Video on Vimeo…

In this week’s Ministry Story church communications podcast, I talk with Anthony Coppedge, Director of Communications at Fellowship Technologies.  Anthony shares his recent Disney experiences and some powerful insights that church leaders can learn from Disney so they can develop an experience in their ministry that will powerfully connect with people coming to their church.

Listen to Ministry Story Podcast Episode #10 here…

The Scene: My ladder. My roof...after a little snow melt.

Yes, that’s right. I fell off the roof of my house.  Nine feet and landed on my deck…fortunately I am uninjured, just a few minor bruises and slightly hurt pride.

What Caused The Fall

So here’s the scoop.  It snowed here on Sunday morning.  A wet sticky snow which subsequently pasted itself to my satellite dish.  Sunday afternoon was Wildcard Sunday – NFL playoff football.  With the satellite dish all encased in snow…I couldn’t watch football – I had no TV reception whatsoever and I was annoyed. So after very little thought to the potential hazards, I decided I would go up on the roof to remove the snow from the dish and enjoy the games.

Everything unravelled in a matter of mere seconds.  I got the ladder securely positioned against the roof, climbed up, placed both feet firmly on the shingles, and took my first step…under the snow was an unseen layer of ice!  Both boots (with mighty good treads) slipped immediately.  I went into a rapid slide and a moment later I was lying on the deck nine feet below the roof line, beside the fallen ladder.

What A Church Leader Should Learn

OK, don’t judge me.  You may have considered this same course of action (or maybe not).  I had all the right tools, I had all the right intentions, I just didn’t account for the unseen…the ice. Oh, and maybe I was just a little too impulsive and a little cocky – there was a sprinkling of stupidity mixed in there too – I admit it…snow is slippery too…and I knew that going in.  Beyond learning about my personal shortcomings, I want you as a leader to learn:

1. Look Beyond Good Intentions: I was doing this action so my wife and I could enjoy an afternoon of football together.  I was doing it for her.  OK, maybe not…I was doing it for me.  My intentions were mostly good.  I was a little selfish and the outcomes were not well thought out.
2. Tools Aren’t Everything: Just because you think you have the tools to do complete the task, doesn’t mean you should.  I was missing one critical tool to actually complete the task – spikes.  In reality, let’s admit it, I shouldn’t have attempted it at all!  Look beyond the tools and realize that sometimes there are hazards that lie beneath what you can see.
3. Listen To Your Spouse: Men and women think differently. Leverage the wisdom of your spouse.  Yes, she had things to say, wisdom to speak into the situation before and after the incident.  I wouldn’t listen.  That’s all I’ll say about that.
4. Check Impatience: Leaders are impatient and just want to solve a problem and move forward on a task that comes before them.  The solution to the problem appeared simple.  Check your motives, pride, and selfishness.  Proverbs 16:18 – Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Yep, this is literally true!
5. Admit Mistakes: When you blow it – admit it.  You now either think I am an idiot or you respect me for my admission of poor judgement. My guess is that from this moment on, you’ll never consider stepping onto a snowy rooftop.  Mission accomplished.  We are all human. All of us do things we are ashamed of…it takes a confident leader to admit them publicly.  Admit your mistakes.

So there it is.  Now you know what not to do.

The End Result

So, uninjured, 15 minutes later the sticky snow slid off the satellite dish and the games were on.  We only missed the first quarter of the first game.  If only I had been more patient

Comment nicely…please.

I have a huge respect for pastors.  These men and women have the most challenging leadership role on the planet.  They are people of deep faith and conviction.  They give their lives to passionately serve God, to teach, to love, and to make growing students of Jesus.

For the past two days close to 40,000 pastors and their teams of marketplace leaders have gathered across North America to learn new leadership techniques, to be refreshed, and to be re-calibrated.  I love The Global Leadership Summit.  For the past eight years this has been a cemented event in my yearly calendar.

We learned, laughed, cried, and have grown.  It has been truly a spectacular retreat.  This was (in my opinion) the best summit of the past eight years.  Every speaker personally spoke into my life.  Each one brought value and refreshing.  Each was definitely anointed for a specific purpose.

Thank you to the Willow Creek Association for all the work you do to make church leaders better.  Churches are becoming better, impact is increasing, communities are experiencing renewal as a result.  Personally, I am thankful – your efforts are making me a better leader, person, and I am growing deeper in my relationship with Jesus.

Your servant-hood is appreciated.  Thank you!

Image via Flickr by somebody_

Today was Day 1 of the 2010 Global Leadership Summit.  The summit is a must-attend conference in my yearly schedule.

Jim Collins spoke this morning and something he said really resonated with me:

“The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency.”

For a long time, I have felt that churches accept mediocrity in their communication.  Churches have the greatest story on the planet to tell but often are horrible storytellers.

Shouldn’t we best the communicators?  Shouldn’t we ensure that we tell this story of Jesus clearly, effectively, and with passion?

Collins hit the nail on the head!  The reason our storytelling is often mediocre is because we are chronically inconsistent.  We are afraid to plan our marketing and communication strategically.  We are afraid to spend money on tools that will tell the story with excellence.  We are afraid to spend money to enhance the story creatively.  We are inconsistent.

Marketing is not a quick fix.  It is a journey.  We must think about what we are trying to communicate and to whom.  We must package it clearly and creatively to be effective.  We must leverage every communication channel we can.   Once we have taken the time to strategically craft the message we must be consistent.  We can’t fire in all directions.  We can’t “shout-out” chaotically.  We must have a plan, a strategy, tools, and timing.

Then, and only then, will churches leave mediocrity behind and become effective and excellent storytellers.

If you are a church leader, you are part of a high-stakes endeavour that is one of the most challenging and important things you could possibly be doing with your life.

As a result, the role you are in can wear you down spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally.  You need to be recharged and re-calibrated – regularly.  I get that rejuvenation each year through The Leadership Summit.

I wrote an article for Media Salt today where I share why I personally think every church leader should attend The Leadership Summit.  So, wouldn’t you like to be a better leader?

A church leader just asked me today:

“So, you think it is worth spending $250.00 to attend this?”

Yes, I replied emphatically!  I think it would be worth it to spend $500.00.  Every church leader should attend this conference at least every second year…if not every year.  Free up your schedule – you’ll be glad you did!

I have joined the Media Salt team as a summer contributor.  Today, I wrote my first article for them titled Why Every Church Leader Should Be on Facebook.

I believe that every pastor, elder, and ministry leader should strategically leverage Facebook as a practical relationship building tool in their church.

Please click over there, read the article, and join the conversation by contributing a comment of your own.

On the back cover it says: “There is greatness inside of you“.  Ya, I know, yada, yada, yada.  We know that right?  Deep inside, there is greatness inside of all of us.  The question is…do we believe it?  Did I believe it?  Really believe it?  No.

You see, when I first received my copy of Michael’s book, it was last fall.  I was on the verge of a burnout and I was so consumed by busyness, stress, exhaustion, and borderline depression that I didn’t really believe there was any greatness left in me.  I was done.  As a result of my circumstances, I didn’t want to read this book.  I was curious and I felt obligated to (because Michael had autographed my copy).  But, I couldn’t.  It subsequently sat on my bed-side table until March.

With Spring Comes Renewal

I started to come back to “life”, to my healthy self, in March.  As I did, one day I decided to pick the book back up.  It captivated me and Michael took me on a wonderful spiritual journey.  I Shall Raise Thee Up draws wonderfully on solid, time-tested Biblical principles to remind us that there are indeed seeds of greatness inside of us…even me.  God created me with a purpose and a plan.

He wants me to be great!

Great for His use.  Great to be a blessing to others.  Great to be God’s hands and feet in everyday action.  When we hear the proclamation of greatness, our human nature grasps for our own glory.  Our culture has taught us that greatness is prosperity.  That however is not the “spirit” behind what Michael has written here.  He leverages the stories of great people, great companies, and great teachings from the Bible to guide us to discover the greatness that each of us was created for.  His passion is to help you genuinely realize that you (and I) were created by a Great God with a Great plan.  It is God who invites all of us into relationship with Him and into a Great mission and a Great life-adventure.

Desire: The Jewel Of Greatness

Michael Holmes breaks the book up into eleven chapters that draw us to visit some key principles that God uses to help us discover and unlock the greatness that He created in each of us.  For me personally, the jewel principle came out in the shortest chapter (Chapter 5): Desire.

“God will often keep you away from the thing you desire to make you want it more!  He knows how to turn up the heat! When He feels the temperature is right then He steps in – He wants to make sure you want it as bad as He wants it for you!“  (page 51)

I cannot describe how this resonated with me.  Yes, some of it was my current life-circumstance – but this chapter, this principle, hit me.  I can attest that this is a truth.  I have experienced first hand over the past 6-months.  Further, Michael writes:

“When a person sees an obvious need and has the desire to do something – them doing something births leadership.” (page 52)

This is what Bill Hybels called Holy Discontent.  When you (or I) see a need that must be addressed, leadership is indeed birthed in us to find and implement the solution.  Something must be done.  This book invites you to seek the solution to the problem that God has given you the eyes to see…and do something about it!

It is not a sin to desire greatness

I believe that all of us need a wake-up call to nurture the seeds of greatness that are planted inside of us.  Michael’s goal is to help you identify that they are indeed there inside of you and to encourage you to give them some water and spiritual fertilizer to help them grow.  I would encourage you to take your own journey with Michael and Jesus and push forward to greatness.  I am on my journey.  Won’t you join me?

Buy the book here…

Special: (limited time) free audio book offer.  Who doesn’t like free – download your copy while you can!

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Disclaimer:  This is an honest and heartfelt review, however, I must disclose that I was paid by Michael Holmes to develop the branding and website for this book.  Truthfully, the book itself has been an incredible blessing to me and I am honoured to have been invited to play a small part in marketing this wonderful project.

Patrick Henry Hughes Interview:

Michael is the author of I Shall Raise Thee Up: Ancient Principles for Lasting Greatness.  He’s also a blogger that gives insights on applying powerful ancient principles from The Bible to the world of business.  Providing a relevant Word for relevant times from a relevant God.

All ministries are dying.

I’m serious.  Dying.

How?  In either one of two ways:

1. Dying to themselves and living to Christ
2. Dying in their communities and becomes less relevant and influential

Now please understand: we want the first!  In order to remain effective and be the salt that changes neighborhoods we need to rely more on Jesus.  In that way, we need to die.  But unfortunately, there’s too many coffins for the second death!

David wrote a recent post about the Anglican Bishops handing out invitations inviting people to come to church.  A very unorthodox move.  A Bishop who presides over 211 parishes said,

“Traditionally, we’ve not been good at inviting people to come to church.”

A drop in membership is probably the reason for the “wake up call.”  Trying to fight that second death.  And though I applaud their marketing efforts without “this secret“…in the long run…it won’t work.

What’s the secret?

Simple:

its called a fundamental shift.

What in the world is a “fundamental shift”?!

I’m glad you asked.

“Fundamental Shift” Defined

Here’s the simplest way to explain it: a new purpose and a new vision.

That’s it!!!  That’s the “secret!”  Hasn’t Rick Warren been preaching this secret for years??

He has.

So why is it a secret?

It’s a secret when we overlook it (or them) for “other” options.

Oh!

Understand that without these two every other “innovation” will fail.  Why?

Because without purpose and/or vision no matter what you change (marketing efforts, better programs, a more upbeat service) you’ll end up going back to the things that got you in trouble!

And when there’s a shift from purpose and vision there has to be a shift back (hence, the cool term ).

How do shifts happen?  Easy…a shift in leadership: Either the leader changes or is changed.  It starts and ends with purpose

Diagram of how purpose and vision work:

Purpose is defined as: “The object toward which one strives or for which something exists.”

We’re all guided by purpose.  The Bible says, “The noble-hearted man has noble purposes, and by these he will be guided.” [1]  Without it, we’re like children “tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine.” [2]

And so a ministry starts with purpose (who we are), and out of that purpose flows vision (where we’re going).  But the purpose of the vision is to fulfill the purpose of the ministry; in other words, “we’re going here to become who we are or who we were called to be.”  And the same way Peter lost sight of Jesus and began to sink, ministries start to sink when they lose sight of purpose.

Back to the drawing board

In this competitive religious landscape purpose is needed more than ever.  We need ministries who know who they are, where they’re going, and are willing to make adjustments to get there.  We need ministries with no purpose to find purpose.  And, we need ministries who’ve lost purpose to have a fundamental shift.

By now you’ve heard of some denominational marketing campaigns hatched over the past few years; but what these denominations need is a new purpose, not new marketing–because good marketing without a fundamental shift is still bad publicity!

What are your thoughts?

[1]Isaiah 32: 8 (The Bible in Basic English)
[2]Ephesians 4:14 (The Amplified)

Photos From Flickr: Photo Mojo and House of Sims