Leading In Hard Financial Times

10 Ways to Lead During Continuing Difficult Financial Times, part 1

The “Great Recession” and the economic stagnation that has hit the US has affected churches like no other economic downturn in most of our lifetimes. Perhaps some who are still in active ministry were ALIVE during the Great Depression of the 1930s, (70+ years ago) but none of us were in active ministry during that period.

Because of that, the continuing economic stagnation and high unemployment continues to take a toll on churches. While there is great debate about whether the US faces a “double dip” recession, most experts say that any recovery in the economy will be very slow in coming. High unemployment, the continuing housing bust, tapped out consumers, concern over the US soaring debt load and (with the revolutionary turmoil in various parts of the Middle East), increasing fuel prices all conspire to keep any economic recovery slow in coming.

Churches have had to live with declining budgets, staff layoffs, reduced programming and liquidating properties at fire sale prices for several years. While there is no magic bullet, there are sound financial principles that our churches need to have been following, but we need to be reminded of their importance. Many of them are attitudinal checks:

1. See reduced budgets as a time to renew ourselves to what the church is called to be about. And by that, I don’t have simply one thing in mind. ALL churches are called to be disciple-making churches. To abandon that is to abandon the direct call of Jesus. ADDITIONALLY, however, each congregation ALSO has a unique call of God in the community in which it serves. What is it that God has specifically called your congregation to be about? Your congregation exists in your community for a unique purpose. What is it?

2. See reduced budgets as a time to prune ministries that do not bear fruit. We must take a hard look at the purpose of our churches and which programs best help us reach that purpose. Every program will have its proponents who cry that people will leave or disaster will come if the program is cut or discontinued. But leadership means taking some hard stands at times and pruning those ministries that either are unproductive or are peripheral to the main purpose(s) of the church. Across the board budget cuts are both unwise and self-defeating. Leadership must be strategic on what cuts are made.

3. See reduced budgets as a time to “rediscover” the ministry of all believers. In the (I believe mostly legitimate) concern over “excellence” in the past thirty years, churches began to pay for leadership that sometimes ought to be done by “lay” volunteers. I have known many churches in which it was easier to “just hire someone to do it” rather than recruit, train and supervise lay people to do the work. But in doing so, we have taught the church body that they are neither needed nor capable of providing what the church needs (other than dollars).

4. Difficult financial times can be a time of increased unity among church leaders. This is not a foregone conclusion, however. Difficult financial times and difficult financial decisions can result in disagreements and DIS-unity. The leadership needs to triple their communication with one another. Instead of avoiding conversations on finances and the problems that reduced finances cause, it is a time for increased conversations and prayer on what the church is to be about. It is said of marriages that hard times will bond more closely a good marriage and will shatter a bad marriage. The same can probably be said of church leadership, but we must do all that we can to create a oneness of mind and heart during this time.

5. Difficult financial times are times to be transparent with the church body. Just as communication between members of the leadership team need to increase during hard times, so does communication with the body. I have seen churches who, in a desire to be upbeat and positive, never talked about their difficult financial situations to the point that church people (thinking that everything is just fine at their church) started diverting their money to ministries and causes that were honest about their need. Being honest all along will also help more people understand when cuts and restrictions have to be made.
(to be continued..)

Dr. Calvin Habig ministered in local congregations for thirty years and currently does professional coaching with ministers and other value-driven leaders. He lives in Portland, OR. For more information, visit Cal’s website at http://www.calhabigcoaching.com/

 

Burn Out Or Rust Out!

The Effects of “I’d Rather Burn Out Than Rust Out!”

“I’d rather burn out than rust out!” Those words were spoken by a preacher from a large church who was well known in our fellowship of churches. He had been brought to speak to one of our ministry classes when I was in college to talk to us about special event “crusades” at our churches. (That was when we did such things and before our sensitivity to what that word communicates to our Muslim neighbors).

But the bottom line of his presentation was expressed in that phrase. During the 6-8 weeks leading up to such a crusade (which he promoted at least twice a year) all days off and all vacations were cancelled. The church staff was to work hard 7 days a week for 6-8 straight weeks. These “revival” seasons (ironic name) were to happen at least twice a year. I often wondered how many other events he classified as as important as these crusades such that he was willing to cancel days off & vacations then as well.

At the time I thought he was a bit over the top. Since then I have decided he was more than that: he was noxious: noxious to his staff, noxious to area church staffs who looked to his large church for modeling and likely noxious to his congregation.

And yet, that model of ministry was one which was promoted to us. The phrase “I’d rather burn out than rust out!” was not original with this hard-working brother.

And yet the toll of the stress of ministry was never explained. We might not know it but stress can actually do more damage to your body than most people think. Most people take advantage of their body`s limit and push it to extreme just to get the job done, while thinking that their body will adapt to the stress they impose upon it.

But truth to tell, our body have a certain capacity in which it can function; exceed those capacities and you will end up in one of the rooms of the hospital waiting for your body to recover. Stress can affect you in many ways – physical, mental and emotional functions are disrupted gaining you the inability to function properly whether social, personal or career work.

Stress effects on your body

There is a certain degree in which stress can affect your body. A stressed person will complain of headaches and body pains here and there. If left unchecked, this will lead to migraine and muscle tension that will eventually lead to stiffness.

Major changes will affect the biochemical functions of your body. This involves diarrhea, constipation, nausea and dizziness. You will find it hard to sleep at nights even if you feel weak and need rest. People usually resort to medications to counter this effect, but will only give temporary remedy.

To those who suffer from a weak heart, most often they will complain of chest pains and rapid heartbeat – the usual signs and symptoms that will eventually lead to stroke or cardiac arrest. Note however that different physical manifestations of stress can be seen for different people, it all depends on your body`s capacity.

Behavioral problems related to stress

Aside from physical manifestations of stress in your body, you might also notice some behavioral changes while under the throes of stress. Changes in sleeping patterns, lack of sleep or inability to sleep during normal slumber hours is usually the initial reactions to stress – these are usually caused by heightened emotional and mental functions which is more into the negative aspect rather than positive.

Self-pity and isolation is caused by the depressed mental state of the person when certain problems crop up in their everyday life. Irritability and anger will start when the person is bereft of his or her natural ability to rationalize which is usually the case when stressed or being burdened by heavy problems.

How to cope

It would be easy to say that we simply must pray and God will take away the stress and/or its effects. It just doesn’t usually work that way. God made us stewards of our body. In no other area does he exempt us from the results of our poor stewardship.

The simple tool of time management can be used to keep our schedules under control to allow for times of refreshment. Some people use time management tools as an opportunity to cram more activity/productivity into their day. Rather, it should be used to help us balance our demands according to what is important to us.

There are different techniques that a person can employ to avoid these manifestations of stress in their life. The first technique, and the most important one, is learning how to relax when stress pays you a visit. You can employ techniques like scripture meditation,
breathing exercises, or music therapy to induce a state of relaxation to your mind. Once you have achieved this step, you can proceed on how to deal with stress that affects your body.

Since most of your physiological functions are imbalanced due to stress, you can start by pampering your body through various massages offered by health spas within your neighborhood. Loosen those tight muscles to relieve assorted aches and pains and increasing your flexibility.

Physical exercise can also help develop cardiovascular functions and strengthening your heart to avoid stroke or rapid heart rate.

Also, you need to keep a close lookout on your diet, make sure you avoid taking in junk foods and fast foods that will elevate harmful chemicals in your body. Try to stick with fruits and vegetables and take in herbal supplements to help rejuvenate your body.

“I’d rather burn out than rust out!”

Why does it have to be either/or? Why can it be a long and productive ministry, marriage and life because we have worked to find the balance between the two.

Dr. Calvin Habig ministered in local congregations for thirty years and currently does professional coaching with ministers and other value-driven leaders. He lives in Portland, OR. For more information, visit Cal’s website at http://www.calhabigcoaching.com/

 

A Burning Vision

Three Required Elements of A Burning Vision

Fire is one of the most awesome, helpful, and yet destructive forces known to humanity. When a forest or brush fire is raging, or when a home is on fire, the only thing to do is to get out of the way.

The same is true of men and women with Vision. Little can stand in their way. That can be very good or very bad, depending on the source, nature and implementation of the vision.

Last month we began a two-month look at Vision and we look at the necessity of a core-ideology for vision.

Most Christian leaders are familiar with George Barna’s seminal work, “The Power of Vision.” In that little book, Barna defines vision as: “a clear mental image of a preferable future imparted by God to His chosen servants and is based upon an accurate understanding of God, self and circumstances.” (Barna, p. 28)

That’s a good definition. In thinking about the relationship between fire and vision, however, I realized that just as there are three elements needed to produce a fire, so there are three similar elements needed to produce a Christian vision.

For fire to exist the three needed elements are: Oxygen, Heat and Fuel. You can have two of the three, but without all three you will not have a fire. Oxygen and heat, oxygen and fuel, or heat and fuel all can harmlessly co-exist. But when the third element is added, fire happens!

So, what three elements are needed for Christian Vision? I believe a vision must…

1. …be God ordained. I don’t just mean God-permitted. It must be God ordained. What does that mean? It means it must be a priority of God. It must be a passion of God. It must be vital to God. It must not simply be “not sinful”. It must exhibit the heart and passion of God.

I would see this as the fuel. (I know, I know…it should be the heat or flame, since one picture of the Holy Spirit is a flame, but it doesn’t fit with my analogy! Sorry…)

The word “inspiration” comes from French and Latin words meaning under the “immediate influence of God or a god,” or “inflamed or blown into by a god.” (from Latin in- “in” + spirare “to breathe” (think of our English word “spirit”). (Online Etymology Dictionary.)

Last month I quoted from Collins & Porras’ article on vision from the Harvard Business Review. Now they differentiate Core Purpose from Vision, but I believe that what they said of Core Purpose can be said of a Christian vision:

Core Purpose “does not just describe the organization’s output or target customers, it captures the soul of the organization…. Purpose (which should last 100 years) should

not be confused with specific goals or business strategies (which should change many times in 100 years. Whereas you might achieve a goal or complete a strategy, you cannot fulfill a purpose: it is like a guiding star on the horizon–forever pursued, but never reached. Yet although purpose itself does not change, it does inspire change. The very fact that purpose can never be fully realized means that an organization can never stop stimulating change & progress.” (pp. 68-69.)

One thing about a God-ordained vision that I have told numerous young men is: “A need is not a call.” Just because someone needs to have something done about a situation DOES NOT mean that God is calling YOU to do it. Not everything that COULD be done, SHOULD be done, especially by YOU. A young minister who I care about deeply had a serious problem with spreading himself too thin. If there was a need, he jumped in with both feet. But there was need after need after need and he became overwhelmed. Just as Jesus said, “the poor you will have you always” there will always be needs crying out for someone to help meet them. But a minister (and a church) must examine his (or their) giftedness and determine whether or not God is really ordaining for THEM to do this.

The second element of a burning vision is that it is…

2. …of genuine benefit to people. I would compare this to the heat that is necessary for a fire to begin (a flame or spark or simply very high temperature). A vision may have the fuel of being God ordained and have the oxygen we will talk about below, but unless it has the spark of something that is genuinely beneficial to people, it will likely languish.

Now this can be very broad. A vision can genuinely be of benefit to people in several different ways, not just ultimate ways. It is of ultimate benefit for people to be restored to God: that is their ultimate need.

But there can be legitimate other need-meeting activities that can ALSO (not in place of, but also) serve as God-ordained visions. Jesus spoke of providing water, food, clothing, shelter to the needy. Those are legitimate human needs. But people need jobs, they need a moral order for their lives and their communities, they need physical health, they need relationships and intimacy…. The list could go on and on.

Is our vision genuinely of benefit to people? This question can serve as a check or a clarifier of our goals. …”how will this be of genuine benefit to people?” For example, we want to develop a church of small groups. But will that in and of itself benefit people? No. What is it ABOUT small groups that will be of benefit to people: We want to build a church where people find intimacy and trust. Small groups can be the WAY, or the mechanism, but that is not the ultimate goal.

The third element of a burning vision is that it is…

3. Doable (or there is a strategy)

I see this as the oxygen. This makes sure that our vision is not just pie in the sky. You can have fuel and heat, but without oxygen, no fire is going to ignite or remain burning. Without knowing that the plan is do-able or that there is a strategy, the fire of vision is not going to continue to burn. It will soon begin to fade and turn cold.

Determining that the vision is do-able includes goals & benchmarks. It needs to involve a plan or a roadmap. That plan must include what people resources, including leaders are involved in moving us to the vision. I would propose that different visions may be long, medium or short-term. But they all must have that balance between being big enough that we know it is from God and manageable enough that we can develop a plan to accomplish it.

Fuel…Heat…Oxygen. Without those a fire will never exist.

A vision that is God ordained, Genuinely of benefit to people and Do-able. As we develop vision both for ourselves as well as our churches, those three elements must be present for the spark to catch and the fire of accomplishing great things for God roar into life.

Resources:

Barna, George. (1992) The Power of Vision. Ventura, CA: Regal Books.

Collins, James C. and Porras, Jerry (September-October 1996.) “Building Your Company’s Vision” Harvard Business Review. pp. 65-77.

“inspiration.” (n.d.). Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved October 02, 2010, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/inspiration

Dr. Calvin Habig ministered in local congregations for thirty years and currently does professional coaching with ministers and other value-driven leaders. He lives in Portland, OR. For more information, visit Cal’s website at http://www.calhabigcoaching.com/

Pastoral Success

What Makes for Pastoral Success: One Perspective

One of the eternally unanswered questions of ministry is “What makes for pastoral success?” It will be a question that may be debated until Christ comes again, but which is vital for every Christian leader to struggle.

Last fall I attended a seminar here in Portland put on by one of the nationally renowned organizations here in Portland and the main speaker began by saying that there was no tension between faithfulness and success. But the place he ended was quite different from where I thought he was going—if you are faithful, he asserted, you WILL be successful. Therefore, by contrast if you are not successful, you have not been faithful.

I think that most of us would see that perspective as quite inadequate.

But the question remains. What makes for pastoral success and what can one do to foster it?

As each of us works out what it means for us to be successful in ministry in the eyes of Christ, I found a short little study by the Mennonite Brethren church helpful. The MB Biblical Seminary (campuses in Fresno, CA, Langley, BC & Winnipeg, MB) joined with the Mennonite Brethren Canada Church with funding from the Lily Foundation to look at pastoral success and longevity in that denomination.

While the study perhaps too closely links pastoral success with pastoral longevity, I think that their findings can be helpful for us:

1. They found that the average tenure was five years. (I find it interesting that that length of tenure was labeled by them as “relatively long”. I don’t think everyone would agree with that label, but it could be much worse.)

2. They found that the majority of their pastors who leave churches move into another pastoral position. This is a sign that even though ministers felt called to leave one congregation, they still found ministry something in which they wanted to continue. (By contrast, the last church I served EVERY minister in the history of the church has left the pastoral ministry at least for a few years immediately after leaving that church).

3. The elements that contributed to pastoral success from a congregational perspective
were:

• encouraging mentors
• congregational leadership
• active congregational ministry, and
• sensitivity to pastors’ needs.

4. The elements that contributed to pastoral success from a training perspective were
competency in:

• leadership development,
• delegating responsibility,
• conflict management, and
• balancing ministry with personal needs.

5. From a denominational perspective, that fellowship of churches found that they could
support pastoral success “by providing overseers who will serve as…

• mentors
• advocates
• resources
• guides, and
• congregational liaisons.

Again, it may be questionable to some whether denominational executives who have a
say in the career track of ministers should/can actually serve in the roles listed above,
but it is a good ideal towards which to strive.

(I am convinced that hiring a trained outside coach can better serve the pastors of a
denomination than denominational executives trying to fill both roles. Eventually the roles will
come into conflict if the executive tries to wear both hats. Contact me if you’d like to talk more
about that).

You can find the report on the study here:
http://seminary.fresno.edu/resources/keys-to-pastoral-success

Dr. Calvin Habig ministered in local congregations for thirty years and currently does professional coaching with ministers and other value-driven leaders. He lives in Portland, OR and can be contacted at:
cal@calhabig.com