Biggest Ministry Mistakes
Blogger Tony Morgan just asked his twitter followers to write in about their biggest ministry mistakes. In the list below you will see the mistake that fuels our ministry at Auxano: Mistaken Identity
- @gsligon - “trusting a volunteer with too much influence in my ministry. can you say sabotage?”
- @menatpausecoach - “thinking that one would be ‘closer to God’ by leaving secular world for full-time ministry.”
- @teddywinter - “thinking that I can sustain it all. The need for a team is incredibly necessary.”
- @jodyearley - “calling a Jr. High event SNR (Santa’s Not Real) and then promoting in the worship guide for the little kids to see.”
- @michaelharrison - “not delegating or empowering others to serve”
- @chuck_scott - “procrastinating and calling that relying on the Holy Spirit for prompting.”
- @youcanknowgod - “student ministry services that compete with weekend services”
- @jasonsalamun - “Not raising funds prior to launching our church.”
- @kellyadkins - “caring about something less than God does. also, caring about something more than God does.”
- @dale_schaeffer - “Changing who we are as a church to fit the demographics of a community…lesson: just be who you are and watch God work.”
- @kentshaffer - “Trying to take an old school projector down from the ceiling by myself. It broke, and I almost did.”
While some of these are humorous, the idea of "changing who we are as a church" can be very dangerous. When I worked with Max Lucado at Oak Hills Church, I ripped a phrase from his book, The Cure for a Common Life, and use it for churches: "Your church can't be anything you want it to be, but it can be everything God wants it to be."
Defining the Essence
On my way to the airport today for my next two days in Denver and then Tampa, I realized that I left my computer at home. Losing 30 minutes compromised my finely tuned planning, which has developed over 8 years of departing from Houston’s Hobby airport. After my time loss, I knew I could still make my flight but not check-in my extra bag. There was only one solution-eliminate and do it quickly. The next 20 minutes of driving I went through the “essentials only” mental checklist. In the parking garage I rearranged and eliminated until my bulging carry-on could take no more.
Interestingly it was a satisfying experience because all the essentials made it. Once again I felt the complexity and weight of allowing non-essentials into my mind and ultimately my suitcase. The forced “concentration by elimination” exercise was ultimately refreshing though initially frustrating.
This is the exact kind of exercise that individuals and organizations can go through to clarify and apply the essence of their calling or their mission.
As coincidence would have it I started a new book on the plane- The Power of Less by Leo Babauta (2009). What’s his first principle? “By setting limitations we must choose the essential. So in everything you do learn to set limitations.”
Creative Problem Solving
Years ago, I digested materials related to "creative problem solving" (CPS) and practiced the skill with the Auxano team at one of our annual off-sites called "Resync." I am amazed at how valuable the experience can even though it is rarely used in the church. In fact, in the last 20 years of ministry (from seminary, to pastoring, to carnivorously devouring conferences, to full-time consulting) I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYONE TEACH OR PRACTICE CPS in a ministry setting.
- How might we shift satisfied worshippers at the 9:30 and 11:00 to a different service time?
- How might we provide three "Live" venue worship opportunities on Sunday morning?
- What's stopping us from creating alternative entrance/exit access roads?
- How might we simply shift services times in a way that solves every other problem?
- How might we accommodate 1000 more people without modifying the facility?
- What's stopping us from doing a capital campaign/phase II immediately?
- How might we better clarify our long-term strategy with worship styles and venues?
- What's stopping us from adding 250 parking spaces immediately?
- How might we add more square footage for worship venues with the existing facility?
Next time you are solving a problem, start by trying to state the problem in the form of a question as may ways as possible using the "How might we…" and "What's stopping us…" question template.
Relevant Questions for 2009
An Auxano team member is reading through C.S. Lewis in 2009. She sent me an excerpt from the Screwtape Letters where Screwtape (a demon) is speaking. He says that God wants us to ask and answer simple, relevant questions. Therefore the strategy of the evil one is to ask irrelevant questions that keep our "minds buzzing in a vacuum."
The Enemy… loves platitudes. Of a proposed course of action He wants men, so far as can see, to ask very simple questions; is it righteous? is it prudent? is it possible? Now if we keep men asking, 'Is it in accordance with the general movement of our time? Is it progressive or reactionary? Is this the way history is going?' they will neglect the relevant questions. And the questions they do ask are, of course, unanswerable; for they do not know the future, and what the future will be depends very largely on just those choices they now invoke the future to help them make. As a result while their minds are buzzing in this vacuum, we have the better chance to slip in and bend them to the action we have decided on."
My question is, "What questions are you asking as you enter 2009?" Are they relevant?
Life Elevated
I just finished a week with the kids in Park City, Utah- an annual getaway for inspiration, excitement and reflection. This year we were snowed-in an extra day due to Christmas eve blizzard with over 2 feet of snow. The extra snow raised the bar on our family adventure! Here is my son Jacob on a run called Hidden Splendor.