Indispensable Tips for Executing Staff Meetings

I tried to get Rick Warren or Wayne Cordeiro to write about how to make staff meetings as exciting as a movie, but Rick was meeting with the president of Rwanda (who inexplicably wouldn’t defer to the directional leader of Mission Catalyst) and Wayne was with a couple friends paddling around in an outrigger with his cell phone set on “ignore-everyone-but-big-donors” mode. So you’ll have to settle for how we at Epikos Church - Vancouver do it. This is not the right way, the only way, or the best way; it’s just the way we do it. At least for now. Everything we do constantly evolves, so six months from now, all bets are off.

1. Make sure the right people are at the meetings. Six people attend our staff meetings. As our staff grows, we won’t expect every person to attend. We love it when Christy, our Epic Kids leader, can join us, but if she has to choose between attending staff meetings or leading her own Epic Kids team in tactical and strategic meetings, we obviously prefer she do the latter. If Steve’s other job changes and he needs to adjust his time, we will agree with him on which meeting is better for him to attend, Tuesday or Thursday.
2. Select a facilitator. I am the facilitator. When I’m out of town, Elizabeth or Sam leads the meetings. When the facilitator and the lead pastor are not the same person, both need to make sure there is frequent and open communication.
3. Hold the meetings on predictable days at predictable times. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:15 to noon. Sometimes we end early; once in a while we need more time. When we know ahead of time that we’ll need more time to discuss the new thematic goal or finalize our preaching calendar, we will negotiate that with the staff in advance. When the clock unexpectedly brutalizes our schedule, we will postpone the discussion if we can, or we’ll press on through with those who are able to stay (after a break to snatch a sub sandwich). Once in a while, meeting on Tuesday (for example) is bad for everyone so we’ll do Monday or Wednesday, but those occasions are rare. When some - or all - on staff are bivocational, finding predictable days and times gets interesting, but do the best you can.
4. Start the meetings on time. We start our meetings on time. Once in a while Sam brings his honey almond granola and vege-milk and finishes breakfast while we start the meeting, or Elizabeth heats up the tea pot, but no one has a problem with that. It allows us to start pretty much on time.
5. Prepare a printed agenda. Two reasons: First, everyone needs to know what we’re shooting to accomplish at today’s meeting. Second, most of us scribble notes and our to-do list on the agenda sheet. If your church is paying proper attention to all of the details and opportunities, you have too many items floating around to not write them down and hand everyone a copy at the beginning of the meeting. Here is how I prepare the agenda. 
• The first three items at the tactical meeting are always the same: connection cards (along with prayer and followup), evaluation, and newsfeed. (Newsfeed: what are the three things - and only three - we will announce this week in the gathering? What will we announce or promote on Facebook and by email? What will have priority in the printed program handout?) 
• I keep a running agenda on my computer. If I’m watching Gunsmoke or Monday Night Football and think of something we need to discuss the next day, I make a beeline for my MacBook and add it to the agenda. Other staff members sometimes shoot me a note asking me to add something to the agenda, or they are free to bring it up on the spot. 
• The last item on the agenda is: What did we decide today that we need to communicate? To whom? By whom? In what manner (Facebook, phone call, email, program handout, announcement at church, etc.)? 
• We don’t keep meeting minutes or formal notes. Maybe we should, but we’re not convinced it is worth someone’s time. When we put the next “7-minute Party” on the calendar, or we decide to ask Ernie if he can do an M&M drop from his helicopter for our anniversary gathering, why would we write that down somewhere? We just do it. 
6. Separate tactical meetings from strategic meetings. 
• Tactical - When a lot is happening in the church, we have a lot to talk about at the tactical meetings. We found ourselves dealing with a lot of stuff that should be cared for at the volunteer level. Train your tech team, greeter team, setup team (etc.) to evaluate whatever they do and make adjustments without constant prompting from the staff. Remember that when you delegate tasks you create followers, but when you delegate authority you create leaders. So delegate authority when you can. And strive to end tactical meetings early, when possible.
• Strategic - We almost never have enough time to dream and scheme for the future. Restating our thematic goal and making sure we are achieving it at sufficient speed with proper clarity is never fully done. We spend way more time being strategic than most churches, but we never feel “caught up”.
• Off-site retreat - Twice a year, we pile in a couple of cars and head for Odell Lake where we spend 2 days (spring) and 3 days (fall) watching and applying an Andy Stanley talk or hammering out our new Connect/Follow/Restore growth process. Our schedule is a 60/40 mix of meetings and down time (movie, game, boat ride, or pelting someone with a snowball). We invite the spouses and kids to the spring retreat and leave them home in the fall.
7. Work while you talk. The upside to this is that you leave most staff meetings with your to-do list done. The downside is that it’s easy to mentally slip away from group engagement. Some action items require a quick text or Facebook note; others take more time and should wait till the meeting is over. Sometimes the facilitator (that would be me) has to say, “Put the iPad away. Close the computer. We need everyone’s full attention (or highest level of creativity) right now.”
8. Press forward with the agenda. Our staff meeting doubles as our small group. We allow ourselves to drift a little when a relational issue comes up because we truly like each other and we are determined to nurture our mutual relationships. (“How was your vacation; what was the most fun?” “Give us the blow-by-blow on your speeding ticket! What did the doc say about your ankle?”) But when you’re in meeting mode, make sure you find the balance between giving a topic adequate time and plowing forward toward the finish line. 
9. Mix up the venue and seating arrangement once in a while. Most of our staff meetings happen at the Epikos House. Five out of six prefer to slouch down in comfy sofas while I am convinced we get more work done when we meet around the table with a flip chart at arm’s reach. So we mix it up. (The rule: If I get there first, we meet around the table. When anyone else gets there first, I’m stuck on the couches. Whenever two of us drive up at the same time, there’s a mad scramble for the door.) Talk everyone into moving to a chair they haven’t sat in for a while and you’ll find that creativity is surprisingly higher. And four or five times a year, we do staff meeting at Stardust Diner or Elmer’s Restaurant over omelets and toast.
10. In special situations, invite non-staff members to attend a meeting. We have a major planning session coming up in a few weeks. Debbe heard about it and offered to attend. Makes sense to us. When we’re considering a new direction for our compassion team this Christmas, we invite our compassion team leader to spend an hour with the staff.
11. The buck stops somewhere. We make decisions by consensus. No one pulls the trump card and tries to shut down another point of view. It works for us because we are aligned on the mission. I suppose if we flat-out could not come to consensus and a decision had to be made, the group would expect Sam or me to make the decision.  

I would love some feedback. Of the advice given above, what was most helpful? Can you think of a question or comment you’d like to pass on? Let me know!

Planning and Executing Staff Meetings

First published on Facebook on Wednesday, July 31, 2013.

Lencioni argues - with a straight face - that a staff meeting should be/ could be as exciting as a good movie. If team members truly love and respect each other and each person is amped up about the mission, you might even enjoy a meaningful staff meeting (living out and contributing to a great experience) over watching a movie (passively observing someone else’s life go by). That’s a pretty high bar, but why not give it a shot?

Why do some people prefer root canals over meetings? Three reasons: (a) The staff meetings are poorly planned and executed; (b) The DNA of the group allows for - and even causes - unhealthy conflict (and only sick-in-the-head people enjoy unhealthy conflict), or (c) the organization’s mission is foggy and people have forgotten why they joined the cause. 

Let’s talk about planning and executing staff meetings. 

1. Make sure the right people are at the meetings. A staff meeting with more than seven or eight people is rarely efficient. Not everyone who has the time to be there needs to be there. 

2. Select a facilitator. This person prepares the agenda and leads the meetings. Consistently. Unless s/he is out of town. 

3. Hold the meetings on predictable days at predictable times. Occasional adjustments are necessary, but those have to be unusual. Agree on both a starting time and an ending time.

4. Start the meetings on time. If someone is perpetually late, the facilitator should address it one-on-one. It is unprofessional, frustrating, and disruptive when someone shows up - week after week - in the middle of whatever is going on.

5. Prepare a printed agenda. Give each person a copy. Usually the facilitator prepares the agenda. Be flexible with the agenda when it makes sense to do so.

6. Separate tactical meetings from strategic meetings. If you don’t, strategic will happen poorly if at all. 

       a. Tactical is defense; strategic is offense. 

       b. Tactical is evaluating, responding, making sure details are cared for, assuring that no one slips through the cracks, and proactively protecting the church from anything unhealthy.

       c. Strategic is rising above the details to see the lay of the land (helicoptering). Learning from leaders who are light years ahead of you. Making sure the ladder is leaning against the right wall. Dreaming and scheming for the future. 

7. Work while you talk. If the group decides to post something important on Facebook, do it now. If you agree to send a thank you note to your tech leader, do it now. This allows you to leave most meetings with your “to-do” items already done. Obviously, some action items require more time which means they should wait until the meeting is over.  

8. Press forward with the agenda. A good team recognizes when it’s important to spend a lot of time resolving an issue and when it’s time to decide and move on. 

9. Mix up the venue and seating arrangement once in a while. Creativity comes easier when the flip chart and other team members are freshly arranged. 

10. In special situations, invite non-staff members to attend a meeting. You need their advice or their opinion, and sometimes the best way to get it is for them to interact with the staff. 

11. The bucks stops somewhere. A very high percentage of decisions will be made by reaching consensus, but occasionally the lead pastor needs to make the decision. 

What questions does this raise? What other rules have you practiced for effective meetings? 

Each team will approach the meetings in its own unique way. In my next blog, I will talk about how Epikos Church - Vancouver does it.  

The Four Stages of Healthy Group Development

First published on Facebook on Friday, July 12, 2013.

Churches with healthy DNA are as rare as reindeer in Reno. Most church leaders will never experience it. But there is no reason you can’t be one of the few, the proud, the Marines. And while respecting one another, having fun together, and pouring fuel on each other’s fire is essential, how you choreograph the interactions of the people in your group is vital. The first two blogs address that issue, and I’ll share more wisdom down the road.

Hang this on a hook inside your brain: A team can only be healthy when the individual team members are healthy. Read that again. And make sure you get it. If the leader of leaders is emotionally and spiritually healthy, he/she will attract healthy people - or people who want to be healthy. Unhealthy people don’t last long on a healthy team; they either become healthy or they leave. No one is perfectly healthy emotionally and spiritually, so a healthy team, when necessary, is patient, grace-filled, and affirming to someone whose habits are trending in the right direction and whose heart is right.

Of course the opposite is true: If the leader is unhealthy, you’re in trouble. Expect an ongoing storm that demoralizes people and sends creativity, productivity, and joy into a death spiral (and that assures a pathetic church as opposed to a prevailing church). If the leader and most of the team are healthy but a particular individual is a walking, talking head case and emotional drain on everyone, healthy leaders draw boundaries around them and help them find another place to serve. Remember what Patrick Lencioni says: “The biggest challenge in creating and maintaining healthy culture is the ability of the leader to have uncomfortable conversations in a healthy way.” 

Now that we’re all heathy, let’s talk about the Forming - Storming - Norming - Performing model of group development. It was first proposed in 1965 by a guy named Bruce Tuckman who maintained that these phases are all necessary and inevitable in order for the team to grow, to face up to challenges, to tackle problems, to find solutions, to plan work, and to deliver results. Since these don’t need a lot of explaining, I will do a little explaining.

Forming: It takes a while to get to know each person’s personality, quirks, stress threshold, hot buttons, and gifts. When people start working together, they are often surprised that she is opposed to my brilliant idea (how can you not be in favor of lamb-shaped communion bread?) or that he has to consider every conceivable outcome - twice - before pulling the trigger on anything. Like a newly-married couple debating whether to spend Christmas with his parents or hers, it takes some time to know how to process things and work together toward the common goal. Add to this the challenge of determining roles and agreeing on the vision, and forming takes time.

Storming: Suddenly the marriage analogy fully comes to life! This is the stage in which different ideas compete for consideration. The team addresses issues such as how they will function independently and together. Team members open up to each other and confront each other's ideas and perspectives. It can feel contentious, unpleasant, and even painful to people who are averse to conflict. Without respect and patience, the team will sink into a pattern of hurt feelings and ever-deepening frustration. On the flip side, when each person is committed to healthy conflict and a God-honoring outcome (and is conscious of the fact that the team is in the Storming stage), respect and patience eventually pay off. The team is poised to enter the next stage. 

Norming: The team settles in. They have learned what fires her up, what sets him off, what dials forward the creativity of the entire team. They have learned that he blossoms when he is affirmed, that she actually craves corrective feedback if it will help the team. In this stage, all team members take the responsibility and have the ambition to work for the success of the team's goals.

Performing: Yes, it is possible to arrive at this holiest-of-stages. Teams that perform are able to function as a unit as they get the job done smoothly and effectively without inappropriate conflict. They are motivated and knowledgeable. Dissent is expected and encouraged as long as it happens within the climate of respect and with the goal of maximum kingdom impact. Team members leave meetings feeling proud of the organization and delighted that they get to work with one another. 

At Epikos Church in Vancouver, we’re in the performing stage. It doesn’t mean we are the perfect model or that we have “arrived,” but we’ve ridden the roller coaster and come through in pretty good shape. Our staff meetings have become our small group. We share stories, chide one another, laugh, cry, and pray together. We love each other. We get it. We know that our friendship with each other is the foundation on which everything we do to save the world is built. We do our best to create a healthy balance between the “soft” side of being together and the “hard” side of tackling the task of leading the church to become everything God hopes it will be. It might sound weird (it shouldn’t), but we look forward to hanging out with each other at staff meetings. Really!

In my next blog, I will share how we conduct our staff meetings each week. 

Bringing Out the Best In Your Team: Part II

First published on Facebook on Monday, June 17, 2013.

Last time, I introduced the topic of strategic synergy, the invisible ingredient that divides prevailing churches from pathetic churches. I defined strategic synergy as the ability of a group to significantly outperform even its best individual member in the shared quest to fulfill the mission. 

Here are a few more thoughts: 

Bringing a team together is vital (you already knew that). Making sure you have the right people on the bus is mega-vital (yes, of course). But leveraging the potential of the team is the defining challenge. It is far more important than most of us realize. Here is another way to say it: Merely assembling the right parts is not sufficient. The relationship and interaction among the various parts is what creates synergy. 

Take a mental snapshot of the people on your staff. Their differences probably outnumber their similarities. They are different in age, gender, religious background, ethnicity, and personality. Some are single while others are married. She has kids; he never has and hopes he never does. That young kid is a people person; the old guy gets excited about job descriptions and numbers. One person was trained as a pastor while someone else worked in the marketplace and slid into ministry through the side door. One person came from a home where mom and dad teased each other and pranked the kids and life was a party; the person across the table was raised by parents who demanded perfection and spooned out heaping portions of criticism. A flip chart page could not begin to contain all of the differences between a staff of people who come together to lead the church. 

Is the diversity good or bad? The answer is YES. How wonderful is the chance to rub shoulders with and learn from someone who grew up threading up his dad’s 16 mm movie projector for Bible studies at the church when he was barely big enough to lift the projector, and - 40 years later - is still reading & experimenting & praying & learning & growing and doing everything he can think of to reach another family for Jesus? And how could you not be inspired by the energy, optimism, and godly naïveté of someone who is 30 years younger, wears studs in his ears, has paraphrased the entire New Testament in his own words, and hangs out with and prays for people whose culture is pretty much foreign to anyone with a job? In other words, everyone wins when each person in the room truly respects, honors, and values the unique perspective and life experience each person brings to the table. Most important, the lost person wins. The kingdom wins. The gospel spreads, lives are changed, and darkness is pushed back a little more. 

The flip side to this diversity is the frustration of working with people who don't see the world as you do. They make decisions so much slower (or faster) than you prefer. Their theology, on some points, boggles your mind. Their church experience is opposite of yours (a long, painful stint in a traditional pew, or maybe sipping caffeine while the preacher teaches from a bar stool). Here is what you need to know: Diversity is good, but frustration is inevitable. But put it all in kingdom perspective: When discussions and planning and working side-by-side grow out a common passion for reaching the next person coupled with a genuine respect for one another, the frustrations actually morph into better decisions, deeper friendship, and greater effectiveness for the kingdom. And more joy than you ever imagined. But each person in the room has to work on the relationship. A lot. Don't underestimate how important it is to keep on working on the relationship. 

The Italian prophet Patrick Lencioni lists six rules for building an effective team. Read his wisdom, and discuss each point with your staff. 

• The leadership team is small enough (three to ten people) to be effective. 
• Members of the team trust one another and can be genuinely vulnerable with each other. 
• Team members regularly engage in productive, unfiltered conflict around important issues. 
• The team leaves meetings with clear-cut, active, and specific agreements around decisions. 
• Team members hold one another accountable to commitments and behaviors. 
• Members of the leadership team put the collective priorities and needs of the larger organization ahead of their own departments.

Did I mention that being part of a well-functioning team is fun? But it is all too rare because too few leaders are spiritually and emotionally healthy or they lack the commitment to look for the best in one another, enjoy the ride, and do whatever it takes to create strategic synergy. It is an unusual honor to serve God with a team that loves God, loves each other, loves the saints as well as far-from-God people, and synergizes to advance the kingdom. What's holding you back from being unusual? 

In my next blog, I will talk about some of the specific things we have learned about working together. 

Bringing Out the Best In Your Team: Part I

First published on Facebook on Friday, June 14, 2013.

Strategic synergy is the invisible ingredient that divides prevailing churches from pathetic churches. It doesn’t matter whether you agree with me. It is. So listen! (And  dissent only clarifies the truth, so please let me know if you see things differently.)

Of course someone will quote Solomon (“Unless the Lord builds the house...”) and inquire, “Isn’t God the invisible ingredient?” No, and here’s why. God is constantly at work; He wants to bless every church; He wishes He could. But when He doesn’t, it is because He rarely overwrites His own laws. For example, God could force an 8-ounce cup to hold a quart of water, but don’t fast and pray in hopes He will do so. Instead, find three more 8-ounce cups and your prayer has been answered. Of course we need God’s intervention, but curiously, He intervenes most significantly in churches that line up the cups. 

It’s like my friend, Steve, who asked me to pray that his church would grow in spite of the fact that his church parking lot has 50 spaces and attendance has hovered around 100 for more than a generation. If you can’t park people, you won’t need to, I reminded him. (The exceptions: (a) If your church is in an urban area where more than half of the residents use public transit to get to work or school, and (b) If the majority of church attenders are first-generation immigrants to America.) Steve’s response: “Buying more land, moving to another location, or offering two services is hard. Just pray that God will grow our church without changing anything!” Reality check: When Americans come to church, they bring their cars.

Or how about my friend, Harold, who decided to start a church without a team. “Someday I’ll write a book called Church Planting for Dummies,” he grinned. “I don’t have a team and I don’t see that changing, so as soon as we hit 1,000 or so I’ll write the book and explain how even a dummy like me can do it!” Maybe his next book will be Skydiving for Dummies for enthusiasts who can’t afford the parachute. (Could God keep someone alive who bails out of an airplane without a chute? Sure. But you try it first, then let me know how it went.)

So back to strategic synergy. Some church leaders pray hard, read books, attend the Catalyst conference, and work so hard they neglect their devotions, their family, and their health, yet their results are so limited you’re not sure whether the church will survive. Other pastors spend every evening with their wife and kids, take two months off in the summer, and spend two hours in the gym five days a week and their churches prevail. The difference is the absence or presence of strategic synergy. 

When God wants to accomplish something, he raises up a leader. And that leader quickly attracts and coalesces a team of people with complementary gifts who tackle the task with the enthusiasm and optimism of a young couple at a marriage license office.

What Is Strategic Synergy?

So what is strategic synergy? Strategy is the art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal. Synergy is actually a Greek word that means "working together". It is defined as the interaction of multiple elements in a system to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Strategic synergy, then, is the ability of a group to significantly outperform even its best individual member in the shared quest to fulfill the mission.

• Synergy happens when you tie your shoes with two hands instead of one. How long would it take you to tie your shoe with only your right hand (assuming you can do it at all)? Next try your left hand. Now tie your shoe using both hands. That is synergy. 
• Say Judy and Rudy are both too short to reach an apple on a tree. Once Judy sits on Rudy’s shoulders, they are tall enough to reach the apple. That is synergy.
• Imagine Fran asks Ron to empty the dryer and fold the sheets. Ron can do it, but he has to lay the sheet on the family room floor, pull the corners together, realign the creases - and it takes him forever. When Fran takes one end of the sheet while Ron holds the other, they fold it in no time. That is synergy. 
• A Belgian horse can pull a cart weighing 8,000 pounds. Two Belgian horses can pull a 24,000-pound cart. That is synergy.  

What are the components? 

First, you need more than one Belgian horse. You need a team at the top. The Lone Ranger never planted a prevailing church, and he never will. I am convinced that you need at least three persons on the staff.  

Second, you need the right persons on the team. I covered that in The Pivotal Design document. 

Also indispensable are healthy DNA and healthy group hubris. Healthy DNA happens when everyone on the team is healthy spiritually and emotionally. It consists, in part, of healthy conflict, respect and admiration for each person on the staff, and clarity of roles. Healthy hubris is when the staff is not intimidated by the most ominous challenge. They lean on God for wisdom, and believe that Together, we’re a genius. The staff must be led by a person with the spiritual gift of leadership. He is not just a leader but a leader of leaders. 

But the epicenter of creating and leveraging strategic synergy is the staff meeting. Once all the ingredients are in place, the staff meeting is place/event/occasion when the strength of every person in the room is leveraged.

In my next blog, I will talk about how to shape and leverage the staff meeting. 

The Pivotal Design

Mission Catalyst turns five today. The candles are burning. We couldn't blow them out if we wanted to.

We promised a big announcement, and this is it. Please take a few minutes, relax, and read every word. We're incurably excited.

What have we learned?

After many conversations, meetings, hard work, and prayers, here is what five years have taught us:

1. It can be done. What can be done? Prevailing churches with our theological niche can be created.
2. It cannot happen in a parental system. (It's counterproductive to control funding and staffing.)
3. It happens rarely. Why? Because few people understand how to do it. And it's tough. (But re-read #1.)

We are not uncomfortable talking about it. If what breaks God's heart breaks our hearts, we have to talk about it. We have to struggle, experiment, and pray. And once we nail down a breakthrough, it's unthinkable to keep it to ourselves.

What is changing?

We told you that our announcement "changes everything." What is changing?

1. We no longer look for a superstar pastor. There is a better way to staff a prevailing church than to search for someone who is omni-competent.
2. We are raising the bar on the funding. Now that it's clear how to create a prevailing church, we have to amp up our support. A breakthrough requires resources.
3. Leaders who want their life to make a maximum difference have better, clearer choices than ever before.

What is it that changes everything?

We call it The Pivotal Design. It's imperative that you read it. Here are some options. Pick one or all.

• Log onto missioncatalyst.org/pivotaldesign. Choose between the full edition and a somewhat abbreviated edition. Or listen to the audio online, download it to your iPod, or burn a CD.
• Order professionally-printed copies of the bound booklet to share with everyone you know. Order online or give us a call.

Set aside an hour, and read it through. We're pretty sure you'll agree that it indeed changes everything.

How can you help?

I have never felt so good about asking for your help. We have set an ASAP goal of $180,000. Once you read The Pivotal Design, you will understand the potential and how vital it is that we raise up the next prevailing church.

Please choose your level of support (Friend, Supporter, Partner, or Visionary). Let's tackle this challenge with hair-on-fire enthusiasm and make sure we can support a wave of prevailing churches. You can give online, you can call us, or you can send a check. (You can even drive across the country and hand it to us!)

Friend: $30 a month
Supporter: $100 a month
Partner: $500 a month
Visionary: $1,000 a month
Legacy: Let's talk!

What is God dreaming?

Peter says it well: "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Every page of the Bible, every moment of Jesus' life, the entire plan of salvation, is about one thing: redeeming people far from God. There cannot be another cause as essential. This is what keeps us awake at night and fuels our passion.

In the midst of crazy times in our country and our world, I am asking God for teams of leaders to create prevailing churches, and for faithful kingdom maniacs to step forward and provide the necessary resources. Thank you for being a vital part of what God is up to.

Ron Gladden, Directional Leader

P.S. Can you imagine what Mission Catalyst will be like five years from now (if Jesus doesn't come first)? I'm sure we will be astonished!

P.P.S We want to hear your feedback. Post your comments below.

This Changes Everything: The Pivotal Design

Our family likes to play Sudoku. We don't waste our time with the simple ones; we want the tough ones, the ones most people avoid.

We start out with high hopes but, all too often, arrive at the point where we're stuck. A person can stay stuck for a long time with Sudoku. It is tempting to give up. After a lot of scrutinizing and mental calisthenics, one of us finally sees something that had eluded everyone before, and he moves ahead to completion. When he calls out, "Done!" the others always ask, "Where did you get your break?"

You need a break to get through.

Many of the greatest inventions are attributed to the person who finally got a breakthrough. Consider the airplane and the Wright brothers. Orville and Wilbur were not the first to try, but they were the first to get a breakthrough. In fact, they could not have accomplished what they did if others had not experimented and learned before them. They stood on the shoulders of those who tried and discovered what not to do. After pouring over all the attempts and failures, they were the ones to get the break - and are remembered for being the first to fly.

There have been many improvements in flight since the boys from Dayton made that breakthrough, but every plane built since is based on what they learned. They discovered the pivotal design. To my knowledge, no one has reverted back to the attempts that went before. Someone once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Inventors experiment relentlessly until they find the pivotal design. Everything after that is based on that breakthrough.

Church planters know that failure is more common than success. They have a vision of a healthy church where people can't wait to come. Seekers discover salvation. The things of eternity are put in their proper perspective - desirable and exciting. The atmosphere reeks with anticipation. People are friendly, and the music is familiar. Church planters begin with the vision and great hopes, but often turn away from the project a few years later feeling defeated. Their hearts were right. Their efforts were enthusiastic. But it never quite flew.

Pastors and lay leaders make the attempt because they look at what God is doing elsewhere and they see success. They attend conferences where it's happening. They return to their cities and say, "We can do this!" Then they dive in head first using whatever method or approach they are used to.

Until recently, most church planters missed something important: Successful churches are based on a pivotal design. Those who have discovered it look at the failed attempts and can easily understand why. Those who succeed have - deliberately or inadvertently - worked in harmony with the pivotal design. Once someone discovers it, how smart would it be to start a church without it? Since that windy December day at Kitty Hawk, nobody jumps off cliffs with wings and duct tape.

What is the pivotal design? Thanks for asking. On August 9, we will let you know. You will be amazed at the potential, and you will be invited to do something about it. One thing is for sure: This changes everything!

We want to hear your feedback. Post your comments below. And stay tuned for August 9.

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord
will do amazing things among you."
Joshua 3:5

- Dennis Pumford, Assistant Directional Leader

This Changes Everything: Barriers

We are not going to take it anymore!

Don’t get nervous, because we’re not yelling at random passers-by through open windows or contemplating carnage (in fact, we are smiling, high-fiving, and having the time of our lives!). But we’re done making excuses. We will not listen to the people who say, “It cannot be done. Truth is unpopular. The road is narrow. Churches that worship on Saturday (and hang on to some other teachings) will never break through and become prevailing churches.”

Here is how I see it. The distinctives are not a barrier to growth. There are other barriers, but the message is not one of them.

A lot of people actually like to discover truth. They think the Sabbath totally makes sense and, when they learn that God doesn’t torture the unsaved forever, they are relieved. When a church makes Jesus first, when it views each doctrine through the lens of grace, when people truly love each other, the message is not a fence; it’s a bridge. (Of course, no one is open to “truth” that makes people critical, arrogant, or harsh.)

Time will prove the point, and we have a rising sea-swell of stories about people whose lives were miraculously changed by God to illustrate it. We have not yet seen churches with our theological niche that never stop growing, but the reason is not the message.

Look at the factors below. Ask yourself (or phone a friend) and decide, Which of these prevent a church from becoming a prevailing church?

____ The pastor is lazy and inept.

____ The leaders think they’re so smart and talented, they don’t really need God.

____ Members don’t care that much where lost people end up.

____ The leaders design programs with the assumption that tomorrow is 1965.

____ The local church is not trusted to make the big decisions that affect long-term growth (e.g. staffing, money, and facilities).

We will unpack this discussion more on August 9. We’ve discovered something big that will help all of us understand how to leverage our lives for the kingdom. In ten short days, we’ll light the candles (that you can’t blow out) and celebrate anniversary number five.

We want to hear your feedback. Post your comments below. Let us know why you think churches with our theological view have stopped short of prevailing.

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” (Joshua 3:5)

This Changes Everything: Ten-talent Pastors

Every denomination has a percentage of one-talent pastors, five-talent pastors, and ten-talent pastors. We don't like to label our pastors (after all, this isn't Olympic trampoline or figure skating), but we all know that some are extraordinarily gifted while others, well, struggle. If you've attended church for more than a few years, you know what I mean.

Question: Would you expect the fruit of a ten-talent leader to be more abundant than the fruit of a one- or a five-talent leader? If you define fruit as more and more people following Jesus, would a ten-talent pastor lead the church to greater impact?

Let me illustrate. Rewind to 1975, and take Bill Hybels - indisputably a ten-talent pastor - out of the movie theater where he and some friends started Willow Creek. Plop him into a parental system that controls the staffing, the money, the ministries, and the facilities. Would he make the impact he has made there? Where would he be 34 years later? What about the thousands who have crossed the line of faith and accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord? What are the odds he would still be pastoring?

This is vital. One-talent pastors have pretty much the same impact no matter where they serve. Ten-talent pastors, on the other hand, either flounder or flourish depending on the system in which they operate. Is it parental? Their impact will always be temporary and limited. Is it grandparental? The sky is the limit.

What do we mean? Generally, parents control while grandparents support. They both want the same thing (healthy, happy, balanced kids), but their roles are notably different. Of course good parents provide support but, in denominational circles, there is a profound difference between control and support.

We all want the same thing: more people in heaven. An even casual reading of the gospels reveals a hidden camera view into God's heart: He is not willing that any should perish. "Whatever it takes" was His mantra, and it has to be ours.

We're only a few weeks away from August 9, our fifth anniversary. We're excited about the party and the five candles (that you can't blow out). Make sure you watch for the announcement.

We want to hear your feedback. Is a talented leader most effective in a parental or grandparental system? Why? Post a comment below. And stay tuned for August 9.

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." Joshua 3:5

This Changes Everything: The Prevailing Church

You heard about the party, right? And the five candles (that you can't blow out)?

Mission Catalyst turns five on August 9, and the candles are for the party. But we're not just eating cake and blowing noisemakers. We are planning an announcement that changes everything. It's a big deal.

What do we mean? You'll know on August 9. In the meantime, let your mind take you back to 50 days after Passover. The believers came together in thankfulness for the first harvest, and strange things started to happen. Flames of fire appeared out of nowhere (no one could blow them out), the noise of a Katrina-like hurricane roared through and, without the benefit of Rosetta Stone CDs, people started sharing the gospel in languages they had never spoken before. The result? Several thousand skeptics crossed the line of faith and became fervent followers of Jesus. Pretty cool, huh?

Can it happen again? Of course. "In the last days," God says, "I will pour my Spirit upon all people" (Acts 2:17). We believe Him. We think conversions ought to be normal. We pray and expect that God will use leaders today to create prevailing churches where God is the hero and believers love nothing more than helping skeptics learn about Him.

We didn't coin the term "prevailing church," but we like it. We use it all the time around Mission Catalyst because it captures what we sense God is calling us to create. We are thankful for every church that lifts up Jesus ("wherever two or three are gathered"), but we will pay just about any price to build a prevailing church. Here is what we mean. See if it sounds exciting to you.

· The church ethos is unselfish: It's all about the next person who needs to meet Jesus.
· The church understands and connects with the culture through music, technology, preaching, and the arts.
· A high percentage of attenders had no church background before finding this church.
· Authentic Acts 2 community happens (largely, but not exclusively) through its system of small groups.
· The stories of supernatural life-change and radical discipleship are countless.
· The church never stops reaching more people. Whatever the church's age, it continues to grow.
· The church has an increasingly significant footprint in the community. You can't miss it.

We want to hear your feedback. And, we'd like to hear whether you know of a church that fits this description. Maybe it's your church or a church you've visited. And stay tuned for August 9.

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." Joshua 3:5

The 6.5 Theses: Undeniable Truths Worth Nailing Somewhere

1. The local church is God's design to reach a city. It is the hope of each community. The local church is God's highest priority.

2. Local churches exist to reach the next person. Effective leaders are clear that the primary customer is the person who will not go to heaven unless something changes before the end of his/her life. Those who pay the bills, who are already convinced, and who already attend are the secondary customer.

3. Churches are self-determining when it comes to the things that cause health and growth (e.g., staffing, money, and facilities). Since the local church is God's design to reach a community, its leaders must prayerfully decide how to best invest tithe and offerings.

4. Any conference or network exists only to resource and assist the local church in reaching its maximum redemptive potential. Ask not what the church can do for the network; ask what the network can do for the church.

5. Those who are persuaded of the Mission Catalyst theological perspective are not spiritually superior to those who attend any other Christian church. God uses Christians with various points of view to help people cross the line of faith.

6. Leaders don't wait for permission from anyone to obey God's promptings. Once they hear his voice, understand His heart, and consult with people they respect, they act.

6.5 Every city should have a healthy, happy, growing Mission Catalyst church.

Character Matters

Most churches and denominations have a list of beliefs that are considered basic to a person’s membership in that church. Some call the list of beliefs a “creed.” Among protestant churches, most start out with statements about the Trinity, the Bible, and salvation. I went through the list I am most familiar with the other day and put a “B” beside every one that simply required me to give mental assent, and “B/A” if it required belief and some sort of action. The “B’s” far outnumbered the “B/A’s.” Then I looked up all the passages in the Gospels where Jesus described who would be a part of His Kingdom. Of course, I began with the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, then with the help of the concordance, using the word “kingdom,” proceeded to other passages. I came up with a list of 14 descriptions of the saved. I attempted to use my “B” and “A” system to compare them to the requirements of belonging to a church. It did not work. Instead, I had to come up with another letter: “C,” standing for a character quality. Here is the list of character qualities I found: 1) meek (humble), 2) mourning over one's spiritual condition (as opposed to pride), 3) gentle, 4) merciful, 5) pure in heart, 6) peacemaker, 7) standing for right even when persecuted, 8) trusting in Christ in spite of persecution, 9) doing God’s will rather than merely professing it, 10) forgiving others, 11) being willing to obey, 12) persevering, 13) giving to those who cannot return the favor, 14) and being born of the Spirit. Obviously numbers 7, 8, 9, and 11 imply deeply held beliefs. I am not advocating the current trend toward no absolutes — everything is relative. But character is how a person holds his or her beliefs. What would happen if a church required that people who belonged were moving in the direction of character development through the Holy Spirit’s power rather than submitting to a set of beliefs? It seems that God can take a person of character and quickly help them on their beliefs — even in heaven — as opposed to taking someone who is “right” on beliefs, but has little or no character. Maybe we should bring Jesus up to date on how things work today! Or, have we morphed in the direction of that which can be measured as opposed to what God is really looking for? I would like to hear your response.

Dennis Pumford
Assistant Directional Leader

Worldliness

Many times I have heard the expression, “You are trying to bring the world into the church!” It always is connected with drums, drama, or years ago with the use of the screen for music. It’s interesting that people often relate certain forms of music, instruments, dress, or food with the world. The Bible seems to be mute on this association. On the other hand, the things that the Bible does condemn, which would make them “worldly,” are gossip, backbiting, evil-surmising, criticism, and faultfinding.

In my years of ministry, I have seen the church plagued with these problems on every level, but the amazing thing is that there is no outcry of “worldliness!” addressing these problems. In the end, the only winner is the devil, and our churches or schools cripple along with no hope of reaching their full potential. As we continue to plant new churches with the same basic message, wouldn’t it be nice if we make a deliberate effort to exclude the real “worldliness” from our congregations through teaching and example?

Dennis

Affinity

It is the goal of Mission Catalyst to facilitate the planting of healthy churches with certain basic beliefs and focuses. What does a healthy church look like? Having pastored many churches through the years, I have a mental picture of a healthy church. There are several factors, but I want to focus on one that is basic: Affinity. This means that there is general agreement on basic beliefs and goals. Affinity goes farther than beliefs, however. Affinity includes a natural sense of agreement on worship styles and life’s values. When two people are introduced, they usually make small talk until they hit on some common ground — they both lived in Tennessee at one time; they both graduated in the same year; they both listen to Rush Limbaugh; or they are both fans of the Chicago Bears. When some affinity is reached, no matter what it is, there is more joy in being together and sharing. That is essential with a church. When all like the fact that their church has a “great” band and plays music they can really get into, that is an affinity that causes them to love their church. When all like the direction in which their pastor or point person is leading the church, that is affinity. When there is affinity, there is joy, excitement, and enthusiasm. Where people are enthusiastic, churches grow. Healthy churches grow just as healthy plants grow. If they are not growing, they are dead. In my experience, there is little affinity in congregations. Because people are poles apart on various methods, goals, or even basic beliefs, there are mediocre methods used and middle of the road compromises on almost everything. The intent is to please as many as possible so as to keep everyone on board. In reality, many bail, and evangelism tries to replace them so that we do not have negative growth. Affinity, on the other hand, breeds joy, and people invite their friends. This is human nature. If we buy a new Chevy truck and just love it, we tell others and are very convincing. If we went to an amusement park that really was worth the money, we tell others and they plan their vacations accordingly. Church growth is best done magnetically. Joy is contagious. This is true with any style of worship or beliefs. Their must be affinity, not tolerance. How does your church rate on affinity?

Dennis Pumford
Assistant Directional Leader

Which Denominations Will Thrive in the 21st Century?

George Bullard on (BullardJournal.org) has identified 20 factors that empower denominations to survive in the 21^st century. I have condensed them to 10, and revised a couple. I hope the Seventh-day Adventist denomination will take a careful look at these. Just for fun, rate each point on a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent) and let us know your overall score by posting a comment.

1. They proactively acknowledge and function with the understanding that real denominations serve congregations, and all they do points to enhancing the vitality of local congregations.

2. They unite on a clear and compelling message that seeks to make a transformational difference in the world. That message is so powerful that it gives them great reason to work through issues that seek to divide them.

3. They develop clarity around their doctrinal values that focus on core doctrines and allow flexibility for congregations who do not agree with every non-core doctrine espoused.

4. They empower congregational multiplication movements that result in a number of new congregations each year equal to three percent or more of the number of congregations already affiliated with their denomination.

5. They adopt and adapt effective models for helping congregations to develop readiness for transition and change, and ultimately transformation.

6. They help faithful, effective, and innovative congregations move to the next level of effectiveness in reaching their full kingdom potential.

7. They rediscover the core, highly valued activities of the denominations, and move secondary endeavors such as institutions to the back burner.

8. They make peace with the parachurch world, and even become more parachurch in nature themselves. They partner with parachurch organizations to increase effective service to their congregations.

9. They find ways to conduct the basic services and systems of the denomination in a manner that spends as few resources as possible and still maintains basic services to congregations. They do this by becoming resources brokers and coaches, rather than resource providers and consultants.

10. They understand multiple funding streams will have to be developed and cultivated to pay for denominational resources and services. They realize it is not likely the offering plate dollars in their affiliated congregations will provide the financial resources needed for future denominational vitality.

Dennis Pumford
Assistant Directional Leader

Are You Free, or Are You Fearful?

Systems, structures, organizations, and denominations are formed to streamline the already existing goals and movements that began in an informal way, but were worthy of greater exposure. Thru the years, the organization thus formed petrifies into something “established” rather than organic. In the end, most activity is to sustain the system that now consumes rather than contributes. Loyalty to the organization is the yardstick for measuring success. Now and then someone talks about how they should return to the original mission. Everyone agrees and feels better that those sentiments were expressed, but nothing is ever done to go back. Nothing can be done. Why? Because the organization saps all the energy and resources that might be used to go back. At that point people bail. Those who bail are smeared, their reputation and investment are ruined. Others see this and decide that they must stay loyal or suffer the same, so they dig in and join the criticism. So how do you really know what a person thinks in his or her heart of hearts? This is the game we play. Ralph Waldo Emerson was right when he challenged people to leave their political party, club, organization, or church so that their yes would be yes, and their no would be no. He could not separate when they were talking or when they were speaking for their affiliation. How is it with you? Do you speak on your own, or are you controlled by your investment into a system? Are you free, or are you fearful?

Dennis Pumford
Assistant Directional Leader

Can You Handle the Freedom?

Someone said, “Freedom is the opportunity to choose what will enslave you.” I think they are right. Mission Catalyst chose a new slogan: Can you handle the freedom? Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… If therefore the Son will make you free, you will be free indeed.” I have heard many people say that they are glad they “have the truth” (as though there was no more to find). I have rarely heard people say they are glad they are “free indeed.” We thought of the slogan: Have truth, add freedom. Imagine being “free indeed.” God needs people today to do whatever it takes and to go wherever to reach lost people. That takes freedom. Can you handle it? If you can, you will find good company: Abraham, Jesus, and Paul. Abraham was free to go when God said, “Go!” Paul had the right balance: when it came to theology, he counseled with his brethren. When it came to methodology, in raising up new churches and in reaching the Gentiles, he made himself a servant only to those he was trying to reach: “Though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more… I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.” Mission Catalyst Network is about freedom. We want to help free, mission-minded people reach others for Christ. Can you handle the freedom?

Dennis Pumford
Assistant Directional Leader

Ron Gladden's Ordination

It is no secret that when Seventh-day Adventist pastors get together, whether for camp meeting, workers’ meetings, or camp work bees, the conversation often turns to the need to change the organizational structure of the church. Frustration is expressed over the bureaucracy, and the question often arises: “Why doesn’t somebody do something?” “Why, if I were in charge, I would…” Some of those pastors go on to serve in the conference office. Their rhetoric then takes a softer tone. Some even become administrators. At that point they seem to forget their resolutions and become lapdogs for the higher administration. Forgetting their conversations in the little huddles years back, they then turn on someone who finally did something. Ron Gladden’s ordination was voided last week. This is something that was not done even to John Osborne, who caused so much damage to the Church over a period of several years with his lying attacks and video propaganda. Isn’t it ironic that a pattern is being followed just like the pattern that frustrates us all when politicians have been in Washington too long? Rather than dealing with the serious issues of the day, they spend their energies making personal attacks on anyone daring to be different. Some of you reading this may be administrators thinking, “Not me! I am not a lapdog who turns issues into personal attacks!” Fine, if you know Ron’s heart, know his commitment not to attack the Church, know his desire to further the Advent Movement and make a positive difference, and know his fidelity to Adventist Beliefs, then show your support for his leadership by sending him an e-mail or, if you really want to be a difference-maker, by granting honorary ordination and credentials to Ron Gladden, a true modern day pioneer, light-years ahead of his time. As for me, I give to Ron an open invitation to speak at our local Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Dennis Pumford
Assistant Directional Leader