Defining Your Mission Statement

Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men. (Mark 7:8)

Effective leaders see beyond the traditional way of doing things and look for better ways.  They do this, however, realizing that some things are so sacred they are untouchable, and they always keep the ultimate goal in mind.

This is why it is so important to have a well-thought out, closely defined, easily understood mission statement.  Without this, even the most compelling and charismatic leaders get off track and go astray.  A mission statement is essential to quality leadership.  Otherwise, personality, pride, and the demands of the moment will be diverting.

For Jesus, “the command of God,” doing His Father’s will, constituted His mission statement. And the “tradition of men” was never going to sidetrack Him from His goal.  He was not to be diverted.

Again, the point to notice in Mark 7:8 is not that the Pharisees were holding on to the traditions of men.  We all do that to some extent becasue tradition helps to take the best of the past as a guide while we walk into the future.  Jesus might be wrongly seen here as attacking all tradition.  Instead, He criticized the Pharisees for having let go of the commands of God. When you place your own traditions underneath God’s will, they will serve as a positive guide, but, when the order is reversed, you will end up exactly like the Pharisees – abandoning God’s will for your own personal agenda.

Note the specific example Jesus gave in the following passage, verses 9-13.

Keep the Project Alive with Action Steps!

I just read a great article on “Action Steps” at www.the99percent.com website. As pastors, we need to bring this management tool into the DNA of our churches.

Action Steps are the most important components of any project.  It’s the oxygen for keeping projects alive.

No Action Steps = No Action = No Results!

The actual outcome of any idea is dependent on the Actions Steps that are captured and then completed by you or delegated to someone else. Action Steps are to be revered and treated as sacred in any project.

The more clear and concrete an Action Step is, the less friction you will encounter trying to do it. If an Action Step is vague or complicated, you will probably skip over it to others on your list that are more straightforward.

To avoid this, start each Action Step with a verb. For example:

• Call programmer to discuss . . .
• Install new software for . . .
• Research the possibility of . . .
• Mock up a sample of the . . .
• Update XYZ document for . . .

Verbs help pull us into our Action Steps at first glance, efficiently indicating what type of action is required. For similar reasons, Action Steps should be kept short.

The more clear and concrete an Action Step is, the less friction you will encounter trying to do it!

To read the entire article on “Action Steps” visit www.the99percent.com.

Eight Ways to Help Your Church

It may come as a surprise to some, but healthy churches do not exist just because it takes up space on a piece of real estate.  Without the dedication and commitment of the church family, the local church will not be a healthy, influencing community of faith.  As a matter of fact, without a committed and caring church body the church will cease to exist!

I love everything about the local church.  I have literally given my life for her!  I also love pastors, church planters, and church innovators.  I personally do not think there is any higher calling in life than to be a pastor and to serve Christ by serving the local church.  Therefore, I would like to share with you “Eight Ways to Help the Local Church.”

1. Be faithful to attend and participate —

Commit yourself to the church and let them know they can count on you. Obviously you can’t be of much help if you don’t show up or take part. Some people underestimate their value of simply being present. Joining together with others adds to their encouragement, and it encourages the leaders and the pastor who have prayed and prepared all week to minister to you (Heb. 10:24-25). It helps your pastor and the whole church for you to come faithfully and on time. And don’t merely sit there like a bump on a log. Be friendly, put a smile on your face, and enter into the service by singing and worshiping. You can even utter an audible Amen or two when the pastor makes a good point. Go ahead, it’ll make his day!

2. Commit yourself to love the Lord and each other —

The Bible teaches that all the desires of God are condensed into only two cardinal commandments that Jesus gave to His followers. He said, “…You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27).

By clothing ourselves in God’s love, we help the church to reinforce this objective for every believer, and we also help to eliminate the elements of conflict and division which can hinder the unity of the church. “I… beseech you to have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3).

3. Pray for your church, its pastors and leaders —

The Apostle Paul explained that it is the duty of Christians to pray for all who are in authority, especially those in spiritual authority. “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

Your church leaders are on the cutting edge of the battle with Satan, and will face temptations and spiritual conflict unlike anything you could imagine. The devil knows that if he can topple a spiritual leader or get him discouraged enough to quit, it will have a domino effect on the rest of the church. You can be a tremendous help by praying fervently for your church, and especially for the pastor and his family.

Especially helpful, join to together to pray for the pastor and the church.  God promised special strength through the combined prayer of His children. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:19).