SOUND CITY CHURCH LEADERSHIP
Hey Team, as I shared at the last leaders lunch it is becoming increasingly difficult to get all our leaders in the same place on a consistent basis so I am going to go back to doing the leadership and our creative training online for people to do in their own time with feedback so we can determine how everyone is going.
Over the next six months I want to focus on our Alignment as a leadership TEAM.
One of the greatest challenges for all teams is to learn to come into alignment.
Even though each department may have a different function and different focus. Our goal is that every leader is helping to move our people in the same direction, so that there is a synchronicity and alignment towards our vision and goals..
As a church we have many different programs and departments that all function within the church. Pastors, Service manager, Production manager, Helps, Hospitality, Greeters, Sound Kids, Newcomers, Youth’ Ladies, Men’s, Connect Groups, Craft Groups
Obviously, each area will have a different function and different focuses, but we all have one thing in common and that is people and to try move everyone through our NEXT STEPS pathway.
One of the great examples of alignment can be found in the animal kingdom is when we see the geese that fly in a v formation, and we can learn several very good leadership lessons from them.
1.Geese fly together, they share a common goal and direction
2.Geese stay in formation
3.Geese rotate roles, they encourage the leader and empower others to lead
4.Geese are noisy birds, they recognise and support each other
5.Leave no Goose behind, they stand by their flock in good times and bad
6.Geese maintain priorities, they stay committed to the team, their core values and purpose
So, I will pick one aspect we can work together as a team each month.
AUGUST LEADERSHIP MOTIVATION
1.Geese fly together, they share a common goal and direction
As Geese fly in a perfect V formation. Studies have shown that flying in this way and using this kind of “teamwork” adds 71% more flying range for the geese than if they flew on their own. This is because as each bird flaps its wings, it creates and ‘uplift’ that reduces air friction for the birds that follow.
The way we can harness this uplift s we work together with a common goal to see everyone within our church moving through the NEXT STEPS pathway, beginning with our first steps of making every person that comes to Sound City Church to feel welcome and then by encouraging them to join our STARTING POINT introduction course.
Our NEXT STEPS PATHWAYS Looks like this:
Step 1: Be our Guest
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We want to extend a huge welcome to everyone, and we hope that they have enjoyed our service and hospitality.
Step 2: Be a Partner
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Their very first step would be to come and join us at our Starting Point introductions to the church
Step 3: Be a Disciple
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We have some incredible short courses that will provide them with the answers any questions they might have to start growing and keep growing in God.
Step 4: Be Transformed
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As a church we have several ways to help people grow in God. All of our connect group both large and small are here to help and we want to help everyone involved in a serving team.
The first lesson we can learn from the geese is that TEAMS who share a common goal and direction can get where they are going much faster and much more efficiently because they benefit from the lift and momentum of the group.
The old saying is that united we stand, divided we fall, the enemy’s strategy is always to divide and conquer. If he can get us all flying in different direction and pursuing different goals we will never effectively achieve our God given vision.
I love that concept of upward lift as each leader helps the other leaders we can go further, faster and be more effective. As each leader pushes forward, we can all benefit from the momentum of the group.
As a church we have formulated our NEXT STEPS which is the process we have to see people move from immaturity to maturity in Christ and Independence to Interdependence..
Although our Next Steps is just a guide it will help you as a leader to now what direction to lead the people in your care or the teams you lead. One of the greatest enemies of team leadership is the spirit of independence. Like that song “I did it my way”. Instead of learning to be interdependent where we learn to lead together, build together with a common goal and purpose and harness the power of LIFT.
Independence looks like this: “I” paradigm:
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Does things for self without relying on others.
Interdependence looks like this: “We” paradigm:
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Recognises and harnesses the power of working with others to achieve more than what’s possible alone.
Like the old acronym
TEAM
T Together
E Everyone
A Accomplishes
M More
HOW DO WE DO THIS
I love the pattern of the early church.
Acts 2:41 NIV
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Here we see the first step for every church is to see people respond to the message and be willing to be added to the church. For this to happen there must be a sense we as leaders are the “First Responder”. As we develop this culture in the leadership we can then extend it to the church so that we as the church take on that culture of welcoming every person that walks into our church.
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As “First Responders” this needs to be our primary focus on a Sunday to work towards seeing people added to our numbers or assimilated into the church
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Each week we have many of God’s guests visiting our church, but the truth of the matter is do not always see them assimilated into the life of the church and becoming active members of the church.
Let’s learn the lesson from the geese and learn to work together in line with our common goals and direction and create a church culture that is welcoming to all of God’s gusts and passionate to grow and keep on growing in God.
AS LEADERS IN SOUND CITY CHURCH
If you have not done the Leadership Edge training course, I strongly encourage you to do as you will learn about:
LINK: ONLINE EDGE LEADERSHIP COURSE
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Servant leadership and how to nurture and lead the people in your care more effectively.
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The difference between Transactional and Transformational Leadership
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A deeper dive into our Next Steps Process
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If you are a church department the next few lessons will teach you how to develop your department strategically by creating a vision, mission, and values statement.
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As Connect leaders please make sure you get your connect reviews in each time you meet. LINK: Connect Group Reports