building leaders for multi-site churches

All Blog Posts (97)

Worship Leaders--Tips for Spoken Word

Here are some things one of our worship leaders, Jeremy Irwin, wrote down for me to help our worship leaders, including me, with public speaking on the microphone during worship services. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it gospel. It is simply some helpful thinking points to help worship leaders as they pray, read, explain, exhort, welcome, dismiss and prepare liturgy for their services. Here's what Jeremy gave me: * pray for God's help * be simple and clear * avoid lofty language * focus o… Continue

Added by Josh Dix on December 4, 2009 at 7:05pm — No Comments

Four Questions Every Christian Should Answer

As Christians, often we think about our relationship with God being just about us, but it isn’t. Each of us is like a fountain. God is the water that flows through us and out. Every one of us has many people – family, friends and co-workers – that come to drink out of our pool. We can’t pretend like our walk with God only belongs to us anymore, because it doesn’t. It impacts a lot of other people (even if we don’t want it to). Some questions worth answering: 1. What’s the quality of the w… Continue

Added by Rick Egbert on November 30, 2009 at 9:46pm — No Comments

Leading with Repentance

I left a meeting the other day when I received a call from one of our elders who had been at the meeting with me. He began to tell me how after leaving, something was nagging him. He couldn't figure out what it was, but after praying, he realized he'd sinned against me. I was floored. After apologizing, he explained that he'd undermined me in another conversation unintentionally. I responded awkwardly that I forgave him and didn't think it was a big deal. Honestly, I was uncomfortable. I don't g… Continue

Added by Josh Dix on November 29, 2009 at 3:21pm — No Comments

The Leaders Checklist for Making a Change

Change is difficult and requires skillful leadership to navigate it well. Sometimes it feels like ninety percent of a leaders job is producing change while ninety percent of people don’t like change! So when a leader enters into the dangerous waters of change he must move wisely. As you consider the next change you’re going to initiate ask yourself the following questions… CHECKLIST FOR CHANGE… 1. What problem am I trying to address by making a change? (Do others see this same problem?)… Continue

Added by Mac Lake on November 12, 2009 at 1:09pm — No Comments

When Accountability Breaks Down

My son, Matthew, was home from college recently to attend a family wedding. We had decided to use his car to drive down to the wedding and I had asked him to clean out his car (which barely resembled a car on the inside anymore). After he came back in the house too quickly, I went to check it out. I don’t need to go into the heated argument that ensued, only that he seemed clueless about why I didn’t think it was suitably clean to take his mom and sister. After about a half hour of angry silence… Continue

Added by Rick Egbert on November 5, 2009 at 8:13am — No Comments

A Man Named Joe

Have you ever been profoundly personally touched and inspired by someone you barely even knew? I’m not talking about someone famous, but a very ordinary guy. I went to the memorial yesterday for a man named Joe. I met Joe only twice before he lost his battle earlier this week to cancer. He was a husband, father, friend and fellow worker. But more than that, he was a man who spent his life making treasure. I listened to person after person – 3 children, 8 brothers and sisters, sister-in-law and… Continue

Added by Rick Egbert on October 31, 2009 at 8:46am — No Comments

Salvation, what's that?

Recently I was asked the following question, I wrote back a short reply and decided to open it up to wider debate, so here's you chance to chip in. What is salvation? How would you express it? Most people agree that ‘salvation’ is at the heart of the Christian faith. But too often our use of phrases like ‘being saved’ sounds like religious jargon, easy to use within church culture but difficult to translate in our mission work in the community. All two often we pay too much attention on how… Continue

Added by Andrew Hall on October 27, 2009 at 3:52pm — No Comments

What it looks like to launch a multi-site campus worship service

The team at McLean Bible Church launched their Prince William campus in September 2009, and the leader of their Creative Arts Ministry blogged a play-by-play of what happened on that opening day ::

Behind the Scenes on Opening Day

… Continue

Added by DJ Chuang on October 23, 2009 at 7:30pm — No Comments

The Lonliness of Leadership

There are days leadership can be very lonely. I didn’t realize that until I became a church planter back in 1997. Shortly after planting Carolina Forest Community Church I began to feel a pressure I had never felt before. I sensed that while my team loved me, they really didn’t understand what I was going through as the leader. Senior leaders face unique pressures that others simply cannot understand until they are in that role themselves. As the senior leader of the Hebrew people Moses had to… Continue

Added by Mac Lake on October 23, 2009 at 12:07am — 1 Comment

The Messy Truth about Leadership Development

I don’t like what I’m about to tell you. It goes against everything in me. I’ve fought it, I’ve tried to change it, but there is nothing I can do about it. The fact is…leadership development is messy. You can send your leaders to the best conferences, provide the best resources, share your best wisdom, and give the best coaching but there will still be times they will fail, mess up, make mistakes, drop the ball and disappoint you. Jesus walked with his disciples for three years and during that… Continue

Added by Mac Lake on October 6, 2009 at 12:03am — No Comments

Joshua's Leadership Crash Course

During a Sunday service almost two months ago in our almost multisite church near Amsterdam, The Netherlands, I shared seven important leadership principles from Joshua’s life. Joshua was the man whom God appointed to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. So he needed to go through a “leadership crash course.” You may wonder why this message would apply to your life. Maybe you think you are not a leader. Or maybe you do not even want to be a leader because life for you is busy as it is. B… Continue

Added by Sebastiaan van Wessem on September 28, 2009 at 10:48pm — No Comments

How to Fire a Volunteer

Firing a volunteer really starts when you hire them. It may seem harsh and some of you are probably thinking that you never hired them, they just appeared. But, if you never explained expectations, the vision of the ministry, policies and procedures, or gave them a job description, then how can you expect them to be the kind of volunteer you want them to be and how can you hold them accountable? If you hired them the right way, sit down with them, go over what they are missing, and explain to t… Continue

Added by Doug Franklin on September 28, 2009 at 2:54pm — No Comments

Radical Future Innovation Lab for Small Groups

The RadicalFuture Innovation Lab for Small Groups will help your church figure out exactly that: the next radical path your small group ministry needs to take. Leadership Network, www.leadnet.org, is inviting 8 of the most innovative churches in America to join us as we uncover research, new thinking and the latest innovations in small group ministry in our unique Lab location in Dallas, Tx. The group is forming now for 2010 and is by invitation only. The Lab experience is comprised of 3 meeting… Continue

Added by Mac Lake on September 21, 2009 at 8:40pm — No Comments

MULTI-SITE DAY ONE - 9-13-09

+ The day finally arrived and I am now officially shot, but so many friends are waiting for news that I figured I’d better get on here before I nap. + Great day - that’s what every pastor says on his blog on a Sunday afternoon, but this really was. + Over in Ronkonkoma we unveiled our new color scheme and the place looked outstanding wiith the aquas that my insider information tells me will be next season’s colors. + Met a number of first-time visitors and saw even more that I didn’t get to t… Continue

Added by Roger Blackmore on September 15, 2009 at 5:30pm — No Comments

When It's Just Not Working

Do you have a ministry program at your church that’s just not working? At one time that program was somebody’s solution to a problem. At one time it was an idea with promise. At one time people believed in it enough to put time, energy and resources behind it. You’ve invested in it but now it just doesn’t seem to be working. The decision you now face is do I toss it or tweak it? Before tossing it here are a few questions to think through: Is it a Personnel problem? Sometime… Continue

Added by Mac Lake on September 12, 2009 at 12:30pm — No Comments

tips on how to do portable church

Found this great video titled Ultra Portable Church -- Church Media Design TV - May 25, Episode 65 How fast can you set up tear down and have a your church gathering? This week we talk about being a an ultra portable church and what it takes to make this happen. From the right gear to being creative with cheap home improvement stuff, we got some ideas to make your life easier. direct video link = http://churchmediadesign.tv/podcast/ep… Continue

Added by DJ Chuang on September 10, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

Multisite Church Road Trip Blog Tour launches today - Craig Groeschel

Multisite Ch Road Trip blog tour launches 2day w/ @craiggroeschel here - http://bit.ly/hbZdR also check out Craig @ #thenines "around mid-day" Continue

Added by Greg Ligon on September 9, 2009 at 11:09am — No Comments

one church's approach to leadership development

Just learned of McLean Bible Church's Future Leaders Program, a one-year intensive for recent college graduates who are considering full-time vocational ministry. http://blog.mcleanbible.org/mbcfutureleaders/ Continue

Added by DJ Chuang on September 8, 2009 at 2:57pm — No Comments

Make them eat Alfalfa

Good ranchers know that their livestock cannot survive on Hay alone and must eat other forms of nutrients like Alfalfa, to keep them healthy. Leadership is similar in that from time to time Leaders must bring their team to a particular field to grow. If Leadership was always organic and evolutionary, then no choice would ever feel contrary. There would be no struggle weighing the pro’s and con’s of a choice, there would simply be whatever is next. However, leadership is not like that. It requir… Continue

Added by Allan Kelsey on September 3, 2009 at 12:00pm — No Comments