Next Level Leadership

Bishop T.D. Jakes talked about the different stages of leadership that a pastor will go through in order to take the church to the next level. I have listened to that CD over 75 times NO KIDDING!!!!
T.D Jakes closed the 2006 C3 Conference with an unforgettable message: 10 Commandments of Christian Leadership. When he finished, Ed joined him on stage and called it the single best talk on church leadership he had ever heard. The talk was captivating and moving from beginning to end. I don't think anyone who was there will ever forget it. Thankfully, the conference sessions will be available on DVD in a month because there's no way words could do this session or the conference justice.

1. Thou shalt make 4 E's (Education, Experience, Exposure, and Effective)
2. Thou shalt not go without your staff
3. Thou shalt not despise obscurity
4. Thou shalt reproduce after your own kind
5. Thou shalt not esteem principles over people
6. Thou shalt make ministry out of your misery
7. Thou shalt walk amongst the people
8. Thou shalt walk before the people
9. Thou shalt walk above the people
10. Thou shalt not become bitter

Numbers 7-9 have really challenged me and I am realizing that if I don't change then we don't go to the next level. When we started LifeQuest I walked among the people, I went to everyone's house, met for breakfast, lunch and dinner and Starbucks Coffee :) I am now realizing that if we as a church are going to go to the next level, I am going to have to focus more on the development of our staff and let them lead the day to day stuff. This is a challenge since everyone is volunteers, I believe that one reason most churches stay at 100 or 200 is because the pastor tries to do everything and doesn't delegate. That is SO unbiblical, Ephesians 4:11-13.

SO pray for our staff as we head into the Staff Advance, it is going to be really focused at getting everyone in their sweet spot.

LifeQuest is going to the Next Level as I go to the next level in my leadership.