EdYoungBlog

"The Today Show" ... Yesterday

Lisa and I had the opportunity to be on The Today Show yesterday to talk about the important role women play in churches. And I said, I think the role of women is the soul of society!
 

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Back to the Basics, Again

I posted this video for the first time about a year and a half ago. But I think it's always important to remind ourselves of why we do what we do. It's all about getting back to the basics, again.

LisaYoungBlog.com

Lisa is starting her own blog! That’s right. Now you’ll have a chance to connect with her and hear straight from her online – right here.

And, as she says, "as long as there is purpose," she’ll be giving you some phenomenal personal insights and perspectives on life from the viewpoint of a wife, mother, and woman on the frontlines of ministry.

Let the blogging begin!

The Next Generation

For the past three weeks I've had the chance to speak to the students of Fellowship Church - something I would challenge every lead pastor to do every now and then. It gives you an opportunity to connect with the next generation. It helps you get a read on the pulse of your students. And you will definitely catch some seriously contagious energy! Check out what I'm talking about:


 

 

 

 

 




 

3 Big Wednesdays

If you're in the 7th-12th grade; or maybe you have a student who is, remember what I said this weekend.

"Bring them to church!"

I can't wait to connect with them at 3 Big Wednesdays! Check it out...

Family Fun Fest '09

It's not just another big, church event. It's the event of the summer.

At Fellowship, we've always believed the family is something worth celebrating. That's why this weekend we're hosting the biggest event in recent memory - Family Fun Fest '09.

Maybe you have a family of four or forty. Maybe you’re an empty-nester or a newly married couple. Or maybe you consider your closest friends to be your family. Whatever the case, bring everyone you can with you. It's something you don't want to miss!

Spur Leadership Conference '09

Leadership conferences are everywhere you turn. But how many have you heard of that bring together in one venue a state governor, a general in the U.S. Army, the vice president of one of technology's leading companies and some of the most passionate young church leaders today? Not many!

But this year, my good friend Mac Richard is doing just that at the Spur Leadership Conference on October 1-2.

Last year I had the opportunity to speak at the 1st Spur Conference, and it was amazing to see the potential in the leaders who were there. This wasn't your typical church leadership gathering! And this year, Spur is taking it to a 'hole 'nutha level! Mac is hosting speakers that include: 

    Governor Rick Perry
    General Tommy Franks 
    Steve Price, a vice president at Dell
    Kem Meyer from Granger Community Church
    Steven Furtick of Elevation Church
    ...and so many more.

I'm excited to see and hear about what emerges from these two days of leadership and creativity. If you are in leadership in any realm, from the home to the church to the corporate world, this is an experience you do not want to miss!

The Toughest 10%

It’s one of the most difficult things for any leader to do. It’s not very popular, but it’s very necessary. It’s moving people out. And as leaders in the church, we cannot be shy about it.

Over the last ten years, Fellowship Church has tried to do just that. It’s a principle that Jack Welch calls differentiation. Basically, Mr. Welch says a healthy organization regularly moves out 10% of its staff. He says, “Winning leaders invest where the payback is the highest. They cut their losses everywhere else."

In other words, great leaders regularly take a look at the organization and evaluate those who should stay and those who need to be moved out.

This isn’t to say that you don’t appreciate the work and blessing that those people brought to the table. God brings people into your organization for a reason. But oftentimes, it’s only for a season. There are situations where it is necessary to move certain people out so that you, and they, can continue to grow.

At Fellowship, we have grown more over the last 20 years through subtraction than through addition. Think of a body. For a physical body to grow and maintain vibrancy, it must regularly eliminate certain things. In the body of Christ, and especially when it comes to staff, the same principle applies.

When you regularly move people out, the results are phenomenal! Those people then have the opportunity to become a blessing, to be used by God somewhere else. You see those left who step up to fill the voids; those who help your church reach the next level. You experience a vibrancy, freshness and newness that may not have been present before. You are forced to think strategically about your resources. And you ultimately experience growth through the change. I call this the spin cycle of success. Change – Conflict – Growth.

For any organization to maintain life, it must remain fluid. Otherwise, it becomes stagnate. And as the living body of Chirst, we must recognize this and not be afraid to follow the steps to maintain vitality and life.

As a leader, don't be afraid to evaluate who is around you. Don't be shy about moving people out. God will continue to work through you. He will continue to use you and your organization for his purposes. And you will experience blessings that may have been blockaded before!

Summer - Blockbuster or Flop?

 (Guest post by Buddy Cremeans)

In the heat of the summer, visit any church in America and you would probably describe your encounter as a "lackluster experience" more than a "blockbuster experience." Not at Fellowship Church! Even the biggest critic couldn't argue their runaway smash summer success... At the Movies.

I had a suspicion the reviews were going to be good when we pulled into the parking lot of Fellowship's Miami campus to discover it was jam packed. Seriously, not a single space! The attendants kindly redirected us to a make shift grass parking lot and I immediately thought, "This is every pastor's dream! How can this be happening in the middle of the summer? Everybody is on vacation, right?"

Apparently not.

"And how can this be the same campus I visited two years ago when there was plenty of parking?"

Not any more.

You could instantly feel the movie buzz as my family and I walked onto the Miami campus. Blockbuster soundtrack anthems were amped outside, followed by the unmistakable aroma of popcorn popping that captured our senses. We were having a multisensory experience of creativity before we ever entered the church.

And what happened next? I burst out in laughter when I saw the entrance of the church. Everyone had to walk across the Red Carpet, which included a high-speed flash photographer, paparazzi style! Unbelievable!

Next, we were ushered off to find seats (none of those left either) to experience passionate worship and an unforgettable message woven seamlessly into the movie, "Gladiator." Now every time I see or hear about that movie I will think about Ed's message on betrayal.

"God's purposes are bigger than our perpetrators."

Thank you, Ed. I now understand why the parking lot was full. FC Miami's ingenuity and hospitality made everyone feel like a VIP. Thank you, Fellowship Church, for reminding us all of the privilege we have in playing a role in sharing the Gospel story!

A Quick Shout Out

When it comes to creativity, I think it's good to borrow ideas from other leaders. I think it's important. But I think it's even more important to give credit where credit is due. So I want to give a quick shout out to my good friend, Craig Groeschel. Every now and then, Craig and I will call or text just to bounce ideas off of one another.

I always say, "God gave you eyes, plagerize." Of course, I don't mean that literally. But I do think we need to look at the ideas from other leaders and use them within our own contexts. Over the next several weeks, I'll be talking more and more about this.

But that's one of the main reasons for CreativePastors.com. I want to help you bring as much creativity to your church as possible. And we're getting more and more leaders to contribute their resources to bring more and more creativity your way. No matter what size your church is; whether it's urban or rural, you'll find ideas that work for you.

And a while back, Craig brought up a phenomenal idea for a series - an idea that became At the Movies at Fellowship Church. For the past month, this series has been one of the most popular series we've ever done.

So thanks for the initial idea, Craig. We took what you had and put it through our own creative filter at Fellowship. And to give you a quick glimpse of the influence it's had, here's a snapshot from our Miami campus last weekend.

Thanks again, Craig. God used you more than you may ever know!