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“A 15-minute Vision checkup”

Ask your core leaders these seven questions. If they answer no or show hesitation you are overdue for a vision checkup.

If your core leaders show any doubt rest assured the team members on the outer edge don’t have a clue. It’s the “outer-edge” team members that have the initial and most frequent contact with those you serve or are trying to reach.

1. IMAGINABLE: Does our vision convey a compelling picture of our future?
2. DESIRABLE: Does our vision appeal and grab the attention of at least two generations?
3. FEASIBLE: Is our vision built on reasonable, stretchable and achievable goals?
4. FOCUSED: Does our vision guide and dominate our decision making process?
5. FLEXIBLE: Does our vision allow for individual creativity and changing conditions?
6. COMMUNICABLE: Can all of our core leaders “Tell our story” and describe our vision in 100 words or less?
7. EXECUTABLE: Is our strategy (action plan) well-conceived, understood and embraced by all team members?

You get the best results when your team members feel they can be brutally honest, especially with their leader. Great leaders keep drilling down until they discover what every team member really thinks, not just what they think the leader wants to hear.

Until you have that degree of openness and honesty by everyone on the team you have not taped into the full potential of your team. Until you ask your team for just a little more than they think they can give, you won’t get all they can give. That takes commitment, trust and honest answers to these seven questions.

When’s the last time you and your team had a vision checkup? Poor attitudes, low energy and lack of engagement may indicate its time.

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“Energizing your team for change, is your greatest leadership challenge.”

Astronaut James Irwin said, “You think going to the moon was the most scientific project ever, but they literally threw us in the direction of the moon. We had to adjust course every ten minutes and landed only 50 feet inside a 500-mile radius of our target.”
On that mission every change, no matter how small, was essential to success. So it is with yours. If you resist even the slightest change long enough, you may find yourself off course, too late to adjust, and have to abort the mission.
What causes a lack of behavioral or organizational change? Team members are seldom the problem but get most of the blame. Senior leaders create most of their own problems by their lack of leadership in one or more of the following four areas:
First, lack of clarity about the rationale not only for the daily action plan, but more so for the long-term goals and strategy for change. People seldom buy into what they cannot see and understand.
Second, lack of commitment and passion for change by the core leadership team. Passion, or the lack of it, is contagious. There must be consensus and one hundred percent buy in by the core team. If not, delay the change or change players on the team.
Third, lack of accountability on a regular basis to reinforce positive sustainable change. Without accountability there is no improvement of what already exists much less changing it.
Fourth, lack of trust by the team in their Leaders’ decision-making skill in leading change. Trust is the glue that holds teams together when they face the unknown and the lubricant that enables them to flow together till the needed change becomes a way of life.  
Average leaders can keep the car between the guardrails most of the time. However, it takes outstanding leaders to lead when the way forward is no longer on the map and current conditions demand a change of direction.
“Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” George Bernard Shaw
Why not ask your leadership team which of the four areas above challenge them the most. Great leaders constantly ask this question and many others that make their leadership vulnerable and open for inspection. Weak leaders avoid questions about their leadership at all costs.
Technology-driven smart phones, tablets and laptops, microwave ovens, computer-flown airplanes, robots that can do just about anything, most kids toys and big box stores filled gadgets unheard-of a generation ago. 
They are today’s reality as a result of that first trip to the moon led by men and women not threatened by change. The wealthiest corporations on earth today were founded and continue to be led by leaders who declare war on the status quo every day.
Remember, without change your organization has no future. Without you personally changing your team remains stuck in “today” and only dreams about a better tomorrow.

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    Pastor’s Resource Tool Kit

    The Resource Tool Kit is what every Pastor needs. What you will find here will make your life and ministry much easier and also flourish like never before! This “Tool Kit” provides you information about People and Ministries that have excelled with great success across the country. The links and videos below provide resources and training that will increase church attendance, bring in more tithes and offerings, strengthen and refresh marriages, teach tactical leadership skills, provide free legal counsel, cutting edge sermon material, complimentary pastor vacations and much more. Click on the names and videos below to learn more.

    Scroll down to watch a short introductory video from each. 

    BlessEveryHome.com  is the premier tool for any pastor who wants to get his church praying. This powerful ministry tool is unlike any other. Watch the video to see what thousands of pastors are doing to get many of their people working for the kingdom without ever leaving the house.

    Saturate USA is providing FREE OF CHARGE any church in America the tools to EASILY get the gospel into every household in their city. This ministry is reaching every city with the gospel and inviting every church to get involved. Watch their video for detail.

    Game Plan for Life is a ministry founded by re-known(3) Super Bowl winning and (4) NASCAR Championships Coach Joe Gibbs. Every Pastor we talk to states that they need more men involved and need them discipled to be faithful leaders. This unique and powerful ministry reaches into the heart of most men and is designed to reach men for Christ. The GPFL discipleship material is second to none. This ministry is a premier partner with All Pro Pastors International and provides many unique benefits to the pastors who join us.

    National Center for Life and Liberty provides free legal counsel, legal documents, and educational seminars. Attorney David Gibbs, III represents the Christian community every day against the legal attacks in America, going all the way to the Supreme Court on several occasions.

    Restoring Hope Global  Ever feel tired, exhausted with your job?  Where do you turn?  What do you do to refuel, to keep going in your mission?  Think about it pastor; where do you turn?  Where do you get to escape to?  The good news is there is “Restoration House”, a place for pastors and leaders to turn when work has exhausted you. Call today!

    Mike Williams Ministry The 2017 Dove Award winner is known for his brilliance as a comedian and also as one of America’s leaders in bringing your congregation on board your ministry as an “All In” giver.  Mike’s new book “Reboot Church Giving” is a handbook for pastors.

    Liberty Pastors/Reclaiming America for Christ is teaching the heritage of Pastors in America and how to get their church back to the evangelistic roots we were founded on. Learning the truth can sometimes be hard and it is these hard places that God opens our hearts and minds to change and grow. Pastor Paul Blair shares why we all need to look in the past to back on the straight road.

    SkywatchTV is a new paradigm in Christian broadcasting, examining everything from ghosts, UFO’s, giants, demons, artificial intelligence, trans-humanism, the occult, evolution and many other subjects that are often uncomfortable to discuss in the average church environment. This is critical information when teaching discipleship and preparing yourself to face the enemy.  Warning: The video below is an example of what SkywatchTV investigates.

    Time to Revive is the discipleship training ministry that is bringing revival across the country. Every church that engages in their teaching and follows their instructions will see an immediate impact on their church/community.

    Please take a moment now and watch the videos below to learn more:

    BlessEveryHome.com

    Saturate USA

    Game Plan for Life

     

    National Center for Life and Liberty

    Restoring Hope Global This is an All Pro Pastors “Premier Partner” for APP Pastors who need a Free place to get away to be refreshed, relax and recharged. 

     

    Mike Williams Ministry

    Liberty Pastors/Reclaiming America for Christ

    SkywatchTV  

     

    Time to Revive

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    Are You an All “Pro” Pastor?

    In America when you see something that says “All Pro” we quickly make the assessment that they or it must be really good at what they do. Just as you may think of an “All Star” in sports or business. This represents the very best.

    Today however, I invite you to consider that an All ‘Pro” Pastor is a pastor who is very positive in speech, attitude and heart. They are Pro-Jesus, Pro-Holy Spirit, Pro-family, Pro-marriage, Pro-church, Pro-unity, Pro-Kingdom, Pro-community, Pro-forgiveness, Pro-encouragement, Pro-accountability, Pro-freedom, Pro-Bible and the list goes on. Yes we must face many challenges and predators also the storms that come and the frequent battles, yet we will always find the “Pro”.

    The sheep we care for need a “Pro” shepherd in order survive and thrive. The “Pro” Pastor/Shepherd takes a type of ownership of each sheep, because that comes with the expectation from our “Shepherd” Jesus.

    An All Pro Pastor is the Pastor who speaks life into people not death. He speaks encouragement not criticism. He teaches God’s word as the words of hope and victory. The All “Pro” Pastor is a Warrior and a Shepherd who fights for the flock he cares for. He loves each one as his own because he represents Jesus as His Ambassador in every way. He nourishes the flock as a “Son” and not a hireling. He takes them “his flock” through the Valley of Shadows and danger, protecting them with his very life. He brings them to fresh clean springs to drink from and protects them from the polluted and poisonous. He teaches them with all diligence and understanding. He recognizes the infants and the mature. He walks with them through all of life showing each one where to walk where to avoid. The All “Pro” Pastor has the heart of a shepherd just like Jesus, the “Shepherd”! He knows each one by name and they know his voice. He loves all and loves them each. When he speaks they listen because they know his words bring life and blessings.

    Who is an All Pro Pastor? It is the ones who are called by Jesus himself to be his representatives, His ambassadors His faithful ones who live to serve His flock as their very own.

    Being a Shepherd is very tiresome and so is being a Pastor. Pastors, we need each other to lean on and to rely on. Join “All Pro Pastors” and start your Champions Table. Experience these life savers for yourself.

    Today is the day every Pastor should ask, am I an All Pro Pastor?

     

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    “Managers have a plan, Leaders have a dream.”

     

    I am often asked, “What is the difference between managers and leaders?” Libraries’ are filled with books about the subject. Here are three ways that will help you understand the difference.

    First, are you counting value or creating value? If you are managing people you are counting value, not adding value. Only managers count value. Some even reduce value by trying to micro-manage those who add value.

    Distracting a diamond cutter by asking him to report every 15 minutes how many stones he has cut his “manager” is subtracting value. In the end people do not want managed, they want led. You manage things, not people!

    By contrast, leaders focus on creating value by saying, “I’d like you to handle “A” while I deal with “B.” Leaders generate value over and above that which the team creates, and is as much a value-creator as are the team members. Leading by example and leading by enabling and empowering people are the hallmarks of great action-inspired leadership.

    Second, are you creating circles of influence or circles of power? Just as managers have “direct-reports” and leaders have “direct-supports,” managers create circles of power while leaders create circles of influence. Influence trumps power every time.

    The quickest way to figure out whether you are a manager or a leader is to count the number of people outside your reporting hierarchy who come to you for advice. The more people that do, the more likely you are a leader and not a manager. Managers provide answers and directions, leaders provide opportunities and options.

    Third, are you leading people or managing the work? Management consists of controlling a group of people and a set of challenges to accomplish a goal. Leadership is the ability to influence, inspire and enable others to contribute toward the teams’ ultimate success. Influence and inspiration separate leaders from managers, not power and control.

    In India, M.K. Gandhi inspired millions of people to fight for their rights while he walked shoulder to shoulder with them so India could achieve independence in 1947. His vision became everyone’s dream and ensured that the country’s push for independence was unstoppable.

    Martin Luther King did not give an “I have a plan speech” he gave an “I have a dream speech” and the future of The USA changed forever. The world needs leaders like Gandhi and King who think beyond problems, have a vision and inspire people to convert challenges into opportunities. Leaders never let the managers stifle their dream, they ask them to come up with a plan to make it happen.

    I encourage you to invite your team for a talk. When they stop discussing the problems and tasks and start talking about vision, purpose and aspirations instead, that is when you know you have become a leader. When your dream becomes the team’s dream great things will happen!

    Every organization needs great managers, those who watch the radar, react and execute the plan. However, without great leaders who create what gets on the radar and lead the way into the unknown, there is no future—only a rerun of yesterday.

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    “Vision: is it received, developed, or discovered?”

    Father Theodore Hesburgh, former president of Notre Dame University said, “Vision is the essence of leadership.”

    Visionary leadership is knowing where you want to go, how to get there, and the three things required to make it happen: First, having a clear and compelling vision. Second, articulating and modeling it well. Third, getting your team focused and excited about pursuing it.

    Above all, you must be confident and consistent, no one follows an uncertain or faint trumpet. Great leaders develop a clear and compelling vision by using one of the following three approaches. You can impose it, buy it, or forge it through persuasive consensus.

    One, imposing a vision can be either by demand or persuasion. Teledyne founder, Henry Singleton, believes an organization is built around a mind with an idea that is aware of the key issues of his generation.

    Great leaders stay ahead of the curve and lead from the future, not to the future. They are seasoned visionaries, sharpened by their image of the future. Their ability to empower and connect their teams’ everyday efforts to the vision is without question. They guide their organization with confidence and humility, not as overbearing power brokers.

    Poor leaders impose their vision through demands often disguised as motivation, but in reality is manipulation. Great leaders’ caste their vision until it becomes the common vision of the team through communication that is vivid and compelling.

    Second, you can buy a vision. Consultants will happily create a fashionable mission statement that creates a lot of energy, but few sustainable results. The problem with these “off-the-rack” solutions is they are so generic that they are usually worthless.

    Visions can’t be bought like a McDonald’s burger or Starbucks latte. They can’t be a Burger King vision where everyone has it their way. Your team and stakeholders know immediately that you’re trying to sell them a second-hand, cut-and-paste dream that they reject immediately. If they don’t they are naive and of no real value, you need to release them.

    Third, forging a vision. This happens through leadership consensus by encouraging broad contributions in putting flesh on the skeleton you provide. This produces a vision that’s the most enduring and effective for long term sustainable results.

    At the end of the process you want a vision that is not only compelling, but energizes great buy-in by the core leaders and all the stakeholders. You don’t forge a vision overnight, but through patience, perseverance, and passion.

    If you can’t get your team’s energized buy-in to the vision, ask yourself the following questions. How passionate am I about it? How often do I show it to them, not just in locker room pep talks, but through my daily actions? How much did I ask the team to contribute in the process

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    How to avoid being overworked and feeling overwhelmed.”

    Poor leaders find themselves running out of time while their direct reports lack motivation and are running out of productive work.  Great leadership is not about your personal production but your team’s production, especially when you are not around.
    Delegation and deferring are two of your most important strengths as a leader. Doing them well is a must for providing effective leadership and significant success.  Great leaders spend less time “doing” and invest most of their time planning, organizing resources and coaching their team to do the “doing.”
    There is a major difference between delegating and deferring.  Delegating means you still own some responsibility for the results, deferring means you give the task away without any further responsibility.  Great leaders use both and know when and how to use them.
    Some warning signs you need to improve your delegating skills:
    1. Your in-box is always full with work only YOU can do.
    2. Delegated assignments are often incomplete and deadlines missed.
    3. Direct reports feel they lack authority, resources and empowerment.
    4. You constantly second guess your team members’ decisions.
    5. Team morale is low, turnover rates rising and people lack motivation.
    6. You frequently intervene in work you previously delegated or deferred.
    7. Team members feel unprepared and are not taking full responsibility.
    Tips for delegating effectively:
    1. Recognize and affirm the capabilities of your team for their assignments.
    2. Focus on results, not how tasks should be accomplished.
    3. Use delegation to develop the skills of your team members and position them for advancement.
    4. Always delegate or defer to the lowest level possible.
    5. Explain assignments clearly and provide necessary resources.
    6. Provide consistent feedback, emotional support during tough times and celebrate all wins, big or small.
    7. Defer more, give away responsibility for results and avoid the comebacks.
    Overworked and overwhelmed leaders are leaders who failed to learn how to delegate and defer effectively.
    As a result your best people leave you because they are bored, you hold back the development of your good people and your average team members are burned up, or burned out because of trying to do it all.
    How are you feeling as you start a new week?
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    Pastors and Workplace Ministers, Now Hear Me! Thus says the Lord!

    This is a local message written by one of our ministry partners in Florida. Its message is worldwide in meaning. Pastors and business owners need to link arms and listen to each other. Great wisdom can be shared and learned, he who has ears hear! Paul

    A MESSAGE TO THE “BODY OF CHRIST”

    To all Christians who are working in the marketplace I ask these questions –

    Whom are you aligned with? Real Christians or unbelievers?

    What Marketplace Group do you meet with regularly for encouragement and inspiration?

    Are you a blessing to other Christians in the marketplace by doing business with them? By praying for them? By recommending them? Do you even know what the family next to you in church does for a living?

    We are so divided, it is a JOKE! The people of the world, the unbelievers and the unchurched laugh at us. Then we fight on FB about doctrines we disagree on & sometimes ignore the doctrines where we agree! And the unbelievers only remember the ridiculous disagreements & arguments we have with each other. Unity of the believer? Listen to what Jesus prayed for – John 17:20-21 – 20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will[e] believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. It’s very clear. Is it possible that the world may not believe that God the Father sent Jesus? Surely the unity of the believer is not that important? Father help us!!

    We call ourselves marketplace ministers but, do you pray for your customers? And I don’t just mean when you are alone in your car, but when you are with them, to bless and minister to them? Or are you ashamed of your faith, afraid to speak the truth? Or are you afraid God won’t answer your prayers and you will be embarrassed? Have you lost your “first love”? Where is your “Holy Boldness”?

    God help us, the Body of Christ, the “Church”. We have allowed unbelievers to take over “Our” culture, our cities, our counties, our state, our nation, our schools, our justice system, our courts, our seats of government, federal, state & local agencies on every level and we say “ How evil everything has become”.

    “I wish God would just Beam me up”!

    We are standing here at the beginning of what “I believe” is the greatest opportunity in our lives to see a real turnaround in our culture. And we can be a part of it — not if we are “Beamed Up” but if we are “Beaming” from ear to ear with the awesome things God is doing in our midst!

    It’s time to bring the Body of Christ together in every way possible. We have left it up to the Pastors and they are trying; but it’s not just up to them.

    We see many of our brothers and sisters working in the marketplace that we feel should be aligned with and connecting with us but just haven’t for their own reasons. Maybe they are looking for groups that provide many business leads for them so they can grow their own businesses. I understand that, but don’t join with them to the exclusion of your brothers & sisters in Christ.

    I must tell you, there is nothing better than to help others meet their goals by praying for them, encouraging them, doing business with them and seeing the result —SUCCESS! And who better to do that for than another Christian!

    Let’s face it, if you help a nonbeliever become financially successful, what Kingdom would they be supporting. They are either supporting the Kingdom of God or a different Kingdom, maybe even the Kingdom of darkness. Is that what you want? “Will they be praying for the customers you refer to them? You think? Will they be sharing the gospel with anyone? Will they be praying for the sick to be healed?

    Let’s be real. That is not going to happen.

    Some would say, well I don’t want to discriminate. I want to give my leads and my business to unbelievers as much as believers. Really? That’s NOT scriptural! God says in Galatians 6:9 -11 ; And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” What part of “especially” do we not understand? We can still do good to all, but prefer our brothers & sisters in Christ. Or you can just consider that verse a suggestion?

    Find a Christian business networking group that you can be part of if you want to be part of that unity. If you don’t know of a good group full of Bible believing, tithing believers who are members of part of a fellowship that they are accountable to and support regularly then check us out.

    At Integrity Business Referrals, we are doing the little bit we can to create unity in the Body. Our group consists of business people, ministry leaders and pastors coming together from over 30 churches to help each other in every way possible to

    “BRING IN THE HARVEST” MONEY AND SOULS!! We are in unity so that the world will know that the Father sent Jesus!

    Call us. IBR – 863-521-3360. Go to our website www.IBR77.com , see us on FB – Integrity Business Referrals or come to one of our meetings. Find out the benefits of unity of the believer in the marketplace & get really connected to what God is doing in our midst!

    2018 – ALL NEW BEGINNINGS! GOD IS ON THE MOVE!

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    “Developing Leaders versus gathering Followers”

    According to the American Society of Training and Development, U.S.A. companies and organizations, profit and nonprofit, spend more than $170 Billion annually on leadership-based curriculum and training.
    “Training” is the number one reason leadership development fails.
    You don’t train leaders, you develop leaders. You train animals who have very little, if any, reasoning power.  When you treat people, especially your future leaders, like animals and try to train them rather than develop them as independent thinkers, your leadership development grinds to a halt.
    Training presumes the need for indoctrination on systems, processes and techniques assuming all of that is “doing things the right way.” These things have value, but they have little to do with leadership development. It’s more like management training than leadership development.
    Training workshops are too often by the book, one dimensional, one directional and one size fits all. This describes an authoritarian process that imposes static and usually outdated information, but does little to develop leaders who can create a compelling future, build a passionate team and find a way to win without a manual.
    Most over-priced training workshops are presented by an untested and inexperienced professional presenter using a monologue and rarely goes off script. Scripts contain good training information, but battle-tested veterans are still your best bet for developing future leaders. It’s called “Follow the leader,” not follow the book.
    Worst of all, this training usually occurs in a classroom driven by someone else’s “best practices,” not the needs of your future leaders. You cannot develop a leader in a classroom, seminar or workshop. Those venues are for dispensing information and then testing to see if the participants understand that generic information.
    Leaders are developed under live fire. Leaders need good information, however, if you want to know if they really understand it, see how they do when the bullets are flying. There’s an old parable that says, “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him how to fish and he eats for a lifetime.”
    The same is true for leadership. Develop a leader for a generation and that generation thrives. Develop leaders in every generation and that organization thrives for many generations to come.
    Never let your desire to “grow” your organization distract you from your main purpose, developing new leaders. Leaders that create a new path forward, not managers attracting followers who only make the current ruts deeper. Sustainable growth always outlasts explosive growth.
    “Praised be the Lord, who has allowed me to see a successor on my throne today.” 1 Kings 1:47
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    Prayer is a MUST for Godly Leadership – part 1

    There are many principles and keys to successful Christian leadership but most are not as vital as prayer. Prayer is one of the most powerful communication tools given to man to use to commune with our heavenly father. Do not burden yourself by attempting to pray as good or as fluent as some of your ministerial colleagues or spiritual mentors. Simply ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray as best as you can. The ever wise Holy Spirit will teach you Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye”, and will divinely connect you with those who will help sharpen and perfect YOUR praying style. Diligently learn from those God has brought into your life, but learn as led by the Holy Spirit. When I attempted to pray as some of the prayer warriors I respected, I did not connect with the Lord as I expected. When I trusted the Holy Spirit to help me pray based on what He and others taught me, then I truly felt the power of God as I prayed. This is the best type of praying leader you should desire to be, the one God has ordained you to become.

    Jesus Christ, our Lord and best example of how to obey God prayed while he was on earth. Jesus prayed for himself in John 17:1-2 “Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.” Jesus also prayed for his disciples as shown in John 17:9-10 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them”.  One of my deepest desires is for every pastor and ministry leader to be able to prayer this prayer as often as needed. This particular prayer emphasizes the accountability we have to God for those given to us, but more importantly clarifies that we are simply custodians for these truly belong to God our father. Finally Jesus prayed for all believers in John 17:20-21 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me”.

    I offer these 3 examples in John 17 to highlight the importance of praying for ourselves John 17:1-5, praying for those God has ordained us to lead, John 17:6-19 and also praying for those whom will believe in Jesus in John 17:20-26. This is one of the best examples of God’s expectation of prayer from his servant leaders. Take the time to read study and meditate on John 17 for Jesus provides profound guidelines for mastering the essentials of prayer for these 3 categories of his children which are most important to our mission on earth.

    I have seen the biggest results in my life when I pray according to God’s mission for me and those he has called me to lead. Let’s be clear, God is certainly concerned about our personal welfare, such as health and family success and balance. He is also highly interested in us praying for his will in our lives and the lives he has mandated us to lead. I trust you will experience the glory of God as you use John 17 to pray for yourself, your disciples and those who will believe in our Lord and Savior.

    Shalom and Glory to you.

    Join us next time for part 2 which explores the root reasons for prayer in our current challenging environment.

     

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    Are You a “GODLY EXAMPLE in LEADERSHIP”?

     

    A Godly example for others is NOT AN OPTION in ministry, however many times we show anything other than a Godly impact on lives that are watching our every move.

    Sometimes it is so easy to laugh at another’s sick joke, or criticize a man or woman of God because they do things differently than we do or we might complain often of our ailments or problems with our children and family. Are we the example that will enhance their lives or are we like the blind leading the blind?

    What we may be showing others is “Don’t follow me, I’m lost too.”

    What about ego? Are we always bragging, building ourselves up as we crave for attention?

    Serve from Godly motives, not to feel good about yourself….or to be praised, accepted, or in control.

    “May each of us look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

    Philippians 2:4 ESV

    Are we always considerate of others?

    Do we strive to be on time….?

    Do we answer phone calls and text promptly?

    Do we answer messages with a pleasant message other than a yes or no?

    The power of our example of the way we live either has a negative or positive influence on others.

    “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

    Romans 12:10 ESV

    What about sharing our interest in movies, TV or other media outlets? Do we show interest in TV shows that are knowingly secular, violent, witchcraft, promoting sexual perversion and other worldly interests or is it our ultimate goal to help others become imitators of Christ so not to open our eyes, mind and spirit to these evil pursuit’s ?

    “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

    Galatians 6:9 ESV

    Do we show and live by example, that our spouse is our best friend (after Jesus Christ) .and that he or she comes before anyone in our congregation or otherwise?

    “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

    Colossians 3:23-24 ESV

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    “Living like the Gate is Open” 5 Keys to unlock your unlimited potential-Part I

    Exceptional leaders want to reach their ultimate potential in life and in relationships. It is not about the desire to do this but the knowledge of “How to” that can get in the way. During the next two months in the All Pro Pastors newsletter, I want to provide 5 keys that will help you as a Pastor unlock your and your congregation’s unlimited potential and enable you to “Live like someone left the gate open.”

    Before I give you the keys, let me provide for you the picture of the “open gate” statement from earlier. My dog Missy has been with our family since December 2006. As our first dog for the family, we learned a lot of lessons on feeding, providing, and most importantly, protecting. We realized that a gate/fence was a very important piece of that last equation. When I let Missy out to do her business, I would sometimes forget to check to make sure the gate was closed. As you can guess, there were many, many times of running through the neighborhood to capture a run-a-way dog. I have learned also early to train her to come with treats. Food can be a great motivator in life. So what does the statement “Live like someone left the gate open” mean for us today? When Missy would “escape” she made the most of the situation and fully engaged in all that she could do, especially the areas with a lot of mud. What would happen if we fully engaged in life the same way- with an excitement and joy for the moments (just minus the mud). I believe we would be able to tap into the areas of our greatest potential. For this month, let’s consider some 2 of the 5 keys that help unlock our gate!

    Key One: Learn to Adapt

    The first key to unlock your gate of unlimited potential is the ability to adapt to the environment God has placed you in. This not only involves your sight (eyes) but your vision (heart). Sight sees what is in front of you and vision sees what is beyond you. It is all revolves around our attitude. I like the poem, “Two men looked through prison bars. One saw mud, the other saw stars. It is about perspective.” The question is, “Do you have your sights set on the stars or a muddy mentality?” The Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:11, “… for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (KJV) There are a few items to consider in how to adapt to your current situation. In your new environment, remember that there are now new opportunities to explore and new rules to understand. With each move, my dog Missy would take advantage of the new backyard while learning what she could and could not do. With each move, the backyard would grow and she was able to stretch her legs. Let me explain the “new rules” portion of this key.

    Since my wife and I have moved 19 times over the last 29 years of marriage and military, there are some valuable rules we have learned and lived. One of the most important is what to hold on to and what to let go of. We know that if it has been in a box for four years and we have never opened it, we probably do not need it. I will look in to make sure it isn’t anything I really need but we let it go. This is not only important with possessions, it is also true with people (not that you had them in a box). I have shared this statement with many of my Soldiers and young people, “Show me your friends and I will show you your future.” In adapting to a new environment, relationships with others may and will change. It is like taking a train with friends. At different stops, other friends will come on the train while others will get off. You want these older friends to stay but they have come to the end of that particular journey with you. You have a choice. Do you get off the train and stay where they are or do you stay on your train and keep moving forward toward the destination God is calling your heart to? It is hard to let go but there are times when those new friends around us are there to help us get to one of the many stops that lead to our ultimate destination. As you consider the first key of Adapting, consider this phrase given to me by my father when I was sixteen, “If you always do what you have always done, you will always be what you always have been.” This means that you need to learn from your past to help you grow in the potential of the present which leads us to the second key.

    Key Two: Learn your Capabilities and Limitations

    The second key to unlock the gate of your potential is found in discovering your capabilities and your limitations. The other day, I read a question that made me stop and think. “What is the enemy of great?” Is it challenges? It is overwhelming obstacles? No. It is simply settling for “good”. Good is the enemy of great. How many of you got up this morning and said, “I can’t wait to be average today!” If you are reading these words, chances are you are not one of the millions that believe and demonstrate this mentality. When you use this second key, you unlock a desire to move from ordinary to extraordinary. It is a step from the mundane to the majestic. It is becoming a king when others simply see a shepherd boy (1 Samuel 16).

    It is more then just knowing what you can’t or should not do. It is about captivating on the energy building strength of what you are the best at doing. Let me explain the greatness in knowing your limitations. My biggest struggle in life is that I think I can do more than I physically can do. In a matter of speaking (or writing as the case may be), my mind writes a check that my body does not want to pay. It will pay it but is usually costs me more in the end. How can a fence be a good picture to visually help in this area of growth? Many years ago, there was a study done regarding fences around playgrounds, The children in the recreational areas that did not have fences generally stayed close to the swings, slides and the merry-go-rounds (yep that dates the study). The playgrounds that had fences, however, had kids all the way to the fence, some even climbing on it. What do you think they learned? What they learned was that children were hesitant to go out to the farthermost boundary of the playground because they did not have a structured feeling of security. The areas with the fences facilitated kids moving out and pushing the limits. Where do you think greatest grows? Does greatness grow in the safe gray area of hesitancy or in the trail blazing spirit of standing on the edge? Fences protect your capabilities to allow you to do as much as you can within the limits of your talent and strength. You can either do 10 things well or you can go 5 things with excellence. It is your choice. As that second key in turning in the lock, it teaches us to face our fears and failures head-on. As I have told many of my Soldiers and Law Enforcement Officers, “When you fall on the ground, pick something up when you get back up. That way it is not a wasted trip.” Let me ask you this question. When is failure final? Failure is final when you decide to stop trying. Small steps forward are always better than sitting still and sulking or coasting backwards and complaining. Yet, I do understand a time when it seems like it is impossible to stand back up because the floor feels better than the beating. What is that point called? It is our natural saturation point. Do you remember the time you spent in chemistry class testing a liquid to find out its saturation point? Although I never had the patience, it was the difference of a small dropper of a certain chemical and the liquid in the beaker. Drop by drop went the chemical into the beaker of clear liquid until, “PRESTO“, it changed from clear to blue. How does this relate to us? We all have a saturation point. It depends on the situation, the stresses, or the trial but like the chemical, drop by drop it falls into the pool of our heart and eventually impacts and overwhelms. So what do we do? In the Chemistry class, we would record the number of drops it took for the particular chemical to saturate the liquid. In our life, we can begin to feel the saturation point coming by our bodies, our minds, and our hearts becoming “burdened and heavy laden” (Matt. 11:28). If we know this, we now have the opportunity to do something about it. What do you think it is? If a liquid is saturated by a chemical, you can reverse the process by adding more of the liquid to overwhelm the foreign substance. In our life, we can add the “liquid of life” (John 4:14) into our heart to help us fight the saturated situations. What are at least three things that can pour into our heart that help us heal from the “blue turning” times? Three simple, yet profound items that can help us turn back to our original state before the crisis is family, friends, and faith. They help to re-establish a homeostasis type of healing that helps us move forward and begin a new normal. Issues in life will change our attitudes, our perspectives, and posture for a time but the length of that time is up to you.

    The last area of knowing your limitations and capabilities is to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. Once we get settled in the easy chair of life, the longer we stay in the prone posture of self-preservation, the harder it is to get up and get going again. If I am unwilling to be stretched in my life, I will never be able to grow into the leader I am skilled to be. Think of it this way, “Comfort leads to complacency which leads to apathy which leads to atrophy.” Comfort may be great on a cruise (just not in a hurricane) but it has no place on a battleship. If you have ever toured a battleship, you will realize that the sleeping quarters, dining facility, and work stations are not designed for relaxation but for mission readiness. Everyone has a job and everyone needs to do their job. What is your primary job here on the battleship of life? When I am comfortable with being uncomfortable, I begin to learn the areas of my responsibility the best way possible. I seek to know more. I ask more questions. I take the necessary steps to do more so I can become more. Sadly, most people try to act as if they need no help or already know all the details of their jobs. They do not last long in their positions because they would rather preserve their false persona of perfection rather than the reality of their learning.

    Next month, we will continue to unpack the last three keys to unlock your unlimited potential. Until then, remember that your limitation is your imagination. With you as a child of the King, make your plans BIG.

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