upward & inward

In the London Subway system, the Underground, curved platforms often cause a dangerous gap between the platform and the straight train car. Because of this danger, they use this phrase in print and in the verbal announcement: Mind the Gap! Children in our church also face a gap.  This gap is the one that exists between someone else's faith, like a parent, and the development of his or her own faith. Some children cross the gap with no difficulties.  One day they are holding on to their parents' hands, relying on mom or dad's faith.  The next moment, they believe on their own, independent of mom or dad. We see this illustrated in the story of Jesus, the Samaritan woman, and the people of her village. Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in [Jesus] because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did."   So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.  And because of his words many m...

Prayer Journal Entry: May 22, 2012. [Please give us] Unity on Council in tonight's meeting - effective, God-honoring! As the Executive Pastor, my role is all-encompassing.  The Senior Pastor was to lead the church and I was to run the church. He is visionary while I'm operational.  He identifies the target on the map - and I get us there.  When I arrived at the church over four years before (2007), my job description was: "If you see it, it's yours."  Which I discovered to mean later: lead everything but the vision, strategy, and the preaching. Not satisfied with that ambiguity, I adapted a more detailed job description and sent it to the Senior Pastor soon after I arrived.  I don't remember ever discussing it in much detail - only following it as I progressed into the job.  However, the key portion of the job description in a time like this is: [The Executive Pastor] ensures that the church's goals, systems, practices, and policies responsibly, st...

How important is planning to you? I struggle with planning.  Because God has often surrounded me with those who are far more accomplished in this regard, I've relied on them to push, cajole, and sometimes shame me into it.  However, even though I know how important it is, I'd much rather do something else - like watch paint dry - or simply solve problems.  But, even the thorniest of problems can require solid planning to ensure they are solved rightly in a timely fashion. We as a staff are going through an abbreviated process of strategic planning for the year.  We settled on May 28 as the first day, with June 10 as the final discussions regarding what we hope to accomplish as a team and within the ministries for which we are individually responsible. As we approached the first day, I sensed what felt like spiritual opposition to the event.  I wanted to cancel it several times.  Then, even during the event, Sherry and I had a personal event within the family which I found to be...

As we think through the filter of strategies, goals, and tactics required of us as leaders in the church, we are reminded that we already have a mission and vision for this church - and that we can and should use this foundation to form strategies to accomplish what we can to God's glory.  So that we remain aware of the simplicity of what God has called us to do here at Central, here is a summary of our vision and mission. What's the vision? To become a biblically functioning community of believers so that the purposes of Christ can be accomplished in the greater Wichita area and the world.   What are the purposes of Christ for our church? Exalt God in biblically aligned worship Evangelize the lost Encourage God's family Educate the believer for maturity through discipleship Equip the church for ministry and service to others What's our mission?  Changing lives: turning uncommitted people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. What's a fully devoted foll...

Monday, I received the resignation of Brenda Moffitt from the KIDS Ministry at Central Community Church. She feels that God is calling her out of ministry and into her first love – teaching. I have known Brenda a relatively short time, but have grown to deeply appreciate her servant’s heart and passion for the Lord and His KIDS. Working closely with her, I have seen her come to the conclusion again and again that the administrative aspects of her role get in the way of what she really loves doing – teaching kids what they need to know to be all that they’re called to be by the One who carefully crafted each of them. God has used her mightily at Central Community. Her smile, laughter (abundant and unique), and love for the kids have deeply impacted their lives and ours, too. Her leadership of Women’s Ministry, VBS, Junior Camp, Pumpkin Bash, the new Trunk-or-Treat, and KIDS ministry itself has been a blessing to us and will be missed. She assures us that she’s not going anywhere and, af...

I am so excited to announce that Scott Parks will join Central Community Church staff as the Pastor of Student Ministries. Scott grew up in San Diego, California and felt a call to the ministry at the young age of 16. During Scott’s fulltime ministry over the past 8 years he has had the opportunity to pastor thousands of students as well as teaching at numerous camps, school assemblies, conferences, and events. Scott and his wife Candice have been married since September 10, 2005 and have a one-year old son, Joshua Kenneth Parks. After much prayer and many conversations with Scott, Candice, and so many others, we are convinced that God has prepared Scott uniquely for this role. We look forward to what God has in store for Scott and the students as they seek to be conformed into the likeness of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Scott will begin immediately as he prepares for his family’s move from California and to get settled in his new role. Then, in early February, he and his family will make ...

A few comments on the search for a Student Ministries Pastor. I have hired dozens of people in my tenure as a manager and leader. The guiding principles I have found helpful are: Expose the candidate to as many people within the organization as possible. Prepare the interviewers to seek the candidate's experiences in relation to the qualifications for the role. Gather feedback from each interviewer with regard to their observations of strengths/results, yellow flags of caution, or red flags of severe concern. Define upfront the decision maker(s) - preferably only one decision maker. The interview should open opportunities to understand a candidate's experiences as they relate to his/her preparation for the role. What he/she "would" do is secondary to the primary purpose of discovering the level of preparedness. We seek a win-win as we fill the role. We want a candidate to want the role. The candidate wants us to want him/her in the role. The three spheres of criticali...

I was hired (after some 33 interviews) by Hewlett-Packard in 1988 right after finishing school and marrying my bride, Sherry. My "corporate" experience up until then was nothing like the experience I was to enjoy at HP. I learned so many lessons and was shaped in so many ways during my time there. It's nostalgic now to think about it. After Dave Packard died, the HP media talked and wrote much about him - even his flaws. One of the more memorable writings, though, concerned his 11 simple rules. Although you can go here to read them officially at the HP site, I offer them in this posting, too. 1. Think first of the other fellow. This is THE foundation — the first requisite — for getting along with others. And it is the one truly difficult accomplishment you must make. Gaining this, the rest will be "a breeze." 2. Build up the other person's sense of importance. When we make the other person seem less important, we frustrate one of his deepest urges. Allow ...

Thoughts on quality and excellence... At Hewlett-Packard, there was a contest to caption a picture of several yellow baby chicks and one gray chick. The winner? "Paint it yellow and ship it!" This was NOT the HP-Way because also at Hewlett-Packard, co-founder David Packard was known to take ethics (including quality) very seriously. He was rumored to say that if anyone put profit or deadlines ahead of the right thing to do with regard to ethics and quality, he would personally have him fired. Both Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard took quality seriously, to be sure. A long time ago, I received some liberating teaching. Mainly, it is this: Don't seek perfection - seek excellence. The remaining challenge? Balance and definition. What ceases to be a quest for excellence and becomes a campaign of perfection? Indeed, what is excellence as opposed to perfection? One of my favorite choral experiences was in the Male Chorus at Anderson University. The director at the time, Dr. Gene M...

Platinum, palladium, and rhodium are just three of the precious metals that are found in most catalytic converters . For those who don't know what these are, they help reduce the toxicity of chemicals that come from your cars and trucks. Because of the rise in commodity prices of these and other metals, there are thieves that look for isolated vehicles - especially SUVs and trucks with a lot of ground clearance - and with a battery-operated sawzall - remove the device and sell it to scrap metal dealers who won't ask tough questions. Thefts of these devices are nationwide and occur outside residential homes, in shopping mall parking lots, and at churches! Early one morning this past week, a team of thieves stole 3 of our vans' catalytic converters - thus costing the church money we did not plan to spend. Working with the Wichita Police Department, here are some things we all can do to avoid these thefts: If possible, get your vans and trucks inside the garage. If the vehicle...

Yet one more announcement was made this past weekend. Effective August 3, Terry Allred joins our team as the Director of Connections. In this role, Terry will provide well organized processes and environments in which volunteers may become the living sacrifices we are all called to be. Additional responsibilities include great first impressions, Celebrated Recovery, and Christ-focused Athletic ministries. His wife Norma, and daughter Emily have also been an active part of our church family for over 6 years. In addition to bringing decades of organizational and leadership experience from the business world, Terry has served Christ in His church in a variety of ways. Serving at Central and in other church communities, Terry has been a part of church boards, finance committees, while also teaching adults and students, leading small groups and mission trips, and greeting. His wife Norma serves at Via Christi Health Systems in their IT department and daughter Emily is transferring to WSU th...

This week, I had the privilege of spending time away at a lake in Oklahoma with my boys and bride. We had a great time and I'm glad we were able (through the generosity of the dwelling's owner) to have a great place to unwind. Did I unwind? My first concern was that I would be distracted by the responsibilities (and blessings) I have this weekend. However, with exception of some time spent yesterday preparing, that hasn't been a big deal. No, the larger consumption of my conscious thought was from a project that had to be finalized this week thanks to a material discount that we were able to use only by the end of the month. I had hoped it could wait until next week, but emails, project cost calculations, and approvals all had to be accomplished. I'm NOT complaining. However, I am realizing that time away requires planning, too. Identify what requires completion and what can wait. Delegate (with authority) all that is appropriate to do so. Document, document, document -...

Got this blog from Bryson Butts who was quoting an article by Gerald Harris discussing 5 things that can cripple a church. Wow. Here it is. The Lord Jesus loves the church and has given Himself for it, and he obviously wants the church to be healthy and vibrant. The devil hates the church and since its inception has been hurling all the weapons in his diabolical arsenal in an effort to cripple its witness and its effectiveness. Here are five things that weaken the church and minimize its effectiveness. Scandalous Leadership. When immorality bred by lust or greed is found among the leadership of the church the results are devastating. That is precisely why pastors, church staff and lay leaders such as deacons must have lives marked by physical chastity, moral purity and spiritual integrity. I have pastored a church that was marked by a staff member who was guilty of immorality of the worst sort and the results of his sin had a devastating impact, not only upon him, but also upon his fa...

Seems easier said than done sometimes… I was reminded recently that organizations often fail when they spread themselves too thin by focusing outside of their core business or function. This has come up a lot lately – both in conversation and in reading. Why is that? I believe it is because God uses repetition to get my attention. Here are the primary focuses: Jesus . I know. Duh. But, how many marriages have failed because one in the relationship has taken the other for granted? In order that we (the bride) don't take Him (the Bridegroom) for granted, we must keep Him at the forefront of our worship, our celebration of His Leadership, and our intentional spiritual growth. KIDS and Student Ministries . In this world we live in, these precious ones are too often being left behind spiritually. Moreover, their parents are looking to God and the church for answers. We need to remember that Jesus uses us (His church) to love others to Himself. When we let Jesus love through us, we’re ...

I'm continually reminded of the importance of understanding how a large group of tasks are accomplished in unison and in synchronization with each other. This is what a typical project is, isn't it? However, one of the KEY success factors is PRIORITIZATION. And, prioritization can't be done without understanding: WHAT needs to be done, HOW will it be done, and WHEN it needs to be done. According to classic, tried and true, project management techniques, this translates into SCOPE (what needs to be done), COST (how it will be done), and TIME (when it needs to be done). Time and again, we want everything done immediately at minimal cost. This departure from reality places our faith in the most unlikely places, doesn't it? Yet, I recently had another conversation that transcends the natural by assuming we can actually do everything yesterday with just one person. Prioritization comes when we decide among these three project attributes which is flexible, somewhat flexibl...

A buddy of mine sent this list from Dr. John Maxwell's book, "Developing the Leader Within You." It's a good reminder that a) the quality of a leader is often defined by the people who follow them and b) leaders are often classified in more than one of the categories below depending on those who follow him/her. 5. POSITION (Title) "Rights" People follow because they have to. Your influence will not extend beyond the lines for your job description. The longer you stay here, the higher the turnover and lower the morale. People begin to limit you, to put fences around you. You can't stay here more than 2 years. 4. PERMISSION "Relationships" People follow because they want to. People will follow you beyond your stated authority. This level allows work to be fun. Caution: Staying too long on this level without rising will cause highly motivated people to become restless. 3. PRODUCTION "Results" People follow because of what yo...

This morning, our Contemporary Worship Pastor (as well as IT Support lead), Zac Wilkerson tendered his resignation effective March 19. Zac has an opportunity at a church in Amarillo to provide full-time worship leadership. While I have mixed feelings about this, I am glad for God’s leading and for His recognition of Zac ’s heart’s desire to solely focus on worship leading. I have enjoyed working with Zac in these last 4 months. He has a teachable spirit, excellent musicianship, and a growing sense of leadership. God will certainly continue to bless Zac as he seeks to please the Father and bring more and more worshipers to His throne. In the next week or so, I’ll be working with Zac , John, and the Senior Staff to identify next steps as God leads us through this transition. We need prayer for God's wisdom and direction during this time of transition and opportunity. God will receive the glory for the great things He will continue to do here at Central Community Church. ...

I had the privilege Tuesday to review with the Council my observations of the church ministry after 90+ days here at Central. There has been much progress and a lot of hard work by so many folks on the team. I'm blessed by the senior staff, directors, and support staff. They're rising to the ongoing challenge of excellence and are making the changes required to be leaders at Central. While my observations were more detailed, after further reflection, here are some key summary observations: Paid and unpaid (volunteers) staff require proper development and preparation to ensure they have the best opportunity for success in whatever position God calls them. As we seek to change lives for Christ, we must remember that all servants' (paid/unpaid) lives are also changed as we serve. Leadership at all levels in the organization are important - and should be developed through ongoing investment. Seeking excellence is hard work. It takes time and a detailed approach to seeing what i...

I got this from Tim Stevens' blog and wanted to pass it along. Top Ten Leadership Mistakes by Tony Morgan All of them are tough to read and to digest (because I've made all of them at one time or another). But, the last one is especially convicting: Spending Too Much Time on the Details Rather than the Dreams. Why is this convicting? Because I'm paid to manage the details yet I know if someone doesn't dream (have a vision) then the only details left for me to manage will be turning off the lights because I'm the last one left in the building (yikes). The good news is (as I've already noted) that God has given my boss (Pastor John Henry)a huge vision for the future - one that I'm looking forward to implementing...:)

I'm reading Reveal by Hawkins and Parkinson. I've heard about the book from various sources but hadn't read it yet. Upon its release, this book caused plenty of controversy in the church (from a US perspective). Just google "reveal willow" and watch the fur fly: Willow supporters downplaying the findings alongside Willow detractors smugly saying "told you so." I just started the book, but so far here are my observations: They want to excel to God's glory. In so doing, they're willing to do what's required to get the "hard news" and take action. They're big enough (or humble enough, actually) to admit where their approach has not met their expectations. In seeking excellence, they intentionally seek a "pulse" of their progress. It's this last observation that reminds me that we at Central Community need a church-wide survey to assess what we're doing well and what we're not doing so well. This aligns with w...