Bringing Change - Influencing Relationships

  nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work. 

Nehemiah 2:16 (NASB)

Our focus in this post is being the kind of leader who can bring needed change.  These three, "Bringing Change" posts have been about leading to bring change.  We talked about the need to lead, vision and the last one, today, influencing relationships.

Every leader must learn to influence others.  That happens through relationship.  People will only follow you so far because simply you are the leader.  It requires an intentional influence.  But it also requires relationships.  Relationship are the key to everything we do as a leader and when it comes to church life.  Without relationships you will accomplish little.  But let me remind you to be careful not to build relationships just to get the work done.  That is manipulation.  We are called to love!  build relationships just to be a part of another's life and through it you will be able to lead.

That being said we also need to understand others.  In being intentional about building pastoral relationships, keep in mind there are about six different kinds of people you will need to influence.

1. Power People.  These are the people that are influential in the body.  They are the E. F. Hutons in the congregation.  When they speak everyone listens.  You will need to influence them and share the vision with them.
2. Gifted People.  Everyone who is a believer has a spiritual gift.  As a leader you must spend enough time with people to know their giftedness.  You want to be able to influence the right gifts to join in the vision at the right time.
3. Committed People.  If you are to lead you must know who is committed to the cause of Christ.  In every church there will be people present for a variety of reasons.  You need to know who is there because of a calling from Jesus.  They are the people you can count on.
4. Needy people.  Because of the nature of the church there will always be people with needs.  Frankly if the church is doing its job in ministry that is a good thing.  But the needy people that I am speaking about are the complainers, those with an agenda, and those who continually want your attention. It will benefit you to limit your time with these people, they will suck you dry of energy and time if you let them.
5. Flighty people.  These come in several varieties.  Some mean well but just won't catch what you are saying.  At times they will make you chuckle.  They mean well and are harmless but too can zap you of time.  A second type of flighty person is the one who is just waiting for you to say, do something they don't like and then they will take off.  They can be a little more troubling.  Watch out for them, they can give you a challenge in what others think about the ministry of the church.
6. Possible people.  Possible people are leaders in the making.  They have potential and you can see glimmers of great things God can do in their lives and ministry.  Possible people need you to influence them through mentoring and discipleship.

Prayerfully think about the people in the church and how much time and in what ways you need to influence them and build relationships.  A final caution, understand that building relationships with others always includes a risk.  But don't let the risk hinder you from relationships.  They will make all the difference as you lead and personally in your life.

Bringing Change - Share a Vision

"You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach."  I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and build." 

Nehemiah 2:17-18 (NASB)

As we learned in the last post there are times when change is needed.  When it is, we must have the will to lead others to where they need to go.  But in order to do that we must share the vision.  Vision is not our idea it comes from God.  But it will be our responsibility as leaders to help those we lead to embrace the vision.

So how exactly do we do that?  There are at least five important steps in sharing God's vision with God's people.

1. Have the vision.  We must stop and listen and see the vision for ourselves.  If you don't have a vision from the Lord, you can not and should not be trying to lead others.  If you don't have a vision for your church takes some time go away in silence and solitude and ask God to give you His vision for His people!
2. Communicate the vision.  Now is the time to begin communicating the vision.  How do you do that?  In every way and as often as you can.  Preach it, talk about it, teach about it, dream with the people about it.  Keep it in front of them!
3. Organize to fulfill the vision.  This is preparation.  There will always be details to work and small changes to work through in order for the vision to be accomplished.
4. Empower to do the vision.  As the leader you are not to do the vision for the people but equip and lead them to do the vision with you.  Empower them!  Give it to them!  Stand with them to accomplish the good work.
5. Be persistent with the vision.  Stick with it!  Don't give up!  Don't water down when it seem difficult!  If it is from God be persistent regardless of opposition.  Every hill is not worthy of the leader dying on.  But if this vision is truly from the Lord it is worthy of it.    Be persistent!

Leaders must share the vision if change is to be embraced!

Bringing Change - Be a Leader

I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem

Nehemiah 2:12 (NASB) 

This is part 1 of 3 blog posts on bringing change.  If there is a dirty word used by good leaders in the church it would be the word CHANGE.  No one likes the word not even leaders.  But it is a needed word.  Most, OK, all churches need change.  Some don't know it.  Some know it but don't know how.  Some know it but are unwilling.  For the pastor who wants to be more than a chaplain, who marries and buries, we must be willing to bring change.  So here is the challenge:  Be a Leader and bring about change if and when it is needed.

Here are some really great statements of truth for us to chew on.  I don't know who originally said these things but I have found them to be true.

"Great leaders are not restricted by the way things have always been done."

"Leadership is searching for the best way, not the familiar way."

"The message should never change (Scripture) but the methods used will need too."

"Change for change sake is never a good thing."

With over 70% of churches in declined, plateauing or already dead, there are some things that need to change.  If we are ever going to impact our communities or the World for the Kingdom we must tackle bringing about change.

(Post 2 will be about Vision.  Post 3 will be about influencing people.)