Getting into my groove

Tonight I'm going to meet with Calvin. The goal of our get together is to get me into my groove.

No we won't be watching pulp fiction while stomping around my living room pointing to the ceiling and back to the floor with smushed up faces like we just ate lemons.... we'll be answering the question "What can Tally do that no one else can do?" Then we'll proceede to figure out the things I'm doing that ohers can do. The reality is that there are some things I'm doing that others could do better.

(getting his groove on)

Everyone has a groove. The grove is that point where all of the streams of your life come together. It's that place where your experiences, spiritual gifts, talents and passions all collide. I'm convinced that most small churches (churches staffed with only the Pastor) stay that way because the leadership doesn't understand the groove.

I'll just give you one example about this for now...

The culture for this must be created in the church.

Is your church a Cafeteria-Christian-filled church?
You know... the type of church that has a bunch of spiritual gluttons who expect the Pastor to do all of the work while they sit back and just eat.

As if he is the only one "godly enough" to unload the trailer or set up lighting.
We, as Pastors, have to create a culture of can-do people. A culture that expects the Pastor to be the one equipping the saints for the work of the ministry (Eph 4). This takes a little time and commitment from the top down.

At Focal Point, we're at the point now where I help because I enjoy it... not because I have to. It downright sucks to be Pastoring a church of people who expect you to do it all. You start to resent people for not helping out. We've gone through some transition and did the whole NSync "Bye,Bye,Bye" to some folks... so our collective church attitude is much different.

I asked Gary Lamb last week "Gary... how do you get people there at 5a.m. to set up your theater for church?" He said "That's how long it takes."

That's the type of approach we have to have if we're going to get it done. It's got to be one of simplicity and truthfulness. As people see the payoff each week (new guests, a great set design, happy kids, salvations, baptisms, etc.) they will be glad to come back and do it all again.

We now have a pretty good culture in our church.
Most weeks our people arrive at 8a.m. Last week we had many show up much later. All it took was a reminder and this past Sunday our team was back at it. By me having a team of people who are committed to making Focal Point look right week in and week out, I can come in focused on how to make everyone's day better. I can actually be their Pastor.

I remember some days when I used to be the only one setting up for nearly an hour. I can't tell you how frustrated I was by the time service started. To see people who had been Christ-followers for 14 years come in and socialize while I was still rushing to connect a microphone cable... it was rediculous. I remember days early on when just before our start time I was fixing a problem with the projector or trying to straighten chairs.

What do you think I felt like by the time I attempted to share God's word?

Fortunately those days are behind us for the most part. Being a smaller church for now means that will from time to time have to fill in but that's all it is...filling in. We have a unified team of people committed to making Focal Point the best it can be. Lives are being changed and guests are being welcomed as our people buy into God's plan for us.

So tonight I will hone in more closely to "What is my groove? Why don't you sit down with someone in your ministry and ask "What am I doing right now that someone else should be doing? Get into your groove!