Mobilising the Next Generation!

Notes from Leaders Retreat

• ENVISIONING: Paint the Big Picture. Help people to see the possibilities for great contribution to the cause of Christ and to His kingdom. This is what Leaders do. They cast vision.
• INFORMING: Too many times we give people information without a vision and our teaching becomes stale and dry. It is even hard to swallow at times. Information – necessary – the details needed to fulfil vision.
• ENLISTING: Recruiting is what leaders do. People want to do something. People want to know what their roles, responsibilities and authorities will be. Help them by giving as many specifics as possible.
• INVOLVING: Delegate Tasks! Give people hands on opportunities to be involved. Max Capacity. When people do not sense that they are really making a valuable contribution they tend to move on to something where they can find meaning, worth and a sense of purposeful service.
• ENCOURAGING: Lit. ‘to put courage into’. 4 most powerful words from a leaders mouth ‘YOU CAN DO IT!
• EQUIPPING: Paul wrote, “Equipping the saints for the work of service for the building up of the body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11,12) Leaders are resource suppliers as well as spiritual inspiration to help people accomplish what they are called to do.
• EMPOWERING: A continous prayer: Ask God to infuse us with His power, might and authority to accomplish everything related to His great commission.
• ENTRUSTING: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others also.” (2 Tim. 2:2) Find a Timothy. Be a multiplier of the grace, love and truth He has given you.

Leaders Retreat this weekend

Dear Team

I am looking forward to being with you this weekend.

I am looking forward to a great time of fellowship

I am looking forward to having lots FUN

I am looking forward to hear your stories

I am looking forward to listen to you ideas

I am looking forward to hearing what God is doing in your life

I am looking forward to hearing what you are learning in ministry

I am looking forward to your vision and plans for 2010 and beyond

I am looking forward to praying and believing with you that ‘the best is yet to come and greater things are still to be done’

I am looking forward to sleeping on the Marae and enjoy the ‘Snoring Orchestra’

Ti Hei Mauri Ora!

Sunday Reflections

Here are a few thoughts from today …

• Great attendance in both services today. I also noticed that people came a lot earlier today. It must be something to do with the ‘Sermon Series’.
• Love dancing with my 3yr old girl Louise during worship.
• There was a spirit freedom in the house this morning to worship God.
• Thought the message was a little bit ‘in your face’…I don’t ever want us to become “the perfect church for perfect people.” Jesus came to set us free, including bondage from sexual sin!!
• The title of today’s message was “How to stay pure in a dirty world”. I spoke about Sexual Purity’. Purity is old fashion and not the most popular thing in today’s society. But it is still God’s will.
• Never talked to anyone before about my sex life. Today I did in Church. Genesis 1:31
• Prayed this morning that God would allow me to preach today without fear.
• By the way the prayer meeting on Saturday morning was fantastic. I was very encouraged with the number of our leaders at the prayer meeting.
• SWITCH served morning tea and its was great!! Sushi for morning tea!!! Wow!!
• I think Lifekids had a butterfly theme today at church. I saw several LifeKids volunteers with butterfly wings!!!
• Today at the 11am service we practiced what the scriptures says to ‘Shout unto the Lord all the earth”. Yes we did. Worship Leader Sua Sagala made us shout at the count of 3. Such a liberating feeling to do that in church.
• My favourite song today “People of Life Shout and Sing” Our worship team wrote this song when we launched our church almost 2 years now.
• SWITCH and our SWITCH leaders John & Sisi Fale won awards at the ‘Youth Work Leadership Awards’ last Friday. Category “Youth making a positive impact in the community”. Today we honored them. My wife and I were surprised with their honoring gesture in return.
• Haka in church!!
• The evening series with Dave Ramsey was fun and practical. Great small group discussions and I was impressed with the participation of young people. I expected more adults as they are ones who really need the financial advice.
• I really do believe the best is yet to come.
• I love this place! I love what God is doing here. I love the fact that He isn’t finished yet. I love the fact that lives are being changed.
• There is freedom in being real!!!
• Pray for me as I travel to Christchurch on Wednesday

We are commanded in the Scriptures to be Christlike.

I pray, I read scripture, I preach the Gospel, I love, I help, I pastor, I father, I lead, I shepherd, I mentor, I counsel, I forgive, I look out for the good of others…..
I think I do more than most people and yet I see such lack of Christlikeness in my character.

I Love my Church because__________________

Two weeks ago I started asking people why they keep coming to LifeChurch. I gave them a fill in the blank question. I Love my church because___________________

Here’s what I’ve received so far:

A family that works hard for the cause of salvation

A place of learning

Accepts me

Always new

Are committed to excellence

Are committed to God

Are courageous

Are exuberant (enthusiastic, excited, lively, energetic)

Are full of life

Are full of worship

Are fun and full of funny things

Are in love with God

Are overcomers

Are passionate

Are victorious

COMMITTED to serving the Lord

DOING IT!

Emphasis on using spiritual gifts

Everybody wants to do rubbish collection

Everyone is important especially children

Excited to learn more of God

Family church

Good teaching

Great fellowship

Great Word

Growth in the Lord and Leadership believing in sharing Jesus’ Good news with the community.

He allowed me to live for His purpose

I get encouraged

I know my Pastor very well

I like the way we run the church in different ministries in different ways

I love family members attending too

I love it – it’s the place to be on Sunday

I LOVE MY CHURCH because I enjoy worshipping with people that love the same God that I care passionately and devoted my life to.

I received the Lord in my life in this church

I wake up excited for church, to go to church

INSPIRING

It changed my life and my family

It feeds my spiritual needs through the preaching of the word, etc.

It gives me opportunities to be in ministry to others and to the lost souls

It gives me opportunities to be part of a team training ground.

It grows my spiritual life

It has a Vision for the lost

It has great leadership

It is a family that I belong to

It stretches me

It supports youth

It’s a moving church

It’s a positive environment

It’s community focused

It’s filled with people hunger for the Lord

It’s full of imperfect people like me

It’s new every Sunday

It’s real

Its current for today

Jesus is the Head of the church.

Leaders are driven and motivated to serve God in ways that are always creative and unique.

Leaders are trained probably

Life – God gives us life and this is life –

Life changing

Lifegroup facilitates growth

Love my Pastor – the way he preaches the word of God and the Vision God has put in his heart.

Love the people, adults, Lifekids and the children, pastors, youth, leaders

Love to give cheerfully

Love to serve the Lord by serving the community

Loves me

Morning tea

My church accepts me for who I am

Not programmed

Of the great leaders we have that push comfort zones

Of the people

Of the Vision

Of the youth

Our decisions are based on the Bible

PASSIONATE

Pastors are real people

People – they matter to God, they are a problem and without God in life, people go to hell.

People give a lot – “too much” for some!

People love each other

People love God

Preaching of the word – Perfect

Put up with all sorts of people

Reach out and love to go the extra mile

Remember my name and helps me heaps spiritually (101)

Serve God

Serve the community

Support each other

The church that it’s people are connected to fulfill and serve God’s purpose, and are dream builders.

The constant and regular discussion of the word means that we who desire to live authentic lives are empowered and equipped to live ‘dangerously’ for God.

The heart of the church is His word

The opportunity to serve His children,

The people are friendly and real

The youth are on fire and the children are just as passionate.

There is unity in our church

They have morning tea every Sunday morning

They have old people and adults who shake hands with me and say Hi! to me

They keep knocking

They like me to work together with other leaders in the church

They listen to my needs and help out

They look after my kids

They love God

They love God, love people, love life

They love imperfect people

They love me

They love people because they love God

They love the Lord,

They love to serve the Manurewa community

They make breakfast

They make room for me to grow spiritually in Christ

They put love into action by reaching out into the community, lost souls and always striving towards The Vision God has for our church

They SMILE

They trust me to drive the LifeChurch truck

They trust me to teach their kids

They value people

They work together

Try new things

TRY their best

Try to do their best

Walk the talk – talk the walk – walk the walk – serving God – Talk the talk – Faith into action

Warm fellowship

We are a action faith in church

We are a church on fire for God – stretches me spiritually and emotionally.

We believe in the vision

We can wear what is comfortable

We care about every generations especially the young people

We have a Vision

We have a Vision

We have FUN

We have fun together

We have strong leadership

We love God with a passion and with real action

We love the Lord and love people

We love to worship

We reach out to those who need us in the community

We serve

We strive to reach the unreachable

We support one another

We try to do our best

We try to do the undoable

We work in harmony and unison

We worship

We worship Him however we want to – singing, praying, etc.

We’re crazy about the Lord

We’re not perfect and we love all of God

Women are involved in the church

Work together

Worship is awesome

Re-Casting Vision

Recently a pastor asked me on how I cast vision and motivate everyone to get on board. I answered, “when I first started, it was with much tremble, fear and gnashing of teeth”.  Back then I was inexperience, didn’t know much about church leadership and casting church vision. All I had was a burning passion for God and what he laid in my heart.  I was like Moses saying to God and the ‘burning bush encounter’ – ‘What shall I say to the people who sent me’…….Lucky for Moses God said “Tell them I AM WHO I AM”.

Today I look forward to casting Vision.

This weekend I am meeting with all my leaders at LifeChurch. I will once again recast our vision as a church. My goal as a leader is to realign everyone and everything so that we are all on the same page, singing the same song.  This is necessary because you want all your leaders to be on board. Next weekend I will be doing the same thing with the whole church.

Here are some of the things that I will be sharing:

1.  Who we are.

Identifying who we are and explainging the reason why we exisit as an organisation is a great start. As a church we have a purpose and are on a mission. We don’t just exist.

2.  Where we are going.

This is where I will be talking about our goals and dreams and what we will do and where we will be.

3. Why we are going there.

I will be explaining reasons why we need to go there. Why do we do what we do? Why do we do it differently.

4.  What it feels like to be going there.

I will be honest with people. I will share the good the bad and the ugly. Lets face it ministry is hard work but it can also be a lot of fun. I love fun and hard work together.

5. What they can do.

I will be calling for commitment. Their time, energy, skills, resources and so on.

6.  How we’re going to do it.

I will be sharing our strategy as a church. This is one of the major differences between churches.

7.  What the rewards will be.

Ultimately God will say “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” I want to train their ears to look forward to hear that from God. When your team and church understand that God rewards us all individually and accordingly, then they will work to please God not the pastor. They will work to build the Kingdom not just the church organisation. When they get an eternal perspective that this is about the will of God and his purpose for our lives, then I beleive I don’t need to hard sell the reason why we exist as a church.

I think thats why it was so hard for me to talk vision in my early years.

We are here to please the audience of one. God.

Should Church be Managed or Lead? pt2

I am a leader.

God wired me that way and personally I don’t like management. But just because I don’t like management it does not mean that I shouldn’t be doing it. Its like taking out rubbish.

Just because you don’t like taking out the rubbish on the collection morning it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do it.

Like or not we still need to manage. Church management is not the most exciting part of ministry. I think most people prefer to preach, teach, lead, pray for people and so on, …….. for me I don’t like meetings and minutes, I don’t like budget and forcasts, I don’t like boards and governance. The truth is we still need to do the budget and plan and take out the rubbish ruglarly.

Leadership creates movement. Management sustains movement and make things happen. I admire the patience of managers.

A well managed home brings joy to the family and visitors at the same time, while the parents provide leadership and direction.

A well managed business results in profit while its owner is still looking for new opportunities to trade.

Church should be managed and lead at the same time. Ministry and management go together under under great leadership.

Leaders focus on vision, mission and strategies while managers are working together to make sure goals are achieved, objectives are met, and mission accomplished.

Should Church be Managed or Lead?

The simple answer is BOTH!. I think at church we talk a lot more about leadership and hardly on management. This results in too many chiefs (wannabes) and less Indians (I love those old cowboy movies).

For a church to make changes, move up the next level of spirituality, break away from dead old religious traditions that keep people away from God, in order for the church to impact its community with the message of Gods love, ……….The church must first be lead and then managed.

I have seen so many well managed churches who are not going anywhere and not making any impact at all because it is strictly managed, rigidly protecting the traditions and the preserving the ‘effective methods of the 70’s to reach the generation of the new mellinium’.

Every church needs a God given vision / mandate and a God given leadership to move the congregation in the direction God is moving in order to bring changes to the lives of the community.

For any movement to happen it requires both Leadership and Management. It Biblical. God gave spiritual gifts for the building of the church. Both leadership and management (administration) are spiritual gifts.

Those with leadership gifting and calling can’t do without the skills of the managers (administrators).

Leaders usually talk big picture stuff. Managers take into account every important detail to make sure the big picture comes to fruition.

I am a leader and rely heavily on my team with mangement skills, other wise it will be all talk and no action!

Lead and manage well!!

Sunday Reflections

• Kick off ‘One Prayer Series’.
• Title of my message in the first service “God is Faithful”.
• Second Service Pastor Kirk Pankratz from Church of the Harvest preached a powerful Word – ‘God is Hope”. Kirk is great communicator.
• Several people commented after the service
  • ‘Pastor that Word was for me’.
  • The Word was so powerful and so moving, I was in tears the whole service.
  • ‘I needed to hear that’. (first time guest)
  • ‘We needed that boost aye hon”! (a visiting couple)

• Saw lot of tears and repentance in both services.
• Tai shared her story yesterday. Tai is a young teenager who lost her only baby in a house fire Jan this year along with her baby sister and 2 step sisters. Amazing, powerful story of what God is doing in Tais life.
• Third Service of the day ‘Communion’ in the evening. I love communion services. We make it as less formal as possible,  family atmosphere. People are given the chance to share what God is doing in their lives. I saw something different in our young people yesterday. I think God is raising up a lot of young leaders and preachers.
• Preached about ‘Coming Together’ 1 Cor 11
• Spent a bit of time praying in pairs
• Praying and Ministering to our Senior Citizens and the sick.

My Sermon this morning in Wordle