johnlaeger.com

Rough Few Days

It's been a rough few days - not due to anyone except myself and trying to force some things prematurely.  I'll post on it later - probably several posts.  Here's a few quotes that are teaching me some lessons.

"When the best leader's work is done, the people say, 'We did it ourselves.'"  -  Lao-Tzu

"Never tell people how to do things.  Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."  -  Gen. George S. Patton

"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it."  -  Theodore Roosevelt

Critical Success Factors

Zero tolerance.  They HAVE to happen.  There are other things which are important, but for Meadow to be successful, these few HAVE to happen - no exceptions.

We HAVE to...

Create a "Wow" Sunday Experience.  This includes doing our absolute best and pouring our resources and prayer and heart into our First Impressions, using pop/rock music, creating a concert/club environment and aesthetics, teaching content that relates to real life and always comes back to and invites peole into a relationship with Jesus (there is absolutely no fudging on this one!), teaching that content in a style that engages and connects, going overboard in our kids ministry with spiritual content and energy and graphics that rivals the hottest kids' shows, printing material (programs, info, flyers, brochures) that is top notch quality ... AND (I am going out on a limb on this one) it involves creating a Sunday morning venue for our teens where they can worship and be taught about a refreshing relationship with Jesus.

Get People TO the Sunday Experience.  This involves every one of us pursuing relationships with those who do not go to church, praying for them, inviting them to Meadow, inviting them BACK to Meadow, and walking with them to full involvement.  THIS IS THE #1 WAY PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT AND COME TO MEADOW!!!  It also involves great marketing through newspaper, community bulletins, direct mail, and other means.  Yes, this costs money and to a lot of people the cost does not equal the return.  But there are 96,000 people in our county who are not in church and we have to invite them.  And a great message presented in a great Sunday experience deserves the best marketing.  Lastly, it involves every one who considers Meadow their church to make it a priority to be here.  You will not grow spiritually and benefit from the experience if you are not here!

Provide Critical Spiritual Growth Opportunities.  This involves three primary implications.  First ... small groups.  We have to build small groups that reflect what the Bereans did in Acts 17:11.  They examined the Bible.  They dug into it and tore it apart to discover God's truth for their lives.  Second ... this involves "Meadowites" (or would that be "Meadowonians"!)  serving in ministry where God has equipped and gifted you to serve.  And third (again I am going to stir the pot here) ... I believe we need to go back (yes, I said go BACK) to a monthly worship event where we spend focused time in worship, prayer, communion, and connecting fellowship.  Now there are several ramifications of this but as good as our worship is on Sunday mornings - it leaves the follower of Christ lacking and thirsting for more.  Corporate worship is critical to a refreshing relationship with Christ.

Now ... for those who come to Meadow, you need to know that we have already begun taking steps to pump more energy and resources into these critical success factors.  Changes are knocking at the door to make these happen.  There have been and will be some more changes in ministry leadership.  There are some things we are pulling the plug on and there are some things we have already begun to add and plan the plan.  These are very exciting times!

Nailing these critical success factors pumps me up!  We are going to be more focused, more effective - and we are going to see more adults, teens, and kids turn to Christ and then grow up in a refreshing relationship with Him!  Dude...I can hardly sleep!

On my mind today

"Nothing happens unless first a dream."  -  Carl Sandburg

"How far would Moses have gone if he had taken a poll in Egypt?"  -  Harry S. Truman

Lessons from Brett Favre

From Mark Wilson

Farewell to Favre

My 19 year old son, Ryan, said that he has never seen a Packer game without Brett Favre at the helm. It's sure going to be different now, and poor Rogers has some huge shoes to fill.

After pondering over what made Favre such a great champion, here are a few sentimental observations:

1) He Showed up to Play Every Sunday.

Regardless of what was happening in his life (i.e. his father's death and his wife's cancer), he still found a way to get to the game on time.

2) He Played Through the Hurts.

I've watched just about every Packer game since Favre's debut. I've seen him clobbered, hammered, hamstrung, smashed, and boggled. Yet, Brett kept getting back on his feet again. Remember the year when he played half a season with a broken thumb? Somehow, the desire for victory was far greater than the physical pain.

3) He Took Risks and Made Plenty of Mistakes.

Not only does he hold the career touchdown record, he holds the interception record as well. You can't win big by playing it safe. Consider the turtle, who makes no progress until he sticks his neck out. Brett stuck his neck out all the time.

On countless occasions, I've seen him do something crazy, and yelled, "NO!! NO!! DON'T DO THAT!!" But then, it's the crazy passes, completed as touchdowns which will go down in history as the greatest and most memorable.

4) After He Blew It, He Shook it Off.

Nothing could rattle his confidence. On the next set of downs after an interception, he'd throw deep (and crazy) again. Favre didn't allow failure to be final and always believed that setbacks are supposed to be followed by come-backs.

He never blamed others for his mistakes, and always took responsibility for losses on the field.

5) He Inspired the Team.

Brett always had a good word of encouragement for the younger guys around him. I remember when Ryan Longwell, as a rookie kicker, muffed an easy field goal against the Eagles, and lost the game. The crowd booed. Favre went over to his dejected teammate and said, "Hey, don't worry about it. It's not your fault. We lost this thing together."

6) He Kept Smiling.

The thing I appreciated most about Brett Favre was his enthusiasm and love for football. Most of the time, he really enjoyed himself and was glad to be there (There were a few exceptions, such as the ice bowl in Chicago, but normally, he'd grin for at least three quarters, anyhow!) Brett's lighthearted spirit was contagious. Win or lose, it was still a good game.

7) He Didn't Quit Until the Clock Ran Out.

Many players give up when the tide turns against them, but not Brett Favre! He played his heart out every second of every down in the game. Perhaps that's why he led his team to so many last second comeback victories.

Something to Chew On

From Seth Godin's  Is it Worthy?

"The object isn’t to be perfect. The goal isn’t to hold back until you’ve created something beyond reproach. I believe the opposite is true. Our birthright is to fail and to fail often, but to fail in search of something bigger than we can imagine. To do anything else is to waste it all."

My Whiteboard

On one wall of my office is my big whiteboard.  On my whiteboard are lots of lines, arrows, lists, circles, colors.  I use it to dream, brainstorm, write out ideas, sketch out plans.  If something doesn't make sense or I don't like it - I erase and start over or put something else up.  There are two key tools - a dry erase marker and an eraser.  What is on my whiteboard is always changing - always.

Right now?

• My Dream List.  A list of things I am dreaming about and praying for at Meadow.  These are things I would love to see happen.  As I pray about these dreams, it becomes clear which are my ideas and which are directions from God.  My ideas are erased.  God's are kept.  (There is A LOT of erasing that happens on this part of my whiteboard!)
• Critical Success Factors.  These are the few things we HAVE to be successful at in order to make our vision real.  If it all came down to it, everything else can go except these few things.
• Fractals and Quadrants.  We (staff and leadership) are organizing Meadow around fractals which will eventually lead to stronger systems, more efficient ministry, and prevent overloading a few people with a lot of stuff.  It also makes everyone a leader - finding and leading other leaders to lead ministry.

Tied to these three biggies are other lists like ideas for fall marketing, teaching series title ideas and dates, and critical elements of creating a "wow" experience on Sunday mornings.

Questions?  Just ask!  Stop in and ask me, "What's on your whiteboard today?"  I'd love to do some show and tell.  Give yourself plenty of time though.  Talking about what's on my whiteboard gets me totally pumped and there is a lot of energy and thought attached to each thing.

BTW...if you had a whiteboard, what would be on your's?

Looking in the Leadership Mirror

I have been working on shifting my paradigm of thinking from leading people to leading leaders and developing leaders to lead other leaders...from viewing ministry as made up of "leaders" and "followers" to viewing ministry as made up of all "leaders".  Everyone is a leader leading something and/or someone.

A critical trait of healthy leaders choosing others to lead and lead other leaders is security.  An insecure leader will be a bottle-neck to the growth of the organization/church and will produce a system which fears change.  Here's a brief list of comparison between a secure leader and an insecure leader.

When you look in the leadership mirror, which do you see?

The Secure Leader

• Encourages others to attempt
• Points out the strengths of others
• Overlooks flaws of others
• Admits his/her mistakes
• Gives away credit to others (even when he/she is due the credit)
• Truly is happy when others succeed
• Gets pumped up when others do it better than he/she did or could
• Willing to take risks to improve
• Is content to remain anonymous - doesn't need to be noticed or known
• Quickly builds teams

The Insecure Leader

• Sabotages the efforts of others
• Draws attention to the faults of others
• Uses the flaws of others as ammunition
• Gets defensive and justifies his/her mistakes
• Manipulates credit to come back to him/her
• Is jealous of the success of others
• Easily intimidated
• Plays it safe to keep position and/or power
• Requires others to notice
• Wants to do things himself/herself

In my face challenge

Perry Noble is one of my most read bloggers.  I listen to his messages maybe more than I listen to any one else's.  He challenges me personally.  He says things that need to be said - everyone knows they need to be said but aren't saying them because they are too afraid to say it - Perry says it.  God is using him to challenge me to higher levels of leadership, ministry, and living.

Here is a small bit of his post today.  Once again - his words are stirring in my brain, making me uncomfortable, and will affect what I do and how I do it.

"Be who God called you to be…take risks…pray “stupid” prayers…ask people for commitment…believe in those no one else dared to believe in…PREACH JESUS…listen to the Holy Spirit…give everything your best…spend time BEGGING God to change lives…understand that God wants your church to grow more than you do…stop trying to make people happy…take some time for yourself…hire the people God tells you to hire…LEARN DAILY…spend whatever amount of money you need to spend to grow…develop your strengths, delegate your weaknesses…ignore your critics…STOP trying to be someone else…HONOR GOD’S GIFTING AND CALLING ON YOUR LIFE!!!"

Will I - will we - believe and obey?

For the last several weeks, I believe God is prodding me, preparing me ... poking me regarding the next step for Meadow.  Ten years ago, I took the biggest and most riskiest step of faith ever in my life and left a secure income to start Meadow.  What is next for Meadow?

I don't know yet.  I keep asking God to make it clear to me.

However, the question that keeps popping into my brain - and I believe it is a question from God is, "Will you believe and obey Me?"  Regardless of what it is - will I believe God will do it and will I step out and obey?  Think about it, why would God make His direction clear to me and to us if we are not going to believe He will make it real and obey Him in doing it?  Will I obey regardless of the cost?

I have been hanging out in Romans in my quiet times and there have been several times God has stopped me in my tracks to ponder this question and to seek clarification of His direction.  This morning, I came to Romans 7:4.  To get a peek into what's going on in my brain, here's what I wrote in my journal today.

(Just a word of understanding .. if you think a pastor should have clear direction from God and all the answers and never struggle with life and understanding God - then don't read my journal because you will come face to face with my own struggle and life journey of trying to understand God and obey Him - and the many times (more than I want to admit) I fall far short.  But if you want to get a peek into my brain and heart, walk the journey with me, and pray for me, my family, and for Meadow - then I welcome you to my journey.  It is from this journey and my time alone with God that I get my energy and passion and the vision and strategy for Meadow.)

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Romans 7:4 (NIV)  "You also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God."

Whatever God is leading me to do and asking me to believe Him for - it has to be something that bears "fruit to God."  What is "fruit to God"? ... being Christ-like, holy living...

• Serving others like Christ
• Reaching the lost like Christ
• Obeying the Father like Christ
• Worshipping the Father like Christ

Three words... bringing, teaching, serving.  Whatever it is - it has to produce these.

But still I believe the question is ... "Will I believe and obey God regardless of what it is?"  Why would God give me clear direction of what He wants me and Meadow to do, if I am not going to fully and unquestionably obey Him? ... regardless of the cost - regardless of what other Christians will say - regardless of what others at Meadow will say - regardless of the financial cost - regardless of the time involved...

Random Quotes - Pt. 1

One of the greatest annual conferences is going on right now in California.  I am not there, BUT...I am able to grab a TON from guys who are there and are blogging things the speakers are saying.  Lots to wrap my brain around.  Some are stopping me in my tracks to think and re-think.  Some are making me stand and yell "charge!"  Some are serious for me personally and for us as a church.  Here are just a few.

• "People always want success without suffering."
• "If you are going to call the shots you are going to take the shots.  The most blessed ministries WILL be criticized...and not from unbelievers...but from believers!!!"
• "If you have no friends that are unbelievers then you are not Christlike!  If all your other friends are other Calvinists or Charismatics or Baptists or ... then you have a lot of growing up to do.  And you are NOT Christlike."
• "The pastor who is available to people all the time isn't worth much when he is there."
• "God often puts His greatest gifts in the weakest individuals...that way His power shines through.  Other than Jesus, God always used flawed instruments."
• "It takes unselfish people to grow a church."
• "Are you taking a day off every week?  God made the Sabbath for our benefit.  If you are not taking a day off, you are breaking one of the ten commandments."

I'll post more later.  This enough to chew on and create some great dialogue.

Leadership "Sweet Spot"

As soon as I posted my thoughts on the 3 types of leaders, I checked my Bloglines and saw this one from Shane Duffey.

Consider it additional food for thought to 3 Types of Leaders.  Check it out.

Sweet Spot

3 Types of Leaders

Something my Ministry Advantage coach and I have been talking through are the types of leaders and what each type of leader would be good at.  I know this is only one of probably a million leader "qualifiers" - but this really makes sense to me and is like a breath of fresh air in understanding staff and volunteer dynamics, frustrations, empowerment, etc.

This is not a hierarchy of leadership or what makes one leader better than another.  All of these are leaders.  All are needed for a fully functioning and healthy church.

3 types of leaders.  Which do you most align with?  What ministry roles does that mean you would just shine in and what ministry roles does it mean you would be like a square peg in a round hole?

CATALYST - initiator, decisive decision maker, creator, innovator, idea person, creates chaos, births the plan

CONSOLIDATOR - organizes the chaos, creates systems & processes, organizes the ideas, plans the plan, qualifies and quantifies the ideas, brings order

CUSTODIAN - task person, "doer", carries out ideas, works the plan, waits for "to dos" and lists

Think about yourself and those you lead and serve with - at home, at work, at Meadow.  How will understanding this make your marriage, family, work place, and ministry at Meadow - more enjoyable?

Just Numbers

Interesting numbers from the day...

• 97 days until both my kids are off to college
• 20 fractal circles on my office whiteboard composed of 70 quadrants and they seem to be rapidly increasing in number
• At 6:51:30 this morning, visit number 20,000 came to my blog.  If I could trace IP addresses, I would find out who it is and give them some kind of big prize!  All I know is the IP address and it was from a Qwest service subscriber.
• Almost 50 people are already signed up for the Park Makeover on June 7.
• One Prayer series now has 771 churches with over 486,000 people planning on involvement.  This could reach 1,000 churches!
• 8 of the 771 churches are from Minnesota and 2 of the 8 are in Shakopee.
• 26 years, 4 months, and 12 days - the length of my honeymoon with my wife!  One of these days we will have to come down off the mountain top.
• 34 rings to the tree we cut down on Saturday.
• This past Saturday I weathered & survived my 5th prom as a dad.  (Or would that be my kids survived with their dad!)
• 33 more days until some R & R up north!

Core Team Training

Fantastic Core Team training this morning.

The second Saturday of the month is committed to leadership training with what I consider the "core leaders" of Meadow.  Right now, the core includes all staff, small group leaders, and ministry team leaders.  The purpose of core training is to teach, train, and equip leaders to lead in their personal lives and in their roles and ministries at Meadow.  We start off with breakfast and dive into it from there.

Today...self-care to prevent leadership implosion, three types of leaders, developing and designing ministry teams based on quadrants, and a brief introduction into writing systems for teams.  All of this will continue into the next few months.  But it was really eye-opening for everyone as we laid out the whats and hows and the whos to bring better focus to our vision.

The Value of Tough Values

One of the things I have been thinking a lot about lately is how those who are in a high public profile position - let's say the church staff for example - are being watched 24/7.  And we are being watched by those who like us and those who don't.  (Yes, there really are people who don't like me/us.)  Because we are in this kind of position, and like it or not, there are things we simply can't do that others can - or maybe it would be better said that there are things we WON'T do that others would.

If you are in a high public profile position and you choose to ignore this critical leadership principle - it will eventually come to bite you where the sun doesn't shine and when you get bit - you will be bit publicly.  When you get bit - there will be those who cheer and are glad you got bit and there will be those who are upset that you got bit.  Keep in mind too, that when you get bit - it won't affect just you - but it will affect A LOT of people and will cause damage that many times is beyond repair.

This is one of the reasons, the staff at Meadow have to sign and agree to our "Staff Values of Professional Excellence."  Some see this as a list of legalistic rules and there have been some in the past who have turned down the offer to be on staff because of these values.  They are not a list of legalistic rules, they are a list of values that will protect the staff member, their families, their marriages, the church, and most importantly the perception people have of Christ.

The two values that seem to create more tension than any are:

• If you are on staff, you cannot drink alcohol - period.  No wine at dinner.  No beer with the guys.  No champaign at a wedding.  Bottom line is - when you drink, you lose your ability to make good judgment and you do and say stupid things - and it will come back to bite you, your marriage, your family, Meadow Spring, and Christ.  I have sat in too many meetings with couples whose marriages have been destroyed because of alcohol related behavior.  I have listened to too many wives say, "I don't like it even when he has one beer."  I have responded to too many crashes where the smell of alcohol permeates the scene.  All of that - ALL of that - started with one beer or one social drink.
• If you are on staff, you can't be alone with someone from the opposite sex (except your spouse of course - sheesh!).  If you are a woman and you want to meet with me, you will only meet with me if another staff member is in the office and the door to my office where we are meeting will never be closed.  If you want to meet with me alone - it will never happen.

Tough standards and values?  Yes, they are.  And as I have been reviewing them over the past few days, I am thankful for them and I plan on reviewing them with the staff.  I can tell you real stories of friends who have violated these standards and their reputations, their ministries, their marriages, their families have been hurt.  I can also tell you real life stories - even personal stories of my own life - where upholding these standards has protected me and my family and my marriage and the church.

If you are interested, you can read all the values the staff at Meadow Spring are committed to. Staff Values of Professional Excellence

Lots on my mind

Lots of stuff on my mind today.  These two posts are helping me process it all...

• Only God Knows
• Position or Vision?

We are experiencing some extremely healthy growth right now and I want to do whatever it takes to keep it going.  I believe its a vision and leadership deal to do so - under the guidance of God's will and calling for Meadow.

There are issues - both serious and not-so-serious - that need to be addressed and dealt with.  Issues that are at Meadow and issues that do not involve Meadow.  Issues that if I/we don't deal with them will only continue to distract me, distract us, and this momentum we are riding right now will just become another blip on the radar.

Here are two main session teachings from Perry Noble which are also creating this healthy unsettlement in my heart and brain right now.  It will take you some time to watch and listen, but it will put far more value in your life than Idol, Law & Order, Survivor, NCIS, or CSI - all combined.

• Unleash - "Three Questions That Need to Be Asked" and "Five Things I Would Love to Say to Pastors"

I am also wrestling with my June 8 message ... "God, make us eager."  This will be the first message of the "One Prayer" series that as of this morning there are 587 churches from all over the world participating in.  This message is already setting up to be one from the passion of my heart.  Passages like Acts 17:11, Rom. 1:15; Rom. 15:20; and Jude 20-25 are really disturbing me right now - especially about the future of Meadow.

The parenting series ("Parenting in Hi Def") starting this Sunday will be like no other parenting series I have ever taught.  25 years in ministry, 26 1/2 years of marriage, and parenting two kids who are now grown has taught me some things that I am going to be very clear on.

Lots on my mind.

An inside peak into my brain

I know some will disagree, but there really is stuff in my brain.  And the wheels are turning - in fact, they never cease turning.  Here is a great post from Steven Furtick about what leaders and pastors tend to think about.  As I read this, I thought, "Dude, that is so me!"

On the Lookout

Scratchin' Where People Are Itchin'

There is a ton more and to get the context, you have to read Tim Stevens book "Pop Goes the Church".  But check out this paragraph.  If we forget this, we have lost a major reason why we do what we do at Meadow.  As we program and plan out what we do - even as we plan for this summer and fall - this is absolutely, with zero tolerance critical.

"If you don't offer something people need, they won't come.  If people don't come, you can't teach them the truth.  So an effective church is busy identifying people's needs and letting the community know you have some help they should consider.  If you speak their language, there is a better chance they will come to a service.  If they do that, the odds increase significantly that they will hear how much they matter to God, and they just might respond."  (p. 121)

Is it from God?

The major initiative for this summer (which I will be announcing on Sunday, April 27th - and NO - if you won't be here, I'm not going to give you any clues!) - it's coming together in a very, VERY exciting way.  BUT...to be totally honest - this is an endeavor that WILL NOT happen outside the direct hand of God moving in and through us.

This post by Perry Noble could not be more true regarding this initiative.  In the last few weeks as I have been praying about and planning for this summer - EVERY ONE of the points Perry makes has happened or is happening.

"How Do You Know Your Vision is From God?"

Great question…here are a few suggestions…

• If you feel confident that you can accomplish what is in front of you with no problem at all…then you didn’t hear from God.
• If no one is angry at you…then you didn’t hear from God.
• If you don’t have to ask anyone to sacrifice to make the vision come true…then you didn’t hear from God.
• If religious people are not steaming at you, blogging about you and/or leaving your church…then you didn’t hear from God.
• If you have the money in the bank to do what God has asked you church to do…then you didn’t hear from God.
• If every step is perfectly designed and nothing happens to totally throw you off along the way…then you didn’t hear from God.
• If someone doesn’t try to talk you out of what you are about to attempt…then you didn’t hear from God.
• If you don’t stay up at night thinking about the vision…then you didn’t hear from God.
• If your vision is in contradiction to God’s Word…then you didn’t hear from God.  (And no, you didn’t get a “special revelation” that gave you permission to trump His Word!)
• If you know all of the answers…then you didn’t hear from God.

We have a powerful Sunday planned for this Sunday.  It may well be one of the most powerful Sundays you have ever been to at Meadow.  But as you pray for and prepare for Sunday, April 27th and what you will be hearing (and having the opportunity to join and be a part of) - keep these words by Perry fresh on your mind.

Money Thoughts & Challenges, Pt 4

This one is tough - but true.  Tim Stevens doesn't mince any words on tithing.  If you aren't tithing, this one will create some pain - probably well-needed pain.  "No pain - No gain."

You Are A God-Robber

"I'm in college and can't tithe right now" or "I'm on a fixed income and can't tithe" or "I'm a single parent and can't tithe right now." This is typically followed by, "When I'm making more money I'll begin tithing." No, you won't. It's a heart issue, not a money issue. You aren't tithing now because you don't trust God. You don't think God can meet your needs if you begin to honor him with your money. You want to maintain control.

"It is so hard to tithe on my limited income." Anyone who has lived a portion of their life with very little money, and another portion of their life with ample amounts of money--will tell you that it is much harder to tithe when you have lots of money rather than just a little. Money has a way of getting entangled in your values as it increases and materialism is the fastest growing cell in your heart. Start when you have nothing and see what God does in your heart and through your life.

"I'm really tired of this church talking about tithing." In 22 years of ministry, I've never once heard a tithing person complain that we are talking about tithing. Those who tithe have experienced the blessing of God and the freedom that comes with obeying God, and they want others to have that same experience. Whenever someone tells me they are tired of the church talking about money, it's like they have a flashing LED sign on their head that says, "I rob God!" Really, you should just lay low and go stealth. Quit advertising your hard heart.

There's more.  Read it here.