MIM Ezine, October 6, 2006

-- Book Review: Your Life in Christ: The Nature of God and His Work in Human Hearts, by George MacDonald, reviewed by Teena M. Stewart.

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Bob Cramer dialed the number he had memorized sometime ago. It was Joann Sampson, one of the key leaders in the congregation and a vice president in the local community college. Over the years she had become a leadership coach for Bob. They had a monthly phone appointment to talk about leadership, and Bob had learned a lot, but he was overwhelmed this morning.

Last night the church council had met to review their priorities of the past year and tweak them for the coming year. Bob felt his plate was already full and was even finding it difficult to get a day off. He also felt that he was frequently shortchanging his sermon preparation with the pressures that were placed on him, and didn’t think he could handle one more key priority.

He called Joann and caught her at a good time. She listened carefully as he unloaded his frustrations for a full 15 minutes. When he paused long enough to take a breath, she commented, “Eighty percent of your accomplishments come from twenty percent of your effort. Of all that you do, what is the most productive?”

Bob was stumped. First, he was stunned to hear the 80/20 rule applied in that way. In fact, he wasn’t sure he agreed with her. Secondly, he was baffled to think that some of what he did was, in reality, not all that effective or useful. How would he evaluate that?

Since Joann had another appointment waiting, she suggested he make a chart with two columns. In the first column, Bob would list all the tasks and responsibilities he managed. The second column opposite each task, he would list the outcomes of each of those tasks and responsibilities. Then they set an appointment for another phone call in a week.

Bob pulled out a piece of scrap paper and started listing his tasks. They included the typical things for a pastor, such as sermon preparation, hospital visitation, devotions for the church council meeting, writing a couple of articles for the monthly newsletter, preparing for and conducting a weekly Bible study, meeting with several different committees, responding to requests for counseling or prayer, and a few community or judicatory meetings. Nearly every pastoral leader could fill out a similar list.

It was the second column that was more difficult. What were the outcomes of all these responsibilities? How does one measure “productivity” in a ministry setting? Bob tried to create a set of possible criteria that would help him evaluate what resulted from his efforts, such as the number of people he was engaging. Obviously, Bob engaged more people in preaching than he did in hospital visitation. Did that make preaching more “productive” than hospital visitation?

Bob’s column in the monthly newsletter contacted a lot of people, but his engagement in the Bible study was a much deeper connection and a higher quality involvement. Would the Bible study be considered more “productive” than the newsletter?

Bob stopped in later that afternoon after a few hospital visits to check his email and saw a note from Joann. She asked, “What is your mission? And how does that mission direct and shape your productivity?”

Good questions, he thought. There was that “productivity” word again. It just didn’t seem to fit ministry. How was he going to make sense of this? And how was this going to affect his already overwhelmed schedule?

After further thought he realized how Joann’s comment about the 80/20 rule can be applied . The way to work smarter as opposed to working harder is to recognize what 20% creates the 80% impact of one’s leadership. To increase that impact is to focus more attention on the “productive” 20% and less attention/effort in the 80% that only produces 20% of one’s accomplishments.

For example, if Bob recognizes that his preaching is part of that 20% that is most significant and his preparing of devotions is not; then he might give less effort to the Council devotions and more time to his preaching. He could borrow material from a devotional book or a web site. Or he could delegate the task to other key leaders in the church.

If Bob’s work with the leadership development committee is more important than his attendance at the local ministry association, he could recruit a key leader to participate in the local ministry association. He could phone a friend in the association to make sure he attended when it was critical, and fulfilled other commitments when it was not.

Joann’s comments about mission became more critical. How much of what a leader does has little to do with the actual mission and focus of a congregation? What should a leader give up to focus on that mission?

I enjoy planning and developing things: worship services, meetings, projects, events, etc. However, in my leadership role that task is not needed. I have other staff who are skilled and prepared to do that. If my team is going to be “productive” and accomplish the mission; I need to let go of things other people can do and focus on those few things that only I can do.

My job is to focus on articulating the vision and connecting people to that mission through their gifts and strengths. I often share with my staff my vision of how I see the churches developing in the years to come and who I see in that picture. I often unpack my values in a variety of situations so my staff understand why I expect certain outcomes. Then, I turn around and ask them to tell me what to do. It is not because I am clueless, although they might give you a different story. It is because they are connecting the vision and the values with the plans and arrangements they have developed. If they are confused or stumped, I step in to help work out details, but it is usually far less necessary than I think. Most of the time if I am clear about the vision and the values, they are clear about what needs to be accomplished. I focus on my 20% and it helps them to focus on our team’s 20%.

What is your 20% that leads to 80% of your leadership impact? What can you let go or delegate to someone else? How can you put time in your calendar to work on that 20%? Who can you develop to take over part of your tasks that will become their 20%? Who can help you assess where you are most effective?

Tom Hanover has served in a variety of pastoral leadership roles for over 30 years, the last four as a District Superintendent supervising the ministries of more than 100 pastors and churches in southwest Ohio. He has a BA (cum laude) from Taylor University, and MDiv and DMin degrees from United Theological Seminary in Dayton.

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Jenny* went on a short term mission trip and came back fired up about serving God. She was so excited she wanted to go back again the same year and was even talking about becoming a full-time missionary. Her spouse, however, was not a Christ-follower and when she shared her plan with him he became very angry. Tongue in cheek, he told her to go, but also indicated he didn’t care if she came back. What should Jenny have done: ignored her spouse and gone ahead, divorced him because they were not getting along anyway, done nothing, or found a ministry opportunity somewhere locally?

Pastor Craig* and his wife felt unsettled regarding where they were currently serving and sensed it was time to look for a position elsewhere. He sent his resume to one of several churches that seemed like a fit for his gifts. The church invited him and his wife out for an interview which seemed to go well. He met with the church’s two senior pastors. The elders, however, did not feel he was the right man for the job. Because the pastors and elders could not agree on calling the pastor they decided against it.

A growing church attempted to build a new facility. They spent countless dollars and labor working around legalistic red tape and resistance to churches in general. Much of the funds they had hoped to use for the building went to pay for revisions to the building plan and other requirements created by those in political or community power. The process of approval took years but finally after many years the physical church building was nearly finished. The church staff and key leaders planned a huge celebration for church members and visitors for the projected move in date. But even this plan involved detours. Every time they tried to nail down a move in date, there was another delay created by the contractor.

Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (NIV)

Nearly everyone has experienced ministry detours. We may feel convinced God is calling us to do something, but then find the way blocked when we try to proceed. Does this mean we are not following God’s will? Yes and . . . no. There are no simple answers to why detours arise. But I believe the answers to why they occur have much to do with where we are spiritually and what God knows is best for us. We see the finite picture. He sees the panoramic view. If you have experienced a discouraging detour keep the following in mind.

Ministry detours can be discouraging and even heart-breaking. They can also cause friction, but they happen to everyone. How we deal with them reveals our Godly character and helps us grow toward spiritual maturity. “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Teena Stewart is a published writer, a ministry consultant and coach, and a product developer for Ministry in Motion. You can email her at smartwords@sbcglobal.net. To learn more about Teena, her writing, and consulting services, click here.

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Book Review – Your Life in Christ: The Nature of God and His Work in Human Hearts

George MacDonald, Edited by Michael Phillips, 2005, Bethany House, 261 page, ISBN #0764200828

C. S. Lewis called Scottish Victorian writer George MacDonald his mentor. And those familiar with both Lewis’ and MacDonald’s works of fantasy will no doubt see MacDonald’s influence on Lewis.

Before he turned to writing, MacDonald was a clergyman. A free-thinker, boldly unafraid to express his often non-conformist ideas, MacDonald had a gift for seeing the scripture with fresh eyes. Unfortunately his perceptions caused some during his time to be uncomfortable with his ideas. Eventually he found greater success and acceptance as a lecturer, fantasy writer, novelist, poet and essayist. He was widely popular in his day, but much of his work has fallen into obscurity. One reason is because of the elaborate and often lengthy sentences written in the era of the day, coupled with his Scottish dialect and complex thoughts. Modern readers prefer simpler readings.

Michael Phillips has done a superb job compiling and editing MacDonald’s writings from some of his sermons, shortening and adding clarity where needed. Even this revised compilation is a difficult to grasp. Phillips admits he found it challenging too. And yet, there is great value for those willing to persevere through MacDonald’s writings.

Your Life in Christ ponders the nature of God and how that applies to our response to Him and our transformation. Phillips wrote, “I consider “The Creation in Christ” one of MacDonald’s most original and theologically courageous works, placing him in the first rank of history’s Christian thinkers. . .In it he examines the very heart of the Godhead and the origins of creation itself, delving into the mysteries of the unique roles occupied by the Father and Son.”

The book covers eight sermons: The Creation in Christ, Life, Self-Denial, Freedom, Abba, Father, Opinion and Truth, The Mirrors of the Lord and the God of the Living. After each chapter Phillips includes his own commentary on the preceding theme. He adds clarity and while highlighting specific excerpts. Phillips does an excellent job.

Those who enjoy reading great theologians will not want to pass up this book. Great theological thinkers like MacDonald are few, and even today he words remain remarkably applicable. MacDonald courageously teaches us to question what we believe to find the truth and not to hold something as truth because theologians have declared it to be so.

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MIM Ezine - October 6, 2006