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Energize Your Daily Routine

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Energize Your Daily Routine

In recent weeks as my family has moved from one city to another, my daily routine has been thrown completely out of sorts. Thankfully, that period is ending and I’m finally able to reassert some positive order on my schedule, my morning routine and my daily priorities.

I’ve already written about questions I ask myself every day, but there’s more to my schedule than that. So let me detail some personal growth steps I’m committed to take in my daily and weekly routine. Perhaps there’s something here that resonates with you. If not, brainstorm some ideas of your own.

Some intentional daily habits I’m building include:

Beyond those habits, I’m working on some vertical and horizontal focus points.

On the vertical side, I’m praying that God will:

  1. Fill Me (Control Me) with the Holy Spirit Each Day – Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. – Ephesians 5:18 (NIV)
  2. Lead Me to Rest Fully in Him Each Day – I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5 (NIV)
  3. Guide Me to Live Worthy of His Name Each Day – Live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. – Colossians 1:10 (NIV)

On the horizontal side, I’m asking God to help me:

  1. Love Others Each Day – A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. – John 13:34 (NIV)
  2. Value Others Each Day – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. – Philippians 2:3 (NIV)
  3. Give Freely to Others Each Day – And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. – Hebrews 13:15 (NIV)

So what’s the Big Idea?

Build intentional daily habits with a personal growth plan and both vertical and horizontal focus points.

Resources

Family, Friends and Faith

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Family, Friends and Faith

When my young family and I moved back to Collierville in 2000, the ministry tag for Collierville First Baptist Church (CFBC) read “Home for Family, Friends and Faith.” As I reflect on our years here, that statement perfectly describes what both church and community have become for Suzy and me, as well as our children, William, Daniel and Katie.

My family has a long and blessed history with both Collierville and CFBC. It began when my father was called as Minister of Music and Youth in 1969. I was a precocious 1 year old and Collierville was more rural than suburban. Mom and Dad quickly made friendships that would last for the rest of their lives.

It’s fun to read the official church history version:

Bill Spencer from the Baptist Church in Iuka, Mississippi, was selected in the fall of 1969 as a full-time staff member, filling the position of Music and Youth Director at $8,500 per year. The church bought a house on South Street for him to live in.

We lived in that house with red brick and the long driveway (and the $8,500 salary) for almost 4 full years. Our 8mm home movies tell the story of a fruitful ministry in small town America. Families with kids who were a part of Dad’s student group have stayed in touch for the last 45 years.

Over the next several years, my father served some wonderful churches, but the family’s connection to Collierville was always there. A brief recap of my mom and dad’s ministry tells the tale of a remarkable return to Collierville in 1985:

  • 1969-1973, CFBC
  • 1973-1974, Daniel Memorial Baptist Church, Jackson, MS
  • 1974-1985, Germantown Baptist Church, Germantown, TN
  • 1985-1986, CFBC

My father’s second tour of ministry at CFBC ended on April 23, 1986 when he suffered a fatal heart attack. It was both an unexpected and transformative moment in my life, altering our family’s course and sending each of us down paths that we could never have orchestrated on our own.

But God was in control then, as He is in control today. He led me to Virginia, where I met and married Suzy and found a renewed call to ministry. He moved us to California and Texas, where we discovered a zeal for doing whatever it takes to reach unchurched people. And then, He led us back to Collierville.

The opportunity to follow my father’s footsteps in ministry at CFBC was something only God could do. I am so thankful for Pastor Gary Watkins and the CFBC personnel team for seeing in me the rough leadership and character traits that would translate to effective ministry in metro Memphis.

Our first Sunday at CFBC was June 13, 2000. What followed were 15 years of incredible, Spirit-filled ministry. The church doubled in size, the worship ministry multiplied to over 600 members and I grew to accept new responsibilities as a church leader. I will always be grateful for the personal, spiritual and leadership investment that Pastor Chuck Herring made in me.

As we embark on a new adventure at First West in West Monroe, Louisiana, we thank God for our years at CFBC. We will remember Collierville as a place for:

  • Family – William was 2 years old and Daniel was 10 months old when we bought our first home in 2000. Two years later, Katie was born and our family was complete. Collierville schools (and friends) are the only ones my kids have ever known.
  • Friends – We have made friends and formed ministry partnerships that will last for the rest of our lives. Generous church members, pastors, and friends, along with some gifted ministry team members, have enriched our lives far beyond anything we could have hoped or imagined.
  • Faith – My kids have grown in both faith and maturity at CFBC. William, Daniel and Katie were all baptized here, and a multitude of preschool, children’s and student leaders have invested in our family. We are forever indebted to them for instilling in our kids a passion for Jesus Christ!

So what’s the Big Idea?

My family has a long and blessed history with both Collierville and CFBC. As we embark on a new adventure at First West, we thank God for our years at CFBC.

Resources


Source

Bernice Taylor Cargill, A History of the First Baptist Church, Collierville, Tennessee (Memphis: Castle Books, 1994), 52.

God and Country

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God and Country

In celebration of Independence Day, and a renewed, steadfast faith in God, it feels appropriate to take an extended look at the words of George Washington in his 1796 Farewell Address:

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest prop of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge in the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle…Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality enjoin this conduct; and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it?

For much of our history, national morality, religious principle and patriotic devotion have seemed to work together. It’s why we’ve so often put the words “God and country” together.

Perhaps like no other time in our nation’s history, the relationship between God and country is strained. The disconnect is about more than any single moral or policy issue, centering on a general reluctance to trust God for our lives, our futures and our good.

I am a citizen of the United States, but I am also a citizen of another Kingdom. Paul says:

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. – Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV)

We know that being a citizen of God’s kingdom means that we are in the world, but not of the world. So what can we do to serve both God and country? I’m committing to do 3 things:

  1. Love Christ more than the world. I’m seeking to value what the Bible says over worldly definitions. Even when the the chorus says otherwise, stand firm in your faith and put Christ first.
  2. Love others more than myself. I’m learning to put the needs of others (especially the need they have for Christ) above my own selfish desires. This absolutely includes loving people I don’t agree with. Loving Christ means loving others.
  3. Love the Kingdom of God more than material things. Instead of seeking material comforts and embracing a culture of more, I want to value the truly important things. I want to share my faith and follow Jesus’ command to make disciples.

So what’s the Big Idea?

Being a citizen of God’s kingdom means that we are in the world, but not of the world. Love Christ more than the world, love others more than yourself, and love the Kingdom of God more than material things.

Resources


Source

George Washington’s Farewell Address, September 17, 1796.

Build a Next-Step Ministry Culture

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Build a Next-Step Ministry Culture

Too many times, our team has made the “giant leap” ministry mistake. Instead of providing an easy and obvious step into ministry or discipleship, we’ve made things more complicated than they had to be.

Churches have a tendency to overprogram as they build layer upon layer of new ministries over time. That produces complex ministry schedules and programs that make it harder for someone new to break in.

The answer, as so many churches have discovered, is to simplify your ministry approach. That doesn’t mean that you leave out the important things, but it does mean that you’re more focused on Scripture-based, life-changing priorities. Here’s how the North Point team describes a next step ministry culture:

When you think steps you start by asking, “Where do we want people to be?” That question is followed by a second, more strategic question: “How are we going to get them there?” The result is a ministry that works as a step—it has been created to lead someone somewhere. This way of thinking makes a lot of sense in the light of what the church is called to do.

Most people won’t or can’t take big steps. But almost everyone can take smaller steps. For some, those steps are first steps. For others, they are next steps. The key is thinking about where you want people to be and how you’ll get them there.

Building a next step culture might include these, well, next steps:

  1. Think steps instead of programs. Instead of creating programs to meet needs, create ministries to lead people somewhere. Ask: “Where do we want people to be?”
  2. Clarify points of entry in every area of ministry. Guests, attenders and new members should have clear paths to participation in a ministry. Each ministry department should know how that happens for someone new.
  3. Evaluate ministries on “usability” or “ease of use.” Evaluate how easy it is for a new face to join the chorus of existing faces in a ministry.
  4. Ask leaders to consider the next step question. The next step question is a “how” question. It clarifies how a person goes from step 0 to step 1 in any ministry.
  5. Communicate next steps clearly (and often). Promote first steps and next steps with a full range of communication channels. Use technology to make signing up for something easy and intuitive. And make information requests meaningful with quick follow-up and follow-through from your team.

So what’s the Big Idea?

Simplify your ministry approach with first steps and next steps. The key is thinking about where you want people to be and how you’ll get them there.

Resources


Source

Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner and Lane Jones, 7 Practices of Effective Ministry (Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 2004), 89.

Ministry Interviews and the 5 C’s

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Ministry Interviews and the 5 C’s

Making good ministry hiring decisions is both an art and a science.

On the subjective side, you have to discern whether a candidate has the intangible likability, relational skills and emotional intelligence to succeed in ministry. On the objective side, you have to be satisfied that a candidate can do what needs to be done with the requisite skill, integrity, energy and team chemistry.

Ministry interviews are unique in their requirement that both the interviewer and the candidate seek God’s will throughout the process. Since calling is essential for any ministry hire, both parties have to exercise spiritual wisdom, discernment and prayer at every turn.

After initial resume screening, the first two candidate steps in a ministry interview process often include an initial phone call and a formal phone interview.

The interviewer does most of the talking on the initial phone call, and candidate questions are usually limited. A typical initial phone call follows this pattern:

  • Introduce the church and community.
  • Preview the ministry department and team.
  • Profile the position.
  • Understand why the candidate is interested.
  • Ask the candidate to pray about the opportunity.
  • Confirm the candidate’s desire to enter the process.

Consider using a rating system to score ministry candidates on the first phone call. This mitigates against becoming too attached to a particular candidate too early in the process (the “halo effect”). It also helps prevent emotion from driving your hiring decision.

If the candidate is interested, and scores well on your rubric, then the second step is a formal phone interview. This is the time to have a prolonged first conversation with the candidate. It’s usually the first opportunity to ask significant questions about the full range of issues that determine ministry effectiveness.

James Emery White’s 5 C’s remain the gold standard for evaluating potential staff members:

  1. Called – Is the candidate called to ministry, your position and your church?
  2. Character – Does the candidate exhibit a habitual pattern of integrity?
  3. Competence – Does the candidate have the essential skills needed to get the job done?
  4. Catalytic – Does the candidate bring energy and create activity to make things happen?
  5. Chemistry – Is the candidate likable and a team fit?

I ask candidates a series of questions in all five categories with a phone interview Q&A worksheet. The goal is getting answers to important questions about calling, character, competence, catalytic energy and team chemistry.

So what’s the Big Idea?

Make good hiring decisions with initial phone calls and formal phone interviews. Then use the 5 C’s to evaluate a candidate’s calling, character, competence, catalytic energy and team chemistry.

Resources


Sources

“Six Steps to Smart Hiring Decisions” by Max Messmer, Business News Daily (March 20, 2013), http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4181-hiring-tips.html.

“The Five C’s for Picking Staff and Volunteer Leaders” by James Emery White, Church & Culture (March 10, 2014), http://www.churchandculture.org/blog.asp?id=5645.

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