I’m super excited that two weeks from today I get to be a part of what I hope will be a great conversation with some amazing voices in the church.  Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, Bianca Juarez, Margaret Feinberg, Dr. Anthony B. Bradley and I will be hosting the 12 Conversations discussion here in Nashville.

12 Cities | 12 Conversations are free gatherings in strategic US cities to facilitate conversation about the internal struggles and external pressures facing the Church among church leaders, thinkers, pastors, authors, musicians, advocates, artists, social entrepreneurs, and YOU.

Here’s a quick video that will help you better understand what we hope to discuss:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I hope you’ll join us!

12 Cities | 12 Conversations Gathering in Nashville

Cross Point Nashville Campus

Thursday, September 16th at 6:00 PM

If you can’t join us in person, you can join us online at CrossPoint.tv

For more information, visit the website at www.12cities12conversations.com.

What would you like to discuss?

I’m compiling the questions for our conversation and would love your input!  Leave your question in the comment section for me.

A few weeks ago we started a discussion about The Floundering Leader.  We talked about how to encourage and support the flounder-er and what to do if you are the one floundering.

That discussion got me processing another side of this issue…

What happens when you are trying to lead someone who is floundering in their leadership?

And if everyone flounders from time to time (which I believe they do), as a leader of leaders you are going to find yourself leading a floundering leader at some point.

And here’s my concern… I think sometimes we give up on floundering leaders too soon.  We think they just can’t cut it.  We think the job’s outgrown them.  We point out everything that is wrong and rationalize why they should have handled it differently.

As leaders of leaders, this is where it gets really tricky.  How do you know if someone is really failing or just floundering?  Floundering can look an awful lot like failing for a season.

Before you give up on someone too quickly, let me challenge you to consider a few things:

• What can you own?
• Where could you have provided better direction?
• Have you been too controlling or too hands off?
• Have you, in your busyness, been ignoring the warning signs that this leader was struggling?
• Is there something that you can do to lead them better?
• Do you understand what they need to succeed?
• Are they willing to try?
• Are you engaging the tough conversations and providing them candid, considerate, honest feedback?
• Does this leader feel safe being vulnerable with you about what they are struggling with?

Before you give up, be sure you’ve done your part.  You set the tone and create the culture that allows leaders to thrive or flounder.  Do your best to give them every opportunity to thrive!

Have you ever given up on someone too quickly?

I’m learning there’s never a dull moment in multi-site ministry…

Yesterday I headed to our Dickson Campus to spend the morning.  Things were moving along right on schedule.  We had just finished our program overview meeting and were prepared to do a full run-through of the service when the power went out in the entire building.  We quickly learned that no breakers were blown, that indeed the entire street was without power and we didn’t have any idea when power would be back up.  It was 45 minutes before the first service.

The Dickson Campus staff and I rallied together quickly to come up with a “plan b” (I couldn’t resist ).  Within 20 minutes we had chosen a new location for services that provided natural light, we had put together an acoustic set and I was reading through Pete’s message notes to try to come up with at least a devotional based on the 3rd element of our vision statement.

We pulled together the volunteers that were already there, talked through our plan, assigned new responsibilities, prayed… and I’m not joking… immediately after we prayed, the lights came back on.  Just in time for us to begin the first service.

Scenarios like this morning are just a reminder to me that you never know when you’ll really need to lead.  Leadership happens in the unplanned moments and today I was so proud of how our Dickson staff stepped up to lead through this potential hiccup.

I’m so glad we actually heard Pete’s message because it just might be the most intense, passionate, challenging message I’ve ever heard him deliver.  My notes won’t do it justice, but I’ll try…

DNA – Relentlessly Dedicated by Pete Wilson

The real crisis is that people are going to church but they are not growing in Christ-likeness.

I believe the “space between” is all about us changing the world.

I really believe this church can change the world.  I believe this church is called to change the world.

Somewhere along the way, we bought into the idea that church exists to serve our needs.

If you don’t live like you believe your life was created to impact the world you will miss the point of salvation and sanctification.

Matthew 28:19

Mark 16:15

Acts 1:8

God’s general will for you is summed up in these verses.

There is a disconnect in our lives between the grace of God and the purpose of God.

You were created by God to enjoy His grace, but you were also created to extend His grace.

Isaiah 43:1-2,7

Psalm 67:1-2

The ends of the earth have never needed God’s grace more than today.

Missions shouldn’t be just a program in the church, it’s the whole reason for the church.  Nobody gets a calling to do missions.  It’s what we do as followers of Christ.

Every single one of you are here for a purpose and a reason.

Wake up to God’s call on your life!

What would happen if a group of people rise up and say “it’s not about us”?

Give graciously. God has a purpose for your life and it’s to make a difference!

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Today we also celebrated many of the amazing things we have been able to do as a church thus far.  This is just the beginning!

Click here to view the embedded video.

So there’s all kinds of speculation as to whether this shot is actually real or an allusion of special effects.

What fascinates me about it is that it COULD be real.

If I were the one trying to knock a bottle off someone’s head with my tennis serve, I might actually get the job done but only because I took out the person, not just the bottle.

But when Roger Federer, possibly the greatest tennis player who has ever lived, takes a shot like this there is room to believe it could be real.

That’s the power of excellence.

Excellence fascinates me because it’s the product of hard-work, dedication, discipline, devotion… the list could go on.

Excellence isn’t given. It’s earned.

Excellence isn’t a bonus.  It’s a reward.

Excellence is something we all aspire to, but rarely are we patient enough and committed enough to realize it.

What do you hope to be excellent at someday?

I can remember rummaging through Nan’s purse to find her brag book.  It was always there… usually not too hard to find because she had likely had it out recently to share our pictures with her friends.

I loved Nan’s brag book.  It was a tangible reminder of how much she loved me (granted that was always measured by how many pictures of me were in the book compared with her other grandkids.) The brag book made me feel special and I know Nan took great pride in showing her friends our pictures and telling them what we were up to.  (Odds are she’s still showing my 4 year old picture and telling people what I’m doing now 30 years later.)

So in memory of the brag book, I’ve decided to start a new segment on the blog by the same name.

Although I don’t have children of my own, I have an entire team that I get to do life with day in and day out.  These guys are my family.

They stretch me.  They teach me.  They tolerate me.  They still love me.

And although most of them don’t hear it as often as they should, I brag about them frequently.  I’m proud of the leaders that they are.  I’m proud of the way they love people.  I’m proud of the way that they give their whole hearts to serve our church and our community.  I’m simply thankful to be a part of their lives.

So from time to time I’ll share a moment to brag on one of our staff.

Indulge me.

Here’s what I’m bragging about this week…

Our Community Groups Team

This past Sunday, our Community Groups Team led by Chris Surratt, hosted our Fall Community Groups Kick-off.  Chris and his team are passionate about getting people connected in community and this weekend alone they signed up 1000 people!

Did you catch that?

1000 MORE people who want to be in community!

That’s above and beyond those who are already connected to a group.

The number is simply staggering and reminds me just how hungry people are for authentic relationships and spiritual formation.

I’m so proud of this team, the group coaches and the group leaders who are making it possible for authentic community to be a part of our DNA at Cross Point.  Simply amazing!

You can learn more about our Community Groups on their blog Continue the Conversation.  Go check it out!

Who can you brag about this week?

My husband and I were recently watching an episode of ABC’s What Would You Do?  The title of the episode was “Are You a Good Samaritan?”… it got us curious.

But curiosity quickly turned to frustration and then more discussion about what our role as Christians ought to be.

The purpose of the episode was to see whether passersby would stop to help someone in distress.  Here’s a clip from the show.

I’ll be honest.  I was conflicted.

As a female, if I were walking alone through a park (like the setting in the episode), I would have reservations about stopping to help an adult male, especially if there were not others in the immediate area.  Perhaps I’ve watched too many episodes of Criminal Minds or maybe it’s because I live with a cop who deals with cons and criminals every day, but the reality is criminals use these kinds of scams all the time.  I wrestle with where the line is between being a Good Samaritan and putting yourself in danger.

I do want to love like Jesus loves.

I do want to be sensitive to those in need.

I don’t want my heart to be calloused or unaware.

So, how do you find this balance?

How do you remain sensitive to opportunities to love and serve others without putting yourself in danger?

I don’t have a lot of extra commentary for you today.  I’m still wrestling with my place in multi-site ministry now with four campuses.  Some days I feel like I’m needed everywhere and other days I feel like I’m needed nowhere.  Kinda messes with me.

Pete’s message kicked my butt, though.  Read at your own risk. 

DNA – Irrevocably Committed by Pete Wilson

We’re not here to play church.

We did not start this church because Nashville needed another church.  We started this church because we believed God was calling us to start something unique.

Genesis 2:15-25

We were created to take care of stuff.

You were created with a capacity for deep connectedness.

Adam and Eve had nothing to hide.

John 13:34

Trying not to sin doesn’t guarantee I will love more.  However, loving others will always result in less sinning.

Biblical Community is:

Intentionally intrusive.

• I celebrate you without reservation.  I look at your strengths and I celebrate them.  I’m not threatened by them.  We have a unique power to call out the best in each other.
• Criticism is the most cowardly form of self-praise.
• Speak the truth in love.  We surround ourselves with convenient relationships that aren’t true community because truth is not spoken.

Christ Centered.

• Galatians 3:26-29

Grace Driven.

• Romans 15:7
• We have been receivers of God’s grace.  Now we want to become agents of God’s grace.

Barriers to Biblical Community:

Overwhelming busyness. Our culture values busyness over connectedness.  You’ve bought into the lie that you are not valuable unless you are busy.

Underwhelming intention.  We just don’t try.

I John 4:20-21

Hebrews 10:24-25

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Which barrier to Biblical community do you most wrestle with?

Need I even answer?  I’m sure you know mine – overwhelming busyness. (sigh)

This week has been an “I can’t catch my breath” kind of week.  Good stuff…  just a very full schedule.

But my crazy week has a payoff.  I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for months!  Merlyn and I are headed to Cincinnati for the Western & Southern Tennis Open, part of the US Open Series.  I’m so excited!

Right now it looks like we have a good chance of seeing Federer, Nadal, Murray, & Djokovic.

I’m kind of giddy.

So, follow me on Twitter this weekend.  I’ll be sure to tell you all about it!

What is on the horizon that you are looking forward to?

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3

Another GREAT “grey” leadership issue is finding the balance between ambition and self-promotion, especially as church leaders.

In our ambition we pursue the dreams that God has laid on our hearts.  I believe that God expects action, intention and drive from us.  He doesn’t want us to be passive and lazy.  He’s chosen us for the greatest calling we could ever have – to make His name known in all the world.

However, when does our ambition cross the line and become self-promotion?

When does chasing our God-given dreams and passion become a chance to make our name known rather than His name known?

Do you know when you’ve become more concerned about others knowing you rather than others knowing Him?

That line gets really fuzzy.  Most times we don’t know we’ve crossed it until well after we have and we have trouble looking back and finding the step that took us over the edge.

Do you ever wrestle with this?

If so, how do you keep yourself in check?  Who holds you accountable?  Who speaks truth into your life?

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, three you find disorder and every evil practice.  James 3:16

M O N E Y

Seems like this is the perpetual plague of ministry leaders.  There is never quite enough of it to fund all the dreams we believe God has given our ministry.

As Executive Director at Cross Point I haven’t been exempt from the frustration of not meeting budget or having the resources we need to accomplish the vision we have.

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of getting to know Casey Graham.  Casey began working with me and challenging me about how I approached our finances.  He inspired me to think differently, to lean into our finances rather than run away from them and to change my habits in how I engaged our congregation in this area.

I’m excited about the release of Casey’s new book “Funded and Free”, co-written by Joseph Sangl.

I encourage you to check it out and consider reading it with your leadership team, Board of Directors, etc.

You can check out more at their website FundedandFree.

And for the next 48 hours you can get 5 copies of the book for just $50.

Go check it out!