Bill Easums Observations

The other day I sent this to the people I’m coaching for them to use as a time of relection. Several said it was helpful.  So I thought I would share it with everyone.

“All of you are trying the take your church to the next level. You are asking God to do something new in your church and that is commendable.  Now here’s the kicker- in order for God to do something new in your church you must be willing to allow Him to do something new in you.  That’s right-going to the next level is a much an inward transition as it is strategic or tactical.  It begins by what God is doing within you and how you communicate that to the church leadership. Now let’s focus on that inward transition for a moment by asking some questions that I’d like you to pray about and talk with me about in an upcoming phone call.

• What is God saying to you about what you should change and focus on in the future? Are you willing to communicate that to your leaders? If you aren’t hearing anything from God are you willing to have your forty day experience away from your congregation?
• Are you focused on what God is telling you more than the known obstacles and challenges?
• Are you willing to do whatever to make God’s vision for your church a reality even if it cost you your job?
• Going to the next level requires a closing of one chapter of your life and the beginning of a new chapter.  How would you describe that closure? What is the new personal chapter that is waiting to be opened in your life?
• In closing this chapter of your life are you going to allow your comfort zone to dictate how much change you will tolerate?
• What comfort zone is so appealing to you that you are tempted to stay in it? Are you opting for the comfortable over the new?
• What one thing worries you the most about going to the next level and why?
• Reaching your potential seldom happens when you fly solo.  What are you doing to bring others into an awareness of God is telling you? Have you identified your Peter, James, and John? Is your Board part or your team or seen as an adversary?

I’m convinced that these and other questions that will emerge as you pray about them will be a catalyst for change. I encourage you to go away and spend time praying and seeking God’s still voice on these questions and then let’s talk about them.  s 

It’s a privilege to serve you.”

I’d Love to get your feedback.

Bill Easum
www.churchconsultations.com

The more I work with lead pastors the more I realize how hard it is for them to fire a staff person who isn’t either performing, or a team player, or is just downright disruptive. Too many pastors put up with so much crap from one or two on their staff that they shoot themselves in the foot.  Take a look at what it does:

• It says to competent staff that you really don’t care if the staff demonstrates competency.
• It says to the staff that you either don’t realize how disruptive or harmful the person is or you don’t have the guts to do something about it.
• It says to the staff that you aren’t a leader or you would pull the trigger.
• And guess what, competent staff won’t stay around very long when the lead pastor allows someone to remain on the staff that is either incompetent or disruptive. Sad to say incompetent staff will stay no matter what the lead pastor does.

Listen to what Dave Ramsey says in his book, EntreLeadership, about the leader who can’t pull the trigger and fire someone who everyone knows needs to be fired.

“My friend, John Maxwell, says that ‘Sanctified incompetency demoralizes.’ If you as a leader allow people to half way do their jobs and don’t demand excellence as a prerequisite to keeping their job, you will create a culture of mediocrity If you allow people to misbehave, underachieve, have a bad attitude, gossip, and generally avoid excellence, please don’t expect to attract and retain great talent.”

Lead pastors, post this quote on your frig.  Read it every morning before going to the office. Paste it on your desk and read it every time you know you need to fire someone. And be a Nike person- just do it. NOW!!!

Bill Tenny-Brittian and I have room for a few more people to coach for 2011.  We limit the number of people we each coach so if you’re interested now is the time to contact us. You have your choice of either one of us at the moment.

Studies show that pastors who have a coach do remarkably better than those who try to go it alone.  If you need for info go to www.nextlevelcoachingnetwork.net and see how we function and what is offered. 

Bill Easum
www.churchconsultations.com

Over the years I have taught that it is more important to have a “to be” list than a “to do” list.  A “to be” list is a list of people you are mentoring to be more than they are at the moment.  I’ve found that it is best to keep the list to 10 or less so the mentor can spend quality time with each one.  By mentoring I mean simply hanging out with them, modeling what it means to be a leader.

The goal of a “to be” list is to move people along in their spiritual development. For example:

• a non-believer to a beliver
• a visitor to a participant
• a participant to a servant
• a servant to a leader
• a leader to a coach
• a coach to a paid staff position

Another way to view it is to mentor people up the leadership path. It goes something like this:

• Visitors- do not overlook the fact that fewer people will be joining organizations in the future and that one of the best ways to disciple a person is to involve them in a ministry. New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu is one of the best at this.
• Apprentices in training – this includes potentially everyone in the congregation.
• Leaders of Committees . Almost anyone can lead a committee. All you have to do is call it to order, keep your mouth shut, and close it.
• Leaders of short term ministries like S.S. or VBS. At this point people need to become scouts, looking for potential new leaders, but they are seldom coaches.
• Leaders of major, on-going ministries like a small group system. It is not uncommon from here on for leaders to become scouts and coaches.
• Leaders of Systems such as Lay Mobilization
• Leaders of leaders – usually staff
• Leader of leaders – lead pastor

How do you mentor the new leaders in your future?

Bill Easum
www.churchconsultations.com
easum@aol.com

Over the years I’ve watched pastors do all kinds of work trying to grow their church.  Many of them have brought in a consultant, myself included, and had a thorough examination of their church and a clear directive to the future shared with them only to flounder after the consultant left.

It has become clear to me that the further we go into the 21st century the more important it will be for these pastors to have on-going coaching to achieve their goals. Our times are too complicated and tricky for most pastors to go it alone no matter how good marching orders a consultant may leave behind.

That is why I have shifted more and more of my ministry to both consulting and coaching. It is also why I’ve started what I think will be one of my best ministries.

In March of this year I will begin a new session of what I call the Next Level Coaching Network.  It is designed to help pastors lead their church through the next growth barrier.  I feel this is one of the best ministries I have done in the last 20 years and want to share it with you.

The Network is limited to a small number of lead pastors and includes, phone, Internet, pod and video casts, and in person coaching.

And the beauty of it is you don’t have to leave home to take advantage of it. 

If you want to see the benefits and how it works go to www.nextlevelcoachingnetwork.net