Archive for July, 2013
Our Annual Staff Advance: Major Development of Our Ministry Team
In the last week of July, Jeana and I will conduct our 26th successive Staff Advance. For twenty-six summers in a row, we have taken our Ministry Staff Team away for several days of retreat. In our multi-campus, growing fellowship, this time has become invaluable.
Through The Years
Through the years, this Staff Advance has grown in many ways. In those initial years, it was much simpler. Now, I labor over each minute we spend together, realizing how cherished these moments are together. We are in a high-speed game day to day; therefore, to draw aside gives us the chance to wait upon the Lord together and share our hearts in how we can more effectively reach Northwest Arkansas, America, and the World for Jesus Christ.
What We Do On These Days Away
We take our Ministry Staff and their spouses away for this time together. We meet with everyone together on our initial morning session and again in our concluding session. In the other sessions, we divide the Ministry Staff and their spouses. While I lead our Ministry Staff, Jeana leads sessions for the wives of the Ministry Staff members. This time is valuable.
In our sessions together, we worship, and in the initial session, I give my major address to everyone. This sets the stage for the week; what I sense God is doing, and wants us to do in the immediate future. I also articulate a direction for our future. We worship together, led by our powerful worship ministry team. We pray together, calling unto the Lord mightily. At times, we hear from various members of our staff team.
In the sessions we have uniquely for our Ministry Staff members, we spend time hearing reports about the past year and cast specific ministry vision for the future. We also use those sessions to talk about things that we don’t always have time to talk about while we are at home. We try to make every minute count.
In the sessions Jeana conducts with the spouses of our Ministry Staff members, they pour into each other through the Word of God, prayer, and fellowship. This time is irreplaceable for them, as so many need the mentoring and encouragement of the other ladies.
Why This Annual Staff Advance Is So Valuable
- We grow together in Christ.
Ministers and their wives need to worship together as couples and as Staff Team members. In this setting, someone is not pulling on them and their attention is not divided. We truly engage with our focus on the Lord and His power in our lives. Worshipping together, praying together, sharing our burdens together, and hearing God’s Word together is irreplaceable for our team.
- We set our focus upon the future.
If we never took this time away, it would be virtually impossible for us to set our focus on the future. Our church runs fast and our team runs fast. Life runs fast. Our people run fast. Everyone needs to escape, becoming accountable to the team for their past vision, and setting our focus on the future with hope. This fires the team up for the future.
- We spend time together.
Our Staff Advance is not about individualism, but team. We do everything as a team. This is non-negotiable with me. We encourage cross-campus fellowship and cross-campus ministries to spend time with each other. Cross Church is one team, with four campuses. We work hard together to create team and teamwork.
- We cover a multitude of sins.
I realize fully that only the blood of Jesus covers sin. Being on a multi-staff church has some benefits, but also many challenges. Nothing happens in isolation and each decision affects the whole. This results in some misunderstandings through a given year. However, these days of investing in the team and focusing on our fellowship together results in everyone getting along much better over the entire year. We understand each other more and learn to grow in love and appreciation of one another.
- We experience our vision uniquely.
Last year while I was in New York City, God put a vision on my heart. I was there mobilizing churches to embrace the church planting vision that the North American Mission Board is coordinating for our 46,000 Southern Baptist Churches called “Send North America.” This year, we are doing something we have never done before. We will experience our vision uniquely. How?
Since 2010, Cross Church has invested and partnered in planting 66 churches globally. Thirty-five of these churches are in North America. We have invited eighteen of these church planters to join us and thirteen are able to bring their spouse with them. We want them to experience our team and vision alongside us.
Why are we doing this? The answer is simple: These leaders need to be developed by the local churches investing in them. We believe in developing people.
In Conclusion
I realize churches of all sizes and shapes read this blog for Pastors. Regardless of the size of your church, lift out the principles comprised here. Whether your team is only laypeople (yes, I have been there), your staff team is only one or two others (yes, I have been there also), your staff is a similar size, or even larger than ours (and many are), consider the basic concepts I have mentioned.
What I want you to take away more than anything is…develop the leaders around you in some way, somewhere. If you do not, who else will? Probably no one else. As the Pastor, God has called you to lead and equip others. Friend, pour into your leaders. Nothing will bring greater dividends to the church than this.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
3 Ways to Prepare Ourselves to Share with Other People
The New Testament Book of Acts includes a story from the life of Philip that can give us guidance today as we seek to reach unbelievers with the gospel.
Philip had been ministering in Samaria when an angel appeared to him with a different assignment. He should leave Samaria, and travel south to a road connecting Jerusalem with Gaza. Luke comments that it was called “the desert road” (Acts 8:26). On this road, he came upon a political official returning home to Ethiopia.
Philip’s attention was taken as the man was sitting in his chariot reading audibly from Isaiah’s writings. The narrative tells us the official—a eunuch in Queen Candace’s court—had been to Jerusalem to worship. Doubtless, he had heard from the passage but did not have understanding of it.
The man’s lack of understanding was the bridge Philip walked over to start a gospel conversation. You can check out the entire story in Acts 8:26-40.
As we saw a few weeks back, people today still go to the Bible when they have problems. Among those surveyed, 42% had turned to the Bible within the past year to help them deal with pressure. One-quarter of Americans had done so within the last month.
It is more than reasonable to assume many of these people did not know a specific truth they were seeking, except some kind of help in a time of need. This is where we, like Philip, should be prepared to step in. Here are three ways we can prepare ourselves to share with others:
First, we need to know the Bible.
Philip was well enough versed in the available Scripture (the Old Testament) to explain Isaiah 53 to the eunuch. As disciples, we also need to know the Bible well, and be able to help others make application.
Second, we should expect to come across people who are reading the Bible, but lack understanding.
The eunuch’s situation is not unusual. In fact, it occurs today. Just because people are looking to God’s Word does not mean they understand it. When they don’t understand, that is the open door for us to express the truth.
Third, we should take the time needed to bring clarity to the Scriptures.
He didn’t just say, “Yeah, just read around in that general area and it will all make sense.” He “proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture” (v. 35).
We have so many awesome tools, like Bible Studies for Life, to help us in the discipleship process. Whether we are interacting at home, in a small-group Bible study or with an unbeliever at work, let us be like Philip: prepared to help others where the Bible meets life.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church Northwest Arkansas General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.