Dear Leadership T.E.A.M., (that means you)
It really is true: TOGETHER EVERYONE ACCOMPLISHES MORE! Thank you for being on the TEAM! I don’t think I could ever express my appreciation enough for each one of you!
Never despise the small ways all of us contribute to make a big difference for the Kingdom of God! You may not always feel like a leader, but your influence makes Rogue River Assembly of God a better place to worship! Because of you, because of your sacrifices, because of your faithfulness, because of your availability, because you know: EVERYONE’S A MINISTER and EVERYONE NEEDS A MINISTRY…there is much HOPE for Rogue River Assembly Of God!
It really is true: TOGETHER EVERYONE ACCOMPLISHES MORE! Thank you for being on the TEAM! I don’t think I could ever express my appreciation enough for each one of you!
Never despise the small ways all of us contribute to make a big difference for the Kingdom of God! You may not always feel like a leader, but your influence makes Rogue River Assembly of God a better place to worship! Because of you, because of your sacrifices, because of your faithfulness, because of your availability, because you know: EVERYONE’S A MINISTER and EVERYONE NEEDS A MINISTRY…there is much HOPE for Rogue River Assembly Of God!
I don’t know if I say it enough: I AM HERE FOR YOU! If you need any help surviving your ministry efforts please call me. Maybe the LORD is speaking to you about __________...call me! We could even grab a cup of coffee, share a meal, or sit and chat in my office.
OR shoot me an email...
Check out this Article:
A philosophy of leadership by Rick Warren (one of my heroes)...
When you become a pastor, you become a leader. I'm often asked specifics about my administrative style, but I think it's more important to understand some basic concepts about leadership:
Nothing happens until someone provides leadership for it.
A philosophy of leadership by Rick Warren (one of my heroes)...
When you become a pastor, you become a leader. I'm often asked specifics about my administrative style, but I think it's more important to understand some basic concepts about leadership:
Nothing happens until someone provides leadership for it.
This is a law of life. For instance, the Civil Rights Movement was making little progress until a man came along named Martin Luther King, who said, "I have a dream." He then provided leadership. The NASA space program was limited until John Kennedy said, "We're going to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade."
In your own family – when you have family problems – nothing happens until somebody in the family assumes leadership and says, "We're going to do something about this."
Everything rises or falls on leadership, and most problems can be traced to a lack of competent leadership. I believe one of the greatest problems today is a leadership shortage within our churches.
Leadership is influence.If I had to summarize leadership in one word it would be influence – for good or bad. There are positive leaders and negative leaders. Have you ever watched a playground at school? Within about five minutes you can usually determine who the leaders are. The good ones and the bad ones.
Every time you influence somebody, you're assuming leadership. In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul told Timothy, "As a young man, be an example in leadership." Age has nothing to do with leadership. You can be an influencer at any age, and you're a model whether you like it or not.
The test of leadership asks, "Is anybody following?"If you want to know whether you're a leader or not, simply look over your shoulder. My friend John Maxwell says, "He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk."
If you have to remind people that you're the leader, you're not. The Sunday I stand up at Saddleback and say, "Folks, we're going to do it my way because I am the leader" – that's the Sunday I've ceased to be the leader.
You don't have to remind people. Leadership is influence, and if you're not influencing anybody, it doesn't matter whether you think you're the leader or not – because the fact is you're not.
The foundation of leadership is character, not charisma.You may have enough charisma to be a TV evangelist, but if you have no character, you will eventually bomb. The foundation of leadership is character, not charisma. In fact, you don't have to have charisma to be a leader, but you do have to have character. This kind of credibility is essential – because without it, no one will follow you.
Leadership skills can be learned.Everyone can be a great leader. Philippians 4:9 says, "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice." Contrary to conventional wisdom, leaders are not born that way. There is no such thing as a born leader. Leaders are made by the way they respond to circumstances. You can take two people in exact opposite situations and one of them will end up being a leader while the other washes out because of his poor choices.
The priority of training leaders can be seen in the ministry of Jesus. Mark 3:14 says, "He appointed twelve that they should be with him and he could send them out." Jesus had a public ministry and a private ministry. His public ministry involved preaching, teaching, and healing. His private ministry involved training the disciples. Even within the 12, he had an inner circle – Peter, James, and John – who got to go to the garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of Transfiguration. They got extra attention.
Jesus invested the maximum time with those who would bear the maximum responsibility. He fed the masses, but he spent most of his time training leaders, and that's one reason why I believe leadership can be learned.
The moment you stop learning, you stop leading.All leaders must be learners. The moment you stop learning is the moment you stop leading. If you stop growing as a pastor, your church will stop growing too. You must always be developing and growing and becoming what God wants you to be. Learning to be a leader takes a lifetime.
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times best seller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers. Copyright © 2008 Rick Warren
In your own family – when you have family problems – nothing happens until somebody in the family assumes leadership and says, "We're going to do something about this."
Everything rises or falls on leadership, and most problems can be traced to a lack of competent leadership. I believe one of the greatest problems today is a leadership shortage within our churches.
Leadership is influence.If I had to summarize leadership in one word it would be influence – for good or bad. There are positive leaders and negative leaders. Have you ever watched a playground at school? Within about five minutes you can usually determine who the leaders are. The good ones and the bad ones.
Every time you influence somebody, you're assuming leadership. In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul told Timothy, "As a young man, be an example in leadership." Age has nothing to do with leadership. You can be an influencer at any age, and you're a model whether you like it or not.
The test of leadership asks, "Is anybody following?"If you want to know whether you're a leader or not, simply look over your shoulder. My friend John Maxwell says, "He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk."
If you have to remind people that you're the leader, you're not. The Sunday I stand up at Saddleback and say, "Folks, we're going to do it my way because I am the leader" – that's the Sunday I've ceased to be the leader.
You don't have to remind people. Leadership is influence, and if you're not influencing anybody, it doesn't matter whether you think you're the leader or not – because the fact is you're not.
The foundation of leadership is character, not charisma.You may have enough charisma to be a TV evangelist, but if you have no character, you will eventually bomb. The foundation of leadership is character, not charisma. In fact, you don't have to have charisma to be a leader, but you do have to have character. This kind of credibility is essential – because without it, no one will follow you.
Leadership skills can be learned.Everyone can be a great leader. Philippians 4:9 says, "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice." Contrary to conventional wisdom, leaders are not born that way. There is no such thing as a born leader. Leaders are made by the way they respond to circumstances. You can take two people in exact opposite situations and one of them will end up being a leader while the other washes out because of his poor choices.
The priority of training leaders can be seen in the ministry of Jesus. Mark 3:14 says, "He appointed twelve that they should be with him and he could send them out." Jesus had a public ministry and a private ministry. His public ministry involved preaching, teaching, and healing. His private ministry involved training the disciples. Even within the 12, he had an inner circle – Peter, James, and John – who got to go to the garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of Transfiguration. They got extra attention.
Jesus invested the maximum time with those who would bear the maximum responsibility. He fed the masses, but he spent most of his time training leaders, and that's one reason why I believe leadership can be learned.
The moment you stop learning, you stop leading.All leaders must be learners. The moment you stop learning is the moment you stop leading. If you stop growing as a pastor, your church will stop growing too. You must always be developing and growing and becoming what God wants you to be. Learning to be a leader takes a lifetime.
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times best seller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers. Copyright © 2008 Rick Warren
