Craig’s church is in 13 locations in six states with 25,000 people. Lifechurch.tv
You can learn from anyone. You’ve heard that said. So have I. But the fact remains; some people are easier to learn from than others. They are more interesting. They demonstrate competencies others lack. They have an impressive track record. They know something you don’t (yet), can do things you can’t (yet) and offer what you need (now).
Craig is a person I want to learn from.
He is talking. I am listening.
I suggest you ask yourself, “Who do I listen to? Who would have to be speaking for me to sit up and pay attention?
VIDEO:
18 minute worship
90 second transition to campus pastor
19:30 into the service they transition into the live satellite feed.
Goal: be an effective church, reaching people
We can take the same resources and launch 200 campuses…
The Key to any church maxing out is for the leaders to discover who they really are and to look at the environment/context where they do ministry.
We’re not about being multi-site. We’re about leading people to Christ.
Craig:
Craig started by recognizing all the sites and asking for everyone to “Thank Willow for the great experience.”
“I am white, so set your expectations accordingly. OK?”
Craig integrated several of the “moments” we’ve enjoyed at the Summit. This is one example. He later referenced previous speaker’s statements, even citing comments from Jim Collins and Bill Hybels at previous Summits.
You may wonder why more speakers don’t do that more often. I think it’s because it takes great effort and commitment; it means you need to sit through the sessions. It means you need to arrive early and participate in more than your session. While you are mentally and spiritually preparing to speak to one of the most influential crowds imaginable, you have to prayerfully listen to the speakers scheduled to deliver their messages before you.
Not everyone can come around and stick around when they’ve finished speaking. Commitments must be kept, and speakers/leaders of “Summit caliber” have things to do. That said, I’ll make the point. When a speaker is able to be part of the whole experience he/she can bring something more to the table. I like that, and Craig nailed it. He brought this “extra” gift and I appreciated it.
Everybody say, “It.”
How many of you ever walked into a church experience, and it was very dead? It was very “dead.”
How many of you ever walked in and sensed the presence of God. You were different, and others were different, and you wanted to say, “They have IT.”
I was associate pastor in a wonderful United Methodist Church…and came to Willow. I was overwhelmed with a sense of “something.” You could see it, feel it and almost touch it. I was overwhelmed with the sense that they had something I didn’t have, but I wanted it. I thought, “They get it. I want it.”
I left Willow with tears in my eyes and asked God, “Someday can I have it? I want it.”
Bill said, “The local church is the hope of the world.” When he said it, everything in me believed it was true.
I’ve often wondered how many of us had similar experiences at Willow. I’ve so often been touched by God through the ministry of Bill Hybels and the Willow Creek Association that I’ve lost count. (Luckily, I journal, so I’m sure I could go back and recover the memories of each divine moment. Even with that, Bill was the practitioner who inspired me to be more faithful to journal.) Craig was rocked at Willow.
How about you?
Did you ever thank Bill? Did you ever take the time to tell him your story? What are going to do about that?
We started the church in a two-car garage; the most miserable of circumstances. They had mirrors in the garage, so 40 people looked like 80. We had green-felt-back chairs. We had an overhead projector. (A machine run by Jerome – who had lost a finger in a drug-deal-gone-bad – and he changed transparencies. We didn’t have anything that most people think you have to have to have church today. But we did have “it.”
People were transformed. They would meet Christ. They brought their friends. We had what was necessary…the Sprit of God! We had it.
All our campuses are under the same exact leadership, the same exact style of worship, similar locations….but the results were very different. Some groups had “it” and others didn’t have “it.” It looks the same, same teaching, same kind of people…but some had “it” and some didn’t.
It’s something more than the Spirit. It is the very special working of the Holy Spirit thought some people.
For example: the New York campus has seen 145% growth in a single year. But the campus my family attends has declined by 3%. Think about that. The only campus that is smaller this year is the campus my family attends.
Some had “it.”
Some teams obviously have “it.” There is power and movement. They care for each other. They have “it.” You could name churches that have “it.”
I believe God wants to give “it” to you…in a very special way.
What is “it?”
I don’t know. I’m not sure. I do believe it has a lot to do with the Holy Spirit. But God shows up where God’s people are…but some have “it.”
This is what “it” is….
God makes it happen. It is from him, by him and for his glory. We can’t create it, manufacture it. One person can bring it. One person can kill it. It can’t be taught; it can be caught. It is not a system.
Craig’s strong admonition here was bold and clear. The arrogance of suggesting that “it” is simply and only the presence of the Holy Spirit demeans the Spirit-led ministries of faithful pastors around the world who love God deeply and serve God passionately. I loved Craig’s clarity on this.
“It” has an upside. Wherever you see it, you see transformed lives. It has a downside, people criticize it.
You could say, “It happens.”
Bad news…if you have “it” it doesn’t mean you’re going to keep it.
Good news…..if you don’t have “it” it doesn’t mean you can’t get it.
Consider: How is it that you deliver your messages? Craig holds high the banner of optimistic faith when he assures multitudes of leaders that they “can have ‘it’ too.” Do your people hear you calling them up? Do your people leave your presence believing they can do better? Think about it.
The early church had “it.”
If someone had a need, people would sell what they had and feed others. When the church was like that, God gave it to them and people said, “I want it.”
ACTS 2:42-47
“They devoted themselves….everyone was filled with awe…many wonders…all the believers were together…everything in common…gave to anyone…met every day together…daily people were saved.”
Daily….
Imagine if God added to your ministry “daily.” What would that be like?
What if seven people were saved a week? How many would that be in a year? 365!
I want “it.”
How do we get “it.”
There are certain qualities that seem to be present, when “it” is there. The book has more, but today I’ll focus on four.
First.
Organizations that have “it” are incredibly focused!
More ministries are not better. “Better ministries” are better.
At Granger we’re constantly trying to maintain laser-like focus. The pressure to “do more,” and divert resources away from the critical growth path of our ministry is huge. I’m sure you feel it too. Every leader is faced with this reality; you can’t say “No,” until you’ve said, “Yes.” Figure out what God wants you to do. You need the “God idea,” not just a “good idea.” Say “Yes,” to the God-idea and you’ll have courage (and reason) to say “No” to the things that dissipate your energy and drain your resources.
“What can you be the very best at?” Jim Collins asked that question.
In order to reach people that no one is reaching, you’ll have to do things that no one is doing.
That’s key.
In order to do things that no one is doing, you can’t do what everyone else is doing.
You can memorize this phrase. You should. It’ll serve you and your team for the rest of your days. Craig’s strategy here is brilliant, memorable and precise.
Get this message and pass it along to your teammates.
Hear that! If what we’re doing is working, keep doing it.
We need some “planned abandonment.” Do what God put us on earth with an assignment.
At our church I had the vision for a “full-service” church. I wanted everything….everything that you need to be a church. Six years in I wondered, “Which ones are producing maturing disciples?” We were putting a lot of resources into these ministries.
We didn’t do Christian concerts very well. We entertained Christians from other churches.
I asked, “Why are we doing this? What can we best do to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ.”
We cut everything
Worship experiences
Small Groups
Kids ministry
Students Ministry
Missions
We don’t do other things; we do those five things very well. We have the margin and resources to do what others aren’t doing because we aren’t trying to do so many of these other things. We can do the things others aren’t doing because we
So ask four questions:
FIRST
What are you doing that you should stop doing.
Second
Leaders who have “it” see potential when others see problems.
You have everything you need to do everything God wants you to do. Peter didn’t have silver or gold. He said to the beggar, “What I do have I give to you…”
If I told you that you have a sick child who will die by next Friday unless you can raise $100,000 to get it done, you’d find a way.
You would see an opportunity when others don’t.
God often guides on what He doesn’t provide. One of the greatest things He didn’t provide was a big enough building. We couldn’t build fast enough.
People say, “We like you better on video.”
“Don’t call me ‘Little Craig.’”
Whatever problem you face, ask yourself.
“What is God trying to show you through your greatest limitation?”
Laser focus lets you see opportunity.
Three
Organizations that have “it” are willing to fail. Those without “it” aren’t!
Failure is not an option. Failure is a necessity! Failure is often the first step in seeing God! Peter failed like he did and in that failure saw Jesus like he did! Peter got “it.” When he preached 3000 were saved on that day.
Our first video teaching experience, off-site, failed! We thought we heard God speak. I think we were eating Tacos too late at night. We tried, swung for the fence, and we failed. Thirty days later I stood before our church (who had given sacrificially) and said, “We failed.”
God may be giving a vision to do something and you have three steps of failure to learn what he wants you to learn so you can do what God wants to do through you!
Every time the mule (in the hole) got dirt on his back, he’d shake it off and the floor got higher. He’d shake it off…and step up. We need to shake it off and step up.
Get out of the boat…”Though a righteous man fails seven times…get up…”
You have everything you need to do what God put you here to do. Shake it off.
Those who have “it” are willing to fail.
One of the benefits I’ve gained through the WCA is a deep awareness of shared failure. I’ve bumped into walls, fallen down, moved when I shouldn’t have moved and stood still when I should have moved. Early in my ministry I wondered if anyone who made as many mistakes as me could ever do something significant for God. I’ve heard speakers (who lead huge organizations and run marvelous ministries) admit to failures and set-backs. Craig not only wades into the current of this strong WCA tradition, he adds brilliant insight into the benefits of “shaking it off” and then “stepping up.”
Not only is Craig’s advice good advice, his illustration is one you can easily pass along to your team. Nice.
What has God called you to do that you are afraid to do? If you don’t have faith, you can’t please God.
FOUR
Organizations that have “it” are led by people who have “it.”
You need to have “it” for your ministry to get “it.”
When I came to Christ, I came from a sinful past. It’ll mess you up. It’s like a big sneeze; it feels good coming out, but there is snot everywhere.
At a Bible study I read Ephesians 2:8-9.
I was bold. I got “it” and people said I was full of it.
Craig died and Jesus lived inside of me. I had “it.” I went into ministry. My motives were right. Before long, ministry started to kill “it.” Ministry stopped being about building His kingdom and more about building our church. I lost “it.” I tried to be Bill Hybels. I tried to be Rick Warren. I tried to be Joel Osteen but I’m just not that happy.
Here is what goes on.
When you have it in your heart…you tend to get it around you. When you have it, it tends to draw people. When you have it “in here” you get it “out here.” Because you have it “in here” you have the resources to get what you want “out here.” Beware. You get caught up in the stuff…..you being to acquire the things that are NOT necessary to have “it.” I began to preach a message about “What are they going to think…”
God showed me that I had become a full-time-pastor and a part-time-follower-of-Christ.
Some of you have lost “it.” You’ve become more about your ministry than about His Kingdom.
How often do we wish the people we lead would get “it?”
How often do we wonder why our people aren’t more with-“it?”
Don’t you ever have one-of-those-days? Don’t you ever think your team needs “it?”
I love the way Craig explodes the myth that good leaders deserve better people. The reality is that people need better leaders. Men and women need leaders with “it.” Teens need mentors, teachers and coaches with “it.” Children need pastors and teachers with “it.”
“It” matters. If you don’t have “it,” go get “it.”
If you lost “it,” go find “it.”
You need “it.”
I’d suggest you buy Craig’s book. Do it now.
It was not a “one-point” process to get “it” back. It started fasting again. I went to another country and held a baby who would probably not live one week after I left. I read that six million children under the age of five will die of starvation again this year.
Some of you, it’s time to let God break your heart again.
Amy’s brother passed away. I saw eternity.
I have “it” again. It hurts deeply, because I’m never satisfied.
“It” doesn’t satiate. “It” doesn’t mellow you out. “It” messes you up…and “It” is awesome.
If you don’t have it, where are you going to get it?
I pray you don’t sleep until you get “it” and fall in love with Jesus again.
This Franciscan blessing closed Craig’s session. (It also closes his book.)
“May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and the exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, and starvation, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.”
May we fall in love, all over again, with our First Love…Your Son, our Savior…the Risen Christ.
Four things you can do next….
1. Accept responsibility for your next steps. Get some people around you who can “put their eyes” on your ministry schedule, program and resources. Ponder the question, “What are you doing that you should stop doing?” Reasoned answers to that question will come from people who care about you and your mission. They’ll need to know your vision and understand your values. Give people like that an opportunity to speak, then listen to them.
2. When was the last time you memorized something? How about the Franciscan Blessing? Why not memorize that blessing and pray it over your people, teams and ministry for a year?
3. Tell a few of your key leaders what Craig said. “In order to reach people no one is reaching, you’ll have to do things that no one is doing.” Get some conversation going around that statement. Ask what your leaders think about “doing what no one is doing” so you can “reach people no one is reaching.”
4. Buy Craig’s book. Read it with your team. Talk about it.