The Sticks: Break-Out Session Two
The second break-out session I went to was lead by Dwight Mason of NewPointe Community Church on Leading a Small-Town Church (although the stuff he gave could probably be applied anywhere). I wrote down a few things before he really got into what he was going to teach.
God will speak to your heart, then your mind.
God will give you the what before the how.
Admit poor decisions quickly.
Below are the notes from the sheet he handed out.
1. Cultivate a strong vision.
- make sure people know where you’re going and remind them
2. Deliberately build moral.
- low moral is the #1 problem of the church
- celebrate wins
3. Constantly, sincerely affirm the congregation.
- urban people think rural people are backwards and un-progressive, this is not true.
- you get what you think
- everything God wants you to do right now, he has already given you the resources for
4. Build a good name in the community.
5. Concentrate on the strengths in your community.
6. Highlight ministries regularly and make heroes of the ministers leading them.
- the best thing you can do for the people you are leading is to be secure in who you are in Christ
- if you’re not, you’ll clip their wings
7. Plan your people investments well.
- pastor must be a friend to everyone, but spend his time equipping leaders
- walk through the crowd slowly
- Jesus said ” I will build my church” our call is to “go make disciples.”
8. Emphasize excellence within your capability.
- don’t apologize for what you don’t have, celebrate what you do have
9. Plan big days.
- momentum is your best friend and makes you look better than what you are, and the opposite is true
10. Get organized.
11. Let leaders lead.
- let the vision and values of the church guide them
12. Making disciples is our primary responsibility.
- what makes a church grow is changed lives
- leadership is all about relationships and you’re responsible for them
13. Focus outward.
14. Be willing to lose a little to win big.
15. Continually look forward.
- celebrate from where you’ve come, but always look toward a preferred future.
