Today I've continued to read Andy Stanley's book (with Reggie Joyner and Lane Jones) called "7 Practices of Effective Ministry". In some ways I hope some of you are just like me. The reason I hope you're like me is because I hope I'm not the only one who's struggled with the these things. In other ways I hope you are not like me because that may mean you have answered this question definitively in your own life and ministry.
Well, as I've shared, the book is an easy read. I should have said it's easy TO read. It's not an easy read for someone who wants to be intellectually honest and who is his own biggest critic. You see, as I'm reading more detail about each effective practice the book offers, the bell of truth continues to toll against my thick skull, "SIMPLICITY STUPID". Don't get me wrong, at Focal Point we could be charged with being anemic with regard to the ministry opportunities we offer. A buffet we are not. Intentionally. We've kept the church streamlined and it's been a big help to us. I'm not having problems with thinking we've clogged up the arteries of our ministries. This week I've been having problems with my own critiques of my communication.
If you are a communicator you may be able to relate. I've had a great few months communicating. I've felt terrific when the message was complete and I have enjoyed hearing how something I've said impacted the lives of some of those in attendance. Those days are great because I feel that I did a good job in the following:
1. Understanding what God wanted me to focus on.
2. Studying it
3. Creating relevant messages
4. Getting out of the way on Sunday (and not screwing up what God's word says)
There are days however when I don't feel like I did as great of a job of getting with God and then getting out of the way. This past Sunday was one of them. We're doing a series called "Desperate Households". We're talking about areas within the home that can make a household become 'Desperate'. Yes we've tied it into the current T.V. show.
A bit of transparency here: I hate doing it how I did it Sunday.
From time to time when I feel I stunk it up I try to pin it on a few things: talking in circles, not connecting with the audience, etc. But today I think I've found the truth about myself. Simplicity.
In our "Programming" I've gotten this concept but in the "What makes Tally tick?" department, I haven't gotten the memo (until now). When we started the church I was all about "Know God". Anything that got in the way of people Knowing the true God through His Son Jesus Christ was a waste of my time. The problem I've found is that I can let 'good' topics or discussions get in the way of people Knowing God. {side note: People in the church have requested Sundays message and shared how it highlighted areas of improvement in their lives so the week was still beneficial}
With my communication I believe I now know what makes me feel that I "hit a home run". I think I've hit a home run when:
No matter the topic I am able to easily connect that topic and it's solution with Knowing God.
When God's glory becomes the "Focal Point" of the message (regardless of what the message is about), that's when I'm most "on".
So, as I sat and read I thought to myself "What makes me so frustrated with some messages and not others? People still enjoy them... People seem to be moved by them... but still I walk away regretting I walked up onto the platform. I now know. It's simple. If I can feel that I connected people with God's glory as the solution for every area of their life, I feel fulfilled. If I connect people to God as a quicker fixer-upper I feel unfulfilled. The reason I think I feel this way has to do with Means vs. End.
God is to be our END-ALL. He should never be the means to my truly desirable end. If I as a Pastor allow people to believe God's main role is to be their microwave to life's problems, I've failed. I've set up idols that may prevent them from truly knowing their God. Yes God can do (and does) wonderful things for our lives but we must understand His heart and motive and very nature or else we may completely miss who He is.
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