Laugh it up

I read something yesterday that’s had me thinking. Psalm 37:13 says “the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.”  How can that be?  You’re telling me that with everything going on in the world, God is laughing?  Shouldn’t He be spending time on more important, serious matters?  That’s what you and I would do when “the wicked plot against us,” right?

Maybe this is God’s way of telling us to lighten up.  True, there are unspeakably horrible things going on.  And there is a time to cry, to fight, to put in 14 hour days. But God also wants us to enjoy Him, the world He created, and the people He has put in our lives.  Sometimes we get so serious about whatever it is that God has called you to lead – your family, your Life Group, your business – because we think that if we stop to laugh or enjoy it even a little, people won’t think we’re committed. Yet God laughed, and He was pretty committed to His mission.  

If you are having trouble taking the time to stop, breathe, and laugh you’re heading for trouble. You’re going to burn out and then you really won’t be effective.  Yes, you are probably involved in some really serious business, at home or in the church or in your community.  But trust me, there is plenty out there to enjoy and laugh at.  And if you can’t find it, make something up.  God’s good for a laugh now and then.  You should be too.

Big Series starting this weekend!

I’m so excited about the new series we’re starting this week, “Just Walk Across the Room,” based on the book of the same name by Bill Hybels at Willow Creek.  We have been planning for and praying about this series for about 8 months and it finally begins on Sunday.  I believe that in the next 5 weeks God wants to do something that will change our relationships with our neighbors, co-workers, soccer coaches, kids, spouses, and our church forever. Think about how the Holy Spirit could move through our church if each and every one of us made the Great Commission our personal mission!

I love what Bill says on the inside flap: “What if you knew that by simply crossing the room and saying hello to someone, you could change that person’s forever?  Just a few steps can make an eternal difference. It has nothing to do with methods and everything to do with taking an interest in another human being.”

CCCN, this is going to be awesome! Start praying. Get the book this Sunday. Get in a Life Group to dig deeper into the message. And let’s start Walking Across Rooms!!

Who was it that shared the gospel with you the first time? Do you remember the first time they walked across a room and began the relationship?

Hot Zones

For some people, really talented people, I imagine where you are matters much less than it does for others. An idea or an image of what could be oozes out of you regardless of environment. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a crowded room or listening to music or on a long car ride.  You are awesome.

For me and many others, there are creative hot zones. Creative hot zones are those certain places, times of the day, specific songs, etc that seem to stir up your creativity. Sure, it can happen outside of one of your hot zones, but you know when you’re in when you are much more likely to find a creative groove. If you are someone who works most effectively in a hot zone, guess what? You’re awesome too.

For you the key is to spend time there. We need the discipline to schedule times to dream and create. Make a point of getting to your creative hot zone as frequently as you’re able. And depending on where or what it is for you, it may need to happen more often. One of mine , oddly enough, is the shower, usually at night. Some of my best ideas happen there, and often I’ve got an idea completely mapped out by the time I get out.

We need you to create. We need your unique perspective. If you know where or what your creative hot zone is, do us a favor and spend time there. If you haven’t found it yet, don’t be discouraged.  Pay attention. Ask yourself questions. You’ll find it. And we’ll all be better off when you do.

Where or what are your creative hot zones?

Mad props to your team!

One of the "tools" of leadership that has become foundational for me started by accident. When I was first starting in youth ministry with a new team of leaders, I would make sure to publicly praise them every chance I got.  Aside from truly believing they were great leaders, I was also trying to help establish trust and confidence with parents that their students would be in good hands with us. I think I succeeded in that goal. However, it had broader implications than I ever intended.  Those leaders worked harder. They trusted me more. They granted me permission to lead and influence them. And because of what they offered, the youth ministry grew and became more effective at impacting the lives of students.

In most of his letters, Paul made a point of turning the spotlight on those who were serving under him or around him. Romans 16 is basically a big thank you card being broadcast to the church in Rome. Paul couldn't have been an easy guy to work with, if for no other reason than people were always wanting to arrest or kill him. Yet people followed him and fought for him because he was leading a cause they believed in, and because he recognized the value they added to the minisrty and let everyone know about it.

Leaders, we must learn to value the contributions of those who serve with us and under us. We need to improve in this area. I need to improve. In fact, I put it in writing and will share it with all of my leaders and volunteers. Whatever you are doing, you can't do it as effectively alone.  People are looking for something to give their time, talent, and treasure to.  If you can cast a compelling vision and create a culture of honoring those who come on board, you will never lack followers.

What are some things you've done (or had done for you) to recognize and honor those serving under you?

Raising expectations (and then dashing them) by Seth Godin

Something we'll do every once and a while here is to take a look at what other leaders are saying.  Seth Godin is one of my favorites.  He had a post yesterday that had me thinking, so I thought I'd share it with you.  After reading it, I'd love to hear from you about whether or not you think there are any parallels to the church - how we program, promote, budget, etc.

Raising expectations (and then dashing them) by Seth Godin

Have you noticed how upbeat the ads for airlines and banks are?
Judging from the billboards and the newspaper ads, you might be led to believe that Delta is actually a better airline, one that cares. Or that your bank has flexible people eager to bend the rules to help you succeed.
At one level, this is good advertising, because it tells a story that resonates. We want Delta to be the airline it says it is, and so we give them a try.
The problem is this: ads like this actually decrease user satisfaction. If the ad leads to expect one thing and we don't get it, we're more disappointed than if we had gone in with no real expectations at all. Why this matters: if word of mouth is the real advertising, then what you've done is use old-school ad techniques to actually undercut any chance you have to generate new-school results.
So much better to invest that same money in delighting and embracing the customers you already have.

It's January, it's cold. Let's talk about something else.

I was having lunch the other day with a friend. He's a guy I like to get together with because he's fun, we've been involved in a lot of the same activities, and he says what he thinks. It's a good combination. At some point, the conversation changed direction a bit. We started tossing around ideas for the future. Along the way, there was a convergence of passion with potential opportunity to serve others in a new way. When that occurred, he came alive and it became probably the best lunch meeting we've ever had.

Two things I took from this: One, there's nothing like spending time with someone when they are sharing about something they are passionate about. Second, we've got to be more intentional about discovering people's gifts and passions and then find a way to encourage and equip them wherever they are -  in church, in their neighborhood, at work, at school, etc.

The next time you're having lunch with someone, try talking about something other than the weather (unless you're eating with Al Roker). Ask questions. Find out what's stirring inside them. The dreams and ideas God is placing in you just might intersect with their passion. When that happens, look out!

Managing the Clock

Watching some of the NFL playoffs this weekend, as well as the endless bowl season in college football, got me thinking about time management. Think about a football game. Both teams get the same amount of time to try to win the game. There is no advantage one way or the other, but so often a game comes down to whether a team manages the clock well or poorly.  (Note: I am not intentionally taking a shot at your coach. If you think about it, there is something funny about someone sitting in front of a TV for 3 ½ hours screaming at a coach for mismanaging the clock at the end of a game. And yes, I’m guilty.)  Have you ever noticed that the best coaches are the ones who know how to use the clock well? You don’t see a lot of 4 – 12 coaches who are amazing at using the clock.

It’s the same for leaders. We all have the same amount of time, yet good leaders consistently get more out of theirs than others (Ephesians 5:15 – 16).  It’s not because they aren’t busy.  Think about the best leaders you know. I’m guessing that they are among the busiest people you know.  Do you know how they got to be great leaders? They put in the time. They worked harder and longer than most people. There’s no way around it. To become more effective leaders, we have to put in the time.

Use our Life Groups (small groups) at CCCN as an example. If you were to go to each one and assess which ones have people who seem the most engaged, the most open, and are seeing God move regularly, they are being led by people who have put in the time and energy it takes to develop that kind of group. They aren’t less busy than anyone else. They are managing their clock well, finding time to make calls during the week, to show up at a kid’s recital, bowling together on the weekend, praying and thinking about the best way to get people to share what they really think and how they actually feel each week.

The good news is that, if God has called you into leadership somewhere, none of what those great leaders do is impossible for the rest of us to do with practice and time. Like it so often does on NFL Sundays, it all comes down to how we manage the clock.

What’s one thing you can do this week to help manage the clock better?

Wake the hamster

I had a lot of fun with the first real post yesterday. Thanks for the feedback and encouragement. Right now the plan is to post something new 2 - 3 times a week. Probably Tuesdays and Thursdays, give or take a day now and then, plus bonus postings whenever.  The best way to keep track is to subscribe or, better yet, make it your homepage (ok, probably only my mom would do that...if she knew what it even meant). Also, you can track it on Twitter by following me at twitter.com/jeffkuhne.

Since you've taken the time to check in, here's a quick thought. I love writing, but there are times when I write almost nothing. I'm not talking days, I mean months. Maybe more. For me it's two issues: discipline and wondering if I actually have anything to say. Discipline is too big to tackle today, but as for stuff to write about, the amazing thing is that once I start to write I actually enjoy it and suddenly the hamster in my mind that controls the creative process starts the wheel moving. It's similar to running, working out or, spiritually, praying and reading your Bible. More often than not, once we get started we tend to enjoy the process, whatever it is for you. The challenge is getting started.

So, maybe just for today, pick the guitar back up. Get on the treadmill. Find a quiet moment or two to talk to your Heavenly Father. Then try it again tomorrow and see what happens. You might just wake up that hamster.


What hamster do you really want to wake up, you're just having trouble getting started?

New Creation (or, don't pull a Lucas)

There is a question I've been wrestling with for the last several days. It's not new and it may not be incredibly profound, but for whatever reason it has caused me to stop, think, and pray differently than it ever has before:

Am I trying to become more Christ-like or just a better version of myself?

This is a question all Christians should probably ask themselves frequently, but for leaders it is way more important to come up with an answer. Why? Because by definition you are having an impact beyond just your own life.

What I'm discovering is that it's much easier to try to be a better me. Trying to be more Christ-like, well, that's going to take some work. Unfortunately, as leaders and as followers of Christ, that's what the Bible demands. Paul lays it out in 2 Corinthians 5:17 when he calls us a new creation. Fortunately, Jesus has done most of the heavy lifting already.

The cool thing about being a new creation is that it means we are a blank canvas; we can become just about anything and do almost anything if we let God lead us rather than us trying to lead Him. Trying to improve on the existing version is what got George Lucas in trouble and basically destroyed Star Wars and Indiana Jones (at least for me!). Instead of channeling his creativity into something new, exciting, and unknown, he just tinkered with the previous formula and the result was Jar Jar Binks and a much less intimidating Darth Vader.

Hopefully this new creation, this blog, will be a canvas where we can help one another to think, to grow, and to create. You may not find the answers you would if you were reading Andy Stanley, Perry Noble, Seth Godin or any number of more accomplished leaders, but hopefully together we can share ideas, ask questions, and see what happens. This will also be a spot where leaders within our church, Christian Community Church, can go for important information, tools, and fun as we grow and build something special together.

So here we go. Let's see what happens. What are your thoughts on the question,
"Am I trying to become more Christ-like or just a better version of myself?"

Kickoff this week!

The new blog starts this week! Go aheaf and subscribe now so you don't miss a thing and follow me on twitter too!