5 Leadership Books Worth Reading

Recently I talked with a senior partner of TAG Consulting, Kurt Andre. Among his many talents, Kurt is a certified Executive Leadership Coach. So I asked him which books on leadership he finds the most helpful. Here are his top 5:

1. Leadership Without Easy Answers, by Ronald A. Heifetz

Seminary equipped me to do many things, but not to tackle the complex challenges in leading the church. Heifetz distinguishes between problems that can be solved through expertise (technical problems) and problems that require innovative approaches, including preserving a church’s unique identity or code and the consideration of the church’s values (adaptive problems). For the church, an adaptive problem could include engaging a community whose demographic no longer reflects the church, buildings whose structure no longer meet the needs of today’s ministry, or navigating the tension between discipleship and outreach. Heifetz identifies four major strategies of leadership: (1) approach problems as adaptive challenges, and diagnose the situation in light of the values involved; (2) regulate the "heat in the kitchen" caused by confronting issues that increase people’s anxiety, by pacing the congregation through change; (3) focus on what is important versus what others say is important to them, and (4) shift the ownership for problems from the leadership (the pastor or elders/deacons or council) to all those affected by the necessary change.

2. Leadership on the Line, by Marty Linsky and Ronald A. Heifetz

Linsky joins Heifetz and gives practical application, case studies and concrete skills necessary for any leader. Through experimentation and constant adjustment leaders can successfully navigate change by using "adaptive leadership skills": "Getting on the balcony" (meaning gaining perspective on the situation), engaging all the stakeholders, orchestrating conflict, giving back the work, holding steady, managing one’s own hungers, and staying anchored. An adaptive leader can answer the question of why anyone would choose to lead, and lead from the heart. This is a must-read for any church leader hoping to engage his or her congregation on the journey of transformation.

3. Leading Change, by John Kotter

Every church wishing to successfully navigate change must embrace the reality that it’s a journey--not the result of a conference, a sermon series or a staff hire. Rather, churches who successfully navigate change to become an agent of transformation must go through key phases: establishing urgency, engaging the congregation, creating and communicating a vision, empowering others, planning for and achieving short-term wins, keeping the momentum going forward and institutionalizing new approaches.

4. The Fifth Discipline, by Peter Senge

One of my life goals is to become a professional amateur--someone who is really good at learning. With today’s accelerated rate of change, those organizations (business or church) who can learn how to learn, will remain relevant. Senge draws the blueprints for an organization where people expand their capacity to create results, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning how to learn together.

5. Leadership and the New Science, by Meg Wheatley

So what do Newtonian physics and quantum physics and chaos theory have to do with how we understand organizations, and specifically the church? Wheatley takes us on a mind-bending journey, putting into easily understood terms how we understand organizations and how Newton’s mechanistic model of the universe fails to explain the world we live in. Wheatley claims that the old model of organizations does not accurately or fully explain what goes on when people come together in organizations.

This piece first appeared on BuildingForMinistry.com. Building For Ministry is a new online resource combining the wisdom of Cornerstone Knowledge Network and Christianity Today International. Sign up for your free enewsletter today.

Is It Time To Build? 10 Questions to Ask

In early 2008, we made the decision at Fairhaven Church to move forward with an $8 million construction project, even as the signs of recession popped up everywhere. Reports of other churches delaying or canceling plans for expansion were easy to find. We concluded that we should move ahead carefully, yet confidently.

Why? What questions did we wrestle through that led us to conclude that moving forward was the right decision?

Below are 10 questions to help you galvanize the issues that are important in balancing the uncertainties of the economy with the need for building expansion:

1. Is the vision for the project clearly understood, and can it be clearly articulated in the context of church mission? If the vision is not crystal clear in the minds of the staff and leadership and cannot be articulated easily and clearly, then more work needs to be done.
2. Is the church leadership in favor of moving forward? There must be consensus among the board--those who will serve as ambassadors throughout the church community.
3. Is current giving strong? If giving toward the general budget is not strong, it is difficult to make the case that additional giving will be available to support a capital project.
4. Has God already shown His favor in some way to indicate a reason to move forward? God often gives us indications of his favor through extraordinary circumstances that can form a basis for trusting him for moving ahead: land or funds that suddenly become available, zoning obstacles that unexpectedly fall in our favor, and so on.
5. Is there some bubbling of support among the church family to move forward? It's often more important to count the "yes" votes than the "no" votes. When significant opinion leaders and other committed laity express their support for moving forward, that can be a good indicator that action will be viewed positively by the congregation at large.
6. Are costs of construction going to increase at a rate where our ability to afford what we need will be in question? If, for example, construction costs are expected to increase 20 percent over the next year, a $10 million project suddenly becomes a $12 million project--with no additional scope. That can be a compelling consideration.
7. Will church momentum be lost if we do not act now? This is an abstract consideration, but an important one. Delay can often take the wind out of the momentum of exciting opportunities to expand our outreach and impact.
8. Do we expect the economics of the decision to change dramatically in the near future? For instance, if there will be the potential for greater contributions in the future that are not possible today, then delay may be attractive. But if the economics are not likely to change, then what would be the compelling reason to delay?
9. Are there incremental steps that can be taken that will move the process forward while still allowing points-of-course correction? There often are significant steps that can be taken that will require incremental commitment, but allow the opportunity for points of reevaluation.
10. What would life and ministry be like if we do nothing? If ministry will be choked, people discouraged, and opportunities lost, then those costs must be carefully weighed. On the other hand, if there are not serious costs to the ministry and mission of the church through delay, then it may be wise to wait until the economic situation becomes more clear.

Smart, Inexpensive Church Building Design Ideas

Walk the streets of Disney World, and visitors are transported into a magical world of creativity and inspiration. Mel McGowan, a former Disney Imagineer and now president of Visioneering Studios, a national church architecture firm, brings this same expectation for creativity and inspiration to ministry facilities.

When McGowan speaks at the Cornerstone Knowledge Network conferences, WFX, and other facilities-related events, he shows slides of churches he has designed. Invariably there is murmuring in the crowd: "Those are really neat churches, but they must have cost a fortune." "We could never afford a church like that?"

At first glance, people assume the level of excellence represented in these church designs equates to top-dollar budgets. McGowan is intent on busting this myth. With the right materials and intentional design, he contends, churches can create sacred space that captures their uniqueness within the parameters of their budget. Case in point: Crossroads Christian Church in Corona, California.

Continue reading this post on BuildingForMinistry.com.

Prevent Volunteer Burnout

Josh was one of the most zealous workers we'd seen at church, but I realized he was three steps beyond "weary in well doing" when I read his letter: "My walk with the Lord is nonexistent. I've allowed the pressure of church work to crowd out time with God. Now it seems impossible to get back in touch with him. We've also gotten seriously into debt, and I've been trying to do 'ministry' while working five part-time jobs. I'm short with my wife and kids, and we're having problems. I'd like to talk to you."

To keep volunteers from stagnation, frustration, and burnout, I'm learning from several examples in Scripture.

Nehemiah: Create Systems

Jim, who was in charge of our buildings and grounds, once planned a church workday. Several dozen people sacrificed extra sleep for thankless toil. But I was disappointed to find that Jim hadn't organized the activities. A hallway needed painting; there were no paint cans, brushes, or drop cloths. Floors needed mopping; one old mop and pail occupied the janitor's closet. Most of us stood around trying to look busy, thoroughly frustrated. And only two people showed up for the next workday—so I was told.

Nehemiah went about it differently. He created systems. The projected wall was divided into manageable sections with clearly defined tasks. Some were stationed as watchmen, others as soldiers. Others provided food. Workers hauled off debris as it accumulated. Everyone understood his or her part, and the wall went up.

Local churches are difficult places to create efficient systems, for they are volunteer organizations made up of people with varying levels of ability, maturity, and dedication. Several things have helped us create or maintain systems.

Periodic retreats with staff or lay leaders are worth every penny. We get away to the mountains semiannually to look at our church ministries. We ask, "What systems must be in place, working effectively, to accomplish together what God wants us to do?" We develop organizational charts (a simpler task than it sounds, thanks to computer software).

Our staff met in Cincinnati once to take in a Reds' game and to isolate ourselves for two days of evaluation and planning. While away, we learned that the wife of our oldest member had fallen ill. By long distance, we referred the need to the man's Sunday school class with its teacher, lay pastor, and tight circle of friendships. I was upset to learn later that no one called, visited, prepared food, or prayed with the family.

We treated it as a systems failure: "Houston, we have a problem." We met with class leaders to find out where the caring process broke down. We were careful not to be critical, just concerned. Everyone now understands the processes better, and I don't expect a recurring problem.

It takes longer to solve problems on a systems level. It's demanding to both minister and administer. But somewhere near or at the top of a productive, motivated organization is a Nehemiah.

Syzygus: Reduce Friction

During an intense capital stewardship campaign, two of our workers argued over decorations for the celebration supper. Claude had acquired 300 pine seedlings, thinking they could be potted in cups and placed at each dinner setting. "People can plant their pines as symbols of our growth," he said. "They'll always be reminded, seeing their trees, of this period in our church's life."

It was a good idea, but it didn't suit the decorations planned by Anne, who visualized fine china and tasteful elegance—not pine trees and potting soil. They had a terrible row, and I hurried over to Claude's house, where his wife met me at the car, wringing her hands. "Have you come to help us with our problem?" she asked. I nodded grimly and went inside. When Claude told me his side of the story, I sensed he'd lost his temper and spoken harshly to Anne. "Claude," I said, "you've got to visit her and apologize."

"I did!" he said. "I did apologize. It didn't do any good."

"What did you say?" I asked.

"I told her I was sorry."

"You did?"

"Yes," he said, voice rising. "I told her I was sorry she was acting so immaturely."

It took all my powers of diplomacy to patch things up (we finally stuck the trees in elegant little flowerpots and handed them out as people left the ballroom), but both families eventually left the church.

Interpersonal conflict is a primary cause of burnout, so we take on the role of the loyal yokefellow. Paul uses this principle with Syzygus in his letter to the Philippians: "I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. … Syzygus, since you're right there to help them work things out, do your best with them" (Philippians 4:2-3, The Message).

So we strive to mediate or prevent conflict. We're arranging lunch with a member of our missions team who has been unusually silent during the last few meetings—or absent altogether. I think she's upset, and I'd like to talk with her. Syzygus would have.

Paul: Give Recognition

Ever heard of Urbanus, Apelles, Tryphena, and Tryphosa? They weren't the most famous New Testament servants, but they must have beamed when the apostle Paul mentioned their hard work in his letter to the Romans. Paul's example prompted us to create opportunities like these:

* While showing slides during the prelude or offertory on selected Sundays, highlight workers in various areas of church life.
* Host an annual "Lay Ministry Sunday" with videos, testimonies, sermons, and sometimes a staff-hosted dinner for recognizing faithful workers.
* Create videos of special events, such as our annual Kids' Jamboree. Then show two videos on successive Sundays—one featuring the kids, the other highlighting our workers.
* Publish profiles of volunteers in our church newsletter.
* Notes, calls, words of love, and lots of hugs from staff and members.
* Select annually a "Lay Minister of the Year." One year's recipient was director of our teen choir. When Missy came forward to receive her plaque, teens from all over the audience rose spontaneously, joined her, and sang their theme to her, "Heaven Is Counting on You."

We can't do that every week, but we monitor and nurture morale all the time. That means becoming like Nehemiah, Syzygus, and Paul. And that means work.

But nothing works without it.

Guard Against Copper Thieves

Copper remains a popular target for thieves because of the metal’s potential re-sale value.

Thieves steal anything containing copper in order to turn a quick profit. Air conditioning units, gutters, electrical wiring, pipes—all of these items are ripe for the picking. Even rooftop heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are being vandalized.

In the recent past, one Alabama church had its air conditioning units stolen twice in 10 days. Each time, thieves got about $300 worth of copper, and the church had to pay more than $3,000 for replacements. A church in Detroit, Michigan, spent more than $50,000 to replace heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units damaged by copper thieves.

In October 2009, thieves stole copper downspouts three times in a two-month span from a Massachusetts church. An article in the local paper said the value of scrap copper has diminished in recent months, but the article indicated copper thefts remain an option of choice, especially “to someone who’s obviously desperate,” the town’s chief of detectives said.

Here are some practical steps to protect church property from copper thieves:

Hinder Access

Thieves are opportunists. They want easy access, so they can get what they want quickly and escape without notice. By hindering access and making detection more likely, you can reduce your risk of becoming a victim.

- Place a cage or fence around air conditioning units.

- Secure the electrical power shut-off switch. Move the switch, if it’s located near the air conditioning units.

- Enclose church property with a secure fence.

- Post “no trespassing” signs.

- Remove ladders and other items offering easy access to rooftop HVAC units.

- Replace copper downspouts with other materials.

- Store vehicles inside locked garages or sheds. If that’s not an option, have members drive vehicles home each night, so they’re not left in parking lots.

- Don’t leave copper plumbing, gutters, or wiring on construction sites.

Improve the Likelihood of Detection

- Increase lighting around HVAC units and places where thieves might hide.

- Install alarms on HVAC units.

- Use security cameras to monitor target areas.

- Ask church members to drive past the church when they’re in the neighborhood, looking for suspicious cars, people, or activity.

- Invite church neighbors to call police if they notice unusual activity.

- Have local police patrol your property regularly during evening and night hours.

- Ask your local police or fire department if they’ll do a free assessment and offer tips for improving your property’s security.

For additional help on securing church property, be sure to check out these electronic training resources from ChurchSafety.com:

- Securing Church Property

- Preventing Crime on Church Property

- Safeguard Your Building Projects

This article first appeared on Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company’s website.

Church Budgets: How Much for Staff, Buildings, and Ministry?

Paul Clark, one of Your Church's contributing editors, wrote an interesting post this week on his blog. Paul is an executive pastor who at one time spent several years in a managerial role with General Electric. His business background gives him an interesting perspective on how churches operate.

This week, Paul challenges three common questions often asked among church administrators: What percentage of a church's budget should go toward personnel expenses? Facilities? Ministries?

He writes:

"Those are great questions, but they are a bit narrow in their scope. The reality is that a church budget is a reflection of the overall strategy and focus of the church in a given calendar year. That focus can change from year to year and consequently, the budget percentages will change accordingly."

Paul then illustrates what he means, making the case for projecting expenses further into the future to truly understand overall budget ramifications.

Earlier this year, Your Church did a comprehensive survey with church leaders regarding church budget priorities.

The average breakdown in expenses for church operating budgets, based on responses from 1,168 church leaders:

- 38% toward salaries and wages
- 12% toward buildings/facilities
- 8% toward utilities
- 7% toward ministries and support

Our survey participants mostly hail from small- to mid-sized churches; organizations like NACBA and Leadership Network, both of which typically survey larger churches, report salaries and wages, on average, take up 45% to 50% of church operating budgets.

Like Paul asks, how does your church assess these expenses, and how those expenses reflect--or don't reflect--the church's direction now and in the future? Is an analysis like Paul proposes more instructive for current and future church budget planning?

How to Interview Your Next Church

One day, I received an e-mail from a senior pastor I didn’t know who leads The Chapel, an 11,000-person church in Ohio. As the founder of XPastor.org, I get a good number of “can you help me?” e-mails. In this case, Paul was looking for a new executive pastor. As I always do, I replied with some ideas on how to find one.

Paul wrote back with more thoughts, and before long, we sensed God was doing something. We began to talk about me coming to partner with him as his executive pastor. This caused me to shift from being an impartial consultant to being personally involved!

Before I took off my XPastor.org hat, I planned how best to approach an interview process. My conclusion: Although this church’s leaders needed to interview me, it was vital that I interview them, too!

Todd Wagner, the lead pastor of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, once said, “The best place to get fired is in the interview.”

The place to determine “fit” is in the interview, not in the first six months of the new ministry. I had to interview The Chapel so that I could determine my fit.

1. Develop Your Questions

I developed questions in five categories (you can find all the questions on the Hiring Questions page of XPastor.org):

Staff Culture

- What is the work culture?
- Is it a "Mac or PC?" culture?
- What is the style of communication?
- What is the strength of relationships?
- What are the office hours?
- Does the staff function in teams, solo, or silo?

Administration

- What is the budget process?
- What is the hiring style?
- Can you describe the nature of any recent terminations?
- What is the process of setting goals and vision alignment?

Leadership and Governance

- What is the church’s governance style?
- What are the board’s issues and style?
- What are the church’s vision and values?
- Are the church’s ministries aligned with the vision?

Church Issues

- What is the history of the church?
- What is its doctrine?
- What are its unique ministries?
- What are some past hurts?
- Is the church stagnant, multi-site, or planning for growth?

City

- What are the demographic data of the city? (Check out www.census.gov)
- Are the congregants white collar or blue collar, rural or urbanized?

2. Interview the Senior Pastor

In my case, the senior pastor contacted me, so it was easy to start at the top. We talked by phone, and then Paul offered to come to Austin, Texas, for a visit. I countered with “stay in our home if you like.” Just before the visit, Paul asked, “Can my wife, Sue, come along?” Clearly, this visit would be a great way to see if we meshed!

When Paul came, we discussed the how and why of ministry, the needs of his church and what he wanted in an executive pastor. We went over the church’s organization, envisioned the future, and reviewed staffing issues. Along the way, I also listened to his sermons on the internet.

After Paul’s visit, the outgoing co-senior pastor called me. We had a tremendous discussion; I got his perspective on the church and what Paul would need in the future. I listened to his sermons, too, to get to know what the people had heard in his tenure.

You may or may not be able to talk much to the senior pastor. Learn all you can through websites, blogs, even articles in the bulletin that the senior pastor may write. Carefully study the vision of the senior pastor and how it is lived out in the church.

3. Interview the Staff Leaders

A week after Paul and Sue stayed at our house, I asked to have three rounds of telephone conversations with key staff leaders. I didn’t approach these like interviews but more like “getting-to-know-you discussions.” I wanted to be much better prepared to meet them face to face, and the three rounds of telephone discussions enabled that.

The staff leaders surprised me! They had lots of questions for me. We had lively discussions in each 45-minute phone call. After the second call, I sent them a list of questions about their perceptions of the executive pastor role for our third round of telephone talks.

Depending on the size of the church, you may be talking with paid or volunteer staff. Invest time to get to know them, to pray with them, and to understand their issues and concerns.

4. Obtain Hard Data

As the weeks went on, I needed more information. Some of the items that I needed are sensitive and proprietary (and if the church won’t give you the information, scour the church’s bulletin and website, and the online archives of the local newspaper to find similar data):

- Constitution, doctrinal statement and other key governance documents;
- A history of the church;
- Brochures, visitor letters, new member packets, and departmental information;
- Donation history, balance sheets, audited statements, and explanations for any for-profit activity, such as a bookstore;
- Worship attendance for four years;
- The employee policy manual and other policies for managing the church;
- Zip code or demographic analysis of the church;
- Staff bios with pictures.

Paul’s great assistant sent me this wide variety of information, enabling me to get a peek at the inner workings of the church.

About this time, Paul and I began to discuss a possible job description. We began to define the expectations and how we could put those in to print.

5. In-Person Discussions

The first four steps can happen before you set foot on the church campus. When you visit, continue your interviews. Talk to people in the foyer and see how visitors are treated. Confirm your hunches. Create informed opinions about the church.

Final Thoughts

The leaders of a church need to interview you during a job selection process, but you must interview the church, too. Through the process, you need to reach a point where you can conclude that:

- You are a good fit and can work with the church leadership;
- The church’s current issues and long-term needs are known to you;
- You can fulfill the ministry description for your role.

When The Chapel made a formal offer to hire me, I was ready for great ministry because I studied the church for five months.

Become an expert on your next church before you sign on the dotted line!

10 Questions to Ask About Your Church’s Communications

Editor’s Note: Scott Vaughn, a church communications consultant, recently posed these questions in a discussion forum for church administrators. Vaughn, whose firm helps churches and faith organizations, is quoted extensively in “Bringing Joy to the World: A communications strategy to reach more people at Christmas—and beyond,” which appears in our current issue of Your Church magazine. We thought the questions serve as a helpful, quick assessment for church leaders and administrators; many of the themes addressed here also are covered in other articles of our current issue, including best practices for websites and using tech and nontech approaches for communicating with members and the community:

As you approach 2010, consider these 10 questions to discuss your church’s communication efforts:

1. How does our current communications methodology compare to what we were
doing five years ago? Are we changing with the way people in our church are
communicating?

2. Do we talk about a communications budget as an expense or an investment? Are
we strategic in using our communication to advance our mission to make
followers of Jesus? (Remember, a successful communications strategy leads to increases in participation and giving to the budget).

3. Are we talking with, and listening to, our members and attendees and making
adjustments in how they want to “receive” information from us?

4. Is more than 50 percent of our communications budget needlessly paying printing costs?

5. Who do we visualize as the primary user of our website? Is the website
streamlined for that user?

6. What are the technological competencies of our communications staff? Are we
investing in that?

7. Are we making knee-jerk and last-minute decisions related to
communication that could lead to over-spending and poor spending?

8. Are we budgeting $100 per household to reach and keep families? How much are
we investing, through communication, to strengthen relationships with each
family? How does that compare to the world’s investment to keep families
away from us?

9. What inexpensive or no-cost ways are we exploring to communicate with
people?

10. What systems are in place to quickly build one-on-one and one-to-few
relationships with people at the front doors and ministry entrances to our
church?

Top 5 Reasons Churches Wind Up in Court

For many years, I've closely reviewed litigation involving churches to identify patterns that pastors and leaders can use to assess their own risks and potential vulnerabilities. In 2008, the following five types of cases brought churches to court more than any others:

1. Sexual Abuse of a Minor (15 percent of cases). Sadly, this type of case is typically the No. 1 or No. 2 reason churches wind up in court every year.

2. Property Disputes (13 percent of cases).

3. Zoning (10 percent of cases).

4. Personal Injury (9 percent of cases). This is a Top 4 issue every year.

5. Tax (7 percent of cases).

Based on this ongoing analysis, churches should note the following major risk categories they face and work to evaluate (and to minimize) their own risks:

1. Sexual misconduct. For more resources and help on preventing child sexual abuse, turn to our "Reducing the Risk, 3rd Edition." To learn more about sexual misconduct issues in churches, see Your Church's article and Executive Report.

2. Property. I cover issues of church property law extensively in Volume 2 of "Pastor, Church, & Law, 4th Edition."

3. Employment. I cover employment law issues extensively in Volume 3 of "Pastor, Church, & Law, 4th Edition."

You can also find helpful resources related to employment law on ChurchSafety.com, where I serve as an "expert" advisor: http://www.churchsafety.com/topics/staff/

4. Zoning. Be sure to see my exhaustive coverage of this topic in Volume 3 of "Pastor, Church, & Law, 4th Edition."

5. Personal Injury. For resources that can help with limiting liabilities for incidents of personal injuries on church property, visit ChurchSafety.com (http://www.churchsafety.com/topics/property/) and check out our risk management resources and checklists located here.

Simple Tips to Prepare for a Pandemic

As a ministry leader, you may be wondering what you can do to keep your congregation healthy. Here are some important steps you can take to reduce the spread of the flu within your own faith community.

Read through the tips below, then take our free online assessment to see if your church is ready to communicate to staff and congregants during a pandemic.

From there, check out our electronic training resource, "Preparing Your Church for a Pandemic," on ChurchSafety.com.

Stop the Spread

Physical contact. To decrease the risk of the virus spreading through handshakes and other routine touch, your pastors and lay leaders may want to make known that they are suspending physical contact and ask that the congregants respect those in the congregation who wish to do the same.

Make it easy. Encourage your people to wash their hands frequently. Help them out by placing hand sanitizers throughout your building, and encourage your congregation to use them throughout the worship time.

Clean more regularly. During a heightened time of risk for illness, nursery workers should try their hardest to keep toys from passing from child to child. The nursery should also be completely disinfected after each service or event.

The kitchen or coffee area is another place of concern since it's where many people will congregate at a time. If you have food out on Sunday mornings remind people to "take what they touch" and to throw away all garbage as soon as they're finished.

Prepare Your Staff

Create job handbooks. If you don't already have them, create job handbooks for each of the pastoral and administrative positions in your church. This will continue to give your staff and church direction if a staff member is out of commission for a long period of time.

Ask them to leave. Establish mandatory staff leave for ill employees (or those caring for ill family members). This will reduce the possibility of spreading the infection among healthy co-workers.