Karaoke Worship, Cold Turkeys and Flop Sweat

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]The Sunday before Thanksgiving, 1993, I had the brilliant idea to have a turkey potluck at the small church we were pastoring outside of Houston. The church would provide the turkey and the congregation would bring the side dishes and desserts. We encouraged everyone to bring their friends, it would be a great outreach opportunity in our little community. Everything was going great that Sunday; people had invited their neighbors and there was a lot of anticipation as the service started. And then the electricity went out. Now not only did we have no way to warm the turkey and side dishes, we had no music for worship; our “band” at this point in the church was on cassette tape. The only thing we could come up with was a battery powered “boom box” which I held on over my head while sitting on the front row. (A lot like John Cusack in “Say Anything” minus the cool overcoat).

Humiliated doesn’t scratch the surface of my emotional state.

Sitting in an unheated auditorium listening to Karaoke worship while anticipating a cold Thanksgiving dinner is not the ideal first impression. It was a disaster. Have you had days like that? Maybe last Sunday was like that. Maybe you felt like Steph Curry missing a wide-open dunk as overtime ran down, costing his team a chance to comeback and win.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K__leXPA6wM”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Here’s a few things I’ve learned about cold turkey and flop sweat since that awful November day in Huffman, Texas:

Its never as bad as it seems.

We had several families far from God attend that day who later committed their lives to Christ and became a part of our congregation. As far as they knew worship was always on a boombox, and church dinners are always terrible. (They were actually right on the second one) They liked the community they experienced and were curious enough to come back.

People relate to failure

When things go poorly the people you are trying to reach are more sympathetic than you realize. (The church connoisseurs complain, but who cares) They know what its like to fail and they empathize with how you feel.

How you handle flopping is way more important than never flopping

Steph Curry didn’t spend time beating himself up for missing a dunk. He know it was one shot in one game, and it didn’t define him. We all flop spectacularly at some point. The best thing we can do is learn to laugh at ourselves, learn what we need to learn and write about it many years later.

And cold turkey isn’t all that bad. Cold gravy on the other hand, not so much.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

What’s the Right Price for Preacher’s Sneakers?

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]The guilty pleasure the past few weeks has been the Instagram account @preachersnsneakers which posts pictures of popular pastors wearing expensive shoes (and other designer items) along with price tags. In less than a month the account has attached over 130,000 followers. Its so hot even the Wall Street Journal did an article about it. For some reason many of us, myself included, love to see pastors called out for expensive shoes. This raises a couple of questions for me. First, “Why is a site like this so popular?” I can’t answer for you, but here is what I suspect about myself:

I feel better about myself when someone more famous, more successful or more well-paid than me gets “caught”.

I would never say it out loud, but when someone like Perry Noble, Carl Lentz or James McDonald gets roasted in public I feel a little tingle of pleasure. Somehow seeing them fall makes me rise, at least in my own eyes.

I feel a celebrity pastor is getting what he deserves when he’s publicly shamed

If I were in the public spotlight, which I’m not, I would know better than to build a big house, buy my wife an expensive car or Instagram myself wearing Yeezy Boost 350s. If I pastored a big church, led a national ministry or wrote a best-selling book I’d be too smart to spend the money on anything anyone could criticize.

I feel morally superior knowing I paid less than $50 for my sneakers

I buy our shoes from Payless, or WalMart or Target. I am frugal and wise. Other than that boat I used to have, those golf clubs I used to play with, that new car I bought one time, or that vacation I splurged on, I don’t spend a dime on myself.

Which brings me to my second question, “How much SHOULD a preacher pay for sneakers?”

With all the attention around shoes right now its surprising Jesus said very little about the proper price for preacher’s footwear. He did, however, have a couple of thoughts on sneakers and feet,

In John 7 a bunch of pastors brought a “sneaker” to Jesus, a woman caught sneaking into the wrong man’s bed. Jesus told the self-righteous church leaders they were right, the woman should pay the ultimate price for her sneaks. He then encouraged anyone who had never wasted money on expensive shoes, who had never been jealous of another pastor, who had never gossiped behind another leader’s back to destroy the sneaker in public. When the pastors examined their own hearts, they realized they didn’t have the stones to carry out the execution. Although Jesus did have a clear conscience, he chose the path of compassion rather than condemnation, and let the guilty one go free.

As for feet, Jesus seemed more concerned about our attitude than our Adidas. The last time he and his friends hung out before his crucifixion Jesus chose to wash their feet rather than judge their Jordans. And when he was done he said something rather odd, “Now that I’ve washed your feet, you should wash one another’s feet.” Why would he say that? Does he really expect me to wash some dude’s nasty barking dogs? Maybe his point is that its really hard to trash someone and wash his feet at the same time. Its hard to love your brother while you price his shoes.

At the end of the day I have no idea the right price for a preacher’s sneakers. When I worry about the “right” amount of money for another pastor to make or spend I am focused on the wrong thing; I am throwing stones instead of washing feet. I imagine if instead I concentrated on doing my job, and let God do his job, we’d all be better off.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Kicking Camels on the Monday Before Easter

It’s the Monday before Easter, Super Bowl week for the local church. This weekend you will likely see more new faces at church than you’ve seen all year. You and the other leaders at your church are focused on creating the best experience possible for your guests, and praying that at least some will consider coming back. Underneath all the preparation and prayer is a deep desire for people to come face-to-face with the risen Jesus.

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves every Easter. Everything has to be perfect, the music has to be amazing and the sermon has to present the Gospel effectively. It can feel like everything is riding on what happens this weekend.

The reality, however, is everything doesn’t ride on what happens at your church on Easter. Some churches will see huge crowds, some will not. Some churches will have amazing experiences, others will have camels kicking guests in the face (a true story for another day). Some pastors will Instagram pictures of 100s being baptized and others will delete their social media accounts. Regardless of what happens at your church on Easter, here is what I know:

The reality of your call will not be determined by the size of your crowd.
The truth of the Gospel will shine regardless how tarnished your presentation.
Your Father sees your heart and is proud.

I will be praying for you this weekend that, in spite of the challenges you may face you, will hear the voice of God saying, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”

But try not to let any camels kick the guests. That’s not good.

Is your event a cul-de-sac or a roundabout?

We love living on a cul-de-sac. We know many of our neighbors, the grandkids can play in the street without a lot of concern and we never have cars speeding through the neighborhood. (If they did they’d wind up in our neighbors front yard.) Cul-de-sacs make a great destination, but a lousy thoroughfare.

The opposite of a cul-de-sac is a roundabout. These are very popular in Europe, but they are becoming more common in the U.S. The purpose of a roundabout is to keep traffic flowing toward multiple destinations. A roundabout makes an efficient thoroughfare, but a lousy destination.

[bctt tweet=”The key to effectiveness in church is to understand the difference between a cul-de-sac and a roundabout, and to plan accordingly. ” username=”geoffsurratt”]

Most events in a church are planned as cul-de-sacs. You come to an event, participate in the programming, and leave the way you came. There is no plan to help you move toward a destination, its simply a place to be. It is a cul-de-sac.

Here are some of the common cul-de-sacs churches:

Marriage retreat
Women’s conference
Fall Festival
VBS
Night to Shine
Concert
Global Leadership Summit
Easter and Christmas Eve services

These cul-de-sacs because participants are simply that, participants. They come, experience the event, and then leave by the same road they came in on. Hopefully they learned something, had some fun, or met someone new, but for the most part they are no nearer a destination than when they showed up.

We can transform ministry cul-de-sacs into roundabouts by offering clear next steps. Every participant should be able to easily identify and take a next step toward a preferred destination. To create effective next steps we need to understand the dynamics of a roundabout:

We need to offer more than one potential next step. People come from different situations and not everyone is ready, or needs, our one prescribed way forward. A next step may be as simple as signing up for a Facebook group, reading a short devotional or meeting with a leader over coffee. It is important, however, that next steps aren’t simply new cul-de-sacs. Each step should be followed by a step, each designed to help someone toward a destination.
We shouldn’t offer too many options. A roundabout with three possible directions can be challenging, a roundabout with ten possibilities would be a nightmare. Offer two or three possible next steps at every event (even weekly events). Never tell people, “Go to our website and look at all of the options available.” That is paralyzing and ineffective. They need a limited number of options they can take right now, not a catalog of potential choices eventually.

[bctt tweet=”Never tell people, “Go to our website and look at all of options available.” That is paralyzing and ineffective.” username=”geoffsurratt”]

At your next weekend or event planning meeting ask this question, “What are two or three obvious, simple and likely next steps we can invite participants to take?” If you can’t find next steps you are creating cul-de-sacs. You won’t be making progress, but the grandkids will love it.

The Roundabout Way

For a long time I had a model for the ideal journey of leader as a straight path from point A to point B. When I am in God’s will I am making steady progress down this clearly marked road, but when I find myself wandering it is a sign I’ve stepped outside his plan. The goal is always to move as quickly and efficiently along the path God has clearly mapped out for me. The question is always, “What is my next step forward on the path?”

The challenge to this model is that my life has almost never followed a clearly marked, well-defined path from point A to point B. When people ask how I got to where I am now in ministry my immediate response is, “I have no idea.” Looking back my journey looks more like a pinball machine than an archery range. There are long stretches of time when I’m seeking God and trying to be faithful to his plan for my life, but truth be told, I have no idea what that plan might be. Is this because of sin in my life? Am I not listening to God’s direction? If I am truly seeking God’s path, why does it feel like I’m wandering in the wilderness?

During my devotions this morning I came across this description of Israel’s journey in the wilderness:

‘When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.’
Exodus 13:17-18 (NLT)

This runs counter to my model of a straight and clearly marked path. Although Israel’s sin lengthens the time they spend in the wilderness, the writer is clear that God did NOT lead them along the straight path, he led them in a roundabout way. I really like that phrase, a roundabout way. That describes exactly how I feel about my journey from point A to point B via points E, Q and 7. Maybe wandering does not always indicate sin or disobedience. Maybe, for my own growth and good, God chooses to lead me in a roundabout way.

It seems that the roundabout way is often God’s go to path to leadership. Moses took the roundabout way to leading Israel, David took the roundabout way to becoming king, Paul took the roundabout way to Rome. In each case God was doing essential work in the leaders’ life as he wandered toward his next assignment. Moses learned collaboration, David learned restraint and Paul learned patience, all on the Roundabout Way.

I wonder if you feel a little lost today. Maybe you feel like you’re moving backwards instead of forwards. Maybe you struggle to see the purpose in what you are doing now. Maybe you wonder if somewhere along the way you missed your opportunity and now you on the shelf. If so the good news is that you are not alone. There are many of us out here on the Roundabout Way. The even better news is that you are likely right where God wants you right now. Rather than wondering what went wrong, or struggling to get back on the main road, let’s focus on learning the lessons and finding the healing God has for us here on the Roundabout Way. Then we can become, in the words of the writer of Exodus, “an army ready for battle”.

Four Opportunity Killing Mistakes Young (and old) Leaders Make

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]I love investing in younger leaders, and as I get older almost every leader I meet with is a younger leader. Younger leaders are the ones who change the culture, change the trajectory and change the world. They are less afraid to fail and more likely to try things that seem impossible. Younger leaders don’t know that “we already tried that and it didn’t work”. Younger leaders have passion and energy, what they need is opportunity and experience.

[bctt tweet=”Younger leaders have passion and energy, what they need is opportunity and experience.” username=”geoffsurratt”]

It is that lack of experience, however, that often trips up young leaders. I see them making the same mistakes, easily correctible mistakes, over and over again. My fear is that these mistakes may cause young leaders to lose confidence in their own ability, or become jaded about the organizations where they have leadership roles. My goal is not to poke fun at a young leaders’ naiveté, but to shine a light on the obstacles and lend a helping hand. Its not that I am a better or wiser leader, its just that I’ve been down the path before and I know where the bumps are.

So here are four mistakes I often see younger leaders make:

Mistaking passion for opportunity

A few years ago a young man asked for my opinion, “Do you think churches are looking for full time youth counselors?” He had just graduated from seminary with a counseling degree and he was looking for a job. I was honest but overly blunt with my response, “No.”

“You mean churches don’t care about the mental health of teenagers?”, he asked.

“You didn’t ask me if they care, you asked me if they would pay someone a full-time salary to counsel young people. Based on what I know about the priorities, budgets and needs of most churches I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

I don’t think he ever found the job he was looking for. He made the mistake that many young leaders make, that passion equals employability. The reality is that early on in our careers almost all of us worked in jobs we weren’t particularly passionate about, and to this day I’ve never had a job that was made up entirely of things I love doing.

Its important to understand what you’re passionate about, but the question is; will anyone pay you for your passion? You may have to work in an area that you aren’t that fired up about as you build your skills, your network and your bank account. Your opportunity may come, but it will likely be later. Don’t give up on your dreams, but work with all your heart at what you have in front of you today.

[bctt tweet=”Don’t give up on your dreams, but work with all your heart at what you have in front of you today.” username=”geoffsurratt”]

Mistaking accountability for mistrust

Some young leaders bristle at the adage, “Don’t expect what you don’t inspect,” They label oversight as micromanagement, and feel accountability is a sign of mistrust. “Just tell me what you want accomplished and then leave me alone” is the sentiment.

We have all worked for a manager who leads out of a need for control, but that isn’t the case every time a leader asks for a progress report. Growth in leadership skills comes through input and correction, so accountability is the vehicle for that growth. Even an overly controlling manager presents an opportunity to learn. Rather than avoid measurement and reporting, young leaders can embrace accountability as a stepping stone to increased responsibility.

Mistaking ideas for execution

While debriefing a leadership conference we attended a resident from the local seminary said he was appalled by Andy Stanley’s statement, “Recruit doers, not thinkers. It’s much easier to educate a doer than it is to motivate a thinker…rent a thinker, higher a doer.” He was highly offended that Andy didn’t value thinkers like him. Unfortunately I don’t know how things turned out for the thinker because we had to let him go a few months later. It turns out he didn’t do anything.

An executive pastor said it like this, “Good ideas are everywhere; everyone has a good idea. I’m not impressed by good ideas, I’m impressed by great execution.” The world is seldom changed by leaders with great ideas, it is transformed by leaders with good ideas who can execute a strategy.

[bctt tweet=”The world is seldom changed by leaders with great ideas, it is transformed by leaders with good ideas who can execute a strategy.” username=”geoffsurratt”]

Mistaking warm fuzzies for results

I have lost track of how many times I’ve had this conversation:

“How was the event?”

“It was great!”

“Awesome. What made it great?”

“People loved it!”

“People loved it” is never an accurate measure of the effectiveness of a sermon, an event or a communication. For one thing it can’t be measured. Just because people say they love something doesn’t mean they love it. It may mean they can’t think of a polite way to say, “This sucked”, so they go with “Great job”.

The correct answer to, “How was it?” Is

My goal going in was that x number people would take y action
We met or exceeded that goal
Therefore it was great

For example:

My goal going into the men’s breakfast was that 25% of the men who came would join a men’s group
In the end 30% of the men who came joined a group.
Therefore it was a great event.

We all need warm fuzzies and attaboys, we just can’t confuse them with actual results.

I have focused on young leaders in this post, but I have seen leaders of all ages, including myself, make these mistakes. The goal is to recognize our mistakes and learn from them. Then we can go out and make new mistakes. Hopefully we grow in the process.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” bg_color=”#efefef” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”20″ bottom_padding=”20″ overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/3″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”5935″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”padding-5-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”2/3″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Navigating this new chapter in church history will require balancing the tension between what is necessary from the past and what is needed for future. I’ve spent the last several years thinking about and researching this challenge, and share my insights in my new eBook, The Church Will Thrive. You can get your free copy here.[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” centered_text=”true” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Necessary Changes in the Wake of Willow Creek

I have shared in the past how personal this tragedy feels to me. No one has had more influence on what I believe about leadership than Bill Hybels, and no church has had a greater impact on my understanding of what it means to be a church focused on sharing the Good News with those outside the church. Since I wrote that original post back in April, the evidence that the real Bill Hybels is very different than the one I knew from speeches, sermons and books. His actions, and the complicity of the Willow leaders, have been devastating to the women who’ve been hurt and the congregants who’ve been misled. As drastic as it is, I think the resignation of the entire leadership structure is the only way forward for Willow. I pray that the new leaders will find grace and wisdom in the difficult days ahead.

I also believe that we, as leaders in the American church, need to take time to learn the lessons that apply to all of us. It is easy to see the train wreck at Willow and think, “That’s not me”. but the reality is that to some extent it is many of us. We have been influenced and shaped by the same principles and methods that Willow was built on. If your church’s core values include words like excellence, authenticity and relevance, then your roots go back to the late 1970s and a church started in the Willow Creek movie theater in the suburbs of Chicago.

I’m not suggesting we need to throw out everything we learned from Hybels and Willow, but I am suggesting we need to re-examine the infrastructure that supports our churches and make sure it is healthy and solid. Over the next few days I will share several articles around the role of elders and how to respond to a crisis. Today I want to briefly look at four tenets of the Willow era that need to be re-examined.

Before we dive in I want to say I am for growing churches, I am for gifted lead pastors and I am for local church leadership. This is not an article bashing the megachurch or questioning the role of lead pastor. This is a plea to my tribe to carefully consider our past before we plunge forward into the future.

Four Potential Traps

Autonomy of local churches

History is always a reaction to what came before, and the last 50 years in the American church has been to some extent driven by a negative reaction to the abuses found in the hierarchy of denominations. There have always been independent churches, but Willow made non-denominational attractive to those who wanted to step outside the traditional church structures. The challenge is that lack of outside influence can also mean lack of outside wisdom and accountability. In many cases the pendulum has swung too far toward local autonomy, this is a chance to rethink our connection to the church at large.

Opacity of elder boards

Similar to local autonomy, changes in church governance have come in reaction to the extreme congregational bent of messy business meetings and unseemly church votes. In large churches the trend has been toward a relatively small board of elders approved by a tiny percentage of the congregation. Very few of the church adherents have any idea who the elders are or what they do. These boards can become sounding boards and rubber stamps for the vision of the lead pastor, with very little input outside the small circle of leaders.

[bctt tweet=”This is a time to re-evaluate the role of the local elders without resorting back to an unhealthy and unwieldy form of church government from the past.” username=”geoffsurratt”]

Celebrity of pastors

The American church has closely emulated the successful American corporation in the treatment of lead pastors. As the church grows the perks associated with the job grow exponentially. Larger salaries, assigned parking spots, car allowances, expanded vacations, security guards, live-in personal assistants, even private airplanes. The list grows as the offerings and attendance grow. In some cases the pastors are treated more like kings than shepherds.

The problem is that this kind of treatment can destroy your soul. You begin to think you deserve to be treated this way. I just spent a few days at an all-inclusive resort that catered to my every whim; a few more days of that and I’d be completely worthless. Some pastors are treated that way every day.

[bctt tweet=”We need to re-examine what is reasonable and right in taking care of lead pastors, and what is excessive and soul-rotting.” username=”geoffsurratt”]

Over emphasis on attendance growth

The fourth trap that has become prominent in the era of Willow Creek style churches is the constant focus on the number of people who attend weekend services. Subconsciously we believe the lie that a growing church is a church to be emulated. We overlook arrogance and mistreatment of staff as long as the numbers keep increasing. And we seldom pay much attention to where the people are coming from, ignoring the improbability of thousands of people with no connection to church suddenly deciding to give up Sunday mornings for three songs and a lecture.

[bctt tweet=”I love growing churches, but its time to look more critically at whether we are simply attracting people from other churches at any cost.” username=”geoffsurratt”]

I do not believe that every megachurch is on the wrong track, or that every large church pastor is unethical. What I describe above is the worst case scenario based on some of the poor paths we have taken in the past decades as church leaders. At the same time I’ve had a front row seat at churches like Seacoast where I’ve watched my brother fight against many of these trends and walk 40+ years of ministry with integrity. There are many other leaders like Greg and churches like Seacoast.

As we watch the collapse of leadership at one of the great American churches, however, we each need to step back and ask, “Lord, what do you want ME to learn from this tragedy.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” bg_color=”#efefef” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”20″ bottom_padding=”20″ overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/3″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”5935″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”padding-5-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”2/3″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Navigating this new chapter in church history will require balancing the tension between what is necessary from the past and what is needed for future. I’ve spent the last several years thinking about and researching this challenge, and share my insights in my new eBook, The Church Will Thrive. You can get your free copy here.[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line”][nectar_btn size=”jumbo” open_new_tab=”true” button_style=”regular” button_color_2=”Accent-Color” icon_family=”none” url=”https://mailchi.mp/ministrytogether.com/99nvr59fdz” text=”Download Here”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

How an honor culture can crushes your soul

Last fall we while staying with some friends in England we discovered an important principle about wiring. After taking a shower one morning Sherry plugged her hairdryer into the outlet. The hairdryer sounded like a 747 taking off as the motor hit about 50,000 rpm. I think she could have dried her hair in 37 seconds if smoke hadn’t started pouring out of every crack in the hairdryer. She quickly unplugged the appliance and we prayed the smoke detectors wouldn’t go off. Later at breakfast we hoped our hosts wouldn’t notice the pungent odor of burning rubber. We learned that just because you can plug something in to 220 volts doesn’t mean its wired for it.

My fear is I see this same principle at work in some church cultures where honor is one directional and focused on leaders in a hierarchical structure like the model below:

The expectation in this type of environment is that everyone show honor to the leaders above them. It is often stated that honor flows both ways, but most of the honor seems to be directed at leaders higher on the org chart, especially the leader at the top, in the form of deference, agreement and perks. The problem is that as leaders we are not wired for that type of focused attention and devotion. Like my wife’s hairdryer, its great for a little while but eventually something will burn up.

When we are surrounded by people who cater to our every need, remove all obstacles from our path and hang on our every word, it begins to do weird things to our mind. We begin to believe that we are, in fact, worthy of the kind of honor being showered on us. We begin to shield ourselves from the unpleasant fact that, while we have different gifts, we are all the same. The perks that go along with rising in an organization can cause us to lose touch with that reality, and losing touch with that reality will destroy our souls in the end.

That is why Paul gives very clear instructions about honor in Romans 12:

‘Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ‘ Romans 12:10

Paul’s model of honor looks more like this:

In Paul’s model everyone honors everyone else so no one person is overloaded with attention, devotion or perks. He draws a clear distinction between authority (“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities…” Romans 13:1) and honor. Authority says recognizes the value of leadership and order while honor keeps everything in balance. It is like authority is the gas that gives the engine power while honor is the oil that keeps the engine running.

Honor that flows equally in every direction is essential to a healthy culture. Honor that only flows in one direction destroys the soul and creates a sick culture.

What does honor look like in your world?

How to Lead Your Team to Go Further Faster

At the recent Orange Conference I was invited to teach on the topic of leading your team to go further faster. Below I share my top tips:

Fruit on Other People’s Trees: The Legacy of Bob Buford

A couple of days ago Bob Buford stepped through the curtain of mortality into the the presence of Jesus. I am happy for Bob as he is now free of the disease that plagued his final years on earth, but I am sad for all of us who lost an incredible leader and friend.

You may not know the name Bob Buford, but if you’ve attended an American evangelical church in the last 30 years you’ve likely been impacted by his legacy. After losing his son in a tragic drowning accident many years ago Bob decided to spend the rest of his life to make a difference. Following the advice of his mentor Peter Drucker, Bob formed two non-profits, Leadership Network and Halftime, and through them invested his considerable financial resources in discovering and fueling “islands of health and strength” in the church. The ripple effects of his investments are massive.

Many years ago Bob saw leadership in a young church planter named Bill Hybels and helped resource what eventually became the Willow Creek Association and the Global Leadership Summit. Bob saw past the Hawaiian shirts to the brilliance of a young pastor named Rick Warren and facilitated the launch of the Purpose Driven Network. He had a part in the launch of church planting movements such as Acts 29, the New Thing Network and the Association of Related Churches. The list of Bob’s behind-the-scenes influence goes on and on and on. A footnote on page 34 of the appendix of the list of Bob’s accomplishments is his enduring impact on my life and ministry.

I’ll never forget the first time I met Bob. I was working for Seacoast Church and we had joined the first Multisite Cohort convened by Leadership Network. Since this was the beginning of a new chapter in the life of LN Bob came to the first gathering in Chicago to see the new process firsthand. During the gathering my friend and fellow Seacoast leader Byron Davis talked Bob into spending one-on-one time with our team. Over a great steak dinner Bob opened our eyes to a completely different way of thinking about church and ministry. Through penetrating questions and seemingly unrelated anecdotes Bob led us down a path of strategic thinking that significantly shaped the story of Seacoast to this day.

Over the following years I had the opportunity to learn from Bob in many different contexts, including a meeting in his condo when he introduced me to the concept of pursuing the why before the what. After spending time around Bob I would take several hours to process, digest and apply the wisdom he shared. He has influenced so much of my thinking that I honestly don’t know what’s mine and what’s Bob’s.

Most of Bob’s generosity was hidden from public view. His greatest joy was investing in leaders behind the scenes to increase their effectiveness. He often said, “My fruit grows on other people’s trees.” We saw this generosity in our lives when Sherry was going through a rough time in her leadership. She had recently left Leadership Network to become the CEO of Mother’s of Preschoolers. She quickly realized the organization was in deep financial trouble, and she felt completely overwhelmed. She wasn’t sure where to turn. Out of the blue Bob offered to pay for Sherry to go through Life Planning with the Paterson Center, an investment of several thousand dollars. Even though Sherry no longer worked for Leadership Network, Bob believed in her as a leader and wanted to invest in her future. No one ever knew about Bob’s investment, but it made a significant difference in Sherry’s leadership and life.

One of Bob’s mantras was, “We’re the platform not the show”. He did not seek fame or accolades; his goal was to leverage his resources for maximum Kingdom impact by working entirely behind the scenes. Many of the leaders who continue to profit from Bob’s investments have no idea of his involvement. As I write this I am flying home from two days in England with 66 of the largest churches the UK and Europe. We gather every six months to maximize the Kingdom impact of these significant churches and leaders. This gathering grew from a seed planted by Bob over ten years ago, but only a handful of the over 300 leaders present have ever heard of Bob. As Bob was meeting Jesus face to face this week his impact continued to grow here on earth.

I wonder what it was like when Bob stepped through that invisible curtain a couple this week? I wonder if Jesus said, “Bob, my fruit also grows on other people’s trees. Well done, my good and faithful servant.”