The book itself is a short book but it is packed with some amazing truths and life-changing questions.  The author, Parker Palmer, is a Quaker theologian who has wrestled most of his life with the question, “why did God put me on this earth?”  Palmer then seeks to answer this question throughout his book.  Below are some of the quotes that challenged me:

• Trying to live someone else’s life, or to live by an abstract norm, will invariably fail-and may even do great damage. (Kindle Locations 72-73).
• Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about-quite apart from what I would like it to be about-or my life will never represent anything real in the world, no matter how earnest my intentions. (Kindle Locations 77-78).
• there is a great gulf between the way my ego wants to identify me, with its protective masks and self-serving fictions, and my true self. (Kindle Location 84).
• many young people today journey in the dark, as the young always have, and we elders do them a disservice when we withhold the shadowy parts of our lives. (Kindle Locations 201-202).
• If we are unfaithful to true self, we will extract a price from others. We will make promises we cannot keep, build houses from flimsy stuff, conjure dreams that devolve into nightmares, and other people will suffer-if we are unfaithful to true self. (Kindle Locations 313-314).
• When I give something I do not possess, I give a false and dangerous gift, a gift that looks like love but is, in reality, loveless-a gift given more from my need to prove myself than from the other’s need to be cared for. (Kindle Locations 471-472).
• The God I know does not ask us to conform to some abstract norm for the ideal self. God asks us only to honor our created nature, which means our limits as well as potentials. (Kindle Locations 483-484).
• A leader is someone with the power to project either shadow or light onto some part of the world and onto the lives of the people who dwell there.  A good leader is intensely aware of the interplay of inner shadow and light, lest the act of leadership do more harm than good. (Kindle Locations 723-724).
• if people skimp on their inner work, their outer work will suffer as well. (Kindle Locations 841-842).

If you haven’t already, please read this great book!  I would give this book a grade of “A”.

Here are the details of my sabbatical:

When:  March & April 2012

Would like to focus on:

• Personal
  • Physically
    • Exercise Routine
    • Healthier Eating Habits
• Spiritually:
  • Spiritual Disciplines
  • Study on Contentment/Book of Job
• Artistically
  • Guitar Lessons
  • Drawing class

• EPIC
  • Professionally—what does God want EPIC to be known for and how do we develop that?
  • Relationally—what needs to happen to create a more unified environment among students at Grace Point?
  • Leadership—development of more adult leaders (especially college age students) and put together a plan for the development of student leaders.
  • Visit 5 student ministries

• College Ministry
  • What would a college ministry look like at GPCC?
  • Visit 2 college ministries

I will be starting my sabbatical with the Simply Youth Ministry Conference in Louisville, KY from March 1-5, 2012.

Please pray that God will give me clarity as to what He wants from me and the student ministry at Grace Point Community Church.

When challenging his leaders in relation to serving students he said there are three things he asks them to do:

1.  Pray

You can’t lead someone spiritually if you haven’t asked the Spirit to guide and help.  Prayer is one of those “must” that rarely ever happens.

2.  Prepare

Be ready to for what might come up with students.  Know what they are going through.  And if you are teaching a lesson, definitely take the necessary time to know and ingest the topic you are discussing.

3.  Pursue

Teens like to know they matter and one of the best ways to do that is to pursue them.  I’m not talking about during church or the EPIC teaching times, but outside of GPCC and EPIC.  Contact them through Facebook, text, or call them.  Meet with them for a shake or a burrito.  Show up at one of their sporting events.  Really, just love them throughout the week.

Thanks Adam, for this great reminder!

I will admit though, that after check in, I am very disappointed so far.  There is one thing I always look forward to after check-in and that is the conference bag and notebook.  The bag this year is from Plywood People (www.plywoodpeople.com).  The idea is pretty cool and I like the concept.  Don’t know if I will carry around the bag this week though because it really looks more like a purse than anything.

But what I was disappointed about the most was the notebook.  In the past years the notebook has been a really well put together resource that is suitable to take notes in and to put one my bookshelf at the office.  This year, I feel they tried to cut corners financially (which is odd because the cost of the conference was still expensive) by putting together a “newspaper” look.  No room for taking notes and completely pointless to carry around because it is so big and awkward.

I so hope that the conference from here on out doesn’t have a cheap feel.  Praying that even if it does, God will still give me the fuel to take EPIC to the next great thing He has for us.

Several weeks ago I was thinking about how little we talk about the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives as Christ-followers. I began to consider how I live out my life, and, I was convicted…which, by the way, is one indication that the Holy Spirit is active in our lives. I thought it might be good to consider the conversation here especially as it relates to leaders in the Church. Based on that, here are…

10 Signs that We Don’t Believe in the Power of the Holy Spirit

1. We are experiencing anxiety and bitterness in our lives rather than joy and kindness. (Galatians 5:22-23)
2. We can’t remember the last time we prayed for the people we lead. (Romans 8:26)
3. The churches we lead aren’t growing and reaching more people. (Acts 9:31)
4. The churches we lead aren’t outreach focused. (Acts 1:8)
5. We think it’s our responsibility to convict people of sin. (John 16:8)
6. We are stuck in sinful patterns rather than pursuing the things of God. (Galations 5:16:17)
7. We think we have the power to change people. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
8. We are more concerned about the rules than we are our freedom in Christ. (Galations 3:2-3)
9. We think we can explain the mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10-12)
10. We are creating division and aren’t promoting unity within the Church. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

It might be good to begin the week and this next season of ministry by studying and praying through this list. My prayer is that your life and your ministry would continue to experience its fullest potential in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Simple Youth Ministry by Eric Geiger and Jeff Borton

Awaken Your Creativity by Les Christie

The Slow Fade by Reggie Joiner, Chuck Bomar, and Abbie Smith

Connect:  Real Relationships in a World of Isolation by Jonathan McKee

Are there any good books you have planned to read this summer?  I would love to see the list!!

I thought I would share just a little of what I am learning through this book journey.

#1—Leaders MUST Excavate their soul.

God has put into every leader the talents and gifts to be the leader He wants them to be.

Leadership success is the process of digging up the treasures of the invisible soul in order to bring dreams, desires, and talents into the visible world  –Dr. Cloud

In order for a leader to optimize his leadership he/she must:

• become aware of his/her dreams, desires, talents, and other treasures of the soul.
• Listens to them and values them as life itself.
• Takes steps to develop them, beginning in very small ways.
• Seeks coaching and help to make them grow.
• Does not care as much about his/her results, just continues to express his/her soul-treasures where they can.

Avoidance of risks is the greatest risk of all!!!!  –Dr. Cloud

Key passages to study:

• Matthew 25.14-30—Parable of the talents.
• Proverbs 4.23—Wellspring of life.

Here are some questions we posed to our leaders:

What do you want to see accomplished in EPIC in the next 365 days?

What does the process look like to achieve that goal?

What needs to be done to see that accomplished?

Who might we need to bring on to the team to help us achieve this goal?

Please pray that God would give us direction and peace concerning the vision for EPIC and the focus for the next 365 days for our students and their family’s. 

7 Non-Negotiables for Effective Spiritual Leaders

Perry Noble

As I have been thinking through my personal leadership journey lately and trying to figure out who God has called me to be and what He’s called me to do…I have narrowed my focus down to seven areas that I believe are essential for effective leadership in the church.

#1 – Passion

I’m not talking about false excitement over an event that you would not attend if you were not on the payroll at the church!

But rather raw, unfiltered, emotional and unapologetic passion…a white hot fire inside that consumes, controls and configures us into who Jesus has called us to be and what He’s called us to do!

Be warned-passionate people make for easy targets because no one has to guess what they stand for! However, passion, if handled correctly, can be one of the best friends a leader can have.

#2 – A Desire to Please God

One of the first verses I ever memorized was Galatians 1:10. I remember reading it and feeling like it literally jumped off the page…and something inside of me kept screaming, "You are going to need this verse for yourself if you are going to be truly successful in ministry."

A true leader in church would understand that God is our Leader…and in a passionate pursuit to please Him you and I will often disappoint people.

We can’t please committee’s and Christ-a choice must be made.

#3 – Wisdom

James 1:5 has been a verse that I have also had to cling to as a leader! What a promise!

God has called us to wisdom…so…as leaders I feel that we need to be doing as much as possible to learn…that means going to conferences, reading books…and not being afraid to meet with and learn from people who "aren’t like us!"

What are you personally doing right now to grow and develop yourself as a leader? To add to your wisdom?

I am in the process of connecting with other church leaders…in the past several weeks I’ve been involved in numerous learning environments with people who know SO MUCH MORE than me…and God has used each experience to shape me in an awesome way.

If all we tell our people is what we know…and we lead out of our limited knowledge, never seeking wisdom from others or God-then we will raise up some very shallow people.

#4 – Courage

I don’t think the tag "leader" should be put on anyone who hasn’t had to make tough decisions on a consistent basis.

I once heard Andy Stanley say that a leader isn’t necessarily the first person to see an opportunity, but rather the first person to act on what they see.

So true! There are lots and lots of people who see what is wrong with the world, church, etc…however, very few are actually willing to do anything about it.

Leaders step up and make the hard calls…even when it’s unpopular.

On a side note-courage is NOT the absence of fear! There have been so many situations in my leadership journey here at NewSpring that have just about caused me to pee my pants!

However, courage is KNOWING what God has called you to…and then DOING it…not knowing the outcome…but KNOWING who is in control of the outcome!

#5 – Humility

This is a tough one because…well…one cannot actually brag that they are humble!

Too many times in the past I know that this was a quality that was NOT in me! I wanted the credit for all of "my ideas!" If something went right and I was involved-I wanted people to know about it. If an element of service programming went well and it was my idea…I took the credit.

And then one day I had a conversation with John Maxwell that ROCKED MY WORLD…he said to me,

"Perry, you are where you are for two reasons. The first is the favor of God. The second is the giftedness of God. And Perry, please understand that God didn’t owe you either of these. You are where you are because of Him!"

DANG! When it comes right down to it…I don’t have good ideas-God gives them to me. I don’t have the ability to think or act…OR LEAD…unless HE leads me!

John 15:5 is SO true…and I have no right to boast in anything that I feel like I accomplish!

If a leader doesn’t care who gets the credit…but is obsessed with God getting the glory-awesome things can happen!

#6 – Honesty

One of the things the corporate world has seen lately is a lack of integrity…and the lie that "this is my life and how I live it doesn’t really impact anyone else" has been exposed over and over and over again!

As leaders-we’ve got to be honest with…

* OURSELVES – how are you doing? Really? Can you keep up the pace you have right now? What changes need to be made?

* OTHERS – is everyone around you doing a good job? Is there a tough conversation that needs to be had-but you won’t because you are afraid of the outcome?

* GOD – Is life and ministry REALLY "all about Him?"

#7 – Simplicity

I once heard Ed Young say, "If you want to impress me as a leader-don’t tell me what you’re doing, tell me what you’re NOT doing!"

DANG!

I think a leader who is worth his (or her) salt will admit that they are not good at everything…and as a result they will stop trying to be.

Reality is that everyone of us only do a few things well…and our leadership will be maximized when we focus on what God has gifted us and called us to be rather than what everyone else in the church expects us to be!

I can’t do everything…but I can do something…and the something that I can do…I will do!!!

What is on your plate that you KNOW you aren’t good at? You hate it? Go ahead and admit it because everyone around you already knows it and are probably praying that you will stop it anyway!

Perry Noble is the Senior Pastor of NewSpring Community Church with over 4000 in attendance each week. New Spring is one of the 100 Fastest Growing Churches in the U.S

Model the way

The practice of modeling the way is states that exemplary leaders lead by example. “Leaders’ deeds are far more important than their words when determining how serious they really are about what they do” (Kouzes, et al., 2008, p. 27). If a leader desires for others to follow, he must be willing to not only lead the way, but to do some of the dirty work that gets them the team there. A leader is always being watched. Therefore, an exemplary leader will not only recognize that but make sure that, on all levels, they are acting with integrity, excellence and honor (Skovira, 2006).

Inspire a shared vision

Inspiring a shared vision means that leaders not only know the big picture of what their organization seeks to accomplish but knows how to pull everyone into that vision so that they can own the vision as well. Strait (2006) notes that vision helps “define a scope, that provides specific goals, objectives, assumptions, and constraints that will enable this vision to be realized” (p.42). Scripture points out that “where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, King James Version). Having a vision is important but unless the leader can transfer that vision to his followers, the vision will be lost.

Challenge the process

Exemplary leaders know the importance of thinking outside the box. To challenge the process means a leader is always looking for “opportunities to innovate, grow, and improve” (Kouzes, et al., 2008, p. 29). They are not satisfied with the status quo but are willing be innovative in their approach and practice. Bossink (2007) notes that “a manager who wants to guide and steer the sustainable innovation processes has to be, or become, an innovation manager with substantial leadership competence” (p. 135).

Enable others to act

Leaders must not act alone. They must be willing to surround themselves with a team of people who can get the job done. Kouzes, et al. (2008), point out that “leaders enable others to act not by hoarding the power they have but by giving it away” (p. 31). Exemplary leaders are able to inspire others without acting like dictators to do so (Hickman & Murphy, 2006).

Encourage the heart

“It’s part of the leader’s job to show appreciation for people’s contributions and to create a culture of celebration” (Kouzes, et al., 2008, p. 32). People we are leading not only want to know they are contributing but need to know they are valuable pieces to the puzzle. Research has shown that those in military leadership gain the trust of their subordinates by showing concern for who they are and by acknowledging the skills they possess (Sweeney, Thomson, & Blanton, 2009).

References:

Bossink, B. A. G., (2007). Leadership for sustainable innovation. International Journal of

Technology Management and Sustainable Development, 6, 135-149.

Hickman, J. L., and Murphy, B., (2006). Strategies for developing leadership for new

supervisors. American Jails, 19, 9-13.

Kouzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z. (2008). The five practices of exemplary leadership. In J. V.

Gallos (Ed.), Business leadership (2^nd ed.) (pp. 26-34). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Skovira, R. J., (2006). An ethical ecology of a corporate leader: Modeling the ethical frame of

corporate leadership. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and

Management, 1, 159-170.

Strait, C. L. (2006). It’s all in the technique. Information Management Journal, 40, 41-46.

Sweeney, P. J., Thompson, V., and Blanton, H., (2009). Trust and influence in combat: an

interdependence model. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 39, 235-264.

Wordsearch 7.0 (2007) [Computer Software]. Austin, TX: Wordsearch Corp.