Dear Velocity…
Dear Velocity, I want to thank you for the honor and joy of serving with you over these last 7 years. It's hard to believe this Sunday will be my last as a staff member of Velocity. I remember the first time Scott sat in my living room sharing his vision for a new church. It would be a place broken people who felt far from God would feel loved and reconnect with their heavenly father. This church would not only change the way people thought about God, but also impact the city- because Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. This dream became ...
Why People with Small Children Don’t Write Devotionals
The First Step… I admit my life can be a little crazy. It includes 3 young kids, coaching two soccer teams, my wife and I leading two separate groups, each having full time jobs, meetings, etc., etc. I console myself with the fact that this craziness will only last a season- although that season will continue for another 15 years! As my wife and I compare weekly schedules, I’ll look towards our 2 year old and joke, ‘Well, the good news is there will soon be one more kid's activities to add into the mix!" The Problem I’ve recently read two books ...
How to Have Hard Conversations #’s 2 & 3
No Fun No one looks forward to having difficult conversations. I don't believe I've ever heard someone say, "I can't wait to tell my friend how upset I was with what they did last week!" But, having said that, I've found that difficult conversations have the potential to strengthen your relationship with others more than most things. Many of you won't believe me. If you don't, then I'd encourage you to read part 1 of this blog post series because how we perceive these types of conversations makes all the difference in how they'll turn out. If you view them ...
How Wins Build Momentum
If you lead a team, of any sort, winning is important! Last week we talked about how to determine what it looks like for your team to win. Now, let’s talk about building wins! Wins are the fuel that keep your group going and your people excited. Wins build momentum like a wave as it heads toward shore. As your team wins, it will build excitement and buy-in from the people on your team. They’ll then be willing to give more and invest more, because they know it’s worth it and it matters. But, the question is, once you know ...
Is Your Team Winning?
Winning? I admit it, I like to win. My wife makes fun of me for turning everything into a competition. A few of the bigger fights we’ve had in our marriage revolved around her amazing ability to beat me in most games (I’m looking at you Settlers of Catan). As you can imagine, being competitive is not always good, and I’m working on it (hoping to become the least competitive of all my friends). But, there is a good side to competition. Winning teams change the world. A winning team of doctors may keep you alive. A winning team of ...
I Believe in Leaders Who…
Last week I was meeting with a group of 15 leaders from Velocity and I asked them to finish the sentence, "I believe in leaders who..." I thought I'd share the list of characteristics they came up with. I believe in leaders who... Listen Don't ask people to do things they aren't willing to do themselves (leads by example) Value people on the team Give constructive criticism Help you grow Are Approachable... Kind Patient Reliable Genuine Involved Open to ideas Balanced Courageous Consistent Creative I'm sure there's many more things we could have come up with, but this was our ...
Tools to Grow Over the Summer
Summer is a funny time. School ends for children and there's something in the American psyche that says, "Vacation." Summer may be a great time for vacation, but as a leader, it's also a great time to grow. Summer's probably a great time to give the people you lead a little space. It's not the time of year you'll be pushing hard and casting vision. So, take some time over the next two months to develop yourself personally. I thought I'd share a few tools you can use to grow. 1. Podcasts There are all sorts of Podcasts out there ...
3 Things the Church Can Learn from the World’s Best Chefs
The church can learn a lot from the best restaurants in America. Over the past few weeks I’ve been watching Chef’s Table on Netflix and been amazed. Each episode draws the viewer into the mind of one particular chef as we discover their drive and passion for cooking. There are 3 important things every church can learn from these talented chefs. 1. Passion Regardless of the chef, there is an absolute passion that drives them. They give their all to every dish. Passion propels their creativity and pursuit of perfection, which results in breathtaking food. Imagine if the church and its ...
How to Discover Your Story
When I was in grad school one of my classes had us do this exercise. I found it so helpful and insightful that I thought I'd share. First take a piece and draw a large rectangle, covering most of the page. On the left side write, "born", and on the right side write, "now". Then by the top of the left vertical line write, "good", and on the bottom write, "bad." Now, plot your life up to this point. You can start by making dots representing the major high points and low points of your life. This can include things ...
4 Steps to Using Your Past for God
The R.E.M. song is true- everybody hurts. Everyone has a story of some storm they’ve been through in life. I’m on a team teaching a class right now called GIFTED and this past week we talked about how God can use our experiences. Everyone worked though an exercise where they charted their biggest life experiences. (I’ll share the exercise in another post.) As people sat there, examining their life on paper, we explained that God can use your life experiences. Your greatest passions probably stem from the biggest moments of your life, this includes your moments of joy, but also ...