Biblical Illiteracy: Why We Need to Rediscover the Power of Scripture

ISSUE 19 / SEPT_OCT 2018

SCOTT HAGAN / RICK DUBOSE / SAVANNAH LINDELL

BIBLICAL

ILLITERACY WHY WE NEED TO REDISCOVER THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE Fueling Your Team’s Morale Should Pastors Endorse Politicians?

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MAGAZINE

THE SHAPE OF LEADERSHIP

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CONTENTS COLUMNS

ISSUE_19/SEPT_OCT 2018

8 If You Ask Me REFLECTIONS ON LEADERSHIP

Part of the Team

10 Get Set L E A D E R S I M PA C T I N G T H E C H U R C H A N D C U LT U R E

Church Planter, Pastor, University President A Q&A with Scott Hagan

12 Like a Leader TOOLS FOR PERSONAL AND CONGREGATIONAL GROWTH

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• Live: Encouragement: A Healthy Leader’s Best Ally Think: A Garrison Against Comparison • Learn: Resources for You and Your Team •

20 Playbook

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S T R AT E G I E S F O R E F F E C T I V E M I N I S T R Y

• Build: Fueling Your Team’s Morale • Know: What Should Pastors Do in an Election Year?

• Invest: What to Do When Your Church Is in a Financial Crisis

30 Perspectives O N E I S S U E , T W O P E R S P E C T I V E S O N M AT T E R S A F F E C T I N G T O D AY ’ S C H U R C H

Should Pastors Endorse Politicians From the Pulpit?

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32 BIBLICAL ILLITERACY: WHY WE NEED TO REDISCOVER THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE

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FEATURES

It’s time to make biblical literacy more than just a slogan; it must become a clearly defined target.

42 DEVELOPING A THRIVING VOLUNTEER CULTURE IN YOUR CHURCH How do leaders develop a culture where people want to fully connect to the church and use their gifts, talents and time to further the Kingdom? Here are 12 principles for developing a thriving volunteer culture in your church.

52 A ROAD OUT OF THE WILDERNESS One pastor’s journey from burnout and depression to renewed hope.

61 Multipliers

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LEADERS LEVERAGING THEIR GIFTS FOR GOD’S KINGDOM

The Vision of Multiplication • Gerry Stoltzfoos: A Network of Support and Encouragement • James Marocco: Vision-Generated Ministry • Ron Heitman: Many Cultures, One Church • Doug Vagle: Partnering in Church Planting

70 Make It Count AN EIGHT-WEEK STUDY FOR LEADERSHIP TEAMS

8 Qualities of a Servant Leader

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80 The Final Note ‘Help Those Boys’

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IF YOU ASK ME

Reflections on leadership

Part of the Team f you’re a football fan like I am, you’ve probably noticed one of the biggest changes in the last 10 years is the prolific use of instant replay. There’s a call on the field, a challenge made, and the officials go in for a closer look. They come back and say, “After further review … .”

As leaders, we sometimes need to take a closer look at what really happened in our organization, or what’s really going on that’s preventing us from getting the results we desire. Looking a little closer either confirms our suspicions or reveals something we didn’t see before that will change our course of action. When we take a closer look at what makes leaders and organizations successful and others struggle, it often comes down to the strength of the team. If you feel stuck in your leadership, if your goals seem constantly out of reach, or if your organization is struggling to move forward, there’s a high likelihood the issue is you don’t have a strong

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Chris Railey, D.Min., is executive director of Influence Resources and senior director of leadership and church development ministries for The General Council of the Assemblies of God, U.S.A.

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enough team around you. Whether you’re trying to get in shape, grow your church, raise more money, or just become a better spouse and parent, you need a good team around you.

“Teamwork makes the dream work” is a cheesy cliché, but it’s also true. And biblical.

In Exodus 18, we have the classic leadership lesson from Jethro about his son-in-law Moses’ foolish attempt to do it all himself. He asks Moses, “Why do you sit alone … ?” (verse 14, ESV). He tells Moses what he’s doing is not good, that he’s going to wear himself out, and that he can’t do it alone. Let me remind you, then, no matter what you’ve set out to do or what you may be struggling with today: You cannot do it alone. Many of us know this intellectually, but we don’t put “team” into practice in how we lead. I’ve noticed in my own leadership that the less I carry …

• the healthier I am; • the more margin I have; • the more creative I am; • and the more effective I am.

Whether you’re in a large or small church or organization, it may be time to take a closer look at how you’re leading and who you have around you. Maybe you need to prioritize building and strengthening the team you have around you, personnel-wise and organizationally to get where God is calling you to go.

A closer look may confirm your suspicion, or it may show you something you didn’t see that could make all the difference in the outcome.

In this issue of Influence, our feature articles present three important matters that all have the potential to transform your ministry or organization, but these matters all require strong teams. In our cover story, Rick DuBose makes the case for a renewed focus on biblical literacy in our churches, and a path forward to make it happen. Savannah Lindell from James River Church outlines how to create a healthy volunteer culture in your church.

Finally, Pastor Josh Skjoldal gives a personal and powerful testimony on the toll of leadership, and how to recover from burnout.

I pray this issue of Influence is a blessing to you and your team!

GET SET

Leaders Impacting the Church and Culture

SCOTT HAGAN

Church Planter, Pastor, University President Scott Hagan is the seventh president of North Central University in Minneapolis. He began this role in June 2017, following a highly successful ministry as a church planter and pastor. He is the author of six books and more than 60 articles on leadership, influence and biblical application. Hagan is currently completing his Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University.

“ Something beautiful and reciprocal happens when a proven life connects with a promising life. That’s why I enjoy the college campus setting.”

INFLUENCE: What is the state of Christian higher education at NCU?

SCOTT HAGAN: I inherited a great university that

is poised like few others in the United States. I see myself as a servant and steward of the university, and I’m looking to the future of NCU with an aggressive, but calibrated optimism.

My prayer is that all our students become full of the Holy Spirit, learn the Scriptures deeply and live as committed Christ followers. We have incredible open doors as we expand our footprint through several new online initiatives and local church learning cohorts. Because of our unique position in the city of Minneapolis and access to jobs, we had a significant number of our seniors graduate with no student debt last year. The morale and well-being of NCU is flourishing.

How can we become more effective in raising up a new generation of Spiritfilled leaders?

If we want to see greater leadership legitimacy in our next generation, leaders with intellectual readiness and emotional maturity, we must strengthen the conduits of older-younger relationships. The gener-

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ational drift is widening exponentially. Something beautiful and reciprocal happens when a proven life connects with a promising life.

That’s why I enjoy the college campus setting.

Technology has a deceptive side to it. You’re not going to sit at home when you’re 18 years old and become a great leader solely off an iPad. The miracle of wisdom and wonder requires the human-to-human transaction.

Why are these intergenerational relationships so vital to education?

The younger generation, having been nursed and fostered by affluence and technology, build their behavioral priorities on concepts of passion, talent, gifting and destiny. They believe they are born for something unique

and singular, and doing anything less is paramount to a trapped and botched life.

But even if you’re born for something, you still have to learn how to do it. My hope is to build promising lifelong leaders who are adaptive and innovative by connecting them to proven lifelong leaders who are also adaptive and innovative.

Tell us about your new book, The Language of Influence and Personal Power.

I originally wrote the book as a tool for the men and women in our local church to use at work. Something they could utilize personally, but also to give away to their co-workers, something that would add value at work. Even though it was self-published, it just really

took off all over the country. Companies like Apple, Salesforce, as well as a host of college and pro sports teams, started quoting the book or handing it out to employees.

Last year, a publisher connected with Kensington Publishing and Penguin Random House in New York contacted me. They loved the content and bought the rights to publish the book. The book is a great leadership resource for local churches or secular companies because it helps people see power and influence from a totally different perspective than what they see on television.

I’ve heard from several people that it’s become a powerful conversation starter for the gospel by simply utilizing the common ground of better leadership ideas.

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LIVE LIKE A LEADER

Encouragement: A Healthy Leader’s Best Ally T E R RY YA N C EY

Anyone can infuse courage by intentionally practicing a few simple behaviors.

Terry Yancey is district superintendent of the AG Kansas Ministry Network.

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know what the absence of encouragement feels like, the spiritual drag it produces. I also recognize the ease of trafficking in discouragement.

Pessimism, like an erupting geyser, breaks through from the brokenness of my humanity. Juxtapose that against the scriptural directive of Hebrews 3:13: “ … encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ … .”

In a 2013 Harvard Business Review article, leadership development consultants Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman reported on a study showing team members perform best when they receive more than five positive comments for every critical one.

Everyone appreciates encouragement.

However, we often gravitate toward negativity in our communication with others — even when we understand the immediate practical benefits of offering words of encouragement.

The dictionary definition of encourage is “to inspire with courage, hope or confidence.”

Considering the lives of contemporary encouragers and some biblical examples of great encouragers, I’ve concluded that anyone can infuse courage by intentionally practicing a few simple behaviors.

Look for opportunities to encourage leaders.

In 2 Kings 5, the military leader Naaman embodied public success and productivity.

However, he still needed encouragement from those he led. Unidentified servants kept him from missing his miracle. They encouraged him to obey the word of the prophet, despite Naaman having seemingly good reasons to ignore it.

A friend of mine, respected and sought out for wisdom and ministry, suffered crippling

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burnout. Although this minister exhibited genuine interest in others, rarely did anyone ask him, “How are you, really?” His recovery process started when random encouragers deliberately shared encouraging words and deeds.

Cultivate a sense of timing. The unnamed servants waited until Naaman had completed his rant but then immediately inserted a humble recommendation. To speak before gaining context is an easy path to discouraging someone. To hear without judgment, then offer a caring alternative, effectively promotes courage to follow a more productive path.

Practice inclusion. In Acts 9, Saul’s violent reputation preceded him at Damascus and clung to him in Jerusalem. Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36), understood the downside of standing with a perceived terrorist. Yet Barnabas took a risk and encouraged this recent convert, who ultimately became the apostle Paul. The encouragement Paul received benefited not only him but countless people through the ages who have read his epistles.

When we deliberately encourage someone via inclusion, we do not know the possible Kingdom results. Inclusion provides grand opportunities for Kingdom expansion.

Call out uncultivated gifts in others. Barnabas invested time to help Saul — and later John Mark — to see and expand his own potential.

My wife and I often meet with leaders specifically to affirm and call out dormant gifts. These meetings have produced gratifying results as men and women tackle projects they previously didn’t have the courage to attempt. Others encouraged us in that fashion, and we want to pass it along.

Please take a moment and send an encouraging text to an effective leader, just to tell that person he or she inspires you. Think of other ways to encourage those around you.

Consider contacting a pastor who is new to your region, offering an enthusiastic welcome. Reach out to a budding leader in whom you see hidden capacities, declaring your faith in that person’s future.

Lead the way as a deliberate encourager.

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THINK LIKE A LEADER

A Garrison Against Comparison VICKI FARINA

How can ministry leaders avert the obsession with measuring themselves against others?

eaders who fall into the comparison trap often feel like they are missing out, that God is withholding something from them, or that they don’t measure up to the expectations of other people. This can cause panic that inevitably misshapes their expectations of themselves and others.

Normally, the human ego (personal identity) tries to calm its fear, fill its emptiness and level insecurities by continuously comparing itself against other people or things.

These competitive comparisons are at the heart of pride. Appeasing our fragile egos through comparison to anything other than God’s ideal for our lives results in frustration, exhaustion and preoccupation — and ultimately causes us to chase a mere semblance

of our true mission.

Every leader has a mission — and a possible shadow mission. If we don’t build a garrison around unhealthy comparisons, we will live out a shadow mission by pleasing other people rather than fulfilling God’s mission. How can ministry leaders avert the obsession with comparison?

Focus on your gifts and strengths. If David had worn Saul’s armor into battle, he would have succumbed to a shadow mission. Focusing on the strengths of other people while emphasizing your own weaknesses inhibits your ability to fulfill the story God designed for you (Psalm 139:13–18). When it’s your time to lead, step out in confidence, and don’t allow comparisons to sabotage your mission.

LEARN LIKE A LEADER

finances. No wonder the average U.S. pastor buys four books a month, according to a 2013 Barna report! Pastors have a need to know.

Because reading is so important to ministry, pastors must think carefully about what and how they read. Over the years, I have developed 10 convictions about my own reading habits that may be helpful to you.

1. Reading is a spiritual discipline. A spiritual discipline is any habitual activity that helps you become Christlike. Obviously, Bible reading is a spiritual discipline, but so is all reading. You are — or you become — what you read.

2. What you read shapes how you lead.

Reading also shapes your ministry. Practical leadership books do this directly, but other

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Resources for You and Your Team

The Well-Read Pastor G E O R G E P. W O O D

Pastors have a need to know.

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astors wear many hats in their congregations. On any given day, someone may ask them to explain a particular Bible verse or help mend a marriage or supervise an audit of the church’s

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What comparisons haunt you that would lead to a shadow mission in your life? Who wants to settle for defeating the giant in a borrowed coat of armor when a slingshot and five stones will bring greater glory to God? Take “me” off the stage. Even when others might appreciate the gifts and strengths you could bring to the table, you must wait for God’s timing. David, a man who honored the person in authority over him, knew when to step aside.

As a leader, practice the art of honoring others rather than being the star of the one-upmanship show. Rest in the love and acceptance of Jesus, recognizing that building your own résumé isn’t the mission to which God is calling you.

This change in perspective is liberating.

You will no longer feel the need to do things to make yourself look good. Instead, you can work for God’s glory — and for the sheer joy of walking in His will. When you see others shine, this Kingdom paradigm will fill the emptiness that always looks to compare.

Stop “shoulding” yourself. Unhealthy and unrealistic comparisons often lead to

statements such as, “I should have ___” or “I shouldn’t have ___.” These types of declarations keep us staring in the rearview mirror of life, causing us to miss out on the blessings that are right in front of us.

Sometimes failures and mistakes serve as our greatest teachers, so stop living in the rearview mirror, and move on with greater wisdom and a renewed sense of gratitude for today.

What “shoulding” do you need to stop?

Quiet your soul. Ask God to give you a glimpse into your own heart. Keep a journal regarding the things that trigger you to compare yourself to other people. Be brutally honest, and repent.

Write a letter of surrender to God. Acknowledge the triggers and the feelings you experience. Ask God to give you His perspective.

Pray. Use David’s outline: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious [comparing] thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23–24).

Enjoy blessed rest and peace — and a life lived on mission — as you build a garrison against comparison in your life.

books do it indirectly. Great insights into leadership often come from unexpected sources.

3. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. The goal of pastoral reading is to become, and to lead, more like Christ. Being well-informed is important, but the Bible prioritizes love over mere

intelligence. As Paul wrote, “Knowledge puffs up while love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1).

4. Well-read is better than widely-read.

Whenever I go to a bookstore, I think, So many books, so little time! Given limitations on your time and budget, prioritize reading classics over fads.

5. Read both widely and deeply. This conviction stands in tension with the previous one, but it’s still true. Because you wear so many hats, you need to know a little about a lot. So read widely. But because you are leading your church to Christ, focus on core topics: Bible, theology, ethics, spiritual disciplines and church history. On those topics, read deeply.

6. Read your friends, neighbors and strangers. For me, “friends” equals fellow

Vicki Farina is a certificated personal leadership and character development specialist.

She lives in Dallas.

The goal of pastoral reading is to become, and to lead, more like Christ.

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The Well-Read Pastor (continued from page 15)

George P. Wood is executive editor of Influence magazine and a Top 1000 Reviewer on Amazon.com.

Pentecostals. “Neighbors” means authors from non-Pentecostal Christian traditions, such as Calvinists or Methodists. “Strangers” refers to authors from non-Christian religious or non-religious backgrounds. Reading these groups helps you better understand both the breadth and the borderlines of Christianity.

7. Old books often say it best. “Every age has its own outlook,” wrote C.S. Lewis. Including our own. That outlook isn’t true just because it’s contemporary or because it’s ours. The only way to test its truthfulness, Lewis went on, is to “keep the clean sea breeze of the ages blowing through our minds, and this can be done only by reading old books.”

8. The best book is a shared book. If it’s good, it’s good enough to share with others. If it helped you, it will help them.

9. It’s OK to read fiction. Fiction has been

RECOMMENDED READING

By Influence Magazine

SERVANT LEADERSHIP IN ACTION Ken Blanchard and Renee Broadwell, editors (Berrett-Koehler) Servant leadership is a term Robert Greenleaf coined to describe leadership concerned with people development, not just profit maximization. Servant Leadership in Action presents state-of-theart thinking about the concept. Editors Ken Blanchard and Renee Broadwell curate 42 short essays developing various aspects of servant leadership. Contributors include business leaders, organizational consultants and Christian ministers.

The editors acknowledge Jesus Christ as the fundamental influence on servant leadership — as do many of the essays’ authors — but they write, “a major goal of this book is to prove that servant leadership has application in both secular and spiritual leadership in every kind of organization.”

THE HOSPITABLE LEADER Terry A. Smith (Bethany House) People don’t tend to link hospitality and leadership. Hospitality is for the home, leadership for the organization. Terry A. Smith thinks decoupling hospitality and leadership is a

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defined as “the lie that tells the truth.” The events it describes didn’t happen, but they nonetheless accurately depict the human condition. Perhaps that’s why psychologists have found a connection between reading fiction and empathy. The best novels help us understand others better.

10. Above all, be homo unius libri — a man (or woman) of one Book. Your church needs you to be an expert on the Bible more than anything else. So, read many books, but read the Book most of all.

In the Introduction to his volume of sermons, John Wesley wrote: “[Christ] came from heaven; He hath written it down in a book. O give me that Book! At any price, give me the Book of God. I have it; here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri!”

May that be a well-read pastor’s prayer too!

mistake. “A hospitable leader creates environments of welcome where moral leadership can more effectively influence an ever-expanding diversity of people.” Smith roots hospitable leadership in Jesus’ teaching and example, but he shows how it has wide application in the Church, as well as other contexts. “Our world needs leaders who, like Jesus, sit in the middle of a great celebration and invite people in.” The Hospitable Leader shows readers how to do just that.

LEADING FROM YOUR GUT Dr. John Townsend (Zondervan) Leaders often ignore their gut when making decisions. They believe it’s best to base decisions solely on external data, not internal feelings. Dr. John Townsend thinks that’s only half right. The premise of Leading From Your Gut is this: “Great leaders succeed by harnessing the power of both the external world and the internal world.” Along with developing the ability to interpret data correctly, in other words, leaders need to hone their intuition. To help them do that, Townsend outlines the five aspects that shape a leader’s internal world — values, thoughts, emotions, relationships and transformation.

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EXCERPT

Great Leaders Are Willing to Sacrifice Their Rights ROD LOY

When you believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, you recognize the need — and, indeed, the honor — of moving aside to turn the focus on Him. 18

ne of the most interesting stories in the Bible appears in the first three chapters of John. An amazing leader, John the Baptist attracted multitudes, but he told his followers, “You think I’m good? Just wait. There is one coming after me who is amazing. I’m not even worthy to tie His shoes!”

One day when John saw Jesus walking toward him, John declared to his followers: “Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

The next day John was with two of his disciples when Jesus passed by. Again, John said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36).

That day, something different happened.

“When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus” (verse 37).

The Bible doesn’t tell us who those two guys were, but if they were getting personal attention from John, they were likely some of his key leaders — two people he had poured his life into. Suddenly they chose to leave him and follow Jesus.

As the third chapter of John unfolds, Jesus was gaining followers and John was losing followers. John’s ministry was growing smaller every day. Some of his remaining followers finally approached him to express concern: “They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan — the one you testified about — look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him’” (John 3:26).

John’s response is one of the most powerful passages in the entire Bible: “To this John replied, ‘A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, “I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.” The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

He must become greater; I must become less’” (John 3:27–30).

The King James Version says it this way: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” My

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way of saying it is, “There must be more of Jesus and less of me.”

There’s no doubt about it; in our world, Jesus must increase. We need more of Him. Everywhere are reminders of just how much we need Him. We hear about war, recession, depression, natural disasters, nuclear threats, sexual harassment, opiate addiction, and human trafficking. Our world and our nation need more of Jesus.

It’s easy to get excited at the idea of Jesus increasing.

Great old-time Pentecostal preachers can camp on that one phrase and bring a crowd to its feet: “Jesus must increase.” But there’s a second part to that verse, one we really don’t like to discuss much. John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” or, “I must become less.”

John was saying, “There must be more of Jesus and less of John.”

“I must decrease” has not been the rallying cry of the church in recent years. We’re all about superstar preachers, hotshot worship leaders, and television stars. We’ve made our own names famous rather than pointing others to the name that is above all names. When you believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, you recognize the need — and, indeed, the honor — of moving aside to turn the focus on Him. Like John, you see clearly one of the simplest truths of all: To reach a world that desperately needs Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Embracing that one truth could rock our world. Can you imagine what might happen if you really decided it wasn’t about you and me but about Him? Can you imagine the difference if what you liked, preferred and wanted wasn’t the central issue, but the primary objective was to see Jesus increase? What kind of impact would a person, a church, or a business like that make?

John could have told his followers, “You’re right. We must do something about this Jesus guy. I am John the Baptist. Baptism is my deal. We’ve got to get bigger and better. We’ve got to win. After all, we did this first.”

Instead, John the Baptist was willing to sacrifice his rights, preferences, and fame so people would know Jesus. I want to be like that. More of Jesus, less of me. I want to impact a world. I want to point a generation to Jesus. If that’s going to happen, if we’re going to change our world, we must focus on the second half of the equation: “I must decrease.”

Abridged from Chapter 10 of Help! I’m in Charge: Stuff Leadership Experts Didn’t Tell You by Rod Loy (Influence Resources, 2018). Visit RodLoyBooks.com for more information.

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PLAYBOOK BUILD

Fueling Your Team’s Morale R AY M O N D H U D S O N

Here are three ways to fuel your team’s morale and improve results.

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n churches across the country, leaders are inspiring teams to accomplish their God-given visions.

Although we are all seeking the same end goal — helping people find lasting relationship with the living God — how we reach that goal matters. Leaders sometimes allow their vision to blind them to the well-being of their team members. When leaders fall out of touch with the holistic needs of their teams, morale suffers.

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Have you stopped praying for your team and their families? Do team members consistently display critical attitudes? Have they lost excitement for the vision? Have laughter and community ceased? If the team is struggling, the mission will struggle.

Church teams with great morale consistently demonstrate commitment to staff members through words and actions. They invest generously in one another, provide clear expectations, and communicate in healthy ways.

Good morale energizes mission-focused work. Happy, healthy team members are in a better position to make a positive difference in the congregation and the community.

Conversely, poor team morale leads to team members feeling disengaged from the mission and the church. This will trickle

Church teams with great morale consistently demonstrate commitment to staff members through words and actions. down to every part of your ministry.

Culture and morale are both intangibles that are difficult to quantify, but the effects of great culture and high team morale are unmistakable: committed and productive team members, quality work, creativity and contagious enthusiasm.

Here are three ways to fuel your team’s morale and improve results:

Create a Culture of Value and Care

Building up morale is a difficult but rewarding task. Consistency is key. At New Life Church, we frequently talk about culture — reviewing our mission, values and convictions. We have these conversations at every level of our organization, from department head meetings to volunteer gatherings. Even our signage reflects our culture.

Every church must build a culture of valuing and caring for one another, because that is the nature of Christ. There are times when leaders can become so focused on their Godgiven vision they forget they are in the people development business. God does not need us to sacrifice the holistic development of our teams to accomplish His will. When a leader goes down the road of me-centric leadership, team morale will suffer.

People want to know that we care about their well-being. It’s less about what we say and more about what we do. We communicate care and value in two ways: investment and development.

Once a month, our lead pastors surprise a department with an all-expense-paid outing.

This builds team morale and relationships.

Most importantly, it communicates that our lead pastors value the team.

We communicate the value of family from the stage weekly. Allowing staff to have time

for their families is our investment in their children’s future.

We believe in financially taking care of our staff, and our budget demonstrates that. We don’t allow job performance to dictate what people receive financially.

Of course, we do believe in the importance of doing our best and accomplishing the mission of New Life Church. We make room in every department head’s budget for personal and professional development. We encourage our teams to visit churches in the area and attend conferences that will take their departments to the next level.

Create a Culture of Encouragement

Every Monday as a staff, we discuss weekly wins. We talk about great things God did the previous week and highlight team members who demonstrated our culture. This is an ideal time for department heads to encourage team members and celebrate them in front of the staff.

Create a Culture That Lives What It Values

At New Life Church, we value three things: extravagant grace, bold faith and ridiculous generosity. We not only want this to be true of how we view our church, but also how it translates to our staff. Sometimes the biggest morale killer in organizations is how we financially take care of our team members.

At New Life Church, we put our money where our heart is. We invest our money in missions, ministry, outreach, Kingdom Builders and our team. Proverbs 11:24–25 provides insight that we, as leaders, should remember when considering the financial commitment to our staff: “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (NLT).

How do churches, organizations and businesses build great team morale? Create a culture that’s consistent, values and encourages the team, and lives what it values. Great culture breeds great team morale!

Raymond Hudson is executive pastor of New Life Church (AG) in Dublin, California.

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PLAYBOOK KNOW

What Should Pastors Do in an Election Year?

J O H N A . B AT TA G L I A

Pastors will do well to embrace a long-term view of engaging culture and the political arena with prayer, presence and proclamation.

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fter more than 25 years of pastoral ministry, the Lord called me to shepherd a new “congregation” — the Missouri State Legislature. As an Assemblies of God chaplain with Capitol Commission, I take the gospel into the political arena. Instead of sharing a political message with legislators, I share the good news of Jesus Christ.

When I started ministering in the state Capitol, I prayed about how to serve. The Lord whispered, “Pastor people more than politics.”

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Pastors will do well to embrace a long-term view of engaging culture and the political arena with prayer, presence and proclamation.

Prayer

Intercede for government leaders. We should talk to God about government leaders before we talk to government leaders about God. Paul encouraged Timothy to pray for all people, including kings and those who are in authority. God wants everyone to understand the gospel and come to know Christ (1 Timothy 2:1–4).

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What might it be like if this election year you reached across the aisle to engage Republicans and Democrats alike?

Seek God’s will in legislative decisions. Stay informed about pending legislation. Follow city council proceedings. Visit state and federal government websites to see what lawmakers are considering. Inform your church, and pray with knowledge.

Find common ground through corporate prayer. Schedule focused quarterly prayer services with your congregation. Or come together with other churches in your community to pray. Ask God to give government leaders wisdom, discernment, courage, perseverance, humility, teachability, moral integrity and self-control. Pray also for God to work in all areas of the election process to accomplish His purposes. Seek the welfare of your city (Jeremiah 29:7).

Pray outside the church walls. Lead an election-eve prayer gathering at your state Capitol. Have a barbecue, inviting churches, the community, guest speakers and legislators.

Close out the night with a prayer walk around the Capitol grounds.

Presence

Dr. John A. Battaglia is chaplain to the Missouri Legislature in Jefferson City and director of the Doctor of Ministry program at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri.

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The presence of Christ in the political arena is not an option. When you are present, you get to participate. Where are you setting up a beachhead of trust? Whom are you engaging in conversation? How are you participating?

Offer grace and truth. Jesus led with grace and truth (John 1:14). What might it be like if this election year you reached across the aisle to engage Republicans and Democrats alike? Christians do not need to compromise the biblical message to offer gracious words of truth.

Lead with love. Love will draw people to you.

The closer people are to you, the more they should see the authentic Jesus. In that relational space, hearts are open, conversation flows, and unlikely people become followers of Christ. Make a long-term investment in these relationships rather than participating in a short-term argument. No one can argue against love. We are most like God when we love. After all, “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

Focus on the eternal. Legislation is

important; it affects the social and moral fabric of citizens. But legislation changes.

Some legislation includes a sunset law, which means it has a termination date. Ultimately, all earthly legislation will terminate. But the work Jesus calls us to is eternal.

Does God call us to advance conservative political agendas in the way conservative radio talk-show hosts do? Are all Christians of one political party? Of course not. If we lose our focus on the eternal realities, we blur the lines of our mission.

Proclamation

Proclaim the Scripture. Teach a biblical worldview. Tell the narrative of Christ. Remember that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17, NKJV).

Every Tuesday morning, I teach the Scripture to approximately 20 percent of the legislators in the Missouri Capitol. What I know is that only the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s Word can change the desires of a person’s heart and renew the way a person thinks. That’s true whether you’re ministering to a group of lawmakers or a gathering of congregants.

Vote your values. Each election cycle, pastors have the opportunity to teach people to vote with a biblical worldview in mind — to stand for righteousness, not for what is politically expedient (2 Timothy 4:2–5). Voting your values is one way to make your voice heard. Encourage your congregation to pray about serving in the political sphere. A Christian and statesman are not incompatible.

Demonstrate good works. Scripture teaches us to live righteously among our unbelieving neighbors, who may see our good deeds and give honor to God (1 Peter 2:12). We live in a fallen world, but we serve a risen Savior.

When we demonstrate that reality every day, we will have a profound influence on those around us.

Our hope is in Jesus, and our calling is to reach people. So, how will you pastor people more than politics this election year — and beyond?

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What to Do When Your Church Is in a Financial Crisis PAT R I C K G R A C H

Here are a few steps to take when your church faces financial hardship.

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oney paces vision. So, how should we respond when a financial crisis impacts vision?

I don’t like it, but money is a necessary fuel for moving vision forward. With no people and no money, it was not only tough to get our new church started, it felt impossible.

In fact, the first Sunday I preached on giving, our offering total was zero. Talk about discouraging!

From the beginning, we struggled through financial challenges and crises, and we discovered that churches face financial barriers at similar stages to attendance barriers — breaking over levels of $1,000, $2,000, $5,000, and $10,000 in weekly giving and expenditures. These seasons force us to grow as pastors, as well as financial leaders.

Finances are not unspiritual; they are a vital part of the health of the church. Financial challenges teach, grow and stretch us spiritually more than most other issues in the church Here are a few steps I’ve learned to take when our church faced financial hardship:

Model

The first step in any financial challenge has been to examine my heart, attitude, leadership decisions and personal financial stewardship. As leaders, we must consider whether our hearts are right with God and whether personal sin is sabotaging God’s provision for the church. Then, we must examine our attitude toward finances. Am I being greedy or overindulgent? As the leader goes, so goes the church.

We must evaluate our personal obedience

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to God’s Word as it relates to our finances.

Am I being faithful in sacrificial generosity?

Am I caring for the poor? Am I a good steward?

Here’s the key: We must become financially healthy before we can lead in financial health.

We must live within our means, then live on less to give more.

Finally, we can invite others to follow our example, starting with our governing board, staff and leaders. It’s essential to make sure church leaders (staff, board, etc.) are giving sacrificially. If you are giving but your board and staff are not, how can you reasonably expect the rest of the church to follow?

This goes for any campaign or giving effort.

Ask leaders to give and sacrifice first. Their generosity will set the tone for the rest of the church. During challenging times, evaluate the giving of your key leaders, motivate them toward giving, and ask them to give above and beyond.

Message

We must evaluate how regularly and effectively we are communicating the why, what and how of giving to God in and through the local church.

Evaluate how often you’re speaking about giving with the church during weekend services, as well as through digital communication, including social media. Make the

Financial challenges teach, grow and stretch us spiritually more than most other issues in the church.

Patrick Grach is founding and lead pastor of LifeHouse Church (AG) in Hagerstown, Maryland.

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offering explanation a teaching and celebration moment to encourage people in the “why” of their giving. Preach on the principles and pattern of giving and stewardship at least a few times each year, especially when there is not a financial crisis in the church.

If we are not teaching clearly and unapologetically about giving, how can we reasonably expect people to respond through giving?

Methods

If the first three steps haven’t resolved the crisis, we examine our financial systems and methodology. If we aren’t handling the finances of the church well, how can we expect God to entrust us with more?

We must check to ensure that our financial systems have the necessary layers of accountability and safeguards. Trust is not an internal control. The primary principle in establishing safeguards is to be sure no one person is responsible for or has access to two simultaneous steps in any process (e.g., counting and depositing the money, writing and signing checks, or using a credit card and reviewing the credit card statements). Evaluate your financial systems, and put safeguards in place for each one, including offering counting and processing, credit accounts, benevolence giving, decision making on disbursements, and accounting procedures.

We evaluate our budgeting and spending processes to ensure they are supporting the vision rather than wasting or misusing Kingdom-directed funds. Here are three budgeting principles to remember: 1. You must lead with vision. Decide in advance how you will use your resources to support the vision. Is your vision larger than your resources? If not, money is driving vision.

2. Budgeting is prophesying with numbers.

You are projecting with money what you expect to happen in the next fiscal year. Don’t eat your seed. Farmers have three ways they must use their harvest: sell it to live (ministry, office, discipleship expenses); eat it (salaries); save it for next year’s planting season (marketing, outreach, missions, life groups,

and anything that will produce fruit later). So, don’t eat all your seed. The more you invest, the greater the return will be next year.

3. Methods matter. Take the time to evaluate each area of financial use within the church. What is the process for financial decision making? Is it effective and empowering in moving the vision of the church forward?

Where is there waste or a lack of impact within the budget?

Our rule is to fund what’s fruitful. Then, we graciously cut waste and fruitless expenditures. Evaluate operational and other expenses to determine where you need to make cuts.

Mission

Be careful when it comes to outreach and missions giving. Even when our church went through great financial crises, we never cut our missions giving or missed a payment to missions. In fact, we often increased our giving or sent a large gift during those times. Our obedience to missions and outreach has led the way in us climbing out of financial challenges.

In financial need, cast vision and tell people how they can give to the cause of Christ through the local church. As much as possible, avoid asking people to give to need driven by emotion. Invite them to give to vision, which is driven by true obedience and spiritual growth.

If the first four steps haven’t resolved the financial crisis, I will finally bring the situation to the church as a whole. We candidly and humbly explain the situation — what caused the crisis and what we are doing to get out of it as best we can, but also why we are asking the church to respond. As long as this is a rare occurrence, people have been generous and supportive in giving above and beyond to help the church climb out of a difficult financial season.

The local church is a great place to invest hard-earned dollars, not just as an act of obedience, but because it is a powerful conduit for the gospel of Jesus Christ to expand the kingdom of God.

PERSPECTIVES

One Issue, Two Perspectives on Matters Affecting Today’s Church

Should Pastors Endorse Politicians from the Pulpit?

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ederal law forbids tax-exempt organizations, including churches, to “participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office” [26 U.S.C. §501(c)(3)]. This prohibition is popularly known as the “Johnson Amendment” because then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson led the effort for its passage in 1954.

While the Johnson Amendment applies to churches whose pastor makes public statements from the pulpit or in church publications in favor of or in opposition to political candidates, the IRS says that it does not apply to political statements by pastors off of church property and not in official church publications so long as they are accompanied by a statement that the comments are strictly personal and not intended to represent the church.

he Johnson Amendment should be repealed for at least five reasons: First, the fundamental confession of the Christian faith is, “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9). This is a personal confession with public consequences. Jesus’ lordship extends to every area of life, after all, including politics.

Our politics — the candidates and issues we vote for — should be guided by our faith.

Second, pastors are the Church’s primary teachers. They have a duty to speak prophetically about the cultural issues facing their churches. In 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul wrote Timothy: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.” Pastors who fail to show the relevance of the Word of God to the controversies of the day are failing to do what Scripture commands them to do.

Third, for most of American history, Christian pastors did precisely that. They preached election day sermons, showed what Scripture taught about current events, and even endorsed candidates for office. Politically engaged pastors are not, in other words, a recent phenomenon.

Fourth, the origin of the Johnson Amendment was nakedly partisan. In 1954, Dudley T. Dougherty challenged then-Sen. Lyndon Johnson in the Texas Democratic primary.

Two conservative nonprofits — Facts Forum and the Committee for Constitutional

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Government — supported Dougherty against Johnson, whom they considered insufficiently anticommunist. When Johnson learned from the Internal Revenue Service that existing law didn’t prohibit nonprofits from endorsing candidates, he introduced an amendment to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 making the prohibition explicit.

Fifth, the Johnson Amendment violates the First Amendment. Columbia Law School professor Philip Hamburger makes this argument in his excellent new book, Liberal Suppression (University of Chicago Press, 2018).

According to him, section 501(c)(3) gives churches and other idealistic associations a choice between two constraints — between limits on their political speech and paying a tax to speak out.

If section 501(c)(3) had actually offered cash for silence, its speech restrictions would be unconstitutional, but at least the affected organizations would have a real choice to speak without being taxed for their speech. The placement of the conditions on a mere exemption from tax, however, makes it abundantly clear that idealistic organizations have no choice except between different types of coercion. … They can pay in order to speak or can save their money by shutting up.

No church or any other nonprofit should have to make this choice. Forcing them to do so violates their ministerial duty, American custom, and constitutional law.

YES

The Johnson amendment only applies to intervention in political campaigns. It does not apply to efforts to influence legislation. Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code bars exempt organiONE ISSUE. TWO PERSPECTIVES. zations from engaging in “substantial” efforts to influence legislation. But unlike the complete bar to campaign intervention, the ban on attempts to influence legislation only pertains to substantial efforts.

Exempt organizations, including churches, that violate these limitations risk losing their tax-exempt status as well as the ability of donors to make tax-deductible donations to them [26 U.S.C. §170(c)(2)].

In recent years, many evangelical pastors have called for the repeal of the Johnson Amendment. This issue of Perspectives explores two sides of that debate. The first column argues that it should be repealed. The second argues that whether to repeal is the wrong question.

Note: The General Council of the Assemblies of God advises all AG churches to abide by federal law. The purpose of this issue of Perspectives is merely to inform AG ministers about the contours of a current debate.

esus Christ is Lord and His lordship does have immense public consequences. That doesn’t mean pastors should tell church members which candidates for public office to vote for, however.

Here are four reasons why pastors shouldn’t use their pulpits to endorse candidates: First, it is outside the scope of their authority. The Great Commission is to “make disciples of all nations.” The primary way pastors do that is by “baptizing” converts and “teaching” them what Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19–20).

Pastors can and should teach church members biblical principles about contemporary issues — whether in politics, business or marriage. But they should leave the specific application of those principles to church members.

Just as pastors wouldn’t use their pulpits to tell church members who to marry or who to hire, they shouldn’t tell church members who to vote for.

Second, using the pulpit to endorse candidates for public office undermines pastoral authority. To see this, consider a thought experiment: One Sunday you visit a church where the pastor formally endorses a candidate for the U.S. Senate during the course of his or her sermon. You disagree with the pastor.

When pastors preach, you reason, they are supposed to proclaim the Word of God, not their personal opinion. But in this instance, you believe the pastor either has wrongly

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interpreted the Word of God or has elevated personal opinion to the level of biblical principle. Either way, that pastor’s authority takes a hit in your eyes. He or she has said “Thus saith the Lord” when the Lord hasn’t thus-saith-ed.

Now, pastor, consider that your pulpit endorsement of a political candidate might strike some of your church members the very same way. Do you see what this does to your authority in their eyes?

Third, a political pulpit divides the congregation needlessly. America is polarized enough already. Local churches don’t need to polarize it further on matters that aren’t related to their mission of evangelism and discipleship.

Fourth, endorsing candidates for public office is counterproductive. In the past 25 years, the number of Americans claiming no religious affiliation has risen precipitously, and one of their biggest reasons is the perceived politics of the Church. Using the pulpit to formally endorse candidates simply doubles down on a practice that is already driving people away.

So, should the Johnson Amendment be repealed? That’s an interesting legal question, but the wrong question from a missional point of view. The right question is whether pastors should endorse candidates from the pulpit in the first place. The answer is no. In an election year especially, doing so is a temptation to resist.

NO

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BIBLICAL

ILLITT ILLI 32

ITERACY WHY WE NEED TO REDISCOVER THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE RICK DUBOSE

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he apostle John begins his gospel by declaring, “In the beginning was the Word … .” Which emphasizes the fact that everything God does begins with His Word.

Sometimes it’s a new word that aligns with His revelation in Scripture, and sometimes it is a reminder of His already established Word. But we can be sure that if God is doing something, it will begin with His Word.

You might have seen the GQ magazine list of 21 books you don’t need to read. I was not at all surprised to see the Bible on that list. The editors called it “repetitive,” “foolish,” and even “contradictory.” I’m not surprised because I realize the devil knows that de-emphasizing God’s Word, the Bible, is one of the best ways to stop the advancement of the gospel and the Church. Of course, when it comes to spiritual matters, we should never look to the world for book recommendations. As the Church, the one book we should always recommend and begin with is the Bible.

In a recent survey by American Bible Society, only 16 percent of respondents said Bible reading is part of their morning routine, while more than twice that number (37 percent) said they start their day with coffee.

The lack of a Bible-first lifestyle may help explain why, according to recent findings from Barna Group, over half of all churchgoers are now unable to identify basic biblical priorities, including the Great Commission. And it seems the Bible knowledge gap continues to widen from generation to generation.

I wonder whether what we’ve seen over the last few decades — the disintegration of the family, rising drug and alcohol addiction, and acceptance of societal sins, to name a few — are the result of a shift away from a Bible focus. As ministers, it is our responsibility to make the Bible a vital part of every believer’s life. For us to increase readership, understanding and biblical living, we must ask ourselves these questions: How have we gotten to this point?

What is the greatest factor that has put the Word of God in disfavor with so many? And how can we turn it around?

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The lack of a Bible-first lifestyle m unable to identify basic biblical p It’s time to make biblical literacy more than just a slogan; it must become a clearly defined target.

Access and Attendance Are Not Enough

Over the last several decades, the American Church has made attendance a high priority. We’ve found many creative ways to attract Christians and non-Christians to our churches. We’ve worked hard to remove every barrier we could find and make attending our churches as convenient as possible. We’ve carefully crafted our presentations of both the worship and the message to meet felt needs in our communities. We’ve invented terms like “seeker sensitive” and “church assimilation” to describe these processes. And in many ways, it has worked. People who would not otherwise attend church are now filling our seats.

We have also placed a heavy emphasis on access to Scripture. As our churches grew, we knew we needed to get the Word of God into the hands of as many people as possible. We have translated the Bible into many of the languages of the world. We have also reworked the English versions of Scripture to meet the demands of today’s audience. Alongside the traditional King James Version are more commonly understandable versions, such as the New International Version, the Amplified Bible and even The Message.

We have broken free from the limitations of the printed page and now have the Bible, in all its versions, on our computers, tablets and smartphones. No matter where you go today, the Word of God is as close as the device in your pocket.

But despite the ease of access to the Word and the familiarity of the language, fewer people are actually reading it, studying it, and (especially) living by it. Church attendance and access to a Bible alone cannot make us into what God wants us to be. To live like Christ will take a much deeper commitment to learning and living out the Scriptures.

It may be that our focus on numerical growth allowed, maybe even required, us to use our calendars, our clocks, and our creativity just to get people in the door. Multiple

e may help explain why over half of all churchgoers are now priorities, including the Great Commission. services that necessitate clearing the parking lot for the next group have forced us to truncate our services.

And by accident, we have — in some cases and in some ways — de-emphasized Scripture. Simultaneously, we’ve designed many of our children’s programs more for keeping a child’s attention than for discipling them. This, too, may have played a role in producing a deficit in appreciation for biblical knowledge among the young.

I am not suggesting we fill our churches with classrooms and lectures. However, in the 1960s, more people attended Sunday School — with its emphasis on strong biblical learning — than the worship service. Our congregations had a love for the Word that was evident in how we lived. That, in turn, affected our communities. As worship attendance has increased, learning forums have decreased. I believe in the power of worship, but it should not come at the detriment of biblical learning.

Just having a Bible app on our phones or a clever logo on a church sign will not make a difference in our neighborhoods. But digging deeper into the Word can change us and the world around us. As Pentecostals, we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to be our strength and our teacher, but if we ignore His textbook and its prophetic promises, we hinder the Spirit’s ability to accomplish His will among us. The Bible is the Spirit’s toolbox.

What Is Biblical Literacy?

What does it mean to be biblically literate? In one sense, it’s a deep understanding and comprehension of the Bible as a series of books connected over millennia that reveals God’s plan for salvation. But you cannot demonstrate

biblical literacy simply by passing a test.

To really understand Scripture, you must first understand that it is a living text God designed to be our spiritual sustenance, our daily bread. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active. When you get into it, it gets into you and will revolutionize your life. I see the world differently, I hear differently, and I react differently when I read and know the Word of God. A life devoted to God is the best demonstration of biblical literacy. It’s how we act toward those around us. It’s the depth of love we have toward our family, our church, and our neighbors. It’s about us rejecting sin and reconciling others to Christ. A life led producing the fruit of the Spirit begins with a heart tuned to Scripture.

Biblical literacy is about reading and comprehending the Scripture in your own language. That’s why access is so important to biblical literacy. But it’s not the only component. Reading the Bible, which is powerful, is foundational and valuable, but not enough.

Biblical literacy is also about speaking. People who are literate in a language can not only read in that language, but they can also communicate with others. Raising up biblically literate Christians means we share and compare our biblical understanding with others in and outside the Church. We learn faster and more accurately in community.

Speaking and hearing others speak what the Bible says helps it penetrate our hearts. Confessing and proclaiming God’s Word helps establish and grow faith. After all, “it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (Romans 10:10).

The final component of literacy is being able to think it. If you are learning a new language, the ultimate marker that you are fully fluent is the ability to think and plan your life in that language. We must allow Scripture to transform our minds (Romans 12:2). Once the Bible changes our thinking so that we plan and react according to what God’s Word reveals, we will live a transformed life.

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%

How to Get There: Pulpit, Process and Personal Devotion

We need to make sure the Bible is front and center in our churches and then in our homes. Doing that will require a very focused group effort that will take us down three paths.

The first path is the pulpit. Weekly, our pastors have an opportunity to shape the lives of people by presenting the truth of Scripture so they can apply it. What we preach is more important than how long we take or how creative we

THE SAD STATE OF BIBLICAL LITERACY

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e hear a lot about the lack of biblical literacy in America, but what are the facts? American Bible Society earlier this year conducted a survey to find out. The results highlight the challenges today’s Church leaders face.

Percentage of Americans who consider themselves Bible Disengaged. “The Disengaged are primarily classified by their infrequent interaction with the Bible and its minimal impact on their lives.”

54%

14%

Percentage of Americans who read or use the Bible daily.

Percentage of Americans who never read the Bible at all. “One in eight adults (12%) uses the Bible less than once a year and 8% engage with it once or twice a year.”

32% 22%

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Percentage of Americans who believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God.

are. Our sermons must be biblically based and intentionally instructive if we want to increase biblical literacy. I believe we should design our services from the Bible out.

In the zeal of the church growth movement, leaders have too often designed their pulpits to be places of attraction rather than education, information or correction. That can produce a wider Church but often shallower Christians. The good news is that church growth

18%

Percentage of Americans who do not believe the Bible is a holy book, up 5 percent from the previous year.

Percentage of Americans who believe the U.S. Constitution is more important to the moral fiber of the country than the Bible.

56%

Despite the ease of access to the Word, fewer people are actually reading it, studying it, and living by it. and biblical literacy don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

The prophet Samuel grew up and began his ministry in a time when Israel regarded the Word of God with contempt. First Samuel 3:1 says, “In those days the word of the LORD was rare … .” This is referring to prophetic words, but if you will allow me a little leeway, it could also be a description of the lack of biblical literacy at the time.

Had Eli preached the Word of God, he would have had to

Percentage of Americans who believe the Bible is necessary for daily life. “Out of four possible choices — coffee, something sweet, social media and the Bible — adults were asked to choose which they consider a daily necessity.”

16%

The news is not all bad. Of those surveyed, 57 percent said they wish they used the Bible more often. And 66 percent said they are at least somewhat curious about learning more about Scripture.

More than half of those who read the Bible monthly feel it has a strong effect on how they think and act. “More than half of Bible users contend that when they use the Bible, they have a greater awareness of how much they need God, with 57% saying this realization happens all of the time.”

There is a tremendous need in front of us, but also an opportunity to share the truths of Scripture. When we take part in that mission, lives will change for eternity.

confront the sin of his sons and others. Therefore, at the end of Eli’s life, enemies carried away the ark of God’s presence, and the tragic declaration that the glory of God had departed from Israel became this ineffective priest’s legacy (1 Samuel 4:21–22).

One of the main responsibilities of a pastor — one that will keep “Ichabod” from appearing on the church or on the heart of an individual congregant — is to develop and deliver a consistent, comprehensive process that will enable all church members, from all demographics, to become biblically literate and practice a life of biblical accuracy. Preaching and teaching the full council of God from the pulpit is the primary means of accomplishing that. Of course, preaching alone will not reach into every heart and every demographic.

Can a pastor truly accomplish the entire mission in one sermon a week? Can he or she lead, heal, win the lost and feed the whole church adequately through one message each weekend? I don’t believe so.

There must be a managed process in place, which is the second path to increasing biblical literacy. It was clear from the start that the Word of God was foremost on the agenda of the Church in the Book of Acts. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).

First of all, believers were devoted to the doctrine of Scripture. They committed themselves to knowing it and applying it to their lives. It became as much a part of the process as eating and fellowship.

Later in Acts 2, Luke reports that church members met regularly, from house to house and in the temple, where I believe they not only shared Communion but also what the apostles had given them to share about the Scripture. What was the result of this process?

“The word of the Lord spread through the whole region” (Acts 13:49).

The Early Church experienced not just an increase in the number of disciples, but an increase in the knowledge of the Word. It wasn’t just apostolic preaching, but a process centered on truly knowing and

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Every church should have a process that will take anyone from a level of biblical knowledge to full biblical literacy. applying the Bible in their lives and neighborhoods.

In the past, we have utilized multiple structures to instill biblical principles and teaching into the hearts and minds of our children, young people, men and women, and even seniors. Sunday School was just one of those programs, or structures. It was a good one; it worked. It took advantage of the schedule of the attendees by tying it to the worship service — and by meeting on what was a day off for most people. Many leaders have also used the midweek option, and some have used home groups. What

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should you and I use? Whatever works best in our setting!

Although some churches are returning to previously mentioned structures, whether through small groups or restarting Sunday School, I want to remind us that to be effective, it will require more than just a time on the calendar and a space in someone’s home to gather and talk, read a book together or watch a video. The Scripture, its meaning and its application, must be the focus. Becoming a biblically right church will take longer than three to six months and will require more work than

m any demographic and from any expected. It will require a permanent commitment from the pastor, the staff and every member of the church.

Every church should have a process that will take anyone from any demographic and from any level of biblical knowledge to full biblical literacy. For that to happen, we need an overarching understanding of the whole canon of Scripture. Pastors must lead their people into a disciplined reading process that guides them through key passages of Scripture, starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation.

Our churches need to walk through the story of the Bible as it unfolds — with special emphasis on Jesus and the work of the Spirit all the way through. This should start at church but must land in the home, with support from the pulpit and reinforcement in every other teaching venue of the church.

The desired outcome is a baseline of biblical knowledge we can build upon. It should be adaptable by every ministry team and applicable for any setting. It would enable pastors to confidently feed the flock of God and help them grow their people in spiritual health, strength and effectiveness.

We must also help people apply what they learn, making sense of what they have read and turning it into a biblical lifestyle. This includes covering the 16 fundamental truths of the Bible, but it should also include practical teaching that helps people see the world through the lens of the Word.

What believers read in the Bible should begin to change the way they think about sex and marriage, finances, worship, evangelism, etc. This is the talk phase, where discussing and interaction go to a whole new level. We all learn and advance better in groups — first the family, then the church. The power of the group is in the discussion. We need to talk Bible at home and at church.

The third path is living and sharing the Word. Now that you have read the full Scripture, learned to speak the language and started thinking it instinctively, how will you live it out daily? We believe the final phase is hands-on. It is Jesus sending the disciples ahead of Him. It is partially literate people engaging in the church and the world around it, according to and in light of the Bible.

It is us being the Bible for others to read.

Again, this begins with the pulpit and continues through a process, but it ultimately depends on our personal and individual devotion to the Word.

Pastor, how you view the Scriptures will determine the attitude your congregation has toward the Bible.

How much time you spend in the Word will set the

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For pastors, our task is so vitally i the Word for ourselves. bar for how devoted your flock is to feeding on it.

Jesus taught us through the Sermon on the Mount that our first priority is to go into our secret place, our closet, and devote a portion of our day to seeking His face, praying for His will and our needs, and leaning in to His Word.

God tells us that being with Him in private is so important that if we will simply show up, He will bless us when we leave. There is no better offer on the table!

For pastors, our task is so vitally important that we cannot do it without first receiving the Word for ourselves. In the Synoptic Gospel accounts of the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus first hands the bread to the disciples before they can feed the crowds. Without receiving the bread from the Lord, they had nothing to offer. But after taking it from the Master’s hand, they were able to feed thousands!

The most amazing part of that passage may be that not only did the disciples have something to feed the people, but they also had basketfuls left over to take home. If we want to feed our flock, we must look to the Bread of Life as our Source. When we devote ourselves to a daily diet from the Bible, we are not only more effective ministers, but we also become overflowing Christians.

BACK TO THE ENTIRE BIBLE

A

recent survey from Crossway publishers reveals that many people avoid reading parts of the Bible they find diďŹƒcult to understand.

Of 6,000 people polled, respondents overwhelmingly pointed to the Old Testament prophets (Isaiah through Malachi) as the most difficult to understand. Not surprisingly, these were also among the least-read books in Scripture.

The most frequently read books

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y important that we cannot do it without first receiving The Fire of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God

More than 100 years ago, a group of Spirit-filled men and women needed a church. So, they formed the Assemblies of God. They designed it to provide access to educational experiences, accountability and fellowship. The first goal of this new Pentecostal Church was to show the world the greatest evangelism it has ever seen. We must continue our focus on evangelizing the world in the full power of the Holy Spirit and then pass that purpose on to the next generation. But it is also important to remember that the power of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit began with a revelation from His Word.

We modern Pentecostals did not come from an experience first, but our experience came from correctly understanding the Bible. For those of us who have inherited this Church, our responsibility today is to make sure it stays biblical. When you get your biblical understanding right, all the other right things will follow.

are the epistles and Revelation, followed by the Gospels. Respondents also identified these as the easiest books for them to comprehend, with the Gospels being the most understandable.

Of the Old Testament books, Psalms and Genesis are the most frequently visited. In fact, respondents were as likely to have read the Psalms as Matthew (the most popular New Testament book, according to the survey) within the last month. However, many have

Everything God does starts with His Word!

If we desire to maintain those same early purposes, we must remain Pentecostal at every point, continuing to evangelize in His power to every neighbor, near and far.

And we must also be one of the most biblically literate people on the face of the earth. How do we accomplish that? By emphasizing, celebrating, preaching, teaching and living the Word of God at all times!

Everything God does begins with the Word!

never read the divinely inspired words in such lesser-known Old Testament books as Ezra, Hosea, Obadiah and Habakkuk. The mostneglected New Testament books are two of the smallest: Philemon and Jude.

This scattered approach to Bible reading should concern those of us in the Church who truly believe that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). God reveals

Rick DuBose is general treasurer for the General Council of the Assemblies of God in Springfield, Missouri.

His plan of salvation throughout the pages of Scripture — from Genesis to Revelation.

We must proclaim the gospel in context of the entire revelation of God. But we must also follow the example of Philip, coming alongside people to offer personal guidance and discipleship as they journey through the Word. After all, the Ethiopian’s question is as relevant today as it ever was: “How can I [understand the Bible] unless someone explains it to me?” (Acts 8:31).

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DEVELOPING

A THRIVING VOLUNTEER

CULTURE

IN YOUR CHURCH

How do leaders develop a culture where people want to fully connect to the church and use their gifts, talents and time to further the Kingdom?

S AVA N N A H L I N D E L L

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W

hen you peek behind the curtain of a vibrant and growing congregation, you will see a strong and passionate army of people who are committed to strengthening the vision and mission of their church and its leader.

In Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, Paul describes the Church as a living, active, healthy body made up of connected and functioning parts.

“Just as our bodies have many parts, and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body” (Romans 12:4–5, NLT).

“All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27, NLT).

Paul’s message is clear: God designed each person — as a part of the Body, the Church — to have a role in making the Church function. The truth is, people are what make a church flourish and come to life!

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1

Lead With Passion and Clarity

People will follow a clearly defined vision. Leaders who know where they are going attract committed followers. As the leader of your church, you are the one who sets the direction. If you do not know where you are going, it will create uncertainty in those who are following you.

Proverbs 29:18 says, “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed” (The Message).

The primary responsibility of spiritual leadership is to see what God is doing, sense where God is leading, and motivate people to follow in that direction. Clear vision creates a culture that attracts followers who want to be committed and involved.

Passion follows vision and motivates people to participate. Enthusiasm is not a byproduct; it is a reflection of what is happening in the leader’s heart. As people see the passion in a leader, they will feel that excitement and gather around the leader’s vision and help carry it out.

2

Remember That It Takes More Than You

Capable leaders don’t allow the gifts and strengths of others to intimidate them. As the saying goes, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” We need people to help us carry out the vision God places in our hearts, because none of us can build the Church on our own.

It can be hard to delegate aspects of ministry we feel are especially important. But a wise leader understands that often the underlying problem isn’t the capability of those we are leading, but our own personal insecurity. What if someone can do that ministry better than we can? Ouch! The bottom line is this: No leader can lead well from a place of insecurity. Insecurity sees others as competition, and competition is the death of a strong and vibrant volunteer team.

The question is, how do we, as leaders, develop a culture where people want to fully connect to the church and use their gifts, talents and time to further the Kingdom — embracing their role and purpose in the body of Christ?

I serve as an associate pastor and oversee the atmosphere and hosting department at James River Church in southwest Missouri. In my role, I oversee 765 volunteers across four campuses. During my nine years on staff, I have identified several key principles for developing a thriving volunteer culture in the church.

3

Call out the Potential in Others

Leadership at its best has a prophetic element. It calls forth the potential in people and helps them understand their purpose and place of service in the Body. God wants to use everyone, no matter where they came from, what situation or circumstances they were in before salvation, or how long they have been a part of the Church. The apostle Paul writes: “God is building a home. He’s using us all — irrespective of how we got here — in what he is building. He used the apostles and the prophets for the foundation. Now he is using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together” (Ephesians 2:19–22, The Message).

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5

Strategically Position People

Leaders see the big picture. They see the Church as made up of many parts, each one important to the health and vitality of the Body. With that in mind, they embrace the responsibility to encourage people to be a part of what God is doing in the local church.

How do we do this? First, we help those we are leading see that God created them on purpose and for a purpose. God has designed each one of His children with unique gifts and talents for the purpose of building His Church.

Secondly, we must be willing to meet people where they are in their journey.

Whether they are new converts or have been serving Christ for years, they need to know they have a place and we want them to be a part.

A young woman recently started serving on our church volunteer team.

Because of her past experiences, she felt she was unqualified to serve and had nothing to offer. She believed everyone could make a difference — except herself. However, once she got ahold of the revelation that God wants to use her and she has something to offer, this young woman couldn’t wait to start serving. Since then, her life has totally changed.

She wakes up each Sunday morning filled with excitement, knowing her life has meaning and purpose.

Placing people in the right positions is one of the most effective ways to retain volunteers. Various resources are available to help assess an individual’s strengths, personality, and spiritual gifting. These assessments are valuable, providing both the leader and the volunteer with insight into specific areas of ministry where the volunteer can flourish. A person who is friendly and outgoing will likely make an excellent greeter to those who are entering the church. Someone who is passionate about working with children will be a great fit for your kids’ ministry. An individual who can carry a tune and enjoys singing might be a great addition to the worship team.

It is no accident that God creates people with unique gifts and talents. He does it for a reason: because He wants to use those talents to strengthen the Church and further the Kingdom.

Jaclyn is a young woman who serves in our children’s ministry. She is so full of life and is a kid magnet. Because of her contagious smile and fun personality, kids flock to her. Being part of the children’s ministry is her passion. Jaclyn lights up when she is around kids. It is such a joy as a leader to watch Jaclyn thrive and live out her purpose, knowing she is in the right place.

4

6

Invite, Invite, Invite!

Sometimes people aren’t serving simply because they feel no one needs them or because no one has invited them to step up. To the casual observer, it could seem that the church has volunteers filling every role. A personal invitation can change that perspective and let people know there is a place for them. It’s as simple as saying, “We would love for you to be a part of what God is doing here at the church!”

A healthy church creates a culture where both the leader and every volunteer actively invites others to serve.

In fact, people who are currently serving make the best recruiters. Their personal invitation for others to serve alongside them is one of the most influential recruiting tools for ministry involvement.

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Provide Training

Most people have an innate desire to do things right. But volunteers won’t feel like they are hitting the mark unless we help prepare them for success. An adequate training process should include at least three vital components: The training manual should clearly define volunteer roles, including responsibilities and expectations. It needs to answer basic questions, such as what time volunteers should arrive, what they should wear (such as a volunteer shirt), and to whom they report.

This can be as simple as connecting new volunteers to their team leaders, walking them through the volunteer manual, and giving them time to ask any questions they might have.

Provide all new volunteers an opportunity to shadow and learn from a veteran volunteer before sending them out on their own.

Ensure that volunteers receive proper and thorough training, so they can feel competent and prepared each and every time they serve.

7

Promote Organization and Structure

People feel more at ease when things around them are neat and organized. Having everything ready and prepared for volunteers gives them confidence so they can fully engage in their positions of service. For instance, provide the lesson to the children’s church volunteer in a timely manner so that he or she can prepare. Stock the information center with the appropriate resources so

your volunteers can focus on welcoming and serving visitors. These steps are extremely important in creating a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

Evaluate the needs of the volunteers in the various ministry areas, and create a preparation checklist. This strategy will not only instill confidence in your volunteers, but it will also put you at ease, knowing you have thought through and taken care of every detail.

8

Build Relationships

The Church is not a building; the Church is a family!

It is a community where people support, encourage and invest in one another. Our relationship with those we lead is essential to creating a healthy environment.

As leaders, we must let our volunteers know we love and

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is contagious. When people feel encouraged, they cannot help but pass it on.

Recently, we started celebrating volunteers on our hosting team with the “Host with the Most Award.” During our preservice meetings, we pick a volunteer to highlight and honor. The recipient of the award receives a Hostess cupcake, along with cheers and applause from their fellow volunteers. This is one of my favorite things to be a part of! Although it is a very easy way to show appreciation, it makes a big difference.

Offering honor and encouragement to your volunteers does not have to be complicated or expensive. It can be as simple and inexpensive as a cupcake, but it will mean the world to them.

value them. This can be as simple as writing a note, sending a text message, giving them a call, or stopping to chat with them for a few minutes at church. If we want to build a strong volunteer base, we must make time for relationships.

Making the effort to connect with your team speaks volumes to them.

Remind them that they are more than volunteers; they are a part of the church family.

9

Keep Reminding Them

Once people become plugged in to serving, it is important to continually remind them of the why behind the what. All of us benefit from the occasional reminder of why we are doing what we do and the difference we are making.

One of the most effective ways to do this is to hold weekly preservice meetings with your volunteers. These brief meetings are both important and fun as people hear about what God is doing in and through the church and share testimonies of transformed lives. As they hear about the couple whose marriage God restored, the visitor who felt so welcomed that he wants to come back next Sunday, and the child who gave her heart to Jesus, it will remind them how God is at work through volunteers.

They will also realize that their service is about more than just changing diapers, greeting at the door, counting the offering or cleaning the bathrooms. What they are doing is making an eternal difference in the hearts and lives of people.

10

Create an Encouraging Environment

Nothing drives commitment quite like appreciation. If you want people to become dedicated and dialed in to serving, take time to celebrate them. People want to be in environments where others acknowledge and notice them. They want to be in places that are encouraging and honoring.

As you take time to celebrate those on your volunteer team, it will create a ripple effect. Encouragement

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11

Communicate the Difference Serving Will Make

When people in your church commit to volunteering, it not only blesses the church, but it also blesses the volunteers. Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

God delights in blessing His children, and He will not allow people to sow into His house without them yielding a return.

One family in our church has been faithfully volunteering for the past three years. Recently, they shared with one of our team leaders how serving has blessed their lives. Through volunteering, they have made many new friends and grown closer to the Lord — and they feel more loved, connected and cared for than they could ever have imagined.

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Pray

The need for volunteers can sometimes seem overwhelming. It may feel as though your vision outweighs your volunteer resources. Do not become discouraged! If God has called you, He will provide. He knows the number of volunteers you need. “And my God

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5ON BOOKS VOLUNTEERING Want to dig deeper into the topic of recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers? Check out these five books: Leith Anderson and Jill Fox, The Volunteer Church: Mobilizing Your Congregation for Growth and Effectiveness (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015).

Leith Anderson and Jill Fox, Volunteering: A Guide to Serving in the Body of Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015).

The Volunteer Church is written for the pastor or church leader who oversees volunteers, while Volunteering is a handbook for the volunteers themselves.

will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Prayer is the key ingredient. Pray specifically for the number of volunteers you need. As you seek the Lord, He will direct you to the right people. You will watch Him order your steps and create divine appointments. Over and over, I have seen God answer our prayers to provide the specific people we need, and I know He will do the same for you.

There is nothing more exciting than seeing the Lord build His Church. It’s God’s heart that every person would not only attend church but understand the purpose for which God created them.

He created each of us on purpose, for a purpose, and He equipped us with gifts that will strengthen others and build the Church.

One of the great joys of leadership is seeing God equip those we lead to do the work of the ministry in a way that develops them and builds the Church.

Savannah Lindell is an associate pastor and the atmosphere and hosting director at James River Church (AG) in southwest Missouri.

Photographs provided by James River Church.

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Darren Kizer, Christine Kreisher, and Steph Whitacre, The Volunteer Project: Stop Recruiting. Start Retaining. (Atlanta, GA: 181 Publishing, 2015).

The Volunteer Project identifies four strategies that will help you spend less time recruiting because your best energies are spent retaining high-quality volunteers.

Jonathan McKee and Thomas W. McKee, The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer, 2nd ed. (Loveland, CO: Group, 2012).

The New Breed focuses on the reasons why people volunteer today — hint: it’s all about mission — and shows how this changes the way you lead them.

Nelson Searcy with Jennifer Dykes Henson, Connect: How to Double Your Number of Volunteers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2012).

Connect focuses on how to build a church system that continually attracts new volunteers and simultaneously avoids burning out long-term ones.

aims to inspire, challenge and resource the entire spectrum of leadership, from lead pastor to lead volunteer. Check out our print, digital, and social media resources.

Web: influencemagazine.com Downloads: influencemagazine.com/downloads Back issues: influencemagazine.com/issues Podcast: Google Play Music, iTunes, Spotify Facebook: @theinfluencemag Twitter: @theinfluencemag

My journey from burnout and depression to renewed hope JOSH SKJOLDAL

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n the waning summer months of last year, I noticed myself taking a journey to a place I vowed I would never go. I realized where this road was taking me when a certain thought crossed my mind as I was stepping up to preach the first of our four weekend services.

It sounded like this: I don’t even want to do this. In fact, I don’t even like this anymore.

Now hear me. I love leading. I love the Church. And I love preaching. That is why this was a red-flag moment for me.

In the months leading up to that moment, our family engaged the adoption process, and the paperwork was becoming a serious amount of work. Along with this, our church was launching new service times, and we were in the middle of remodeling our kitchen.

All these happenings, as exciting as they were, added to the weight I was already feeling in ministry. I also felt the weight of not knowing anyone else my age who was leading a church our size or with our specific challenges. I had felt the weight of staff resignations that occurred for various reasons. In short, I felt the weight of leading in an area of the country that does not have the climate, beaches, or summer breeze of an island, but in that season, seemed like a total island. And I felt like its lone castaway.

I still don’t have the right words to describe that moment and the season around it, but I think you could call it a lot of things. Burnout, fatigue, discouragement and even despondency all seem to have a part in that season’s story. I lost my will to fight. I didn’t trust the people around me. I was tired and dreaming about my next vacation.

I had grown weary of the politics, posturing and attitudes of self-preservation that abound in and now often guard the deathbeds of churches and organizations that once carried great hope and influence. I caught myself dreaming about free weekends, living in a community where I was unknown, and the advantages of every other job in the world except the one I was currently filling.

I just wanted out.

My drifting did not go unnoticed. My wife and family began urging me to seek out counseling or mentors. My messages, normally filled with hope, were now riddled with cynicism and composed of borrowed thoughts that lacked inspiration. Staff members became frustrated with my lack of vision. Every team I was leading was growing in frustration.

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I withdrew into myself. I no longer felt like I knew who I was or what I was meant to do. I stared out my office window on the weekends at all the cars belonging to people who couldn’t relate to my struggles and had no idea what it was like to sit in my chair. The reality is, I was hurting. And I didn’t know whom I could trust to help me.

In that season, I remember saying often, “I know there is a road out of this emotional pain and fog, but right now I can’t see it. It’s elusive to me.”

I did a lot of things in the following months to find that road, and I hope that by sharing my experience I can help you find your road out. Some of my methods worked and some didn’t. Some things that worked for me won’t work for you, and that’s OK. I just hope you will trust God to show you the road out of your personal wilderness.

I Confided in Others

I made sure those closest to me knew I felt lost. My wife and friends could not totally understand the place I was in, the pressures I felt, or the reasons I was struggling to just “pull myself up by my bootstraps,” but I was intentional about making sure they knew I was struggling. I have always understood isolation to be the silent killer of leadership and influence, so I worked hard to be transparent even when I felt I was acting like a victim or simply whining. I tried to remain transparent even when I wanted to be alone or to keep my struggles private.

It’s important to say I didn’t confide in everyone, and I put on a good face for hundreds of people. There are some moments where I wish I had been more transparent and others where I wish I had held back. I broke down in front of both my elder board and my staff.

The elder board was appropriate, but the vulnerability in front of my staff, while meaningful for some, was damaging because others began to fear my condition or tiptoe around me in an effort to protect me. It was appropriate for my elder board to worry about protecting me, but my staff should not have carried that burden.

If you are in the wilderness, decide who your friends are. Let them get close enough to know what you are walking through. Spare others the trauma of seeing you suffer. I remember reaching out to one friend and mentor who urged me to persevere. His urging reminded me of another season where a spiritual father of mine said, “Josh, you are too called to quit.” Let those around you know you feel lost so they can help direct you back.

I Sought Professional Counseling

Counseling is something I always talked about doing, yet probably had no real intention of ever actually doing.

Why? Counseling sounds expensive. Counseling brings up some serious introspection and history that a lot of us would probably not care to remember.

However, the danger of being a person with influence, power or control is that your position may be protecting you from having to face your own brokenness. Yet the reality is that those you lead are dealing with your brokenness, whether you are willing to deal with it or not.

It’s important to mention that at a certain point in the middle of my counseling, I felt an incredible urge to quit.

I began to question whether it was actually helping and wondered whether so much introspection was actually causing more damage. Through those moments, I came to grips with the fact that counseling and emotional health

are endurance runs, not sprints. The road out can be long and filled with detours. I began to realize that the goal of counseling is to gain tools for the long run, not just to vent or seek quick results.

I still visit with my counselor, and I honestly believe every leader could use a few sessions. If you are a leader, consider asking your church or pastor to pick up the bill. If that’s not a possibility, perhaps your health insurance plan covers part of the cost. At the very least, share with your elder board or district leadership about your current condition. Rely on those who are committed to your longevity and spiritual health to help you find your road out.

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I Tried Medication

I have some close friends who have benefited greatly from a small dose of anti-anxiety medication. I will just be upfront and say this didn’t work for me. I believe I was dealing more with situational depression or anxiety than clinical depression or constant undercurrents of anxiety.

Medication exacerbated issues in my life and marriage because it made me more indifferent, cold and apathetic than I had already become.

Even though medication was not helpful for me, it may be exactly what you need. Here are a few words of advice from my experience. Start with a low dose. Have open and honest conversations with your doctor and counselor along the way. Have honest conversations with your family as well. You may be feeling great because of medication, but those around you may be suffering from its effects.

Medication may be a form of God’s healing in your life, especially in a season where it is difficult to control or differentiate your emotions. I am glad I tried it.

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I Reorganized My Work Life

Throughout my journey, I came to the realization that our church leadership structure was not sustainable. I was poorly managing my energy, I needed to share the load with those around me, and I needed to rediscover what my actual job was. So, I set out to remedy these issues.

First, I took a fresh look at our leadership structure. My eventual response was to shift our staff to an executive team structure rather than carrying the leadership burden alone. This has paid massive dividends — not only in my life, both personally and professionally — but also in our church’s decision-making efficiency.

If you don’t have a staff team or an executive team, ask your elder board or key leaders to help you carry the load.

Empower them, while focusing more exclusively on what only you can do for your church or organization.

Next, I stopped managing my time and started managing my energy. I put a lot of thought into what times of the day I’m most effective as a creative, a decision maker, or

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I Took Time to Rest

a relational leader, and I now leave space in my calendar to lead by my energy level rather than by appointments.

Lastly, I rediscovered my actual job as a church leader.

A powerful question for every leader to consider is, What can I do for my organization that only I can do? Or, What am I currently doing that I could empower someone else to do?

I’m not talking about dumping all your undesirable tasks into someone else’s lap, but what makes you irreplaceable? What has God actually called you to do, and how can you become great at it?

In short, I had to refocus on what only I could do for the church. I delegated or ended everything else. I was, and am, healthier for it.

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Rest comes in many forms: vacations, sabbaticals, a day off or engaging in self-care by doing something you enjoy. To stay healthy, leaders need time off: a day off every week or an extended time off sometime throughout the year. Never taking a sabbath or a vacation used to be something people boasted about, but that pace is downright foolish.

My wife and I acknowledged that our pace was becoming unhealthy, and we made an intentional decision to rest. Time away from the office reminded me that pastoring is not who I am. Pastoring is what I do.

I actually prefer it when someone says, “This is Josh; he’s my pastor,” rather than, “This is Pastor Josh.” If you’re a key leader in your church, it’s especially important for you to remember that life and ministry go on even when you’re not there. In fact, your absence may create a vacuum of leadership that will allow others to develop confidence and demonstrate their own leadership ability.

Hopefully, your organization will embrace moments of rest for you, knowing it’s a spiritual principle, but also an investment into the health of your whole family. Your staff and church need and deserve healthy leadership. Take time to rest. Your ministry and leadership depend on it.

I Rediscovered Journaling

A powerful weapon I rediscovered in my season of difficulty came in the form of my journal. I filled it with verses, prayers, confessions, poems and desperate pleas.

One night, I read the story of Jesus sending some demonpossessed pigs into the sea. With worship music playing, I buried my face in a pillow while typing these words in my journal: “I break the spirit of depression and anxiety and fear. I cast that cloud out over the seas. Let it drown in the waters.” I walked into our master bedroom and wrote those words on our prayer mirror. They became hope in the middle of my storm.

My journal has always been a powerful weapon in my faith. In my most difficult moments, victory often comes through words written on the tablet of my heart and transferred to a tablet of paper. Our journals give us records of God’s faithfulness to us. Having a record of how God helped you in a past season may help you through your current season.

The solemn reality is that there probably isn’t a quick fix to some of the issues we face internally. Yet God allows

those seasons to produce something in us rather quickly that may otherwise take many years to produce. If you are lost in the wilderness and looking for a road out, remember that “nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight” (Hebrews 4:13). He sees you, and He sees your journey. He will lead you out of your wilderness. Furthermore, He will likely use the people around you to do it.

Remember, you are too called to quit.

Josh Skjoldal is lead pastor of Evangel Assembly of God in Bismarck, North Dakota.

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MULTIPLIERS Leaders Leveraging Their Gifts for God’s Kingdom

THE VISION OF MULTIPLICATION

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ision is a powerful thing. A church with God-given vision is unstoppable. It’s more than just having good systems and the right processes in place. It’s knowing God has a great future planned for you and your congregation. Are you ready to go all in on that vision?

Multipliers who follow where God leads have a front-row seat to some amazing things.

It’s not always easy. In fact, it’s often difficult.

But the result for those who have a passion for Jesus is always the increase of disciples in the world. On the following pages are four multipliers who know the blessing of pursuing their God-given mission.

Gerry Stotlzfoos is faithfully fulfilling the vision God gave him at an early age. Today it takes the form of a network of church planters all over the country. Through weekly encouragement and equipping, they have caught a vision for their individual communities and the entire world.

Dr. James Marocco has been working at his

vision for quite a while. For 38 years, King’s Cathedral has been a multiplying presence on the Hawaiian Islands. At each stage, God has increased his vision, and now he’s on the verge of overseeing 300 campuses both in the United States and on foreign soil.

Ron Heitman was asked to fill the role of church planting director for urban, innercity and suburban Chicago. Before he agreed, though, he wanted to make sure he could continue the vision God gave him for his own church. That meant continuing to support several bilingual campuses under one roof, preaching one message and following hard after one vision.

Doug Vagle has the same responsibility for leading church planters in his own state of Minnesota. And like Heitman, he stayed on as senior pastor rather than taking a fulltime district position. Now, he pairs up new church planters with veteran ministers who have been there before and can encourage and empower them.

Chris Colvin is a contributing editor to Influence magazine and specializes in sermon research for pastors and churches. He lives in Springfield, Missouri, with his wife and two children.

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MULTIPLIERS

A Network of Support and Encouragement A CONVERSATION WITH GERRY STOLTZFOOS

“I am more tuned in to pleasing God than building a big church.”

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tepping away from a lead position is sometimes all about reducing workload. That was the case for Gerry Stoltzfoos, the founding pastor of Freedom Valley Church (AG) in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Four years ago he had a motorcycle accident that changed his life. After a lot of prayer and counsel, Stoltzfoos recently handed the reins of Freedom Valley to his daughter, Candace Pringle.

But that doesn’t mean Stoltzfoos is retired.

Far from it. In fact, he serves in a position of pastoral care and leadership development at FVC and still oversees the Freedom Valley Network, a growing group of more than 100 church planters across the nation.

“I am more tuned in to pleasing God than building a big church,” Stoltzfoos says.

It’s the attitude that helped him launch Freedom Valley more than 25 years ago.

Within a year, FVC was launching its first church plant from the Gettysburg campus.

Over the years, FVC has sent out many church planters who arrived at its doorstep.

“God kept sending us people,” Stoltzfoos says. “Every church planter came to me. I don’t go find leaders. We’ve always been looking for anybody who was willing to follow Jesus and make Him famous.”

It takes a willing heart and a parenting soul to be so effective. What each church planter needs, primarily, is money. But they also get insight and wisdom from the Freedom Valley team, as well as the experience and expertise to make their own launches successful.

That’s at the core of the Freedom Valley Network.

“Our goal is to find a way to give pastors some connection, let them know they are

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loved and supported,” Stoltzfoos says.

Church planting can be lonely and often full of incredible challenges. Stoltzfoos says the best thing he and his team do is get together weekly for a Google Hangout. They talk about their churches and talk through any issues they’re facing. Those weekly meetings lead to yearly conferences that provide input, sessions on specific topics, and speakers who provide leadership and development.

Though never searching out leaders, Stoltzfoos is always on the lookout for those God brings his way. What is Stoltzfoos looking for?

“First and foremost, they need to have a passion for lost people,” he says. “This can’t be a hobby for them.”

That, coupled with a passion for the Word of God, is the fuel for church planting.

Another factor is relationship. Finding people to invest in also means finding people you click with. In many ways, Stoltzfoos sees himself as a spiritual father at this point in his ministry.

“You have to have a way to father people on a regular basis,” he explains. “It’s a system, yes. But it’s more than that. It’s a way to love your spiritual sons and daughters.”

Spiritual parenting is at the heart of the Freedom Valley Network. But it’s also a part of who Stoltzfoos is.

“At age 11, when I got saved, very quickly I realized I had a deep desire to help others on their journey,” he says.

That is now being realized throughout the country in many different ways through many different ministry partners.

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MULTIPLIERS

Vision-Generated Ministry A C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H J A M E S M A R O C C O

“Your vision will either restrict you or propel you.”

ames Marocco, senior pastor of King’s Cathedral and Chapels (AG) on the island of Maui, Hawaii, has long known the power of vision. It takes vision to pastor for 38 years and plant more than 150 campuses.

Marocco first came to Hawaii in 1976 as part of the pastoral team at First Assembly of God in Honolulu. In 1980, a church on Maui invited him to serve as its pastor. With fewer than 100 people attending each Sunday, some might have seen the small size as a hurdle.

Marocco saw it as an opportunity.

“I preached on vision to 80 people my very first Sunday,” Marocco says. “I told them we would be a church of 6,000 someday. At that time, the biggest church on Maui was only 200.”

But Marocco knew the vision was from God, so he believed in it. And so did the congregation. The next week, attendance doubled. Within a year, it was 700 weekly. What began as simple obedience to an inspiring vision was bearing fruit.

Today, King’s Cathedral has 168 campuses in Hawaii, Alaska, and the U.S. mainland, as well as in 11 other countries. Vision is still the key to keeping the pace. In 2005, the church completed its “12/12/12 Vision,” which involved starting Parent Affiliated Churches in 12 nations, 12 locations in the continental U.S., and 12 extensions in Hawaii.

“Your vision will either restrict you or propel you,” Marocco says.

The success of that first vision led to the next step, “120/20 Vision.” In 2012, the church met the new goal of 120 campuses and 20,000 in attendance weekly. Despite the many campuses, languages and leaders in one church, the focus remains on mission.

“When you’re one church with the

J

comradery we have, it’s absolutely amazing the unity we have,” Marocco says. “We are united by vision.”

Three times a year, pastors and leaders from the Parent Affiliated Churches come together in Hawaii for a time of training, encouraging and celebration. Topics include life groups, prayer and evangelism. Such gatherings not only help equip staff members but unite them as well. That unity is what makes vision so attainable, says Marocco, who continues to trust God for the future.

“By 2020, we are believing God for 100 mainland congregations, 200 international congregations and 30,000 disciples in attendance weekly,” Marocco says, laying out the new “1 2 3 Vision.”

Vision often requires sacrifice from the leader. Years ago, King’s Cathedral launched its first Parent Affiliated Church on the island of Molokai. Sensing God calling him to plant there, Marocco asked repeatedly for a pastor to serve that congregation.

“God finally told me, ‘I want you to do this,’” he says.

So, after preaching two services on Sunday morning, Marocco would board a small plane and fly to Molokai for an afternoon service in a school auditorium.

“We couldn’t even afford a worship pastor,” Marocco says. “So I led worship on my ukulele.”

That humble willingness to do whatever it takes has exemplified King’s Cathedral from the start. It is also integral to the ongoing success as a multiplying church.

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MULTIPLIERS

Many Cultures, One Church A Q&A WITH RON HEITMAN Ron Heitman is lead pastor of Evangel Church in Hanover Park, Illinois, and assistant superintendent of the Illinois District Council of the AG, overseeing church planting in urban, inner-city and suburban Chicago.

“The day of a lone ranger is quickly coming to a close.

I believe a biblical model is seeing parent churches using a sending model rather than individuals starting from scratch. “

INFLUENCE: How did you become involved in church planting in Illinois?

HEITMAN: My first love is pastoring. When I was asked to help oversee church planting in and around Chicago, I was asked to do it full time.

But God spoke to me and said I should serve from a position of strength. So I requested to be involved only part time, involving others who have similar experience, while I continue being a full-time pastor myself. That way, we’re working together as pastors and church planters.

When trying to multiply churches, there’s the stress of work, the pressure of finances and the effort to lead teams. When pastors and church planters are working together, you embrace these things corporately.

Your church is unique in its approach to multiplication, right?

We have 55 different nations represented among our church. It is beautiful diversity and unity, a great picture of what heaven is going to be like. We have embraced that uniqueness in a very positive way. Under one roof is an English, Spanish and Indian church, and the first Mongolian Assembly of God in America.

This is something any church can and should do for the purpose of multiplication. I would never reach the group of people we’re realizing outside this bilingual ministry.

How do you bring together these Parent Affiliated Churches under one structure and building?

God has graced us with an amazing facility

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to make it all happen. We have a main auditorium, a smaller chapel and another area we call the theater that can accommodate all of our congregations on the same Sunday.

And all of our children attend the same nextgen ministries. Our bilingual parents love it because they want their kids to be able to speak English.

All of our pastors preach the same message each week — in their own language, of course.

We also share the same discipleship pathway.

It’s one vision for one church. And the use of centralized resources is brilliant stewardship. It’s cost-effective, and it’s also effective in building more disciples and leaders more quickly and efficiently.

For those wanting to start bilingual Parent Affiliated Churches in their own communities, what does it take?

It takes a senior pastor who sees a PAC pastor less like a hireling and more like a spiritual son or daughter. The day of a lone ranger is quickly coming to a close. I believe a biblical model is seeing parent churches using a sending model rather than individuals starting from scratch. To see the multiplication we want to see, PACs are vital.

It also takes a cultural intelligence — understanding that there are different cultures and different ways to engage those cultures, and that you may not have all the answers. When I talk about football in a sermon, our Spanish pastor may be talking about soccer, while our Indian pastor may talk about cricket. We all have the ability to relate the same biblical principles in our own cultural context.

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MULTIPLIERS to get in the community. We finally took the greatest leap and started the greatest journey of our lives. That’s when God really started opening doors for us.

Partnering in Church Planting A Q & A W I T H D O U G VA G L E Doug Vagle is founder and lead pastor of The Waters Church (AG) in Sartell, Minnesota.

He is also the Minnesota District Council church planting director.

“I’ve always viewed leaders the same way I do money. The less ownership I have and the looser the grip I hold, the more God will bless it.”

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INFLUENCE: How did The Waters Church get started?

VAGLE: I was approached by Roger Stacy, who was the district church planting director before me. He asked, “Have you ever thought about church planting?” I told Roger “no” right away. Church planting terrified me! I thought it was the last thing I would ever do.

Ultimately, God worked on my heart. I realized fear was the only reason I wasn’t opening my heart and mind to the possibility of planting. We had three children at the time, all under the age of 8, and the security of being on staff at an established church made sense to us.

But God burdened us for Sartell, Minnesota. When we visited Sartell for the first time, the thought was that we just needed

So The Waters Church was the open door.

How has it led to other church plants?

We started the church 11 years ago. We decided on a multiplication plan of planting one church a year beginning in our third year. But we had also just begun the process of purchasing a new building. It was a miracle from God that we were able to even do that!

God put it on us to tithe the funds we raised for the building project. So we put it toward church planting.

Beginning that year and each year after, we’ve been planting or helping to plant one church a year. We’re getting ready to launch our eighth church early next year. God showed us that from our one building He could do something amazing all over. The first Sunday in our new facility we laid hands on John Velsor and his wife and launched them to start their own church, North Star Community Church in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.

How has your experience at The Waters Church prepared you to lead other church planters?

I realized the best way to fill the role as church planting director was to remain in my position as an active multiplier. Instead of coming on full time, I asked to raise up a lead team around me all around the state.

My goal is to connect every church planter in Minnesota to someone else who’s somewhere along the journey themselves. People need to hear from others who have been there and have kept at it and know what they’re going through.

I’ve always viewed leaders the same way I do money. The less ownership I have and the looser the grip I hold, the more God will bless it. When you raise up leaders and send them out, God will not just fill the gap they left but will bless and expand it. I’m not saying it’s easy to give up any leader, but we’re all part of the same church planting family, after all.

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MAKE IT COUNT An Eight-Week Study for Leadership Teams

8 Qualities of a Servant Leader STEPHEN BLANDINO

WHAT IS MAKE IT COUNT?

Week after week, you invest time and energy into making every Sunday count. But you also have to think about staff meetings, board meetings, and meetings with key volunteers and other church leaders.

Juggling so many meetings can seem overwhelming, especially as you think about developing the leaders around you. Effective leaders are continually looking for great leadership content they can use to develop and mentor other leaders. Make It Count is a powerful, little tool to help you accomplish just that.

Each Make It Count lesson is easily adaptable for individual or group discussion, allowing for personal application and reflection among your ministry leaders and lead volunteers. The lessons are useful as devotionals in board and staff meetings and in departmental meetings with your lead volunteers. Studying and growing together is key to building strong and healthy relationships with

your team members, and it is a necessary component to building growing, flourishing churches. These lessons can help you make each moment count as you lead and develop the leaders around you.

The following eight, easyto-use lessons on qualities of a servant leader are written by Stephen Blandino, lead pastor of 7 City Church (AG) in Fort Worth, Texas (7citychurch.com).

He planted 7 City Church in 2012 in a thriving cultural arts disBlandino trict near downtown Fort Worth.

Blandino blogs regularly at stephenblandino.com and is the author of several books, including Do Good Works, Creating Your Church’s Culture, and GO! Starting a Personal Growth Revolution.

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ervant leaders choose to lead by serving and serve by leading. Their concern isn’t praise or prestige. They do not focus on accolades and personal kingdom building. They recognize that service to God and others drives what they do.

Jesus, more than anyone, exhibited the true spirit of servant leadership. He contrasted it with the leadership of the Pharisees, and said to His disciples, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:42–45).

What does it look like to be a

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servant leader? That’s the focus of this edition of Make It Count. We will explore eight qualities of servant leaders: • Service • Humility • Listening • Compassion • Stewardship • Influence • Vision • Empowerment As you and your team cultivate these qualities and practices, servant leadership will become engrained in your life and culture. As you read each lesson, engage in discussion and apply each principle, allow the roots of servant leadership to grow deep within you. The difference it makes will shape who you are as a leader, the engagement of your team, and the realization of the vision God has entrusted to all of you.

HOW TO USE MAKE IT COUNT

We are pleased to make available the Make It Count Discussion Guide in a downloadable PDF, available through the “Downloads” button on Influencemagazine.com.

Each lesson in the PDF Make It Count Discussion Guide is divided into a Leader’s page and Team Member’s page. The Leader’s page corresponds directly to the material in this print issue of the magazine.

We encourage you to print multiple copies of the PDF Discussion Guide from Influencemagazine.com for all your ministry leaders and the team members they lead in your church or organization.

You will notice that key words and concepts are underlined in each lesson on the Leader’s page. These underlined words and phrases correspond to the blank

spaces found on the team member lesson pages. Team members can fill in the blanks as you progress through each lesson’s material.

We trust these lessons will help you make each moment count as you lead and develop the leaders around you.

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MAKE IT COUNT Study

1

8 Qualities of a Servant Leader

Service Assess: How does servant leadership differ from the cultural norms for leadership?

Insights and Ideas

anagement expert Ken Blanchard once said, “Leaders who are servants first will assume leadership only if they see it as the best way they can serve.” Servant leadership is not a flimsy, spineless, half-hearted leadership style that doesn’t deliver results. In fact, servant leadership isn’t a style at all. It’s a nature. It’s who you are.

Robert K. Greenleaf coined the phrase servant leader in an essay he published in 1970.

Greenleaf wrote, “The servant-leader is servant first … . It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.

That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions. … The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.”

The greatest servant leader of all time was Jesus. Not only did He model servant leadership, but He also taught it. One day on their way to Capernaum, the disciples were privately jockeying for position. Once they arrived, Jesus asked, “What were you arguing about on the road?” The silence must have been deafening. Jesus gathered His disciples around Him and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:33–35). Jesus’ point is clear: Service is at the heart of leadership.

Servant leaders are obviously servants. The question is, what are some practical ways servant leaders can serve? While the options are endless, here are two ways to get started: 1. Remove obstacles. Author Max De Pree once said, “The leader is the servant who removes the obstacles that prevent people from doing their jobs.” Good leaders leverage their influence for that very purpose. They continually ask themselves, How can I better serve our team so that we can collectively serve others? Jesus modeled this beautifully when He would ask, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Matthew 20:32; Mark 10:36,51; Luke 18:41). What would happen if you asked each member of your team that question?

2. Release control. One of the best ways to serve your team members is to get out of their way. Stop controlling everything, and learn to trust the people God has placed around you.

Control stifles the three P’s: people, performance and progress. It shrinks trust in people, stunts the performance of the team, and slows the progress of the organization.

Servant leaders lead by serving and serve by leading. Service is at the heart of what they do.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. How do Jesus’ words challenge you: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all”?

2. What obstacles can you remove to best serve your team?

3. What control do you need to relinquish so that your team can flourish?

Apply

Our natural desire is to let others serve us rather than serving them. Read Jesus’ words in Mark 9:33–35, and then take a few minutes to wrestle with this question: When people think of me, do they think of someone who enjoys serving or someone who wants to be served?

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MAKE IT COUNT Study

2

8 Qualities of a Servant Leader

Humility Team Review: What specifically have you done in the last week to serve your team by removing obstacles and releasing control?

Assess: Why is humility a foundational part of servant leadership?

Insights and Ideas

here is a stark difference between Jesus’ leadership and that of the Pharisees. In His indictment of the Pharisees, Jesus said, “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others” (Matthew 23:5–7).

In other words, the Pharisees were consumed with prominence, praise and position.

They were more concerned about image than integrity. Jesus concludes with these words: “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11–12).

Humility is dethroning the attitude of self-promotion and embracing the action of selfless serving. Author John Dickson observes that in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, the word “humble” means “low,” as in “low to the ground.” Used in a negative way, these terms mean “to be put low,” that is, “to be humiliated.” It implies being conquered or put to shame (which was the dominant use of the word in Jesus’ day).

But Dickson notes that when used in a positive way, it means “to lower yourself” or “to be humble.” When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, He wasn’t being humiliated. Jesus was making a noble choice to redirect His power to the benefit of His disciples.

Elisabeth Elliot once said, “The best way to find out whether you really have a servant’s heart is to see what your reaction is when somebody treats you like one.” The Pharisees would have done well to heed this advice. To practice humility in your leadership, do these three things: 1. Celebrate others. Shine the spotlight on other members of the team. Point to their wins, and give honor where honor is due. Give members of your team credit when they are the ones who did the work. Servant leaders are OK with other leaders getting the attention.

2. Elevate others. As team members deliver quality work, elevate their responsibility and authority, empowering them with greater levels of leadership. Secure servant leaders trust people with opportunity and aren’t afraid to give away power.

3. Listen to others. Humility fosters a teachable spirit. When a leader is teachable, he or she listens to the ideas of others and welcomes their honest feedback.

What’s the focus in each step? Others. Humility turns the spotlight off ourselves and focuses on celebrating, elevating and listening to others on the team.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. Why is it so difficult for us to exercise humility in leadership?

2. What challenges you most from Jesus’ teaching on servant leadership in Matthew 23?

3. What are some practical ways you can celebrate, elevate and listen to others on your team?

Apply

What can you do to humble yourself and direct attention to others on the team? Make a list of three ways you can celebrate, elevate and listen to others. Then practice putting these ideas into practice over this next week.

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MAKE IT COUNT Study

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8 Qualities of a Servant Leader

Listening Team Review: How have you celebrated, elevated or listened to others this week?

Assess: If your spouse or a close friend scored your listening skills on a scale from 1 to 10, how would he or she rate you?

Insights and Ideas

here’s no doubt that listening is an essential part of healthy relationships. Because servant leaders are committed to building strong teams, they understand the importance of listening to their team members. Proverbs 18:2 warns us, “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.” Verse 13 says, “To answer before listening — that is folly and shame.”

Listening happens at varying levels. Stephen R. Covey’s Listening Continuum identifies five levels of listening, and it provides great insight on how to improve our listening skills: Level 1: Ignoring. This level of listening isn’t listening at all. Ignoring happens when we wait for the other person to stop talking so we can speak the words we already have in mind.

The listener is generally in a hurry and doesn’t find much value in what the other person is saying.

Level 2: Pretending. At the pretending level of listening, the distracted listener may nod in agreement but isn’t truly engaged. He or she might simultaneously be checking text messages, scrolling through social media or working on a task.

Level 3: Selective. This form of listening takes place cafeteria style. The individual only selects what to hear, typically the part that is of interest or directly meaningful. The listener fails to hear the full context of the message.

Level 4: Attentive. A listener who is attentive focuses on everything the other person is saying. Attentive listeners hear and understand the full message, and even ask follow-up questions. Attentive listening often happens between good friends or in a situation where participants are engaged in planning something important.

Level 5: Empathic. The highest level of listening is empathic. Not only does the listener focus on the person who is speaking, listening carefully to the words, but he or she understands the feelings and emotions behind the words. The empathic listener chooses to listen with the heart, not just the ears.

Servant leaders work hard to listen at the empathic level. They don’t just want to hear what’s being said; they want the person they’re speaking with to feel heard. They attune not just their ears, but their hearts. Listening often leads to action. Therefore, it only makes sense to listen in such a way that the action can reflect the wisdom of the rest of the team.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. Why is listening so difficult among our teams?

2. Which of the five levels of listening best describes you?

3. What practical things can you do to become an empathic listener?

Apply

Becoming an empathic listener is critical if you want to thrive as a servant leader. Identify a member of your team you know you listen to at a lower level. What are two things you can do to make that person feel valued and heard? Put those steps into practice this week.

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8 Qualities of a Servant Leader

Compassion Team Review: What did you do in the last week to practice empathic listening?

Assess: What actions can servant leaders take to show compassion for those they lead?

Insights and Ideas

ompassionate leadership is often in short supply. The results-driven side of leadership can easily silence compassion and empathy. We see the needs, but we aren’t moved to act. Busyness gets in the way. The pace of leadership bulldozes the priority of people.

Jesus was busy, but not too busy for compassion. There were times when Jesus pulled away from the crowds to be with His disciples. He valued time alone, investing in His inner circle, and preparing them for the most important mission history would ever know.

On one occasion, as they were departing by boat to get some rest, large crowds ran ahead to meet them. When Jesus saw the crowds, He responded like a servant leader (because He is one). Mark 6:34 says, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” In this passage, Jesus expresses compassion in three ways: 1. Making space. Jesus made space for the crowds. Remember, Jesus’ original plan was to get away with His disciples to a quiet place where they could rest. Instead, Jesus set aside His agenda and made time to be with the crowds. That’s where compassion begins — carving out space in our calendars. Without time, compassion is nothing more than a noble, yet fleeting, thought.

2. Teaching truth. Mark 6:34 says that after He was moved with compassion, Jesus “began teaching them many things.” Compassion compelled Jesus to satisfy the spiritual appetite of the crowd. He imparted transformative, grace-filled truth that the religious leaders of the day couldn’t match.

3. Meeting needs. Late in the day, the disciples told Jesus to send the people away to get something to eat. Jesus had a different idea. His compassion started by feeding their spirits, but it ended by feeding their stomachs. Thousands of hungry people ate when Jesus miraculously multiplied five loaves and two fish. That’s compassionate servant leadership.

Here’s what I find interesting. After Jesus taught and fed the people, He withdrew with His disciples and prayed. Remember, that was His original plan. Therein lies an important lesson: Compassion doesn’t replace your priorities; it simply makes room for people. Jesus didn’t shun the crowds; He served them. His compassion drove Him to action. And because He maintained His priorities of rest and prayer, Jesus had the emotional reserves to make room for compassion.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. Why is it so hard for us to make space for compassion in our day-to-day leadership?

2. What does it look like to teach truth in a spirit of compassion?

3. What needs can you meet within your team that demonstrate genuine compassion?

Apply

Read Mark 6:30–44. How does Jesus’ compassion inspire you to serve? What can you begin doing this week to express deeper compassion to the people and teams you lead and serve?

Identify what making space for compassion looks like for you, and then take your first steps this week.

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8 Qualities of a Servant Leader

Stewardship Team Review: What insights did you glean about compassion and leadership from the life of Jesus? How are you becoming a more compassionate servant leader?

Assess: How does a servant leader practice wise stewardship?

Insights and Ideas

ervant leaders recognize that serving requires the wise stewardship of time, talent, treasure, and other resources available to the leader. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus shares the Parable of the Bags of Gold. In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a master who entrusted his wealth to three servants. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags of gold, and to a third servant one bag of gold (Matthew 25:14–30).

Matthew 25:19 says, “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.” Great reward awaited the first two servants, who doubled the master’s wealth. But the third servant faced judgment for his poor stewardship. From this parable, we discover three important truths about stewardship: 1. Stewardship is a trust, not a possession. A trust is anything God has placed in your care, whereas a possession is something that belongs to you. The time, talent and treasure you oversee is a trust. It doesn’t belong to you, but rather it is entrusted to your care. The amount you’ve been entrusted with isn’t the focus of the parable; what you do with it is what matters. God will entrust you with leadership opportunity that is directly proportionate to your character and leadership ability.

2. Stewardship is management, not ownership. In the parable, the master was the owner, but the servants were stewards. A steward manages the wealth of the owner, with the owner’s interests in mind. This is the true heart of management. God is the rightful owner of all that we have — including our leadership influence. Are you managing that influence with His interests in mind?

3. Stewardship is faithfulness, not recklessness. The first two servants managed the owner’s wealth wisely. The third servant gave nothing but excuses. The first two servants were faithful, while the third was reckless in his management of the resources entrusted to him.

God doesn’t judge us on the size of our ability, but on the stewardship of our ability.

As servant leaders, we know God has entrusted us with time, money, influence and talent. Like the three servants, the Lord will hold us accountable for how we manage these resources.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. What other lessons on stewardship can you glean from the Parable of the Bags of Gold?

2. What adjustments do you need to make in your perspective toward stewardship?

3. In what area do you need to be a better steward of your life and leadership?

Apply

Take some time to do a stewardship audit of five areas: time, influence, personal finances, organizational budget and talent. On a scale from 1 to 10, how well are you managing these resources with God’s interests in mind? What step(s) can you take to improve in each area?

Put together a plan, and take your first step this week.

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8 Qualities of a Servant Leader

Influence Team Review: In what area were you most challenged to improve your stewardship of the resources God has entrusted to you?

Assess: What does it look like for a servant leader to exert influence?

Insights and Ideas

eadership is influence. It’s the ability to persuade people toward a clear vision or a specific outcome. The question is, “How do you exert influence to achieve a God-given vision?” Common forms of influence include the following: Positional influence. The lowest form of influence is tied to the leader’s title. The only thing a title does is buy a leader a little bit of time to prove what kind of leader he or she truly is. In that short window of time, wise leaders build influence that no longer requires the position or title to motivate team members.

Expert influence. Some leaders have influence because of their expertise on a specific topic or in a certain field. They’ve delivered remarkable performance, and, as a result, people listen to them. This is often the case with sports figures and other leaders at the top of their industries.

Relational influence. The people who have impacted us the most are usually those with whom we have the deepest relationship. As you build relationships with your team members, they will follow you not because they have to, but because they want to.

Servant influence. This form of influence is rooted in the character and spirituality of the leader as the primary source for serving others. These leaders influence by the weight of who they are as individuals. People respect and follow them because of the depth of their integrity and spirituality, and their commitment to serving people, not themselves.

Servant leaders lean heavily into servant-based influence. In her book, Dare to Serve, Cheryl Bachelder, former CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, writes, “The leader must have both — the courage to take the people to a daring destination and the humility to selflessly serve others on the journey. This dynamic tension between daring and serving creates the conditions for superior performance.”

Bachelder goes on to note three traps to avoid when it comes to leadership: power, achievement and ambition. When leaders use power, achievement and ambition primarily for their own benefit, selfishness sits in the driver’s seat of influence.

Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:18–20).

What kind of fruit does your influence exhibit?

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Reflect and Discuss

1. Which type of influence best describes you right now?

2. What can you do to better engage relational and servant influence?

3. Which leadership trap most tempts you: power, achievement or ambition?

Apply

Do an assessment of your influence and the traps to which you are most prone. What is one thing you can do this week to engage more in servant-based influence, and what can you do to mitigate the trap — power, achievement or ambition — that most tempts you? Share your observations with a trusted leader, and ask him or her to hold you accountable.

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8 Qualities of a Servant Leader

Vision Team Review: What did you learn about your source of influence as a leader, and what changes are you making to exert influence in a God-honoring way?

Assess: What role does vision play in a servant leader’s life?

Insights and Ideas

roverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.” This verse is a picture of people running aimlessly without direction when vision is absent.

Servant leaders recognize the importance of vision in rallying people around a God-given picture of the future. The difference is servant leaders view vision as a landscape, not a portrait.

Portrait visions focus on one person — the leader. The vision is nothing more than a portrait of the leader, elevating his or her ego, desires and ambitions. But servant leaders see vision as a landscape. Landscape visions are big and bold, with plenty of blue sky, but wide enough to include the entire team, not just the leader.

In her book, Dare to Serve, Cheryl Bachelder, former CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, describes this vision as a “daring destination.” She observes, “A Dare-to-Serve Leader pursues a daring destination for the people and the enterprise. You can’t serve the people well if you don’t have aspirations for the team to be wildly successful.”

Bachelder offers five steps to pursue a daring destination: 1. Provide a daring destination. The leader must clearly articulate this daring destination, and the team must share it.

2. Focus on the vital few. Focus your time and energy on the activities (particularly the hard things) that are critical to seeing the vision move forward.

3. Commit the resources to reach the destination. If you’re not willing to put your money where your mouth is, there’s no point in rallying the troops around a vision.

4. Bring out the best in people. Peter Drucker once said, “So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.” Our job is to believe in people and remove the obstacles that keep them from thriving.

5. Have the courage to measure and report progress. You can’t make good decisions if you don’t have good data. Once you collect the data, it’s important to put it to work for you.

Bachelder writes, “Measurements matter only if you plan to act upon what you learn.”

Servant leaders embrace all five steps because they understand you cannot serve the vision God calls your team to pursue without each of them. These steps help you clarify, pursue and measure the vision.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. Can you and your team state the vision of your church clearly?

2. Which of the five steps Cheryl Bachelder offers is your biggest challenge?

3. According to Bachelder, “You can’t serve the people well if you don’t have aspirations for the team to be wildly successful.” How have you found this to be true?

Apply

Reflect on the five steps to achieving a daring destination. Which of these five do you need to focus on first? Put together a plan to improve, and then continue through each step until you and your team are seeing maximum traction toward your God-given vision.

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8 Qualities of a Servant Leader

Empowerment Team Review: What part of your vision (daring destination) are you working on right now?

Assess: On a scale from 1 to 10, how good are you at empowering other leaders? What evidence can you point toward to support your evaluation?

Insights and Ideas

ervant leaders do not hoard power or control. Jesus, the greatest servant leader of all, was a master at releasing His team to do ministry. We can see one example of this in the Gospel of Luke.

“When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: ‘Take nothing for the journey — no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere” (Luke 9:1–6).

From Jesus’ example, we observe four empowerment principles: 1. Empowerment starts with a team. Jesus “called the Twelve together.” While it’s an obvious principle, it’s worth mentioning: If you don’t have the ability to attract others, you’ll never have anyone to empower. When you cultivate relational equity with people and deliver some attractive (even small) wins in your ministry, people will begin to pay attention.

2. Empowerment requires authority. Jesus “gave them power and authority.” He didn’t simply delegate a task and then micromanage their performance. Jesus gave His disciples the authority they would need to accomplish the task at hand.

3. Empowerment includes instruction. Jesus gave His disciples specific instructions to ensure a successful journey. This certainly wasn’t where His instructions began.

Jesus had already invested significantly in their lives — an investment that would prepare them for a lifetime of successful ministry.

4. Empowerment involves an assignment. Verse 6 says, “So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.”

Jesus released His leaders to do the work of ministry. He gave them a specific assignment, and then sent them on their way.

Each of these ingredients — a team, authority, instruction and an assignment — is essential if you want to empower people successfully. Vision is important because it rallies the troops, but empowerment is what gives the troops a place to make a difference.

It’s not just the vision that gives people meaning; it’s also the opportunity to play a role in seeing that vision become reality.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. Are you more of a doer or an empowerer?

2. What have you done to recruit a solid team? Who are three people you need to have a conversation with about serving alongside you?

3. Which of the four empowerment principles most needs your attention?

Apply

Take a few minutes to evaluate your team members. What do they need from you to excel in their areas of leadership? What would it look like for you to empower them the way Jesus empowered His disciples? Identify your next steps, and then elevate your empowerment practice today.

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THE FINAL NOTE

‘Help Those Boys’ CHRISTINA QUICK

On average, 115 Americans die every day from opioid overdose.

Christina Quick is assistant editor of Influence magazine.

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pioid use in America is at epidemic levels, and the problem is hitting home. According to a recent Gallup poll, 30 percent of U.S. adults say drug abuse has caused trouble in their families. That is the largest share since Gallup first posed the question and a significant increase since the last poll in 2005, when the figure was 22 percent.

Gallup cites rising opioid use as the likely reason for the disturbing trend. The White House last year declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency. From July 2016 to September 2017, the Midwest saw opioid overdoses increase 70 percent, while overdoses in large cities increased by 54 percent in 16 states across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On average, 115 Americans die every day from opioid overdose.

There is a thief among us seeking to “steal and kill and destroy,” but we serve a Savior who came that “they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the

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founding of Teen Challenge. In 1958, a young Assemblies of God pastor in rural Pennsylvania saw a magazine story about teenage gang members on trial for murder in New York City. As David Wilkerson began to weep for people he had never met in a city he had never visited, he heard God say, “Go and help those boys.” The result was Teen Challenge, a ministry that has helped thousands of people find freedom from addiction and new hope in Jesus. It started with one man who listened to the voice of God. Ask God to give you His heart for a lost and broken world. And then listen carefully, because making a difference isn’t about having the loudest voice. It’s about hearing and responding to a still, small voice.