The Minister of Music and I were talking yesterday about delegating. I recalled what it was like being at a small church where I was responsible for coming early, turning on lights, checking the heat, doing a sound check, picking up any trash, checking classrooms for neatness, and so on. I was very detail oriented and I wanted to make sure that everything was just right before the first member or visitor came through the doors.
In a small church with seven classrooms it wasn’t all that difficult. It felt good to be able to be in control of the details. After going through all the facilities and making sure everything was just right, I could go to my office and relax as I prepared myself for the morning service. In a larger church, with many more rooms, a much larger and more complex sound system, many thermostats, light switches and toilet paper rolls, I realized that I had to be able to entrust various tasks to others. Even now, there are some things that I should let others do, and I plan to do just that—someday.
In Luke chapter 10, the first 23 verses we read of Jesus sending seventy disciples ahead of Him into various cities, towns and villages to prepare for His arrival. Jesus entrusted them with an important task. In leadership it is vital that we learn the mentoring paradigm. Simply stated, it is reaching, teaching, and releasing. We reach out to and bring into the organization those individuals who show promise and potential for a given role. Then we teach them, train them, equip them to do the task, to perform the mission, to further the vision, and finally we must release them to do what we have trained them to do.
Jesus had been training these disciples. They had heard Him teach, had seen Him work, and had been given authority in His name. Jesus sent them out in pairs and in so doing multiplied His ministry by 35 times. They could go to 35 more cities with the message of the kingdom. Jesus had been preparing them for this time.
Notice how Jesus sent these disciples out. First, He gave them a message. He told them to preach a simple message, “The Kingdom of God is near.” He did not expect them to be doctors in the Law, or scholars debating the fine points of Scripture. He simply told them to preach, “The Kingdom of God is near.” When we send our people on a task, we should give them very clear and achievable goals. We should send them on a mission that we feel they will have a good chance of success at. If we send them out on hopeless tasks they will become demoralized and frustrated. We should set them up for success and as their confidence grows, so should the challenges.
Second, Jesus sent them out with a clear mandate. They were not there to gain public popularity, or to curry favor with public officials. They were there to preach a simple message. If they were received and accepted, then that was good. They were to heal the sick, to be a blessing, and to stay on message. They were to accept whatever food they were given and to be thankful for it. But if they were rejected in a town, they were to preach the message anyhow. In fact, the people who rejected them were perhaps the very ones who needed this message the most.
When we give a task to those whom we have mentored, it is always helpful if they know what is expected of them. When I was living in West Virginia I cut brush, trees and weeds from right-of-ways on the mountainsides. We were given sickles and told to start cutting. But the foreman never told us how far to cut, or how long we would be cutting. We never had a goal or direction. We were just told to cut. I didn’t last long on that job. Years later I was hired for a position where I was given an office and a title, but I was never given any clear instructions or direction about what was expected of me. I had no way to gage progress or to evaluate success. It was a frustrating experience and one which I quickly resigned from. People want to know what is expected and they need to have a benchmark by which to gage their progress and success.
Last, Jesus gave them imputed authority. He said in verse 16, “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." In other words, these disciples were representing Jesus and they carried with them His authority. When we have trained and mentored a person and then we entrust them to a task, they need to have the assurance that we are behind them. If we aren’t willing to back them up with the authority of our leadership position, then maybe we haven’t adequately prepared them for the mission.
I’ve seen leaders who were willing to take the credit for their trainee’s successes, but who left them high and dry when they stumbled. I had the negative experience of working in a situation where I was given difficult tasks to complete, tasks that would challenge status quo, but then when there were complaints the leadership failed to back me. If I made a mistake then the leader should have addressed me and let me know what I did wrong. He should have shown me how to correct the mistake. If I was correctly carrying out instructions given to me from higher up, then when there were complaints the leadership should have stood behind me.
Jesus told the disciples that they were going in His name and in His authority. When they came back from the mission they came back rejoicing, they came back encouraged and motivated because the mission had been a success. Jesus then began to rejoice with them. Not simply because they had seen miracles, but because they were members of the team, their names were in the book. We need to affirm our people for being a part of the team and celebrate successes with them on a regular basis. They should feel that they are vital members of the team and should take pride in being part of an organization with powerful mission and vision, a vision and mission that they stand behind and support because they see themselves as integral to the completion.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
XIII) THE LEAST WILL BE THE GREATEST?
In Luke chapter 9, verse 46 we read that Jesus’ disciples began to argue over whom among them would be the greatest. The Greek word translated “greatest” is meizon which means the largest, the biggest, the greatest or most important. As a leader working with and mentoring others it is more likely than not that at some point staff members, vice-presidents, associate managers, etc. will begin to think about their position in the proverbial ladder of success. They will compare office size, salaries, subordinates, and so on in an attempt to evaluate where they stack up and what their chances are for advancing to the next rank. This is natural and perhaps even unavoidable to some extent. However, when these comparisons transform into arguing, jealousy, and pettiness then it is obvious that their concept of leadership is distorted and self-serving.
When Jesus’ disciples went down this road and began to argue Jesus used a child to illustrate the concept of leadership that He had come to model and to teach. Verse 47 tells us that Jesus took a small child and stood the child beside Himself. Notice the contrast. The disciples were asking who was the greatest and to explain greatness Jesus used a small child, He used the least among them to show how to become great.
Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest” (NIV). What?
What does it mean to be the least? How does one become the least? How does becoming least make someone great? These three questions are important for being a great leader. Looking at each of them individually we discover some important truths.
First, what does it mean to be “least among you all”? The word “least” is from the Greek mikros, we get the word micro, as in microscope. It means something very small in size or quantity. As such we understand that it refers to something that does not stand out; it is something that is not obvious or something that commands our attention. Instead, something that is mikros is has to be looked for with some intentionality. For example, there are things around us that we can only see through a microscope. Children in that culture were as numerous as they are today, but children were in the background, they were rarely heard or noticed as someone with any power or persuasion. So to be least implies that we are not seeking to noticed, we are not looking for a stage to perform on or a spotlight to stand in. To some extent, it means that if we are being effective in our role, we may not even be noticed because the program or the division we lead is clicking along with consistency and regularity.
Second, we may ask, how do we become the least? If we are trying to head up a one-man or one-woman show, if we are control freaks who have to make all the decisions and have get all the recognition, then it is likely that we are not the least and therefore, we are not, by Jesus’ definition, “the greatest.” We become least when we are able to work with others, to delegate authority, to recognize the achievements of others and to direct the spotlight upon the people who work with us and for us. We become least by striving to appreciate the greatness of others around us, by promoting them, by equipping and encouraging them to reach their full potential. In short, it is by serving them.
Last, how does becoming least make someone great? It almost seems to run counterintuitive. We live in a culture were the watchword is dog-eat-dog, of climbing the ladder, of trying to stand out, and seeking to be heard and seen. So it might seem that if we are constantly lifting others up and constantly directing attention to others rather than ourselves then we will lose our opportunity to advance. In truth, if we are seeking solely to promote self, then we will only be lifting one person. With respect to our program or division, or our church, how does elevating one person compare to lifting several people, to encouraging and equipping many people? The more people who are encouraged, and who are rewarded for their contributions to the success of the organization, the more motivated they become, the harder they will work, the more dedicated and loyal they will be and the net effect will be much, much greater than if one man or woman is concerned only about him or herself.
When we grasp this concept and put it into practice, when we are sincere in our desire to lift up others, the benefits will eventually come around to us. It may be that one of our subordinates surpasses us, we should rejoice in that. If we have treated them well, if we have been a mentor, and a friend, then their promotion can do nothing but help us. We cannot lose by putting the teaching of Jesus into practice. If you want to be great, then work hard at making others around you greater, by allowing others to stand in the spotlight. Then when success comes to the organization, and when a leader has to be found as the impetus for this success, the people we have promoted will be the ones who point to us, and we will not have to blow our own horn.
When Jesus’ disciples went down this road and began to argue Jesus used a child to illustrate the concept of leadership that He had come to model and to teach. Verse 47 tells us that Jesus took a small child and stood the child beside Himself. Notice the contrast. The disciples were asking who was the greatest and to explain greatness Jesus used a small child, He used the least among them to show how to become great.
Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest” (NIV). What?
What does it mean to be the least? How does one become the least? How does becoming least make someone great? These three questions are important for being a great leader. Looking at each of them individually we discover some important truths.
First, what does it mean to be “least among you all”? The word “least” is from the Greek mikros, we get the word micro, as in microscope. It means something very small in size or quantity. As such we understand that it refers to something that does not stand out; it is something that is not obvious or something that commands our attention. Instead, something that is mikros is has to be looked for with some intentionality. For example, there are things around us that we can only see through a microscope. Children in that culture were as numerous as they are today, but children were in the background, they were rarely heard or noticed as someone with any power or persuasion. So to be least implies that we are not seeking to noticed, we are not looking for a stage to perform on or a spotlight to stand in. To some extent, it means that if we are being effective in our role, we may not even be noticed because the program or the division we lead is clicking along with consistency and regularity.
Second, we may ask, how do we become the least? If we are trying to head up a one-man or one-woman show, if we are control freaks who have to make all the decisions and have get all the recognition, then it is likely that we are not the least and therefore, we are not, by Jesus’ definition, “the greatest.” We become least when we are able to work with others, to delegate authority, to recognize the achievements of others and to direct the spotlight upon the people who work with us and for us. We become least by striving to appreciate the greatness of others around us, by promoting them, by equipping and encouraging them to reach their full potential. In short, it is by serving them.
Last, how does becoming least make someone great? It almost seems to run counterintuitive. We live in a culture were the watchword is dog-eat-dog, of climbing the ladder, of trying to stand out, and seeking to be heard and seen. So it might seem that if we are constantly lifting others up and constantly directing attention to others rather than ourselves then we will lose our opportunity to advance. In truth, if we are seeking solely to promote self, then we will only be lifting one person. With respect to our program or division, or our church, how does elevating one person compare to lifting several people, to encouraging and equipping many people? The more people who are encouraged, and who are rewarded for their contributions to the success of the organization, the more motivated they become, the harder they will work, the more dedicated and loyal they will be and the net effect will be much, much greater than if one man or woman is concerned only about him or herself.
When we grasp this concept and put it into practice, when we are sincere in our desire to lift up others, the benefits will eventually come around to us. It may be that one of our subordinates surpasses us, we should rejoice in that. If we have treated them well, if we have been a mentor, and a friend, then their promotion can do nothing but help us. We cannot lose by putting the teaching of Jesus into practice. If you want to be great, then work hard at making others around you greater, by allowing others to stand in the spotlight. Then when success comes to the organization, and when a leader has to be found as the impetus for this success, the people we have promoted will be the ones who point to us, and we will not have to blow our own horn.
Friday, June 10, 2005
XII) COURAGE TO CANCEL THE FUNERAL
In chapter 7, verse 11, of Luke’s Gospel Jesus was approaching the town of Nain along with His disciples and a large crowd that was following Him. As they were coming upon the gates of the town they met with a funeral procession coming out. The dead person being carried out was the only son of a widowed woman. He would be her only means of support and he was her only family. When Jesus saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, “Don’t cry.”
Then Jesus touched the coffin and the entire procession came to a standstill. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” You can imagine every head turning to look at the coffin. Then to everyone’s amazement the dead man sat up and began to talk. Jesus then gave the widow her son back.
Sometimes great leaders are called in to cancel the funeral. The church I currently pastor has had its share of up’s and down’s. It was planted in 1972 and flourished until the marriage of the founding pastor ended and he resigned in 1994. Many people were disillusioned and hurt by the entire ordeal and left the church. Other’s stayed to see who the next pastor would be and what he would do. Six years later the church had fallen from almost 500 to less than 100. There were some who suggested that the church should be closed and the remaining members moved to another church of the same denomination some three miles down the road.
When I came to the church I had no knowledge of the history of the church or the troubles they were experiencing. All I knew was that at one time this had been a strong and thriving church and that they owned some nice facilities in a growing suburb of Atlanta. After an interview with the church board and receiving almost 80 percent of the vote, I came to this church. I didn’t know it at the time, but I came to cancel a funeral. Some were predicting the demise of the church but God had other plans. Four and a half years later we are averaging around 300 and are still growing. We are dreaming of a new sanctuary to seat a thousand and are beginning the second year of our Christian school.
I’ve read many church growth books and I have one entitled, Turn Around Churches in which the authors paint a rather pessimistic picture of the prospects of turning a church around when it is in a freefall. The truth is that it is tough. It requires bold decisions and much faith. It cannot be accomplished by pessimistic people who doubt themselves and do not trust others or God.
This difference is illustrated by two groups of people at a hospital. One group is visitng an expecting mother. There may be some pain expressed by the patient, but there is also joy and expectation, even jubulation as the new birth is anticipated. The other group is visiting a terminal patient who has been given only hours to live. There may not be much pain for the patient, but the family is anticipating loss and death. They are sad and grieving even before the finality of the event. When we come to an organization as a leader we will will set the tone. Are we going to exude the confidence of new life or the finality of certain death? There are people watching us who want to know how they should respond.
Jesus saw the need. He was touched by the tears of the widow and He was able to do something about it. He called the dead back to life. Great leaders see beyond the crisis of the moment and envision possibilities that others may not have even considered yet.
I’ve seen pastors go to struggling churches and managers go to struggling businesses and all they do is affirm what everyone else sees and knows, “This place is in trouble.” Some will even tell other pastors or busniess partners how bad it is and indicate that perhaps it should be closed. It is not likely that a church or a business with a leader like that has any hope of new life. These leaders are the first ones there with a shovel in hand to bury the dead. Great leaders don’t come with a shovel, they come with a vision and they come to cancel the funeral not to officiate it.
As a result of this miracle, many people were amazed and believed in Jesus. This miracle furthered the cause and brought Jesus one step closer to fulfilling His ministry objectives. Canceling the funeral may require smaller victories leading up to the greater. Jesus raised a young man and a young girl (Luke 8:51-56) before He raised Lazarus.
Resurrecting a church usually does not happen in one fell swoop. Instead it may require the resurrection of the music program, then the youth program, the children’s ministries, the singles, and so on. As one small victory leads to the next hope is birthed, faith is renewed, vision is restored and the entire organization is raised. In business it may come in small bites as smaller goals are realized on the road to organizational rebirth.
If things look bleak where you are, remember that God may well have called you there to cancel the funeral, not to preach it. (Next I’ll be looking at Luke 8:51-56 and the need to cast out the scoffers.)
Then Jesus touched the coffin and the entire procession came to a standstill. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” You can imagine every head turning to look at the coffin. Then to everyone’s amazement the dead man sat up and began to talk. Jesus then gave the widow her son back.
Sometimes great leaders are called in to cancel the funeral. The church I currently pastor has had its share of up’s and down’s. It was planted in 1972 and flourished until the marriage of the founding pastor ended and he resigned in 1994. Many people were disillusioned and hurt by the entire ordeal and left the church. Other’s stayed to see who the next pastor would be and what he would do. Six years later the church had fallen from almost 500 to less than 100. There were some who suggested that the church should be closed and the remaining members moved to another church of the same denomination some three miles down the road.
When I came to the church I had no knowledge of the history of the church or the troubles they were experiencing. All I knew was that at one time this had been a strong and thriving church and that they owned some nice facilities in a growing suburb of Atlanta. After an interview with the church board and receiving almost 80 percent of the vote, I came to this church. I didn’t know it at the time, but I came to cancel a funeral. Some were predicting the demise of the church but God had other plans. Four and a half years later we are averaging around 300 and are still growing. We are dreaming of a new sanctuary to seat a thousand and are beginning the second year of our Christian school.
I’ve read many church growth books and I have one entitled, Turn Around Churches in which the authors paint a rather pessimistic picture of the prospects of turning a church around when it is in a freefall. The truth is that it is tough. It requires bold decisions and much faith. It cannot be accomplished by pessimistic people who doubt themselves and do not trust others or God.
This difference is illustrated by two groups of people at a hospital. One group is visitng an expecting mother. There may be some pain expressed by the patient, but there is also joy and expectation, even jubulation as the new birth is anticipated. The other group is visiting a terminal patient who has been given only hours to live. There may not be much pain for the patient, but the family is anticipating loss and death. They are sad and grieving even before the finality of the event. When we come to an organization as a leader we will will set the tone. Are we going to exude the confidence of new life or the finality of certain death? There are people watching us who want to know how they should respond.
Jesus saw the need. He was touched by the tears of the widow and He was able to do something about it. He called the dead back to life. Great leaders see beyond the crisis of the moment and envision possibilities that others may not have even considered yet.
I’ve seen pastors go to struggling churches and managers go to struggling businesses and all they do is affirm what everyone else sees and knows, “This place is in trouble.” Some will even tell other pastors or busniess partners how bad it is and indicate that perhaps it should be closed. It is not likely that a church or a business with a leader like that has any hope of new life. These leaders are the first ones there with a shovel in hand to bury the dead. Great leaders don’t come with a shovel, they come with a vision and they come to cancel the funeral not to officiate it.
As a result of this miracle, many people were amazed and believed in Jesus. This miracle furthered the cause and brought Jesus one step closer to fulfilling His ministry objectives. Canceling the funeral may require smaller victories leading up to the greater. Jesus raised a young man and a young girl (Luke 8:51-56) before He raised Lazarus.
Resurrecting a church usually does not happen in one fell swoop. Instead it may require the resurrection of the music program, then the youth program, the children’s ministries, the singles, and so on. As one small victory leads to the next hope is birthed, faith is renewed, vision is restored and the entire organization is raised. In business it may come in small bites as smaller goals are realized on the road to organizational rebirth.
If things look bleak where you are, remember that God may well have called you there to cancel the funeral, not to preach it. (Next I’ll be looking at Luke 8:51-56 and the need to cast out the scoffers.)
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
XI) STEER CLEAR OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
In Luke chapter 6, beginning at verse 37, Jesus teaches that we must always be careful to refrain from being judgmental, to avoid fault finding and blame placing. In fact, we may very well need to deal with our own issues and to address our own problems rather than focusing on the shortcomings of everyone else as though that somehow excuses our failures.
Insecure and ineffective leaders are always looking for the proverbial scapegoat. These leaders are looking to cover themselves and are willing to point to the miscues of subordinates as an excuse for their own ineffectiveness in their own role.
Great leaders, however, are not afraid to look in the mirror and examine themselves. Great leaders can be honest with themselves and address their own areas of weakness. They are willing work at improving deficiencies and are secure enough to bring into the team others whose strengths complement their own weaknesses. Great leaders refuse to fall into the snare of self-righteousness, that is, believing that they are the only one who is working hard, the only one who cares, the only one who is doing the right things. Instead, great leaders can recognize and appreciate the contributions of others and celebrate the successes of others.
In knew of a pastor who had been very successful. Every church he pastored almost always grew to over two-thousand members. One man visited this pastor and came away under-whelmed with his charisma and leadership style. He commented that this pastor wasn’t all that impressive, but that he had great leaders working with him. If we are honest with ourselves about our own strengths and weaknesses then we will be in a much better position to recruit a team to work with us. This pastor was growing great churches because he was honest enough with himself, and secure enough in himself to bring into the team others who could work together to build a successful organization.
I’ve often said that one man cannot build a great church or organization alone. It takes a team and that team must consist of strategically chosen people who can work together appreciating and complementing one another’s strengths weaknesses. One man does not a great organization make, but one man can tear down a great organization. One man or woman in a leadership position who is insecure and unable to address his or her own issues will undermine the effectiveness of the team and can, over time, cause the collapse of the entire structure.
Being a leader is a heady thing. To be “in charge” and to be in a position where people look to us as an authority figure is a awesome responsibility. Some leaders are humbled by this and they understand that they are called to serve the organization, and not the other way around. But sadly, too many think that the organization is there to serve them, to keep their ego buoyed and their name in the limelight. When things are not going in in a positive direction they will judge others and blame them for the failure when it may well be that they need to get the beam out of their own eyes before they try plucking the splinter out of the eye of someone else.
If you are in a leadership position and the organization you are leading is not succeeding, begin by looking in the mirror. Leaders set the tone for the entire organization. Our attitude will filter throughout the organization and will either elevate or deflate. I've seen churches rise and fall with the transition of leaders. The same facilities, the same people, the same resources, but one man saw the organization in decline, and the next saw it grow. The first was insecure and controlling. He often called his leadership team into his office to dress them down and to intimidate them with the threat that if things did not turn around their jobs would be terminated. The next brought a positive can do attitude and took the time to invest this attitude into his staff. He promoted a team approach to leadership and attempted to share the rewards and accolades of success with the entire team. The first leader saw decline and eventually resigned. The second continues to see growth and the atmosphere of the entire organization is now hopeful and enthusiastic.
It is very likely that the organization you lead is a reflection of your own leadership style. If the people are defeated, it may be that you are projecting an attitude of defeat. If it is positive and upbeat, it is very likely that you, as a leader, are projecting these very qualities to your team, and from the team to the whole organization. If things are not going well, begin by removing the beam in your own eye and then being to project the possible, the positive, and the potential that is within your reach and the reach of your organization.
Insecure and ineffective leaders are always looking for the proverbial scapegoat. These leaders are looking to cover themselves and are willing to point to the miscues of subordinates as an excuse for their own ineffectiveness in their own role.
Great leaders, however, are not afraid to look in the mirror and examine themselves. Great leaders can be honest with themselves and address their own areas of weakness. They are willing work at improving deficiencies and are secure enough to bring into the team others whose strengths complement their own weaknesses. Great leaders refuse to fall into the snare of self-righteousness, that is, believing that they are the only one who is working hard, the only one who cares, the only one who is doing the right things. Instead, great leaders can recognize and appreciate the contributions of others and celebrate the successes of others.
In knew of a pastor who had been very successful. Every church he pastored almost always grew to over two-thousand members. One man visited this pastor and came away under-whelmed with his charisma and leadership style. He commented that this pastor wasn’t all that impressive, but that he had great leaders working with him. If we are honest with ourselves about our own strengths and weaknesses then we will be in a much better position to recruit a team to work with us. This pastor was growing great churches because he was honest enough with himself, and secure enough in himself to bring into the team others who could work together to build a successful organization.
I’ve often said that one man cannot build a great church or organization alone. It takes a team and that team must consist of strategically chosen people who can work together appreciating and complementing one another’s strengths weaknesses. One man does not a great organization make, but one man can tear down a great organization. One man or woman in a leadership position who is insecure and unable to address his or her own issues will undermine the effectiveness of the team and can, over time, cause the collapse of the entire structure.
Being a leader is a heady thing. To be “in charge” and to be in a position where people look to us as an authority figure is a awesome responsibility. Some leaders are humbled by this and they understand that they are called to serve the organization, and not the other way around. But sadly, too many think that the organization is there to serve them, to keep their ego buoyed and their name in the limelight. When things are not going in in a positive direction they will judge others and blame them for the failure when it may well be that they need to get the beam out of their own eyes before they try plucking the splinter out of the eye of someone else.
If you are in a leadership position and the organization you are leading is not succeeding, begin by looking in the mirror. Leaders set the tone for the entire organization. Our attitude will filter throughout the organization and will either elevate or deflate. I've seen churches rise and fall with the transition of leaders. The same facilities, the same people, the same resources, but one man saw the organization in decline, and the next saw it grow. The first was insecure and controlling. He often called his leadership team into his office to dress them down and to intimidate them with the threat that if things did not turn around their jobs would be terminated. The next brought a positive can do attitude and took the time to invest this attitude into his staff. He promoted a team approach to leadership and attempted to share the rewards and accolades of success with the entire team. The first leader saw decline and eventually resigned. The second continues to see growth and the atmosphere of the entire organization is now hopeful and enthusiastic.
It is very likely that the organization you lead is a reflection of your own leadership style. If the people are defeated, it may be that you are projecting an attitude of defeat. If it is positive and upbeat, it is very likely that you, as a leader, are projecting these very qualities to your team, and from the team to the whole organization. If things are not going well, begin by removing the beam in your own eye and then being to project the possible, the positive, and the potential that is within your reach and the reach of your organization.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
X) BREAKING WITH CONVENTION
Luke 6:1-11
It was the Sabbath and over the centuries, especially with the rise of the Pharisaical school, many customs and traditions had been layered upon the Law. People trying to be more holy, and more righteous, had increased the severity and the difficulty of the requirements of the Law until the average Jew had to walk on the proverbial eggshells each day. This was especially true of the Sabbath requirements.
Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their legalistic approach in Matthew 23:4:
“For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders ; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (KJV).
However, Jesus refused to be bound by convention and tradition when there were larger issues at hand. In Luke 6 Jesus was in a grainfield with His disciples on the Sabbath and they were hungery. So they picked some of the grain, rubbed off the husk, or the chaff, and ate the raw grain. The Pharisees saw this and immediatley began to criticize Jesus and the disciples for breaking with the religious custom of the day. According to the manmade tradition, it was considered work to remove the husk from the grain and to eat with unwashed hands. There was a long and convoluted list of what constituted work and what was acceptable activity on the Sabbath. In the process of trying to provide minute details on the subject, they had made the Sabbath a day of anxiety and frustration instead of a day of rest and recuperation. Jesus would have none of this. He understood the intent of the Sabbath and would not allow tradition to rob Him or His disciples of the blessing of Sabbath.
Jesus then gave two reasons why their criticism was unfounded. First, He provided a Scriptural precedent:
3 Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions."
Second, Jesus affirmed His own authority:
5 Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
How do you know if your organization is being hamstrung by convention? If you hear the people say; “We’ve always done it this way” or, “We’ve never done it like that before,” then you may be dealing with convention that imposes restrictions that have muted the original intention. Great leaders will not allow convention to keep them from moving forward.
In any organization there is a pattern of initiation, growth, and stabilization. An organization can only stay at that place of stabilization for so long. This is a critical time in the life of the organization because it will either decline and die, or it will be invigorated with new vision, new life and with the will to break out of the geocentric orbit and soar into new heights of possibility. But to break with the familiar, with the customary, with convention, requires new energy and a bold willingness on the part of leadership to chart a course that will provide a new trajectory for the future.
Jesus was bound only to the will of the Father and to the integrity of Scripture, but He refused to be bound by manmade restrictions that would have impeded His mission. Great leaders will maintain integrity and will stay true to the mission, but they will not allow custom and tradition to keep the organization from reaching its full potential.
Check out my new book, The Third Level
It was the Sabbath and over the centuries, especially with the rise of the Pharisaical school, many customs and traditions had been layered upon the Law. People trying to be more holy, and more righteous, had increased the severity and the difficulty of the requirements of the Law until the average Jew had to walk on the proverbial eggshells each day. This was especially true of the Sabbath requirements.
Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their legalistic approach in Matthew 23:4:
“For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders ; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (KJV).
However, Jesus refused to be bound by convention and tradition when there were larger issues at hand. In Luke 6 Jesus was in a grainfield with His disciples on the Sabbath and they were hungery. So they picked some of the grain, rubbed off the husk, or the chaff, and ate the raw grain. The Pharisees saw this and immediatley began to criticize Jesus and the disciples for breaking with the religious custom of the day. According to the manmade tradition, it was considered work to remove the husk from the grain and to eat with unwashed hands. There was a long and convoluted list of what constituted work and what was acceptable activity on the Sabbath. In the process of trying to provide minute details on the subject, they had made the Sabbath a day of anxiety and frustration instead of a day of rest and recuperation. Jesus would have none of this. He understood the intent of the Sabbath and would not allow tradition to rob Him or His disciples of the blessing of Sabbath.
Jesus then gave two reasons why their criticism was unfounded. First, He provided a Scriptural precedent:
3 Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions."
Second, Jesus affirmed His own authority:
5 Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
How do you know if your organization is being hamstrung by convention? If you hear the people say; “We’ve always done it this way” or, “We’ve never done it like that before,” then you may be dealing with convention that imposes restrictions that have muted the original intention. Great leaders will not allow convention to keep them from moving forward.
In any organization there is a pattern of initiation, growth, and stabilization. An organization can only stay at that place of stabilization for so long. This is a critical time in the life of the organization because it will either decline and die, or it will be invigorated with new vision, new life and with the will to break out of the geocentric orbit and soar into new heights of possibility. But to break with the familiar, with the customary, with convention, requires new energy and a bold willingness on the part of leadership to chart a course that will provide a new trajectory for the future.
Jesus was bound only to the will of the Father and to the integrity of Scripture, but He refused to be bound by manmade restrictions that would have impeded His mission. Great leaders will maintain integrity and will stay true to the mission, but they will not allow custom and tradition to keep the organization from reaching its full potential.
Check out my new book, The Third Level
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
IX) THE NEED FOR NEW WINESKINS
Luke 5:36-39
Jesus made a statement, “No one pours new wine into old wineskins.” The reason for this is that when the wine ferments it will cause the old wineskin to burst and both the wine and the wineskin will be lost. Instead, Jesus said, “New wine must be poured into new wineskins.”
Great leaders understand the dynamics involved in change. First, they understand that everything changes. As one person said, “Change is the only constant.” Second, they understand that change can be difficult. If approached arrogantly changes can debilitate an organization. Last, great leaders understand that the old wineskins will not hold the new wine. This is to say that existing structures may not be able to accommodate or facilitate a new vision or mission.
Jesus understood that what He was introducing would not fit within the old Judaistic structures that had bound culture and religion together in a rigid framework of social existence. The old structures had a vested interest in maintaining status quo. The leadership of the established order was in no mood to be replaced as a priest by a carpenter from Galilee. The established structure could not envision a concept as radical as the priesthood of believers.
Jesus had no intention of trying to fit a new paradigm into an old program. Instead, Jesus came to build His church, to create a new structure that was responsive enough to the fermenting of new ideas and fresh vision to allow for change without destroying the framework.
Sometimes leaders are given the task of trying to infuse a new mission or vision into an established organization, such as a church. The vision may be powerful and compelling, but if the structure of the established church cannot endure the process of change, then the end result may be a failure. Chances are that the organizational structure and even the facilities of any organization have developed over time to accommodate an established mode of operation. The need for change may call upon a change in the way the organization operates, but without first addressing the established structures, the introduction of change may do more damage than good.
What is the answer? Jesus said to use new wineskins. Begin with the structures, begin by making incremental changes in the structure and then fill that niche with new wine, new ideas, new mission and vision. It may be a department by department progression until the organization reaches a point of self-sustaining and self-perpetuating change. The changes in structure creates the vacuum into which the new wine is drawn. It may require person to person influence as the leader helps people of influence to see and own the vision for themselves. They then become receptacles for the new wine and they help to propagate the vision through their influence on the lives others.
Great leaders are proactive, that is, they anticipate the changes that will be needed and they begin to build the structures that will sustain that change. In churches we often see an oscillation of growth and decline. It is frustrating, and over time it creates a sense of futility even when things seem to be on the upswing. The people learn to anticipate the downturn even before it manifests.
Why does this happen? It happens because the leadership has never anticipated or prepared the new skins for the new growth. The old methodologies and programs that worked for a church of 100 will not be adequate to sustain growth for 200 and beyond. Great leaders anticipate the next level of growth and build the structures to support that growth. Then, even as the growth is approaching 200, they are anticipating, planning and preparing for 300.
There will be resistance from those who enjoy privilege or prominence in the old structure, but the leader, while respecting everyone, will not allow the entire organization to be held back and denied success by any one person or program. Jesus built the church to pour Christianity into because He knew Judaism could not contain it. If the future and growth of the church necessitates changes to insure the future then we will either change or die. Jesus came to give life. Great leaders embrace change as a positive, invigorating, exciting time of possibility.
Jesus made a statement, “No one pours new wine into old wineskins.” The reason for this is that when the wine ferments it will cause the old wineskin to burst and both the wine and the wineskin will be lost. Instead, Jesus said, “New wine must be poured into new wineskins.”
Great leaders understand the dynamics involved in change. First, they understand that everything changes. As one person said, “Change is the only constant.” Second, they understand that change can be difficult. If approached arrogantly changes can debilitate an organization. Last, great leaders understand that the old wineskins will not hold the new wine. This is to say that existing structures may not be able to accommodate or facilitate a new vision or mission.
Jesus understood that what He was introducing would not fit within the old Judaistic structures that had bound culture and religion together in a rigid framework of social existence. The old structures had a vested interest in maintaining status quo. The leadership of the established order was in no mood to be replaced as a priest by a carpenter from Galilee. The established structure could not envision a concept as radical as the priesthood of believers.
Jesus had no intention of trying to fit a new paradigm into an old program. Instead, Jesus came to build His church, to create a new structure that was responsive enough to the fermenting of new ideas and fresh vision to allow for change without destroying the framework.
Sometimes leaders are given the task of trying to infuse a new mission or vision into an established organization, such as a church. The vision may be powerful and compelling, but if the structure of the established church cannot endure the process of change, then the end result may be a failure. Chances are that the organizational structure and even the facilities of any organization have developed over time to accommodate an established mode of operation. The need for change may call upon a change in the way the organization operates, but without first addressing the established structures, the introduction of change may do more damage than good.
What is the answer? Jesus said to use new wineskins. Begin with the structures, begin by making incremental changes in the structure and then fill that niche with new wine, new ideas, new mission and vision. It may be a department by department progression until the organization reaches a point of self-sustaining and self-perpetuating change. The changes in structure creates the vacuum into which the new wine is drawn. It may require person to person influence as the leader helps people of influence to see and own the vision for themselves. They then become receptacles for the new wine and they help to propagate the vision through their influence on the lives others.
Great leaders are proactive, that is, they anticipate the changes that will be needed and they begin to build the structures that will sustain that change. In churches we often see an oscillation of growth and decline. It is frustrating, and over time it creates a sense of futility even when things seem to be on the upswing. The people learn to anticipate the downturn even before it manifests.
Why does this happen? It happens because the leadership has never anticipated or prepared the new skins for the new growth. The old methodologies and programs that worked for a church of 100 will not be adequate to sustain growth for 200 and beyond. Great leaders anticipate the next level of growth and build the structures to support that growth. Then, even as the growth is approaching 200, they are anticipating, planning and preparing for 300.
There will be resistance from those who enjoy privilege or prominence in the old structure, but the leader, while respecting everyone, will not allow the entire organization to be held back and denied success by any one person or program. Jesus built the church to pour Christianity into because He knew Judaism could not contain it. If the future and growth of the church necessitates changes to insure the future then we will either change or die. Jesus came to give life. Great leaders embrace change as a positive, invigorating, exciting time of possibility.
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