Getting to the right answers means first starting with the right questions. In fact some of the best questions are both diagnostic and visional at the same time. Below are eight questions about Family Ministry that should help you in evaluating your Church or ministry environment and determine if it’s right for you to chase after a Family Ministry approach.
Growth doesn’t just automatically happen. In order for a person or an organization to grow, the right stuff has to be consistently cultivated over a period of time. Even then, growth isn’t guaranteed. Reading a book, taking a class, going to a conference, listening to a sermon, spending time with a personal coach or mentor over a cup of coffee, or even reading the Bible doesn’t mandate growth. I mean how many people do you know who know the Scriptures, but aren’t growing and year in and year out never seem to end up looking much more like Jesus? How many people do you know who have a lot of content jammed into them but can’t translate all of that information into real life? Just because you have and follow a personal development plan that exposes you to the right content doesn’t mean you’re going to grow. Content alone doesn’t foster growth. So what does? The list may not be exhaustive, but if you can figure out how to couple the following list along with great content I think you and the organization that you lead in will be well on your way to growth.
Success never just happens. It may show up in a moment but it takes a series of moments to cultivate. It’s like the marriage that falls apart. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say, “My marriage fell apart last night.” My response? No it didn’t. It may have shown up last night but you’ve been working at wrecking that marriage for a long time. In light of that principle, this is a time of year that I try to do some reflection and evaluation on what I’m cultivating in my life, how it’s affecting people around me, and where what I’m cultivating is leading me. Some of this stuff comes natural to me, some of it has been formed into me through painful experiences, and some has come through coaches speaking into my life. It’s not exhaustive or infallible, and I hope that it improves over time, but it’s a process that works for me. Here is a list of categories that I use to evaluate…
Why do some ideas catch on, seem to take on a life of their own, and go viral while others seem to simply wither and die with a mere whimper? If you want to understand what makes a good idea, well a good idea…and if you’re interested in getting other people to embrace your ideas then you may want to pick up a copy of “Made to Stick.” In this book authors Chip Heath and Dan Heath assert that creating a successful idea is built through a simple, unexpected, concrete, credentialed, emotional, story.
12 years ago, the dream of North Metro Church was birthed by God in the hearts of a group of people that took a risk and started “doing church” in a way very few had the courage or vision to do 12 years ago in the south. The payoff to their obedience has been literally 1,000’s of people’s lives that will never be the same! In case you missed it a couple of weeks ago, I went ahead and posted this talk here for you. In it I roll out an overview of a refocusing on that dream and a sneak peak into a series that we’ll be doing in January to unpack our values at a deeper level. It’s a bit long, but if you’re interested in understanding who God has called North Metro to be and want to catch a glimpse into where we’re going check it out! This is a conversation I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for. Leading North Metro Church…this is was what I was made for.
I help churches make vision real. I am a pastor, speaker, strategist, and ministry consultant at The Unstuck Group.
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