You hear this phrase a lot in leadership circles, “everybody’s replaceable”.

I think we throw it out there to keep us humble, to remind ourselves that the world doesn’t revolve around us and that things could go on without us.

And for those reasons there is merit to that statement, but I think the problem is that we carry this over into how we treat our employees.  We expect them to do their job, to be happy about it and to know that we think they are great.  I find myself often forgetting to verbalize directly to my team how valuable they are and what their contribution means to the organization.  Somehow I expect that they just know.

But I wonder how deep rooted my ideas of “everybody’s replaceable” are?  I don’t think I really believe it.  Every individual is unique.  In addition to the skill set that they bring to the role, they also bring their personality and God-given gifts that are uniquely their own and ARE NOT REPLACEABLE.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you should never let an employee go.  There are plenty of cases where they are either not meeting the job expectations or are not fitting well with the overall team, which warrants termination.  I would just caution those of us who lead others to be careful to not treat everyone as if they are replaceable.  As managers I believe we have a responsibility to love and appreciate our team members which in turn brings out their best.  We have the great privilege of drawing out their giftedness and uniqueness and in that case…

Everybody is NOT replaceable.

A note to the Cross Point Team:

Ashley, Tom, Dave, Miranda, Jarrod, Matt, Butch, Anne, Ryan, Shelby, Jack, Chad, Eve, Jamie, George, Pat, Leslie, Pete,

Thank you for being uniquely you.  Thank you for pouring your heart into your role each and every day.  Thank you for loving people and loving God even more.  Thank you for relentlessly pursuing God’s best for you and for Cross Point.

For the many times that I haven’t said it…

I appreciate you so much!  I admire your giftedness and passion.  I’m honored to serve with you.

I love you guys!

I know you are really busy…

This comment is made to me way too often.

What I hear in this phrase is “I’m sorry to bother you”, “Please give me just a minute”, “I’m scared to interrupt you”.

It breaks my heart.  You know why?  Because I’m responsible for it.  There is a reason I appear too busy for others.  Yes, I’m busy, but people should never feel like I’m too busy for them.

I believe that one of the fundamental laws of human nature is that we default to our comfort zones when we are under stress.  My comfort zone is in retreating and achieving.  I pull away and try to get stuff done because in accomplishment I feel valuable.  I turn off relationships for the sake of getting my “to do” list covered.

I hate this about myself.  It’s a daily battle for me, but so important because relationships have to be more important than task, especially for me to be effective as a leader.

What do you default to when you are under stress?  Where does your influence/leadership/management get sabbotaged by your default mode?

Today’s guest blogger is Miranda… another gem of a post!  (I think I’m going to have to let these ladies take over for me more often!!)

I was thrilled when Jenni asked us to post on her blog this week. I hope I will provide some entertainment for her avid readers!

Some little nuggets about me:
*I am a proud Texan
*I am a loud extravert, but extremely nervous in social situations
*I am the lead singer of a 90’s Cover Band
*I love to decorate and create innovative art projects
*I am obsessed with coloring and changing my hair (should have been a hairdresser)

My husband Jason and I have lived in Nashville for three years now.  No kids yet, but we have a little miniature beagle named Charlie Brown who we often call our son!  I joined the Cross Point staff in June of 2007 as the Creative Arts Coordinator. I love telling people I meet that I help with the marketing elements of our church AND have a hand in the creative departments of music and production. I hope that I will be able to work at Cross Point for many years to come.

I have always been a creative person with a crazy imagination.  As a child I would change into different people, animals and random things.  Using my imagination took me to places that I would never be able to see in real life!

Children have a reoccurring theme of change. I experienced more as a child when my imagination ran wild.  My insecurities or barriers that keep me from taking chances did not hold me back. I love watching children because it takes me back to a time when joy overwhelmed my heart and each day was a day of discovery.  I could be a princess, a mom, a hunter, a cop, or a movie star!  I say that is living life to the fullest!

I have asked myself time and time again, “When do we transition into the stage of life when imagination seems lost?”

I babysat a two year old name Harrison my senior year of high school.  We would sit in his bed that was shaped like a boat and pretend we were fishing.  We could cast out our pretend rods and nets and because I had a hard time picturing all the fish swimming around in the sea (carpet), I would ask Harrison, “I see one, what color is it?”  His favorite response was, “It’s a rainbow fish!”

One day Harrison put the imaginary fish in my hand.  He kept saying, “Do you see it Randa?  Can you pet it?”  I looked down at my hand and nothing was there. I wanted to be a child again. I cherished his innocence and I was envious of his gift.

I believe if we still used our imaginations as much as we did as children then our dreams might be easier to obtain.  I come to this crossroad often, especially now that I am privileged to work in the Creative Arts Department at Cross Point.  Am I willing to take a chance when a vision is born?  Will I let my guard down and run wild with a beautiful idea of what God could do in our community?

I am committed to working on living a life of wonder, beauty and simplicity.

Nichole Nordeman’s music has played a fundamental role in my life.  Her music allows me to experience moments of innocence regained.

I will conclude with the words to one of her songs, Help me Believe:

Take me back to a time when I was maybe eight or nine, and I believed
When Jesus walked on waters blue, and if he helped me I could too, if I believed
Before rational analysis and systematic thinking robbed me of a sweet simplicity
When wonders and when mysteries were far less often silly dreams
and childhood fantasies
Help me believe cause I don’t want to miss any miracles
Maybe I’d see much better by closing my eyes
And I would shed this grow-up skin I’m in and touch an angel’s wing
And I would be free, help me believe

Lord, help me believe.

Of all the great women that I work with Ashley probably works the closest with me… AND STILL LOVES ME!  Ash sees the real me on a daily basis and is faithful to support and yet challenge me when needed… helping me to tear down my walls.  Enjoy her post!

I have a direct line of sight from my desk to Jenni’s. We essentially have a conversation going on day in and day out. My name is Ashley Warren, and I’ve had the privilege of serving with Jenni and the Cross Point team for 2 years now as Jen’s assistant, the Office Manager and the First Impressions Ministry Coordinator. What fun to have a job that involves putting attention and energy into making sure people feel valued and have a great experience when they’re with us! I’m also the wife of an amazingly steady and talented man, an avid reader, a Dr. Pepper addict, a runner, and a former high-school English teacher. We sometimes tease Jenni about the fact that she has hired two teachers straight out of the public school classroom…those poor kids sure are missing out!

While in the classroom, one of my favorite poems to teach was Frost’s “Mending Wall.” In it the speaker describes an annual ritual in which he and his neighbor walk the line of the fence separating their lands and repair the damage that nature has done to this dividing rock wall.

And he says,” Something there is that does not love a wall.”

Does that resonate with your heart the way it does with mine? We think walls protect us, give us privacy, a fortress. Sometimes they do. More often, they keep people out of the places in our lives where we need the accountability and influence real relationships provide. They are a barrier to the truths we need to hear and the grace we so desperately need. They keep us trapped in facades, a barrier to being authentic. And we know they’re not right. We want them down.

My wall, the way I manage people’s perception of me, is the toiling to keep people convinced that I’ve got it all together. I work hard to keep from having to admit how out of control, overwhelmed and crippled by insecurity I often feel (but there I go typing it for all of blogdom to see!). I keep those stones firmly stacked one on top of the other. But something there is that does not love a wall.

And when the walls come down, and I am able to see myself the way Jesus looks at me, that’s where freedom and rest and growth happen. That’s when I experience real love. And what a breath of fresh air it is to see those stones fall.

Where is the wall you need to chip away at?

I love today’s post from Anne.  This is a subject that she and I easily connect on and could talk for hours about.  In the short time that she has been on staff with us I have already witnessed her passion for partnership in ministry!

pantyhose and elevators and my own skin. those are three things i’m uncomfortable in. (oh, wow. that rhymed!)

why the pantyhose? should be obvious.

elevators? not a fan of getting stuck in a big metal box.

my own skin?

it has to do with my heart and my brain and my aspirations and dreams.

=ministry is a fairly male-dominated game. and that’s cool. drill it down even more, when you have a heart for encouraging and equipping and dreaming with other pastors, well…as a girl, that can be tough to do. as a 20-something year old girl, perhaps even tougher.

most male leaders i know aren’t playing any kind of chauvinistic or age-hatin’ cards. so it’s not an issue of disrespect that i feel like i’m up against. there are just differences in guy leadership and girl leadership. the ways god has gifted us and crafted us.

most (but not all) women in ministry feel led to work in children’s ministry, education, women’s ministry…but i don’t. i know my calling…and it is working with pastors.

most of whom are men.

this is not a women-in-ministry debate. i just know that sometimes, i have a hard time wondering how it will all work out in the end. how does this look in my daily life? in my job? in the world…?? writing a book is pretty universal. and that’s a good start…but i know there’s more…

I’ve had a lot of discussions with our staff about the importance of delegation.  Delegating to volunteers has always been a big part of our culture at Cross Point but lately it seems that this principle is more important than ever.

In the context of the church environment delegation is really about inviting people into ministry, allowing others to be a part of the work that God is doing.  It would be impossible for Cross Point to reach our community the way that we should be without inviting volunteers to be a part.

One of my favorite passages of scripture that relates to delegation is Exodus 18:17-23.  In this passage Jethro is busting Moses’ for trying to do it all himself.

V 17-18: So Moses’ father-in-law said to him.  “The thing that you do is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this things is too much for you: you are not able to perform it by yourself.”

Ok, stop right there.  Did you hear that?  Does someone need to say this to you?  Are you wearing yourself out because you are trying to do it all yourself?

Jethro goes on to instruct Moses on how to delegate:

V 21: “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of of fifties, and rulers of tens.”

See the leadership structure that Jethro is creating for Moses here?

V 22: “So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you.”

Don’t you need someone to bear the burden with you?  Who are you inviting into ministry with you?  Who do you need to teach, train and empower?

Every few weeks I head to our Cross Point Dickson campus to spend the day worshiping, and each time I visit I get so excited about what God is doing at this campus.

Here are some of the things I love about the Dickson campus:

• All the families.  Dickson is a community of young families.  I love watching all the kids come charging into the place headed to Kidz World.
• The community.  It takes me back to Cross Point Nashville’s early days in a school when there were just a couple hundred of us and we all knew one another.
• New faces checking it out for the first time… unsure of this ‘video church’ and worship band.
• Familiar faces who have been a part of Cross Point for years and believed in this campus so much that they were willing to commit IN A BIG WAY to helping make it happen!
• Our Dickson campus staff – Chad our Campus Pastor, Butch the Director of Ministries and our soon-to-be-announced Kidz World Coordinator work tirelessly to create a warm, welcoming place where people are growing in their walk with Christ.

Cross Point Dickson – you guys are awesome!

Earlier this year I discovered this place called FlowerDust and began following this girl named Anne.  I was so intrigued by her blog, her passion for Uganda, her apparent love for people and her vulnerability in talking about the challenges and struggles she has faced as a Christ follower.

[I quickly discovered that I was just one of literally thousands who follow FlowerDust.]

Fast forward a few months and I find myself welcoming her to the Cross Point team and sitting with her dreaming about how to connect and encourage women in ministry.  What an honor!

As a woman in ministry, Anne has developed a tremendous amount of influence.  From the Compassion Uganda bloggers trip to her participation at Deadly Viper, to articles written for Relevant Magazine and Catalyst, to her upcoming book ‘Mad Church Disease’, Anne has earned her influence from authentically sharing who she is and vulnerably sharing God’s work in her life.

I’m so proud of what Anne is doing, so that’s why she’s my feature today for Wednesday’s Woman of Influence!

BTW – Anne’s book releases early next year, but guess what?  You can pre-order it now!  And better yet, you can pre-order it for only $11.55 at Amazon!  So go get it here.

I am studying the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People with some of our staff and today we were talking about Covey‘s idea that we should move from dependence to independence to interdependence. 

Dependence – the paradigm of you – you take care of me

Independence - the paradigm of I – I can do it; I am responsible; I am self-reliant; I can choose

Interdependence – the paradigm of we – we can do it; we can cooperate; we can combine our talents and abilities and create something greater together

This idea of interdependence is really critical for your growth and health as an individual and your ability to work as a team. 

Then tonight I stumbled upon this quote from John C. Maxwell that reinforced the idea from the leadership perspective:

Managers are maintainers, tending to rely on systems and controls.  Leaders are innovators and creators who rely on people.

So where do you fall within these three paradigms? 

[I'll tell you if you tell me.]

The Sync series continues this week. George Stull, our interim student pastor, spoke today at Cross Point Nashville on “Syncing Through Joy” and it was a good one.

I’m embarrassed to admit (although I’m sure it’s no big surprise to many of you that know me well) that I have trouble with choosing joy. And that was George’s point today, we have to CHOOSE joy.

I’m always amazed by how people have great joy even in difficult circumstances – the people who have just lost someone dear to them, people facing life-threatening illnesses, people who have lost a child, etc. How embarrassing it is to acknowledge that (fortunately) I don’t have any grave tragedy in my life and yet I have trouble finding joy.

I was challenged today!

Here are some key points and scriptures from George’s message today:

• John 15:9-11 Joy goes hand in hand with how we love others
• 2 Corinthians 6:4-10
• We lose joy when we covet or envy others. Are we really loving people when we’re envious of what they have?
• Joy can transcend circumstances.
• What would your life be like if you were dialed into the things that can’t be taken away?
• Joy is a posture of the heart.

How can we live in more complete joy?

1. See Joy more clearly as a choice.
2. Wear Joy no matter what – allow joy to permeate the way you see the whole world. Psalm 30:11
3. Sing for Joy because sometimes we just have to. Psalm 71:23, 100:1-5

Here’s a great quote from Henri Nouwen to leave you with:

“Joy is what makes life worth living, but for many joy seems hard to find. They complain that their lives are sorrowful and depressing. What then brings the joy we so much desire? Are some people just lucky, while others have run out of luck? Strange as it may sound, we can choose joy. Two people can be part of the same event, but one may choose to live it quite differently than the other. One may choose to trust that what happened, painful as it may be, holds a promise. The other may choose despair and be destroyed by it. What makes us human is precisely this freedom of choice.”

I hope you’ll choose Joy this week!