Wayne Hedlund

Category: LEADERSHIP

Leadership Articles prior to 2016

  • What to Read

     Following are some more great links and articles I’ve found browsing my blog roll. I hope you find one or two helpful and encouraging. To see a list of all posts in the ‘What to Read’ category, click this link.

    what-to-read-613Bill Hybels – Who Can Leaders Learn From by wcavideo
    In this six minute excerpt from the Willowcreek Leadership Summit, Bill Hybels challenges us to expand our influence base to those we might question or outright disagree with.

    6 Essential Components of a Small Group Launch by Mark Howell
    There are six essential components of a successful small group launch.  This is a transferable concept whether you’re using a church-wide campaign, a small group connection or the semester approach.  Every launching strategy depends on these same components. Read More.

    5 Bits of Fatherly Advice for Youth Pastors by Tony Morgan
    I have four kids — three of them have been engaged in student ministry. I’ve worked at three great churches — all of them have incredible student ministries because of their focus on reaching young families. I’ve worked with many churches across the country — some with solid student ministries, and some that weren’t so solid. What does all that experience mean? It means I’m now one of the old guys. And, since I’m officially one of the old guys, I think I’m qualified to give a little fatherly advice to youth pastors. Read More.

    Copyright and the Local Church by Wayne Hedlund
    Sadly, many churches and ministries are guilty of plagiarism and/or copyright infringement. What’s worse is that many of them either know it or suspect it, but don’t do anything about it. This doesn’t just apply to things on the internet. It applies to everything from worship songs, lyrics, movie clips, YouTube video’s, images, and more. Read More.

    My VIP Experience at Elevation Church :: First Impressions Matter by Tim Schraeder
    First impressions matter. Oftentimes in the programming and planning of church services we can quickly neglect an important aspect of our worship gatherings: how we welcome first-time visitors. As I travel around and visit churches, one thing I love to do is play the part of a ‘secret shopper’ and experience how a first-time guest is welcomed at a church. I thought I had seen and heard all of the tricks and styles of welcoming visitors to churches, but my recent visit to Elevation Church in Charlotte changed my perception. They literally treat their first-time visitors like VIPs. Read More.

    Clean Bathrooms by Seth Godin
    The facilities at DisneyWorld are clean. It’s not a profit center, of course. They don’t make them clean because they’re going to charge you to use them. They make them clean because if they didn’t, you’d have a reason not to come.  Read More.

    If Systems Are So Great, Why Don’t They Work For Me? by Kenneth Vogt
    Everyone is looking for the shortest path from where they are to where they want to be.  A proven method for success is to model those who have already achieved the very thing you would like to achieve.  After all, they know the way, they know the pitfalls, and they know the sweet, sweet taste of success.  Read More.

    Moving Past Church Hurts means Having A Different Conversation by Lisa Whittle
    If I had a dollar for every person who told me they were hurt by the church, I’d be writing this post on a much newer MAC.  This we know: imperfect people reside in corporate worship spaces. And since they do, imperfect things go down inside them.  Read More.

    6 Times When It’s A Good Idea to Change Your Church’s Mission Statement by Will Mancini
    Classic wisdom taught us that our mission or purpose statements are timeless. In many ways that’s true and its a helpful teaching concept. And in an ideal world, it works. But in reality, there are times when a leader should change or renew or recreate the sense of mission. So don’t let the classic wisdom freeze you and prevent a significant opportunity to create fresh meaning and new progress for God’s people under your care today. When should you rewrite your mission?  Read More.

    Trust and Competence: Leaders Must have Both to Succeed by Maurilio Amorim 
    Some people you trust with your life. Some people you know will get the job done. These are two essential qualities that every leader looks for in building their organization. But unless you find both trust and competence in those whom you lead, you don’t have a dynamic team who can grow your business, church, or not-for-profit. As a matter of fact, without trust and competence, the only thing you have is a mess in your hands.  Read More.

    photo credit: goXunuReviews via photopin cc

  • Mark Batterson on Reaching the Younger Generation

    What a great joy it was for me to spend a few minutes with Mark Batterson earlier this year. Mark is perhaps most notably well-known for his book, The Circle Maker, an excellent and timely book on the topic of prayer. He is also the Lead Pastor of an exciting, thriving church in Washington D.C. 

    In this 13 minute interview, Mark shares three (note – he says 2 but you’ll discover it’s really 3) pointers on how the body of Christ can more effectively reach the younger generations. Enjoy.

     

  • What to Read

    Rick Warren, Mental Health & Embracing Brokenness by Kevin Hendricks 
    Last weekend Saddleback mega-pastor Rick Warren shared the terrible news that his 27-year-old son, Matthew Warren, committed suicide. Matthew had a history of depression and had long struggled with suicidal thoughts. Our hearts go out to Rick and Kay Warren, their family and their friends.  Read More.

    Seven Things Pastors Wives Wished They Had Been Told Before Becoming Pastors Wives by Thom Rainer
    I am especially grateful to have the opportunity to hear from pastors’ wives since much of my focus is on pastors. Our recent, informal survey simply asked the open-ended question: “What do you wish you had been told before you became a minister’s wife?”  Thank you to the pastors’ wives who were willing to give us such great feedback. And thanks to Chris Adams for doing the survey and to Amy Jordan for assembling the data. Read More.

    Four Types of Staff Members by Perry Noble
    Perry Noble shares four different attitudes a staff member (or ministry leader/volunteer) can adopt and how it will impact your ministry. Read More.

    Why You Need to Delegate More by Ali Luke 
    Do you live by the motto, “If you want a job done well, do it yourself?” And do you feel stressed out, rushed, or anxious a lot of the time? Read More.

    Enchantment – Enchanting Volunteers by Wayne Hedlund 
    I recently heard about a gentleman who left his church (after many years) because he had nothing important to do there. While he was telling his story, he included the fact that the church he was currently involved in almost immediately got him involved in ministry and he is active, excited, and doing a lot more than he ever imagined he would. He’s also considering full time ministry as a result.  Read More.

    The Leader I Don’t Want To Be by Chad Veach
    There are a lot of leaders I really want to be like (Brian Houston, Tony Dungy, Rev Run, etc) … and there are a lot of leaders I really DON’T want to be like! Here are a few… Read More.

  • Opinion Leadership in the Church

    Seth Godin - Famous Opinion Leader
    Seth Godin – Famous Opinion Leader

    This past year I noticed something fascinating about my personal influence with others. I have a reputation among my friends & colleagues for being very efficient and productive. When I stumbled across a new tool for managing tasks, projects & people I naturally shared my find with those around me. I sent a few emails, wrote a couple of posts and engaged in some personal conversations about it.

    None of that is fascinating. 

    What is interesting to me has been people’s response. A lot of people have already incorporated this tool into their own lives, and have also become evangelists for it.

    Today I was doing some research and stumbled across a term called “Opinion Leadership“. An opinion leader has a much stronger chance to influence those around him than others, because people hold his opinion in high regard for some reason, in this case because of my expertise in productivity.

    It begs the question, “Who are the opinion leaders at your church?”

    Understand, an opinion leader is not the same thing as a leader. It’s possible they have influence because of a competence, but it’s just as possible their influence is related to their outstanding character, history in the church, position in the community and more. In fact, it may be that a positional leader in the church has little true influence with the congregation compared to an opinion leader.

    The opinion leader is most certainly someone to invest time getting to know. He or she will play a big role in encouraging or discouraging whatever new initiative you are attempting to roll out to the congregation. One of the most strategic activities you can do is to identify your opinion leaders and include them in your new initiative, in some way, early on. The more likely that they grab hold of your vision, the more likely others will adopt it as well.

    What are you doing to strengthen your relationship with the opinion leaders at your church?

    photo credit: jurvetson via photopin cc

  • What to Read About Preaching

    Following are some great posts and articles on the topic of preaching and public speaking. Enjoy!

    leaders_are_readersHow to Make Your Sermon Series Worth Talking About by Tony Morgan
    Someone probably attended one of your services this weekend because a friend invited them. Invitations are a big deal; therefore, the conversations that precede these invitations are also a big deal. What intentional steps are taken by your creative team to help generate conversations worth talking about? Read More.

    Sermon Series Planning Process by Phil Bowdle
    One of the most common things church creative teams do is take a sermon series or service from idea to execution. Throughout the years, I’ve been surprised to see that most churches do not have an intentional system and process in place for sermon series planning.  Read More.

    Um, Uh, and You Know: Killer Fillers in Public Speaking by Thom Rainer 
    I wish I could say I didn’t do it. I have spoken in a few thousand venues as a public speaker. You would think I could avoid them. I’m better than I used to be, but you are still likely to hear them when I speak.  Read More.

    How to, Umm, Eliminate Bad Speaking Habits, Like, You Know by Brandon Hilgemann
    When I took my first public speaking class in college, I was excited. I wanted to be a preacher. Public speaking was going to be my thing. I thought, “This class will be cake! I get to work on my skills and get an easy A.”  When it came time for me to give my first talk, I stood up confidently and killed it! The best presentation ever. The class was speechless. When I sat down, the professor said the worst thing anyone can say after a presentation, “Any feedback class?”  Read More.

    Preach Better Sermons Cliff Notes 2013 by Chris Zeiglar
    Looking to get some advice on how to improve your sermons? Chris Zeigler from BASIC College Ministries has graciously agreed to share his notes from the recent “Preach Better Sermons“ online conference. This year’s notes feature advice from Steven Furtick, Lou Giglio, Donald Miller, Dave Ramsey, Mark Batterson, Andy Stanley and more. Read More.

    Preach Better Sermons Cliff Notes 2012 by Wayne Hedlund
    For anyone who missed the workshop on how to ‘Preach Better Sermons’. I watched it and decided to take notes for you (with help from my friends at Elim Gospel Church). This year’s notes feature advice from Perry Noble, Andy Stanley, Jud Wilhite, Jeff Foxworthy, Dan Cathy, Charles Stanley, and more. 
    Read More.

    When You Don’t Communicate by Ron Edmondson
    Recently I was talking with a staff member of a larger church. She consistently fears the stability of her job. She never knows what her pastor is thinking. She’s considering looking for a new position, not because she doesn’t like her work, but because she isn’t sure about the future of her work. She claims that living with uncertainty is the standard when working on this church staff. Read More.

    The 3 Levels of Public Speaking by Geoffrey Webb
    A great public speaker isn’t necessarily a great leader, but every exceptional leader I know is an exceptional public speaker. It makes sense, since you can only influence people to the extent that you can connect with them. Read More.

    Communicating For A Change by Wayne Hedlund
    I’ve listened to a lot of public speakers. Unfortunately, many tend to operate under the assumption that they are ‘good’ speakers when, really, well, they aren’t. Don’t worry. I won’t name names (that way I can ensure my name stays off the list too). I think we can often come to the conclusion that we know how to preach, or teach, because people listen to us – and maybe even nod their heads at times. Read More.

    Image compliments of Stuart Miles on freedigitalphotos.net.

  • Preparing/Delivering Great Messages

    The church where I attend has been known for it’s outstanding preaching right from it’s birth in 1988. For more than 20 years the founding pastor, Mike Cavanaugh, fed the body of Christ through a steady diet of timely, relevant, God-inspired messages. A few years ago, he handed the reins over to his successor and the current pastor, Joshua Finley. Pastor Josh has done a fabulous job of picking up where he left off. He is one of the best communicators I’ve ever heard.

    In the following workshop, Pastor Josh shares some keys to preparing and delivering great messages. I trust it will help you strengthen your communication skills. Enjoy!
     
    [vimeo 42830604]Can’t see this video? Try clicking this link.
     

  • Succession vs Replacement Planning

    Ben at the pond.

    My son loves to fish. Last summer was a fun summer for him. He caught some great fish.  He and his friends even landed a huge snapping turtle! The thing is, Ben has a somewhat unique fishing method. His primary fishing hole is at a pond near our home that has a bridge spanning the middle. He and his friends simply “pick their fish” while looking down over the bridge, and then focus on that catch. They’ve been pretty successful too!

    I was talking with a leader the other day about succession planning for the local church. I told him there’s a big difference between Succession Planning and Replacement Planning. It’s a crude illustration, but I found myself sharing about my son’s fishing methods.

    I likened Succession Planning to what my son does at that bridge on the pond. Pick your fish, then focus on that fish until you’ve successfully hooked and brought it in.

    Replacement Planning is going to be a lot more like the traditional fishing methods most of us amateur fisherman use. Bait, cast, catch a bunch of green stuff. Try again, set the hook, pull in something small and ineffective, try again and again and again, until we catch something close to what we’re looking or hoping for. 

    Every pastor wants to find the right person to replace him when it’s time to pass the baton. The problem is, most don’t think to look for that person until it’s too late. Sometimes I’ll receive a call from a pastor who is ready to resign or move on. They ask me, “Can you help me develop a succession plan?” After a few questions I have occasionally answered with, “No. But I’ll help you work on a replacement plan.” 

    Succession is about finding one or more candidates for pastoral leadership and then mentoring them until one has shown himself ready for leadership. By then, it’s usually obvious to the senior leadership of the church, if not the church itself, that the new lead pastor is in the house. The transition often goes very smoothly for everyone.

    Replacement is about finding one or more candidates who hopefully fit the bill, and putting them in the saddle – with a prayer that they were the right one. Too often, it turns out they aren’t. By the time you find that out, it’s too late and the church is often sidetracked for months or even years dealing with the repercussions.

    Here are a few more differences between succession and replacement.

    Succession Planning Replacement Planning
    Is a process. Is an event.
    Begins 2-3 years before transition. Begins 3-6 months before transition.
    Is proactive. Is reactive.
    Prepares the congregation for change. Surprises the congregation with change.
    Yields expected results. Yields mixed results.
    Values are embedded into the new leader before succession happens. Values are discovered in the new leader after replacement happens.
    The new leader holds a high degree of trust by the congregation. The new leader holds a mixed degree of trust by the congregation.

    You get the idea. It’s wise to begin developing a succession plan for your church sooner than later. You can begin this process at any time and build it into your overall leadership strategy. It doesn’t matter if the Lead Pastor is 35 years old or 65 years old, it’s worth starting now.

    Which plan will your church implement when it’s time to find a new leader?

  • The Secret Ingredient Behind Critical Thinking

    The Secret Ingredient Behind Critical Thinking

    The first time I read 1 Kings 3 I was both awed and inspired. It’s the conversation between Solomon and God about what Solomon desired the most. He didn’t ask for riches or a long life, he asked for wisdom. I vividly remember praying that same prayer as a new believer those many years ago; and I’ve prayed it many times since then.

    Here’s what Solomon prayed:

    “Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:7-9

    He confessed, “I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.” Who hasn’t experienced that feeling of being inadequate and lacking in understanding? I suspect it’s actually an important element in every leader’s life. Some might call it humility.

    When I read that sentence, I can’t help but hear Solomon saying, “I don’t think like an adult yet. I need help!” Here’s the man who is now known primarily for his great wisdom, who seemed to have a natural skill for critical thinking, saying he still thinks like a child. 

    Of course, we know God was very pleased that he asked for this instead of long life and riches. In fact, Solomon later proclaimed the virtues of drawing on God’s wisdom in Proverbs.

    “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.” Proverbs 2:1-11

    I wonder if Solomon was thinking about that prayer in 1 Kings 3 when he wrote that first sentence?

    The New Testament also reminds the believer to look to God as the source for wisdom.

    Solutions ARE available when we choose to seek the Lord. This doesn’t mean solutions will fall out of heaven into our laps. It means God will give us the tools and ability to discover solutions as we apply ourselves to find them.

    “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.” James 1:5

    In my experience, critical thinking is a skill that must always be mixed with the favor and wisdom that only comes from God. Too often I have been guilty of trying to figure things out on my own; and although that type of thinking can still bring good results, I don’t believe it always leads to God’s very best. 

    “Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regards to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” 1 Corinthians 14:20

    “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” | “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom…” 1 Corinthians 1:20, 25

    Critical Thinking – Step 1. What’s the first step in becoming someone who can tackle problems and find great solutions? Two words.

    Seek God.

     

    photo credit: Davide Restivo via photopin cc

  • ‘Preach Better Sermons’ Cliff Notes

    Looking to get some advice on how to improve your sermons? Chris Zeigler from BASIC College Ministries has graciously agreed to share his notes from the recent “Preach Better Sermons” online conference. Thanks Chris! For more information on Chris, BASIC, or college ministry check out the links & information at the end of this post.

    You might also want to check out my cliff notes from last year’s ‘Preach Better Sermons’ online conference right here!

    STEVEN FURTICK

    • Plan your sermon series about 4 months out.
    • Build a team around you who will brief you on each series you do. Let them ask tough questions! And allow them to meet on their own to brainstorm ideas on how to integrate popular culture, what scriptures are being used, memorable illustrations, etc.
    • Remember – “The game is won or lost in transition” (Urban Meyer). Don’t focus so much on the message that you ignore other important elements in the service.
    • Develop a routine before each service that helps you focus your mind and center your heart on God.
    • Don’t worry about how people will react to your message or what they will Tweet about it – focus on the fact that God has anointed you to speak His Word.


    LOUIE GIGLIO – 6 Rules of Preaching

    1. Have something to say – be honest about what God is putting on your heart
    2. Above all things – be faithful to the text
    3. Lead people to Jesus
    4. Don’t be boring!
    5. Prepare
    6. Be led by the Holy Spirit
    • Find and refine ‘you’ – your own voice and style. Don’t waste your God-given talent trying to be a Steven Furtick or Andy Stanley.
    • Remember the menu is just a suggestion – be flexible and let the Holy Spirit lead you.
    • Stay humble – don’t fall into the trap of using your messages to trumpet yourself.


    DONALD MILLER

    • Don’t rely solely on inspiration – build on a foundation of discipline in sermon preparation.
    • If you want people to receive what God gave you, walk them through the same process God took you through.
    • Remember that Paul said not to use impressive words – doing this can be manipulative.


    DAVE RAMSEY

    • Don’t forget about humor – if people don’t laugh every 7 minutes, you’ve lost them.
    • Public speakers say that for every hour presenting you should prepare for three. The preparation should take even longer for preaching.
    • Keep culture in mind. If their attention spans have dropped, make your messages and series more focused and shorter.


    MARK BATTERSON

    • Write out your sermons as you would a manuscript. Many of his sermons become book chapters. *Key – have your manuscript done in time to pray over it.* 
    • Remember to use metaphors. They are important and biblical metaphors are the most powerful.
    • Keep your dependence on God in perspective (example – fast on the day you are supposed to preach).
    • Great Preacher vs. Great Prayer – you can’t be a great preacher unless you are first a great prayer.


    JOHN ACUFF

    • The best speeches and sermons are when you and the audience go where you are leading them together.
    • Don’t over-practice – it will come off sounding more rehearsed and less genuine.
    • A well used prop can be both simple and powerful.
    • Remember – the greatest way to ruin a sermon is to be the star of your own success story – people want you to be real.


    CRAWFORD LORITTS

    • Your preaching flows out of your relationship with God.
    • Remember, in the Bible God is far more concerned about leadership development that He is about leadership technique.


    PETE WILSON

    • Draw from other pastor’s series and books that impact you.
    • Don’t let the success or failure of your sermons attach themselves to your identity.


    NANCY DUARTE

    • Keep it relevant – take a walk in the audience’s shoes and spend time in their minds.
    • You rarely see a film win any awards without it first having had great editing. It is the same for preaching.
    • You only have one hour with your people – make the most of it.


    ANDY STANLEY

    • The key to keeping an audience’s attention is your approach – approach is what makes content interesting.
    • Let new people know you are happy they are there – don’t call them visitors.
    • Preach with new Christians or unbelievers in mind – acknowledge the odd things in scripture. Then give the unbelievers permission to not believe or obey what they heard. Even Jesus’ disciples didn’t believe until after the resurrection.
    • Stay plugged into a community of unbelievers.
    • Bring energy to your text – not just to your stories.


    ED STETZER

    • Maximize your studying by minimizing your searching.
    • The Bible is always relevant – people just don’t always realize it. Our job is to show them how it applies to them personally.
    • Keep in mind that pastors are prone to exaggeration because they are prone to motivation.


    MARK DRISCOLL

    • Remember that our mission is to make more people God’s people and that it is God’s truth coming out of your mouth.
    • Give yourself some grace to discover who you are – who has God wired you to be?

     

    Chris Zeigler
    Chris Zeigler
    Assistant Director
     
    serving the church // to reach the colleges // to change the world

  • zombies, athletes and superheros

    This article was originally posted on Transforming Leader the winter of 2010. Enjoy!

      

    In a past post I attempted to convince you that you shouldn’t be strategizing, planning, and goal-setting alone. God never intended or planned for you to be the ‘Jack of all Trades’ pastor. Not convinced? Read 1 Corinthians 12 again – you probably preached on that passage or referred to it sometime this year. It applies to you too! I don’t know which part of the body you represent in your local church – but I do know that you need the other parts for the work of God to be a success through you.

    One of my favorite people is my spiritual and ministry mentor, Pastor Mike Cavanaugh. He serves as President of Elim Bible Institute and Vice President of the ministerial association I serve with, Elim Fellowship. He has been a great example of someone who is not afraid to find his niche and then let others serve with and around him in theirs. I’ll never forget one instance many years ago when he was serving as the Lead Pastor of Elim Gospel Church.  He asked me to lead all of our church strategic meetings, with him sitting as one of the team members! He wasn’t afraid to relinquish control in order to see the church grow. He didn’t feel the need to do everything himself. He was open to allowing others to try, fail, and eventually grow to become all or more than he could become himself in various areas.

    There are three kinds of leadership teams:

    • Solo leaders drive a bus-load of zombies. Everyone just goes where they say and nobody thinks to get much involved.
    • Good leaders drive a bus-load of athletes. They carry committed people who will go out of their way to serve, help, and grow under their leaders tutelage and coaching.
    • Great leaders drive a bus-load of superhero’s. These leaders have the self confidence to allow other leaders to serve alongside them; they love to release the team around them to excel beyond them.


    One Question Survey

    Where do you stand when it comes to gathering, equipping, and releasing others to serve with you in the calling God has for the ministry you lead?

    On a scale of 1 – 5…

    1 = “I don’t have a team of people around me. I pretty much do everything myself. I either don’t trust others to get involved or I don’t believe there are others around me capable of doing what needs done in this church/ministry.”

    2 = somewhere between 1 and 3.

    3 = “I have a team of people around me. They are committed to the ministry and to me. They are expanding what I am capable of doing because my time, effort, energy, and ideas are amplified with their presence. However, none of them are offering something to the team that I couldn’t offer myself. Some have leadership gifts, but most don’t have much of an opportunity to be totally released in them.

    4 = somewhere between 3 and 5.

    5 = “I have a team of committed leaders surrounding me. They are my dream team. Many if not all of them provide leadership and strengths to this ministry that I could not provide myself if I were in their shoes. They have surpassed me in many areas or are well on their way to surpassing me.”