Wednesday, March 25, 2009
People Work (Tyler)
Learning to work with people is not a subject that is learned in a class. It cannot be "taught" necessarily. Working with people is "learned" in a few different ways. One of the most common ways is through innate ability to work with people. The term, "a people person" exists because there are simply people that know how to work with people. They have always had the ability to deal with people and their issues and know how to handle them. This is not an ability that they were taught in a class. They simply just reacted on their instincts. However, not everyone has this ability. It is a difficult thing to learn, but it can be learned. Mostly it is learned through experience. It is impossible to learn how to work with people if you are never around people. So the first way of learning to work with people is actually working with people. The important step in this process is choosing where to expose yourself to people and deciding how to present yourself. Because you will make mistakes while trying to learn how to work with people. You will offend people and people will offend you. It is a process that you must work through, however. When you offend someone, you will learn what you said or did and learn not to do it again or at least you will learn to do it in a more tactful manner. There you go, first lesson learned. Its the school of experience. If someone offends you, you will begin to understand why and make sure it doesn't happen to you again. Second lesson learned. These lessons will just continue to be learned as you spend more time working with and around people. You can read books about it in order to externally experience working with people. But, it isn't until you truly work with living and breathing creatures that you know how to truly work with people. If I was a senior pastor asking professors for students that know how to work with people, I would be asking professors for students that seem to be around the most people a lot of the time. People with people and social skills will know how to work in a staff and make a staff work with others. It is an important principle that is simply learned in experience.
Week 10 (People Work) Michael
Michael Berens
People Work
03/26/09- Thursday
Michael’s Personal Top tips for working with people
1. Be a listener: being listened to is one of the biggest satisfaction. Just knowing someone has heard and understands you can change a hot temper to a calm and collective conversation. If someone is sad, they just want to be listened to as well. Listening and then learning to speak in the right time is a lesson that we all will always learn.
2. Find common ground: Finding commonality between each other is that start of true connection. Even if you are completely different people, genders, whatever, there is always at least one thing you have in common. Take mothers for example. Everyone came from a mother; therefore you can talk about mothers. Once you dig into the minor subjects it can lead to find other commonality, which will help later on. It is much harder to hatefully fight someone you know and love than it is to fight someone random.
3. Put yourself in the footwear of another. When there are disagreements or off putting, out yourself in their mind. Think about what they are feeling and thinking about that lead to this. Maybe there are external situations that we cannot know about. If they are moody, maybe they have had a rough day and need a friend. If they are weird maybe they have not had good social contact with other humans and need a friend. Putting yourself in their footwear can lead to a true relationship. After all Jesus walked in our footwear and out skin just to have a relationship with us.
People Work
03/26/09- Thursday
Michael’s Personal Top tips for working with people
1. Be a listener: being listened to is one of the biggest satisfaction. Just knowing someone has heard and understands you can change a hot temper to a calm and collective conversation. If someone is sad, they just want to be listened to as well. Listening and then learning to speak in the right time is a lesson that we all will always learn.
2. Find common ground: Finding commonality between each other is that start of true connection. Even if you are completely different people, genders, whatever, there is always at least one thing you have in common. Take mothers for example. Everyone came from a mother; therefore you can talk about mothers. Once you dig into the minor subjects it can lead to find other commonality, which will help later on. It is much harder to hatefully fight someone you know and love than it is to fight someone random.
3. Put yourself in the footwear of another. When there are disagreements or off putting, out yourself in their mind. Think about what they are feeling and thinking about that lead to this. Maybe there are external situations that we cannot know about. If they are moody, maybe they have had a rough day and need a friend. If they are weird maybe they have not had good social contact with other humans and need a friend. Putting yourself in their footwear can lead to a true relationship. After all Jesus walked in our footwear and out skin just to have a relationship with us.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Solo Pastor (Week 10 Replacement Post)
I interviewed Aaron Cloud on Sunday, March 22 about the difficulties and joys of being a solo pastor. Aaron is on a staff of one person. He is the senior pastor, youth pastor, and small group pastor. While this may seem like a blessing to many people who are constantly involved in arguments amongst the different staff pastors in a church, there are certainly downsides to being a solo pastor. What makes Aaron's situation unique is the fact that he not only is the only pastor at the church, but is also the youngest person who attends the church. Aaron finds himself in a difficult situation every single day that he wakes up. He isn't able to "bounce" ideas off other pastors. He isn't able to relate relevant information to peers his own age. He simply is alone. The term "solo" pastor takes on a whole other meaning. It is difficult for someone who has constantly been surrounded by people his own age for the past 22 years and then all of a sudden have the exact opposite. So, some of the positives of a solo pastor are listed here:
1) You make your own schedule and there is no scheduling conflicts with any of the other pastors on staff, because you are the only one.
2) You are free to be as clean or messy as you want in the office because you are the only one there. Obviously if the Board asks you to keep a clean workspace, then you would follow those wishes, but for the most part, you are free to do whatever.
3) You have no conflicts with anyone else about issues that you normally find in a typical office space. You only conflict with yourself.
However, as I mentioned before, there seem to be more negatives than positives when it comes to being a solo pastor (at least in Aaron's case):
1) It is lonely. We were created to live in community, and when that is taken away from you, you find yourself missing a huge hole in your body and soul. So, there is a tremendous sense of loss and a need for community.
2) It is narrow focused. Without the ability to bounce ideas off others, you tend to only listen to your own points of view. When that happens, you begin to travel down a slippery slope of only believing yourself.
3) It is lonely. Seriously, this is the worse part.
4) It is easy to become stagnant. When there is no one there pushing you to do better, you become pretty stagnant and not able to move very quickly. I think our natural inclination is to go slow and not progress. Without someone there pushing us, we become stagnant and don't progress.
These are just a few thoughts....
1) You make your own schedule and there is no scheduling conflicts with any of the other pastors on staff, because you are the only one.
2) You are free to be as clean or messy as you want in the office because you are the only one there. Obviously if the Board asks you to keep a clean workspace, then you would follow those wishes, but for the most part, you are free to do whatever.
3) You have no conflicts with anyone else about issues that you normally find in a typical office space. You only conflict with yourself.
However, as I mentioned before, there seem to be more negatives than positives when it comes to being a solo pastor (at least in Aaron's case):
1) It is lonely. We were created to live in community, and when that is taken away from you, you find yourself missing a huge hole in your body and soul. So, there is a tremendous sense of loss and a need for community.
2) It is narrow focused. Without the ability to bounce ideas off others, you tend to only listen to your own points of view. When that happens, you begin to travel down a slippery slope of only believing yourself.
3) It is lonely. Seriously, this is the worse part.
4) It is easy to become stagnant. When there is no one there pushing you to do better, you become pretty stagnant and not able to move very quickly. I think our natural inclination is to go slow and not progress. Without someone there pushing us, we become stagnant and don't progress.
These are just a few thoughts....
Week 10 (board Meeting) Michael
Michael Berens
Week 10 replacing Week 3 (Board Meeting)
03/24/04
Board meeting
I attended Exit 59 Church on Sunday, the meeting Lasted for 2.5 hours
The decision making process for Exit 59 utilizes Roberts rules of order. It. looks like this;
Suggested item, someone seconds it, then discusses. Finally there is a vote on the subject by hand.
There are dozens people on the board at different times. All the church staff is included in that circulating group of board members. There are main people that attend every month. Jeremy Dillard who creates the agenda and Lisa Crandall who keeps the minutes.
Because Exit 59 looks a little different the board runs a little different. Only really big issues ever make it to the board. The big things usually deal with large sums of money or large program start-ups. This week there happen to be a large program start up.
A new missions department is opening up at out church and a new missionary was to be approved by the board to join the program. Everyone was in accord for her to be approved and for the new missions department to pass. Chris Demarse told me that this is usually the case, but people can disagree depending on the subject matter. Chris also told me that at these meetings feelings could be shared because it is definitely like being in a family rather than a business. After a motion, second, discussion, and a vote, the person was accepted to the missions department. After that the group discussed how to accept more people into the program. They were also trying to figure out how to make the process easier in the future.
I learned that if a church runs like a family it makes everything seem friendlier. I can see that passions can run high if everyone is a brother or sister, so that could lead to over zealous fights. I did not see that here, but I could see that since feelings are shared, feelings can be hurt. It works for this church, but I cannot imagine it working in a different setting. Robert’s Rule of Order help the process of feeling sharing and opinions more faster.
Week 10 replacing Week 3 (Board Meeting)
03/24/04
Board meeting
I attended Exit 59 Church on Sunday, the meeting Lasted for 2.5 hours
The decision making process for Exit 59 utilizes Roberts rules of order. It. looks like this;
Suggested item, someone seconds it, then discusses. Finally there is a vote on the subject by hand.
There are dozens people on the board at different times. All the church staff is included in that circulating group of board members. There are main people that attend every month. Jeremy Dillard who creates the agenda and Lisa Crandall who keeps the minutes.
Because Exit 59 looks a little different the board runs a little different. Only really big issues ever make it to the board. The big things usually deal with large sums of money or large program start-ups. This week there happen to be a large program start up.
A new missions department is opening up at out church and a new missionary was to be approved by the board to join the program. Everyone was in accord for her to be approved and for the new missions department to pass. Chris Demarse told me that this is usually the case, but people can disagree depending on the subject matter. Chris also told me that at these meetings feelings could be shared because it is definitely like being in a family rather than a business. After a motion, second, discussion, and a vote, the person was accepted to the missions department. After that the group discussed how to accept more people into the program. They were also trying to figure out how to make the process easier in the future.
I learned that if a church runs like a family it makes everything seem friendlier. I can see that passions can run high if everyone is a brother or sister, so that could lead to over zealous fights. I did not see that here, but I could see that since feelings are shared, feelings can be hurt. It works for this church, but I cannot imagine it working in a different setting. Robert’s Rule of Order help the process of feeling sharing and opinions more faster.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Seven Characteristics of a Church Leader
1. A good leader has an exemplary character.
It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader “walks the talk” and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.
2. A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader.
People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action or cause. Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal. This kind of leader will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.
3. A good leader is confident.
In order to lead and set direction a leader needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from team members.
4. A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty.
People look to the leader during times of uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanor.
5. Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose.
Storms, emotions, and crises come and go and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head.
6. A good leader, as well as keeping the main goal in focus, is able to think analytically.
Not only does a good leader view a situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. While keeping the goal in view, a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it.
7. A good leader is committed to excellence.
Second best does not lead to success. The good leader not only maintains high standards, but also is proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas.
These ideas are adapted from Barbara White's thoughts on Leadership. (http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Barbara_White)
Week 9 ( Leadership Qualities)
Michael Berens
Week 9
03/19/09
Leadership Qualities
1. Recognizes the value in other people, so continually invests in others
A leader should always be ready to help and encourage those around them. This helps the group as a whole and the individual that needs help.
2. Shares information with those in the organization.
Someone that is open and honest will go a lot further than a conniver. It could hurt the leader in the end if they are honest, but at least they were accountable to God.
3. Has above average character
A leaders character should be far above the rest. It should be something that people want to follow after and model after. If the leader is not a model, why are thy in the spotlight?
4. Uses their influence for the good of others
Someone who has good influencing skills should be able to influence for the good and the bad. If that is true then it is a matter of choice to not hurt others or step on them with the power a leader has. It is important to serve rather than be served.
5. Is skillful and competent
The leader cannot just be a face. They must be able to teach and act. If they are just a face of leadership they will be found out and sunk. A house built on sand is faulty and breaks eventually.
6. Not afraid for others to succeed (even greater than their own success)
A leader should be seeking out the furthering of others and the group. A leader should serve and be ready to lay down his nice position in the mud, so others can be served. A leader should be ready to be last.
7. Serves others expecting nothing in return.
Servant hood is the key. To serve is to expect nothing in return. Leaders should be up front as much as they need to be, other than that they should be serving from behind the scenes where no one can even give them credit for their skills.
8. Continues to learn
A leader should always be ready to learn from books and from people. They should not be so stuck in an opinion that they turn everyone away over a silly subject. They should also be advanced in knowledge and training so that they can lead the diverse peoples that might come under their wings.
9. Remains accessible, approachable, and accountable to others
These three things in combo make up a great person in general. If a leader was doing this anyone would want to follow them. If we expect people to do this, why wouldn’t their leaders be the first to be accountable and open.
10. Is visionary: Thinks for the organization beyond today.
A leader should see the breadth of life. They should look to the past, present and future for decisions. They should look at the mistakes from the past and see the changes that will affect the future. They must lead in sight and Ideas as well.
This is adapted from Ron Edmondson’s good leader characteristics
http://www.ronedmondson.com/2009/02/10-characteristics-of-good-leadership.html
Week 9
03/19/09
Leadership Qualities
1. Recognizes the value in other people, so continually invests in others
A leader should always be ready to help and encourage those around them. This helps the group as a whole and the individual that needs help.
2. Shares information with those in the organization.
Someone that is open and honest will go a lot further than a conniver. It could hurt the leader in the end if they are honest, but at least they were accountable to God.
3. Has above average character
A leaders character should be far above the rest. It should be something that people want to follow after and model after. If the leader is not a model, why are thy in the spotlight?
4. Uses their influence for the good of others
Someone who has good influencing skills should be able to influence for the good and the bad. If that is true then it is a matter of choice to not hurt others or step on them with the power a leader has. It is important to serve rather than be served.
5. Is skillful and competent
The leader cannot just be a face. They must be able to teach and act. If they are just a face of leadership they will be found out and sunk. A house built on sand is faulty and breaks eventually.
6. Not afraid for others to succeed (even greater than their own success)
A leader should be seeking out the furthering of others and the group. A leader should serve and be ready to lay down his nice position in the mud, so others can be served. A leader should be ready to be last.
7. Serves others expecting nothing in return.
Servant hood is the key. To serve is to expect nothing in return. Leaders should be up front as much as they need to be, other than that they should be serving from behind the scenes where no one can even give them credit for their skills.
8. Continues to learn
A leader should always be ready to learn from books and from people. They should not be so stuck in an opinion that they turn everyone away over a silly subject. They should also be advanced in knowledge and training so that they can lead the diverse peoples that might come under their wings.
9. Remains accessible, approachable, and accountable to others
These three things in combo make up a great person in general. If a leader was doing this anyone would want to follow them. If we expect people to do this, why wouldn’t their leaders be the first to be accountable and open.
10. Is visionary: Thinks for the organization beyond today.
A leader should see the breadth of life. They should look to the past, present and future for decisions. They should look at the mistakes from the past and see the changes that will affect the future. They must lead in sight and Ideas as well.
This is adapted from Ron Edmondson’s good leader characteristics
http://www.ronedmondson.com/2009/02/10-characteristics-of-good-leadership.html
Monday, March 16, 2009
Week 9 (Firing a Teacher)
Michael Berens
Week 9
March 17th, 2009
Firing a Teacher
I interviewed Chris Demarse and Darren Campbell on Wednesday the 11th of 2009.
I interviewed them at Darren Campbell’s house at a staff meeting.
As soon as I said the word “fire,” They cringed and said that our church is not necessarily a firing church. It is more of a finding out what their gifts are. If they are doing unwell in a position and is failing then maybe they do not have the teaching gift. It is then a matter of testing what their gifts are and how they can be used in a ministry setting. A spiritual gifts test can be used for this. Prayer should also be used. Once it is found it should be encouraged. A “hand hold motto,” may be a good idea for this person, as they may seem disgruntled in some way. So it is not really about firing. It is more about finding out what their gifts really are.
Week 9
March 17th, 2009
Firing a Teacher
I interviewed Chris Demarse and Darren Campbell on Wednesday the 11th of 2009.
I interviewed them at Darren Campbell’s house at a staff meeting.
As soon as I said the word “fire,” They cringed and said that our church is not necessarily a firing church. It is more of a finding out what their gifts are. If they are doing unwell in a position and is failing then maybe they do not have the teaching gift. It is then a matter of testing what their gifts are and how they can be used in a ministry setting. A spiritual gifts test can be used for this. Prayer should also be used. Once it is found it should be encouraged. A “hand hold motto,” may be a good idea for this person, as they may seem disgruntled in some way. So it is not really about firing. It is more about finding out what their gifts really are.
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