Decisions Decisions

Making big, hard and difficult decisions is a fundamental part to leadership and is essential if organisations are to realise their visions. It is the same situation in the hope and vision of a church. Decisions have to be made that will impact the values and culture of God’s people to move them on from A to B. As a leader the buck can’t be passed or not taken up. It must be tackled if there is to be a new future. I can express my own experience in making such decision has been both liberating and painful and deeply significant in the life of the churches I have been a part of. You (personally and corporately) will only change, see growth and flourish if those big decisions are made and made well.

While I was chatting to a friend about his situation and the decisions he had had to make in his first year as the leader it occurred to me that you never/rarely see the impact of the big decisions until much later. I would guess that the bigger the decisions the longer you have to wait t full grasp what a difference it has made to you as a person and to the people you are leading. It is easy to get frustrated, even demoralised in the time after a big call but I have learnt that God has a way of just reminding you at the right time that you did the right thing. This is not to say that you should not reflect back on as to how you did it and want to learn from it but as a leader our role is to make the calls everyone else wants you to make (whether they will like the outcome or not).

As leaders we have to make decisions that affect people. My prayer is that we have enough faith to make the right ones and patience to see them come to fruition.

Matt

Thanks for all you do!!

I have blogged in the past on language we use to express our thanks to those under our leadership for the roles they fill, tasks they undertake and success they achieve. I have been struck again as to the subtle way in which leaders chose to thank people for what they do rather than the people they are. I maybe covering old ground but it has brought back into focus the need for me to be conscious of my language and whether my thanks is given on a results basis rather than as a way of developing and loving individuals I love and lead.

I can confess that I have been guilty myself of being driven to place more significance on the amount, types and effectiveness of my ministry above the one for whom I engage in it to start with. As a result I know that I have put large amounts of energy into doing rather than developing the person within. In my time at Leicester I even put it ahead of other elements of my life such as friends and family. I have learnt but still learning what it means to have a fulfilling ministry without compromising my humility and drive to serve God.

By putting so much emphasis on what we do, the amount we do and the success of it we are actually creation a subtlety but significantly creating a culture of guilt and pride. We are slowly reinforcing in our churches and denominations that if we work harder, do more we will see the blessings of God on what we do. This is a lie. We may see fruit but at what cost. At Leicester, I put unnecessary strain and demand on my marriage because of my desire to do more (this  is in its self a sin against God’s community). I wanted peoples praise and to feel my ministry was worth something and that the church could not function without me. It has taken me a while to confess and deal with that realisation that even God still functions without my input and effort.

It is actually very liberating when you realise God doesn’t need you. However, it is inspiring when you discover that wants you!

Matt

Putting it into practice

In the last few weeks I have realised that I have begun to put into practice some of the components from the Arrow Leadership programme. There have been a few days when something has cropped up in my week which maybe 6 months ago would have had me stressing or even making me work more than was necessary.

One of the principles that struck a cord with me was organising my week to plan for emergencies or the unseen meetings and appointments of your week. Obviously, by their nature you don't know when they will happen, how long they will take and what follow up will be required. The theory presented to us on Arrow was that you can build time in to allow for such events. Of course, this takes discipline and planning. Two things for which I am not renowned. However, I have begun to see the beginnings of development in these areas. It has taken time and a lot of wiilingness on my part but I am beginning to see the benifits for my self but also the church I lead.

For example: Today Katherine has had to be dropped off back with me from the Childminders because she has suspected chicken pox. Because of how I plan my week I know that I can afford to drop everything, take her home and spend time with her and take her to the doctors. All my tasks I need to get done are relatively sorted and the things I need to do can wait until she is in bed. I even have time to blog!

In leadership it is necessary to be flexible and prepared for the unexpected. I remember James Lawrence saying " you know emergencies will happen , so plan for them." My diary is less full than this time last year. I block time out and stick to it, if I have time spare I use it to focus on long term stuff rather than little jobs. In leadership, you know and accept that you will have things to do, people to support, places to go and responsibilities to fulfil but ultimately how you plan and use that time is the individuals responsibility.

If you find your self with to little time to do things in and do them well, then do less.

Matt

All together now.

All people are complex and unpredictable yet the key component in God's hope in the world today. The church is not supposed to be a place for perfection but of safety for failure and imperfection. Yet we can do one key thing to ensure we keep seeking after the heart of God and serving the needs of our community. Work together. There is great potential and strength in working together if we are willing and prepared to support each others ministries, missions, lives, and relationships. It is easy to become transfixed on trying to get others to do what we want and forget that we may have something to offer them.

Take Carlos Tevez for example. Whether we know all the facts, the reality is that he is causing a disruption. How much of that effected the team in their defeat is unknown but it can't have helped. He may wear the shirt and training top, he may even sit on the bench but when it comes to supporting his team and when asked to try and make a difference he declines. We maybe like that in the church. Wearing the right clothes, sitting on the pews but when it comes to supporting others our first question is "what do we get out of it."

I know that I have, as the leader, subconsciously asked people to do stuff to "help"or "benefit" me without considering whether they want to do or are gifted to do it. We need to stick together and work with the people around seeking to use their gifts not simple to get a job done. If the church is to grow and deepen its relationships within then we have to work as a team that is focused on the vision God places before us. As a leader, I have a responsibility to make sure that we all know where we are head, why and what may occur on the journey so that we can stick together no matter what may come our way.

The church must always desire to reflect the unifying nature of God. It is through this that others may want to be part of something so loving.

Matt

Know where your going (without a Sat Nav).

The other week I was in a meeting where I was the only one that did not have a Sat Nav. I havn't used one but clearly understand what they do and why you would use one. However wonderful and helpful they maybe in directing people around the exstensive British road network, I don't like Sat Navs. It could be to do with fact that "I am a man and we don't ask for directions" or "I don't want to admit to Lizzy that I'm lost." Yet, there is more to it than my flawered character and therefore want to make a case for ditching the technology that tells us where we are going. I know I have not used one (and will not) but want to comment on my frustrations with them.

Apparently Sat navs are better than maps to stop us getting lost. However that is not what is reported in the telegraph where it claims 82% of  18 to 24 year olds despite having a Sat Nav have got lost in the last year. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/caraccessories/8636633/Drivers-are-better-off-using-road-maps-than-satnav-new-research-finds.html This says alot about our reliance on technology rather than the most sophisticate computer of all: our brains. For me, using a map (google maps or paper map) to plan and set eye on the route provides a better indication of the route we need and could need if there are road works accidents or if we take a wrong turn. In our impatients to get somewhere we forget to look how to get there before entering the car and know apprectiate just what the journey may entail.

Even if the Sat Nav's don't get us lost and to our destination on time, we could neglect the opportunity in developing a key life lesson: A sense of direction. With a Sat Nav we could concentrate on being told where to go rather than keeping and eye on where we have been, where we are and what is up ahead. For example: Whilst driving on the motorway we keep going until we hear the voice that tells us to exit in 1 mile (or what ever it may say). Yet you have no idea where you actually are, what city/town you have passed, what road you are going on too or even what number junction it is you have come of at. Now you need to do the route again. I guess you put the post code and repeat the process, oblivious to where you are or where you have been! Imagine what you might have missed out on and what you may have learnt along the way.

There is a point to my ranting about such a minor issues as the use of Sat Navs.

Faith is like living without a Sat Nav. It is faith that allows to develop a sense of direction and then allows us to see the beauty on our journey.

Matt

All together now.

"We are one of them. The staff at the club have got to keep pushing the squad as hard as they can. We have got to push them, pull them, carry them, drive them on - and we have got to do it together." http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/

This quote comes from Southampton manager Nigel Atkins after our sides demolition of Birmingham City which moved us up to top spot in the Championship. Being a loyal and long standing Saints fan I am thrilled with our start to the season and delighted that my club is in a better place than it as a few years back. A lot of that has to do with the new owners but also to Nigel Atkins. Despite my reservations of getting rid of Alan Pardew, Nigel Atikins was the best replacement. In his quote above I think we can see why.

First and foremost, he understands that the modern football club must be focused on the primary objective; is the team winning football matches. This is why teams like Man Utd, Baraclona, Ajax have been so successful. Whether we like it or not (I don't) this is also what the investment has gone in too at Man City (training ground, additional club staff, and top footballers). To win football matches, titles, cups and glory. To be the best team in the world, you don't just need the players but an environment that they footballers can flourish in.

My observation of the church is that we all need to know that we can only be effective and successful if we, as one, work together for the glory of God. This is our primary focus and should always be. If we forget this or take our eyes off the goal we may end up like Leeds, Sheffield Utd or Southampton (2 years ago). More on this in the next few blogs.

We need to work, pray, live and hope as one. United in our primary focus.

Matt

Fatherhood

I am having a break from my usual blogging topics and comment on something I have been thinking a lot about lately. Fatherhood. From the pain when we suffered a miscarriage before Katherine, others experience of the complex nature of conceiving and the trails of being a parent, I can honestly say that I love being a parent. In short it is brilliant and a blessing that I never want to take for granted. Yet as a father there is a dichotomy that we face. Let me try and explain.

It is easy to accept that there are roles that a mother and father play in a child's up bringing yet how realistic they are is up for debate. My observation is that there is a lot of pressure on father to be highly active in a child's up bringing yet we seem to find it difficult in maybe admitting we do. For example: How many men’s public toilets have baby changing facilities in? (In one public toilet it had such facility but the sticker had a picture of a female and baby on it!) This is not the issue the issue is how many men complain about it? Would we admit/point out to our male counterparts that this is wrong or should be made more available? There seems to be an unspoken agreement that we men keep quiet about such conveniences so that we get out of doing nappies!

This is one observation But us fathers need to grasp the significant of being involved in all parts of our children’s up bringing (even the smelly bits) and telling others dads about it too. Why are we so worried about what other blokes think?

I do not claim to be the best dad in the world but I am a dad that wants to be the best and encourage others to do so. Let me know your thoughts and tips of being a good father. We need all the help we can get.

Matt

Resources you can check out:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14880055 - interesting article on the physical changes on a father when a child comes along.

http://www.dad.info/

60 minuet father by Rob Parsons - This book changed my fatherhood. It is brilliant and easy to read.

The who and not the how.

As I blogged yesterday, I have been challenged as to whom I share my faith with. It is easy to get caught up with the how that we forget that this is about the eternal hope of those that have no faith. Telling people about who Jesus is and the difference he makes in and through my life needs to be higher on my agenda. I have always been good at connecting with people, taking the church to new places and being prepared to venture in territory undiscovered but have not always been clear and open about the message. It is easy to hide behind my "role" and try and do evangelism purely as a church rather than personally. This is where the who comes in. Essentially, I know a lot about the how but have not been intentional enough about the who I share it with. But I want to be.

As I said at the end of my last blog, making evangelism part of my normal everyday life is the hard bit but I am making a start. There are two people I am praying for to come to faith. Today, I had a great opportunity to talk to one of those people about the purpose of the church and the difference God should make in a Christians life. That's it. She didn't come to faith and become a christian but we have begun a journey that I pray will see her know God. It's a start and is more than we have spoken about in the past. Now I need to keep going because the thing that strikes me deeply is that if I don't who will. This is not to say I am better than others at evangelism but I have the opportunity and ultimately the responsibility.

God is always at work, his spirit is always speaking. My prayer is that I am always ready and available to join in with what he is up to. 

Matt

but I don't have any friends.........

Don't worry, I don't want you to feel sorry for me. I do have friends and some good ones at that. I have been challenged once again to reflect on my personal sharing of my faith with others, especially those that don't have a faith. One of the dangers of being involved in church leadership at any level is that you can be isolated from those that don't know God and quickly be immersed in a church culture surrounded by Christians. When challenged to invite their friends to church, an event, Alpha course or such like, I  have heard many Christians say the words "but I don't have any friends."

Over the next few Sundays at Aspley I am going to be looking at this very issue. How do we share our faith with others? Maybe the question should be: "Who do I share my faith with?" The main excuse that church leaders use to neglect their responsibility in person evangelism is time. It is easy to use our role as a way of not engaging in evangelism. It is easy to lead and challenge others to do it but it is not always being backed up by our own actions. There are many factors that influence our lack of engaging in evangelism (time, work, family, scared, not feeling gifted) yet these should not become excuses. I have been really conscious of the way I use my time so to be able to engage with evangelism but it is still a struggle. I still find it hard to create regular and meaning time with people that don't know Jesus so that they may see him in me and for me to be able to speak about him  openly.

What I have learnt is that evangelism isn't hard but making it part of my normal everyday life is.

Matt

Busy Busy Busy

I was with a bunch of church leaders today and was presented with the classic first question: "Are you busy!" Maybe in the past I would have responded with a yes or tried to ignore or deflect the question but this time I went for the brave answer. I said "no, busy is over-rated." I was met with a shy laugh and then silence. I have a few frustrations I need to share:

• Why is it that people assume that busy means we are doing the right things? We get caught up in a world that says the more we do the better and more valuable we are. Just because we are busy doesn't always mean we are getting things done and done well. I have been quilty in the past of doing lots of stuff but doing few of them really well. I want to do less but do them better.
• Why do we value busy people more than those that consitently and quietly go about their work at a healthy pace? Maybe it boils down to the fact we are jeleous of those who have slower paced, calmer and more blended lives. For many of us we have many presures that compound this issue that are out of our control but there are many things that are.
• Why can't we ask better questions about each other? At no point did anyone ask how my marraige was, how being a father is going or if I need any prayers! I have to be honest and say that I didn't ask them any of these questions. I should have and will try to next time.

Of course the danger of being less busy is we slip into a place of comfort or even worse, an attitude of complacency. This will be just as damaging as being too busy. But we are only doing ourselves a dis-service if we don't get thie sorted.

Matt

Jesus on the phone

On twitter this week was a tweet from the Guardian regarding a banned advert ran by Phones4U. There were complaints on the use of the Jesus image on the advert as irreverent and inappropriate.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/07/jesus-mobile-phone-ad-banned?CMP=twt_fd

I do wonder who it was that complained. I understand why they would, even if I think they are wasting their time. For me the issue of the use of this image is not offensive, irreverent by simply highlights the underling message of Jesus still in people's lives, even if they don't know it. The fact that they used the word "miraculous" says to me that people relate the story of Jesus still to our culture in the 21st Century. What is it about this man Jesus that still stirs up interest in people imagination? For me it is the mystery of a man who walked on earth, created controversy and yet was willing to be a sacrifice for a world that didn't deserve God's forgiveness is pretty facinating. The stories of Jesus miracles are brilliant, not because of what Jesus does but because of who he does them for and the reactions those that are healed express. The churches responsability should be to tell the stories openly and passionatly rather than complaining about silly adverts. If we get that right people will know and understand what all the fuss is about when it comes to this man Jesus.

If you don't know much about him, he's worth finding out about.

Matt

Now and not yet (4)

Meeting with my mentor each month is always a delight and a blessing. Along with his great insights and knowledged he also still shows a desire to work out what it means to be a follow of Jesus and a leader in his church. This week's meeting was no different. As we chatted, the issue of how a emerging leader responds in these difficult and troublings days cropped up. I made a comment that the church is likely to remain in a place of flux for a while yet as we seek to work out how we respond to the culture we find ourselves in. Two things have stuck with me during this week and deserves a blog. He stated that "the church should always be in a state of flux."

Firstly, I am encouraged that I don't have to have things sorted. There has been a trend in the church for leaders to make sure we are in order and under control; that our programmes, provisions and administration is faultless and professional. The danger of being in control or having things under control is that we (leaders) forget to leave space for the unexpected, the miraclus and graceful acts of God. This is not to say that we just let our admin pile up, not take care of the day to day issue that will allow smooth running of our church and centres. But, control can lead to a over reliance on process rather than keeping focus on our purpose. For example: you can over plan times of worship, over illustrate, use video clips because you feel you have to etc By the time you have planned you then forget to make/leave space for God's spirit to promt and speak to those in attendance.

Secondly and closely related, I was reminded that I will never get everything sorted. This is such a relief to someone who is not naturally organised. It is great to feel freed by the never ending nature of God's kingdom and released to know that time is on our side. How often do you hear a church leader (or anyone for that matter) say that they are not busy and have lots of time on their hands. We need to make sure we are not doing to many things. This is not an excuse for slapdash leadership and leaving everthing until tomorrow (that never comes). Yet we need to use the time God gives us each day to place those things that are of priority to God at the top of our todo list.

Things are in flux but God knows what he is doing.

Matt

What is my value?

Last week I received an email that ended, from a person that doesn't know me, saying; "thanks for all you do." All of us like to be thanked for what we do. But I was interested as to what he meant as he is unfamiliar with my role, personality and character. I am sure he was being encouraging but in a conversation with a friend we chatted about what signals this sends out. Are me more excited or interested in what people do rather than who they are? For example: What is the first question we ask when we meet someone new? The thing is, I realised that I do the same. I have ended many an email to my leadership team " thanks for all you do" in an genuine attempt to encourage them for the way they lead the church. I wonder if I have missed something or even worse sent the wrong signals to them. Do I care more about what they do or who they are?

It is easy to value people for what they do because we can see the results of their labour and efforts. It is also important that people are encouraged for what they do and the quality of their work (whatever the level of profession ). It is free and only takes a moment but can yield results and increase performance. People want to be thanked and encouraged but we (the church) could simply become an organisation reward good deeds, success and effort rather than celebrating diversity, character and even failure. In leadership, it's easy to slip into an attitude of "what can I get from others" rather than seeking to support and resource them in their own unique ministry.

In the past few weeks I have begun to put various other things at the end to encourage people for who they are rather than what they do. I need to keep working on this and develop both my attitude and skill in valuing people for the depth and diversity of their character rather than simply what they can do for me, the church or even God.

Surely, God is more interested in who we are. I pray I will be too.

Matt

Uniform or Uniformity

A couple of months ago Lizzy and I attended a conference for Natural Church Development. During one of the sessions we considers the challenges that diversity has on churches. One of the issues that was highlighted briefly was for those churches that see diversity as a danger rather than an opportunity. Chritoph Schalk from NCD helpfully pointed out that diversity can cause uniformity in some organisations, including the Church. On the other end of the scale, organisations, again including the church could be in danger of becoming competitive. These two manifestations of diversity can obviously harm the effectiveness of a church community in growing and deepening its faith. What is needed, to use an NCD word, is symbiosis. Everything working together as one for the health of an organism, the church.

In this blog I want to address the issue of uniformity. As a member of and a leader in the Salvation Army, uniformity has always been a big issue. The Salvation Army appeal in its early life was it's uniqueness as an expression of God's love in action. But somewhere along the line we managed to lose this uniqueness and become uniformed. Not too long ago, if you went to most Salvation Army churches their worship, programme and outlook would be extremely similar, if not the same. Uniformity is not the same issue as the wearing of uniform but are obviously closely linked. In the last few months I have heard and been part of a number of conversations around the specific issue of uniform within our movement. The issues of uniform can only be answered by digging deep into to our understanding willingness to engage with the issues of diversity.

For many, diversity is a scary subject and it can force us to become defensive in our approach to church, worship and mission. There is much comfort in all being the same but it is not a true reflection of God's creation. If we are to be a organisation that is growing and healthy we need to embrace the gift of diversity within our movement.

Matt

Now but not yet (3)

Having watched some of the Murdoch's grilling at the House of Commons Committee, it got me reflecting on the Kingdom of God once again. One of the things that stuck me as I listened was the sense of judgement (on all sides) that had already preceded and that is surely still to come. The question for News International is: Has there past caught up with them?

The question for me: Is it the same for me when I meet my maker in Heaven? Is it a case of my past being trawled over by God and his courts of Angel's. Will my past catch up with me, how will his judgement work out? Will I be questioned as to what I knew and didn't know? Or will God have already "wiped the slate clean" and embrace me despite my considerable failings. Maybe these are the wrong questions to be asking about heaven and our potential admittance. I wonder if by starting with the ending in sight we find ourselves in a blind alley. Surely the kingdom that is yet to come is not about what we have or haven't done?

I am in agreement with Rob Bell (in Love Wins) when he highlights that those who are more concerned with who will get into heaven are less concerned with helping people discover that heaven is here on earth, right now. And so we come back to considering a kingdom that is "now" and "already here." It can not simply be used as promise for a future time. Why can't the riches and beauty of heaven become a daily reality in our lives and in the lives we interact with?

In the promise of the kingdom to come we must reveal a kingdom that is already clearly in view.

Matt

Now but not yet (2)

Understanding the kingdom of God is a life time occupation. And rightly so! There is no way we will ever be able the grasp the reality of what it means for the kingdom of God to be present but not yet complete. If we don’t understand it as an everyday Christian what chance do we have in helping others come to an understanding and relationship of this cosmic sized idea? Yet we are assured that the kingdom of God is at hand, its close by and it’s personal. How do we begin to communicate this concept to those in our communities who have no understanding of God? I don’t have the answers but would like to stimulate you in thinking about what question we can ask to start discovering some solutions.

First of all we need to get to the heart of the purpose of the church. What is the reason for the existence of the church? Maybe a better question is what is the motivation of my church and how is that motivation expressed? Is it that we see the church as God’s mission agency or as a residential home, preparing us for heaven. Do we see the church as a movement that mobilises it’s people or a place that keeps us contained. The kingdom of God is unable to be contained and therefore neither should its citizens.

That then requires the church to release and free its people to live as citizens in the world they inhabit. The question is; are we prepared for the mess that may ensue? The boundaries of the kingdom of God are obviously not as clear cut as they are when we travel through passport control. We are citizens of heaven on earth and therefore our instinct should be to shine as such. Paul instructs us a number of times to “put into practice, that which you have learned” and the church today needs to do likewise. It isn’t even about getting it right but seeking to discover what the kingdom looks like in our individual context.

Finally (for this blog) it is about seeking first the kingdom of God and joining in. This week I have once again been reassured that God is at work in Aspley, God is at work behind the various unopened doors of our community and in the lives that we seek to see transformed. God is always at work creating and transforming people in more ways that the church can ever put into a programme or project. There is a sense of relieve in my heart that all God requires of me is to unveil the kingdom that already exists in Aspley rather than trying to construct a kingdom from scratch.

The kingdom of God is not yet, so let’s unveil it.

The kingdom of God is now, so let’s live in it.

Matt

Now but not yet (1)

I am currently reading Rob Bells book “Love Wins”. It is a typically questing and searching book that helps Christians we think faith on a number of different levels. One thing that stuck out in chapter 3 was this quote by Bell when talking about we can see heaven on earth; “This is what happens when the future is dragged into the present.” I was struck by the hope in this complex idea and the need for our lives to be ones prepared to drag that future into our present. Lives lived in such hope that people cannot mistake the touch of heaven, a expression of true love and a act of humility by Gods people. This is the kind of world I believe in but sadly rarely see.

This concept brings great challenge for us that confess to be followers of Jesus. If we are serious about changing our world then we have to be seen as someone that a future with Jesus has changed. We cannot rest at trying to resolve cleaver or contentious arguments about the reality and existence of God but we need to live our lives that reflect our beliefs and leave people in no doubt of where are hope lay. This is not simply about our future but the future of others. Our Family, Friends, Work colleagues, Class mates and House mates. These and many others have no idea what a future with God looks like because we have not shown them.

So how do we show them this future? What does it mean practically? Where do I start? Here are a few ideas to try? The secret is to persist and remember whose future we are dealing with.

1. Pray for someone you know who is unaware of the amazing future we have with God. Choose a work colleague, close friend and pray consistently and persistently.
2. Hang out with people that don’t know God? Maybe you need to be released from things you do in/at church to do this?
3. Join a club. You are allowed to do something you enjoy!
4. Get training on how to share your experience and faith in God. This could be in the form of a book or formal course.

Whatever you do, do something! God doesn’t want anyone to miss out on a future with him.

Matt

Leading Evangelism 3 - Easy Evangelism!

This year has been a very positive one in the life of the Aspley Salvation Army and continues to be so. This week we had a strange occurrence when a young lad phone up asking if he could join the Salvation Army. Taken aback I composed my self and said we should meet, so he came the next day with his mum to meet with me and chat through what it meant to be in the Salvation Army. I encouraged him to come for a few weeks before we go through our membership classes to see if it is right for him and help him understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus and a soldier in the SA. On Sunday, he turned up along with his mum to join us in worship and said once again how he wanted to be a soldier.

A couple of things struck me about this strange incident. The first is this; in the church we concentrate a lot of effort and thought in to clever, well intentioned and often expensive evangelistic strategies that we forget about the miraculous ministry of God. Evangelism is a lot easier if we place of faith in God's power and plan for our church. It's not to say we sit back and wait for people to phone us (that clearly is not God's intention for his church) yet we must be cautious in forcing the issues with God. Patience and faith need to off set our action and commitment. If we are not careful we can be caught up in our own succussflness rather that the Holy Spirit's power and promting.

The second is linked: Why should I be surprised that people want to become part of the church? Why should I find it "strange" that people are drawn to God? How limiting has my attitude to leading my church in evangelism if I am surprised when people want to be a follower of Jesus. It has really challenged me to lead a church that see's people make faith commitments. This is not about making our church bigger but growning the kingdom and changing peoples lives in and around the place we worship, live and serve. If this young lad can decide to be a soldier why cant the other people I know well do the same.

Evangelsim is easy, when God is leading us.

Matt

Leading Evangelism 2 - Leading it

As I mentioned in my last blog, when leading others in evangelism it must be backed up by the leader personally engaging in it but not because it a part of the job or programme. Evangelism is a fundamental response to our calling by God as His disciples and we must not hide behind structures or institutions to protect us from talk about Jesus. I don't think the church will survive for very long if those leading others in evangelism don't put themselves in a place where they can do it.

There are many reasons why the leader (The Corps Officer in my denomination) should be exposed to sharing there faith with people who do not know Christ. Here are a few thoughts:

1 - Practice what you preach. I have always been an advocate of mission and evangelism and on the whole been a good exponent of it. Yet there is a danger that I could end up talking about the "church" rather than the deep issues of faith. If I challenge my church fellowship on a Sunday to share their faith I should be ready to do the same at the next opportunity.

2 - You discover the reality - There are many people that do not find talking about faith easy and can end up feeling disheartened and discouraged because they feel they are not good enough to be evangelists. If the leader also experiences this reality then it can be an encouragement to their congregation to keep going. I am regularly praying for 2 people to become Christians but as yet haven't. This is my reality that I share with others. I still keep praying and believing.

3 - What works - If you are leading evangelism and personally engaging with it you are more likely to discover what works and share that with others. For example, I attended an excellent day with Carl Beech regarding men's ministries. He was able to share his own experience of success and failure in reaching men for God. Because he had the "T-Shirt" he could speak honesty and helpfully to us beginners.

4 - It is what we do - As I mention in my introduction, talking about my faith is not what I get paid to do, its what I am called to do and so must fulfill that call. It is only through my own personal willingness to introduce others to a life of faith that I will know how to lead others to do the same.

If I truly love God, why would I keep that to myself regardless of my role, job or appointment.

Matt

Leaders and Managers

I heard that Roy Keane was being approached to manage the Qatar national team. Roy Keane's first management job was getting Sunderland up and doing well with them, then to Ipswich where things didn't go well and now a lowly nation team. He has not had the best reports for his man management skills and ruled by fear rather than respect. Yet there is no doubting his unrivaled leadership qualities displayed during his years at Forest and Utd. You would not only want to follow him out of the tunnel but feel confident he would lead by example on the field.

I begun to wonder if good leaders make good managers? Is there a difference between the two?

A friend of mine commented on this question on Facebook. He said; "To be a good manager you must lead by example so id say yes...thinking of becoming a manager then???" (Chris Smith). Yet, I wonder how many other great footballing leaders have made bad/not great managers. Shearer, Bruce, Ince and Souness to name a few? All great leaders but not great managers (in my opinion). So what is missing, what do they lack. Not leadership, passion or respect but the ability to manage people and expectations, whilst at the same time trying to lead by example. It is my observation that these people got so far on there past reputation as leaders but were not cut out to manage.

Here is how the Guardian commented on Keane and his hero, Clough.

Brian Clough has long been his (Roy Keane's) hero but he needs to remember his mentor could be warm and human as well as angry and authoritarian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/jan/07/roy-keane-irish-mourinho-ipswich-town


To be a great leader you need the mind of a manager, the heart of a leader and the ability to use them at the right time and in the right way. Easy!


Matt

Leading Evangelism 1 - why?

One of the biggest impacts the Arrow Leadership process has had on me is my attitude towards leading evangelism in the church I am appointed to currently (and beyond). I have often seen ministers who can clearly lead others in evangelism but then opt out of doing it themselves. I would like to think I have always been open and willing in leading by example but know I have not always been effective or intentional about this. I know that I have a strong missional heart and am willing to go into situations that require me to show faith without necessary having or seeking the opportunity to speak about my faith.

However, I do wonder if I don't say enough! Evangelism is more than deed, it is about what we share verbally with others. As this point I acknowledge that the language we use is part of the issues but Evangelism isn't mission just very closely related and complementary too. People have become scared of the "e" word but it is crucial to our mission and purpose as the voice of God in our world. Maybe many of the issues surrounding the suppression of Christianity stem from the churches silence rather than supposedly being gagged. Whatever the cause, we are fearful of speaking about Jesus to our world today for fear of ridicule, losing friends or being seen as weird.

What I have discovered recently is that when you mention Jesus, people are intriged, respectful and open to knowing more. So lets tell them!

Matt

If your happy and you know it.

One of Katherine's favourite songs for us to sing is "if your happy and you know it." She can only do the clap your hands bit as she hasn't worked out the bit about nodding your head or stamping your feet but loves the song. I came across this article on the BBC news page about an organisation that is dedicated in spreading happiness.

"The world's first membership organisation dedicated to spreading happiness is being officially launched. Action for Happiness, which claims to have 4,500 members in more than 60 countries, says it prioritises healthy relationships and meaningful activities as a means to happier living."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13046148

It got me thinking about the role of the church in the general well being and happiness of our society/local communities. I don't believe the churches main role/purpose is to make people happy(ier) yet it's ministry should make people feel better about life, themselves and God. Any organisation can do something just to help people but the churches mandate is deeper, it is to bring about salvation and freedom in peoples lives. This should naturally, if we do it correctly, impact the physical and emotional aspects of peoples lives but can't be what we simply measure our success and effectiveness on. Numbers attending and accessing our programme must never be the sole source of justification to running them.

As it states in the article, Action for happiness focuses on "healthy relationships and meaningful activities", which poses the question; If we are to be the church God craves, why isn't the church addressing these needs already? This is not about providing programme to fill the gaps or having programme for programmes sake but the very nature of the church expressing the relational heart of God. We need to ensure that our mission doesn't become a service we provide that makes us look good or make/keep people happy but as a way of exposing people to the fulfilling love of God.

If your happy and you know it clap your hands.

If your happy and you know God, reach out your hands.

Matt

Risk and Loss (3) Pain

I am an avid House (the Sky Drama rather than the type of music) fan. It is a great example of good and bad leadership. House is a egotistical but brilliant diagnostician who feeds off the plight of others. Cutty, his boss, is responsible for House (they were in a relationship as well) antics but recognises his brilliance. During a recent episode, Cutty got ill and House responded in his one inevitable way. During one scene came this quote: "Pain happens when you care!" Cutty (House S7 Ep 15).

One of the tensions in leadership is showing and sharing our pain (not just in leadership decisions but personal issues also). As previous discussed when we are prepared to risk something we may experience loss. With loss comes pain. It has been said that leaders in the church find it easier to make the hard decisions because it isn't there church and can move at any time. In the SA it can be easy to hide behind the fact that we are appointed to a place rather than choosing to be there. However, this is to the detriment of the church we are appointed to and to our own leadership development. I once had an officer mutter the words "don't take it personally" to me about a decisions that had been made effecting me.

Where ever I have been (which is limited to 2 communities) I have sought to embed my life in the community I serve. I really have cared about the people I have served along side and believe that it has to be personal to make my leadership effective and meaningful for me and the church I lead. Often, it is in the pain that leadership can be refined.

When Jesus came into our world, he demonstrate just how personnally God took the worlds plight. He became flesh, he became an equal and walked with us.

Matt

Loving my tradition.

Over the past year I have spent a lot of time with some great people from the Anglican Church (and a few other denominations) through my Arrow Leadership course and local ministers meetings. This has lead me to think more openly and clearly about the denomination I am part of. Things that I am still tying to get my head around about the SA include; Leadership, uniform, appointments, structure, mission, training, abstinence form alcohol, traditions, certain theological areas and what defines us as the SA. My main frustration is that the conversations regarding these areas usually, as a good friend said last week, happen around a coffee table and never get any further (whilst we were having coffee). I am inclined to agree. How do I work through these things if I feel I can't be honest that I may think differently to what has gone before. I don't have the answers or even think that I am right but would at least like to explore them in a productive way that will release me and ultimately enhance the wider SA. I guess I have a lot of questions and they don't seem to have anywhere to go. Yet, I am passionate about the Salvation Army's story from its early life in the East End of London to the way it responds to emergencies all around the world today. William Booth asked the right questions and responded with some innovative and exciting answers creating a culture of mission. We have a wonderful history that can serve to inform and energise our present. I have seen the SA at work in different countries and in different context, the diversity is beautiful. Embracing this is key to growth and developing our thinking around the issues mention. Many leaders form other denominations have such a high regard for the SA, I must not undermine that by simply moaning about the things I dislike or want to change. Churches are complex organisations but surely we need to find a way to embrace what has gone before without living there. All questions have answers. But we have to ask the questions to get the answers. Matt

Risk or Loss (2) How to make the tough calls.

In the last few days, I have been reflecting some more on the issue of taking risks and what it means as a leader. Whenever you are given that leaders position, you will inevitably upset someone or some people along the way. It is a normal state of being the one who has to make the tough calls. So how can you make those "calls" without harming yourself or the people you lead. I have learnt from my success's and failings in this area and want to share a few comments that may help you in making those "calls" in the future.

Is it personal?

When ever leading change you need to ask yourself is this change purely to suit me, make my life easier or is it for the long term gain of the organisation. This doesn't mean that you don't invest something of yourself in the change or that you take it personally but ultimately change can't be simple down to what the leader wants. In ever tough call you have to make, ask your self what will the effect be and who will it will effect and how. This may scare you but also help you in forward planning conversations, information and how you communicate. In a church setting a simple example of this is seen in the songs I choose may not always be the ones I like because I am not the only one singing them.

Does it really matter?

This may sound obvious but don't do it if it doesn't really matter! In some situations you may have bigger change on the horizon that will include the issue you are currently considering. Wait a while and do it all together. However if it needs to be done now then do it. The worst thing that you could do is leave it and the issue build up and then feel to big to change or address. Some things need to be challenged sooner rather than later.

Can you afford not too?

If you don't make the call, what will the impact be. Even if it doesn't work at least you can learn from it and make it better next time.

Matt

Risk or Loss

Tuesday afternoons are my designated “leadership time” when I spend the afternoon with some good coffee and find a place that isn’t the office or home to reflect on stuff that I am involved with currently. This week I got in to a brief conversation with a financial advisor regarding people’s perception of loss in the wake of the earth quake and Tsunami in Japan. He said this: “it is not the attitude of risk but the attitude of loss that people can’t get their heads around.”

Losing something is a painful experience and one that can take a great amount of time and effort to work through. It also means that we things/we will never be the same as a result; life will be different forever. It’s no wonder we don’t want to take risks, why would we put ourselves in a position to lose. If we risk nothing we lose nothing. Yet can we afford to live a live without taking risks? Can we walk in this world just taking the easy option? If we lose nothing will we ever learn anything new?

In these last few weeks I have been thinking a lot about how I seek to take risks both in my own life and in my role within the church. It would be easy to step back and just let things happen around me and keep things maintained well but at the same time not wanting to develop things that are unsustainable. Either of these elements does not reflect the creative and sustaining nature of God and responsibility he places on me as his follower and as a Salvation Army Officer.
Taking risks doesn’t mean doing stuff alone or that it has to be big stuff either.

One of the great joys in my life currently is watching Katherine leaning to walk and climb. There is no fear in her eyes when she sets of just hope and joy as she tries to get from the chair to her dolly. Learning to walk is a risk! Things can and will go wrong. In the same way as we are learning to walk with God and take risks things will go wrong but God never leaves us or change. When we take a risk we witness the sustaining nature of God and His love for His people.

Matt

Character

This quote is taken from Phil McNulty's article on the BBC website regarding the reinstatement of John Terry as England Captain:

Terry is a natural leader and still remains a serviceable, if more vulnerable, England defender, so Capello's desire to employ him in an influential role is understandable.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2011/03/capello_wrong_to_reinstate_ter.html

I love my football and admire what they can do with a ball at their feet (hands if they are Goal Keepers) but can't help think that they have been elevated or elevated themselves to a place that is out of step with the reality most of us live in. Phil McNulty's comments that Capello's decision to reinstate him as England Captain is because he is a good defender and a leader. I agree he is still good enough at the centre of England defense but not an appropriate leader for such a role. His conduct and attitude, from what we know, doesn't seem to warrant such honour as leading out the England team. He may get the job done and done well but to be a great leader you must also display your leadership in all aspects of your character. I have nothing against Terry and have a degree of sympathy for him regarding the media frenzy that sounds players like him. Yet in contrast, look at the example of Ryan Giggs who has conducted himself with a great deal of maturity even from a young age. Who would you follow? Who is the best leader?

Leadership demands that we are examples to others in all aspects of our lives. We will make mistakes but we must learn from them and develop the character that can admit mistakes, learn from them and be better because of it. I have made mistakes, made wrong decisions and maybe dealt with issues wrongly during my leadership but I am learning all the time that they only serve as a base for growth. I don't claim to be better than John Terry, I am only seeking to be better than I am currently as a person in leadership. It is tough being in the public eye constantly and that is why our character has to be challenged and developed constantly.

We maybe good at leading but is our conduct good enough when doing so?

Matt

Leaving a legacy

It light of the past week, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on the legacy that Verz (see previous blog) has had upon peoples lives. It is amazing to think that one man can impact, for the better, so many people's lives and leave a legacy that will continue to help the church share the good news of Jesus. As someone who got to share a lot of time with him, it's easy to see how. Apart form the odd Norwich fan, I can't think of anyone who would have a bad word to say about Verz, he had no enemies, only saw the best in people and was the most humble person I have ever met.

I have been challenged, as I am sure others have, as to the legacy that I will leave both in my current appointment but in all aspects of my life. Has my life been a force for good and left people with a positive experience of the God whom I seek to proclaim and follow. If I am to leave a true legacy it must be one that God has ordained and that I seek to fulfill in and through my obedience as a husband, father, friend and leader. It isn't my Officers commission that defines my ministry and life, it is found in the one whose commission I seek to carry out.

I don't think Verz truly realised the depth of the legacy that he has left and that will continue to impact our world. Knowing Verz, he would be embarrassed by all the attention and praise that has been on facebook, in conversations and that will undoubtedly come in the weeks and months to come. He deserves all the praise that comes his way but he would simple deflect that praise to one who called him in the first place.

The question is, what will my legacy be, what will your legacy be?

Matt

Faith First - Man of faith

Since my last blog, I received the devastating news that my best mate and life long golf buddy, Mark Versey died suddenly. I am finding it hard to talk about it, and am lost for words to express my sorrow and pain. He was a great man, who loved life, would do anything for anyone and was a brilliant friend. I have so much to be thankful for during the times we spent together and I know that so many others feel the same.

If ever you needed an example of what faith looks like in human flesh, then Verz was as good example of it as you would ever get. Ever since I have known him, I have been inspired and encouraged by his great faith. In fact it was Verz that suggested I apply to become a minister within the Salvation Army. This led to a journey that continues today. He was more than a friend, more than our best man, he was a brother in faith. When Lizzy and I had a miscarriage a couple of years ago, he was there on the other end of a computer via Skype, telling us he was committed to pray for us everyday until we conceived again. Katherine was born a year later.

In essence, Verz lived out what he believed. In 2003, he came into contact with Ambassadors in Sport and from that moment he sought to live out his faith through the medium of Football. Verz, right up to his passing, never lost sight of the power of a living Jesus and how that could be translated through football. I don't think anyone could comprehend the impact he has made on the lives of people in many parts of the world, the impact on the running of AIS, the legacy in South Africa as over 500 coaches were trained by AIS and his friendship to so many people. These few words do not do justice to legacy he leaves behind.

Verz was a true ambassador of hope and a man of great faith.

Well done my friend.

Matt

An Tribute from Ambassadors in Sport.

Faith first 4 (Dealing with doubt)

There have been many times in the past where despite my optimism and faith I have wondered whether I have done the right thing or if I have miss read God intentions for me and my leadership. It can seem a little irreverent to doubt God and His plan's but every time I doubt the more I discover about the God I am doubting. I don't think God is at all worried if we doubt in Him, His power and authority because we are acknowledging that he is involved with what is going on. In my experience, doubt usually leads to a reigniting faith.


In leadership it is easy to doubt so much you do nothing or have no doubt and only do what you want to do. There needs to be a balance struck between faith and dealing with the doubt when it comes your way. By doubting our faith in God's plan we are more likely to ask the questions that will lead us and help lead others to a deeper understanding and more authentic experience of who God is and what he has in store. It would be easy to put our doubts down to personal weakness rather than an opportunity to see God work in and through us.

There are always going to be moments where we doubt first rather than have faith first but in these moments we are allowing God to be placed first. We maybe shaken but he will always be unshakable (Psalm 62:2).

Matt

Faith first 3 (Risk Assessent)

Don't worry I am not about to blog on the vital part that assessing the risk of activities plays in the life of a church ministry. They can be boring and laborious to undertake but are crucial to ensuring that we keep people as safe as possible whilst in our buildings, partaking in activities and involved in various mission projects. Yet I worry that this has had an untold impact on the life of the church. Not only have we assessed the physical risk but the spiritual ones too. There are two core elements to faith, they are risk and fear. We need these to bring in to focus our own faith and the faith of the church.

Over the past couple of weeks Katherine has discovered the wonderful world of stairs. This has brought a couple of bumps, a few tears but mainly great excitement and adventure. As her dad, I worry she will hurt herself but also rejoice that she is discovering all life has to offer for a one year old. The stairs probably fell like a mountain and provide much enjoyment despite the danger(which she seems to be oblivious too). It would be easy for us to put a stair gate on the bottom step and stop her even starting the climb.


Fear is emotion we experience in the presence of a potential risk. Once we begin to face the risk and work through it fear turns to other emotions such as excitement, joy or feeling scared. If we don't risk anything we will never fear and experience these and other such emotions. The church seems to have lost its appetite for risk in its ministry. If we as churches "play it safe" then how will we experience the protection and goodness of God. Didn't God risk everything by giving us His Son?

If we risk nothing we lack faith. I believe in a God who is faithful and is well worth risking everything for.

Matt

Faith first (2)

Whenever I have taken a spiritual gifts questionnaire I have always had the gift of faith in my top 3. And yet as a result, I have struggled with are the issues of pride and arrogance in my life and leadership. This is a danger that I have been (and still am) working on a lot over the past couple of years. I know that I can be over confident, which has meant being under prepared for meetings, worship, conversations and life in general. The danger is that these issues and character flaws can be detrimental to both my leadership and God's plan for my life and the church I lead.

However, I also have witnessed God use me in amazing ways because of my faith. I believe that God can do anything. I have prayer for people who have been healed, prayed for situations that seem impossible and yet have become reality. Faith in what God can do, must never never be underestimated but similarly never taken for granted or used to personal promotion. I have learnt a lot during my time at Aspley about ensuring that God gets the credit when he uses my faith.

My faith must be place in God first, then and only then will God honour my faith.



Matt

Open book

One of the great tensions as a leader is how much you give of your true self to the cause, how much you are yourself in public and how much you keep well hidden.

It is easy for a leader to reveal a fraction of themselves and be themselves to those they lead. A good example of this was when Gordon Brown, on his departure speech from office, revealed more about himself than in his entire premiership. As he spoke the words " I know go to do the most important job of all as a husband and as a father." Part of me was encouraged at his acknowledgement of the importance of family but was annoyed that it took a general election defeat to see that element of his character. I wonder what difference it would have made to his reign had he said that as he became the PM.

There is a need in leadership to be real, honest and as open as possible. This is difficult in many circumstance where there is a need for confidentiality for legal or personal reasons. However, I am always drawn to those leaders I know more about, regardless of what I know about them. In my experience, people will not like you any less if they know the truth about you. Being an open book does not mean you tell everyone everything but you are willing to be yourself in all situations and honest enough to admit your failings and flaws.

Over the years I have found this difficult and frustrating within the Salvation Army, whether as a member of the congregation or in a position of leadership. Trying to be yourself in an organisation that expects certain things creates a predicament that I have pondered about a lot. How can I be myself as well as fulfill the expectations as a Salvation Army Officer (minister) which sometimes I may have different views about? Yet

At the heart of a good leader should be a willingness to be open and honest in all situations. God created us as he desired, why would we want to hide who we are from him or anyone else?

Matt

Faith first.

Over the past few months in our church we have witnessed some incredible moments of joy, fun and hope. One of the great blessing of leading the church is that I have seen people step out in faith and trust that God knows what he is doing. Whether in the small conversations,willingness to be a leader or believe that God's plan will be worked out, people have stepped out in faith.

One example of this is seen in our churches willingness to take on an allotment as a way of connecting with our community. We have no idea what were doing but it was offered to us free and was to good an opportunity to turn down. We set about weeding, digging, removing baths, pulling down a couple of trees and avoiding wasps from a nest we found and in the new year we placed a shed (the size of a small house) on the plot. It was time to get planting but without someone with the expertise to co-ordinate it were would we start. However, God had a plan. Last week David had a conversation with an old work colleague that was looking for an allotment but was unable to find one. David invited him to come and have a look at ours on Saturday and he has agreed to help us out. He knows what he is doing, talking about and is already planning the crops. Thank you God!

Faith always comes first when we are seeking to follow God's plan for our lives. Our church had the faith to take on something it wasn't skilled for but God has provided us with the person who does have the skill. Our church's theme for this year is "preparing to grow" and now we have a place to do it, a person to help do it and a church willing to see it become a reality.

Faith cannot be taught it must be learnt and the church must always be willing to learn.

Matt

Busy Busy Busy (how to beat the busyness)

After raising the issue of being busy, I thought I would share some thoughts on how to deal with it. The reality for me has been that saying you'll make time for your family, be more organised and create more time for the tasks you don't like has and is still a difficult thing to work out. But I have improved the rhythm of my week to give appropriate/quality time for my family (not only on my day off), spending time in preparing my self for the coming week/month/year and managing my time efficiently so that I do what needs to be done. It is still a work in progress but here are some suggestions:


1: Put it in the diary - If you are going to have an afternoon off (on top of you day off), out it in the diary as an item, just like any other appointment. Put some time in you diary that is for an emergency. Obviously, the emergency will not happen at that point but you have space to catch up or benefit from. If you have an open diary system in an office then put it in code and stick to it! If an emergency crops up, reschedule your time immediately, don't say "I'll do it later."

2: Get a mentor - You need someone to hold you to account of your time. They can help you ensure that you are not in danger of either burning out or becoming lethargic and lazy. This must be someone you trust, respect and will listen to, even if it hurts.

3: Get active - No one can work productivity for long without an outlet. For me, I need to do something physical (running, football, digging at the allotment, walking to the office etc). It helps release stress, it keeps you body health and you get to meet people that you wouldn't necessary connect with. This is something I still need to work on and place higher on the agenda during my week.

4: Chill Out - You are allowed to stop and do nothing. Do not feel guilty about having you day off, taking all your holiday and making the most of quiet periods. These are God given moments when you can relax. Use your time to chill out as preparation before an event/busy period rather than recuperation after it because as soon as you feel you have caught up and feeling ready to go, you will be word out again. I have tried to think of my day off (usually Saturday) as preparing for Sunday and the week ahead rather than rest after a busy/long/pressured week.

The thing I am trying to do is be more silent (for those that know me this will probably make you smile) in my life. It is a lot easier to speak than to listen to God but how will I hear if I don't keep quiet.

Matt

Leading

Last week the Salvation Army (SA) elected a new General (World Leader). Linda Bond will take up her appointment on the 2nd April 2011, following Shaw Clifton who retires on the 1st April 2011. I must admit that I was intrigued by the process more than the outcome. The body that makes the decision (The High Council) is made up of leaders of a certain position within the SA world. In theory any SA Officer (minister) can become the General of the SA but must be nominated by at least 3 members of the HC. This has never happened. See following link for more details: http://www2.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.nsf/vw-search/0DA2C1DB392DE343802570EB0057542A?opendocument

It got me thinking about the process of leadership and how we raise new leaders within the SA at all levels. Does our position/appointment mean we are good leaders? Are the best leaders in the best places?

Of course, I have little say on the big issues regarding the Generals election process but I do have a opportunity to ensure that we are a movement that keeps raising leaders at local church level. In my experience, this is where leaders are born and should be develop and grown. The reality is if local leaders are not present, nothings grows. I am convinced that the local church should be like a chemistry lab where people are involved in experiments. It will mean that some work out well, some will make a mess, some discovering little, some discovering lots and some changing the way we think. This will allow people the freedom and opportunity to experiment in leadership and ultimately learn how to lead better.

I must add that being a leader doesn't mean having an official role or responsibility but the gift and ability to lead others in faith and vision. God doesn't have a standard mould that he uses to make leaders but he certainly can mould people in to leaders.

My hope is that as an Officer people look to me as a leader not because of my rank, status, or even experience but because I lead with integrity, honesty and a desire to release others to lead. If I get this wrong it will time for me to step aside!

Matt

Busy Busy Busy

Having been thinking a lot in the last few weeks and months about the whole issues of Busyness. It is a frequently used word in all walks of life but especially by church leaders/ministers. On the BBC website last week was this article about Nick Clegg finishing at 3pm because of his family.

"Nick Clegg denies reports he stops work at 3pm each day. Nick Clegg has laughed off "silly" reports he is finishing work early after reports that he did not want to get any government papers after 3pm. The deputy prime minister said he might have many flaws "but not working hard enough is not one of them". He told BBC Breakfast his team had set the mid-afternoon submission deadline for Whitehall departments so they could add advice on documents before he left." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12343136

My response to this was: "A father that wants to spend more time with his family, what a great example." In my experience, many church leaders do not spend enough time with their families. I know I have been guilty of it in the past. It is easy to think that as the leader we must be busy, all the time. This was highlighted to me this week when talking with a fellow SA officer, who said "We are both very busy, the reality is we don't see much of each other." That saddened my heart, what makes they feel they have to live in that vain. Why are leaders in the church made to feel that they have to work all the hours God sends. Even God rested on the 7th day, and so should we.

I recognise that there will be periods in ministry will be busy but these should only be after times of preparation. We can't keep going at full pace all the time. Something will have to give.

As leaders, we are the only ones can work out what needs to give and what, like family, must be a priority.

Matt