The first breakout from yesterday (4/21/09) was okay, but it could have been 30 minutes instead of 1 hour.  It was on taking care of yourself as a leader.  Here are the big points:

1. Take care of your spiritual development (spiritual coach)

2. Take care of your soul (read and listen to preaching from guys further along)

3. Take care of your body (workout)

The second breakout was “The Leader’s Capacity to Stay On Course”

Gary Lamb/Scott Hodge
The Leader’s Capacity to Stay On Course
“Being Mean About The Vision”

Gary Lamb – vision from Day One was to reach unchurched men – believe that if you reach the men, you reach the family

• The vision is not for sale – Shawn Lovejoy said, “Gary, God called you to start this church.  There’s going to be a time when these families with you want to change your vision.  Above all else, be mean about the vision.”  It changed the philosophy about their church.
• It doesn’t matter how old your church is, there’s going to come a time where you’re going to be have to mean about your vision.  They’re going to try to change your vision.  Possibly a big influencer, a big giver, etc.
• How you respond during that time will set the course for where your church will go.
• There are some things that are for sale, but the vision is not.
• Nehemiah 4 – rebuilding the wall, 26 days in are ready to quit, they began to complain
• There’s going to come a time where people will start complaining and criticizing – you have to decide if you’re going to compromise the vision – gut check
• It would have been real easy for Nehemiah to slow down.
• When you are mean about your vision, you will lose people.  It will slow down growth, it will cause pain to your family and to you.

Things to remember – from Nehemiah
1. Remember your calling – chapter 1:2 – Nehemiah got tore up about the walls being tore up – the moment he got called by God to do something about it.  Sometimes the only thing that will keep you going is your calling.  Quitting wasn’t an option.

Some of you can’t be mean about your vision, some of you can’t go back to your call because you’re not called.

Church planting has been glorified to something huge.

2. Remembered how God provided for him in the past

3. Remembered the need

Scott Hodge

• Transitioned 80 year old traditional church
• Who is it God is really calling us to reach?  Who are we best positioned to reach?
• This was going to be a lot more work than changing name, wearing jeans…change has to do with externals, transition changes people’s mindsets
• Have to realize that we’re not going to be the right church for everyone.  Spend a lot of time communicating whether or not we are for them or not.
• It is difficult to be a church to reach unchurched people and then to be able to meet the needs of all kinds of different people.

3 Questions that guided us with vision:
1. Who is it that God has called us to reach?  The more you try to reach everybody, the less effective you’re going to be.
2. What is it going to take for us to reach those people?  Means saying no to a lot of things
3. Are we willing to pay the price?  You will be criticized.  The pastor has to be the one to make that decision.

• The leader has to communicate the vision clearly and often.  We have to be a church that is known for what you are for vs what you are against.
• They actually have brochures from other churches so that when someone comes and is looking for a particular type of church, they can help connect them other churches in town.
• People want change sometimes along as they don’t have to change.  If God has called you to a certain vision.
• Book recommendation: Good to Great by Jim Collins