Blog

Author:	jimwideman	Created:	6/12/2009 10:52 AM
This is where the description of the Leadership blog category goes.

Super Size Me -Part 6

By jimwideman on 7/25/2010 11:38 PM

#7. Identify the things that you are doing that others can do and commit to do the tasks and functions that only you can do. (v. 22-23) Remember all believers can do ministry. They won’t be able to do it as good as you can at first but you weren’t that fabulous yourself when you started. You grew and got better and you need to return the favor. Doing the things that someone else can do for you keeps you from being totally effective.

#8. The proof that you heard is that you do what needs to be done (v. 24) James 1:22-25 tells us “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it --he will be blessed in what he does. Obedience is always best! Thus saith the Lord always works, it’s so much better than thus saith the seminar speaker or the children’s minister blogger.

Super Size Me -Part 5

By jimwideman on 7/24/2010 11:35 PM

#5. Teach and model procedures and policies (v.20b) There are two questions that every volunteers need to know. What do you want me to do and how do you want me to do it? (Policy and Procedure Manuals are important!)

Here are the steps to follow to make sure you are staffing for excellence. Identify all positions. If people were no problem where could you use a worker. Make job descriptions. Everyone does better when they know what to do. Write all policies based on your desired action. I give everyone each other’s job descriptions and duties so everyone knows what everyone else should be doing.

Be sure and operate by policies, don’t make exceptions on a regular basis, if the policy needs changing, then change the policy.

Super Size Me -Part 4

By jimwideman on 7/23/2010 11:30 PM

What a story he came, he listened, he watched, he coached, he taught, then he left. Here are 10 Steps that I got from these verses to enlarge the abilities of your volunteers.

#1. Learn to be a listener. (v.8-10) Listening to others is one of the smartest thing a leader can do. Who do you listen to? Staff, coordinators, teachers, helpers and parents. In other words listen to anyone who will talk children’s ministry with you. Listen to experts and the voice of experience. Listen to learn. Experience is the best teacher but it doesn’t have to be your experience that you learn from.

Super Size Me -Part 2

By jimwideman on 7/21/2010 11:25 PM

The answer is to get to the heart of the matter and dive into what I call the excellence model. Let’s set up the story. Moses was doing what a lot of people in the ministry do he was doing the job alone. He was seeing a measure of success but it was not the best for his ministry or his family. You see what got Mr. Excellence (that’s what Jethro’s name means…) to pay Moses a visit is because Moses’ wife took the kids, left Moses and went home to daddy. In Exodus 18:6-10 we pick up the story…” Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons." So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the LORD had saved them. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said, "Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians.

Super Size Me

By jimwideman on 7/20/2010 11:59 PM

I am not the same leader today as I was when I started. I hope I’m not the same leader I was last month. I want to be a constant learner. I hear people say all the time Jim I wish I knew the things you’re teaching years ago. The truth is I do too. I learn something everyday if I want to and guess what I want to! I wish at times I could go back to the first three churches that I worked at and show them that I’m not as dumb as I used to be. My dreams are bigger, my thinking is better and my abilities have been enlarged. How has all this come about? Believe me it wasn’t by accident and it just didn’t happen on it’s own. It came about through intentional actions and steps.

Developing Depth In Your Ministry-part 7

By jimwideman on 7/8/2010 11:44 PM

10. Always set the pace, be the leader. Be the kind of person you would like to work for. Dare to lead no matter what. Give your volunteers an example to follow and a model worth imitating.

Delegation is not an option for those who want to succeed in ministry. But to succeed you must take inventory of where you are. Start small and go from there. I try to recruit my team one worker at a time. Ask yourself and your volunteers, “What do I need to do differently?” What volunteers do you see potential in? Commit to coach volunteers and let them learn by doing and you’ll have depth to win championships!

Developing Depth In Your Ministry-part 6

By jimwideman on 7/7/2010 11:41 PM

8. Support and encourage those who help you. It is imperative that you build a support structure around your volunteers. Our job is not to do all the work in Children’s Ministry but to train up others and prepare them for works of service. In the same way we must lead others by encouragement. This is not as hard as you may think. Here are five sure fired ways to encourage your volunteers. #1. Say thank you constantly. #2. Catch people doing things right. Complement your volunteers in a job well done. #3. Take the calls of your volunteers. #4. Check on your volunteers and see how they are doing. Use your M.B.W.A. degree. Management by walking around. #5. Help others be better at what they do, every chance you get.

Developing Depth In Your Ministry-part 5

By jimwideman on 7/5/2010 11:39 PM

5. Train and teach those you recruit. Exodus 18:20 tells us to “Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. You must model to others how you want it done. Classes are good, but hands on training is better. Christians are the only people group I know that confuse the word training with verbal instruction. Every secular job that offers training does so by verbal communication in addition to the hands on training and mentoring. You don’t have to be the only model. I use my staff, master teachers and coordinators to help me train and equip others. Everyone should be helping in the training and equipping process.

6. Push authority down! It is extremely important that you always delegate authority along with responsibility. One of the dumbest sayings I know is “The buck stops here.” There are many places for the buck to stop when you give authority to others. Those you delegate to can mot carry out the tasks that you desire without the authority.

Developing Depth In Your Ministry-part 4

By jimwideman on 7/3/2010 11:37 PM

3. Qualify all workers. The disciples didn’t just turn this responsibility over to just anybody. They found people from among them. People who were known. There were requirements needed to do the job like being full of the Spirit and being full of wisdom. Jethro also gave Moses requirements for workers in Exodus 18:21 “But select capable men from all the people --men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. A major rule of delegation is qualify who you delegate responsibility to. Are they capable and able?

Developing Depth In Your Ministry-part 3

By jimwideman on 7/1/2010 11:34 PM

With these things in mind let’s take a look at ten steps I use in effective delegation that will help you to develop depth in your volunteers through action and cause you to be a master of delegation and duplication.

1. Identify what you need to be doing. Let’s take a look at Acts 6: 2 one more time. “So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.” The disciples were not too good to wait tables but this project was keeping them from what they needed to be doing. There are loads of good ideas and projects that keep us from doing the God inspired and directed projects, He has for us to do. I have come to realize that It’s more important that I train, guide, manage and recruit than teach, sing, perform and be the only person that the children identify with. The best thing I can do to grow is to allow others to be involved and not be a one man show.