THINK GREEN!

Everywhere we look now the message is being sent that we need to think green. Conserving resources, using renewable energy, and protecting the environment is in vogue. Unfortunately that is not the case in many pastor's lives. Spiritual and emotional energy is being depleted from the pastors because there has been a failure to think "green" much less do something about it.

Let me give you 1o suggestions to thinking green in your ministry life so you don't end up with global warming in your spirit.

1. Do a time budget. Keep track of how you spend your time in an average week and see where it is spent. You may be surprised how much time is wasted.

2. Know your rhythms of maximum effectiveness, and guard them with your life.

3. Create a mission statement that helps you define your priorities and revisit it consistently

4. Take time to plan. Strategic planning keeps the tail from wagging the dog.

5. Understand and accept your hard wiring. The more you operate in your weaknesses the more draining and fruitless your ministry will be.

6. Carve out extended time with Lord. Your intimacy with God will directly affect your fruitfulness. Ministry from an empty cup is done in the flesh.

7. Seek out accountability. Be approachable. Allow people to speak into your blind spots.

8. Learn to say "no". The word "no" can be the most energizing word in your vocabulary.

9. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

10. Find a way to relax and de-stress. No ifs ands or buts.

In the name of "GREEN" Think it! Do it!

GOOD LISTENER

Healthy pastors must be good listeners. Let me again take a quote from an article on leadership from the Arizona Republic.

Leading others: "Listen for truth. Consciously choose to be in the moment when you listen to another person. When a leader truly listens and understands another, they create an environment for trust and new ideas." Healthy pastors must be approachable. That includes being an exceptional listener.

As the article states however we need to listen for truth. That means we must sort through our own grids of defensiveness and insecurities. When we don't sort through these issues we can become unapproachable, breaking the bonds of community that is necessary for good teamwork.

Ephesians tells us we need to speak the truth in love. We must also listen for the truth in love.

It is critical that we as leaders need to create an environment of trust and understanding. The basic needs of anybody in life are, to be listened to, understood, and loved.

What kind of environment have you created in your realm of influence?

LEADING YOURSELF

BEFORE YOU CAN LEAD OTHERS YOU MUST LEAD YOURSELF

In a recent article in the Arizona Republic I was impressed by these leadership principles that will help us be healthier pastors.

Assess yourself: Ask five of your most trusted friends,colleagues or family members about your strengths and weaknesses. Take two of your strengths and find ways to make them great. Then take two areas that you're not as good at and develop actions to improve them.

Manage your priorities: Before you start each week, schedule your work, not just your meetings.

Build Accountability: Develop a list called, "What am I avoiding, what am I not being responsible for, what am I afraid to say and to whom? Always start by tackling the easiest items first.

Improve your emotional IQ: The next time you assess what caused a painful discussion, break it down into three areas to avoid blaming others. What do I own about this situation? What should they own? And what perception do they have of me that I need to manage?

Build Confidence: the next time someone praises you for the work you've done, fully accept it and say thank you.

WHAT ARE WE PRODUCING?

Jesus told us to, "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you."

Notice he didn't say make Christians of all nations. He said make apprentices or followers who want to obey all of His commands.

The question I want to ask is this. Are we really baptizing people in our churches today who fully understand what a disciple of Christ really is?

Dallas Willard writes in his book "The Great Omission" these words: "For those who lead or minister, there are yet graver questions. What authority or basis do I have to baptize people who have not been brought to a clear decision to be a disciple of Christ? Dare I tell people, as "believers" without discipleship that they are at peace with God and God with them? Where can I find justification for this message? Perhaps most important: Do I as a minister have the faith to undertake the work of disciple-making? Is my first aim to make disciples? Or do I just run and operation?"

You may or may not agree with Dallas Willard, but we can say without reservation that we are in the disciple-making business? At the very least we must be careful to teach people that obedience is the primary external force that indicates internal transformation.

What do you think?