church communicators should make sure are included every single week in their communication plan.

CONNECT TO SUNDAY

Sunday is the “big day” for churches and can be used as a launch point for creating and sharing content throughout the week. Connect your church and community back to what took place on Sunday as the church gathered together. This could be in the form of creating quotes or scripture graphics from the Sunday sermon, sharing an application step based on the message, or even taking a video clip from the sermon to post on social media.

Not only should you connect people back to Sunday but you should also give a preview of what lies ahead. Share a sneak peek of what to expect the coming Sunday and why it’s important to be a part of it. Share the Sunday setlist ahead of time to prepare for corporate worship. Show a teaser of the message topic and a call-to-action for your members to bring a guest with them. Post a photo of your volunteers getting ready for Sunday morning and tell people you can’t wait to see them. These are easy ways to build anticipation and invite people to gather together each Sunday.

CAST THE MISSION AND VISION

Look for creative ways and compelling stories to keep the mission (why your church exists) in front of people all throughout the week. Your mission should be the unifying thread in any and every piece of communication at your church.

Here are a few ideas to get you started —

Share a story from one of your mission teams or church planters around the world.
Emphasize opportunities to get connected in small groups and local outreach teams where people can grow in their relationship with Jesus.
Share a photo along with a short story of how a volunteer has experienced life change by serving others.
Highlight a core value with a photo of someone taking a next step through baptism or of your worship team and include a blurb describing the value.

PRIORITIZE PROMOTIONS

Review your church calendar and determine the top three things that need to be communicated that week. This should begin with all-church events and next steps that apply to 80 percent or more of your Sunday morning audience and flow from there. This tiered approach provides clarity about which items need to be included in the weekly communications and prevents information overload. It also sets the standard for staff and ministry teams to understand why, when and how certain things are communicated.

Remember the most effective way to get people connected is through personal relationships and conversations — not all church promotions. Remind your ministry leaders of this from time to time. Encourage small group and volunteer leaders to share what’s happening in the church, as they are more likely to know about events happening and get others involved.

This article originally appeared here.

Danielle Strickland Delivers the Message of the Moment at the GLS

By

Megan Briggs

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August 9, 2018

Danielle-Strickland — Screengrab Youtube @GLS UI

Tom De Vries addressed the elephant in Willow Creek’s living room at the beginning of Session 4 at the Global Leadership Summit this year. Introducing the topic of the seventh speech of the day, he said of the session: “We’re not here to teach you out of our experience this time—that chapter is still being written.” He then introduced social justice advocate Danielle Strickland.

Given the recent events involving Willow Creek and Bill Hybels, Strickland was surely given the most difficult subject of the Summit: empowering men and women to work together in a healthy way.

We are at a “strategic cultural intersection where the relationships between women and men are eroding,” she began.

Strickland reminded us that the truth will set us free, but our reaction to the truth is often the problem. As women around the world are telling the truth about the violence and inequality they are suffering, our knee-jerk reaction is often to reject the change that needs to occur in light of this truth. The truth disrupts us, and so we resist what it is telling us.

However, those of us who want to be transformational leaders will recognize the opportunity this moment is giving us to learn how to be better together, Strickland says. The idea of men and women being better together comes straight from Genesis. Strickland reminded the audience that when Adam was alone, God said it wasn’t good. The same is true today. As uncomfortable as gender equality will be to fight for and obtain, the benefits will be worth our effort, Strickland says.

3 Things Leaders Can Do to Promote Gender Equality

1. We have to believe that it’s possible for men and women to coexist. The United Nations decided gender equality “is a necessary foundation to a peaceful, prosperous, sustainable world.” We have to refuse to despair.

2. We can’t be afraid. Two-thirds of women are not very optimistic that gender equality can be achieved in the next five years. 33 percent don’t believe it’s possible at all. Strickland says we have to look to the blueprint of freeing people in Exodus. If you’re afraid of a bully, you’ll get oppressed. If our reactions, decisions, and dreams, are fear-based, we will either be oppressed or we will be an oppressor.

We will need to be comfortable with difference and mutuality coexisting. The enemies of mutuality are power and sex. Strickland says 35 percent of women globally have experienced physical or sexual violence. One in four women in North American alone will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. She thanked all the women in the world who have spoken up about abuse, inequality, and sexism.

Strickland also spoke about the power pornography has to cause men to objectify women. “Pornography is a source [of oppression] that needs to be identified and confronted by a generation who will not be afraid to tell the truth.”

“How we use our power is the measure of our leadership.” She then asked a series of questions to leaders about how they treat the people who work under them. Are you kind to those you lead? Are you fair in the decisions that impact them? Do you seek mutually satisfying solutions? Do you accept responsibility for your own actions? Do you have people in your life who can challenge your behavior?

3. Start now and start with you. If you sit in a board room with people who look exactly like you, it’s time to listen to different voices, Strickland says. Real empowerment and real freedom is a long walk in the same direction, and it is a difficult one, she admits.

Jesus Gives an Excellent Example of Gender Equality

Jesus gave power away. In a culture where women weren’t supposed to be in the same room with a group of men, Jesus invited them to learn alongside men. In fact, Strickland argues that the main problem Martha had with Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning from him wasn’t that she wasn’t helping Martha in the kitchen, but rather that she was sitting with the men, which would have been seen as inappropriate in their culture. Time and again we see Jesus inviting women to interact with him, learn from him, and even speak on his behalf. Jesus did not marginalize women.

While she had arguably the most difficult topic at the GLS, Strickland delivered her message with grace and conviction. She did not allow the recent events which have unfolded at Willow to alter a message she likely would have delivered at another time. And yet given the backdrop of her speech, the subject has never seemed more necessary.

Strickland delivered this speech at the 2018 Global Leadership Summit.

Argentina Remains Pro-Life After Senate Vote

By

Bob Ditmer

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August 9, 2018

Argentina’s senate has rejected a bill that would have legalized abortion in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy ensuring Argentina abortion laws remain unchanged.

The bill would have also legalized late-term abortions in cases of fetal deformity or to protect mothers’ “psychological” health. The Catholic nation currently allows abortions only for rape or threats to a mother’s life.

The defeat means lawmakers must wait until next year if they wish to continue efforts to ease abortion laws.

The vote followed 16 hours of often raucous debate but ended with 38 senators voting against the pro-abortion bill and 31 in favor with two abstentions and one absentee.

Argentina would have been the third Latin American country to make abortion generally legal, Reuters reports, after Cuba and Uruguay.

Some pro-choice campaigners started fires and lobbed missiles at police in Buenos Aires after the vote.

Argentina Abortion Vote Stirred Contentious Debate

Prior to the vote, more than 3 million Argentinians held a March for Life in over 200 different cities in opposition to the proposal. The demonstrators included hundreds of doctors, some of whom waved signs declaring “I’m a doctor, not a murderer” and laid down white medical coats outside of the presidential palace to affirm that abortion is incompatible with their chosen profession. Argentina’s Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Societies noted that it wasn’t consulted on the bill, and expressed concern that doctors who refuse to commit abortions would have been penalized.

The pro-abortion campaign leading up to the vote claimed Argentina’s abortion laws fail to prevent half a million abortions a year. Therefore, they argue, banning abortion accomplishes nothing but make abortions happening anyway more dangerous.

Americans United for Life disputed such claims in a 2012 report on the state of abortion in Latin America. Citing statistics from Argentina’s National Ministry of Health, it found that illegal abortions represent a small percentage of maternal deaths, 74 out of 306 in 2007.

The lower house of congress in Buenos Aires had already passed the bill, with the country’s president Mauricio Macri poised to sign it.

Connecting the Dots: Overcoming 5 Common Small Group Struggles

By

Mark Howell

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August 9, 2018

Do you have small group ministry issues you just can’t figure out? Feel like there are just some dots that don’t connect to anything? I think most of the time, they actually do connect. We just miss the connection between the way we’re doing things and the results we’re experiencing.

I love this line from Andy Stanley:

“Your ministry is perfectly designed to produce the results you’re currently experiencing.”

If you don’t like the results you’re currently experiencing, it’s time to start connecting some dots.

Here are five small group ministry dots you may not be connecting:

I can’t find enough leaders

I can’t find enough leaders is most often connected to the method you’re using to identify and recruit them. Setting the leader qualifications too high can play a role here too, but leader scarcity is almost always related to inadequate leader identification tactics. If your leader identification design is simply announcing your upcoming new leader training course, waiting for volunteers or relying on the apprentice model, you really are set up for disappointment.

Solution: Begin building in easier ways for potential new leaders to put their toes in the water. The HOST strategy combined with a church-wide campaign is a great way to offer a six-week test drive that often results in a long-term commitment. A small group connection allows potential leaders to be identified by their peers in a very affirming way. The short-term on-campus strategy enables potential leaders to surface naturally over the course of six weeks.

Coaching doesn’t work here

Coaching doesn’t work here is connected to the way you’ve designed the coach’s role and who you assign them to coach and care for. The primary reason coaching doesn’t work is that the coach’s job description produces accountants who count things instead of developers who shape people.

A second reason coaching structures often fail is that new coaches are too often retroactively assigned to experienced leaders who no longer need the only thing their coach is trained for and released to do (i.e., teach better technique).

Solution: Re-design the coach’s role to focus on development. Keep in mind that whatever you want to happen in the lives of group members has to be experienced first by the leaders of your groups. The role of the coach ought to be about producing the kinds of experiences in the lives of your leaders that you want your leaders to give to the members of their groups.

People are too busy to commit to a small group

People are too busy to commit to a small group is connected to two important dots. First, the way you’ve designed the menu of opportunities is a difficult challenge to overcome for churches who pride themselves in providing an excellent buffet of opportunities. The advantage of a limited selection is that it is easier to provide next steps that are easy, obvious and strategic.

Second, the way grouplife is described is everything. When grouplife is described as anything less than an essential ingredient for life-change, it becomes a non-essential and optional ingredient in the congregation.

Solution: Intentionally shorten the menu and perfect the way you talk about grouplife (verbally, in print and on the web). It may have to happen over 24 months, but the sooner you get to the place where next steps are designed to be easy, obvious and strategic, the sooner you will begin to see greater commitment. Perfecting the way you talk about grouplife clears up confusion about what’s important.

Small groups don’t make disciples

Small groups don’t make disciples is directly connected to the way you’ve defined a disciple and the way you’ve designed the small groups in your system. If your small group ministry isn’t making disciples, the reason is embedded in the way your ministry is designed.

Solution: If there is ever a time to take seriously Andy Stanley’s statement that your ministry is perfectly designed to produce the results you’re currently experiencing…this is the time. Give adequate thought to what you’re trying to produce. Carefully describe a new preferred future. Re-design your system to eliminate any steps that don’t lead to the future that you’ve chosen.

It’s not the right time

It’s not the right time is connected to a lack of understanding that there is always a window closing for the unconnected people in your congregation, crowd and community.

You’re not saying, “It’s not the right time”? Feel free to substitute any of the following phrases:

We need to do a capital campaign this fall, so we’ll delay our church-wide campaign until the spring.
We need to lay the foundation for a healthy small group ministry before we add new groups.
We need to train new leaders before we even think about starting new groups.
We need to build a healthy coaching structure before we add new leaders.

One tough thing away

If you’ve been along for very much of our conversation here, you’ve heard me say many times that “unconnected people are always one tough thing away from not being at your church. Loss of a job. Divorce or separation. A devastating diagnosis. A child in trouble.”

An important corollary

Still, you may have missed what I believe is an important corollary idea: Infrequent attendees are often one service away, one conversation away, one life event away, from deciding to make attending a more regular event. It may be strange to think of it that way, but it’s the reason so many refer back to an Easter or Christmas Eve service and say “that’s when I really got it.” Or they might refer to a message series that pulled them in (“We didn’t miss a week during the 40 Days of Purpose”).

What we must keep in mind

Can you see it? Unconnected people are always close to the one thing that will decide their spiritual destiny. One tough thing away. One opportunity to connect. One. When we delay connecting opportunities, we must always have this reality in mind.

Solution: Make a commitment to the unconnected people in your congregation, crowd and community. Take your Easter adult attendance (an estimate is fine) and subtract the adults who are truly connected. What remains are the unconnected people in your crowd. Write that number where you can see it every day. Figure out the approximate number of unchurched people in your community. Write that number where you can see it every day.

Become the advocate for the unconnected people in your congregation, crowd and community. Take extraordinary steps to see the world from their perspective.

Which dot are you not connecting?

Sometimes you can have almost everything right and still miss the result you’re hoping for and the preferred future you’re dreaming of reaching. Sometimes it’s just missing one dot that clears up everything.

Which dot are you not connecting?

Honestly, sometimes the missing dot can only be seen by fresh eyes. Sometimes only a strategic outsider can see what you’re missing.

This article originally appeared here.

Juliet Funt: How to Stop Wasting Time on Unnecessary Tasks

By

Megan Briggs

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August 9, 2018

Organizations across the world are paying smart people a lot of money to do unnecessary tasks. So says Juliet Funt. At the Global Leadership Summit this year, Funt shared three practical tips to help leaders and their organizations to stop drowning in busywork.

“The future of work will be simpler. It has to be,” Funt, the CEO of White Space at Work, says.

Forward-thinking companies are embracing simplicity by trying to improve their technology, reorganizing their staff and processes ad nauseum, and finally doing their standard work. There are a few key things these companies miss, Funt argues. In a way, their pursuit of simplicity has become busywork.

In order to simplify and focus on the most necessary tasks, Funt says leaders must be aware of three behavioral blindspots they often fall into.

Conformity – Funt describes this phenomenon like this: “Nobody changes until everyone changes so nobody changes.”
Compulsivity – In the organizational world (which the modern church falls into), we say the first thought that comes into our heads and we don’t filter our thoughts. This wastes time and creates a lack of focus.
Control – It’s hard to escape the fact that most leaders like to control. But if they don’t learn to delegate, their need for control will stifle their organization’s growth.

As a remedy for these blind spots, Funt offers three practical tools leaders can use to address these blind spots.

The remedy for Conformity is the White Space 50/50 rule. This rule says anything that bothers you at work is 50 percent your fault until you ask for what you want. Just one person going against the majority in an organization can reduce conformity by 80 percent, Funt says.

The remedy for Compulsivity is to organize communication methods into 2D and 3D categories. The 2D category contains simple, yes/no information that can be communicated by text message or email, while the 3D category contains information that is nuanced and requires a more complex method of communication like a phone call or a meeting. When you push 2D content into a 3D medium, you waste time. When you push 3D communication in a 2D medium, you miss out on potential and you risk mishandling the information.

A second tool is the Yellow List, which is a document you make for each person you work with. Whenever you have something to tell this person, ask yourself: Does this need to be asked or communicated right now? If not, put it on the yellow list. You can follow up with that person later and download the list all at once to them. Your Inbox will decrease significantly, Funt promises.

The remedy for Control is identifying who should be in your first tier delegation list and who should be in the second tier. First tier people can be given authority, but you don’t give the second tier people as much authority as the first tier.

Funt only shared a handful of tools in her speech, yet the information she shared could be huge for your organization.

“Legacy is a story about you that is yet to be written, but for which you hold the pen,” Funt concluded.

Funt shared these principles with leaders at the 2018 Global Leadership Summit at Willow Creek Community Church.

Craig Groeschel: How to Become a Leader People Want to Follow

By

Bob Ditmer

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August 9, 2018

In the opening session of the Global Leadership Summit Craig Groeschel encouraged the conference goers to be leaders people loved to follow.

He said polling shows that team members want to feel valued, inspired and empowered, and he offered three qualities leaders should develop to meet those needs.

1) A heart to care.

Groeschel suggested leaders use four words to help improve their ability to empathize: “I notice” and “you matter.” Leaders who tell their team members “I notice what you do and it matters to me” will create team members who want to follow.

He also encouraged leaders to show appreciation to develop a heart that cares. Groeschel said studies show the number one reason people leave organizations is because they don’t feel valued.

His rule, show more appreciation than you think you should and then double it.

“It’s the difference between me-centered leadership and you-centered leadership,” Groeschel said. “Some leaders make you feel they are important. The best leaders make you feel important.”

2) A passion to inspire.

Groeschel recommends inspiration over motivation. He described motivation as pushing people to do something they don’t want to do. Inspiration is pulling something out of people that’s already there.

He referenced studies that show inspired workers produce twice as much because it transforms the job into a calling.

Groeschel’s recipe for inspiring team members is to be consistently empathetic, humble and centered.

He called the last point the most important.

“A centered leader is secure, stable, confident and fully engaged,” Groeschel said. They are “guided by values, driven by purpose and obsessed by mission.”

3) Willingness to empower.

“The best leaders unleash higher performance through empowerment, not command and control,” Groeschel advised.

To empower, Groeschel said leaders should delegate authority, not simply tasks. Delegating tasks creates followers. Delegating authority produces leaders.

“You lose great employees by not letting them soar,” Groeschel warned. “If you don’t trust your team you’re either too controlling or you have the wrong people.”

Groeschel’s final recommendation for being a leader people love to follow speaks more to integrity than competence. He said, “People would rather follow a leader who is real, rather than one is always right.”

Negotiations Fail to Gain Release of Andrew Brunson

David Livermore Tells GLS18 Where Leaders Most Often Fail

What does this have to do with churches?

1). When people hear a preacher say something that they question, they’ll look it up on their phones.

2). If people are looking for a new church, they’ll read reviews people post online.

3). Amazon SEO is going to become a much bigger deal.

4). People will do more and more used to shopping online, and this will trickle into people getting more and more used to “going to church” online.

Speaking the Same Language…

Tips for Better Communication

Preparation

Email Notes and Expectations

Music

Rehearsal Walk Through

With that in mind, here are six stock expressions everyone uses, and every leader should eliminate.

1. I Didn’t Get a Chance To…

CONNECT TO SUNDAY

CAST THE MISSION AND VISION

PRIORITIZE PROMOTIONS

Argentina Abortion Vote Stirred Contentious Debate

Here are five small group ministry dots you may not be connecting:

I can’t find enough leaders

Coaching doesn’t work here

People are too busy to commit to a small group

Small groups don’t make disciples

It’s not the right time

Which dot are you not connecting?

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