In sharp contrast to my last post, a post on a pornography producer on worship music that is surprisingly favorable.  One language warning at 1:47 for those who might be offended at an unbeliever talking like an unbeliever.

Ron is in two relationships where the gospel is being presented to him. I know that for a fact. Keep listening, Ron, keep listening and talking.

Reflection in light of talking through a friend in angst who is now dealing with a staff member and admin who are suspected of an affair but denying it.  Their credibility is low because several times the staff member has allowed himself to be in a compromising situation with the admin including a two hour walk down a beach alone while the whole staff was together at a conference.  Bob has rules for us and I add a few of my own:

• -Never ride alone in the car with a person of the opposite sex.
• -Meeting with multiple people and a person of the opposite sex and you both arrive early, I wait in the car or elsewhere.
• -No facebook friends that are female below the age of 18. I have one friend who has none who are are of the opposite sex (she is female).
• -Meetings at Church. Once the people have gone home from my wing (not even the whole church), never a meeting with someone of the opposite sex.
• -I never hug a woman besides my wife “full on.” A side hug is the best you’ll get.
• -After an initial assessment, I don’t counsel women long-term but refer them to a great female counselor I know.
• -Covenant Eyes on my computer. I don’t have a smart phone, but they are developing products for them. Not just for porn, but so there is record that there were not an abundance of emails to a female.

Be above reproach. I know it is old fashion and some may say “sexist” (though I think these rules should go both ways for female and male staff members). I don’t care. I want my integrity.

If you see positive growth in the initial slices of leadership handed an individual, then it is time to hand them a bit more leadership. In this growing leadership role, the “slice becoming loaf leader” will have conflict arise. Observe them in tense situations. If they cannot handle conflict in a Godly manner, you will be handling their conflict for them.

• -Can they handle strong, healthy debate?
• -When an issue or person must be dealt with, do they shirk from the responsibility?
• -Do they explode or handle the situation maturely in Christ?
  

Some great tools to help teach about handling conflict.

Dealing with Conflict and the Difficult Conversation

Conflict and Clarity With The” Leadership Star” Conversation - best tool we’ve found.

Breaking Down a People Problem Into One of Two Simple Roots

Calling the SBI for Conflict Resolution

As you observe them lead their slice, ask the following questions…

• -Do they lead like a sheepdog or a shepherd?

Shepherds lead the flock from the front. Sheepdogs nip at people’s heels, driving, manipulating, and controlling.  If you see a sheepdog leader, soon people will tire of getting nipped and seek other pastures of ministry. Don’t place a sheepdog  in long-term ministry. At best, they can lead a very short-term project.

Other posts in this series:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

As you give a potential loaf leader a slice to accomplish as a leader, make sure you can watch them in action.

• -How do they go about influencing others to follow them?
• -How do they hear others ideas, incorporate them, yet make sure the project stays on vision?
• -Are they facilitating or leading?

If they cannot influence others, by definition they are not a leader.  The world needs facilitators, too. Just don’t put a faciltator where there needs to be a leader.

Other posts in this series:

Part 1

Part 2

Following our initial posts on creating Loaf leaders, we begin a series on raising up leaders.

As you hand potential leaders slices of leadership and  grow them to handling a whole loaf, always start by observing their character.

• -How do they maintain character in the stress of accomplishing the first slice you give them? Do they exhibit honesty at all times?
• -When they make mistakes, have an oversight or simply forget a part of the project,  do they use half-truths to cover their mistakes or do they own them?

If they pass the buck or use diversion-deception to attempt to say, “It’s not my fault,”  slow down the process of moving them upward in responsibility and show them the value of telling the truth in their mistakes. Keep them at their slice until you see improvement. Do not “get desperate” and move them up. You will always regret it!

Someone recently ask, “What would you do as interviewee for a potential staff position at a Church you didn’t know that much about?”

I came to NorthWood from the outside 10 years ago. Though I knew several people there and some of the church’s philosophy, there were several things I did not know.

Since you might not be a member I would pray and…

-really do my homework on their vision.
Not what is just on paper as their vision. Rollow the money trail. They’ll invest in what they feel is important, regardless of what is printed on the bulletin shell as the purpose. Sneak into a couple of services unannounced and see what is happening.

-spend chemistry time with the staff.
Don’t just “do the interview.” Spend time in outside event (ballgame, dinners, etc.)to see if you not only match their competencies but also chemistry. Watch how they react to one another. Are the relationships formal and defined or loose and “dotcom?” Either of these can be good depending on your wiring and what they are about.

-call the previous WL
Know that you are getting one side of the story but you need to get that one side. What was it like to work there? Where unwritten expectations were there that surprised you? How flexible is the ministry to change? What is one thing you would celebrate and on thing you would warn me about? etc.

-have the lead pastor describe his ideal worship service.
Listen beyond the specific elements to what his motivations and passions are. What is the fruit he wants from a service? Chills, obedience, refueling, salvations, etc.

-spend unofficial time with worship team
Ask them what they do best as a ministry? What needs improvement? Find out the personality of the ministry. Stiff, loose, serious, light, relational based, delivery based?

Check it out here. Great guys and they ask me great questions. Here is the post that gives the Year End Review processes.

Incredible Wisdom from the geniuses at Poynter on keeping your writing briefly for better reading.

You will never have enough leaders. I am not referring merely to people who can lead worship but leaders who move and direct people to accomplish tasks. In our desperation for leadership, a potential leader is often given the whole slice of bread before they are ready for it.

Don’t put someone in charge of a whole area of ministry before you put them in charge of a single piece of a project and see how they handle it. If they succeed, give them a whole project or several projects. If they handle that well, then consider putting them in charge of that area of ministry. As Moses father-in-law said, people have a different capacity for the amount of leadership they are able to handle. Some can handle 10’s, some 50’s, some 100’s, some 1000’s, and a few even 10,000’s (Exodus 18).

In the coming days we’ll take a look at how to assess potential leaders in the three critical areas.

Our posture communicates. Do you play with head down in music or with passion like the Korean drummer? It communicates what you believe about the God you worship.

Video tape your team and have them watch it as painful as it can be. Often we’ll play a Hillsong, New Life or other video and then us and say, “Okay, let’s compare how much they lead to compel us to worship.” Not to be fake, just challenging growth of visual leadership.

Didn’t even know we were mentioned until my exec pastor said, “Hey, you got in listed among 5 of the most useful worship blogs.” Thanks for sharing Mike!

So were my blog friends:
www.chrisfromcanada.com
www.fredmckinnon.com
www.worshipministrycatalyst.com

Congrats guys! As I type this I also realize the praises of men are vaporous as evidenced by the fact that my blog traffic went up like .02% as a result…haha.

Here is a pic of Chris from CA holding up the proof…

More greatness from our man Chris.

Preview for Movie Night from Chris Johns on Vimeo.