So two weeks later I'm finally getting back to Andy's amazing leadership talk he gave at the last session of the Drive conference. Again, you can get the notes on all of the messages here.
Here is the second quote and takeaway:
“The next generation product almost never comes from the previous generation.” Focus, Al Reis
TAKEAWAY: Be a student, not a critic.
Here are some other things I wrote down, as he was making this point. I don't know if he said them or if they are my own thoughts I scribbled down, while he was talking.
1. Set the High School, Middles School, and College ministries free to show us what ministry looks like, when it reaches the next generation.
2. You can fight it or you can fund it. Andy said that, but I'm not sure what that means so if you were there and can explain it, please do.
3. You can be so cautious that you become irrelevant. Andy also said that because I remembered groaning in pain from conviction, when it shot like a bullet through my brain.
Here are some other takeaways for me.
One, expect and enable change. This does not mean that we can change the message of the Gospel. That is a sin and has a pretty steep price. It also does not mean that we change for change sake or to try to be something we want to be.
What I think this does mean is that I, as a leader, must help my church effectively communicate the Gospel to the culture we are serving in a way that they can understand. The style of communication may change. The music may be different. What I wear may be different. The vernacular I use may change. How we worship is not the only thing that must be free to change. We must also be willing to change the way we do church so that the principles of church life can be lived out in the culture we live in.
It's the same old thing that's been said before: change methods, but not the message.
Two, listen and learn from those you do not agree with. There are really smart people out there doing amazing things. Some of them are doing them to expand the Kingdom of God. Some of them are doing them for other reasons maybe wrong reasons. Either way there is a lot to learn from leaders from all theological, methodological, and vocational backgrounds.
Three, help the church be multi-generational. The church must reach the next generation for Christ. At the same time the church must seek to get the next generation and the previous generation to know, serve and love Jesus together. If we attempt to reach only a segment or specific generation, then the ministry will die once that generation dies. We must seek to reach people of all ages and disciple them to serve the purpose of the church and do what honors Jesus rather than what pleases them or provides their own perceived felt need.
2 comments:
"You can fight it or you can fund it." What I took from this was that we have a choice as to how we will respond to new ideas to reach people with the Gospel. We can "fight" them if they do not fit into our way of doing things, OR we can get behind them and "fund" them with our resources.
I agree with this in so much as we have a common goal, the Gospel. There are a lot of good things that are done in the name of the Gospel, and then there are a lot of great ministries that are about the Gospel going to the world. I think we need to fund and fight for those who are carrying the Gospel to a lost and dying world, whether it fits into the mold of what we are comfortable with or not. At the same time, we cannot loose our focus and become a good will organization with the name of Jesus mentioned as an add-on.
Thanks, Richard. That makes sense. We are all resistant to change and allow our first response to be critical rather than open to seeing what is there that is helpful.
I'm glad Caroline's visit went well. I will be praying with you guys as we look forward to mid-September for the surgery. It is also exciting to hear that she is keeping the calories on orally.
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