chazzdaddy

Archive for December, 2009|Monthly archive page

A Leader’s Resolution to Not Make Resolutions.

In Uncategorized on December 29, 2009 at 11:32 am

I resolve to:

…to not flip the bird to the world for the hand I feel I was dealt at times and instead remember that I am nothing more than dust.

…stop worrying about what others think about me, and instead be confident in who God made me.

…stop allowing others thoughts, comments and actions affect me so deeply, and instead to allow HIS thoughts to dominate me.

…stop allowing people who do not like that we answered the call of God to drag me down, but to drown in His calling on our lives.

…stop trying to get people to send money to our mission, but instead let God melt their faces off in obedience.

…stop worrying about the fact that we have felt abandoned and alone, and instead know that we have the greatest and only friend we could ever have.

…stop smoking the church crack all the time and remember that my family and my God are my foundation, not a job that brings me accolades.

…stop wondering what so and so leader thinks about decisions that we have made and instead remember that if we listened to God and sought wise counsel, it was God’s decision anyway.

…stop making excuses to my family as to why people sometimes have left us in the dust and instead acknowledge that sometimes people abandon you, and that’s life, and remember that Jesus was hurt by people too.

…stop trying to be a strong leader, and instead start trying to be a little Christ.

…stop looking at my stat counter in the wrong way, wonder about speaking invites, desire to write this and that, and instead know that my future is not defined by this present world.

…stop spending so much time in the future and instead become like Mary and sit awhile in the present moment with my family and with my Lord.

…stop being angry at the way certain things went in 2009 and to stop saying it was the worst year of our lives, but instead acknowledge that Jesus brings all things together for good and that rejoice that we grew in Christ in huge ways through this time.

…stop worrying because we weren’t on so and so’s Christmas card list anymore, but instead rejoice that the Savior had nowhere to lay his head except on a cross and in a tomb.

…stop resolving, and resolve to not resolve because these are all sounding pretty good, but instead understand that 2010 and my life isn’t about what I selfishly resolve anyway…

BECAUSE IT’S ALL ABOUT LISTENING TO WHAT MY SAVIOR WOULD HAVE ME TO DO EACH AND EVERY FREAKING DAY AND TO LIVE IT OUT WITH RECKLESS ABANDON. [and if I do that...2010 will be a year like no other.]

[Many are the plans in a person's heart, but the counsel of the LORD is what will stand! // Proverbs 19.21]

So what are your resolutions? :)

If Yesterday Was a Bad Day…

In Uncategorized on December 26, 2009 at 5:45 am

Some of you might need some Yule-Tide cheer right now…or some medication:) And don’t fear…Jesus birthday comes around again in only 363 shopping days!

Click Here for some rumble.

This Will Make Your Christmas Feel Like Jesus.

In Uncategorized on December 24, 2009 at 6:03 am

My boy Mikey alerted me to something that rocked my world. If you want to see Jesus working it in the ATL…take a few minutes, read the post and watch the video in it from my friend LOS WHITTAKER’S BLOG.

It’s been a “tough year” for us…how about you? But GOD is up to something, and I know He is doing the same in your life. So no matter where you find yourself this Christmas Eve…watch this and thank GOD for where HE has placed you ON PURPOSE according to HIS PLAN.

And always remember what scripture says, that we just might be “entertaining angels unaware.” Could it be?

Merry Christmas.

Announcing The Sticks Coaching Network

In THE STICKS COACHING NETWORK on December 22, 2009 at 4:31 pm
I made the premature announcement recently about a new coaching network aimed at those in the STICKS [small to medium sized towns and hard to reach places// From rural to cities of 75K or less, but of course we will coach anyone who desires it, regardless of your situation. Some of our coaches have reached across several demographics.]

Are you under-funded? Under-staffed? Under-led? Under-visioned? Under-a lot of stress? We have been there and are there with you!

That’s why we want to help. Our desire is to coach/mentor/consult those who are serious about reaching people in a hard to reach place where many are left out of the conversation or just don’t fit into the mold of a bigger church or city mind-set.

We have a team of coaches with various fees for coaching/mentoring/consulting experience. From bi-vocational church planters to some of our coaches who have launched churches over 2,000+ in small towns to those who have launched multi-site churches in the STICKS!

This is NOT a GROUP call-in, but 1 on 1 coaching that will meet you right where YOU are. Group coaching is great, but you are unique and so is your calling.

We will tackle your individual issues and emergencies first, then walk step by step through issues you need to tackle such as:

1. How to raise money for the mission you have been given and go beyond “financial survival.”

2. Creating buzz in your city about your church.

3. How to attract and keep a crowd.

4. Breaking through growth barriers.

5. How to staff for future growth.

6.  How to maintain personal and spiritual health and growth.

7. What are great assimilation strategies for your ministry.

8. How to create dynamic spiritual growth processes to raise up disciples and not just draw a crowd.

9. How to think, plan and strategize for multi-site expansion.

10. Personal issues that you encounter.

This is not a comprehensive list. There are no contracts to join for so long. You are in it as long as you want to be. From 2 months to 20 years.  It’s that simple. We don’t make it very complicated in the STICKS.

If you are interested, the fees range from $150-$250/month depending on who you would like to partner with as your coach. [Yes, that is cheap. We are doing this for the Kingdom, not for money. We are busy enough, and this certainly is not our main source of income. We do this as we believe in what God is doing in the STICKS and want to join in with you and our God in any way possible, and because we are commanded to train up those around us!]

Why a fee? Due to the demands of our time and schedules, this allows us to limit the amount of people we take into the network and allows you to put some skin into the game. If you don’t make it in this time, we will put your name on the list for a spot when one becomes available. If you are interested, please drop me an e-mail and we will begin the process of connecting you with a potential coach [chazzdaddy17@gmail.com]

I am sold on coaching. And no matter my opinion, it’s BIBLICAL! “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11.14

I personally have THREE coaches! No joke [some of you are saying: yep, you need 3 bro...I feel ya:] I believe that you should always be in a mentoring type relationship until the day you die. If you are not, check your pride, read your Bible and re-consider asking someone to be your mentor!

Don’t mess around if you want in. Rumor alone began filling up the network, and we have limited availability, so get on it! We are here to serve you with all of our hearts and are excited about what God is going to do through you and the calling God has blessed you with!

Merry Christmas from myself and the STICKS team!

**12.23.09 Update: The spots are filling fast. Get your info in ASAP if you want to get a spot.

Successful Church Planter = Great Leader? Ummm, No.

In church planting journey on December 22, 2009 at 3:44 am

I coach a few crazy guys in the church planting world…[by the way, I have a couple more spots out of 5 available for a one on one coaching network that I haven't announced yet if you want to hit me...or did I just do announce it?] And by the way, I have THREE coaches of my own!

Anyway, we were talking about something that I have noticed in church planters around the country and that includes myself in this group.

Great church planters are not always great leaders. 

They might be catalysts. They migh be vision casters. They might have the ability to pull off a service.
They might preach a great sermon or write great systems and strategies.

But to go to the next level time and time again in our ministry and leadership requires raising our leadership lid time and time again. You will never go beyond that level. If you want to become a a top level leader it requires more than just learned skills.

Not all church planters are great leaders, even if their plant is “successful”. [Been there, done that.]
 
But just as you can learn the skills to become a great church planter…you truly can learn the skills to become a great leader if you are disciplined and willing to suck it up and go there with God’s grace, blessing and help! 

Are you willing to do whatever it takes? It is usually a matter of control, pride and ego that hold us back.
 
What say you?

Butt Tape Saves Lives…But How About Airplanes?

In church planting journey on December 15, 2009 at 3:00 pm

Yep. No joke here. We were sitting on a Southwest Flight last week [I will ONLY fly Southwest unless it is a really bad day, so SOUTHWEST AIRLINES rules in my book no matter this story]…and the captain said we were delayed for a few for maintenance issues.

That’s when I spy this maintenance guy walking toward our plane with DUCT TAPE and a CROW BAR thing. Sure enough, the DUCT TAPE was for the fix. [That is how you do anything in THE STICKS right?] So glad he boarded the plane and fixed a seat in the back and we were off and it wasn’t to hold the engine on or something.

I made the comment several times at our first church plant in Ohio that we were held together by bubble gum, bailing twine and duct tape. And that was no joke. Doing big things for God with people and ministries that are barely held together was our mantra! [Me being the poster child for brokenness and butt tape :]


You do what you have to do when you are called to the middle of nowhere! When God sends a vision, you make it happen in HIS power, with HIS people, and HIS timing. A little bubble gum, bailing twine and duct tape will help though for those moments when you are ready to lose it all. [and yeah...that crow bar comes in real handy too at times...]

Oh yeah, imagine the dudes pain in the pic when he had to remove that mess from his hiney…sounds a whole lot like church to me.

WHY?


It is so cool that as we are barely held together like that seat on our flight to remember that it isn’t just about the details or the outside that matter, it’s the people inside and the destination we are helping them head to.
_______________________________

**Would you consider sending the gift of some duct tape, bubble gum, bailing twine and anything else to MISSION WEST this Christmas? Our destination of helping to put churches in 22+ cities without 1 church in them in UTAH needs YOU! Consider an on-going or 1 time gift to help us reach people for Christ. You can get the deets and E-Give HERE. Thank you. For real….Thank you.

Just Writing This Post is Dangerous.

In church planting journey, evangelism on December 9, 2009 at 7:01 am

My parents held a Christmas gathering last weekend in a country where you can be arrested, jailed or killed for your faith and for gatherings such as these.

Over 120 people showed up and they don’t even speak the native language. That’s bigger than many American churches last weekend. Please pray for them, especially as they look for native leadership that will succeed them when they are called away.

I love that my parents and my family at New Hope were bold enough to believe in the Great Commission and carry it out. We are not only called to go into our communities, but into all the world!

…And we didn’t think it was an option that was affected by the economy or any other excuses we could muster.

[I love you Mom and Dad and your boldness inspires me to the core. Your obedience had a big impact on our decision to launch out as well when God tapped our souls.]

This is Real Ice…

In Watch This on December 9, 2009 at 6:16 am

Most Top Level Leaders Have This 1 Thing in Common.

In Church Leadership on December 7, 2009 at 4:32 pm

In my limited experience, one of the greatest things that strong leaders I know have in common is this:

THEY ARE GREAT COMMUNICATORS.

I am not talking about speaking communication from a stage, etc. I am talking about communicating across the hundreds of needs, requests, and demands they are swamped with.

1. I am amazed that people cannot return or reply to simple e-mail. [I generally return an e-mail the same day and believe we should all strive for that courtesy. If non-urgent, within 24 hours.]

2. I am amazed that people cannot reply to a twitter or facebook thread. [How hard is it to hit REPLY? I work hard on twitter and facebook to not "selectively" reply. If you are that important, get a fan page:]

3. I am amazed people cannot return phone calls and/or texts. I now use google voice to have my voicemails transcribed to e-mail and sent to my inbox. [Are we that important and is the person that non- important?]

4. I am amazed at the lack of thanks offered. [Cards, calls, verbal, etc.]

I am not saying we need to put our prayer, study, family and other things ahead of communication [Mark Batterson talks well of e-mail addiction, and I used to have a very hard time with it as well], but if you want to be a top level leader, you will figure this piece out and keep it healthy. And I am not saying I am 100% on this either, but dang, we have to address this mess.

**I have a habit to keep my inbox clear at all times. If I have an e-mail that is a task, I assign it or put it into my gmail task list.

**When I head out for a drive, I take my call list.

**I check e-mail during different times of the day, I make calls during the afternoon only unless urgent, and I generally check twitter and facebook in the morning and evening, sometimes more often when I need a little “break” during the day. That can be an addiction as well. And I don’t do applications, games, etc. I actually block those because of time constraints.

**If all else fails, hire someone to HELP YOU! But don’t be so important that you can’t sign your own cards of thanks! We know when you assistant signs your cards, etc. and that is tacky.

The busiest of the top leaders are busy for a reason, and they have their hands in a million things, but this one characteristic seems very consistent across the board.

The same holds true of those who are not as top-level [but you can be disciplined to get there...key word: discipline]. They seem to not be as concerned with communicating, which I believe is a top key to any relationship, vision or mission. Nothing is more frustrating than lack of communication.

If you want to go to this next level as a leader, these things you must do.

Have you noticed the same in whatever career God has placed you?

Spiritual Disciplines Message.

In GET SERMONS HERE, Spiritual Growth on December 5, 2009 at 4:26 pm

I spoke a couple of weeks ago at the church I am a serving at here in Utah. If you would like to hear the message on SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES, check it out HERE.

Simply click on the SOUTH CAMPUS TAB and I am the 2nd message down in the list. It is audio. I thank God for the opportunity to share HIS truth whenever I can! K2 has been a tremendous blessing to our family and our team. Thanks everyone for welcoming us with open arms!

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