Perspective

I just flew into Chicago and as we were coming in we did bank turn right over the heart of downtown. As I looked out the window, I thought "Wow, that Sears tower (or whatever it's called now) doesn't look so tall."

Well, it is tall. Really tall. Imagine how differently that building would look from the ground vs. my seat on the plane. Imagine how differently the challenge you're facing today would look if you decided to change your perspective.


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Failing under pressure

I read in Proverbs "if you fail under pressure, your strenght is too small". I fail so often when it comes to my kids. I just can't seem to muster the patience required. Please preay for me. I need my strength to increase so I don't fail those little guys under pressure. Lord knows they create some serious pressure :)

learning some things

Just finishing up my first ever vacation week as the lead pastor. I sure learned a lot. I learned that it's much easier to leave your head "at the office" when you're working to serve another man's vision. It's a whole new ballgame when it's your own vision - the thing you believe God has called you to do with all your heart - on the line. I also learned that when the church office is in your house, you better get out of said house if you want a real vacation. I learned that immediately after a team milestone is no time for the team's leader to drop off the radar.

I learned a few other specifics too, but none of them are as important as the overall principle God taught me. I'm the leader round here. Yeah, that's a "duh" statement. But it's something God needed me to teach me first-hand.

Now, I'm not saying that my team dropped the ball and the wheels fell off this week. Far from it. I'm just saying that I can feel that we could have built more on Easter's momentum had I been on task this week and that in this very young stage of our church, my team needs me at these crucial times.

I'm going to be out again this coming weekend preaching at Freedom Valley in Gettysburg and I'm glad for the opportunity to serve Pastor Gerry and that wonderful church he leads, but my heart will still be in Tulsa with our growing little group we call Freedom Valley Church in Tulsa, OK.

new levels

Since I've entered into this journey of becoming a leader, I've been growing all along; at least over the long haul, even if I've stagnated during some seasons. With that said, this week has been challenging to me as a leader like no other time I've ever spent. I've been to plenty of conferences, but I've never been so deeply challenged like I was this week. Matt Keller and the Next Level Church staff are the real deal, all the way through. Not only did I learn a ton and get challenged like crazy, but I met some people I think could be very key to the long-term vision God has built into me to help start healthy churches. I'm tired, overwhelmed (in a good way) and grateful all at the same time.

Special prayer focus . . .

I just sent a special email out to all our prayer and financial partners. I would love to have you join us and them in prayer. You can view the email I sent here.

how important is a leader?

I've been a leader for a while now in various roles with varying degrees of responsibility. One concept that has always intrigued me about leadership is the intangible value that leadership and leaders bring.

I think that good leaders are probably the single biggest commodity that any organization could ever have. Our fledgling little church has a ton of great leaders! I sat in a room with about 10 of the most courageous leaders I know last night and told them I would rather have them with me than $100K in the bank. I meant every word of it. Bottom line, I believe that good leaders, who can bring good leadership, are worth their weight in gold, at least.

But being a good leader means a lot more than accomplishing tasks. Sure, productivity is part of it, but real leaders are people who can influence others toward greatness. To do that, one needs to exude greatness, relatively speaking. My theory gets tested when it comes to me. I'm a leader in our church. I'm the senior leader. It would stand to reason that I should be someone who brings good leadership to our team and our church. I once heard a mentor of mine say that possibly 50% of a leader's time ought to be spent on self-leadership. Wow, that's a big concept, especially when I consider that another mentor once taught me that there is a fine line between rest and laziness, between caring for one's own personal growth and just being selfish.

I don't know if 50% is a magic number or if there is such a thing as a magic number. But I do know that as I take a day today to read, reflect and grow I am becoming a better leader. Sure, I could have accomplished a few tasks this afternoon, but the next time I'm with my team I'll be fresher and more full of Jesus and Godly vision than before.

How important is a leader? Very. Make sure you're doing what you need to do for yourself so that the people you lead get the best you they can get.

I need to trust who I am

I'm having a tough time being myself since I moved to Tulsa. Not around my family or the people who moved with me, but around the people I meet here. I'm so focused, fixated might be the word, on not coming off "churchy" or "religious" that I feel like I'm masking my love for Jesus and how excited I am to be a follower of His.

I feel like one of my strengths as a leader is my ability to be real and transparent. I am having trouble with that and I need God's help to just settle down and be myself. It's wearing me out all the time wondering how I'll come off to someone I meet. I am who I am. I guess that's a little bit churchy, but mostly just a real guy.

I must admit, I didn't see this one coming. I'm feeling pretty confused and worn out right now. Thank God for Sabbath days. I have one starting in just a couple hours!