Creative Scribble

Last week was the first of four sessions that Perry Noble, pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina, is doing for me and 15 other pastors in what they’re calling a “Coaching Network.” NewSpring is a church that started 10 years ago and just recently had more than 11,000 people on a Sunday – in a town of only 25,000!

It was an incredible day to learn and grow so I just wanted to share a few notes and tidbits of what I took away. Already looking forward to the next one!

...

- There are three zones of ministry: Dream Zone (everything is working), Drained Zone (always feel tired), Danger Zone (feel trapped, trying to not get “caught” in sin).
- To stay in Dream Zone, a few things I have to do and realize:
- Church is dependent on my (pastor’s) spiritual, emotional, physical health. So get a schedule that works!
- Stop trying to be the hero: establish sustainable preaching schedule (and overall schedule).
- Don’t let people make you feel guilty for setting boundaries – Church people will work you to death and then stand at your coffin and say “He should have taken better care of himself.”
- Learn how to disconnect and refresh, connect with other pastors.
- Don’t read what other people say about you, both positive and negative. Especially negative. It’s like verbal pornography: you know you shouldn’t look but you do anyway.
- Delegate the right things, with the right attitude, to the right people.
- 2 things to remember when delegating: Authority can’t be delegated (God gave the pastor the vision) and accountability must be available.
- People who don’t like authority and/or accountability will accuse you of being a micro-manager.
- Five questions I should ask myself.
- 1. How much time do I spend listening to God?
- 2. Am I more concerned about being discovered or developed? OUCH!
- 3. Is this about how great HE is or about how great I am?
- 4. Am I focused on the short term or the long term?
- 5. Am I allowing God to sew HIS vision into my LIFE, not just the church?
- If your vision makes people shake their head and say “Can’t happen!” it’s probably from God!