Thursday January 29th,2009
3. Parliamentary Law
If the people must led and guided by the Holy Spirit to make every decision, then the conclusion and answer may take anywhere from a whole week, month, or years. This set-up is based on the Bretheran-Quaker belief of allowing the Holy Spirit to make decisions and bring unity upon the church people doing it amongst themselves. This set-up follows the consensus model that is found in Acts 15.
Robert Rules Revised:
All meetings begin with a fifteen minute prayer time. This time is to focus on the being in the presence of God, allowing Him to fill the room and all those within it.
First bring forth the concern (like a motion…but more of a discussion)
Secondly, see if anyone sees to talking further about this concern/topic (a second)
Third, pray. Pray that the Holy Spirit will lead all to guidance and clarity on this matter.
-The purpose of this discussion is to seek the Lord’s will.
Go around the room and see if everyone feels the same on the decision that is to be made.
If not, then the Holy Spirit is not ready to provide an answer.
Next weeks meeting with begin with this topic and more prayer time.
If everyone is in agreement, then a decision is made.
3 Problems:
If someone in the group secretly does not want something to be passed, they can make the excuse that the Holy Spirit is not telling them to agree, and so forth.
The intent is to do the will of God, however the problem is that not everyone is seeking the Lord’s will.
It puts God in a box and demands that He answer us each time. God equipped us to make decisions on our own and He wants us to!
-Kelly Jones
."Sent on time to coach d"
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Parliamentary Law -- 1/29
Parliamentary Law
Thursday 1/29/09
Adam Fike
Quaker/Brethren possible modification to Robert’s Rules:
1. Motion
When a person receives leading from the Holy Spirit, he should make a motion to present it to the board. The chair should then pause and ask for a moment of silent reflection to give the people present time to seek God on the motion.
2. Discussion
After the moment of silence, the chair should open the meeting for discussion. If a person has something to contribute to the motion, he should stand up and not speak until he is called on to speak by the chair. Only one person should speak at a time. Under no circumstance should the discussion become a debate. A humble, non-aggressive attitude should be retained throughout the whole meeting. One must feel led by the Holy Spirit to speak. He can disagree with the motion but should not argue or put down another’s views. If tensions in a discussion do arise, the chair should call for a reflective time of silence.
3. Full Consensus
After appropriate time has been allowed for discussion, the chair will state what he believes is the consensus of the group. If there is one brother against the motion, the chair should put down the motion because the group is not of one mind. If the group is in favor of the motion, he should then ask if anyone is being led against the motion. If everyone is in agreement with the motion, it is carried. If there is anyone against the motion, it is not carried. The chair asks for the group to pray and seek the Holy Spirit’s leading on the issue.
Problems
1. It would be extremely hard to make decisions, and the decisions that are made would take an excessive amount of time (especially if people were not in agreement). It is not a very efficient decision making process, especially in larger groups.
2. Some people could claim or be deceived that they are being led by the Spirit when they are not. One person could spoil a great idea or motion that would further the work of God in the church. It would be difficult to weed out the people who are trying to force their self-seeking ambitions on the congregation.
3. A person who has valuable input to the discussion may feel discouraged from sharing if he is scared that he does not have an adequate leading from the Spirit even if the input is God-honoring.
Thursday 1/29/09
Adam Fike
Quaker/Brethren possible modification to Robert’s Rules:
1. Motion
When a person receives leading from the Holy Spirit, he should make a motion to present it to the board. The chair should then pause and ask for a moment of silent reflection to give the people present time to seek God on the motion.
2. Discussion
After the moment of silence, the chair should open the meeting for discussion. If a person has something to contribute to the motion, he should stand up and not speak until he is called on to speak by the chair. Only one person should speak at a time. Under no circumstance should the discussion become a debate. A humble, non-aggressive attitude should be retained throughout the whole meeting. One must feel led by the Holy Spirit to speak. He can disagree with the motion but should not argue or put down another’s views. If tensions in a discussion do arise, the chair should call for a reflective time of silence.
3. Full Consensus
After appropriate time has been allowed for discussion, the chair will state what he believes is the consensus of the group. If there is one brother against the motion, the chair should put down the motion because the group is not of one mind. If the group is in favor of the motion, he should then ask if anyone is being led against the motion. If everyone is in agreement with the motion, it is carried. If there is anyone against the motion, it is not carried. The chair asks for the group to pray and seek the Holy Spirit’s leading on the issue.
Problems
1. It would be extremely hard to make decisions, and the decisions that are made would take an excessive amount of time (especially if people were not in agreement). It is not a very efficient decision making process, especially in larger groups.
2. Some people could claim or be deceived that they are being led by the Spirit when they are not. One person could spoil a great idea or motion that would further the work of God in the church. It would be difficult to weed out the people who are trying to force their self-seeking ambitions on the congregation.
3. A person who has valuable input to the discussion may feel discouraged from sharing if he is scared that he does not have an adequate leading from the Spirit even if the input is God-honoring.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Randi Meyer
Thursday 1/29/09
3. Parliamentary Law
Revision to Robert’s Rules:
To Introduce Business: Consensus – “Achieving Unity Through the Spirit”
1. Motion – A person can still state a change they may want to make, but it is emphasized that the person seeks the Holy Spirit’s direction carefully before the motion is presented.
Second – There would be no second to the motion, because that shows that only some members favor it. Instead, after the motion is made the members would discuss the options.
2. Discussion – This discussion in not really a chance to state what each member likes or dislikes, but more of an informational time to explain the motion and the options. No person to talk unless they are being lead by the Spirit to do so.
3. Group Agreement – After the discussion, the clerk will state what appears to be the mind of the group. If one member disagrees or cannot unite with the group, no decision is made. Sometimes a member who disagrees can step aside, because either he/she believes their concern is not sufficient weight to stop the decision or they feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in the meeting.
4. Direction from the Holy Spirit – When an agreement is not made and the majority of the members agree, the clerk will recommend that the members seek time to receive the Spirit’s guidance concerning this issue. There must not have been enough time to allow the Holy Spirit to direct the group, and somebody is misleading the Spirit’s leading.
5. Next Meeting – The issue can be brought up again in the next meeting. The same process will be followed, but if there is no agreement again the facilitator helps to identify disagreements and agreements to move a discussion forward until an end result is embraced by all individuals.
Hold An Election:
1. Discussion of Candidates – The members will discuss and seek direction for who is the best candidate for the position. Once again, the facilitator will direct the discussion until an agreement is made. Much of the same process and guidelines would be followed in an election as the business meeting.
To Adopt or receive a report: Same methods are used.
Three Problems with this new method:
1. Although it allows members to discuss and understand the issue better, it is a much longer and strenuous process to reach a decision. It would not be easy if there is disagreement and a quick decision needed to be made.
2. Some people could claim that the Holy Spirit is guiding them a certain way even though the Spirit may not. It is difficult to truly know the guiding of the Spirit in some cases.
3. The facilitator could easily abuse their power and direct the group to a consensus that may not truly be in full agreement.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tithing -- Thursday 1-22
Thursday Assignment
Tithing – 1-22
Adam Fike
I have to admit that I believed like the majority of evangelicals in several of the ways listed in the article. I did understand that tithing meant 10% of one’s income, but I have heard the attitude that tithing is an indefinite amount. It is whatever you can give. I was shocked to hear that evangelicals give only 2.3% of their income on average. I thought the percentage would be much closer to 10% than that.
While it does not explicitly require in the New Testament believers to give 10% of their income, I think it is a standard amount that everyone should give. In the Old Testament, God required a tithe from the Israelites. Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.’” Even though we are not bound to follow this law, I believe it is a good law to follow. If we do not have a set amount to give, we most often do not give enough.
I was pulled into the “church is bigger” mindset. I have counted giving to a parachurch organization for my tithe several times before. I realize now that I was wrong. I am taking Ecclesiology now and am learning that how I have viewed the church has affected how I live my life in issues such as tithing. The local church must be upheld as the primary place to give. I admire parachurch organizations that hold to this value to the point that they even urge people to give to their local church first on their donation page.
I would most definitely rather give to a cause than an institution. It may be my generation, but I think that is how we as humans operate. We are willing to act and give to things that touch our heart. I think once the local church fully realizes this, we will take bigger steps toward communicating different ministries and the causes that the money supports. Along with that, we must also learn to thank more. Even though one’s giving should be done out of love in a relationship with God, church leaders ought to be grateful for the gifts. We ought to be grateful when people give out of love for God. I am sure God is grateful and pleased when people give generously out of love as well.
This article has inspired me to fight against certain attitudes of evangelicals, especially when I read the statistic that most local churches would double their income if everyone tithed. That is almost unbelievable. I think that at least more people will listen and heed the call to tithe when they are shown the grueling statistics and excuses people give for not tithing. It will also be important to tweak people’s theology of the church. We need to understand what the church is and how it runs.
Tithing – 1-22
Adam Fike
I have to admit that I believed like the majority of evangelicals in several of the ways listed in the article. I did understand that tithing meant 10% of one’s income, but I have heard the attitude that tithing is an indefinite amount. It is whatever you can give. I was shocked to hear that evangelicals give only 2.3% of their income on average. I thought the percentage would be much closer to 10% than that.
While it does not explicitly require in the New Testament believers to give 10% of their income, I think it is a standard amount that everyone should give. In the Old Testament, God required a tithe from the Israelites. Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.’” Even though we are not bound to follow this law, I believe it is a good law to follow. If we do not have a set amount to give, we most often do not give enough.
I was pulled into the “church is bigger” mindset. I have counted giving to a parachurch organization for my tithe several times before. I realize now that I was wrong. I am taking Ecclesiology now and am learning that how I have viewed the church has affected how I live my life in issues such as tithing. The local church must be upheld as the primary place to give. I admire parachurch organizations that hold to this value to the point that they even urge people to give to their local church first on their donation page.
I would most definitely rather give to a cause than an institution. It may be my generation, but I think that is how we as humans operate. We are willing to act and give to things that touch our heart. I think once the local church fully realizes this, we will take bigger steps toward communicating different ministries and the causes that the money supports. Along with that, we must also learn to thank more. Even though one’s giving should be done out of love in a relationship with God, church leaders ought to be grateful for the gifts. We ought to be grateful when people give out of love for God. I am sure God is grateful and pleased when people give generously out of love as well.
This article has inspired me to fight against certain attitudes of evangelicals, especially when I read the statistic that most local churches would double their income if everyone tithed. That is almost unbelievable. I think that at least more people will listen and heed the call to tithe when they are shown the grueling statistics and excuses people give for not tithing. It will also be important to tweak people’s theology of the church. We need to understand what the church is and how it runs.
Tithing: Is it really for me?
Thursday, January 22nd,2009
2. Tithing
2. Tithing
Response to Article on Tithing:
I am truly amazed at the fuss that Christians have with tithing. Truly what put the whole thing to shame were the swindlers, the cheats, and the crooks in the church. People no longer trust that their money is going to “the Lord.” Another dangerous mindset that seeps into their subconscious and belief is that there is no need to give a set amount, just give when you are able to. Isn’t that our generation? Aren’t we just so coddled and given so much grace that we are told…’Give when you are able, just as long as you are giving.’ We are told that at school, work, and at home by our teachers, bosses, and parents. Rules are not enforced. Rules should be done away with in the first place, because rules are restricting! Rules to not give us freedom, they enslave us! What a lie from the pit of hell! God has ordained certain “rules” but they are not to enslave us but to free us.
People find tithing too unrealistic when it comes down to it. It may work for some people, but not all. There are bills that need to be paid that come before tithing. If finances are looking good for the month, then they will tithe. Money is viewed as something they have earned rather than something God has provided for them.
My husband and I tithe 10% or more regularly. I can attest to the freedom that comes in that. Not to go with the prosperity gospel angle, but God sure does bless you! Not in terms of giving you all the riches in the world…but true blessings that I know would have been missed out on if we had not tithed. Christians should not see tithing as something to check off on your “Christian” to-do list, rather see and know that tithing provides a grace-empowered life. Tithing is not a burden, it is a blessing. Tithing is not called for some believers, it is called for all.
Times are tough right now in our economy. Worry is rising and trust is lowering. It is in these times that we must remember that Christ is faithful. It is in these times we must know that God is Sustainer and Provider. Just as God provides the birds in the sky with food and dresses the lily of the fields, so much more that He will provide for you (Matthew 6:25-34); The problem is not tithing, the problem is that control we want to have in our life—control over providing for our family, ourselves, and others….yet, God is who gives all we have to begin with. What we must realize is that nothing is truly ours and it never will be. There should be a relief in that truth—we do not have to do this all on our own!
-Kelly Jones
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Randi Meyer
Thursday 1/22/09
2. Ministerial Ethics
This article and the responses really got me thinking. There are so many small situations within the church that one does not even think they would ever face. As a future church leader, I have always realized the responsibility I will have directing and guiding people in their spiritual formation. I also know that someday I will be accountable for this before God, but I have to admit I have not thought about “ethical purity” that much. Honestly, there really should be no difference between the serious responsibility a church leader has in caring for people’s souls and the daily ethical decisions they make for the local church. Both are included in being a good leader, and I believe a Christian leader will be accountable for both when Christ returns.
Not only will God be the judge of spiritual leaders someday, but people are always watching the leaders too. A pastor cannot preach one thing and do another. Holiness and purity in all of a leader’s action is needed. I believe they need to go above and beyond in the way the handle situations ethically. It is better to be safe then sorry when dealing with anything in the local church. Dr. Drury said in one of his responses that leaders should ask this question in each circumstance; “If my enemy in this church knows this will they be able to use it against me?” I believe that this question is very beneficial along with what God would think.
Although I believe church leaders need to live in this manner, and I began to question my own integrity. As I read the different ethical situations, I asked myself how I would respond. In some circumstances, I found that I may have responded in the wrong manner simply because I would not have even thought twice that it might not be ethically right. For instance, if an older lady gave me $20.00, I may have taken it simply as a gift. Now I see and understand how this can look to others. I did truly think it was wrong in some of the situations mentioned in the article about how one may cheat the system. It is difficult though at times, because many see it from different perspective. I know that in the future I must be constantly be aware and question if choices I make are ethically right before God and God’s people.
The article also made me stop and think about ethical situations in the ministry I have already faced interning and being a youth leader. I have a paid position at Grant United Methodist as their youth leader on Sunday night. Many times people in the congregation have giving me extra money or gas cards. What do I do in these situations? Most of the time I will be honest I took it. This summer at my internship I had people write a unanimous note to me with $10.00 in it. Is this alright to keep? At this same church, there was a copy machine and supply closet full of office materials at my disposal anytime. I realize now how easy it could have been just to use this for my own benefit. Ethical situations surround Christian leaders, and it is important to carefully react to situations that would represent God in a holy manner.
Thursday 1/22/09
2. Ministerial Ethics
This article and the responses really got me thinking. There are so many small situations within the church that one does not even think they would ever face. As a future church leader, I have always realized the responsibility I will have directing and guiding people in their spiritual formation. I also know that someday I will be accountable for this before God, but I have to admit I have not thought about “ethical purity” that much. Honestly, there really should be no difference between the serious responsibility a church leader has in caring for people’s souls and the daily ethical decisions they make for the local church. Both are included in being a good leader, and I believe a Christian leader will be accountable for both when Christ returns.
Not only will God be the judge of spiritual leaders someday, but people are always watching the leaders too. A pastor cannot preach one thing and do another. Holiness and purity in all of a leader’s action is needed. I believe they need to go above and beyond in the way the handle situations ethically. It is better to be safe then sorry when dealing with anything in the local church. Dr. Drury said in one of his responses that leaders should ask this question in each circumstance; “If my enemy in this church knows this will they be able to use it against me?” I believe that this question is very beneficial along with what God would think.
Although I believe church leaders need to live in this manner, and I began to question my own integrity. As I read the different ethical situations, I asked myself how I would respond. In some circumstances, I found that I may have responded in the wrong manner simply because I would not have even thought twice that it might not be ethically right. For instance, if an older lady gave me $20.00, I may have taken it simply as a gift. Now I see and understand how this can look to others. I did truly think it was wrong in some of the situations mentioned in the article about how one may cheat the system. It is difficult though at times, because many see it from different perspective. I know that in the future I must be constantly be aware and question if choices I make are ethically right before God and God’s people.
The article also made me stop and think about ethical situations in the ministry I have already faced interning and being a youth leader. I have a paid position at Grant United Methodist as their youth leader on Sunday night. Many times people in the congregation have giving me extra money or gas cards. What do I do in these situations? Most of the time I will be honest I took it. This summer at my internship I had people write a unanimous note to me with $10.00 in it. Is this alright to keep? At this same church, there was a copy machine and supply closet full of office materials at my disposal anytime. I realize now how easy it could have been just to use this for my own benefit. Ethical situations surround Christian leaders, and it is important to carefully react to situations that would represent God in a holy manner.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Making a Budget -- Tuesday 1/20
Adam Fike
Westview Wesleyan
Making a Budget Tuesday
Interviewed – Pastor Mark Deisler on
- First, a finance committee meets in May to develop a budget.
- The finance committee is made up of a trustee representative to the board, the treasurer, an assistant to the treasurer, and two other people appointed by the pastor.
- Second, the finance committee plays a guessing game of projected tithes and offerings for the next year.
- Then, the committee starts with fixed costs that the church must pay every year. These include the mortgage, utilities, staff costs, etc.
- The committee operates on a line-item budget. It makes adjustments from the previous year based on spending habits of each department. If the department spent more than it was budgeted, the committee will try to allocate more funds to that department.
- Next, the finance committee submits the proposed budget to the board. The board can accept it or send it back to the finance committee for revisions.
- Once the budget is accepted by the board, it is sent to the local church conference for final approval.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Week 2
Week 2
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
2. Making a Budget
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
2. Making a Budget
What is the procedure Central Christian Church goes through when making a budget?
Joan, our treasurer, said that there is not step by step process to making their church budget every year. I asked if the board got together to make decisions on formatting the budget but she said that the budget is not decided by the board. There is no committee or board meeting for the budget. The budget is set according to the treasurer and what happened from the previous year. Basically, the budget is decided at the beginning of each year and critiqued/altered from the previous year. If someone wants to go over what was set for the church budget, then they will ask for more money via fundraisers or approaching the congregation.
Step by Step Format:
1. Look at their income.
2. Set their budget according to that income.
Randi Meyer
Tuesday 1/20/09
2. Making a Budget
Crossroads FEC
Nate Hamblin – Monday 1/19/09
The church’s fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30, so here what happens step by step according to Nate:
1. In March staff & ministry leaders receive reports of their actual spending vs. budget from the previous 9 months and other years. Then they are asked to make a proposal for their area.
2. Beginning in April MGMT team takes these proposals along with the “hard numbers” from last year, like utility bills, salaries, etc and projects expenses & income. (based off of giving numbers from previous years.)
3. On the first go around our budget expenses far exceed the expected revenue, so the process of prioritizing and reducing begins. Priorities based on the overall vision/objectives/initiatives of the church, things that are pressing (example: a new AC unit if one is broke) vs. things that are desired (example: added speakers for the auditorium).
4. It takes about 3 months of work to land where the expenses are only a few percentages ahead of the projected income.
5. Once the Management Team has approved a budget, we communicate with the body, and try to explain any large differences.
A couple of added things—
· We look at the balance of the budget in terms of ministry areas.
· We are committed to increasing our missions line by a .5% point each year until we reach the point of giving 10% of our yearly budget toward missions. (missions not church outreach)
· On a typical year, staff is given anywhere between a 2-5% cost of living increase.
Tuesday 1/20/09
2. Making a Budget
Crossroads FEC
Nate Hamblin – Monday 1/19/09
The church’s fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30, so here what happens step by step according to Nate:
1. In March staff & ministry leaders receive reports of their actual spending vs. budget from the previous 9 months and other years. Then they are asked to make a proposal for their area.
2. Beginning in April MGMT team takes these proposals along with the “hard numbers” from last year, like utility bills, salaries, etc and projects expenses & income. (based off of giving numbers from previous years.)
3. On the first go around our budget expenses far exceed the expected revenue, so the process of prioritizing and reducing begins. Priorities based on the overall vision/objectives/initiatives of the church, things that are pressing (example: a new AC unit if one is broke) vs. things that are desired (example: added speakers for the auditorium).
4. It takes about 3 months of work to land where the expenses are only a few percentages ahead of the projected income.
5. Once the Management Team has approved a budget, we communicate with the body, and try to explain any large differences.
A couple of added things—
· We look at the balance of the budget in terms of ministry areas.
· We are committed to increasing our missions line by a .5% point each year until we reach the point of giving 10% of our yearly budget toward missions. (missions not church outreach)
· On a typical year, staff is given anywhere between a 2-5% cost of living increase.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Kinds of Leadership -- 1/15
What is Leadership?
“Leadership is more, if not much more, influence rather than position.” ~John Maxwell. Leadership is not an easy word to define because leaders come in so many shapes and sizes. There are several different types of leaders, but even then each leader is unique and different from all the rest. Some people are leaders in some areas of their life, while others are leaders in almost every area. Some great leaders are born with strong leadership tendencies, and other great leaders have worked hard to acquire great skills. Great leaders usually possess a rich combination of personality and skills.
A leader is one who influences people to reach a common goal by inspiring their heart, attitudes, and actions in a cohesive way. Strong leaders have solid faith, beliefs, values, character, knowledge, and skills. They are characterized by passion. A great leader is able to direct the thoughts, feelings, behaviors in order to cause some kind of lasting change. Leaders can be up front and direct, or they can be behind the scenes and indirect. Either way, solid leaders model what they seek to influence in their own life.
Kinds of Leadership
Jesus is the ultimate example of a leader in the Bible. He is best described as a direct leader who led by being a servant. He inspired and influenced people to be self-giving servants to others instead of seeking authority and power. He modeled a dependant life on God His Father and even some dependency on other people like His disciples. He had a huge passion to lead others into a relationship with Him and God, and He always lived in complete submission to His Father.
Leaders show up all over Scripture. Abraham led by having faith in God. He risked everything he had in order to obey the purpose and call God placed on his life. Noah led by remaining faithful to God and obeying God’s commands while overseeing the plans for the ark. Moses obeyed God through his insecurities and led the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land. He remained faithful to God when the Israelite community did not. Nehemiah is often looked to as a model for leadership because he organized and oversaw the reconstruction of the wall around Jerusalem. Paul spread the Gospel to the gentiles through perseverance and determination. These leaders understood and experienced a life of faith and trust in the living God. It seems like the greatest quality in a leader is faith, trust, hope, and love in the Almighty God of the universe.
~Adam Fike
“Leadership is more, if not much more, influence rather than position.” ~John Maxwell. Leadership is not an easy word to define because leaders come in so many shapes and sizes. There are several different types of leaders, but even then each leader is unique and different from all the rest. Some people are leaders in some areas of their life, while others are leaders in almost every area. Some great leaders are born with strong leadership tendencies, and other great leaders have worked hard to acquire great skills. Great leaders usually possess a rich combination of personality and skills.
A leader is one who influences people to reach a common goal by inspiring their heart, attitudes, and actions in a cohesive way. Strong leaders have solid faith, beliefs, values, character, knowledge, and skills. They are characterized by passion. A great leader is able to direct the thoughts, feelings, behaviors in order to cause some kind of lasting change. Leaders can be up front and direct, or they can be behind the scenes and indirect. Either way, solid leaders model what they seek to influence in their own life.
Kinds of Leadership
Jesus is the ultimate example of a leader in the Bible. He is best described as a direct leader who led by being a servant. He inspired and influenced people to be self-giving servants to others instead of seeking authority and power. He modeled a dependant life on God His Father and even some dependency on other people like His disciples. He had a huge passion to lead others into a relationship with Him and God, and He always lived in complete submission to His Father.
Leaders show up all over Scripture. Abraham led by having faith in God. He risked everything he had in order to obey the purpose and call God placed on his life. Noah led by remaining faithful to God and obeying God’s commands while overseeing the plans for the ark. Moses obeyed God through his insecurities and led the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land. He remained faithful to God when the Israelite community did not. Nehemiah is often looked to as a model for leadership because he organized and oversaw the reconstruction of the wall around Jerusalem. Paul spread the Gospel to the gentiles through perseverance and determination. These leaders understood and experienced a life of faith and trust in the living God. It seems like the greatest quality in a leader is faith, trust, hope, and love in the Almighty God of the universe.
~Adam Fike
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Kinds of Leadership
Thursday, January 15th, 2009
1. Kinds of Leadership
Leaders in the Bible
Saul & David were both leaders, but two different kinds of leaders. Saul was sought after by the people of Israel when they desired to be like the surrounding nations that had kings. Beforehand, their only leader was their creator, God—but now the people were demanding to be like everyone else, to have a strong, leading king. Thus, God provided them Saul. Saul surely looked like a king with his strapping features and sense of authority. Yet, he did not listen to God’s commands. Saul began to drink deeply from the cup of power and delighted in doing his will and not the will of God. That is where David comes into play. David was the least likely candidate to be selected for the next king—small shepherd boy, youngest in his family, embracing not a hint of regal nature. But David loved the Lord, which made all the difference in his leadership. David was a true servant leader.
Servant leadership is an understanding and practice of leadership that places the good of those led over the self-interest of the leader. Saul appeared to be an excellent leader and had a good start. But looks are rather deceiving. The Israelites quickly learned that. What David did that Saul failed to do was be an authentic man that valued his people and loved God with all his heart.
Kinds of Leadership
There are two different kinds of leaders: transformational and transactional. Transactional are the ones that lead in order to get something in return—like a profit. Transformational leaders are leaders that help transform a group of people in order to help them become more effective in accomplishing a unified goal—servant leadership falls under such a category. Servant leadership defined from a secular stand-point is a leader who puts the people and their development before themselves.
There are three types of leadership—servant, selfish and sacrificial. As stated previously, servant leadership involves one transforming a group of people to reach a unified goal by placing the people and the development before their own desires. Now selfish leadership uses the people so that the leader can get somewhere. Sacrificial leadership is the leader and the followers all sacrificing themselves to almost burnout in order to reach their goal—like selfish leadership except its at all cost for God and the church rather than for personal gain.
An effective form of leadership within the context of the church is to accomplish the goals of the church using moral methods. Letting people know that you are passionate about the goals and about leading them is fundamental. If you really want to serve the people then they will really want to serve you back.
Such a concept follows the Eastern idea of leadership in which the shepherd leads its flock from the front rather than from behind. The Eastern idea of a shepherd leader is to lead the flock to greener pastures. The flocks’ motivation comes from trusting the leader opposed to fearing the leader. Being a leader and a pastor, I need to gain the trust of those whom are entrusted into my care.
-Kelly Jones
1. Kinds of Leadership
Leaders in the Bible
Saul & David were both leaders, but two different kinds of leaders. Saul was sought after by the people of Israel when they desired to be like the surrounding nations that had kings. Beforehand, their only leader was their creator, God—but now the people were demanding to be like everyone else, to have a strong, leading king. Thus, God provided them Saul. Saul surely looked like a king with his strapping features and sense of authority. Yet, he did not listen to God’s commands. Saul began to drink deeply from the cup of power and delighted in doing his will and not the will of God. That is where David comes into play. David was the least likely candidate to be selected for the next king—small shepherd boy, youngest in his family, embracing not a hint of regal nature. But David loved the Lord, which made all the difference in his leadership. David was a true servant leader.
Servant leadership is an understanding and practice of leadership that places the good of those led over the self-interest of the leader. Saul appeared to be an excellent leader and had a good start. But looks are rather deceiving. The Israelites quickly learned that. What David did that Saul failed to do was be an authentic man that valued his people and loved God with all his heart.
Kinds of Leadership
There are two different kinds of leaders: transformational and transactional. Transactional are the ones that lead in order to get something in return—like a profit. Transformational leaders are leaders that help transform a group of people in order to help them become more effective in accomplishing a unified goal—servant leadership falls under such a category. Servant leadership defined from a secular stand-point is a leader who puts the people and their development before themselves.
There are three types of leadership—servant, selfish and sacrificial. As stated previously, servant leadership involves one transforming a group of people to reach a unified goal by placing the people and the development before their own desires. Now selfish leadership uses the people so that the leader can get somewhere. Sacrificial leadership is the leader and the followers all sacrificing themselves to almost burnout in order to reach their goal—like selfish leadership except its at all cost for God and the church rather than for personal gain.
An effective form of leadership within the context of the church is to accomplish the goals of the church using moral methods. Letting people know that you are passionate about the goals and about leading them is fundamental. If you really want to serve the people then they will really want to serve you back.
Such a concept follows the Eastern idea of leadership in which the shepherd leads its flock from the front rather than from behind. The Eastern idea of a shepherd leader is to lead the flock to greener pastures. The flocks’ motivation comes from trusting the leader opposed to fearing the leader. Being a leader and a pastor, I need to gain the trust of those whom are entrusted into my care.
-Kelly Jones
Leadership
Thursday 1/15/09
1. Kinds of Leadership
Leadership is a position in which one manages, guides, or directs. It can often be viewed as a characteristic or quality of an individual. Leadership in theory is a set of behaviors that a person has. The unfortunate fact is that in a deprived world not all leaders are good or perform the task of directing others well. For instance, I consider Hitler a leader and he was actually a very successful at leading others. The fact is he lead them cruelly and abused his power.
The perfect leader for humanity to look to as an example is Jesus Christ. Good leadership can be defined by observing his life through his servant leadership attitude. He reveals what true leadership should be. A leader should have a vision or mission that benefits those around them, and they are willing to passionately seek this vision through self-sacrifice. Leadership needs to involve love, mercy, grace, confidence, persistence, and determination. Outstanding leaders are role models to their followers and build their followers self-image. They can motive and encourage those around them at a level that will challenge them to become better people. Through a Christian perspective, leaders are those who are furthering God’s kingdom through the Holy Spirit’s power and guidance.
There are many different kinds of leadership in the Bible. The first type of leadership one can see are those positions in which God chose specific leaders for specific tasks He had planned for them, but these positions did not seem to have a definite title. For examples, Noah was called to build an ark and save come of God’s creation during the flood, while Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to enter the Promise Land.
The Bible portrays leadership through the prophets and priests. Elijah and Elisha were prophets. They were a mediator between God and His people and spoke what they heard through the inspiration of God. The tribe of Levi became leaders as priests after the Exodus. They lead by interceding on the behalf of the people, so the people could be brought to holiness and righteousness. God also ordained kings as a mediator of the judicial and executive power of God among His people. Saul, David, and Solomon are the most known kings throughout the Bible. In the New Testament, the disciples and early church founders become prominent leaders, but once again Jesus is the ultimate definition of leadership found in the Bible.
1. Kinds of Leadership
Leadership is a position in which one manages, guides, or directs. It can often be viewed as a characteristic or quality of an individual. Leadership in theory is a set of behaviors that a person has. The unfortunate fact is that in a deprived world not all leaders are good or perform the task of directing others well. For instance, I consider Hitler a leader and he was actually a very successful at leading others. The fact is he lead them cruelly and abused his power.
The perfect leader for humanity to look to as an example is Jesus Christ. Good leadership can be defined by observing his life through his servant leadership attitude. He reveals what true leadership should be. A leader should have a vision or mission that benefits those around them, and they are willing to passionately seek this vision through self-sacrifice. Leadership needs to involve love, mercy, grace, confidence, persistence, and determination. Outstanding leaders are role models to their followers and build their followers self-image. They can motive and encourage those around them at a level that will challenge them to become better people. Through a Christian perspective, leaders are those who are furthering God’s kingdom through the Holy Spirit’s power and guidance.
There are many different kinds of leadership in the Bible. The first type of leadership one can see are those positions in which God chose specific leaders for specific tasks He had planned for them, but these positions did not seem to have a definite title. For examples, Noah was called to build an ark and save come of God’s creation during the flood, while Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to enter the Promise Land.
The Bible portrays leadership through the prophets and priests. Elijah and Elisha were prophets. They were a mediator between God and His people and spoke what they heard through the inspiration of God. The tribe of Levi became leaders as priests after the Exodus. They lead by interceding on the behalf of the people, so the people could be brought to holiness and righteousness. God also ordained kings as a mediator of the judicial and executive power of God among His people. Saul, David, and Solomon are the most known kings throughout the Bible. In the New Testament, the disciples and early church founders become prominent leaders, but once again Jesus is the ultimate definition of leadership found in the Bible.
Monday, January 12, 2009
1. Church Budget -- Tuesday 1/13/09
1. Church Budget
Tuesday
Adam Fike
Westview Wesleyan
Interviewed – Pastor Mark Deisler on
39.9% Ministers & Staff
44.1% Facilities
6.3% Programs
9.7% Denomination Support and Missions
Observations:
- Two committees work to create the budget and another committee ratifies it. A treasure report is given monthly.
- Denominational expenses in the Wesleyan denomination are based on overall tithing. This has been changed from membership enrollment in the past.
- A big piece of the budget is comparing last year’s budget from the current year and calculating percent changes.
Church Budget
Randi Meyer
Tuesday 1/13/09
1. Church Budget
Crossroads FEC
Nate Hamblin – Monday 1/12/09
49% - Facilities (including debt)
34% - Ministers& Staff
12% - Denomination support& missions
5% - Programs
Observations:
1. This church is not my practicum church, because my practicum church does not have a budget. When I contacted the pastor of the church she said that they only have financial reports. She also stated that some small churches don’t have operating budgets. This is an interesting observation to me that brings about questions too. Is this wise to not have a budget just because the church is small? Shouldn’t they still have some sort of an operating budget?
2. Part of the churches income is figured from what they make from renting out their old church building and providing facilities to migrant workers. This allows their income to increase largely from just the offering. Having the stability of this income would also make it easier for them to predict their budget.
3. The prediction of what they will bring in is actually less than their total budgeting. Nate told me that they often do not spend every dime of what they predicted, so this makes up the different. Also, if they believe they are running short for what was predicted the church board will send out a monthly spending freeze. If they need to spend past that amount, they will need special approval.
Tuesday 1/13/09
1. Church Budget
Crossroads FEC
Nate Hamblin – Monday 1/12/09
49% - Facilities (including debt)
34% - Ministers& Staff
12% - Denomination support& missions
5% - Programs
Observations:
1. This church is not my practicum church, because my practicum church does not have a budget. When I contacted the pastor of the church she said that they only have financial reports. She also stated that some small churches don’t have operating budgets. This is an interesting observation to me that brings about questions too. Is this wise to not have a budget just because the church is small? Shouldn’t they still have some sort of an operating budget?
2. Part of the churches income is figured from what they make from renting out their old church building and providing facilities to migrant workers. This allows their income to increase largely from just the offering. Having the stability of this income would also make it easier for them to predict their budget.
3. The prediction of what they will bring in is actually less than their total budgeting. Nate told me that they often do not spend every dime of what they predicted, so this makes up the different. Also, if they believe they are running short for what was predicted the church board will send out a monthly spending freeze. If they need to spend past that amount, they will need special approval.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Week 1
Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
1. Church Budget.
Copy of Central Christian Church’s Budget
List of where the money goes from largest proportion to smallest:
§ 71% Ministers & Staff (including benefits)
§ 24% Facilities (including debt payments)
§ 2 % Programs (education, evangelism, etc.)
§ 3 % Denomination Support & Missions
Personal Observations:
1. Inconsistency.
Smaller churches do not have a set way of budgeting (well at least not in this circumstance). When I met with our treasurer, Joan, she explained that the budget changes year by year. Budget is based on the income of the church. When she sees that the funds are running tight, she will report it to the congregation on Sunday morning. Income solely comes from the congregation and giving (fundraisers). If the church is not tithing as they should, Joan will be sure to confront the situation!
2. Disproportional.
Just by looking at the percentages, one can see how disproportionate the budget is. Even though I am employed with Central Christian, I am not permitted to set the budget or even know much about it. As the youth and children’s pastor, I am greatly troubled by how little support is going into the programming. A great deal of money is put into the upkeep up the facilities and staffing rather than the spiritual formation of the congregation. Whether this a small church or not, I do not think the funding for programs should be that low. We have a congregation of sixty. The youth has an average of thirty students every Sunday evening and the children average about 4 every Sunday morning. Think about the growth that could happen when more care, passion, planning, and budgeting is put forth into the programs!
3. Proposed Budget vs. Actual Budget
I noticed that what was proposed for the Functional Departments such as Christian Education, Resources, Membership, World Outreach, Worship, and Evangelism was not actually spent! The budget allowed for $100 for each department. However, the only department that took advantage of this was Resources, which spent a whopping $21. I wonder if the money would have been spent on these areas if the staff or the volunteers involved in these departments actually knew the funds available. Being on staff, I know now that these departments have funds that need to be put to use!
I know that I am new to being on staff at a church. I am new to budgeting. I am new to this all! However, I know that in order for a ministry to be active and producing, it needs to be tended to--Ministry needs funds put into it—Ministry needs people to be a part of it—Ministry needs to have planning and budgeting from more than one person!
-Kelly Jones
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Bonanza Feminists Strike Again...
The Bonanza Feminists are back after a brief intermission. Kelly is back after spending some time in the Austrailian Outback riding around in a kangaroo pouch trying to comprehend the life of a baby kangaroo. She has written two books on the topic thanks to Dr. Drury's teaching. Randi is back after bobbing up and down in the Indian Ocean for three months straight setting a new world record for bobs in the Indian Ocean. She is trailing a man from Sweden who did 1,213 bobs in the Atlantic in 1965. Finally, Adam is back from saving the world from killer smurfs who began their uprising in the black forest in Germany. Good luck to all of them as they endeavor to accomplish their next milestone in Church Leadership.
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