Learnings from Two Amazing Young Women

I’m amazed by what I learn from my kids. In the past couple of days, both my girls have shared thoughts on their blog which have challenged me:

Megan Stevens (15 yrs old):

I never believed my middle school teachers when they said that there would be people in our grade who died before they were out of highschool. Surely not true right? We still have our whole lives ahead of us….Such a typical mindset: We’re invincible nothing can hurt us!!….Yeah, that’s been proved wrong time and time again. We had our second Freshman death last night. His name was Nathan White, and he sat two rows in front of me in study hall. His family was in Florida for Spring Break and he was driving through an intersection when a semi hit him head-on. This boy will never get married, he’ll never have kids, he’ll never graduate, or be able to fulfill his dreams. And all the people he left behind are mourning his death. But what really bothered me today, was when people were unaffected by all of that. That someone died, and they didn’t care, even if they didn’t know him, it could have been any of us. I expressed my annoyance to one of my friends who was acting like that and his excuse? “when you go through so much pain you eventually stop feeling emotions.” No you refuse to feel them, was my reply. and the final straw “it’s easier to be indifferent than to deal with the pain” Yeah it is. Life sucks. I won’t deny it. But you could at least pretend like you care. When you become indifferent you become like the Nazi’s and all the people who let those Jews die and did nothing to stop it, nothing to help put an end to the ruining of so many lives. I’d rather feel all the pain in the world than be indifferent to the loss of a life. The goal of living is not just to survive…what’s the point of that? the goal of living is to do it to the fullest! To experience miraculous things and enjoy this beautiful world God has put at our disposal and to change lives, help people, love eachother!…Yeah maybe indifference is easier but to live your life indifferent to pain is also living your life indifferent to joy, to love, to sorrow, but also to community. For what good is the sunrise if you don’t first go through the dark. What good is the rainbow if you don’t first press through the storm? Live life to it’s fullest! Love everyone. Give from your heart. Take risks. Sing and dance like no one’s around. Cuz in an instant the world could slip out from under you, and suddenly the chance will be gone.

Heather Stevens (16 yrs old):

I was talking to my friend, Kristina, yesterday during track practice, and I was just struck again by how amazing God is. He tells us in Matthew 6 that we shouldn’t worry about anything; He knows everything before we even do it! Kristina said this, “sometimes I get so caught up in how much I like someone, but that just seems so silly because God has someone even more amazing for me, and He’ll bring him along at the right time if I just wait.” Isn’t that so true though? In those times when I get really excited about something, I have to remind myself, I can’t think of anything better than this, but what if God has something even MORE amazing for me? He has my whole life planned out! I can’t wait to see what He has in store! Even if sometimes it doesn’t seem like it, God has something incredible planned for each and every one of your lives!

When they write, the share heart stuff. It would be a rare moment for them to share these types of thoughts to us in person. But that’s okay with me. I want to know what they are thinking and wrestling with–even if I discover it through a blog or on their Facebook page. It makes our together times even more special.

The Case for a Sabbatical…from the World of Football

A few weeks ago we announced to our congregation that Mark Beeson would be taking a sabbatical–his first after 23 years of ministry. I haven’t heard one negative comment about that decision–the people of Granger seem to be saying, “Well, of course he should!”

A friend of mine (Bill Zimmer) passed along an article to me that talks about the need for football coaches to take a year off because of the high-stress of coaching. Now I suppose we could argue all day about whether coaching a championship team or pastoring a large and growing church is a more stressful job–but let’s just agree that they are likely both toward the top of the list.

In making a case that Urban Meyer should take a one-year break, the author of the article pointed to three very successful Notre Dame coaches to make his case:

During an exclusive FanHouse interview, former Notre Dame athletic director Gene Corrigan had more than a few revelations. For instance: soon after he took over the Fighting Irish in 1981, former Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian confessed to Corrigan that, even though he knew he was suffering from exhaustion during much of his legendary 11 seasons with the Irish through 1974, he didn’t decide to delegate responsibility until it was too late. Not only that, he privately fumed after he told university president Theodore Hesburgh about his idea of becoming more of a CEO, only to have the priest force Parseghian to retire anyway.

According to Corrigan, Parseghian added of his ouster, “I couldn’t see it then, but I was done, and I didn’t know it. I’m telling you now that [Hesburgh] saved my life.”

The following didn’t come from Corrigan, but from the public record: Frank Leahy evolved into a maniac. He was so obsessed with coaching Notre Dame to greatness during the 1940s and early 1950s that he even received the last rites of the Catholic church at halftime of a game. He also was shoved out of Notre Dame, but unlike Parseghian, Leahy took his bitterness to his Oregon grave.

Then there was Lou Holtz, the famously intense coach who was brought to Notre Dame by Corrigan in 1986. According to Corrigan, Holtz would have lasted with the Irish beyond 11 seasons, but only if he would have heeded Corrigan’s advice to take a sabbatical near the end. Instead, Holtz kept going, and he eventually resigned (with a nudge from the Notre Dame hierarchy) within a season. He re-surfaced three years later, but only at inferior South Carolina.

The point is, all those Notre Dame coaches needed a break along the way, but they didn’t take one until it was too late. (Read entire article here).

I don’t think we should wait for our senior leaders to initiate the idea (or worse yet, to implode) before we provide a sabbatical. If you are in leadership at your church–take initiative and make this happen for your pastor!

My Claim to Fame

I was fascinated by some of the 10 Must-See Google Street View Sightings as reported last week. It reminded me of my own claim-to-fame on Google Street. If you Google my address, you’ll find me in my front yard with a weed-eater.

What caption would you put under my “claim-to-fame” picture?

Are We a Multi-Site Church?

Recently I was asked the question: “Is Granger a multi-site church?”

I answered, “No, we are a church with a multi-site…on our way to becoming a multi-site church.”

I think there is a very distinct difference between a church that has more than one site–and a church whose very DNA is embedded with multiplication through additional campuses.

We launched our second campus in Elkhart, Indiana, in October 2008. We had planned to launch three campuses that year–but the economy tanked right as we were making plans. As it was, our Elkhart site opened just months before the county was labeled the hardest-hit area in the country.

It’s been incredibly difficult–and incredibly rewarding. It has great leadership, a tremendous location, and the attendance is exceeding our expectations.

But wow—it is hard!

Every two weeks, I’m meeting with a very smart bunch of leaders from Granger…and we are together trying to figure out how to become a multi-site church.

I think we will truly be a multi-site church when…

• …we begin to think multi-site as naturally as we breath. Right now, some times we remember a bit too late that we have more than one site.
• …we begin to budget as though we have multiple sites.
• …we begin to staff as though we have multiple sites.
• …we determine which values are crucial to carry to every location.
• …we figure out how to transfer leadership DNA to every location.
• …we set up our systems for every area so they are sustainable with multiple locations.

Here’s the thing–we are committed to figuring this out.

Multiplication is in our future…and it will soon be in our DNA.

A Reason Not to be Methodist?

“Pelosi just thanked the United Methodist Church for their support of healthcare reform #anotherreasonnottobemethodist”

Tweeted by @timastevens on Sunday, March 21st, 10:28pm

On the hypothetical chance that this statement may have been misconstrued, let me clarify…

• I am a Methodist. I have been a Methodist since 1993.
• I love the roots of the Methodist movement.
• I do everything I can to help thousands of Methodist pastors and leaders every year.
• For 17 years, I have been a part of what I consider to be one of the most effective churches in America–and it has been, is now, and will continue to be a Methodist congregation.
• I have given the past 15 years of my life to serve and support an appointed elder in the Methodist church. Every day it has been my goal to put feet to his vision.
• However, I am a follower of Christ before I am a Methodist.
• I would rather make disciples than make Methodists.
• To whatever degree Methodism contributes to making disciples–I embrace it. To whatever degree Methodism detracts from making disciples–I go around it.
• It saddens me that the United Methodist Church is often known primarily for its’ political positions that have nothing to do with making disciples of Christ. Some of that is perception…some of it is reality.
• I was frustrated by the UMC using its collective strength to influence the government to establish a hand-out system rather than calling on the church to be the church and meet those needs.
• We (Methodists) have given the public many reasons not to be Methodist. In fact, every year more people decide to become former Methodists. In my opinion, speaker Pelosi’s comments give Americans “another reason not to be Methodist.”

So, I stand by my tweet. Your thoughts?

A Story Auction for Shuttle Buses

A “story auction”? What the heck is that?

Here’s the deal. We are selling our shuttle buses. Our original plan was to sell them on the open market and get as much money as possible (in order to invest the money into a replacement vehicle). However, last week we decided to launch a “Story Auction” for the buses. Here’s how it works.

• Using this form, make a bid for a shuttle bus (or both if you’d like).
• Your bid must include the price you will pay AND a compelling story of how the bus will be used.
• We will choose the winner(s) based on a combination of the bid and the story. It’s possible we’ll be moved by a story and ignore the bid altogether!
• We are providing specific information on the shuttle buses–as well as information on how to arrange for an on-site visit if you’d like.
• Don’t delay–the Story Auction ends on April 15th!

Are those ATM Giving Machines Worth It?

Very few people carry cash anymore. There are a couple responses you could have to that: 1) Stand up and preach how a cashless society is a sign of the end of the world, or 2) install some giving kiosks to make it easier for people to help the ministry of the church.

I’ve recently been asked several times about our Secure Give giving kiosks. “Are they worth it?” “Do people use them?” “Did your giving go up?”

Lots of good questions. So I thought I’d let Dave Moore answer these questions. He is the Finance Director at Granger and has a blog full of great information. I pulled this information from a recent post…

• We introduced the giving kiosks in early September last year. Between September 11 and December 31, we took in almost 1,250 donations on the kiosks. The average donation was $80, and the gifts totaled around $25,000 per month. (We have around 5,000 attending each week–so you can scale this up or down for your situation.)
• Kiosk donations accounted for 4% of our overall donations in the last four months of 2009.
• We have 3 machines. 2 at our Granger Campus and 1 at our Elkhart Campus.
• Prior to September, we averaged 42 new givers/month to our General Fund. Between September and December we averaged 67 new givers/month to our General Fund.
• Average monthly giving increased 3% in the last four months of 2009.
• During this time, we had 69 people give for the first time on the kiosks. In total, those 69 people subsequently gave $15,225 through the end of the year.

Pop over to Dave’s blog for more specifics. Bottom line: We believe they have more than paid for themselves and are providing an additional way for families (especially new givers) to contribute to the ministry of the church.

10 Things That Drive (Someone Else) Crazy About Working for a Church

I personally think a sign of a good book, article or post is when it gets you worked up, inspired, agitated or just plain mad. There was one such article this morning on CatalystSpace. It was written by Tim Schraeder (a friend from Chicago). You can read the original article here.

Tim started the article saying he’s worked for 4 different churches over the past 10 years. Then he lists 10 things that drive him crazy about working for a church. I’ve worked for one church for 15 years, so I thought I’d add some perspective with my thoughts about his list:

1. We are really good at burning people out - Not in my experience. I work at a place where we are encouraging each other to take vacation, go home to your family, leave that task for another day. Yes, I’ve seen people burn out, but because of their personal choices.
2. We focus way too much on what we don’t have – I agree, but I think it comes from a good place. We have this God-sized vision of what we know is possible for our community–so it’s easy to wish for more so we could have a greater impact. We have to keep this in check and be grateful for what God has given us.
3. We are afraid of change – Probably true in many churches. At Granger, people who don’t like change leave after a couple years because they get change-fatigue. Those who love change get antsy when we aren’t changing quickly enough.
4. We use “let me pray about it” as an excuse to get out of making decisions – never done this and never experienced this from someone else.
5. We LOVE meetings – I don’t love meetings, but I do see them as a way to love on people, connect relationally, shift culture, recast vision, set priorities, gauge progress and more. Poorly run meetings are no fun. So if your day is filled with those–stop going.
6. We try to do way too much – Agreed.
7. We try to be something we’re not – I think it takes awhile for a young church to figure out what they are–and what they are not. Until then, it’s all about experimentation, and I applaud that.
8. We spend too much time looking at other churches - Disagree. I absolutely LOVE learning what other churches are doing to uniquely accomplish their mission in their community. I think most churches get stuck staring at their navel and spend way too little time considering different ways of ministry. I’m down on competition. Down on comparisons. Up on learning!
9. We worry about people leaving -We’ve never been accused of that, but have many times heard the opposite: “You spend too much time figuring out how to serve the people coming in the front door and not enough time looking at why they are going out the back door.”
10. We don’t feel trusted – That is a hiring problem. Hire the wrong people and you will never trust them. You will establish a long list of policies and rules to try to keep them operating in the lines. Every time someone steps out, you make another rule. I have a better idea. Let’s work with people we trust and get rid of all the rules. That’s the world I choose to live in.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about Schraeders original list–or my response.

Communication Mistakes

The Most Common Mistakes People Make When Communicating Expectations

1. Barking out “marching orders” without making your directions clear enough that people fully understand and accept them.
2. Assuming people need only one explanation in order to understand what you expect them to deliver.
3. Failing to form an expectation clearly yourself before communicating it to others.
4. Excluding any explanation about “why” you want something done within a specific time frame.
5. Asking people to do something, but not clearly explaining when you need it done.
6. Failing to describe the resources available to help people do what you want them to do.
7. Issuing such specific instructions about what to do and how to do it, that people hesitate to “own it” themselves and think out of the box to ensure the result.

From the book How Did That Happen? by Roger Connors and Tom Smith

Have you seen any of these mistakes being made (by you or others)?

Beer and Bible – My Thoughts

Perhaps you followed our discussion last week about some guys in Utah who are offering a Beer and Bible study in a local lounge. (If not, you gotta at least watch the video). I loved the conversation (more than 80 comments so far) and appreciate the diverse views (from “it is sin!” to “how else will we reach people?”). I promised I’d tell you what I think (which I did in a comment but most people will never make it that far), so, let me say…

I absolutely loved the discussion!

After reading every comment with great interest, I think it comes down to one basic issue. I don’t want to over-simplify, but I think every person’s view of alcohol colors their response. I know my view colors my response…

I don’t drink alcohol. Yes–I’ve had a few of those fruity drinks while sitting on a beach in Mexico (and I should also confess that I LOVE Nyquil), but I’ve never had a beer and don’t drink wine. Why? I love Coke, it’s a lot cheaper, and I’m a tight-wad. But many (most) of my friends drink in my presence–and it’s not an issue for me.

I don’t think alcohol is evil. I don’t think a bar is a den of iniquity. I’ve never had to deal with an alcoholic in my family and I’ve never lost anyone close to me because of the actions of a drunk. Those are all very important factors which color my response.

That being said, I absolutely LOVE what these guys are doing. There is really nothing innovative about Christians having a spiritual conversation in a bar with someone who isn’t yet convinced. That happens every day in every city across our country (praise God!). However, what is innovative is a couple pastor-type dudes who see that as a way to make an impact in a community where there are ZERO non-Mormon churches. They aren’t hanging a banner and saying, “You come to us.” They have made an intentional decision: Let’s go where the people are. That’s exactly what Jesus did when the religious-types were looking down on him for the same thing. He didn’t care what they thought–he went anyway! He didn’t expect or wait for the crowd to come to him (although sometimes they did)–he hung out with them.

You may disagree with the method or location–but these guys hearts are in the right place. They are going to rub shoulders with some people who they would NEVER otherwise reach. They are going to spend time with a grandfather who–without intervention is going to RUIN his family–but he will hear of the grace of Jesus and his life will change–not because he stops drinking, but because he is transformed from the inside out and his values and choices are turned upside down. That’s what Jesus does–and that excites me.

So…I celebrate it. God bless you Charles and Patrick. Carry on.