Transcript Excellence in Ministry

2006-2007 District
Presentations on Healthy
Congregations and Effective
Clergy and Lay Leadership
“Thankful for your partnership in the gospel
from the first day until now”
Philippians 1:5
THE KEY QUESTION
How does EXCELLENCE fit into our Christian
Context?
(Does it have any real place in our Faith Story?)
What light does Scripture shed on
this question:


“Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the
gospel of Christ ...” (Philippians 1:27)
“Let the same mind be in you that was in
Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of
God, did not regard equality with God as
something to be exploited, but emptied
himself, taking the form of a slave, being born
in human likeness. And being found in human
form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the
point of death – even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:5-8)
“Finally , beloved, whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if
there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy
of praise, think about these things. (Phil. 4:8)


“And I will show you a still more excellent
way.” (I Cor. 12:31)
“I pray that you may have the power to
comprehend, with all of the saints, what is the
breadth and length and height and depth, and
to know the love of Christ that surpasses
knowledge, so that you may be filled with the
fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:18-19)
In Christian Community then:

Excellence is DEFINED by the Triune God.

The KEY WORD for excellence is
Resurrection.

The IMAGE of excellence is the Cross.
Excellence

Is nothing more and nothing less than:

THINKING

ACTING

FEELING
THE MIND OF CHRIST.
Excellence is not:
The raising of a bar.
Rather, it is calling us out, back, up and to what
has always been.
What was set at our baptism (and our ordination)
Jones and Armstrong remind us:

Excellence happens at the intersection where
the horizontal and vertical intersect.

Excellence is inhabiting and living at the
intersection.

It is bearing witness to the power of God in our
presence.
This speaks of:
The Interior as well as Exterior in our lives.
HOLY FRIENDSHIPS
1.
2.
With God
With Others
Excellence is about CALL

It is not about a “nice career.”

It is an act of the heart.

The road to excellence is paved with
obedience.

Non-excellence comes from heart trouble.
Excellence happens in
COMMUNITY

Water is thicker than blood.

We need someone to tell us the truth about where we
are living.

We need someone to encourage us.

We need someone to help us identify the “contrary to
both.”
The staples of our Gathered Life:

Intrinsic practices






Singing
Praying
Learning scripture and doctrine
Eucharist
Fasting or abstinence
Acts of mercy
Excellence then:





Is qualitative as well as quantitative.
Excellence is a learning, not a learned
ministry.
It is being an apprentice.
It is being FULLY alive.
It is having an ENLIVENED vision.
Context Matters


Never forget: “Love transforms perception.”
Heidi Neumark, Transfiguration Lutheran Church in South Bronx.
How we learn:




Hardships – 34%
Challenging assignments – 27%
From others – 22%
From events, workshops, etc. – 17%
By the way!



20% - Active Learners – don’t need any
structure.
60% - Passive Learners – need structured
experiences, coaching relationship, peer
relationship.
20% - Blocked Learners – I’ve heard all of this
before.
So What? What are Implications?





Cabinet is going to live differently. We expect
this to change our lives!
Board of Ordained Ministry
Board of Laity
Clergy
Congregations
AND

We are going to Shine the Light on Excellence.

We are going to Celebrate Excellence.

We are going to thank God for the Synergistic
Spirals of Beauty, Vitality and Flourishing
lives God raises up before us!
We Claim These Characteristics:


Our Conference Task Force On Sustaining
Effective Clergy Leadership begins by
reminding us we are Centered In Christ
“An effective clergy leader in The North
Carolina Conference is centered in Christ and
demonstrates strengths in pastoring,
proclaiming, and leading.” (Identifying and Sustaining
Effective Clergy Leadership, The North Carolina Conference)
An UnStoppable Force
(Erwin McManus)

The life of the church is the heart of God. The heart
of God is to serve a broken world. P.23

Church Leaders today are valued for their ability to
bring and keep order rather than for their ability to
bring and lead change. The reality is that church
leaders are being equipped to preserve the past rather
than to create the future. P.25
We have forgotten that our major work
as a church isn’t increased attendance
figures, dynamic programs, growing
budgets and expanded facilities – it’s
spiritual formation. That is what the
Great Commission is all about – making
disciples.
Effective Leadership:
Where We Start





Obedience – It is only and completely about
obedience to God
“Are we going to obey God? Or are we going to do
it ‘our’ way?
It is a move from self-centeredness to Christcenteredness
It is a “Spiritual” issue. The way we live in
community with others, and work with others, is a
spiritual issue.
It is a transition from disobedience to Obedience
JOYFUL OBEDIENCE
McManus, “When those who hold positions of
leadership in the church of Jesus Christ stand
opposed to the very heart of God and refuse to
submit their lives to his Word, it is the death of
the life of that church.” p.35
God does not appear nor bless us where there is
disobedience.
Our Goal
Every congregation can be an obedient, vital,
missional congregation regardless of size.
Every pastor can be an effective, spiritual,
obedient, visionary leader.
Spiritual Leadership is not about getting people
to show up, it is insuring that God shows up.
The Biblical Roadmap



Jesus’ invitation to deny self and follow Him is
the same invitation to us. It is the place we
start.
We are obedient leaders who first and foremost
deny ourselves and follow Jesus.
Excellence in pastoral leadership comes when
we learn to exchange a self-centered world for
one where Christ and kingdom values are
prioritized.
Excellence in Ministry


Excellence in ministry is not a yardstick placed
before us to “measure up.”
Excellence is an attitude. It is a matter of the
heart to willingly give ourselves to the One we
love to do our best – always.
This Is The Way We Begin




Obedience to God.
This means letting go of our personal
preferences
This means embracing a commitment to
Christ’s missional agenda
We invite God to take control and reign among
us
You Begin By Developing
Spiritual Leadership
Everyday, Your Influence is being Strengthened or
Weakened by how you are perceived.
Are you perceived as being immersed in the Means of
Grace and the Means of Mercy?
Are you perceived as being immersed in Self?
This is About Obedience and
Faithfulness!


This is not about your success.
When you select a path to success, you choose
the direction, make the choices, focus on self-interest
to better your situation.
This is about your CALLING.
You submit to Christ to go or stay where God
wants you to serve, even if it is difficult.
If pastoral leadership is a ministry of Christ,
and in obedience to Christ, it makes no
sense to climb the ladder of leadership
positions.
The distinction is clear. If pastoral
leadership is about success, you get to call
the shots. If it’s a calling, you’re required
to be a disciple of Jesus.
No one serves two masters – especially if
one of the masters is you.
What Does God Want Me To Do?
This is the WRONG question!
It is NOT “what” God wants you to do, but the
“way” God wants you to be!
Those who manipulate things and people, find it
difficult to be “shaped” by God.
The Fruit of The Spirit:





Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness





Generosity
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-Control
This is the Way
God wants you to
be!
Here is the test regarding
Sanctification in Your Life





Are you more patient than you were a year
ago?
More generous than six months ago?
More likely to listen than a month ago?
Less likely to be angry than you were last
week?
More loving today than yesterday?
This is the only way I know to find the
emotional, spiritual and moral toughness to
get through the days ahead: To do our best
for Christ – always and everywhere.
Perhaps we might learn to agonize over the
things that break God’s heart rather than
despair over our own disappointments and
failures.
To be engaged in a calling means to die to our
own interests and center our energy on
Christ’s interests.



We place ourselves under the Obedience of
Christ. 1 Peter 4:2.
We place ourselves under the Obedience of the
Church (through those whom the church has
given authority) 3 John 9-12.
We live only in the Fear of The Lord.