One key ingredient to pursuing excellence in ministry is to make sure people understand the "idea" or purpose behind who they are and what they do. In business, understanding the “idea behind the work” is in some ways more important that the work itself. The same is true for the church. Without a right conception of life and service, individuals can be skewed by self interest, lack of direction and emotional dissociation. Life and ministry can become nothing more than task oriented activity and one's joy can easily be squelched. In some instances, I think I have observed people abandon their ministry or relationship with Christ do to a lack of purpose and meaning.
In many ways, our life and ministry should be viewed as an opportunity to practice being the best we can be. In Quaker history this is referred to as "practicing the presence of Christ." Gerber presents a unique analogy of this concept in The E Myth Revisited. He says that “a business is like a martial arts practice hall, a dojo, a place you go to practice being the best you can be. The true combat in a dojo is not between one person and another as most people believe it to be. The true combat in a martial arts practice hall is between the people within themselves” (201).
I think this example applies to the Christian’s life and ministry as well. In essence we are practicing the life of Jesus through our daily experience and service in His kingdom. This is a common courtesy we can extend to self and others once we discover what the idea or purpose is for our life and service. What is our purpose? Romans 8:28-29 states to “be conformed into the likeness of Jesus and to know that God will use all things in our life experience to this end.” We are called to live “in” and “out” our relationship with Christ.
If we struggle with embracing this personal life view or with the concept of dying to self and living for others then the focus must be turned inward. James 4:1 stated, “Where to these quarrels and fights come from? Do they not come from the things that war within you?” James’ admonition for inner peace is “do not be double-minded” (verse 8). Or in other words, know and embrace the idea behind your existence. Pursuing excellence in life and service begins with integration, the singleness of focus and purpose.
At Willoughby Hills Friends Church we believe in the power and provision of Jesus Christ to integrate our lives with His. A power that can transform our innermost being into a relationship and likeness with Jesus and to provide the necessary resources to live out His example every moment of our existence. Do you understand this as the “idea” behind your life?
Thanks for stopping by!
----------
Adrian
Showing posts with label Vacation reading continued. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vacation reading continued. Show all posts
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
E-Myth (Part 7)
In part five of this discussion thread I presented Gerber's take on viewing the "product of a company as the emotional response a customer feels when they walk out of a business" (page 154). He believes this is actually more important than the commodity they receive. My suspicion is the same is true for the church as well. People seem to attend and support a church that leaves them feeling encouraged, hopeful,connected with and understood.
A friend just sent me the January edition of The Barna Update and the research seems to agree with this hypothesis. Barna states on page two of his report that people spend less time reading the Bible and are becoming less engaged in traditional activities to establish and deepen their faith views. Many are establishing their faith from dialogue, self-reflection and observation. Barna continues, "Feelings and emotions play a significant role in the development of people's faith views. More so than information based exercises such as listening to preaching, and participating in Bible study."
At Willoughby Hills Friends Church we will not compromise the message of God's word nor will we downplay the significance of it. However, we are committed to being contemporary in our presentation of God's truth. Our desire is for people to experience the Living Christ. Our objective is to understand the needs of people and orchestrate a symphony of ministry that will consistently strum their emotional chords for the glory of God and the transformation of their individual lives.
How are we doing in this area as a church? I welcome your thoughts and feedback.
Thanks for stopping by!
-------
Adrian
A friend just sent me the January edition of The Barna Update and the research seems to agree with this hypothesis. Barna states on page two of his report that people spend less time reading the Bible and are becoming less engaged in traditional activities to establish and deepen their faith views. Many are establishing their faith from dialogue, self-reflection and observation. Barna continues, "Feelings and emotions play a significant role in the development of people's faith views. More so than information based exercises such as listening to preaching, and participating in Bible study."
At Willoughby Hills Friends Church we will not compromise the message of God's word nor will we downplay the significance of it. However, we are committed to being contemporary in our presentation of God's truth. Our desire is for people to experience the Living Christ. Our objective is to understand the needs of people and orchestrate a symphony of ministry that will consistently strum their emotional chords for the glory of God and the transformation of their individual lives.
How are we doing in this area as a church? I welcome your thoughts and feedback.
Thanks for stopping by!
-------
Adrian
Saturday, January 31, 2009
E Myth (part 6)
In chapter fourteen of Michael Gerber’s book, The E-Myth Revisited I am reminded of a sad reality that I have seen played out in the church many times over in the last twenty eight years of ministry. In this chapter Gerber describes the organizational mistakes common to business. He says, “Most companies organize around personalities rather than around function and vision. That is, they organize around dominant people rather than accountabilities or responsibilities” (167). Unfortunately, many churches of various sizes and denominations are personality driven and consequently fail for the same reason.
The leader of a personality driven church is often times an emotionally immature person and can be either a pastor or lay person. In the public arena they present a strong and confident persona but at home and in the inner recesses of the church their insecurity and brokenness can destroy intimacy of relationship, productivity of staff, innovation of laity, and stifle the emotional expression of attendees. At times the main focus of the church can be reduced (at least at a subconscious level) to making the leader feel good about him/her self and propping them up emotionally.
Often in a dysfunctional church systems are developed to preserve control and protect the personality at the top. As time passes the system fails however because healthy people will not play by the rules of the emotionally immature. They will feel, think, talk and act for themselves (The three rules in a dysfunctional family system are "don’t ask, don’t feel and don’t tell and you will be safe").
The church that is organized under a dominant personality is known for splitting apart with time. Eventually the dysfunctional system gives way to healthy processes. At some point the health of the church will not permit the dominant personality to squelch freedom of expression and will see through the insatiable need of leaders to control people and amass facility and the consequent debt just to support the emotional needs and insecurities of key leaders. Eventually it all comes to a grinding halt.
When a church that is built on a dominant personality splits it is generally catastrophic in nature for several reasons. One, emotionally immature leaders seldom know how to finish well. So they will often use their influence to spin the facts, raise unhealthy suspicion among the flock, and accuse others of coveting control of what they have built. When paranoia sets in the facts are usually altered to favor their side of the story and to polarize people in their direction.
Unfortunately many people will blindly follow a dominant personality into battle. This is a second common reason why many splits of this kind are catastrophic in nature. Like sheep following their shepherd, some church people will pursue the will of their leader even to a fault. They will hear only half the story, believe the worst in others, and accusing those who disagree with their opinion as being sinners. For these reasons and others not mentioned they will refuse the ministry of reconciliation and adopt a "my way or the highway” mentality.
"It’s my way or the highway!" This mindset is a third reason why church splits steeped in a dominant personality is often times catastrophic in nature to the local church. Instead of people rising above self interest many will simply dig in their proverbial heals, refuse to examine self, or to rally around the cause of Christ, honor membership commitments and covenants and simply choose to leave the fold and try to take as many others with them as they possibly can. We often refer to this behavior in the field of conflict management as a “church divorce.”
In a church divorce, some people break their membership covenant, choose not to honor their word and in an act of self interest leave the church. In doing so they abandon those whom they once said they would stand shoulder to shoulder with, and fail to demonstrate character that rises to a cause that is greater than self interest and just simply pull up stakes and leave. In so doing the testimony of the church is damaged and God’s reputation is besmirched in eyes of many. Likened unto an act of betrayal in marriage, many will go to another location to do their own thing, often times with their dominate personality, and leave others to pick of the pieces, carry the mortgage, and salvage the dream.
The current administrative structure of Willoughby Hills Friends Church does not lend itself to a dominant personality at the top. Even though our leaders have different titles, roles and responsibilities our structure is collegial in nature with mutual accountability to one another. Whether it is setting vision or making difficult decisions, it is a team effort on our part. Why? Because that is what healthy people and churches do!
Thanks for stopping by!
------
Adrian
The leader of a personality driven church is often times an emotionally immature person and can be either a pastor or lay person. In the public arena they present a strong and confident persona but at home and in the inner recesses of the church their insecurity and brokenness can destroy intimacy of relationship, productivity of staff, innovation of laity, and stifle the emotional expression of attendees. At times the main focus of the church can be reduced (at least at a subconscious level) to making the leader feel good about him/her self and propping them up emotionally.
Often in a dysfunctional church systems are developed to preserve control and protect the personality at the top. As time passes the system fails however because healthy people will not play by the rules of the emotionally immature. They will feel, think, talk and act for themselves (The three rules in a dysfunctional family system are "don’t ask, don’t feel and don’t tell and you will be safe").
The church that is organized under a dominant personality is known for splitting apart with time. Eventually the dysfunctional system gives way to healthy processes. At some point the health of the church will not permit the dominant personality to squelch freedom of expression and will see through the insatiable need of leaders to control people and amass facility and the consequent debt just to support the emotional needs and insecurities of key leaders. Eventually it all comes to a grinding halt.
When a church that is built on a dominant personality splits it is generally catastrophic in nature for several reasons. One, emotionally immature leaders seldom know how to finish well. So they will often use their influence to spin the facts, raise unhealthy suspicion among the flock, and accuse others of coveting control of what they have built. When paranoia sets in the facts are usually altered to favor their side of the story and to polarize people in their direction.
Unfortunately many people will blindly follow a dominant personality into battle. This is a second common reason why many splits of this kind are catastrophic in nature. Like sheep following their shepherd, some church people will pursue the will of their leader even to a fault. They will hear only half the story, believe the worst in others, and accusing those who disagree with their opinion as being sinners. For these reasons and others not mentioned they will refuse the ministry of reconciliation and adopt a "my way or the highway” mentality.
"It’s my way or the highway!" This mindset is a third reason why church splits steeped in a dominant personality is often times catastrophic in nature to the local church. Instead of people rising above self interest many will simply dig in their proverbial heals, refuse to examine self, or to rally around the cause of Christ, honor membership commitments and covenants and simply choose to leave the fold and try to take as many others with them as they possibly can. We often refer to this behavior in the field of conflict management as a “church divorce.”
In a church divorce, some people break their membership covenant, choose not to honor their word and in an act of self interest leave the church. In doing so they abandon those whom they once said they would stand shoulder to shoulder with, and fail to demonstrate character that rises to a cause that is greater than self interest and just simply pull up stakes and leave. In so doing the testimony of the church is damaged and God’s reputation is besmirched in eyes of many. Likened unto an act of betrayal in marriage, many will go to another location to do their own thing, often times with their dominate personality, and leave others to pick of the pieces, carry the mortgage, and salvage the dream.
The current administrative structure of Willoughby Hills Friends Church does not lend itself to a dominant personality at the top. Even though our leaders have different titles, roles and responsibilities our structure is collegial in nature with mutual accountability to one another. Whether it is setting vision or making difficult decisions, it is a team effort on our part. Why? Because that is what healthy people and churches do!
Thanks for stopping by!
------
Adrian
Friday, January 30, 2009
E Myth (part 5)
Interesting. As I was reading through The E-Myth Revisited today I found myself wrestling with the difference between a commodity and a product. Gerber states, that “the product is never the commodity. The commodity is actually the thing the customer walks out with in his hand. The product is what your customer feels as he walks out of your business” (153-154). Could the same hold true for the church as well?
What is our product at Willoughby Hills Friends Church? Do we provide a positive emotional experience? What feeling will new attendees walk away with? Hope? Peace of mind? Order? Power? Love? Perception often times becomes reality and emotion plays a big role in the matrix of perception.
As the world becomes more complex and the commodities more varied, the feelings we want become more urgent, less rational, and more conscious. How your business anticipates those feelings and satisfies them is your business product (155). In the business arena the art and science of identifying the emotional or perceived needs of customers is known as psychographics. If the product of the church is to provide a rich emotional experience for attendees then the utilization of psychographics is imperative.
In the church leaders have a tendency to just look at the demographics of an area and discern if it will support the needs of the church. They wonder, “Are there enough people living in our geographic sphere of adequate means that we can attract a percentage of to support our business plan? What is their age? Are they young couples raising families that we can attract to fill up our class rooms and use our gymnasium? What is their income level? Is this a community that will attract other professionals and people of means to support our financial needs and pay down our church debt or fund our budget?”
Demographics are often times employed for selfish reasons in the church. Either consciously or not, what church leaders are looking for though demographic studies are various ways the community can service the church’s needs. However, if the product of the church is “positive emotional experience” then demographics are for the purpose of developing psychographics first and foremost.
In the future all of the ministries at Willoughby Hills Friends Church will answer the following questions: What is the “product” we intend to offer to the people who we will service through this outreach ministry or class we offer? What is the psychographics of those who we will attract to our worship service and how can we best meet their felt need? What key things can we build in to every activity, every encounter with people to assure a positive emotional experience?
The quality of the commodity we offer will not wane and will continue to be relevant to the specific needs of people today. However, a richer emotional, experiential factor will be developed church wide. My goal for Willoughby Hills Friends Church is to maintain a consistent level of excellence in all we do!
Thanks for stopping by!
------
Adrian
What is our product at Willoughby Hills Friends Church? Do we provide a positive emotional experience? What feeling will new attendees walk away with? Hope? Peace of mind? Order? Power? Love? Perception often times becomes reality and emotion plays a big role in the matrix of perception.
As the world becomes more complex and the commodities more varied, the feelings we want become more urgent, less rational, and more conscious. How your business anticipates those feelings and satisfies them is your business product (155). In the business arena the art and science of identifying the emotional or perceived needs of customers is known as psychographics. If the product of the church is to provide a rich emotional experience for attendees then the utilization of psychographics is imperative.
In the church leaders have a tendency to just look at the demographics of an area and discern if it will support the needs of the church. They wonder, “Are there enough people living in our geographic sphere of adequate means that we can attract a percentage of to support our business plan? What is their age? Are they young couples raising families that we can attract to fill up our class rooms and use our gymnasium? What is their income level? Is this a community that will attract other professionals and people of means to support our financial needs and pay down our church debt or fund our budget?”
Demographics are often times employed for selfish reasons in the church. Either consciously or not, what church leaders are looking for though demographic studies are various ways the community can service the church’s needs. However, if the product of the church is “positive emotional experience” then demographics are for the purpose of developing psychographics first and foremost.
In the future all of the ministries at Willoughby Hills Friends Church will answer the following questions: What is the “product” we intend to offer to the people who we will service through this outreach ministry or class we offer? What is the psychographics of those who we will attract to our worship service and how can we best meet their felt need? What key things can we build in to every activity, every encounter with people to assure a positive emotional experience?
The quality of the commodity we offer will not wane and will continue to be relevant to the specific needs of people today. However, a richer emotional, experiential factor will be developed church wide. My goal for Willoughby Hills Friends Church is to maintain a consistent level of excellence in all we do!
Thanks for stopping by!
------
Adrian
Thursday, January 29, 2009
E Myth (part 4)
As I continue to reflect on the words from Gerber’s book The E Myth Revisited, I am reminded of the value of looking at the church from time to time as a business. Often in my planning and administration I need to view Willoughby Hills Friends Church as a product, sitting on a shelf and competing for the customer’s attention against the whole shelf of competing businesses. There are many other churches trying to attract people. People have needs and are shopping for value. As the Administrator I need to be asking, “Where is the opportunity? What are the needs of my customers?”
One key idea I was taught in business classes is not to start with a picture of the business to be created but of the customer for whom the business is to be created. Without a clear, contemporary, relevant picture of the customer, no business can succeed. Gerber reminds his readers that the customer is a continuing parade of changing wants begging to be satisfied. All the successful entrepreneur has to do is to find out what those wants are and what they will be in the future (74).
For Willoughby Hills Friends to be the church people reach for I must make sure she works better than all the rest. I must create a systems dependent organization that is not people or personality dependent in the future. To develop a “Turn Key Operation” (94) that is need based, that can employ all of our constituents, functions systematically with great consistency, and is uniform (performed in Christ’s name and labored in love through the fruit of the Holy Spirit). Is that not the raison d’etre (92) of the church?
I need to develop a ministry system/model that people can bring to life. The system becomes the tool people then use to meet the needs of others with greater efficiency and will differentiate self from other churches. It is the job of leadership to develop the tools and to teach our attendees to use them. Our attendees need to use the tools and recommend improvements based upon their experience. The future success of the church is not in the employment of highly skilled and educated professionals but in well trained and highly skilled parishioners.
Gerber quotes Alvin Toffler in The Third Wave, “most people surveying the world around them today see only chaos. They suffer a sense of personal powerlessness and pointlessness. People need life structure. A life lacking in comprehensive structure is an aimless wreck and breeds breakdown. Structure provides the relatively fixed points of reference people need today” (103). At Willoughby Hills Friends we need to provide structure for people. We need to look orderly and respond systematically so people think we know what we are doing, can trust the results delivered and assure them they can trust their future with us. We can do it and we must do it for the glory of God and the well being of our fellow man.
Thanks for stopping by!
-----
Adrian
One key idea I was taught in business classes is not to start with a picture of the business to be created but of the customer for whom the business is to be created. Without a clear, contemporary, relevant picture of the customer, no business can succeed. Gerber reminds his readers that the customer is a continuing parade of changing wants begging to be satisfied. All the successful entrepreneur has to do is to find out what those wants are and what they will be in the future (74).
For Willoughby Hills Friends to be the church people reach for I must make sure she works better than all the rest. I must create a systems dependent organization that is not people or personality dependent in the future. To develop a “Turn Key Operation” (94) that is need based, that can employ all of our constituents, functions systematically with great consistency, and is uniform (performed in Christ’s name and labored in love through the fruit of the Holy Spirit). Is that not the raison d’etre (92) of the church?
I need to develop a ministry system/model that people can bring to life. The system becomes the tool people then use to meet the needs of others with greater efficiency and will differentiate self from other churches. It is the job of leadership to develop the tools and to teach our attendees to use them. Our attendees need to use the tools and recommend improvements based upon their experience. The future success of the church is not in the employment of highly skilled and educated professionals but in well trained and highly skilled parishioners.
Gerber quotes Alvin Toffler in The Third Wave, “most people surveying the world around them today see only chaos. They suffer a sense of personal powerlessness and pointlessness. People need life structure. A life lacking in comprehensive structure is an aimless wreck and breeds breakdown. Structure provides the relatively fixed points of reference people need today” (103). At Willoughby Hills Friends we need to provide structure for people. We need to look orderly and respond systematically so people think we know what we are doing, can trust the results delivered and assure them they can trust their future with us. We can do it and we must do it for the glory of God and the well being of our fellow man.
Thanks for stopping by!
-----
Adrian
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
E Myth (part 3)
As I continue to read through The E Myth Revisited I am reminded of how important it is to ask the right questions in church leadership. Questions like: “Where do we wish to be as a local body of Christ followers?” “When do we wish to be there?” “What resources will we need to get there – money, people, etc.?” “What educational processes will be required? What leadership will need to be in place to make it happen?” These are all good questions and should be considered when developing a growth matrix for the local church.
However, the question I think many leaders still need to wrestle with first is: “What does a great church look like?” Then discussion can return to the present with the intention of changing it to match the vision. The Ministry Performa of Willoughby Hills Friends Church is:
Vision – “To love Jesus Christ and other people unconditionally”
Mission – “To reach up, in, out and over.” To reach up in worship; In with the Holy Spirit for Christ likeness; Out to our world in service and evangelism; Over to each other for love and support.
Objectives – To educate, encourage, equip, evangelize and empower people so they may experience to best, most fulfilling life possible.
Give me your feedback. Is this a clear vision for the future? Is it SMART. Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound?
Thanks for stopping by.
-------
Adrian
However, the question I think many leaders still need to wrestle with first is: “What does a great church look like?” Then discussion can return to the present with the intention of changing it to match the vision. The Ministry Performa of Willoughby Hills Friends Church is:
Vision – “To love Jesus Christ and other people unconditionally”
Mission – “To reach up, in, out and over.” To reach up in worship; In with the Holy Spirit for Christ likeness; Out to our world in service and evangelism; Over to each other for love and support.
Objectives – To educate, encourage, equip, evangelize and empower people so they may experience to best, most fulfilling life possible.
Give me your feedback. Is this a clear vision for the future? Is it SMART. Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound?
Thanks for stopping by.
-------
Adrian
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
EMyth (part 2)
As I continue to read The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber I sense a level of frustration and stimulation. I am frustrated in the sense the material is nothing more than basic business “101.” Any community college would present the same material and concepts as Gerber in an attempt to arouse the student’s awareness to systems thinking and principles. I guess I was hoping for more.
On the other hand I find myself stimulated by the Holy Spirit as a read this week. Though many of Gerber’s points are not new to me God has enabled me to reflect on some areas in my life and church where healthy change can occur and the system of operation tweaked some. Let me share a few of my ideas.
One, the church is nothing more than a distinct reflection of those who lead and attend. In many ways the church assumes the identity of the individual. If the leaders are sloppy and disorganized then so goes the church. If attendees are greedy and pursuing just their own interests then the church will never reflect the image of Christ or achieve the power of His influence. I must change for growth to occur and God has helped me identify some key areas where I can improve for greater personal effectiveness and for the overall good of the local institution I love.
Two, God is reminding me not to get caught up in the technical and managerial duties of my job and fail to dream. In a church of 1200 attendees it is easy for leaders to get caught up in the mechanics of the organization. Most pastors entered their profession to love people and influence the world for Christ and yet many feel unfulfilled and discouraged and their dream has all but disappeared. The exhilaration has turned into exhaustion and the fun has become despair. They have a terrible sense of loss. The loss of their dream, the special relationship they once had with their work and calling. Sometimes even the loss of purpose, family, and self.
To be a change agent at Willoughby Hills Friends Church I must continue to dream big for the glory of God. While performing the mechanics of my job I must find ways to turn the trivial and mundane into an exceptional opportunity for self and others. I must allow my God given dream to be the energy behind my activity. I must empower the people around me and enlist more to dream big with me.
I need to create systems within the church that will bring our dreams into the present and have them working toward an end result. Create systems that will transcend me as an employee and the personal limitations I present. Ones that are self perpetuating through the dreams of people and yet are well thought out and articulate. My goal is to develop a mature church where things are not left up to chance but where there is vision against which the present is shaped.
Those are my thoughts for today. Thanks for stopping by!
------
Adrian
On the other hand I find myself stimulated by the Holy Spirit as a read this week. Though many of Gerber’s points are not new to me God has enabled me to reflect on some areas in my life and church where healthy change can occur and the system of operation tweaked some. Let me share a few of my ideas.
One, the church is nothing more than a distinct reflection of those who lead and attend. In many ways the church assumes the identity of the individual. If the leaders are sloppy and disorganized then so goes the church. If attendees are greedy and pursuing just their own interests then the church will never reflect the image of Christ or achieve the power of His influence. I must change for growth to occur and God has helped me identify some key areas where I can improve for greater personal effectiveness and for the overall good of the local institution I love.
Two, God is reminding me not to get caught up in the technical and managerial duties of my job and fail to dream. In a church of 1200 attendees it is easy for leaders to get caught up in the mechanics of the organization. Most pastors entered their profession to love people and influence the world for Christ and yet many feel unfulfilled and discouraged and their dream has all but disappeared. The exhilaration has turned into exhaustion and the fun has become despair. They have a terrible sense of loss. The loss of their dream, the special relationship they once had with their work and calling. Sometimes even the loss of purpose, family, and self.
To be a change agent at Willoughby Hills Friends Church I must continue to dream big for the glory of God. While performing the mechanics of my job I must find ways to turn the trivial and mundane into an exceptional opportunity for self and others. I must allow my God given dream to be the energy behind my activity. I must empower the people around me and enlist more to dream big with me.
I need to create systems within the church that will bring our dreams into the present and have them working toward an end result. Create systems that will transcend me as an employee and the personal limitations I present. Ones that are self perpetuating through the dreams of people and yet are well thought out and articulate. My goal is to develop a mature church where things are not left up to chance but where there is vision against which the present is shaped.
Those are my thoughts for today. Thanks for stopping by!
------
Adrian
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