Comments on: What if We Took the Lead? http://www.leadingsmart.com/2010/04/what-if-we-took-the-lead.html Practical Stuff for Church Leaders Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:24:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mike http://www.leadingsmart.com/2010/04/what-if-we-took-the-lead.html#comment-17840 Mike Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:15:22 +0000 http://www.leadingsmart.com/?p=5516#comment-17840 this resonates with me b/c i sense the same thing. i have felt pressure to do the "norm". But there is a stirring within me that God wants us to do something different, unique. the only problem....i have no idea what that is!! i heard Dave Gibbons recently give a talk about shifts, i sat there and cried b/c it was exactly what had been churning within me. i am now reading his book, "the monkey and the fish", wondering if this is what "it" is that God is doing. i hope i can make the conference. this resonates with me b/c i sense the same thing. i have felt pressure to do the "norm". But there is a stirring within me that God wants us to do something different, unique. the only problem….i have no idea what that is!! i heard Dave Gibbons recently give a talk about shifts, i sat there and cried b/c it was exactly what had been churning within me. i am now reading his book, "the monkey and the fish", wondering if this is what "it" is that God is doing. i hope i can make the conference.

]]> By: Nate http://www.leadingsmart.com/2010/04/what-if-we-took-the-lead.html#comment-17829 Nate Tue, 13 Apr 2010 02:09:58 +0000 http://www.leadingsmart.com/?p=5516#comment-17829 I have holy anticipation of what God is doing in the gut of everyone who is desperate for Him. These quotes & gathering will be off the chain! Anyone else feel like they're tasting a little bit of heaven when we think & live like this? I have holy anticipation of what God is doing in the gut of everyone who is desperate for Him. These quotes & gathering will be off the chain! Anyone else feel like they're tasting a little bit of heaven when we think & live like this?

]]> By: David http://www.leadingsmart.com/2010/04/what-if-we-took-the-lead.html#comment-17828 David Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:52:07 +0000 http://www.leadingsmart.com/?p=5516#comment-17828 I'm in. About three or four weeks ago my wife in prayerful anticipation of what the future is going to bring.( Please note that our feet are always planted right in the here and now.) Almost like excited school children. Honestly, we had some tear filled moments that we're not used to experiencing. I exclaimed; " I don't know whats gonna happen, but its gonna happen, whatever it is". It is our hope that we'll have positioned ourselves with the willingness to do whatever it is that Gods wants us to do. Jake said best. "fluid structure". And Lance if you don't mind me paraphrasing; having a child-like faith the world seems right again. I cant wait to see whats been going on in other heavenly places Tim. Welcome back. I'm in. About three or four weeks ago my wife in prayerful anticipation of what the future is going to bring.( Please note that our feet are always planted right in the here and now.) Almost like excited school children. Honestly, we had some tear filled moments that we're not used to experiencing. I exclaimed; " I don't know whats gonna happen, but its gonna happen, whatever it is". It is our hope that we'll have positioned ourselves with the willingness to do whatever it is that Gods wants us to do. Jake said best. "fluid structure". And Lance if you don't mind me paraphrasing; having a child-like faith the world seems right again. I cant wait to see whats been going on in other heavenly places Tim. Welcome back.

]]> By: Lance Leonard http://www.leadingsmart.com/2010/04/what-if-we-took-the-lead.html#comment-17826 Lance Leonard Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:34:09 +0000 http://www.leadingsmart.com/?p=5516#comment-17826 Tim, this hits so close to home, it's like you've been in my head the last 18 months or so. I couldn't easily sum up my thoughts in a comment here, so I responded in kind via my blog, <a href="http://www.solarfrog.com/archives/2010/04/12/idealism-naivety-and-child-like-faith/" target="_blank">here</a>. I hope you don't mind. Essentially it boils down to "my realization that Christianity is (read: should be) simple. If we truly believe what the Bible says, and surrender wholly to the Holy Spirit, then everything else becomes secondary. We don’t really have to work that hard. I get it, that’s an idealist view. As I’ve written here before, I’m an idealist through and through. Every time I’m challenged on this, I convince myself that I’m just being naive and stray towards cynical. Until I read God’s word and am reminded about having a child-like faith. And then, the world seems right again. For me, at least." I would love to hear more/talk with you more on this topic. The more people grasp the ability to get out of the boat, step out in faith, and keep our eyes set on Jesus - without any clue how we'll survive - the greater the opportunity for God to do His thing. Tim, this hits so close to home, it's like you've been in my head the last 18 months or so. I couldn't easily sum up my thoughts in a comment here, so I responded in kind via my blog, here. I hope you don't mind. Essentially it boils down to "my realization that Christianity is (read: should be) simple. If we truly believe what the Bible says, and surrender wholly to the Holy Spirit, then everything else becomes secondary. We don’t really have to work that hard. I get it, that’s an idealist view. As I’ve written here before, I’m an idealist through and through. Every time I’m challenged on this, I convince myself that I’m just being naive and stray towards cynical. Until I read God’s word and am reminded about having a child-like faith. And then, the world seems right again. For me, at least."

I would love to hear more/talk with you more on this topic. The more people grasp the ability to get out of the boat, step out in faith, and keep our eyes set on Jesus – without any clue how we'll survive – the greater the opportunity for God to do His thing.

]]> By: Jake Johnson http://www.leadingsmart.com/2010/04/what-if-we-took-the-lead.html#comment-17825 Jake Johnson Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:21:58 +0000 http://www.leadingsmart.com/?p=5516#comment-17825 I think that a fluid structure is important. Organizations that don't change and have the nimbleness to do so quickly become obsolete in our world of rapid change. I like what Will Mancini hits on in his book, Church Unique, that rather than have a bunch of statements and strategic plans, you need to find your unique mission/vision as a church and run all decisions and evaluate all existing operations through the prism of that mission/vision. This all makes sense in theory, and I'm on board. But I'd be remiss if I said I'm worried about the effects of constant change on my staff. For directional leadership, change is sometimes exciting and welcome. This is helped by the fact that we're always "in the know". But for many staff members, change is not welcome. They're not entrepreneurial minded. Stability is part of what makes them good employees. So, how do we create a fluid organization that adapts and changes quickly and efficiently but that doesn't make your staff feel like they never have their bearings straight? I think that a fluid structure is important. Organizations that don't change and have the nimbleness to do so quickly become obsolete in our world of rapid change. I like what Will Mancini hits on in his book, Church Unique, that rather than have a bunch of statements and strategic plans, you need to find your unique mission/vision as a church and run all decisions and evaluate all existing operations through the prism of that mission/vision.

This all makes sense in theory, and I'm on board. But I'd be remiss if I said I'm worried about the effects of constant change on my staff. For directional leadership, change is sometimes exciting and welcome. This is helped by the fact that we're always "in the know". But for many staff members, change is not welcome. They're not entrepreneurial minded. Stability is part of what makes them good employees.

So, how do we create a fluid organization that adapts and changes quickly and efficiently but that doesn't make your staff feel like they never have their bearings straight?

]]> By: Josh King http://www.leadingsmart.com/2010/04/what-if-we-took-the-lead.html#comment-17824 Josh King Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:21:19 +0000 http://www.leadingsmart.com/?p=5516#comment-17824 Tim this really excites me! That's all I can really say right now. I have been thinking alot about the things you mentioned here and I want to share more but I need to collect my thoughts so they will make sense. More to come later. Tim this really excites me! That's all I can really say right now. I have been thinking alot about the things you mentioned here and I want to share more but I need to collect my thoughts so they will make sense. More to come later.

]]> By: Tweets that mention What if We Took the Lead? – LeadingSmart -- Topsy.com http://www.leadingsmart.com/2010/04/what-if-we-took-the-lead.html#comment-17823 Tweets that mention What if We Took the Lead? – LeadingSmart -- Topsy.com Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:08:47 +0000 http://www.leadingsmart.com/?p=5516#comment-17823 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tim Stevens. Tim Stevens said: What if those with the greatest power, wealth, &position would loosen their grasp on the old order of things? http://is.gd/bp4h2 [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tim Stevens. Tim Stevens said: What if those with the greatest power, wealth, &position would loosen their grasp on the old order of things? http://is.gd/bp4h2 [...]

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