Wayne Hedlund

Category: Change

  • A Healthy Tolerance for Failure

    Let’s face it, nobody wants to fail. It is contrary to the very point of doing anything. We don’t start a project, ministry, or new initiative with a full expectation of failing. There is always at least a small hope that our efforts will result in success.

    Despite our intense desire to NOT fail, leaders also understand that failure is inevitable. Well, that’s not entirely true . Failure is only going to happen when people try something new. This is where our problem kicks in as church leaders. WE FEAR FAILURE. We tell ourselves that we don’t have the time, money, or emotional reserve to put up with failure. Or we are afraid that failure will show everyone around us that we aren’t qualified to lead. We might even ‘hear’ the words of our critics echoing in our minds when we think of trying something new and daring.

    I ran across this quote a while back while reading The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber.

    “Tolerance for failure is a very specific part of the excellent company culture – and that lesson comes directly from the top. Champions have to make lots of tries and consequently suffer some failures or the organization won’t learn.” Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr., In Search of Excellence.

    Don’t misunderstand. I’m not recommending you bet the farm (or church) on a risky idea. I’m suggesting that you may be stuck in fear and have therefore chosen to set risk aside altogether.

    So how about it? Do you encourage calculated risks and graciously allow for failure with your team?

    Perhaps better questions to ask are, “When was the last time someone in your ministry tried something and failed?“ and, “What was the last ‘risky idea’ that you or a team member implemented?“
     
    Image from gunnar3000 on istockphoto.com

     
    Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

  • Do Something Different

     
    This past Sunday our church did something unique. It got people talking, created some buzz, added value to the message, and created a memory for our congregation. It was something different.

    We held a ‘No-Show’ Sunday. We removed all of the volunteers from the schedule and replaced them with cardboard silhouettes. We trimmed down the service to almost nothing. No projection, videos, lights, or worship team. Our worship leader led from a guitar. The words to the songs were in the  bulletin – which people picked up themselves because there were no greeters or ushers. Everyone left right after the service because there was no cafe. Staff and key elders ran the preschool – there was no programming for gradeschoolers. I could go on, but you get the idea. Our series title is ‘Me to We’ – we’re talking about partnering together in ministry through service in the church. It was awesome.

    When was the last time you did something unique, different and memorable?

    I ran across this video clip at churchm.ag today. It’s about a store called ‘The Limited’ that did something different. What could you do in your church or community this winter that people would always remember (in a good way)?

    Can’t see this video? Click this link.

  • Strategic Quitting

     
    {Note: This entry is a compiled re-post of two older posts on Transforming Leader.}

    Seth Godin wrote a very short and easy to read book named, “The Dip” a few years ago that has changed my language forever. In fact, I find myself using the simple illustrations found in this book quite regularly. What I find particularly helpful is the super simple concept surrounding WHEN you should consider ‘quitting’ and when you should persevere and keep going.

    Ironically, we often get these things mixed up. We keep doing some things when we should really STOP doing them and we give up on new ideas and ventures too quickly rather than push through ‘the dip’ to the other side.

    Seth talks about the three different ‘curves’ that will help you decide when to quit and when not to. A while back I recorded this short teaching about these three curves. Take a moment today and listen in below.

    Applying ‘The Dip’ to your ministry & life.

    If you can’t see/hear this audio player, try clicking here.
    Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

  • The Rhythm of Failure

    Craig Groeschel

    Do you remember when you learned how to ride a bike? How about your first few times trying to tread water? What can you learn today from that experience? Perhaps it’s time for you to go back to the basics all over again. You still remember how to ride a bike, but I wonder if you’ve forgotten how to learn how to ride a bike?

    This is my fear for many pastors and church leaders. They’ve forgotten about the rhythm of failure. Failure is critical if you want to learn to do anything new. There’s a rhythm within failure that equips and stimulates new ideas and growth.

    It goes something like this:

    • You try.
    • You fail.
    • You learn.
    • You adjust.

    This morning I watched this 10 minute clip from Craig Groeschel. I was encouraged. I needed to hear what he had to say about failure. Among other things, he shares four things we need to take risks and embrace failure in the church.

    I think you need to watch it too. Why not stop what you’re doing right now, put this on full screen, turn up the volume, and give yourself a quick leadership lesson. Perhaps you’ll want to forward this video on to the other leaders in your church as well. You won’t regret it.

  • ..maybe you should do something scarier..

     

    I’m a fan of Seth Godin. His life message is about doing something new and different; getting out of the status quo; getting off the couch and making a lasting difference. Powerful and motivating. His message is to the world, not to Christians specifically. He can be blunt and painfully honest at times, but what he has to say is critical to our role as church leaders (not managers).

    In the church world I believe it is extremely important that we ask ourselves what we should be doing differently. What isn’t working? What new ideas should we tackle? How can we better facilitate the message of the Gospel? For instance, a while back I had an informal conversation with Pastor Joshua Finley and Pastor Seth Goodson at Elim Gospel Church about discipleship for the new believer. It was a refreshing conversation for me, simply because we were willing to stretch our thinking beyond what we’ve always seen and heard in the church world.

    Check out this 11 1/2 minute video interview with Seth and be challenged and inspired. Here are two quotes I jotted down while listening: “..maybe you should do something scarier..”, “.. mega-church is a factory..”.

    Exclusive interview with Seth Godin from GiANT Impact on Vimeo.

  • Ready for the Rain (Ugandan Water Project)

    Have you sensed in your heart that there is much more to the ministry God has for your life than you are actually seeing today? Is there perhaps, an internal tension that is hard to describe or put your finger on which you walk out each day. The tension comes from believing there is more of God’s purposes that could/should be operating in your life than you experience week in and week out at the church you help lead. Do you know what I mean?

    If so, then I would like to suggest that the tension you are experiencing may very well be Holy Spirit inspired. There is very possibly more to the calling on your life than you see represented in your ministry each day. Let me share with you a very profound key to unlocking that potential in ministry. Here it is:

    Build Towards Your Faith-Inspired Future Right Now.

    Functioning Water Tank at local school in Kkalwe 

    I suppose there are better ways of saying that – but there it is. Let me explain with a powerful, yet simple, illustration. In May of 2007 the Ugandan Water Project was birthed through a man in our church named James Harrington. The Ugandan Water Project is a humanitarian effort that places rainwater collection tanks on community buildings throughout the East African nation of Uganda. The concept and design is very simple. These large tanks are placed near buildings with metal roofs. When it rains in Uganda the rain runs off the roofs, into a gutter system that drains the collected water into the tank. This simple method is saving entire villages that were wracked with sickness and suffering due to unsanitary conditions. (To learn more, check out their website at www.ugandanwaterproject.com.) As you might expect, it takes a period of weeks to several months to raise the appropriate funds, order and ship the materials, and install the system. Even then, after the tank is ready to go, the village will likely have to wait longer until the rains have filled the tank to the appropriate capacity to serve that village.

    Here’s my point. James Harrington and his team don’t wait until it rains to start building towards their desired future in Uganda. Of course, that wouldn’t make any sense. No, they spend every day building towards their faith-inspired desired future. In fact, they NEVER see the end result until they’ve completed building the water tanks. It rains every year in the country of Uganda. The resource each village needs has always been readily available – they just need a way to capture that blessing.

    I hope you’ve made the connection by now. To be clear, let me close the loop on how this applies to you. A growing church will not wait until they see fruit before they build towards their faith-inspired future. A growing church MUST have a steadfast commitment to build now for something that is not happening yet. This attitude should permeate every level of your ministry.

    What do you believe God wants to do at your church one day? What vision has he placed in your heart that you dream will someday happen? You know it’s been raining. You know the blessing of God is available to you. You believe you and your church has something (Someone) that can transform the lives of those in your community.

    Your first step is the toughest. It happens in your heart and in your head. It’s the step of choosing to plan and build towards the vision God has given you right now, rather than simply staying where you are. It means you’ll start acting like you’ve already arrived before you really have. It means you’re building towards a goal that many around you won’t understand. Reminds me of that guy in Genesis who also had a God-ordained vision to prepare for rain. It’s a good thing he didn’t wait until the last minute!

  • Thursday Quote: Shutting Down Low Performing Ministries

    Will Mancini

    My Thursday quote this week is from Will Mancini’s blog entitled, “3 Strategic Alternatives to Shutting Down a Low Performing Ministry“. If you’ve been following the thread of this week’s series about ‘The Sacred Cow‘ then you’ll also discover this article particularly helpful.

    Here’s a teaser from Will’s post:

    “Is it time to close a program in your church? Many leaders will tell you, “When the horse is dead, dismount.” But this classic advice rolls of the tongue much easier than it plays in real life.

    As a leader in ministry you have no doubt faced ministries that just ought to go. Like sour milk, they live past their shelf-life. But for various reasons, you just can’t do it. Maybe there is still a group of precious saints being served by the program. Or maybe the decision-making culture of the church just requires more time to process.”

    Want to read more? Check it out RIGHT HERE.

     

  • The Smelly Cow

    Every once in a while I have the privilege to lead all day meetings at Elim Gospel Church where I serve as Executive Pastor. After a couple hours of intense discussions we’ll take a break. Everyone will stand up, leave the room, go to the bathroom, get a new cup of coffee, etc. Ten minutes later, I’ll walk back in the room and be inundated with an odor I hadn’t noticed before. Ugh. We’ll all notice it. The windows get opened and we valiantly attempt to air it out. All those bodies stuffed into that room add up to some serious BO. Here’s the deal. Most of us didn’t notice it until we left and came back.

     
    Two days ago I told you my sad story about a cow I cared about and then had to kill. I also suggested that some of our churches have cows as well. They are most often referred to and known as sacred cows.
     
    Their not. They are only treated like sacred cows. They are really smelly cows. You know what it’s like to get used to a smell. You’ve been in numerous situations where the odor is mildly unbearable for most people – but surprisingly not to you.
     
    By now you’re wondering what in the world my point is. Simply this. The ‘cows’ in your church aren’t very obvious to you and your members. They may be staring you in the face. You just might be gently patting one on the back while reading this article.

    However, sacred cows are usually quite obvious to your guests. Ouch. Is it possible that’s one of the reason some of them don’t come back?

     
    Do you have any sacred cows at your church? Not sure? I have a suggestion for you. Try sniffing them out. Here are a few ideas on how to get started…
    • Draft a few questions that are designed specifically to sniff out sacred (smelly) cows. Here are a couple to consider: 
      Was there anything that made you feel uncomfortable when you first arrived at our church? Was there anything about the Sunday service that was confusing to you or that didn’t seem to have a real point that you could tell? Is there anything anyone did or said that made you feel like an outsider? Is there anything about the facility that seems out of place? What can you think of about this church that has always been confusing to you? If you have attended other churches before, what would you say is really different compared to your other church experiences – good or bad?
    • Ask key people who might have some measure of authority to answer these questions. This could include:
      Any new members of your church within the past year. First time guests within the past 2 months (give them a call). First time guests each Sunday (make a feedback card or form). Guest speakers who have spoken in the past year. Trusted family members of attendees who visited from out of town.
    • Select four people who you trust know how to think critically to spend two weeks asking the question, “why?” to anything and everything. 
      I recommend you give them a notebook and have them journal all of their ‘why’ questions in the notebook. I also suggest they not share their ‘why’ questions with you or anyone else until the two weeks are over. Anytime they have a ‘why’ question that they can’t reasonably answer themselves, have them highlight them for further consideration after the two weeks are over.
    • Hire a mystery guest to come to your church. 
      Check out my post about mystery guests right here. 
    If you find some cows, I’d love it if you’d let me know.
     

  • Creating a Trust Culture

    Have you ever had a volunteer, employee, or friend tell you she would do something, and then totally bomb out and not do it – even to the point of not TELLING you she wasn’t going to do it? Have you ever done that yourself? When that happens, trust is broken. Trust should be an extremely important and well-guarded part of your church and ministry. If you don’t have it, then I respectfully submit that your ministry is in a very dangerous place.

    Jesus highlighted how important it is that we be in honest and open communication when he said in Matthew 5, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Jesus is expressing here that the broken trust in this relationship is critical to fix, right away. Stop what you are doing (even worship) and go reconcile.

    I listened to Andy Stanley talk about this yesterday and felt the need to encourage you to listen to it as well. Please consider taking 25 minutes out of your day today (before you forget and get too busy) to listen to this podcast by Andy entitled, “Trust vs Suspicion”.

    Click Here to Listen to “Trust vs Suspicion” by Andy Stanley.

    If you are interested in subscribing to Andy Stanley’s Leadership podcast you may do so right here.

  • Overcoming Barriers to Church Growth

    Several years ago we read a book as a team that really started us on the path of strategic planning at Elim Gospel Church. It was called, “Leadership Transitions for Growth” by Michael Fletcher. The book has now been re-released by the title, “Overcoming Barriers to Church Growth“. It’s a short and easy read, and played a big role in helping us to change our mindset as a leadership team for growth.

    Among other things, the book discusses how to build a leadership structure for the NEXT stage of growth you are believing God for in your church/ministry. He said it best on page 43:

    “To cross over into a new stage, leaders must understand what lies ahead and make the necessary realignments before they expect to move to a new level of growth.”

    He explores three questions for small size churches (under 200), medium size churches (200-700), and large churches (over 800):

    1. How do the Elders relate to ministry?
    2. Who does the ministry?
    3. How are decisions made?
    If you have been struggling getting your footing in church growth, I would recommend this book as a resource, especially in the area of how your church leadership is currently structured.

    Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”