SERVING STRONG

#TheNines Unpack: Meet In The Middle

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines" (Theme: Game Changers). I've started combing through the Program Book*. Let's unpack one of the game changing Nuggets presented that day:

Nugget: MEET IN THE MIDDLE

Presenter: MARK DRISCOLL

SYNOPSIS:

"After a season of frustration in the early years of ministry, my wife and I talked. We realized it was time to coordinate get our home life and ministry life. I then met with my staff and put my personal schedule around my family schedule. Meeting with my wife to put together a plan for our life was super encouraging. It allows us to live together as one, like God intended." 

GOING DEEPER:  

Commit with your spouse to share your calendars with each other on your computers, if you both work with one. Email each other any invitations to events you receive.  Meet weekly with your spouse to go over these events and opportunities.

Determine who among the two of you is more naturally organized and who is not. Honor each other's perspective.  This will help you both understand the relational dynamics that could be putting pressure on the situation.

Ask yourself: Does my family schedule or does my ministry schedule come first?

Gather the fam for a communication meeting every couple weeks just to check in with each other. Share your calendars.

RESOURCES:

Who Takes Care of the Pastor When They Are Hurting? (blog post by Kevin Martineau)

God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation  (book by Andreas J. Kostenberger and David W. Jones)

Preventing Ministry Failure: A ShepherdCare Guide for Pastors, Ministers and Other Caregivers  (book by Michael Todd Wilson and Brad Hoffman)

NEXT STEPS:

"9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES" * Link to Program Book included

Serving Strong "The Nines" blog category

 

NOTICES:

This blog series is not affiliated directly with Leadership Network.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my readers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

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#TheNines Unpack: Get A Rhythm

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines" (Theme: Game Changers). I've started combing through the Program Book*. Let's unpack one of the game changing Nuggets presented that day:

Nugget: GET A RHYTHM

Presenter: BRUCE MILLER

SYNOPSIS:

"Rhythm is so much more dynamic than balance. Balance is just a photograph. Rhythm is a video - and life is moving. You don't pause life to balance it. Two types of rhythm. First is kairos (seasons). Seize opportunities that are unique to kairos times. Remember seasons come to pass. Second is chronos (cycles). Pace yourself with chronos times - oscillate between work and rest." 

GOING DEEPER:  

Read Ecclesiastes 3 slowly and deliberately. Reflect for a while what God is telling you as you read.

Take a moment to evaluate your lifestyle. Is it ordered according to rhythm? If not, how can it be? What needs to change? What needs to start? What needs to stop?

Take a moment to evaluate your schedule - your use of time. How would that change as you used rhythm as a guiding value? How would your church schedule change?

RESOURCES:

Your Life In Rhythm  (book by Bruce Miller)

How To Get Your Life In Rhythm  (article by Whitney Hopler)

Spiritual Rhythm: Being with Jesus Every Season of Your Soul  (book by Mark Buchanan)

NEXT STEPS:

"9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES" * Link to Program Book included

Serving Strong "The Nines" blog category

 

NOTICES:

This blog series is not affiliated directly with Leadership Network.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my readers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

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#TheNines Unpack: Let's Get Together

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines" (Theme: Game Changers). I've started combing through the Program Book*. Let's unpack one of the game changing Nuggets presented that day:

Nugget: LET'S GET TOGETHER

 Presenter: Matt Fry

SYNOPSIS:

"It's tempting to do life alone. The reality is we do need each other. We shouldn't do ministry alone. As we partner together, God will do far more than we imagine. It requires us getting out of our comfort zone, but the result will be Kingdom impact. We are where we are today because of leaders who have come along side. We are strongest when we are connected."

 GOING DEEPER:  

What can keep you from doing ministry in the context of relationship?

Can you name one person you trust who you could call day or night?

When did your disconnection to others hurt your ministry in the past?

If you currently find yourself disconnected, list three things you are going to do over the next 90 days to become more connected.

RESOURCES:

Doing Ministry Alone Is No Fun!  (blog post by Matt Fry)

How To Win Friends and Influence People  (a classic by Dale Carnegie)

Building Healthy Relationships (blog post by Tejvan Pettinger)

NEXT STEPS:

"9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES" * Link to Program Book included

Serving Strong "The Nines" blog category

 

NOTICES:

This blog series is not affiliated directly with Leadership Network.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my readers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

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#TheNines Unpack: The Climb

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines" (Theme: Game Changers). I've started combing through the Program Book*. Let's unpack one of the game changing Nuggets presented that day:

Nugget: The Climb

Presenter: Jud Wilhite

Synopsis:

"On the Appalachian Trail we reached our summit. After a few moments, we left. We realized we spent the vast majority of our time on the climb. So, when there's a hard snap, we remind ourselves 'the summit is a state of mind.' Love the challenge, love the difficulty. Don't get so caught up in the goal you lose the joy of the moment. Fall in love with the tensions of now, with the climb God has providentially placed you in tension. We usually think if we could get out of tension, then we'd have joy. But fall in love with the work God has called you to do, not the results."

Going Deeper:  

Are you so goal driven that you frequently miss the joy in the tension? Do you even know what it's like to have joy in the tension?

When have you been so focused on the goal that you lost precious moments (or time, resources, relationships) in the journey?

Goals aren't the problem here. God is a God of growth and development. Stagnation is not an option. But when goals become the sole focus, they start to look dangerously close to idols. Remember what Jud says: "The summit is a state of mind."

Resources:

Are We Too Driven?  (blog post)

Driven: How Human Nature Shapes Our Choices  (book - Warren Bennis Series)

Is It Possible To Be Too Driven In Your Career?  (blog post)

Joy In The Journey (CD - Michael Card)

Next Steps:

"9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES" * Link to Program Book included

Serving Strong "The Nines" blog category

Notices:

This blog series is not affiliated directly with Leadership Network.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my readers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

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#TheNines Unpack: Redefining Success

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines" (Theme: Game Changers). I've started combing through the Program Book*. Let's unpack one of the game changing Nuggets presented that day:

Nugget: Redefining Success

Presenter: Eugene Cho

Synopsis:

"When we're immature, when our rootedness is not in the Gospel of Christ, it leads us into dangerous lonely places (envy, jealousy). As Christians we want to jump to the glories and splendors of Resurrection Sunday, but ministry is not always about these glorious metrics of success. What you want to be faithful and obedient to is this: Be the most influential and loving pastor and leader to your church. That is the most important thing."

Going Deeper:  

What makes you feel significant?

How do you know when you are successful?

If you were looking into Jesus' face right now, and telling Him your answers to the first 2 questions, would He agree with you?

Success is woefully misrepresented (especially in a hard-driving, individualistic culture such as America). You and I are dangerously close to becoming a "success" in the world's eyes. But, oh, what a rude awakening it would be to meet the Creator face to face and find out you were wrong.

How 'bout it? Wanna re-read those questions above again? ...

Resources:

Success Is...  (blog post)

Good to Great in God's Eyes  (book by Chip Ingram)

Formula For Success (Fi/T (G) = M)  (blog post)

Next Steps:

"9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES" * Link to Program Book included

Serving Strong "The Nines" blog category

Notices:

This blog series is not affiliated directly with Leadership Network.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my readers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

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#TheNines Unpack: Good Things

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines" (Theme: Game Changers). I've started combing through the Program Book*. Let's unpack one of the game changing Nuggets presented that day:

Nugget: Good Things

Presenter: Pete Wilson

Synopsis:

"Along the way we become seduced by Power, Praise, Performance, Perfectionism. They become little gods around which our ministry orbits. Our greatest temptation probably is not to chase after the ridiculously evil - but to chase after the deceptively GOOD (letting little things become ultimate things). Make sure you have things in right order in life and in ministry."

Going Deeper:  

Pete shares these questions (take a serious look at your life as you ask them of yourself):

Where does my sense of security come from - God or how the church is doing?

After a worship service do I find myself grateful that God is God and feeling joyful that I get to live in His care, or are my emotions dictated by how many bodies were in the room?

Do I spend more time thinking about God or about how to make my ministry/church do better?

How much do I sacrifice to know God better versus how much do I sacrifice for my church to work better?

Resources:

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality(book by Peter Scazzero)

The Spirit-Filled Life(book by John MacNeil)

Is It Well With Your Soul?(blog post by Dan Beerens)

Sacrifice What You Struggle With (blog post by Sharon)

Next Steps:

"9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES" * Link to Program Book included

Serving Strong "The Nines" blog category

Notices:

This blog series is not affiliated directly with Leadership Network.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my readers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

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#TheNines Unpack: Who Is Getting The Glory?

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines" (Theme: Game Changers). I've started combing through the Program Book*. Let's unpack one of the game changing Nuggets presented that day:

Nugget: Who Is Getting The Glory?

Presenter: Brian Bloye

Synopsis:

"Most important to God is a) His glory; b) intimacy with you and me; and c) lost people. One's life purpose could be: 'To pursue Christ with such intimacy that the glory of God is reveals through every area of my life'. God does not exist to make much of us. We exist to make much of Him. To do that we must stay close to Him, stay small, stay out of the way."

Going Deeper:  

Humility. It's not a popular concept. To play second (or third or fourth) chair takes patience, inner strength, and resolve. This is impossible without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. After all, the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience...

So how about looking yourself in the mirror each morning and say these words: "It's not about you today." Try driving through a cemetery on your way home from work each day. Remind yourself of the meta-theme under which you serve. Or seek out 3 occasions to ask for help each day. These are all ways to remember, it's not about making much of us.

Resources:

Humility  (by C. Peter Wagner)

Humility: A Key To Christian Leadership  (blog post by Robby Pruitt)

Ability vs. Humility  (blog post by Christina)

Next Steps:

"9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES"

Serving Strong "The Nines" blog category

Notices:

This blog series is not affiliated directly with Leadership Network.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my readers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

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#TheNines Unpack: JUST SAY NO

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines" (Theme: Game Changers). I've started combing through the Program Book*. Let's unpack one of the game changing Nuggets presented that day:

Nugget: Just Say No

Presenter: Eric Bramlett

Synopsis:

"It's important to take risks in church services. Risk is closely related to faith. But watch out. When you take a risk, you may end up liking the results. Then you're in danger of holding on to the new thing. Over time you may stop taking risks altogether because you know what works. You may start sanctifying safe choices."

Going Deeper:

We live by faith. That's what Romans 1.17 says. So why not step out and do what God is laying on your heart to do in your church services? Or...

...what about your life? What has God been calling you to do lately? Have you slipped into the habit of "sanctifying safe choices" from risks you've taken in the past?

God wants to take us deeper than we can ever imagine. Living by faith allows us to look back and see moments when only God could have acted. And isn't that the BEST way to live, anyway? George Meuller knew what it was like to live in total dependence on God. A study of his life is a great way to break into the adventure of a lifetime of living by faith.

Just say no to a life of sanctified safe living.

Resources:

Golden Rules of Fearless Living (by @TheBonnieGray on Twitter)

Answers to Prayer (by George Meuller)

Autobiography of George Meuller

Next Steps:

"9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES"

Serving Strong "The Nines" blog category

Notices:

This blog series is not affiliated directly with Leadership Network.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my readers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

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#TheNines Unpack: LIFE IS SHORT

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines" (Theme: Game Changers). I've started combing through the Program Book*. Let's unpack one of the game changing Nuggets presented that day:

Nugget: Life Is Short

Presenter: Matt Carter

Synopsis:

"Never trust a man of God who doesn't walk with a limp." Being diagnosed with cancer can crush a person; frighten them; shake their faith. On the other hand, it can cause a person to view life from an eternal perspective, providing a "holy urgency". We tend to live our lives in vain. But there is a connection between understanding how short our life is and the urgency with which we life that life.

Going Deeper:

If you only had 100 days left to live, how would that change...

...the way you talk to others?

...how you spend time with your spouse, kids, grand kids?

...how you treat that irritating person at work?

...where you spend your money?

...the passion in your preaching, teaching, counseling, administration?

Resources:

From Clutter to Clarity: Simplifying Life from the Inside Out

The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God's Best Version of You

Death Clock: When Am I Going To Die?

Next Steps:

Start weaving game changing truths into the fabric of your life and ministry: "9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES"

Check out the Serving Strong "The Nines" blog category

Notices:

This blog series is not affiliated with Leadership Network...yet :)

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my readers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

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More Nuggets from #THENINES

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines". I've started combing through the Program Book* provided by Leadership Network.

I started with nine game changing truths in a previous post - check it out. Here are nine more nuggets:

• My journey with Christ must be reflected in the bedroom, the living room, the kitchen and in God's house. (Shannon O'Dell)
• When my metrics are used to measure rather than God's metrics, it does not matter how I measure up. (Shawn Wood)
• It's better to say little, or nothing, than to fill the air with meaningless words we can't put action to. (Tammy Kelley)
• When I get trapped into the mentality that I need to be a minister on a campus, that I serve just a specific people, then I lose the impact of what Christ was preaching at the last supper. (Phillip Nation)
• Work super hard, then rest really well. (Bruce Miller)
• God will use our lack of things to lead us to the right people and right things. (Andrew Jones)
• As simple as that sounds, I encourage leaders to weekly set aside time with your spouse and coordinate your schedules. (Mark Driscoll)
• God wants to use us in our weaknesses. Weakness is something in your life that you are begging God to take away. (Darrin Patrick)
• God will never hold you accountable for something He called someone else to do. (Steven Furtick)

As I stated before, this doesn't even come close to being the tip of the iceberg. There is so much information in the Program Book. If you want to know how to turn the information into life-changing behavior, check my post on growing from TheNines.

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* If you want to order your own copy of the Program Book, see my earlier post "9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES" (see step #1)

*NOTE: These posts on #thenines are not affiliated with Leadership Network or The Nines Conference. Any difficulty in purchasing/downloading resources must be handled by contacting Leadership Network directly.

Nuggets from #THENINES

September 9, 2010, Leadership Network* put on the 2010 edition of "The Nines". I've started combing through the Program Book** provided by Leadership Network. Here is a collection of just NINE of the great game changing truths that jumped out at me so far:

• Stay small - keep Him big. (Dino Rizzo)
• As leaders, one of the biggest things we do is help navigate gray. We navigate confusion, complexity - things we don’t see the other side of. (Jenni Catron)
• As long as there is time on the clock, God can still change the game. (Jaime Loya)
• You can't delegate prayer. (Naeem Fazal)
• Crises are life changing experiences if you find God in them. (Stacy Spencer)
• There is no plan B, without Jesus we are dead. (Patrick Kelley)
• There's hope, health and healing that can come when you do the scariest thing - tell somebody else you're struggling. (Toby Slough)
• What we see depends on what we're looking for. (Scott Williams)
• Quit trying to be someone else, copying everything some other pastor does and trying to grab a hold of every new trend.  (Jonathan Falwell)

This doesn't even come close to being the tip of the iceberg. There is so much information in the Program Book. If you want to know how to turn the information into life-changing behavior, check my previous post on TheNines.

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* My hats off to Todd Rhoades for all his hard work on The Nines concept. You can connect with him on Twitter.

** If you want to order your own copy of the Program Book, see my earlier post "9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES" (see step #1)

*NOTE: This 9-step program for personal growth is not affiliated with Leadership Network or The Nines Conference. Any difficulty in purchasing/downloading the resource must be handled by contacting Leadership Network directly.

 

9 Steps To Growing From #THENINES

 

Wow, what a tremendous flow of information that streamed yesterday! If you participated at all from The Nines conference brought on by Leadership Network, you witnessed video after video come at you with multiple game changing truths. What are you going to do now? How are you going to take that huge pile of valuable information and weave it into the fabric of your life and ministry? If you're not careful, all this good stuff will end up burning you out.

Here are NINE steps to help you get the most from #THENINES: 

1) If you haven't already ordered it, Go to The Nines Resources page (which was offered during the conference yesterday) and order your copy. I ordered my $29 copy and received a confirmation email with a link to download the 141-page, 15+MB pdf file which I then saved to my hard drive.

2) Pray that the Holy Spirit guides you as you look over this tremendous wealth of knowledge. There is a lot of good to sift through. But good is the enemy of great. Only God can lead you.

3) When you get your copy the first thing you want to do is scan the resource. Starting at page 21 with Dino Rizzo, flip through and dog ear the topic titles that seem to jump out at you.

4) Next, go into the notes of each topic you dog eared and look for ONE Nugget of truth in each topic that really speaks to where you are right now. Jot those Nuggets down on a piece of paper.

5) By now, you may have several Nuggets of truth on your paper. It's time to start filtering. Less is more. You grow the best when you can give your undivided attention to a few things instead of flying shallow over many. Hone in on the 5 most significant Nuggets of truth.

6) Now, rank those 5 Nuggets in order of priority. If you could only integrate one, single Nugget into your life, which one would it be? Then, which would be next? And so on...

7) Unpack Nugget #1. Brainstorm all of the possible actions, attitudes or behavior changes required to make this nugget a deep, abiding thread in the fabric of your life.

8) Commit to these actions, attitudes and behavior changes over the next 7 days. Enjoy the journey. Journal what you learn about yourself, if you're inclined to journal. Say focused and clear on this one Nugget for the entire 7 days. You may get bored with the topic. Don't give in to boredom. Stick with it. Once you get through the dip of boredom, you may just reach an "aha!" moment. You don't want to miss that, do you?

9) Finally, repeat steps 6 and 7 for the remaining Nuggets. That's it. 5 Nuggets. 7 weeks each for a total of 5 weeks.

The cool thing about this 9-step growth planning method is that it can be used not only for THENINES booklet, but can be adapted for any book you set out to read.  May God continue to lead you as you grow in Him.

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*NOTE: This 9-step program for personal growth is not affiliated with Leadership Network or The Nines Conference. Any difficulty in purchasing/downloading the resource must be handled by contacting Leadership Network directly.