Hey Next Level Church, We just Closed on the Property!!!

Today, Friday, October 29th, 2010 at 2:30 pm EDT, we, Next Level Church, became the owners of 10 Acres of land and the church property (formerly Celebration Family Church.) Woohoo!!!

This is a picture I took one Sunday morning while I was over there praying early! If you look real close you can see a rainbow over the top of the building!

Demolition and renovations are scheduled to begin in the next week or two! The property is going to look and be amazing! Not one inch of the property is going to be untouched! Woohoo! Here we go everybody!

I don't think it's a coincidence that our monthly, 1st Monday prayer and fasting day is on Monday! Come on everybody, let's pray that God will give us a smooth road as we begin renovations and construction.  What a tool God has given us to impact so many lives in SW FL and beyond in the years ahead!!!

For all the latest, and to see the latest floor plans, etc. Go to www.ThisIsOurTime.org

Today begins a new chapter in the life of our church!

Ministry's Margin-Less Reality (A Re-Post)

Many of you have been commenting about what a difference some of the Margin stuff we talked about in September has made. So I have re-posted a lot of it here. Also, here is a link to the Conference Call I did last month to talk about Margin Live with a group of about 25 pastors. Click here.

In my opinion, margin in ministry could be one of the most overlooked ideas out there! Too many of us pastors are overworked, stressed out, and living out-of-control schedules and unfortunately, it's taking it's toll on us, our families, our marriages and our ministries.

Margin Defined...

     Today I want to give a working definition for the idea or concept of Margin. So here you go…

“The distance between where you are and your limits.”

     The obvious illustration is the margins on a piece of paper. It’s the white space between the edge of the paper and that little red line. I love it. Even paper manufacturers knew that we (as kids) would be prone to push the limits in our lives, so they gave us a bright red line to basically scream:

  “Hey kid, STOP! You’re gonna run out of paper and write on your desk and then your teacher is gonna yell at you and all your friends will make fun of you and you’ll feel like a stinkin’ idiot, so STOP!!!”

And yet… even with the wonderful red line, how often did we try and push the limits and write all the way to the edges?!?

Some things never change do they?

     Unfortunately for many of us, (and especially those of us in ministry,) we don’t have little red lines anymore warning us that we’re pushing our limits. Consequently, we plunge ahead with commitments and e-mails and appointments and deadlines and stressful situations and little sleep. And more times than we’d like to admit, we end up writing on the desk somewhere and our marriage breaks down or our kids rebel, or we compromise morally, or we have a financial breakdown.

      And all the kids in the world look over at our desk and say, “See, another one bites the dust.” And the moral authority of the message we proclaim becomes tainted or dilluted or compromised in some way.

     It doesn’t have to be this way. We gotta get this figured out, & I’m convinced that margin is the answer to the problem.

An Outsider's View of a Next Level Church - Weekly Staff Meeting

Last weekend, we hosted 11 church planters from across the USA for 5 days to train them in what is called "Basic Training." One of the experiential elements we put into the curriculum is an opportunity for them to "watch" our 1 hour, weekly, all-staff meeting we do on Monday afternoons from 4 to 5 pm.  The why behind the what is because we've realized that alot of church planters are coming out of less-than-healthy church cultures and the likelihood of them having never seen what a healthy, functional staff meeting looks like, is extremely high.

Ben Liles, a recently launched church planter in Panama City Beach, FL came in to teach, share his story, and observe for Monday and Tuesday. He recently posted on his blog (www.BenLiles.org) his observations from watching our staff meeting on his blog. I have re-posted them below. It's always interesting to see what you do through someone else's eyes, so thanks Ben, for the chance to see our weekly staff meeting through an outsider's perspective.

Here's Ben's Blog Post from October 19th, 2010:

Next Level Church Staff Meeting Takeaways

October 19th, 2010

One of the things I love to do is to find ways to be more productive. From online help, to personal schedules, to reading books on productivity, I want to be productive in my personal life. Yesterday, I found a major flaw in one area of my productivity as a leader: being productive in a staff meeting.
For the last few days I have been at the ARC Basic Training helping to train church planters. Part of the training yesterday was getting the privilege to  sit in on an all staff meeting led by Lead Pastor Matt Keller at Next Level Church. WOW. It was amazing to watch a staff meeting flow like that one. Here are some of my main takeaways.

• Just so you know, there were 11 departments represented and the lead pastor, so keep in mind it was not just 3-4 people. They do this every Monday afternoon.
• NO COMPUTERS! There was not a single computer at the meeting. None. You know what that means? No one was on Facebook or Twitter during staff meeting. Yeah, I am sure you’ve never done that!
• The lack of computers created an environment of engagement. Everyone was listening, helping, discussing, and a part of every conversation. It was not one person talking while everyone else played on their computer. They brought pens, and yes, wait for it…notebooks and paper calendars! No computers, no iPads, but plenty of engagement.
• Phones were shut off or on silent. Most of them never even looked at a phone once. Again, no Twitter and Facebook.
• They discussed “wins” first. They celebrated their wins together. Many of the wins were heard for the first time and they celebrated together. They dealt with losses at a later time. Fight to not go to the negatives first!
• Next they went around the room for department reports. Sounds like the boring part right? Nope. They each talked for about 60-75 SECONDS. They talked about 2 things. First, the one main thing they are working on. Second, the one challenge they are having. They discussed ways to help the challenge as a team, and when a possible solution was had, a secondary meeting was scheduled for those two staff members and BANG, next person! No long term discussions, trying to solve hundreds of problems.
• Next they discussed a reading assignment they had been given. It was a blog about how to organize and respond to the overwhelming number of emails that leaders respond. They each gave their one main takeaway and helped each other find ways to implement it.
• They finished with prayer requests. Not prayer requests from a card, that is handled by others. These were prayer requests that they had found about through relationships. It forces the staff to be involved in people’s lives. They assigned a staff member to follow up with each request, and report back.
• Done. Wins and losses, 11 departments reports, secondary meetings scheduled, leadership devotional with application, and prayer…total time…52 minutes. Less than an hour. Very productive and very time conscious.

Now remember, this was an all staff meeting. From what I understand, Pastor Matt has other meeting throughout the week with some of these guys as needed. So there were other meetings taking place, but for an all staff meeting, this was really productive.
Pastor Matt also highly recommended the book, “Death By Meeting” by Patrick Lencioni. Overall, it was a great eye-opening experience. Leaders, what have you done to improve productivity in your staff meetings?

Playing with Pet Rattlesnakes... Dealing with the Media in Ministry

            Over the past few years, we have had to deal with the media from time to time in our church. By and large, it’s been a positive experience but there have also been a few times when we’ve been misrepresented or haven’t been portrayed in the best light. Gaining media attention can bring increased (& free) promotion for your church, but it must also be handled with the right perspective or it can damage you and your ministry.

In Mark 6, Jesus has an interaction with what would be the equivalent of “the media” in his day. He’s speaking and his audience is filled with people who were anxious to hear what he had to say and then leave and give their opinion about it! (I don’t know about you, but that sounds like the media to me!)

We can learn some things from how Jesus interacted with the media.

Mark 6 (In The Message Paraphrase)

v. 1-2 “On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?"

1.  The Media will think you are an Overnight Success.

The people in Jesus’ hometown didn’t realize that Jesus had been preparing for this for 30 years, they heard him speak one time and thought he was an overnight success. When you gain media attention, don’t be surprised if they don’t know or care much about your back story. The media lives in a moment by moment world and representing your years of blood, sweat and tears isn’t their biggest priority.

v. 3 “But in the next breath they were cutting him down…”

2.  Never believe your own press.

Always remember the media has a job to do: Tell a story that will increase viewers. They’re interested in telling the story they want to tell. That’s why they are capable of loving you and hating you all in the same article. If it means they gain more viewers than that’s what they’ll write. Believing your own press is a dangerous thing, because if you’ll swallow the good things they write, you’ll be tempted to swallow the bad things they write as well. Don’t let either sink in to your spirit.

v. 3 "He's just a carpenter—Mary's boy. We've known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?"

3.  The Media can reduce you and discredit you pretty fast.

The listeners in Jesus’ day went from “How did he get so wise…” to “He’s just a carpenter…” in just a few seconds. Don’t be surprised if the media reduces you to a “He’s just a…” statement. Over the years I’ve been labeled a lot of things: Too young, too hip, a sell out, and a flash in the pan to name a few. Don’t worry about it. Let them say what they want, it’s just words. The way to prove them wrong is NOT to fight back and defend yourself, it’s to keep doing what you do every single week. Consistency wins out every time, if we’ll give it enough time.

v. 4 “They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling.”

4.  The media only sees and believes a small piece.

In the media world, deadlines trump fact almost exclusively. Unfortunately, when a reporter is on a deadline, they must take what little facts they have about you and then project the rest. Often too much detail only clouds their mind for the story they need to write for the 6 O’Clock news. Remember, for you this is your life, for them this is today’s deadline, and tomorrow they’ll be off reporting on something else.

v. 4 “…they never got any further.”

5.  The media want what they want, sometimes, more than they want fact.

In most TV interviews I’ve ever done, I can tell the reporter is listening for a couple of select sound bites from me that will fit into the story they’re already trying to write in their head. Only every once in a great while do we get a reporter who will show up at our event with one story in their mind, see the reality of what is actually going on and then change the story they were going to write. Most media people have a pre-conceived idea of the story they want to tell long before they arrive on the scene.

v. 4-5 “Jesus told them, "A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child." Jesus wasn't able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that's all.”

6.  The Media is a lot like a Pet Rattlesnake.

I remember when a nationally known and very prominent leader had seen a piece that CNN did on our church several years ago and made this comment to comparing the media to a pet rattlesnake. I have never forgotten that comparison. His warning was to, “never get too comfortable around them, because the minute you do, they just might turn on you and bite you.”

All in all, capturing the attention of the media can be a positive thing for your church or ministry. But knowing how to handle the attention and keeping it in the right perspective is key. Never forget, we do what we do out of faithfulness for an unseen Creator, not for media attention.

Spending Time w/ One of America's Great Pastors - Part 2

On Wednesday, I posted the first 5 of my Actionable Learnings from my time with Robert Morris, Pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, TX. Here are my second 5 Learnings... Enjoy.

Learning #6: Our job as a pastor is to continually be asking, “How can I help?”

I love this perspective, especially in light of the context he said it in which is helping his staff. When you see someone carrying a burden of some kind, simply stopping to ask the question, “How can I help?” is how we pastor them.

Learning #7: Givers don’t want attention, but they do want to be appreciated. We must stop ignoring the gift of giving in the Body of Christ. It’s in the same list as teacher and miracles.

Learning #8: 3 Things about a pastor that you’re going to have to decide if you like, because they’re probably not going to change:

1) Their Friends,

2) Their Vision, &

3) Their Government.

What a great filter for new people coming into a church. Who do the leaders watch, learn from and hang with? What is their vision? And How are they committed to running the business of the church? Phenomenal.

Learning #9: The greatest temptation in the ministry in the next 5 to 10 years is Burnout. It’s a major reason pastors are falling morally, because they’re looking for an escape from the stress and pace of their life and they are turning to illegitimate escapes.

Great perspective and warning. It makes me so thankful for the precedence of Sabbath and days off and rest that we’ve got in place as a church. It also motivates me to teaching every pastor I come in contact with. What a major need in the ministry today. (Click here for the link to a talk I did recently on Margin)

Learning #10: A Personal Challenge to Pastors: Don’t exhibit God in your churches, let people experience Him. The greatest tool of evangelism today is the Presence of God in our worship services. Don’t compromise the presence of God and preaching of the Word. Your opinion won’t change anybody’s life, but the Presence and Power of God in your church will.

That’s what I’m talking about!

I’m definitely leaving this time with one of America’s great leaders encouraged, inspired and challenged to keep pushing into the great and unique thing that God is doing at Next Level Church.

Thanks again to Pastor Robert, Gateway Church, Billy Hornsby and the ARC for making this opportunity possible.

Spending Time with One of America's Great Pastors

On Monday of this week, I got to spend a few hours with a select group of about 15 guys with Robert Morris, Pastor of Gateway Church in Dallas, TX. Gateway is one of the America’s largest and fastest growing churches. Here are 10 learnings from my up close and personal time with Pastor Robert.

(Principle is in regular font. My thoughts are in italics. BTW, Special thanks to Billy Hornsby and the ARC for this rare and unique opportunity… I'll share the first 5 Learnings today & the second 5 on Friday. Stay tuned...)

Learning #1: One of the roots of immorality is bitterness. If we don’t dig bitterness out of our heart, it can eventually lead to immorality.

Gosh, that’s good stuff. I’ve never heard anyone apply that scripture like that before.

Learning #2: So often when we see a leader we admire, we want to ask “How” they did or do what they do. Instead, we should be asking “Why” they do what they do and “What” God did in them to allow them to do what they’re doing today.

This is a great reminder that any leader that God uses greatly, He first breaks in a great way. Robert has paid a huge price to be where he is today and to lead at the level he’s leading at today.

Learning #3: Concerning Brokenness: “One of the best things that ever happened to me was that I saw myself for who I actually was.”

I can’t help but think of how many leaders never slow down long enough or embrace the breaking that God is doing in their heart to actually see themselves for who they truly are. Instead, we push and plow through in the name of productivity and forfeit the very work of God in our hearts that will establish our leadership long-term.

Learning #4: 3 Things that are important to 45 year old Executives:

1) Time. If you are unorganized and unstructured in your services, business people aren’t gonna like it.

2) Dress. You can be casual without being sloppy. There is a huge difference.

3) The Building. Successful people want to see a vision for excellence in everything you do. Your building has to match your city.

Great stuff right here. All intangibles to reaching successful business people in our communities.

Learning #5: Man looks at the outward. In reference to I Samuel 16:7 which says, “Man looks at the outward, but God looks at the heart. So often we preach and teach the second part, but fail to see the first part. When it comes to reaching people for Christ, never forget that they ARE looking at “the outside” of how we do what we do in our churches.

Brilliant. It is the intangibles that give us permission to influence many of the people in our city we’re called to reach. We must not overlook them.

Stay tuned for the second 5 take aways coming on Friday...

Matt