The Future-Ready Pastor

ISSUE 25 / SEPT_ OCT 2019

NATE RUCH / MARK DEYMAZ / DALE STEPHENS

T H E F U T U R ER E A D Y P A S T O R

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2019

Influence | 1

MAGAZINE

THE SHAPE OF LEADERSHIP INFLUENCE MAGAZINE

S U B S C R I P T I O N S

1445 N. Boonville Avenue Springfield, MO 65802-1894 Influence magazine is published by Influence Resources.

Publisher: Douglas E. Clay Executive Director, Influence Resources: Chris Railey Executive Editor: George P. Wood Managing Editor: Rick Knoth Senior Editor: John Davidson Assistant Editor: Christina Quick Contributing Editor: Chris Colvin Designer: Steve Lopez Advertising Coordinator: Ron Kopczick

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CONTRIBUTORS Donna Barrett, Stephen Blandino, Aaron Cole, Chris Colvin, John Davidson, Mark DeYmaz, Jonathan and Nicole Ember, Elizabeth Farina, Doug and Crystal Heisel, Scott Holmes, Matthew D. Kim, Wayne and Kristi Northup, Christina Quick, Chris Railey, Nate Ruch, Brandon and Casey Shank, R. Dale Stephens Jr., Preston Ulmer, Scott Wilson, George P. Wood

S P E C I A L T H A N K S Douglas E. Clay, Alton Garrison, Donna L. Barrett, Rick DuBose, Greg Mundis, Malcolm Burleigh

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Copyright © 2019 by The General Council of the Assemblies of God, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO 65802-1894.

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2019

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CONTENTS

ISSUE_25/SEPT_OCT 2019

6 If You Ask Me

R E F L E C T I O N S O N L E A D E R S H I P

Shoulder to Shoulder

8 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

Casting Vision, Engaging Mission A Q&A With Scott Holmes

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10 Like a Leader TOOLS FOR PERSONAL AND CONGREGATIONAL GROWTH

• Live: Relational Wisdom and Prayer

• Think: Be Our Guest

• Learn: Mentorship From a Distance and Selected Book Reviews

18 Playbook 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: Better Together

• Know: God Speaks Into the Tender Moment

• Invest: Leading Your Board

• Ethics: Virtual Gossip

30 THE FUTURE-READY PASTOR Every church will undergo a transition of leadership. It matters how you prepare for that moment.

NATE RUCH

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42 MOVE OVER GENEROSITY

The coming revolution in church economics requires thinking beyond the offering plate.

MARK DEYMAZ

54 A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE POOR

How to leverage your church’s social capital.

R. DALE STEPHENS JR.

62 Multipliers

LEADERS LEVERAGING THEIR GIFTS FOR GOD’S KINGDOM

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Sharing a Call to Plant

• Doug and Crystal Heisel: A Church for Those With No Church Experience

• Jonathan and Nicole Ember: A Diverse Church for a Diverse City

• Brandon and Casey Shank: Seasons and Priorities in Church Planting

• Wayne and Kristi Northup: Individual Callings, Joint Pastoring

70 Make It Count

AN EIGHT-WEEK STUDY FOR LEADERSHIP TEAMS

Building a Culture of Evaluation: Eight Insightful Studies

80 The Final Note

Salt of the Earth

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IF YOU ASK ME

Reflections on leadership

Shoulder to Shoulder CHRIS RAILEY recently had the opportunity to attend the celebration of life service for a great man, a hero in the faith, Dr. Tom Wilson. He pastored Oak Cliff Assembly of God in Dallas and founded the Life School charter school system that serves over 5,000 students in North Texas. His life inspired and challenged me because of all he accomplished, the number of people he impacted, and the incredible life of love he lived. It was obvious during the service how many people were touched by Wilson’s life and felt in some way they stood on his shoulders. In fact, his son, Scott, described him as having a “shoulder ministry.” He lived so the next generation could go further and do more than he did.

Living for the success of others is too often the opposite of what we see in ministry leaders today. I’m ashamed to say it is the opposite of what I see in myself at times. In the heart of ministry leaders exists a propensity for possessiveness. Conscious or not, our focus can be more on our ambition, our place, and our achievement than on setting up those around us and those coming behind us in ministry.

Possessiveness in ministry exacerbates control issues, leads to ego-driven leadership, and creates barriers for the development and success of the next generation. Simply put,

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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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possessiveness is one of the great spiritual threats facing ministers today.

The challenge for every ministry leader is to daily release our place, role and outcome in ministry to God. Surrendering our ministry to Him is similar to offering an infant to God during baby dedication. When we dedicate a baby to the Lord, we are saying this baby is not ours but His. We are simply stewards of the child for a time. Surrendering children to the Lord is a guard against the possessiveness we might feel over them.

We need to do the same with our ministry — surrender it to God and accept that we are stewards of it for a time. Our ministry, our church and the people we serve are not ours to possess; they are His to do as He wills.

When we move beyond possessiveness to surrender, we are more fully able to live for the success of others than for our own advancement. We develop the heart of a spiritual father or mother to the next generation, so they can stand on our shoulders and go further and do more than we did.

That is the heart of God and what the Church desperately needs. That is what influence is all about.

In this issue of Influence, you’ll hear from leaders who are learning the meaning of shoulder to shoulder ministry for the good of the gospel and others.

In the cover article, “The Future-Ready Pastor,” Nate Ruch talks about the tsunami of succession issues facing American churches and lays out a plan that will prepare your church for succession long before it happens.

In “Move Over Generosity,” Mark DeYmaz explains why the coming revolution in church economics requires thinking beyond the offering plate and offers ways churches can increase funding for the purpose of advancing the gospel. And in “A Better Way to Serve the Poor,” R. Dale Stephens Jr. provides practical guidance on utilizing a church’s social capital for the betterment of vulnerable families.

I pray this issue of Influence moves you forward in faith and in the power of the Spirit.

GET SET

Leaders Impacting the Church and Culture

CASTING VISION, ENGAGING MISSION A Q&A WITH SCOTT HOLMES

“It’s necessary to constantly challenge the process, evaluate the product, and determine if there is a better way forward.”

Scott Holmes serves as superintendent of the Louisiana Ministry Network, a position he has held for the past five years. His previous ministry includes serving as senior pastor of Life Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, and missions work in the Marshall Islands and Siberia, where he focused on leadership development and church planting.

INFLUENCE: What are some of the challenges of district leadership?

HOLMES: Moving from missionary, church planter and local pastor into a district office setting was certainly different. Challenges abound in all areas of ministry, but in this current responsibility three areas top the list: developing true relationships that produce genuine partnership; identifying ministry that will genuinely benefit our leaders; and building community across previous long-standing boundaries of method, geography and culture.

The first year was spent traveling, listening and connecting to our leaders all across Louisiana. I find we often provide ministry no one is wanting or needing, so letting our leaders forge the foundation of need made it easier to develop a clear vision.

You led a culture shift throughout the network. Explain what that looked like and why it was needed.

We’ve all heard culture eats vision for breakfast. Healthy culture is paramount for strong vision to become reality. Our culture sculpting started by asking: What are we doing?

Why are we doing this? Are the right people leading the charge, and are the results moving us closer to our defined win?

It’s necessary to constantly challenge the

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process, evaluate the product, and determine if there is a better way forward. Some answers were not pleasant to hear. We were declining in numbers, aging and homogeneous in leadership. We realized some of our culture was a result of evolution instead of intelligent design. Our leaders began to privately reshape the what and publicly declare the why. We used every means available to communicate the reasoning behind all the change.

What words express the network’s vision, and why are they significant?

Unity, diversity and multiplication are the big three. Unity is about relationship, tribe, purpose and mission. We fight for unity, and we protect each other, even those who do church differently. According to Psalm 133, unity positions our entire network for a blessing.

Diversity drives us together, not apart.

Our state is racially and ethnically diverse.

Therefore, our leadership must be as well.

Modeling diversity keeps us working hard to ensure that uniformity and homogeneity are never our goal in programs, personnel or final products. Diversity is intentional.

We often say we will be intentional until it becomes organic.

Multiplication is all about our drive to be obedient to the Great Commission. Multiplication is about more communities reached, more leaders developed, and more churches planted.

How does church planting fit into the network’s overall vision for the future?

A goal of the network is to plant 100 churches in the next decade. This goal is a step of great faith and a bold declaration to do what has never been done in Louisiana over any 10-year period of our existence. This passion is becoming part of our culture as we champion church planting, celebrate church planters, and challenge churches to get involved.

We know we must be proactive and aggressive in leadership development and create new on-ramps of involvement.

You define a win for the network as a set of numbers: 30, 40, 50, 300, 800.

Explain.

This set of numbers represents wins in five categories and helps us stay focused on the end result of everything we do. Every action must move us closer to our win.

Thirty percent is our goal for diversity.

Our leadership is currently 95 percent Caucasian.

Forty represents the dropping of our

average age of credentialed ministers from 55 to 40 years.

Fifty is the percentage of women we want to see in leadership, compared to 26 percent today.

Three-hundred is our 10-year goal for the number of strong and healthy churches.

The goal of 800 Spirit-empowered leaders keeps our focus on leadership development and creating pathways for our next generation of leaders.

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LIVE LIKE A LEADER

OTHERS-AWARE SELF-AWARE GOD-AWARE

GOD-ENGAGED SELF-ENGAGED OTHERS-ENGAGED

Relational Wisdom and Prayer DONNA L. BARRETT

Being aware of and engaged with God, self, and others when we pray.

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ears ago, I went to a prayer meeting attended by three other people who discussed in detail the “prayer requests” on their lists for more than 90 minutes (without exaggeration). Then they “wrapped up” the prayer time by asking God to care for those needs. On my way out the door, I thought, Never again!

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You’ve likely had similar thoughts about experiences at prayer meetings. Maybe you’ve asked yourself, Why is that person screaming into the microphone when they pray? or What do those words even mean that I’ve never heard in my life? or How could I ever agree with that person in prayer when they’re mumbling so softly I can’t hear a word they’re saying?

You could probably add some comical

stories about prayer meetings that have sent people running away, determined never to return. Sometimes it’s the practical and obvious elements that level the praying field and allow others to engage in the experience. It can be a matter of fine-tuning our focus to the people and prayer practices at hand.

Possibly the best grid I’ve found to drop over a prayer meeting to create an experience and atmosphere that engage everyone present through personal awareness are the principles Ken Sande teaches in his Relational Wisdom 360 material (rw360.org).

4. Become others-engaged: In the context of prayer, how can I encourage, cooperate and build bridges with others so they can grow in their participation in prayer?

5. Become God-aware: In the context of prayer, how can I tune in to what God wants for this prayer time and what is His will among us?

6. Become God-engaged: How can I trust, obey, and engage God in a way that pleases and honors Him and draws others into this time of prayer?

Relational Wisdom

Now let’s look at how Jesus applied these principles when He prayed.

When Jesus was at the tomb of Lazarus, He was a great example of practicing relational wisdom. (You can read the entire account of the death and resurrection of Lazarus in John 11.) Let’s consider how Jesus did this: 1. Jesus was others-aware when He noticed their grief. He was others-engaged when He listened, shared, wept, and prayed with the audience in mind: short and loud.

2. Jesus was self-aware when He tuned in to His own emotions and outwardly wept!

He was self-engaged because Jesus wasn’t offended when Lazarus’ family expressed disappointment that He hadn’t arrived sooner.

3. What is most important is how Jesus was tuned in to His Heavenly Father. He was Godaware in that He already knew God’s intention for that event was a resurrection, not a healing — that God’s priority wasn’t Mary’s comfort, but God’s glory. Jesus was Godengaged by praying in advance of His arrival at the home of Mary and Martha, listening to God’s timing (not other people’s or even His own), and engaging God boldly at the site of the tomb.

What great modeling Jesus provides for us in this powerful scene!

How relational wisdom plays out in specific acts of prayer is limitless, but applying these six skills will help both make you a better prayer and level the praying field for others.

My favorite definition of relational wisdom is emotional intelligence from a Christian perspective blended with the God factor. Sande identifies relational wisdom as “your ability to discern emotions, interests and abilities in yourself and others, to interpret this information in the light of God’s Word, and to use these insights to manage your responses and relationships successfully.”

Sande has organized the Bible’s teaching on relational wisdom into six core skills grouped into three pairs: (1) how we relate to God; (2) how we relate to ourselves; and (3) how we relate to others. Each of these three skill groups has an “awareness” component (what we see and understand) and an “engaging” component (what we do and say).

When we drop this grid of relational wisdom over prayer, it helps us level the praying field for others to participate. Let’s look more closely: 1. Become self-aware: In the context of prayer, how can I honestly discern my own interests, values, emotions, strengths and weaknesses?

2. Become self-engaged: In the context of prayer, how can I manage my thoughts, emotions, words and actions so they advance God’s purposes?

3. Become others-aware: In the context of prayer, how can I understand and empathize with the experiences, emotions and interests of others?

Jesus’ Relational Wisdom

Donna L. Barrett is general secretary of the Assemblies of God. This article is adapted with permission from her book, Leveling the Praying Field: Helping Every Person Talk to God and Hear from God (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 2019).

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THINK LIKE A LEADER

Be Our Guest M AT T H E W D . K I M

Common sense principles for hosting guest speakers.

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t happened again.

I recently received an invitation to speak, but the plethora of unanswered questions left me feeling confused.

I thought, How can I possibly respond to this without knowing all the details?

It’s an important question, but one many potential speakers are hesitant to ask. The fact is, churches can treat speakers better simply by being courteous, clear, generous, appreciative and prayerful. It’s really a matter of etiquette.

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Be Courteous

It’s courteous to let a potential speaker know upfront whether your church will provide an honorarium. If so, state clearly what the honorarium amount will be. Prepare the check in advance so you can hand it to the speaker immediately after the service or speaking engagement.

Some church leaders expect speakers to come for free out of a misguided belief that it’s more spiritual to serve on a voluntary basis.

Others guilt, shame or manipulate those who decline their speaking requests. Such attitudes are rude and unfair.

When there is no honorarium, it’s important to communicate that in the invitation

letter and not after the person shows up to speak. Failing to mention the honorarium puts the speaker in the awkward position of having to ask about it.

The reality is people frequently take advantage of guest ministers. Be courteous and upfront about the honorarium.

In addition, ask the speaker about any dietary restrictions — prior to the event — especially when meals are involved.

Be Clear

Tell the speaker what the expectations will be from start to finish. What are the dates and times — and, yes, even year — of this event?

Is there a certain topic, theme or passage the speaker should cover? How many times will he or she speak? How many minutes do you expect the person to speak for each session? What other services or activities do you envisage for this speaker?

Also be clear about incurred expenses.

Will you cover all travel expenses, including flight and/or mileage, airport parking, rental car, food, lodging and tips? Do you provide for these expenses in advance, or do you expect the speaker to make arrangements and receive reimbursement later? Are physical copies of receipts mandatory for reimbursement? Are there general guidelines for spending limits in each of these categories?

Are you asking for a spouse to attend, and, if so, who will be responsible for paying his or her travel expenses?

If you plan to send a reimbursement check for out-of-pocket expenses, get it in the mail as quickly as possible.

Be Generous

When setting the honorarium amount, the church often fails to consider the time that goes into preaching or teaching, traveling, speaking at multiple worship services, staying for fellowship, etc.

Remember, this speaker is devoting time to your church’s needs — time he or she could spend with family, fulfilling other important responsibilities or even relaxing.

The honorarium is taxable income the speaker must report, and it’s often taxed at higher percentages. I recently paid more than 40 percent in federal taxes on an honorarium for a workshop I led. Send speakers a 1099 tax form early in the new year so they can properly report federal and state taxes.

Provide the guest speaker with mileage reimbursement, ideally at the standard IRS rate, and pay for tolls and parking meters, and other expenses, if applicable.

Be Appreciative

Showing appreciation isn’t the same as providing monetary compensation. Thank the speaker upon arrival. Before introducing the speaker, become familiar with his or her background so you can cover the information properly and sufficiently. Use titles and honorific forms if the person comes from an ethnic or cultural tradition where this is the normal practice.

Mail a thank you card that reiterates your appreciation in written form.

Be Prayerful

Finally, pray fervently for your speaker.

This is a foundational element that’s easy to overlook in the midst of lining up speakers for weekend services, conferences or other events.

Preaching and teaching are spiritual work. It’s more than just putting together a well-crafted sermon, Bible lesson, workshop or lecture. The apostle Paul regularly asked churches to pray for him. With many such prayer requests, God used Paul to bring salvation to Jews and Gentiles and transform countless lives for Christ. He can do the same today through speakers and the people who are supporting them in prayer.

The next time you invite a guest speaker, be courteous, clear, generous, appreciative and prayerful. Following these five principles of etiquette is a great way to show love and hospitality to those who are partnering with you for the sake of the gospel.

Matthew D. Kim is associate professor of preaching and ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, and the author of Preaching with Cultural Intelligence: Understanding the People Who Hear Our Sermons (Baker Academic, 2017).

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LEARN LIKE A LEADER

Mentorship From a Distance PRESTON ULMER

We have the opportunity to walk the paths of those who are living the life God is calling us to pursue.

Preston Ulmer is director of network development for the Church Multipliction Network in Springfield, Missouri.

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ave you ever desired to have a mentor? In his book, Augustine as Mentor, author Edward Smither states that mentorship is one of the oldest practices in the history of the Church. According to Smither, a mentor in the traditional sense is a growing disciple and winsome model for imitation, one who demonstrates both skill and faithfulness. Who wouldn’t want to learn from a leader like that?

The problem is most of us are busy, bombarded and bullied by our demanding schedules. It’s an ever-present tension: Good leaders set good examples for us to follow.

Yet following good leaders requires spending time with them. That is not always possible — unless there is a third option.

You do not have to move somewhere to go somewhere. With the compounding efforts and limitless resources of information on YouTube, podcasts and e-books, we have the opportunity to walk the paths of those who are living the life God is calling us to pursue.

Keep your busy life, and still get to where you need to go!

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Identify who is doing what you want to be doing. Whether it’s personal fitness or church growth, the principle holds true: Someone is doing what you want to be doing. These people have walked the path to get there, and mastered competencies and values you dream of acquiring. The first step to receiving mentoring from a distance is to identify who you want as a mentor.

Become familiar with all the mentor’s material. If mentorship involves imitation, it is important to think like the people you admire.

Look for podcasts, books, articles and other available original content. This doesn’t mean you can only learn from megachurch pastors with dozens of published books. You might benefit from following the blog of a seasoned leader of a smaller church. The key to this step is simple: Practice a lot of listening.

Discover the path your mentor took to arrive where you want to go. When you drive, highway signs direct you toward your destination.

Similarly, the route your mentor took can help guide you on your journey.

Seek out the people doing it around you.

There is power in proximity. In The Proximity Principle, Ken Coleman wrote, “When you’re around the right people in the right places, what happens is opportunity.”

Learning from a distance is one way to get where you want to go without having to sacrifice what you have right in front of you.

THE SPIRITUAL CULTURE IN WHICH FAITH GROWS BEST s a parent of three elementary school children, I am concerned about the spiritual culture in which they are coming of age. Some of that concern rises from issues specific to the city and state in which we live. Much of that concern, however, rises from trends generally observable across America.

Three recent books helped me better understand these trends and showed me specific actions that can create an optimal faith-forming environment for my children and their peers.

The first is The Myth of the Dying Church

by Glenn T. Stanton, director of Global Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family.

Stanton debunks two false claims: (1) “Christianity has been declining dramatically over the last decade, with people simply losing interest in it and going elsewhere”; and (2) some, if not most, kids raised in church, as well as their friends, are “highly unlikely to hang on to their faith as they get older.”

Both claims have a statistical basis. The number of Americans who identify as “nones” — i.e., people with no religious affiliation — has in fact risen dramatically in recent years. Additionally, the younger the American, the more likely he or she is to be a “none.”

Stanton’s close examination of those statistics reveals a more nuanced picture, however.

Regarding (1), “nones” are largely people who had weak ties to Christianity to begin with.

Their rise, then, is not a story of deconversion (Christians losing faith) as much as denominalization (nominal Christians dropping the label). Practicing Christians, especially nondenominational evangelicals, are holding steady, if not growing.

Regarding (2), parents who actively practice their faith are very successful in transmitting that faith to their children. Stanton outlines seven specific practices in a chapter humorously titled, “Passing Faith to Our Kids Is Neither a Crapshoot Nor Rocket

A

Science.” This chapter, drawing on mainstream social science, filled me with hope for my children’s future.

I am not only a dad, however; I am also a minister. It’s great if parents in my church can successfully transmit their faith, but the church is also supposed to evangelize and disciple people who have no faith background whatsoever. Are these people open to the gospel? Can we successfully reach them?

In You Found Me, Rick Richardson answers “Yes!” to both questions. Drawing on original research from the Billy Graham Center Institute at Wheaton (Illinois) College, which he directs, Richardson writes, “Unchurched people are much more receptive and interested in spiritual conversations and invitations to congregations than we might think from reports in the media.”

The crucial question is whether churches are willing to engage these people proactively. Using the top 10 percent of conversion-growth churches, Richardson identifies the culture and practices of a “conversion community,” meaning, “a congregation that is seeing changed lives and growing primarily through reaching new people rather than by adding already churched people from some other congregations.”

Crucially, these churches do not pit evangelism and social outreach against one another.

Richardson states the matter this way: “The most effective churches consistently combine serving their communities and connecting to unchurched people. Conversion growth and community influence go together.”

The third book is Faith for Exiles by David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock. Kinnaman is president of Barna Group, a research and communications company, and Matlock is principal of WisdomWorks, a consulting firm for faith-based organizations. If You Found Me focuses on the top 10 percent of conversion-growth churches, Faith for Exiles focuses on the top 10 percent of young adults who were raised in church and most actively practice their faith, calling them “resilient disciples.”

Creating an optimal faith-forming environment for your children and their peers.

Books reviewed by

George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine.

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Taken together, these books paint a hopeful, wellrounded picture of the spiritual culture in which personal faith grows best.

Kinnaman and Matlock argue that “insufficient discipleship” is the primary reason why young adults who grew up in church do not continue to practice their faith into adulthood. By contrast, based on original research by Barna, they identify five specific practices that characterize resilient disciples: (1) “experiencing Jesus,” (2) “cultural discernment,” (3) “meaningful, intergenerational relationships,” (4) “vocational discipleship,” and (5) “countercultural mission.” The book’s five chapters develop each of these practices at length.

Each of these books is valuable by itself, but taken together, they paint a hopeful,

RECOMMENDED READING FOR LEADERS

well-rounded picture of the spiritual culture in which personal faith grows best. Obviously, the convicting and convincing work of the Holy Spirit plays the most important role in evangelism and discipleship, but these books demonstrate that parents, churches and young adults also play a role in the transmission and ownership of the faith.

BOOKS REVIEWED David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock, Faith for Exiles (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2019).

Rick Richardson, You Found Me (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2019).

Glenn T. Stanton, The Myth of the Dying Church (New York: Worthy Publishing, 2019).

By Influence Magazine

DISCIPLING IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD Ajith Fernando (Crossway) In Discipling in a Multicultural World, Ajith Fernando outlines “biblical principles about discipling” and presents “examples about how they apply in daily life and ministry.” Fernando uses the metaphor of “spiritual parenting” to describe discipleship. The majority of his book examines what the Bible says about three kinds of transformation — of beliefs, experiences and behaviors. Throughout, Fernando highlights the roles of Scripture, prayer, the discernment of right and wrong, and the experience of healing in the discipleship process. This book is the fruit of mature biblical reflection and decades of practical ministry experience.

KEYS TO THE APOSTOLIC AND PROPHETIC Joseph S. Girdler and Carolyn Tennant (Meadow Stream) “The apostolic and prophetic are Godgiven roles to strengthen, train, and help bring the Church to maturity and wholeness,” write Joseph S. Girdler and Carolyn Tennant. Unfortunately, because of abuses of these

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two spiritual gifts, many Pentecostals downplay their importance. The correct response to abuse is not disuse, however, but proper use. Keys to the Apostolic and Prophetic focuses on the spiritual purpose and healthy functioning of these gifts in the life of the local church and lives of individual believers. In an age of self-appointed “apostles” and “prophets,” it emphasizes the importance of Christ-centeredness and moral character.

WHEN TO WALK AWAY Gary Thomas (Zondervan) The Church’s mission, like its Savior’s, is “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

Christian ministry, therefore, requires serving difficult people. Difficult does not mean toxic, however. In When to Walk Away, Gary Thomas defines “toxic people” as those with one or more of three characteristics: “a murderous spirit, a controlling nature, and a heart that loves hate.” Thomas shows when and how to “walk away” from such people.

He writes: “Sometimes to follow in the footsteps of Jesus is to walk away from others or let them walk away from us.”

PLAYBOOK BUILD

Better Together ELIZABETH FARINA

Five habits that can help every member of your team work more collaboratively.

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hen I started in ministry, I preferred to work independently. I enjoyed leaning in to my natural talents and God-given gifts and pushing myself toward success. I didn’t want to slow down to work with other people when I was confident and motivated to tackle challenges on my own. I would pat myself on the back after a job well done and say, I’m faster, more accurate and more productive when I work alone!

I enjoyed the satisfaction of independent success but became all too familiar with the full weight of missteps and failed projects. As the years clicked by, I found myself overworked and exhausted. The ministry became a lonely duty. I was a self-motivated, excellence-driven, hard-working

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individual who fervently wanted to see the Church advance. But, at the end of the day, I was still only one person.

I’ve since realized God designed us for collaboration. Jesus demonstrated this through His own life and ministry. While Jesus could have preached and performed miracles without His band of disciples, He chose to work closely with others, involving them in His mission and sharing the outcomes (Matthew 14:15–21).

Taking my inspiration from Jesus, I have come to appreciate the richness of collaboration. Whether with church volunteers, staff members, fellow pastors or district leaders, I have experienced the joy of working with — not just next to — others. I have found the victories sweeter and the disappointments more manageable when sharing them. I have

that situation, some will fight to be heard, but most will just stop participating. Listening makes room for multiple perspectives. Such input is a benefit of working together, but it can’t happen when one person dominates the conversation.

Listening to the ideas of others builds trust and serves as an invitation for them to participate.

Share Freely

Styles and preferences may differ, but the mission is what team members have in common in the first place.

The key to getting the best out of the people you’re working with is to give your best. Generously sharing ideas, resources, contacts, information and influence sets a tone. It exhibits a commitment to work together to get the job done. It reminds everyone that the mission is what matters. It can be amazing what people bring to the table when there is a collaborative culture. Isolated workers use the top resources for their own advancement, but collaborators bring everything they can to the group effort.

Show Respect accomplished far more for the Kingdom through teamwork than through holding tightly to my own contributions.

Here are five habits that can help every member of the team work more collaboratively:

Focus on the Mission

Having a clear understanding of the mission is critical to collaboration. Whether planning an event or attempting systemic change, knowing how an initiative connects to the greater vision keeps the goal in focus. Maintaining that perspective guards against the temptation to become territorial about ideas.

Having a big picture in mind creates space for multiple approaches. Styles and preferences may differ, but the mission is what team members have in common in the first place.

Listen

It’s frustrating to work with someone who never listens to what others have to say. In

The way team members treat one another is the test that determines whether they are truly collaborating or just working independently in the same space. Clearly communicating, honoring deadlines, inviting feedback, and expressing gratitude are all ways to show respect. The cherry on top is sharing the credit for the final outcome.

Celebrate Progress

Celebration fuels collaboration. Recognizing gains — however small they may be — assigns value to the contributions and effort that made them possible. Many ministry initiatives are slow moving, constantly evolving and lack a definitive end. A collaborative endeavor can be discouraging when work remains undone or it seems to have missed the mark. Even when you are wildly successful in meeting your goal, the victory can feel like the tip of the iceberg. Cheering for progress ties each gain back to the mission and motivates people to continue participating.

Elizabeth Farina is lead pastor of Liberty Church (AG) in Woodbury, Minnesota, and a presbyter with the Minnesota District Council of the Assemblies of God.

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PLAYBOOK KNOW

God Speaks Into the Tender Moment SCOTT WILSON

Four lessons that will change the way you do funerals.

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hen people lose someone they love, they feel more than hurt. They feel vulnerable, exposed and, often, more open to God than at any other time in their lives. As pastors, we have the opportunity to walk with them in this tender moment. If we’re present — physically, emotionally and spiritually — they’ll never forget we were there for them. If we’re not, they’ll never forget that, either.

Over the past decade, God has led me to change the way I approach funerals. Four principles I’ve learned have revolutionized the way I relate to grieving families.

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First, like most pastors, I invest in preparation by having extended conversations with family members and perhaps close friends.

I want more than facts; I want to hear the details of life-changing moments when the deceased person made a difference. I ask questions like these: • What memory is most precious to you?

• What story best illustrates the kind of person she was?

• What memory of him makes you smile — and maybe laugh?

As we talk, I write down the important points of the stories and the names of the people so I can refer to them in my message. From these conversations, I ask God to show me a central, compelling theme of the person’s life.

Sometimes, two or three qualities stand out in the stories. I ask God to lead me to a passage of Scripture that reflects these themes. The interviews and the passage form the heart of my message at the funeral. In other words, I don’t have a canned funeral sermon.

Second, I let the family members “preach” the message. Throughout the talk, I refer

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When I minister directly to the family, everyone else leans in like they’re overhearing the most private and precious conversation — because they are.

Scott Wilson is senior pastor at Oaks Church (AG) in Red Oak, Texas.

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back to specific stories and the people who shared them. I may say, “Philip was a courageous man. Bethany, you told me about the time your dad risked his life to save a man in a burning car. I know you’re so proud of him.”

I try to include all the family members and their stories. In some cases, that’s possible; in others, there are far too many, so I try to group the comments and mention everyone’s name at some point in the message. (From time to time, I don’t get much from family members or there’s little to praise about the person, so I preach a message of hope.)

Third, I don’t speak to the crowd at the funeral; I speak to the family. In fact, my heart goes out most tenderly to the family members who are most affected by the death — the spouse or parents or children. I trust God to give me His compassion for them so I feel their pain. I stand close to the family, and as I tell the stories they’ve told me and mention their names, they feel honored … connected … treasured. I’ve discovered that when I minister directly to the family, everyone else leans in like they’re overhearing the most private and precious conversation — because they are. When I focus on pastoring the family, I pastor everyone else in the room.

From time to time when I’m sharing stories the family members have told me, I step back (literally) from the family, look over the audience and say, “Isn’t that true? Haven’t you seen that kind of courage (or kindness or generosity or some other trait) as you knew Margaret?” At that point, everyone feels included, and I step forward again

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into the more intimate conversation with the family.

Of course, sometimes a dear family member doesn’t know Jesus. I make sure to tell that person’s story just like the others, and I make sure to look at him and call his name when I tell it. He probably had never met me before our talk a day or two before, but at this moment in the service our hearts connect in a powerful way only because I listened to him, shared something precious to him, and honored him by speaking his name.

Finally, as the service concludes, I move among the family and speak prophetically over them. Then I say, “You know, if Harold could come back right here, right now and have five minutes with you, I know what he’d say. He’d hug you so tightly and look each of you in the eyes and tell you, ‘I love you so much! I love you so much!’ Then he’d back up and tell you what’s on his heart: ‘Give your life completely to Jesus. He’s all that counts … here and there. Give your whole heart to Him and get involved in His mission. Get right with God. Live for Him. Nothing else matters. Believe me, nothing else matters.”

I close the service by saying that the deceased person’s story hasn’t ended, and in fact, the words he’d say if he came back for five minutes can be a message that’s more powerful than any other he ever uttered. And I pray that God would make it so.

To see an example of how God has used this approach, visit Playbook.oaks.church. The family has granted permission for me to share this video.

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PLAYBOOK INVEST

Leading Your Board AARON COLE

Keys to cultivating good pastor-board relationships.

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astoring at any level can be complicated and exhausting. It can also be exhilarating and fulfilling. Relationships are often the difference maker. And few relationships are more crucial to the direction of church leadership than the ones that develop between pastors and board members.

There are two keys to cultivating good pastor-board relationships: managing tension in

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a healthy way, and striking the right balance in roles that sometimes seem at odds.

Healthy Tension

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to church governance structures, but all share a common tension: accountability versus freedom.

Every board has a responsibility to oversee the finances and function of the church.

Every pastor needs freedom to hear from God, do His will, and serve His Church. These can seem like competing interests — and the resulting tension often leads to conflict. If leaders fail to manage it properly, strife can spill over into the entire church body.

However, tension can also be healthy and

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The governance structure must provide both a high level of accountability and a high level of freedom for leadership.

beneficial. After all, too much freedom without accountability can lead to trouble. And too much accountability without freedom can hamper a pastor’s effectiveness. The solution is not to resolve the tension, but to manage it.

Too loose, and there’s no forward progress to missional achievement for the church. Too tight, and something or someone will break.

The governance structure must provide both a high level of accountability and a high level of freedom for leadership. The successful management of this relational tension rests upon respect, trust and humility.

Respect is essential even at the beginning of this relationship. It starts positionally, with people extending respect for the offices of pastor and board members. This arises from an understanding that the church is not ours, but the Lord’s. Those who occupy these positions do not own them; they are temporary stewards of them. Each person is there by divine appointment, and only for a season. Respect transitions from positional to personal only with investments of time and faithfulness.

As respect grows, trust emerges. Trust takes time to build, and it can erode quickly.

Yet it is critical to the pastor-board relationship. After all, dreaming big and stepping out in faith requires a lot of trust.

Respect and trust can’t flourish without humility. Humble leaders are vulnerable, open and transparent. They admit they don’t have all the answers, they are fallible, and they need each other.

Balanced Roles

Aaron Cole is senior pastor of Life Church (AG) in Germantown, Wisconsin.

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In any organization or structure, there must be a head. In a company, the head is often a CEO or president. In a church, the lead pastor fills that role. The pastor should have the freedom to be the primary communicator, visionary, fundraiser and leader of the church.

Throughout Scripture, God often spoke first to a leader He chose and appointed. The leader then spoke to a group, council or nation. For example, in Acts 10, Peter received a vision from God and an invitation to take the gospel and Spirit baptism to the house of Cornelius.

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However, Scripture also prescribes accountability for those who serve in leadership. They answer to God and to the church.

According to 1 Corinthians 4:2, “it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” In Acts 11, Peter willfully submitted his actions to church leaders for questions and conversation.

In the local church today, the board offers that accountability. The board’s role isn’t to serve the person who occupies the office of pastor. Rather, the board oversees the office itself. Board members provide guidelines and guardrails to the pastor, for the benefit of the church and its mission.

This happens best in the context of healthy relationships, not through adversarial conflict. The board and pastor should always desire the best for one another and the congregation as a whole.

If these two offices are functioning effectively, there will be tension. However, it need not be personal or agenda-motivated. When board members and pastors mutually submit to one another out of a sincere desire to accomplish God’s will for His Church, they will be in a better position to spread the good news of Jesus.

Complementary Gifts

I believe a church board can be a pastor’s best friend and a catalyst for ministry growth and success. God can use both offices to advance His mission. There will be differences, disagreements and tension as God’s vision for the congregation comes into focus, but the discovery and fulfillment of this vision happens through the process, not in spite of it.

Instead of trying to avoid this relational tension, pastors should lean in to it, remembering that it is natural. Allow the structure and governance to provide necessary boundaries.

Board members and pastors working together in their respective roles will complement each other’s gifts and contributions, build relationships, and ultimately help the Church become the hope of the world God intended.

PLAYBOOK ETHICS

Virtual Gossip JOHN DAVIDSON

How should ministers talk about other ministers online or anywhere else?

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aunched in mid-spring 2019, the Instagram account @preachersnsneakers features pictures of famous, mostly young evangelical preachers. Next to the photos are screenshots of the clothes, shoes and other accessories the preachers are wearing, along with each item’s sale price.

The posts bring attention to the trend of some high-profile church leaders wearing highpriced clothing, like a $1,500 T-shirt or a $3,000 pair of tennis shoes. The anonymous Instagram poster does this with very little commentary.

The fact that at the time of this writing, the account has racked up 192,000 followers with only 76 posts, each with hundreds of mostly negative comments, says that the subject of the posts has struck a nerve with the public.

Among Christians and non-Christians

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alike, the posts have become a topic of debate over the ethics of some ministers’ extravagant spending. Some are discussing what represents appropriate versus inappropriate spending and whether ministers are subject to a different set of financial expectations than the rest of the public. But the controversy around @preachersnsneakers highlights another important consideration for ministerial ethics: How should ministers talk about other ministers online?

Leaders With Words

If you’re a minister, it’s easy to classify talk about other ministers as merely shop talk or a way of keeping current on what’s happening in our profession. It could include discussions about a fellow minister’s effectiveness, strategies, personality, leadership style, godliness or spending habits.

How we talk about others raises a number of serious questions: When I initiate or participate in a conversation about another minister, what am I communicating? Am I

praising, expressing gratitude, showing love and appreciating? Or am I being negative, pointing out faults, accusing, passing judgment and gossiping?

Gossip is negative speech about the personal lives of others, usually with the intent of damaging their reputations. Scripture is clear about the dangers of gossip. Proverbs 18:8 and 26:22 use identical language: “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.” Gossip also shows up in Paul’s vice lists in Romans 1:29– 31 and 2 Corinthians 12:20. It’s clear that gossip is a danger to the gossiper, a danger to the object of such talk, and a danger to the unity of the whole community of faith.

Ministers of the gospel, especially Pentecostal ministers, emphasize that the Holy Spirit empowers us to use our words to proclaim the good news. So we should take great care to guard against the misuse and abuse of those words, heeding James’ warning, “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.

My brothers and sisters, this should not be” (James 3:10).

When we enter into negative discussions, propagate unsubstantiated information, and say things that create doubt about the legitimacy of another’s ministry, we’ve crossed from useful discussion to gossip.

What’s My Motivation?

We should ask these questions before talking about others: What is the intent of my conversation about this individual? What do I hope my words will achieve? Are my words redemptive? Can this discussion bring about positive change? Am I critiquing what someone did or said, or am I critiquing the individual personally and attacking his or her character? Is the conversation necessary?

In some rare cases of a minister’s abuse of power, unethical or illegal behavior, or threat to the church, it may be necessary to bring public attention to a situation to prevent others from suffering harm. But those cases are the exception, not the rule.

If there is wrongdoing, Matthew 18:15–20

provides a template for addressing it. But the Matthew 18 model requires conversation and relationship with the offender. When we lack the relationship to address conflict or other issues personally, we should not resort to handling them publicly. Instead, we should pray for God to intervene where we cannot.

Outlets like social media give us the ability to make public statements to the world we should reserve for private discussions with the offender. Virtual gossip for any reason is still gossip, and Scripture still prohibits it. There is a right time and place for healthy critique, but there’s a difference between public critique and public shaming or gossip. When it comes to ministry, there are enough attacks coming from the enemy and outside the Church. We don’t need it coming from the inside.

When it comes to ministry, there are enough attacks coming from the enemy and outside the Church. We don’t need it coming from the inside.

Words That Build Up

Ministers should take great care in how we speak of other ministers in public and in private.

We should guard even against speaking potentially damaging words in jest that someone might overhear and take seriously.

Paul says in Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (ESV). Paul wasn’t just addressing vulgarity here, but our speech about others generally, and about those in the body of Christ particularly. Commenting on this verse, the late theologian Francis Foulkes wrote, “The test of [Christian] conversation is not just, ‘Am I keeping my words true and pure?’ but ‘Are my words being used to impart grace to those who hear?’” A great question for us to consider.

Other ministers will make bad decisions or do things you would choose to do differently. When they do, there may be a temptation to talk negatively about them. Instead, may our “conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). And may Spirit-filled ministers not only speak in tongues, but also use our tongues to speak well of others.

John Davidson, Ph.D., is director of leadership development for the General Council of the Assemblies of God in Springfield, Missouri.

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T H E F U T U R ER E A D Y P A S T O R Every church will undergo a transition of leadership.

It matters how you prepare for that moment.

NATE RUCH

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NO MATTER WHAT POSITION YOU HOLD, YOU AREN’T THERE PERMANENTLY. EVERY PASTOR IS AN INTERIM PASTOR.

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here is a crisis in the Church, and Jesus has made you responsible for what happens next.

Crisis? Yes, your church — every church —

will undergo a transition of leadership at some point. It matters how you prepare for that moment.

No matter what position you hold, you aren’t there permanently. Every pastor is an interim pastor. Wise leaders embrace this and intentionally prepare themselves and their churches to step confidently into all God has planned.

American churches are facing a tsunami of succession issues in the near future. Over the next decade, an unprecedented number of pastors will reach retirement age. Across all Protestant denominations, just 15 percent of U.S. pastors were age 40 or younger in 2017, according to Barna Group. In 2018, the average age of ministers in the Assemblies of God USA was 55; just one-fifth of AG ministers were under 40.

Why is this a crisis? A significant share of the more than 13,000 AG churches in the nation are unprepared for the most critical factor in the success or failure of individual churches: a new generation of men and women who are ready to lead. Continued success requires successors.

Senior pastors, staff pastors, boards and district leaders all have a responsibility to tackle this crisis now. Yes, this can be an emotionally charged topic, but we can’t afford to put off this conversation. The stakes are too high.

It’s not too late to turn the corner and facilitate a healthy, long-term strategy for equipping competent and called individuals to lead our churches into the future.

Pastoral Responsibility

The people with the highest degree of influence on the outcome of this issue are current senior pastors. Senior pastors carry the shepherding responsibility for the present and the future of churches everywhere.

They can prepare key components of church life for a future that includes succession.

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Pastors work with their boards on all fiscal aspects of church stability, lead staff who will guide the ministries of the church through every transition, and facilitate the long-term development of staff members who are potential successors. Yet transitions can be vulnerable times for leaders and their congregations.

The best-case scenarios for church succession stories involve long preparation — in relay race terminology, a long exchange zone. The exchange zone is the part of the relay where both racers are running as the baton changes hands. The transition is complete when the first runner fully releases the baton to the successor, who begins the next segment of the race.

Transition failures are costly. A misstep in the exchange from one senior pastor to the next can be disastrous. Churches can spin out of control and experience internal conflict, loss of finances or even closure. When pastors move, retire or die without a successor, congregations flounder. It is imperative that current pastors take the initiative to prepare their church for the transition long before it happens.

In his book Passing the Leadership Baton, Tom Mullins wrote, “Inevitably, a handoff will need to be made! And the more prepared we are for the future, the less of a surprise it will be when it’s time to make a change. Everyone needs to be thinking about this passing of the baton, but the more I talk to men and women in prominent positions of leadership, the more I realize how few have planned for transition.”

Ideally, senior pastors need to address multiple leadership aspects of succession: their personal plans, the board and bylaw processes for transition, the career development skills of staff, and congregational preparedness.

It’s difficult for anyone other than the senior pastor to start a conversation about succession. If board members ask about it, the pastor may feel insecure.

The healthiest approach is for the pastor to seek wisdom on the succession process long before he or she is ready to hand off the baton. It’s not too early to begin thinking about succession on your first day — not because you’re planning an exit, but because you have a healthy understanding of your status as an interim, whether you stay three years or 30. You should always desire to prepare the church for the future.

Where do you look for guidance? There are a number of helpful resources on the topic (see the sidebar, “Eight Resources for Further Reading”). However, some of the best advice often comes from people who have successfully navigated the transition process. You don’t have to tackle the challenge alone. In fact, it may be foolish to draw your own road map for transition without first

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seeking the wisdom of those who have walked the path.

Preparing the church for transition also means taking a deep dive into your personal preparation. Jesus is the Head of the Church, and He’s assigned you to serve and shepherd His congregation for as long as He determines. But you also have a responsibility to prepare for a future beyond this assignment. What are you doing to save for retirement? Where might you minister after your current role ends? Such issues paralyze many pastors who feel the Lord prompting their hearts to prepare for succession.

When God is leading toward transition, fear delays action, and pastors may stay beyond their season of fruitfulness. A mentor once told me, “I want to know when it’s time to go before everyone else does.”

Waiting too long diminishes effectiveness, and both the pastor and the church suffer. Preparing for the next season financially, vocationally and relationally frees pastors to lead their churches through succession planning confidently and with emotional security.

Succession Story

My friend Walter Harvey prepared for succession and is successfully leading his church through it. Harvey has served as senior pastor of Parklawn Assembly of God in Milwaukee for several decades, while also investing in the Wisconsin/Northern Michigan Ministries Network of the Assemblies of God, the AG Church Multiplication Network, and the National Black Fellowship of the Assemblies of God. When Harvey sensed God leading him to focus more on the National Black Fellowship, he knew he would need to lead his church through succession.

Harvey prayed, sought the advice of pastors who have successfully transitioned their churches, and planned for the future. He spent years preparing his personal finances and building strong, transparent and trusting relationships with his board members. He told them there would eventually be a succession story at Parklawn. Without making it an imminent or urgent issue, he asked them to pray about the type of leader the congregation would need and to consider the idea of a leader coming from within the church.

In time, Harvey sensed a prompting to pray for a specific candidate.

This person was not part of the paid staff, but a member of the board. I was concluding my doctoral dissertation on succession when Harvey

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sought my advice on what to do next. I offered safe counsel outside the church as he navigated the many stages of succession. In fall 2018, Harvey was elected to serve as president of the National Black Fellowship, and it became more apparent why God was leading him toward succession.

Early in 2019, Harvey asked me to join his church board meeting and discuss the topic of succession. During the meeting, he announced his desire for a successor, fielded questions, and led prayer. A few weeks later, after the board affirmed his choice of a successor, Harvey announced the news to the congregation on a Sunday morning. He explained that his successor would join the staff and transition to the leading role within the next year. Only a secure leader, who has led his lay board and staff well, can walk that road so confidently.

The senior pastor has the responsibility to provide the vision, context and permission for all aspects of the church to advance through succession successfully. When senior pastors bravely confront the topic and normalize the conversation in their spheres of influence, it empowers people who hold both present and future roles to step forward and embrace the challenge without insecurity.

Avoiding the elephant in the room creates an atmosphere of mistrust.

Tackling that elephant is the best way for leaders to move their churches forward — as future-ready pastors.

Six Keys

Here are six things every pastor should be doing today to prepare for a better tomorrow: 1. Follow Jesus’ example and partner with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s relationship to Jesus and His successors was central to Luke’s theology and has profound ramifications for understanding the process of transferring authority.

Every experience and conversation in which the disciples observed Jesus in the Gospel of Luke was a succession preparatory experience.

When Jesus taught about praying, He said the Father would give them the Holy Spirit if they asked (Luke 11:13). He wasn’t just teaching about prayer; Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray and receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus fully intended for His successors to access the same power He relied on for ministry.

Jesus made numerous promises regarding the Holy Spirit. These promises came into focus in the Book of Acts as the Spirit-filled Church began the work of making new disciples.

For instance, Jesus told His disciples they would face persecution,

PREPARING FOR THE NEXT SEASON F I N A N C I A L LY , V O C A T I O N A L LY A N D R E L A T I O N A L LY FREES PASTORS TO LEAD THEIR CHURCHES THROUGH SUCCESSION PLANNING C O N F I D E N T LY .

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IF THE CHURCH IS TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT AND GREAT LEADERSHIP IN THE YEARS AHEAD, CURRENT SENIOR PASTORS MUST HAVE AN EYE TOWARD THE FUTURE.

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saying, “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Luke 12:11–12).

In many ways, Jesus functioned as a coach for His disciples, preparing the team through training during practice so they could succeed in the game. Jesus invested three years in them, integrating public ministry and private discussion, including opportunities to process difficult questions. He nudged His protégés toward environments that challenged their thinking. When interpersonal disagreement and conflict arose, Jesus offered guidance and gently restored those who made mistakes.

Jesus’ example provided a template the disciples could follow to multiply their own succession efforts after Pentecost. His personal reliance on the Holy Spirit conditioned their thinking toward a Spirit-guided approach to discipleship.

Today’s pastors should likewise rely on the Spirit’s guidance for succession issues and train others to do the same.

2. Normalize succession everywhere. When pastors, boards and churches grow accustomed to regular and healthy transitions, change is no longer threatening. Pastors can train their churches for both multiplication and release in every area — from full-time ministry positions to volunteer roles. Momentum slows when people hold their roles too tightly. Ministry grows best in an environment where every leader has a vision for training others.

When I stepped into my role as senior pastor of Emmanuel Christian Center (AG) in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota, many people in the 50-year-old church had faithfully filled the same roles for decades. For example, several ushers had stood at the same doors for over 20 years.

Yet they didn’t have a vision for raising up others to serve at their doors.

In fact, some saw new people as a threat to their place in the church.

Unaware of this dynamic, I led a campaign to get more people involved with volunteering. When new volunteers showed up for their assignments on Sunday morning, the regulars told them, “We don’t need you.”

What a devasting and dangerous dynamic to have in a church that needs to become future ready! We’ve since worked toward helping people understand and embrace a life-giving multiplication mentality.

When all levels of church leadership function with a positive, biblical, multiplying philosophy, the church as a whole is more conducive

to understanding and embracing the inevitable transition of the senior pastor. Instead of feeling threatened and overwhelmed, the church has a context to understand that Jesus is leading everyone into the future He has planned.

3. Develop a succession plan before it’s needed. In sports, a playbook enables each team member to know and understand what is happening, who carries responsibility for various parts of the plan, and what the shared goals look like. Similarly, every congregation needs a succession playbook — a strategy that guides the many parts of a church through the sensitive journey of transitioning senior leadership.

Author Warren Bird says there are four common emerging models of leadership succession in churches: the family plan, in which a relative or longstanding spiritual son or daughter receives the baton and becomes the leader; the denominational plan, common in denominations where leaders outside the local church appoint the next leader; the process-only plan, in which the outgoing pastor helps create and initiate a succession strategy, letting the church choose the next pastor; and the intentional overlap plan, in which the outgoing pastor and new pastor intentionally overlap.

The most successful approach is the intentional overlap plan, according to Bird. It enables the church culture to match the new leader and allows time for the hand-off of complex senior pastor responsibilities.

Visibility to every internal and external stakeholder makes the shift less dramatic and decreases the likelihood of negative reactions.

In Your CEO Succession Playbook: How to Pass the Torch So Everyone Wins, Natalie Michael and Brian Conlin describe four types of candidates an organization may identify: an emergency candidate who steps in temporarily; a ready-now candidate who can take the reins at any time; a ready-future candidate who is in the process of development; and an external candidate who may be on the list of potential candidates but is not in the internal pipeline of the organization.

Emergency candidates typically come from existing executive team members, board members or significant advisors with knowledge of the church. This is the name-in-the-envelope candidate — a person, whose name remains confidential, the board can tap for immediate leadership.

In most cases, the board installs and announces the emergency leader within 24 hours as a substitute figurehead to provide point leadership and security to every part of the church, internal and external. Ideally, the board has at least one emergency candidate in mind at all times to speed the process when the need arises.

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PASTORS WHO PROVIDE TIME AND SPACES FOR TEAMMATES TO SHARE QUESTIONS, CAREER ASPIRATIONS AND DREAMS WILL GAIN VALUABLE INSIGHT. THIS MAKES IT EASIER TO DEVELOP TEAM MEMBERS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE, NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

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4. Think long term, and develop your bench. Most pastors who succeed in the senior role have had years of training, testing and development. The most common preparatory place is in associate staff positions.

Just as Jesus’ disciples learned through experience and observation, youth pastors, associates and others can gain valuable skills before stepping into senior roles.

Senior pastors have an opportunity to shape the future through the people God has placed under their authority. They should seek God regarding this responsibility, asking the Spirit to fill them with wisdom to prepare God’s chosen leaders for the future.

Gordon Anderson, one of my mentors and a former president of North Central University, often said, “My job as a senior leader is to facilitate the vision of the next two generations, even if I don’t understand it or like it.”

There will be a price to pay if senior pastors fail to invest in staff members, preparing them to fill positions retiring baby boomers are vacating.

The future depends on senior leaders investing time in the people currently serving alongside them. If the Church is to experience significant and great leadership in the years ahead, current senior pastors must have an eye toward the future — beyond their personal administrations.

Leaders at every level should see more than the current title each worker in the church holds. They should see future leaders in development.

5. Know your bylaws, and equip your board. A church’s bylaws usually dictate the formal process of succession. Many bylaws have antiquated expectations and processes that leave a church ill-equipped to make wise decisions. It’s best to study the bylaws and seek an assessment and counsel from the district.

Some modifications may make the succession process easier. For example, our church bylaws were written in 1963 when there were just five families. Most of the expectations regarding succession are incompatible with the church today, which is now a multisite congregation with three campuses. Consequently, our board went through a threeyear bylaw review. It included input from experts outside the church who helped craft a proactive process for choosing the next senior pastor. The board presented the results to the church membership, and the proposals passed unanimously.

The board should participate in the succession plan and become familiar with possible candidates internally, engaging in conversation annually with the senior pastor. Board members who are aware of staff

EIGHT RESOURCES FOR FURTHER READING

development efforts will feel more confident when the time comes for choosing a new senior pastor.

Additionally, church boards should communicate with the rest of the staff and the church as a whole during transition seasons.

6. Provide spaces for conversation without consequence. For senior pastors to hear what is happening in the minds and hearts of potential successors, they must initiate conversation. Open-door policies are simply too passive. Fear of the unknown can keep staff members from approaching the senior pastor about such matters. However, if a senior pastor initiates the conversation and asks questions, it will encourage authentic dialogue.

Pastors who are secure enough to provide time and spaces for teammates to share questions, career aspirations and dreams will gain valuable insight. This makes it easier to develop team members to be more effective, now and in the future. Prioritizing staff development also helps with retention.

I developed a one-day seminar for eight of my staff members who were still developing their long-term career objectives. In other words, they weren’t in their final dream jobs. During the seminar, I personally invited each one to join me for a day of coaching. I asked them to share their personal stories, strengths and weaknesses, dreams and fears. I used several tools to help them identify their God-given design and personal purpose.

I then led them through the development of a custom career plan.

My goal was to give staff members permission to dream beyond the confines of their current roles without threatening their jobs. Walking through this exercise with the staff unlocked an amazing level of trust and helped lay the groundwork for vision that reaches beyond today.

I am aware that I am not just the steward of the church I oversee.

I am also a steward of God’s calling on my staff. I want to help each pastor prepare to follow where God is leading. I want them to be future-ready pastors!

Nate Ruch is lead pastor of Emmanuel Christian Center (AG) in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota.

1. David Lescalleet, Transition: Developing a Theology of Pastoral Succession (Corpus Christi, TX: David F. Lescalleet, Kindle, 2013).

2. Jim Ozier and Jim Griffith, The Changeover Zone: Successful Pastoral Transitions (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2016).

3. Robert Kaylor, Your Best Move: Effective Leadership Transition for the Local Church (Wilmore, KY: Seedbed Publishing, 2013).

4. Tom Mullins, Passing the Leadership Baton: A Winning Transition Plan for Your Ministry (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2015).

5. Terry Roberts, Passing the Baton: Planning for Pastoral Transition (Terry Roberts, 2015).

6. Bob Russell and Bryan Bucher, Transition Plan: 7 Secrets Every Leader Needs to Know (Louisville, KY: Ministers Label, 2010).

7. Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will Deeply Transform Your Church, Team, and the World (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015).

8. William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird, Next: Pastoral Succession That Works (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2015).

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n 1993, my wife, Linda, and I moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, to serve as student ministries pastors at a suburban church. Over the next eight years, that congregation grew from 2,000 to 5,000. Youth group attendance quadrupled, from 150 to 600, and the youth team expanded from two to nine full-time staff members. We even built a new student center for our young people, who had previously gathered in various rooms throughout the church. I designed the $3.5 million, 36,000-square-foot facility with the blessing and support of senior pastors, who raised the necessary funds. In that time and place, money was not an issue. I didn’t worry about where it came from or how to raise it. Tithes and offerings, along with an occasional campaign, were more than enough to cover the annual budget and help advance bold initiatives from year to year.

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We left that church in 2001 to plant Mosaic, a multiethnic, economically diverse church in one of the most under-resourced communities in the city. We served an area with high rates of violent crime, with 30 percent of the population living at or below the poverty line, and 66 percent of children growing up without a father in the home.

In that context, we soon realized tithes and offerings alone could not sustain our ministry — let alone advance it. Paradoxically, the more we grew, the more we struggled to make ends meet.

Over the years, desperation led to innovation in our approach to funding. We also began to recognize that the need for thinking beyond the offering plate isn’t an anomaly, nor is it a situation that applies only to churches in impoverished areas. It portends the future of church economics.

So, let me ask: How is your church doing financially? Is it struggling to survive at the moment, somewhat stable, or truly sustainable where finances are concerned? In consideration of growing needs and rising costs, how confident are you in terms of future funding? Will you have sufficient resources to fund your ministries three, five or 10 years from now? Are you sure?

For nearly seven years, I have been addressing these questions with pastors. Like me, many now believe the days of money so freely flowing to the Church are coming to a close. Sure, believers will continue to give in the form of tithes and offerings. Generally, however, they will not give as consistently and/or will give less of their income (in terms of percentage) than pastors could once count on.

In fact, already in many churches across the United States, giving is stagnant or in decline — as is weekly attendance.

To finance ministry in a rapidly changing world, pastors will soon need to do more than host Financial Peace University, preach yet another sermon on generosity, and chase numeric growth — which, by the way, will no longer guarantee larger offerings as it has in the past.

Indeed, there is a coming revolution in church economics … and the sooner you lean in to it, the better positioned your church will be not only to survive but to thrive in future winds of disruptive social and financial change.

Start by considering this fundamental question: How can

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we leverage church assets to bless the community and generate sustainable income?

Sociological Considerations

At least four contributing factors are driving the need for economic innovation in the local church today.

The first is a growing burden on the middle class. Inflation,

higher standards of living, the increasing cost of education, and widely available access to credit have led Americans to borrow more money than ever before. U.S. household debt rose by $124 billion in the first quarter of 2019 — the 19th consecutive quarterly increase — according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Student debt alone increased by $29 billion.

Meanwhile, the wealth gap between upper-income and middle- and lower-income Americans has been widening over the past five decades, according to 2018 analysis from Pew Research Center. As people struggle to get ahead, churches struggle with them.

The second factor can be described as a marginal increase in religious giving. As noted in the Chronicles

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of Philanthropy, “Religious giving remains strong but is losing ground to giving to other causes ... . Giving to religious causes was 56 percent of the total [of all charitable giving] from 1985–89 but just 33 percent from 2010–14.”

According to a more recent “Giving USA” report, giving to religion increased 2.9 percent in 2017; yet this accounted for the lowest increase in overall charitable giving to the nine major categories of recipient organizations the report tracks from year to year.

Comparatively, marginal increases in religious giving impact local church finances. For example, a “Faith Communities Today” report found that the median church budget fell from $150,000 in 2009 to $125,000 in 2014.

A third factor concerns a generational shift in approaches to giving and finances. A recent Barna report revealed that practicing Christians born before 1946 most frequently express their generosity through financial giving (41 percent), compared to 26 percent of baby boomers, 17 percent of Gen X, 13 percent of millennials, and 6 percent of Gen Z. Millennials and Gen Z are more likely to express generosity through volunteering. This is not surprising, considering they have fewer resources. However, younger Christians are also less likely than older ones to say their ultimate financial goal is to give charitably or serve God with their money.

Finally, there is a rapidly changing population and demographic. For example, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the rate of population growth is slowing. In addition, the population is aging and also changing in terms of its racial and ethnic composition. Given income disparity between people groups, such things too will likely lead to a loss in revenue and to a fundamental reshaping of the way congregations are funded.

Theological Considerations

Of course, no discussion of the need for economic innovation in the Church should take place in the absence of sound theological reflection. Well-meaning believers will

likely denounce leaders who propose leveraging church assets to generate income beyond tithes and offerings, no matter the motive. We must be prepared to respond to the following three erroneous assumptions: Assumption No. 1: “Pursuing profit through a church is intrinsically and morally repugnant.”

There is nothing wrong with admitting that a local church needs money. To be clear, I’m not encouraging pastors to pursue money at the expense of faith, to become double-minded, or to acquire money to build their own kingdoms. Rather, I’m encouraging a more thoughtful and honest approach to church economics. Money is not a necessary evil; it’s a necessary tool. Local churches need financial resources to fulfill their God-given mission, calling and vision.

Assumption No. 2: “A church is faith-based and should wholly depend on God for its funding.”

Think about it. We go to a doctor when we’re sick, take prescription drugs as prescribed, and consent to surgery to improve our health. These actions do not imply a lack of faith on our part, do they? Seeking additional income sources beyond tithes and offerings does not imply a lack of faith on the part of leaders in God’s ability to meet the needs of the church. God gives us creativity, wisdom and insight to solve problems and overcome barriers as we obey His command to preach the good news.

Assumption No. 3: “Conducting profitable business on church property is offensive to God.” Jesus’ actions in expelling merchants and money changers from the temple might seem to suggest this.

However, Jesus was not reacting to the making of fair and honest profit. Rather, He was protesting unfair and greedy profiteering on temple grounds. By charging inflated fees and using rates of exchange well beyond what was reasonable, the merchants and money changers — in association with temple leaders — were perpetuating economic injustice.

To the degree that its heart and purposes are not self-serving, a local church might consider (among other things) renting space to other businesses and

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organizations who are likewise interested in redemptive community development, to generate passive income to supplement tithes and offerings.

Practical Considerations

So, how can churches increase funding for the purpose of advancing the gospel? Here are seven essential steps: 1. Free your mind. Imagine what a better understanding of economics — informed by sound theology — might someday mean for your church. Sure, some will say, “A church should wholly depend on God for funding.” Yet those same people probably go to doctors.

Taking intentional steps for future well-being does not render faith inoperative. On the contrary, God expects us to ask, seek, and trust Him while being deliberate, responsible, and accountable for that which He entrusts to us. What’s true for individuals is true for the collective Church, and your parishioners need to understand this.

2. Stop begging for money. To be clear, asking others to contribute to the church is not the same as begging for money. Begging arises from worry, doubts and fears. It seeks to manipulate potential givers through guilt, condemnation and even deception.

Yes, graciously encouraging members to be more faithful and sacrificial in their giving is important. However, it’s not always enough. Coupled with helping people reduce or eliminate personal debt, and teaching them to live generously, your church will need to become entrepreneurial to meet financial demands in the future.

Good and faithful servants do not bury their potential (Matthew 25:14–30).

3. Create multiple streams of income. Similar to an American football team, develop three teams to work synergistically as part of your strategy: a spiritual team, a social team and a financial team.

“Each group [has] different objectives and motives but playing in harmony for each other, for the good of everyone,” as former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin once put it.

The spiritual team comprises your local church and

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its ministries. A senior pastor leads this team, and funding comes primarily from tithes and offerings.

Create a social team alongside the church as an additional 501(c)(3) umbrella nonprofit. Then, move any justice and compassion work out from under the church’s budget into this nonprofit’s budget. By doing so, programs can attract grants, donations and human resources not otherwise available to a church. Appoint an executive director to lead this team.

Generate sustainable income by adding a financial team to run a for-profit business enterprise on behalf of the church. Pastors may not have the gifting or passion for this, and that’s OK. Partner with and empower entrepreneurs in the Body to develop and oversee this leg of the stool as would a CEO. 4. Leverage church assets. Pastors in the U.S. tend to compartmentalize business (secular) and mission (sacred), as if the two concepts are mutually exclusive. Around the world, however, missionaries understand that effective community engagement requires both a spiritual and an economic approach.

It is imperative today for pastors to think correctly, strategically and creatively about such things. With this in mind, how might your church leverage your resources (people, money and facilities) to generate sustainable income?

5. Become a benevolent owner. At Mosaic, we rent half of our facility to a large fitness club. The passive income covers half our monthly mortgage payment.

Since doing this in 2015, 6,000 people from the community have become members, and 15 to 20 new jobs have been created.

6. Monetize existing services. There are certain things churches are already doing and for which they are

already paying that could otherwise generate income. For instance, instead of paying for janitorial services, why not start a janitorial company that would create jobs and net profits from other contracts to offset the line item expense of cleaning the church? Sure, provide free coffee on Sunday mornings, but sell other items at a profit to offset costs.

7. Start new businesses. Contrary to common misconceptions, a nonprofit may start, own and/or control a forprofit business. One church in Ogden, Utah, asked, “What if we, collectively, took up the call to tent-making as a body?�* In 2015, they rebranded their building as an event center. Once they advertised, their calendar filled with

bookings. Weddings, business meetings, government events, high school events, class and family reunions all came to the church, happily paying for use of the space.

Embrace Change

Conventional wisdom suggests a church budget that exceeds tithes and offerings is not sustainable. However, the coming revolution in church economics will redefine the notion of church stability altogether, as an increasing number of congregations find they are not stable or sustainable by this definition. The world is changing.

We must be willing to stretch ourselves to reach our communities for Jesus.

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Considering that local governments may someday assess church real estate to collect property taxes or that the federal government could take away tax-exempt status for churches altogether, the time to pivot is now.

Today, approximately 30 percent of Mosaic’s $1.2 million annual budget is funded outside of tithes and

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offerings. Imagine what your church could do if it generated an additional 30 percent of its revenue through for-profit business enterprise.

On the other hand, imagine how much less your church would accomplish if it were forced to cut 30 percent of its budget, resulting in a significant reduction of staff, programming, community engagement and missions giving.

Such a scenario is already playing out in many churches across the nation. We can no longer afford to cling to the status quo.

After considering our disruptive approach, some pastors express concern about not being instinctively entrepreneurial. They are unsure if they can or even should move forward in terms of implementation. The good news? You don’t have to be the one to do so. As in our church, God has likely already brought gifted and passionate people your way. They have sharp minds and are smart with money. They are focused and credible, people with proven expertise and specific experience.

These men and women have a heart for your church and truly desire to make a difference beyond the level of mere employees or managers, so to speak, in the church.

Such people will welcome the opportunity to run point for you in one or more of the ways I’ve discussed. They’re just waiting for you to ask.

Mark DeYmaz is founding pastor of the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas and co-founder of the Mosaix Global Network.

He is the author of several books, including The Coming Revolution of Church Economics, from which portions of this article are adapted. Join Mark and nearly 100 other speakers at the 4th National Multiethnic Church Conference, Nov. 5-7, in Dallas (www.mosaix2019.com). *Caution: Before launching a business be sure to consult with legal counsel regarding (1) the impact on the church’s tax-exempt status, (2) the tax on unrelated business taxable income, and (3) the effect on the church’s coverage under the nondiscrimination provisions in a state or local public accommodations law.

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S E RVE T H E POOR

A BETTER WAY TO

How to leverage your church’s social capital.

R. DALE STEPHENS JR.

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I

t’s the end of the month. I’m a church planter in Atlanta, sitting at a portable plastic table that serves as my desk. As the coffee brews, I let the voicemails play through.

“Yes, good morning, I’m calling because I need help with my light bill,” a woman says.

At the beginning and end of each month, many such calls come in to the church. I listen to each voicemail, pray, and then return the phone calls to disappoint hopeless people. Our benevolence funds are limited, and most months I am unable to help a single financial need.

We do our absolute best to help, but we fall short. Most of the callers are desperate for financial help, and many are poor well beyond their financial status.

As I hang up the last call, I carry the guilt of wishing I could do more. I think of the passage in Matthew 25: “Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (verse 45).

Jesus, did I just hang up, leaving You hungry? While I understand that the call to aid the poor goes beyond spending every available dollar, there is a nagging thought that I could do more. I believe in my heart God wants more for the most vulnerable. Yet my congregation and I believe writing another check isn’t always the answer. This conviction has led us to seek a better understanding of poverty so we can find better ways to serve.

Relational Poverty

Gunshots rang out as I walked the neighborhood. Startled, 10-year-old Antoine moved closer to me on the sidewalk.

I couldn’t help but wonder about his potential. As we rounded the corner, he ran off to greet a group of drug dealers. I sensed God speaking to me: “The gun will not kill Antoine, but the relationships will.”

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The reality of Antoine’s life-and-death choices, all happening at 10 years of age, gripped me. That moment launched me on a journey to discover how social capital — networks of trusting relationships that serve as relational resources — can impact the outcomes of individuals, families and communities.

The World Bank conducted a survey of low-income people around the world, asking the simple question, “What is poverty?” According to respondents, poverty involves feeling alone.

This provides fresh insight. Thinking of poverty in terms of finances is too narrow. Poverty can affect a person’s spirituality, family situation, emotions and more.

The poor associate poverty with a sense of isolation. This is an area where the local church has much to offer. A congregation’s first concern should be pointing people to Christ. But the gospel can also lift the community socially.

In spreading the good news and loving like Jesus loves, the Church becomes a beacon of hope and a place of refuge for the most vulnerable. Changing hearts and building relationships is a form of benevolence.

Social Capital

In Bowling Alone, Harvard University public policy professor Robert Putnam wrote about the challenges of inequalities in America. Based on years of research, he concluded that declining relationships are fraying the American cultural fabric.

The result is a loss of social capital. In a 2017 congressional hearing on the topic, Putnam described social capital as “social networks and the associated norms of trustworthiness and reciprocity.”

There is another form of poverty growing beneath the

The Trust Gap

I met Wyteria on the front stoop of her apartment. The church had just finished an adopt-a-block event aiding the neighborhood through trash cleanup, a children’s program, and a block party in her complex. She was sitting with a friend and her young daughter. Wyteria was in her early 20s and lived in government-subsidized housing.

She had slash-shaped scars all over her body from where, at the age of 14, a group of girls beat her and cut her with razor blades.

We spent a few minutes connecting and going through the normal new contact pleasantries. The next day, I drove the church bus through the complex and saw her crying.

I stopped to check in on her. She told me her daughter’s dad, who lived down the street, had accidentally shot and killed himself. We jumped out of the van, gave her a big hug and prayed.

I felt broken for Wyteria. At such a young age, she was

ISOLATION.

surface: a lack of trust. It seems self-evident that trust is crumbling rapidly in today’s culture. There is a grave distrust between the general public, civil authorities and religious leaders.

The greatest levels of distrust exist among the most vulnerable in our communities: the poor. Researchers in various fields are beginning to understand the role of social capital as a key ingredient to social lift. Putnam and others acknowledge the healthy social networks historically rooted in religious life.

It is here that the Church can better assert itself as a righteous community of people situated in specific cities as culture shifters. As we make new disciples, we can also lift the community by building trust, both individually and corporately.

The poor associate poverty with a sense of

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SO CIAL L I F T.

Researchers are beginning to understand the role of social capital as a key ingredient to

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already a single mom, traumatized, physically marked by abuse, and now devastated by the loss of a loved one.

She had lost trust and hope that anything good could ever happen for her.

I further encountered the breakdown of trust through my education in the foster care system. As my wife and I sat through foster care training, we learned of the trauma and tragedies that strike children. Social workers shared stories to give us insight and context for understanding the kids in the system. We completed exercises designed to build empathy and understanding. We heard lectures about little boys and girls who would enter our home, devoid of the ability to trust us.

All this reminds me we are a broken people living in a fallen world. Yet God seeks to express His love through His Church. These realities should drive us to bring the whole gospel to the whole world.

The Beauty of Fellowship

In my early 20s, I gravitated toward nondenominationalism. Some mentors challenged me to consider joining the Assemblies of God based on my agreement with theology and the methodology of ministry. After prayer, I decided to follow their advice.

Just a few years ago, I learned in greater clarity about the Assemblies of God’s determination to prioritize poverty of the soul, while maintaining a commitment to the very real physical needs of life. We have a long history of aiding the most vulnerable people of our communities and traveling to the ends of the earth to carry the gospel in word and deed.

This heritage gives me pride in who we are as a Movement.

It inspires me with great conviction to bring this culture and legacy to desperate and hurting people, introducing every soul to the trust and faithfulness of our God.

For some time, there has been a needs-based approach to evangelism. Many church planters identify local community needs and offer to fill gaps with money, events and volunteers. Generally, we accomplish these tasks as single events scattered throughout the year. Could we build into our modern church systems discipleship programming that utilizes a church’s social capital for the betterment of vulnerable families?

The Local Church

Putnam describes two kinds of social capital: bonding (social connections that link us to others who are similar to us) and bridging (social connections that link us to people who are different from us).

Our church focuses community efforts around these two concepts as a means of discipleship for vulnerable families. We create ways to bond and bridge our local, vulnerable families to our church and Christ-centered culture to transform minds. Simply put, the church has a vision to see families renewed spiritually and transformed holistically.

As a pastor, I recognize the importance of our church’s bonding culture. By definition, the bonding culture should be rooted in love (with trust), accountability and selflessness, as described in the New Testament. A healthy church culture positions the body of Christ to serve as both an example and a voice for living out the righteousness of God. Bridging is critical in moving us beyond a one-time, emergency-aid approach and toward long-term discipleship. Along with evangelization and salvation, I want to see individuals and families growing in relationships that promote biblical norms, behaviors, values, opportunities and health.

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Keep preaching the gospel and the kingdom of God, especially

OUTSI DE

the walls of the church.

Bridging capital is usually what the poor lack most in upward mobility. Many of our congregants attained their professional roles or jobs because they knew someone at a company before they applied. The poor often have these kinds of connections only in entry-level positions rather than in careers. Their limited social networks limit upward mobility.

This is just one example. Social networks play a role in every aspect of life, from health care to education. Understanding these social network gaps gives the local church more avenues to make a long-term difference.

Community Impact

There are some incredible ways to influence our communities by utilizing the local church’s social capital. Here are four to consider: First, keep preaching the gospel and the kingdom of God, especially outside the walls of the church.

Second, bond your church to local community leaders, especially nonprofit leaders who can be mutually beneficial. The local church cannot carry every social program.

It can, however, utilize bridging capital to other nonprofits — especially like-minded, faith-based organizations.

Third, identify local for-profit leaders in your church, and cast the vision of aiding vulnerable families. There are a variety of ways these leaders can serve the people, such as job training, mentorship and teaching financial literacy.

Fourth — and my favorite — adopt or pioneer a community dinner, church or small group in a vulnerable neighborhood.

Our local body uses these approaches to bond and

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bridge vulnerable families to Jesus, biblical living, new opportunities and healthcare providers. All are tangible ways to help the vulnerable navigate life in trusting relationships.

Toward Discipleship

The last three years have taught me that the measure of success is obedience, and not always the immediate return on investment. We have seen crowds raise their hands and pray. Yet we also see an embedded local impoverished culture that still needs radical transformation.

Looking at social capital in impoverished communities has given me both an empathy for my neighbors and a passion to see change. I now better understand the gaps in trust and hope in these communities.

We are inspired by the gospel account of Jesus as Immanuel — God with us. Further, we are encouraged by both the research of the benefits of social capital and the transforming message of Jesus Christ.

By adopting this theology, knowledge and methodology, we are pursuing a truly discipleship-oriented approach — rather than just trying to pay utility bills.

R. Dale Stephens Jr. is lead pastor of Riverside Church (AG) in Atlanta.

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MULTIPLIERS Leaders Leveraging Their Gifts for God’s Kingdom

SHARING A CALL TO PLANT hurch planting is not an individual endeavor. It requires a team of people filling multiple roles. And if the church planter is married, his or her spouse plays a pivotal part. This support often takes the form of volunteering in the church.

But there are times when a husband and wife feel a call to plant and co-pastor a church.

This arrangement offers advantages, but it can also present challenges and raise difficult questions. How will the community receive a co-pastoring arrangement? How does a couple separate individual callings from a combined vision? What about balancing family life and church responsibilities?

This edition of Multipliers features four couples who have successfully planted churches together — from the West Coast, where a church planted some 20 years ago has spread across cultures and even borders, to the East Coast, where a newer church is planting four campuses to reach its city. You’ll read about how a college missions trip led to a church plant years later, and how a heart for the nations paved the way for a diverse church plant in the Midwest.

Doug and Crystal Heisel started New Life

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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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Church (AG) in the East Bay area of San Francisco. Twenty years later, they are still co-pastors of this growing and vibrant church. They rely on letting the mission field define the method of their ministry.

Diversity is so important to Jonathan and Nicole Ember they named their church plant in Indianapolis Diversity Church (AG). That name represents more than just a mix of races and languages; it reflects a heart for reaching “whosoever will” (Revelation 22:17, KJV).

From the beginning, that’s been the fuel for their ministry.

Brandon and Casey Shank balance family life and ministry with the help of God. Even with four small children, they are answering God’s call to plant four campuses from Lifehouse Virginia Beach (AG) in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

New Orleans is home to Wayne and Kristi Northup. They trace God’s calling to this city back to their college days. Now they are reaching Greater New Orleans from Saints Community Church (AG) one connection at a time.

These stories are a reminder that when individuals fulfill their calling together, God will do amazing things through them.

A Church for Those With No Church Experience A CONVERSATION WITH DOUG AND CRYSTAL HEISEL hurch planting as a married couple takes a commitment from both individuals. But sometimes that commitment is truly a shared calling to lead.

“As a couple, I knew we were wired for church planting,” Crystal Heisel says.

She and her husband, Doug, planted New Life Church (AG) in the Bay Area of San Francisco two decades ago and now serve as co-pastors.

“We have a motto we’ve used for 20 years now: ‘No church experience required,’” Doug Heisel says. “And that motto really helped us attract the unchurched crowd.”

The Heisels planted New Life in the San Ramon Valley, just east of San Francisco and Oakland, California. Some 50 percent of the people who live in this region have no church background — often going back three generations.

Nevertheless, 168 people showed up when the church opened in January 1999.

“Out of everyone I greeted that morning, only one of them I knew for sure was a Christian,” Doug says.

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From the beginning, the Heisels decided to let the mission field determine the ministry method. Over the years, that philosophy has fueled multisite ventures, and even two campuses in Mexico.

Each of the campuses has a unique flavor that helps it meet the needs of the surrounding community. Yet the vision is the same: raising up Kingdom-minded individuals who want to see God do something amazing.

For instance, New Life recently helped Tyler and Nicole Hagan launch Anthem Church in Oakland. It was the first new Assemblies of God church in the city in more than 40 years.

“A lot of what New Life is doing falls under the category of providential,” Doug says. “If our eyes are open, God is already doing the work, and we just have to find it.”

That providence was evident at a Northern California/Nevada District Council in 2012, when Doug shared the stage with Travis Clark, a potential church planter from Arizona.

Following that brief meeting, the Heisels felt something stirring in their hearts. After talking with Clark, they all realized God wanted to do something special. It led to a partnership that allowed Clark to launch Canvas Church (AG) in the Marina District of San Francisco, with the help and backing of New Life. Today, Canvas SF runs 350 to 400 each week in one of the hardest-to-reach areas of the country.

Wherever they go, the Heisels look for God to show up. And when He does, they are faithful to follow His lead and do His work — regardless of the ministry method.

“Out of everyone I greeted that morning, only one of them I knew for sure was a Christian.”

Doug and Crystal Heisel are co-pastors of New Life Church (AG) in the East Bay Area of San Francisco.

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A Diverse Church for a Diverse City A Q&A WITH JONATHAN AND NICOLE EMBER In 2013, co-pastors Jonathan and Nicole Ember launched Diversity Church (AG) in Indianapolis. They now minister in three locations as they pursue a vision to open more sites.

“It’s been exciting to see people come in who have not been open to the gospel and find a safe place and community where they can encounter God.”

Jonathan and Nicole Ember are co-pastors of Diversity Church (AG) in Indianapolis.

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INFLUENCE: What led you to plant Diversity Church together?

JONATHAN: We served on the mission field in Brazil. It was in that context that I saw the gospel preached to different nationalities. The diversity we experienced there birthed a desire for diversity in the states as well. Indianapolis was our home base, so after about two years, we felt led to come back home.

NICOLE: We had talked about how much we loved missions work, but we also loved the idea of laying some roots and being a pastor in the States. As we were trying to figure out how those passions fit together, I shared with Jonathan that I saw how God had gifted him to do church planting because it kind of combines the aspects of missionary, evangelist and pastor. It’s about starting a new work in a very traditional setting.

What does “diversity” mean to you and your church?

JONATHAN: It means “whosoever will.” It means every single person, no matter where they are on their faith journey, their economic makeup, their skin color — all of that. God has created a beautiful church culture where we have so many people who are from different

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walks of life, doing life together. The last five years in our nation has marked some of the most troubling times when it comes to race relations. It’s neat to see how this thing we are doing is starting to bridge that gap.

How do you achieve diversity?

NICOLE: What I love about our church is that

our name forces us to face some of these topics head-on. So we’ve done race relations panels, where we have people from different backgrounds on stage together, answering questions and hitting these tough topics.

We’ve had to address the topic of inclusion from the LGBTQ community. It’s forced us to stand for truth in a way that is loving and balanced. It’s been exciting to see people come in who have not been open to the gospel and find a safe place and community where they can encounter God. JONATHAN: We had to be intentional about demonstrating our diversity. That meant we had to be intentional about hiring staff, making sure our demographic represented the same diversity in our neighborhoods. But it also included outreach. For instance, we hosted an outreach called Taste of Diversity that celebrated the food and entertainment of different backgrounds in our church and community. It was a great way to introduce ourselves to the community in a very nonthreatening way, but also to let everyone know we are here in the city and what we’re all about.

NICOLE: And our multisite approach has been part of that intentionality as well. We wanted to celebrate diversity by doing this in different locations with all different people. One of the greatest successes is seeing people from different socioeconomic backgrounds worshipping together. The beauty of diversity is that we all bring something unique to the table.

Seasons and Priorities in Church Planting A C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H B R A N D O N AND CASEY SHANK ith four kids under the age of 5, planting a church and launching multiple campuses can feel a bit like a balancing act.

“It takes priorities,” says Brandon Shank, who co-pastors Lifehouse Virginia Beach (AG) in Virginia Beach, Virginia, along with his wife, Casey.

The church has two campuses, and more are in the works. Casey Shank says managing a growing church and a growing family requires intentionality and flexibility.

“I really had to understand the season we were in, and balance out the church and the

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Brandon and Casey Shank are co-pastors of Lifehouse Virginia Beach (AG) in Virginia Beach,Virginia.

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family,” she says. “I had to have my kids taken care of first, but my mom felt called to move here and help out as well. In the early stages, I was at the church early every week. And then about a year after, I stepped away to have our fourth child.”

These seasons don’t mean slowing down or stopping, but they can mean tag-teaming and juggling roles at times. While Brandon is the main communicator, the two continue to share leadership responsibilities in the church.

“For us, God has spoken to us that we are called as a team,” Casey says. “So we’ve always approached life like that, in any job we’ve been in. When Brandon was youth pastoring, I was right there beside him. So we approached church planting with that same mindset.”

As a team, they have moved together with the vision God is giving them for Virginia Beach. And that includes multiplication through multiple campuses.

“In the fall of 2017, I really felt like the Lord spoke to me that it was time to dream again,” Brandon says. “I had just gotten comfortable. We had small overhead. But God woke me up one night with three words: three in three.”

Brandon sensed that God was leading them to plant three campuses over the next three years. This reminded the couple of Isaiah 54:2, one of their favorite verses: “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.”

They envisioned the new campuses as tent stakes. With one in each corner, all of Virginia Beach will be covered.

Brandon says the church didn’t expand because it was running out of space. Rather, the congregation is taking a step of faith because they believe God is leading them to do so.

“We didn’t do multisite based on overflow, but based on vision,” he says.

For Brandon and Casey, multiplication is a biblical principle. As a team, they’ve moved in and out of seasons, but they’ve always moved to the beat of God’s leading in their lives.

going to give you a love for this city.”

After that first trip, I went back again and again and began to take hundreds of people with me. Then one night in a service at General Council, God spoke to me that it was time to move to New Orleans.

KRISTI: My parents were missionaries, so I’ve always had a heart for this type of ministry.

It was during college that God himself put in my heart a desire to plant urban churches. Then, years later, in the midst of my comfortable life, God spoke clearly to me, “You were made for more than this, but it will cost you everything.” Little did I know that literally meant almost everything. We sold our comfortable home in Dallas at a loss and moved to New Orleans.

Individual Callings, Joint Pastoring A Q&A WITH WAYNE AND KRISTI NORTHUP

Wayne and Kristi Northup planted Saints Community Church (AG) in Metairie, Louisiana, in 2011. Now their mission is giving comfort to Greater New Orleans through the hope of the gospel.

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INFLUENCE: What led the two of you to plant a church in New Orleans together?

WAYNE: When I was a junior in college, I was asked to lead a missions trip to New Orleans. I had never been, I had never even considered going there, but once I was there, it changed me in deep, deep ways. I remem-ber one evening eating in the French Quarter and just being overcome with emotion. I clearly heard God tell me, “I’m

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How does your individual calling play into your ministry?

KRISTI: Worship leading is my primary craft.

But that doesn’t mean it’s my only means of leading in church. I realized that my role would be to fill in the gaps wherever I was needed.

WAYNE: Kristi is an executive pastor and very good at being a utility player. She is in charge of all worship at all of our campuses, as well as all operations, including finances and marketing.

KRISTI: And Wayne is such a gifted leader. His role is the primary vision caster and main communicator. Each couple needs to figure out their own gifts and how they fit together with their spouse.

How does being lead pastors together enhance your ministry?

KRISTI: Sometimes people want to split hairs and give clear-cut titles, but that doesn’t always work. I grew up in a Spanish-speaking environment on the mission field, and in that context there is only one word for a person who ministers, pastora, and it means anything from senior pastor to staff member to pastor’s wife. There really is no distinction when you serve together.

WAYNE: Your role may change, but you have to continue to keep the mission in focus.

MAKE IT COUNT An Eight-Week Study for Leadership Teams

BUILDING A CULTURE OF EVALUATION EIGHT INSIGHTFUL STUDIES 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

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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 an important practice of building strong, healthy relationships with your team members. It is also a necessary component of building healthy, Blandino flourishing churches.

These lessons can help you make each moment count as you lead and develop the leaders around you.

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verybody has a different reaction when it comes to the idea of evaluation — especially in the Church. Some leaders feel like “evaluation” sounds corporate or businesslike. As a result, pastors often resist evaluation because it doesn’t seem spiritual. Other times, we may avoid evaluation because we’re afraid of what it might reveal. Our insecurities get the best of us because we don’t want to look like a failure. On the other side of the spectrum, some see evaluation as a way to make improvements, bolster growth and raise the level of excellence.

Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, leaders must recognize that evaluation only reveals facts, and facts are ultimately our friends. You can’t change your reality if you don’t first face it. Even though these facts might reveal weaknesses, gaps and deficiencies, they ultimately give us the information we need to craft a roadmap to improved health and growth. Ignoring the facts only turns short-term gaps into long-term graves.

A church refusing to build a healthy culture of evaluation will die a slow death.

This issue of Make It Count explores how to build a culture of evaluation with these eight insightful lessons: 1. The Value of Evaluation 2. The Keys to Effective Evaluation 3. Evaluating Yourself 4. Evaluating Church Health 5. Evaluating Strategies 6. Evaluating Staff and Leaders 7. Evaluating Culture 8. Removing the Frustration From Evaluation The goal of each lesson is to present the topic from a biblical and holistic perspective, foster meaningful discussion, and provide a roadmap for building a healthy culture of evaluation.

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The following eight, easy-to-use lessons on building a culture of evaluation 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 district 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.

HOW TO USE MAKE IT COUNT

We are pleased to offer 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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Building a Culture of Evaluation: Eight Insightful Studies

Study 1: The Value of Evaluation Assess: What value does your church or organization place on regular evaluation?

Insights and Ideas

he idea of evaluation can stir a variety of emotions. Evaluation invigorates some people because it precedes the opportunity for change. Others find it frightening, thinking, I must be doing something wrong. Still others see it as nothing more than a spirit of criticism masked as a strategy for improvement.

While evaluation can feel emotional, it’s actually biblical. The apostle Paul said to “examine yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). Lamentations 3:40 says, “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” Even the Bereans “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). If we’re honest, we know there is enormous value in evaluation. As a starting point, consider these four benefits: 1. Evaluation makes improvement possible. Without evaluation we would quickly move into mediocrity or, worse, irrelevance. Evaluation helps you maintain a continual posture of improvement. It forces you to mine for best practices, welcome outside feedback and perspective, and maximize your impact.

2. Evaluation builds credibility with others. When we fail to evaluate our lives, our ministries, and our strategies, leaders and teams around us begin to question our credibility.

They start to wonder, Does he even know how bad things are? Does she even see what’s happening around her? Evaluation helps your team members know you’re in touch with what’s going on. As brutal as they can be, facts are ultimately your friends.

3. Evaluation enhances the stewardship of time, energy and money. When we stop evaluating, we are ultimately excusing our willingness to steward wisely the time, energy and money God entrusts to us. Evaluation helps us identify waste of resources, develop more effective practices, and become increasingly efficient as a ministry. Plus, God has a record of blessing good stewardship.

4. Evaluation strengthens culture. Choosing to evaluate programs, strategies, staff and volunteers helps you build a stronger, healthier culture. It keeps the church flexible, strategic and focused, while continually cultivating a spirit of excellence. Without evaluation, culture tends to drift toward complexity (we just keep adding more programs), mediocrity (we become content with average), and inflexibility (we become resistant to change).

Each of these values of evaluation have the power to open the door to more fruitfulness in your life, ministry, and church or organization. But it begins with a willingness on your part to embrace honest evaluation.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. What typically comes to your mind when you think about evaluation?

2. What do we regularly evaluate as a church or organization?

3. Which of the four values of evaluation most challenge you?

Apply

To benefit from evaluation, you must willingly embrace its value. Take some time to pray through any resistance you have to evaluation. What is making you resistant? How has evaluation hurt you in the past? What change do you need to make in your attitude toward evaluation so you can grow and benefit from all it has to offer?

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Building a Culture of Evaluation: Eight Insightful Studies

The Keys to Effective Evaluation Team Review: What did the Lord reveal to you as you prayed through your attitude toward

evaluation?

Assess: What keys are essential for making evaluation an effective part of an organization?

Insights and Ideas

uilding a culture of evaluation requires certain elements that promote a healthy environment. Without these, evaluation can become out of balance, and even produce dysfunction within a church or organization. With these elements, evaluation becomes a catalyst to improve your personal and organizational health.

Three things are essential for effective evaluation: 1. The right system. Effective evaluation usually requires a system, strategy or process to provide the highest value. That system might include surveys, an evaluation form or a series of questions. For example, if you are evaluating a ministry program, do you want to distribute a survey to your members, ask the leaders a series of evaluation questions, or provide an opportunity for anonymous feedback? Without a clearly developed system, evaluation can feel haphazard, incomplete or even confusing.

2. The right spirit. The motive and delivery of evaluation are critical. The wrong spirit will break trust and foster suspicion. But the right spirit will draw out the best insights and provide the greatest perspective. What is the right spirit? You need a balance of candor and care. In other words, your evaluation process needs to welcome honest, candid feedback that is delivered in a caring and respectful way. There’s no magic formula for the perfect balance of candor and care. Leaders must simply model candor in a trust-filled, compassionate and caring way. Proverbs 15:4 says, “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” (NLT). Truthfulness combined with gentleness should accompany evaluation.

3. The right speed. Effective evaluation requires an appropriate pace. When it happens too frequently, evaluation can feel like constant criticism. When it happens irregularly, small cracks can turn into major problems. Managing evaluation at the right speed allows for a healthy tension to develop between celebrating progress and evaluating how to improve.

The right speed engrains evaluation into the schedule and rhythm of the organization.

The right system, spirit and speed build evaluation into the culture of a church or organization. The right system makes evaluation purposeful. The right spirit makes evaluation people-friendly. And the right speed makes evaluation predictable. Together, these elements lead to evaluation that makes the team and organization stronger.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. What kind of evaluation system is currently in place in our church or organization? How can we make this system more purposeful and strategic?

2. What kind of spirit do we tend to have in our evaluation efforts? What can we do to reflect a better spirit?

3. What’s the right speed to evaluate the following areas: staff, volunteers, services, ministries and events?

Apply

Work together as a team to determine the best way to implement the right system, spirit and speed in your evaluation processes. Do different staff or team members need to lead the evaluation process for different areas? Determine the right next steps to move your evaluation efforts forward in a healthy and effective way.

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Building a Culture of Evaluation: Eight Insightful Studies

Evaluating Yourself Team Review: What steps have you taken to implement the right system, spirit and speed in your organization’s evaluation?

Assess: How do you regularly evaluate your personal health in the most important areas of your life?

Insights and Ideas

elf-evaluation is an important part of personal growth. In Psalm 139, David welcomed God’s evaluation when he wrote, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (verses 23–24). And Jesus said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3–5).

Before we evaluate others, we must first look in the mirror. Three practices cultivate healthy self-evaluation: 1. Create and monitor a personal health dashboard. Author and pastor Wayne Cordeiro suggests a monthly practice of reviewing a personal dashboard. He recommends giving yourself a grade (A, B, C, D, F) in a variety of areas, such as spiritual life, marriage, family, work and physical health. Creating a dashboard, and reviewing it monthly, can help you make midcourse corrections before you become unhealthy.

2. Welcome outside feedback. All of us have blind spots, but the only way to discover your blind spots is to ask others to help you see them. When you welcome outside feedback from trusted family, friends, coaches and leaders, you gain insight into a variety of areas. Feedback reveals unhealthy habits, cracks in your integrity, a lack of spiritual vibrancy, how you come across to others, unsustainability in your schedule, and a host of other valuable insights. In short, outside feedback helps you address gaps before they undermine your life and leadership.

3. Create a growth plan with accountability and checkups. A growth plan will help you improve in the areas of weakness your dashboard and outside feedback reveal. However, for a growth plan to work, you not only need a solid plan, but you also need accountability and checkups. In other words, you need someone to hold you accountable to grow, and you need regular checkups to monitor your progress.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. What might a personal health dashboard look like for you?

2. Do you have a personal growth plan? How do you ensure accountability and regular checkups are part of your plan?

3. How do you (or will you) regularly welcome feedback from outside sources? How have you found this feedback helpful?

Apply

Take three steps to elevate your personal self-evaluation. First, create your own dashboard to monitor health on a monthly basis. Second, schedule time with a trusted advisor who can help you identify blind spots. Finally, based on the review of your dashboard and outside feedback, choose the areas in which you want to grow. Then, create a growth plan with appropriate accountability and checkups to help you improve.

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Building a Culture of Evaluation: Eight Insightful Studies

Evaluating Church Health Team Review: What have you done to evaluate your personal health in the last seven days?

Assess: How do you regularly evaluate the overall health of the church or a ministry?

Insights and Ideas

o evaluate the health of the church, you must be deliberate in your efforts. Purposeful evaluation never happens accidently. Three things are essential for evaluating the church’s health: 1. Courageous leadership. Scripture is full of examples of courageous leadership. Joshua courageously led the Israelites into the Promised Land. Daniel courageously prayed three times a day, despite the threat of death. Esther courageously spoke on behalf of the Jewish people. Nehemiah courageously returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall around the city. We need that same kind of courage to face the facts of a church’s health.

Sometimes those facts are encouraging and worthy of celebration. Other times, evaluation reveals decline, ineffectiveness or a need for painful change. Whatever the case, evaluation begins with a leader who is courageous enough to face the facts.

2. Clear metrics. To conduct a thorough evaluation of the church’s health, you need to identify key metrics and collect appropriate data in each area. The most common are attendance and finances. However, these metrics are not enough. You should also track salvations, baptisms, volunteers, leaders, participation in small groups, firstand second-time donors, per capita giving, and other important areas. Also measure the percentage of your weekend attendance engaging in these areas, and monitor the annual growth or decline of those percentages. Finally, measure stories of life change, community transformation and missions impact. Are you reaching the lost? Are you developing disciples? Are you mobilizing people for ministry? Clear metrics help you see the overall picture. If you don’t know where you are, you’ll have difficulty navigating to a better destination.

3. Comprehensive analysis. There are two helpful analysis strategies. The first is a S.W.O.T. analysis. Gather a group of staff and leaders to evaluate the church’s strengths (what the church does well), weaknesses (areas where the church is struggling), opportunities (new ideas or opportunities the church can leverage), and threats (things that could be detrimental to the church’s health or growth).

A second approach is to evaluate the church, a ministry, an event, or a service with four questions: What’s right? What’s wrong? What’s missing? What’s confusing?

Both strategies will help you analyze current health and potential areas of improvement.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you assess your courage as a leader when it comes to facing the facts?

2. What metrics do you evaluate regularly? On what new metrics do you need to collect data?

3. Do you need to conduct a S.W.O.T. analysis of the church as a whole? With which ministries do you need to ask the four questions?

Apply

Conduct a S.W.O.T. analysis of the church, and/or ask the four questions regarding a specific ministry in the church. From the results of each analysis, put together an action plan to make improvements.

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Building a Culture of Evaluation: Eight Insightful Studies

Evaluating Strategies Team Review: What did your S.W.O.T. analysis reveal about your organization, church or a ministry within your church?

Assess: What does it look like to evaluate the strategies in your church or organization?

Insights and Ideas

n the Gospel of Luke, Jesus challenged the crowds to count the cost of being His disciples. He compared it to building a tower when He said, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish’” (Luke 14:28–30).

Organizational strategies require a similar discipline of counting the cost to ensure we’re adopting strategies that provide the best path forward. However, developing a strategy and evaluating a strategy are two different things. After all, every strategy has a shelf life. To evaluate a strategy’s effectiveness, ask four probing questions: 1. Is the strategy fulfilling the purpose for which it was created? Every strategy is designed to meet a need or solve a problem. When evaluating a strategy’s effectiveness, leaders must honestly answer whether the strategy is still fulfilling its original purpose.

2. Is the strategy relevant to its target audience? Most strategies focus on a specific group of people. It might be a ministry strategy for children, youth, singles, couples or seniors.

Leaders have to remember that these groups usually change over time. What worked with children just a few years ago may not work today. If you’re out of touch with your target audience, your strategy may also be irrelevant.

3. Is the strategy sustainable in its current design? A strategy may be fulfilling its purpose and be relevant to its target audience, but if it is burning through volunteers and consuming a lot of time, energy and money, it may not be sustainable in its current design.

Leaders must determine whether a strategy will work long-term based on the effort required to keep it running.

4. Is the strategy able to scale with the growth of the church? It’s possible for churches to outgrow strategies. Consider whether your strategy has the ability to grow with the church. If church growth outpaces the scalability of the strategy, it’s time for a new strategy.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. How often do you evaluate the effectiveness of strategies in your church?

2. Which of the four strategy questions most challenges you? Why? 3. Which strategy in your church or organization feels tired or ineffective? What grade would you give the strategy if you filtered it through the four strategy questions?

Apply

Choose a strategy in the church that is in need of evaluation. Assemble a team to evaluate the strategy with the four probing questions. Based on the responses to each question, what changes does the strategy need?

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Building a Culture of Evaluation: Eight Insightful Studies

Evaluating Staff and Leaders Team Review: Which strategy did you evaluate using the four probing questions? What discoveries did you make in the process?

Assess: What system do you have in place to evaluate staff or leaders?

Insights and Ideas

n the Parable of the Bags of Gold (Matthew 25:14–30), the master entrusted his wealth to three servants. To one servant he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent. When the master returned from a long trip, he evaluated each servant.

The five-talent and two-talent servants doubled their master’s wealth. The master called them “ good and faithful” servants and rewarded each accordingly. The third servant buried his talent in the ground, which brought scorn from the master. In this parable, Jesus equates faithfulness with stewardship and growth.

Like the master, we have a responsibility to evaluate the people we lead. Why? Because God has entrusted us to faithfully steward time, talent, treasure and, most importantly, the mission of Jesus. Two things are essential for evaluating the people who report to us: 1. Establish measurements. To evaluate staff members, there must be something to evaluate them against. Simply put, you have to identify a measurement to which you can hold them accountable. That measurement could be a series of goals, a personal growth plan or a church-wide initiative. According to the Parable of the Bags of Gold, “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them” (verse 19). The master must have established an expectation previously since he planned to settle accounts. Have you established and communicated a clear measurement (some form of expectation) with your staff or the people you lead?

2. Evaluate performance. Once we establish the measurement (a goal, standard, growth plan, etc.), we are responsible for evaluating performance against that measurement.

This evaluation requires a pace and a process. The pace has to do with the frequency of evaluation. The process has to do with the method of evaluation. For example, you might choose to evaluate progress monthly or quarterly by using a series of evaluation questions. You might use a biannual review to monitor performance and progress. We don’t know how long it was before the master returned from his trip, but we do know he evaluated performance upon his arrival.

Both ingredients — establishing measurements and evaluating performance — are essential if you want to help your staff grow and reach the next level. Both will help you draw the potential out of people and deliver greater ministry impact.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. How do you currently evaluate staff and leaders? What are the strengths and weaknesses of your process?

2. Do you have clear measurements for each member of your team? How can you improve these processes?

3. What would be a good pace and process for evaluating your staff and teams?

Apply

Work on a clear plan to establish measurements and evaluate performance with your staff and leaders. Put the process in writing, communicate it to your leaders, and then carefully implement it. You might even talk with other pastors and leaders to explore a variety of evaluation methods. Find what fits in your culture.

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Building a Culture of Evaluation: Eight Insightful Studies

Evaluating Culture Team Review: What process did you settle on for evaluating staff and leaders in your church or organization?

Assess: What do you think it means to evaluate the health of your church’s culture?

Insights and Ideas

ations have their own languages, customs, food preferences, music styles and governing structures that all contribute to the overall culture. These unique dynamics are not necessarily right or wrong. They just are. The way people do things in a given place make up the culture.

The same is true in a church or organization. There are certain methods, traditions and ways of doing things that form your culture. Sometimes we drift into an unhealthy culture because we weren’t intentional about culture creation.

Galatians 6:3–5 says, “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.”

How often does this principle play out on an organizational level? We think we’re something we are not; as a result, a culture of dysfunction develops. That’s why we must test our actions to ensure we’re creating a healthy environment. In general, three things create culture: 1. What we tolerate creates culture. How often do you find yourself frustrated because of a team member’s behavior or a broken system? When you fail to deal quickly with these issues, you are actually creating culture. Whatever you tolerate will become ingrained in the culture.

2. What we celebrate creates culture. The things we celebrate as wins define what we consider most important. As you intentionally celebrate those victories, you are communicating to the rest of the team what you value. You’re creating culture around the behaviors and priorities that truly matter.

3. What we evaluate creates culture. The things you consistently evaluate — whether growth patterns, spiritual next steps, leadership deployment, or disciple making — directly impact the kind of culture you’re creating. People pay attention to what you evaluate because it signals how you will measure their performances. Choose what you evaluate carefully, knowing your choices create culture.

What you tolerate, celebrate and evaluate will set the tone for culture in your church or organization. The question is, have you intentionally defined all three of these?

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Reflect and Discuss

1. What have you been tolerating in your culture for far too long? When will you address this issue?

2. What do people celebrate most often in your environment? How has this shaped your culture?

3. What are the most important things to evaluate in your church or organization? How and when can you effectively evaluate those areas?

Apply

Take some time to clearly identify what you tolerate, celebrate and evaluate. Have the courage to address the issues that are lingering and, as a result, undermining your culture. Determine how to intentionally and regularly celebrate what matters most. And identify the areas you should systematically evaluate to ensure you are creating a healthy and vibrant culture.

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2019

MAKE IT COUNT Study

8

Building a Culture of Evaluation: Eight Insightful Studies

Removing the Frustration From Evaluation Team Review: What discoveries or adjustments did you make by identifying what you tolerate, celebrate and evaluate as a church or organization?

Assess: What are the most frustrating aspects of evaluation in your church or organization?

Insights and Ideas

culture of evaluation can bring extraordinary value to a church or organization. Evaluation can also create tremendous levels of frustration when you fail to handle it correctly.

That frustration often occurs when the evaluation is haphazard, or when that evaluation produces no long-term change. When this happens, evaluations feel like a waste of time.

Here are three steps you can take to remove the frustration from evaluation: 1. Recognize the emotional side of evaluation. Everybody responds differently to evaluation. For some, it’s an invigorating process. For others, it’s downright scary or demoralizing. The response often reflects what kind of evaluation we’ve received in the past. As leaders, we must recognize the emotional side of evaluation, and then respond appropriately to the concerns and fears team members express. Your appropriate response will foster the trust necessary to build a healthy culture of evaluation in the future.

2. Systematize the process of evaluation. Systematized evaluation only happens when it becomes a part of your calendar. A weekly staff meeting that includes evaluation is more effective if it happens the same day and at the same time each week. The systematic scheduling of the meeting defines expectations for those who participate in the meeting. The same is true of annual employee reviews. When these reviews happen systematically, at the same time of year using the same evaluation process, staff members come to expect them, which removes the frustration of surprise.

3. Utilize the information you glean from evaluation. Another frustration arises when you never act on the information you receive during an evaluation discussion. For example, if you ask team members for feedback on the culture of the organization, but then you never make changes to improve the culture, people will view the act of evaluation as an unnecessary strategy and a waste of time.

James 2:14 says, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” In other words, faith is only relevant when we combine it with action. The same principle applies to evaluation. Action must always follow evaluation.

The goal isn’t just to incorporate evaluation into your culture. The goal is for evaluation to lead to a healthier culture. The steps above will help that happen.

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Reflect and Discuss

1. What frustrations have you experienced when it comes to evaluation?

2. Which of the three ways to remove frustration needs the most attention in our organization?

3. Are there other obstacles you foresee in building a healthy culture of evaluation? What can you do to remove those obstacles?

Apply

To reduce and remove frustration, determine how to communicate the need for evaluation while remaining sensitive to the emotional objections your team might have. Next, determine the appropriate pace for each form of evaluation you implement (weekly, monthly, annually, etc.). Finally, come up with a safeguard to ensure you’ll actually do something with what you learn in the evaluation process. Remember that action must follow evaluation.

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THE FINAL NOTE

CONFIDENCE IN RELIGIOUS LEADERS

71%

56%

50%

AGE 50 AND OLDER

AGES 30-49

AGES 18-29

AMONG U.S. ADULTS

Salt of the Earth CHRISTINA QUICK

The degree of trust in religious leaders decreases with each generation.

Christina Quick is assistant editor of Influence magazine.

80 | Influence

he American Church has a credibility problem. Just 36 percent of U.S. adults have a high degree of confidence in organized religion, according to a recent Gallup poll. In 45 years of polling on the question, that’s a record low — and a far cry from the 78 percent who expressed a lot of trust in religion in 1975.

This trend parallels the rise of the religiously unaffiliated. Not surprisingly, only 8 percent of “nones” report having confidence in organized religion. Yet even among those identifying as Christian, minority shares of Protestants (48 percent) have confidence in the Church.

The degree of trust in religious leaders decreases with each generation, Pew Research Center recently reported. Seventy-one percent of U.S. adults aged 50 and older have confidence in pastors and other religious leaders, compared to 56 percent of those 30 to 49 years of age, and 50 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds.

Gallup cited several possible reasons for

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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2019

declining trust in the Church, including sexual abuse scandals, the association of many evangelicals with partisan politics, and the departure of millennials from church and family traditions.

Whatever the contributing factors, it’s a troubling trend. In a world that desperately needs the hope of Jesus, we have a calling to point to Him with our lives. We are the light of the world and the salt of the earth.

But if salt loses its saltiness, what good is it (Matthew 5:13)?

Every day across America, faithful congregations, church leaders and laypeople are advancing the cause of Christ. Their labor is making a difference in their communities — and in eternity.

Yet there is much more to do. And how we approach this Kingdom work matters.

Authenticity matters. Spirit reliance matters.

Obedience matters. Saltiness matters.

Lives are hanging in the balance. The Church cannot fail to be the salt and light people everywhere need to encounter.