The key to everything good in your life and leadership is...

If there is one word that describes what I'm looking for in the leaders around me, hands down, it's the word, Teachability. I swear, I'm going to write a book on Teachability at some point in my leadership career, because I am completely convinced that Teachability is the key to just about everything else that we need in leadership.

Bottom Line: If you're not teachable, then you're going to struggle in your leadership. I rarely get dogmatic in stuff like this, but on this one, I'm pretty darn sure. Teachability is the key to everything good in our lives and leadership.

So for the next two weeks, I want to share with you several of my thoughts on this idea of teachability. I hope you'll take 90 seconds each day, read the thought and then spent 90 more seconds thinking about your own heart as a leader. 3 minutes / day for 2 weeks could change the whole demeanor of your leadership.

Teachability Thought #1: 

Teachability is Hard.

It's easy to talk about teachability and write about teachability. But it's really hard to actually be teachable. Everybody says they're teachable until you ask them to relearn something they think they already know. 90% of preachers think they're in the top 50% of communicators in their field. Clearly, we preachers have some learning to do!!!

The essence of teachability is humility. Until we're willing to humble ourselves, we're not going to learn anything. For me to be teachable I have to first and foremost humble myself. I have to become the student. And here's the kicker... the further you go in leadership, and the more successful you become, the harder this gets. When you're successful, people think you know more than you actually do. And you actually do know a lot. So being successful and staying teachable is a rare thing for a leader.

Being teachable for me, means listening more than I talk. If I'm talking, I ain't learnin'. Period. Saying your teachable and actually being teachable are two very different things.

? What about you? On a scale of 1 to 10, how teachable would you say you are? How teachable would your boss and colleagues say you are? What about your spouse and kids?

Just a thought,

Matt

First Monday Prayer & Fasting - Prayer Points - February 2011

At Next Level Church we dedicated the 1st Workday of each month to the Lord by setting it aside as a time to pray and fast and seek God over what's on the horizon for our church and the people and organizations we influence.

Here's a Pocket Guide for 6 Key Areas to Pray Through Today:

(For more information on Fasting go to: www.NextLevelChurch.com/fasting )

1.  Our 1st Permanent Location.

If you missed yesterday's state of the church address, go here to listen or watch the message from Sunday. It's full of exciting news.

We are just a few weeks away from moving in to our new facility! Let's be in prayer today for our "Furnish the Vision" Campaign happening right now. We are just $150,000 away from being able to move in Fully Furnished and Ready to Impact the Future!

Also, let's continue to pray for the construction crews. As of right now, they're on time and moving at a great pace. Let's pray for continued favor with all of that.

2.  Our Communities Downtown.

We, as a church, have adopted 2 communities downtown, Palmetto Courts and Sabal Palms. We are believing for God to use us to lift the residents of those communities out of darkness and into light.

Pray for continued favor with the Government authorities and continued open doors. Pray for several NLC families who have taken the step to "mentor" several families from downtown this year. We are believing for jobs, better grades, stronger health, and a closer walk with Jesus for these families.

Pray for our 3rd Saturday Serve Day Outreaches as well. We have some exciting possibilities with renovating some of the apartments downtown and providing much needed medical care in the months ahead. Pray for open doors for that.

3.  Our Big Spring Series, Masquerade, launching February 27th.

Each year, we do 3 Big Series where we pull out all of the stops and believe God to touch unchurched, dechurched and disillusioned people throughout Southwest Florida. In just a few weeks we're launching a huge series called, Masquerade, that is all about people facing the masks they wear to cover up what's really going on in their heart.

Let's pray that God will open people's hearts and help people deal with the issues of greed, anger, fear worry and more in this powerful series.

4.  Our Church Planters.

God has given us the ability to be apart of training, coaching and mentoring dozens of churches across the country. Let's pray for God's provision and blessing on the following 3 churches today:

• Liberty Church - New York City, NY - Pastor Paul and Andi Andrew. This church is just a month old and is already making an impact in the Big Apple.

• Family Life Church - Randolph, NJ - Pastor Dan and Stephanie Stauffer are in the process of acquiring their first permanent location just like we are. Pray for favor with their landlord and all the details of build out and fund raising in the coming months.

• The River Church - Bozeman, MN - Pastor Eric and Heather Neimann - The River is scheduled to launch their Sunday morning services in just a few weeks and they already have over 50 people on their launch team.

5.  Our Missionaries.

God has blessed us with partners who are spreading the Gospel in other parts of the world. Pray for:

• Mark & Stephanie Pyles - Santiago, Dominican Republic. They are planting Next Generation Churches in their city. Pray for favor and blessing.

• Christ for India - India - They are training pastors and students to plant churches across India and in surrounding countries. Pray for provision and favor and boldness.

• Kelly & Kathy Johnson - Kenya - They are training pastors and leaders throughout Kenya to be more effective and reach lost people in more relevant ways. Pray specifically for a new vehicle for them. They are just a few thousand dollars away.

6.  The People of Next Level Church.

• Pray for Marriages, 
• Children, 
• Wise Financial Decisions, 
• Growth in their Relationship with Christ, 
• Courage to make difficult decisions, 
• Power to SOAP and engage God's Word, and 
• Favor in their workplace and marketplace to be a light for Christ.

Thanks for Praying today NLC.

As many of you know, part of my calling is to Coach other pastors & leaders across the country. Today I want to introduce you to...

Today, I am reposting an article written by one of the pastors I coach in Newark, Delaware, Mark Johnston. Mark is one of the brightest, passionate and articulate communicators I've heard in along time. Our coaching relationship began 2 years ago and in that time, I've seen Mark grow & expand as a leader. The church he leads, "The Journey" has also gained incredible traction in that time as well.

 

Mark & I meet monthly face-to-face on Tokbox.com for about an hour. Mark has also participated in my Next Level Coaching 1.0 Virtual Coaching Group.

 

You can follow Mark's blog at: 

 

http://yourjourney.typepad.com/mark_johnston/

 

Their Church's Website is: http://www.YourJourney.tv

I highly recommend listening to his podcasts... brilliant.

I hope you enjoy this article he wrote on "Coaching."

 

 

Send Me In, Coach

I’m not very athletic.  Okay, I’m not even slightly athletic.  Consequently, I didn’t have much of a chance growing up to interact with a coach.  (I tried out for the basketball team once, in seventh grade.  The coach was kind… but honest.) 

It wasn’t until much later that I began to understand the role of coaching in areas of life other than sports; and it wasn’t until a few years ago that I began to realize the explosive value coaching can bring.

Like you, I’m sure, I have some degree of talent – but I’m not even close to the top of the pile.  And along with my average abilities I also bring lots of naiveté, insecurity, bad habits, wrong attitudes, and ineffective tendencies to the table.  Coaching has helped me tackle (*gratuitous sports reference) all of these: systematically and much more effectively than I could have on my own.

Here’s what I’m learning about coaching:

• A coach doesn’t have to be an all-star player.  On any great sports team, most of the players can out-run, out-tackle, out-hit, or out-pitch their coach.  A coach isn’t just someone who’s great at the game, it’s someone who’s great at pointing out where you are great (and not so great) at the game.  The best coaches are people who blend analysis, encouragement, and discipline into every interaction in a way that leaves you informed, motivated, and determined to change.  When you’re looking for a coach, don’t just pick the person with the biggest successes; pick someone with admirable successes and a proven ability to train others.  You’re not choosing a coach you can brag about to your friends, but someone who can help you grow.
• The best coaches have a niche.  That’s why you’ll usually need several.  I asked one of my pastoral coaches once, “So, what are you doing to grow spiritually?”  His response?  “Probably the same things you’re doing.”  He’s still a great coach for church leadership, but I needed to look somewhere else for the specific spiritual growth stuff I was craving in that moment.  There’s nothing wrong with that!  If you play football and basketball, you probably won’t have the same coach for both (unless your school has some serious budget problems.)  Chances are good that no one person will be able to help you seek excellence in every area at once.  One of my goals this year is to find a parenting coach.  Don’t just seek out a coach, seek out coaches.
• Coaching only reaches maximum effectiveness when it’s paid forward.  I’ve experienced coaching for a few years now, but it’s only over the past several months that I’ve started coaching others.  I’m hugely humbled by the opportunity to spend monthly intentional time with a handful of people who are seeking insight, accountability, and support as they pursue leadership and ministry.  There’s something potent about this, about closing the loop – it perpetuates the growth you’re experiencing.  Look for people you can download from; and then look for people you can upload to.  It will take coaching to a whole new level for you.

I’m not good enough and I don’t have long enough to accomplish everything God has called me to accomplish.  That’s why I need coaching.  How about you?

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come” (I Timothy 4:8 – NLT).

2 Essentials for Leading Strong

Recently, as I started reading the introduction to the book of 1 Timothy in my Bible, which is one of my favorite books, by the way) I was challenged to read with a Leadership Filter on. What emerged from the verses was really, really cool.    
verse 19 says, "...holding on to faith and a good conscience..." which jumped off the page at me in the leadership context because...

In order for a Leader to Lead Strong, they must:

Hold on to Faith & Hold on to a Good Conscience.

1.  Hold on to Faith.

     Without Faith a Leader is dead in the water! It is faith that the job can be done, faith that the mission can be accomplished, faith that the team can pull it off, faith that nothing is impossible with God that makes leading people & influencing others possible! That kind of faith is absolutely essential to Leading Strong! As Leaders, we must never lose our faith in what God has called us to do.

2.  Hold on to a Good Conscience.

     In order to lead strong, we, as leaders, must hold on to a Good Conscience. Nothing will deflate a leader's confidence like a guilty conscience. When a leader's heart is double-minded, or cloudy, or heavy because of secret sin, or improper motives, it deflates their ability to Lead Strong with confidence.

     Leaders, Lead Strong in what God has placed before you to do. Hold on to Faith & your Good Conscience, it's worth it!

My Life and Death Story - Part 8 - The Final Installment... I spend 9 days in the ICU at Lutheran...

(continued)

I spent 9 days in the ICU at Lutheran Hospital. I did have another blood clot form but it was small and it dissolved on its own without needing another surgery. I went home on January 16th, 1995. I had no teeth and a partially shaved head. I had lost about 15 pounds and couldn't wear my contacts. I remember seeing myself in a mirror and thinking I looked like a dead man. On the contrary, I had escaped death, and I was thankful to God to be alive. Seldom a month goes by that I don't remember those days and how God was with me on January 7th.

A good friend of mine at the time, Scott Mills, told me that  

"I am a called man of God, and God's gonna use my life to do something great. There's no way he's done with you yet."

I've never forgotten those words. They marked my life. That and the permanent scar on the left side of my head. Every so often I'll catch myself feeling the dent that remains from where they drilled in that day.

In those moments, I feel like Jacob of the Old Testament must have felt. He wrestled with God in Genesis 32 and at the end of it, God dislocated his hip socket. The Bible records that from that day on, Jacob walked with a limp and a cane. For the rest of Jacob's life, at various times he would stop and lean on his cane as an expression of worship to the Lord. No one else could worship like that. It was a special moment between he and his God.

That's the way I feel about my scar. When I touch it, it's as worship to the Lord. I am reminded of how my life was spared and I'm destined for great things. I'm reminded that God's not done with me yet and that I've been given a testimony to tell of the power of God in my life.

Touching my scar is as worship to the Lord for me. No one else can worship Him like that. It's our thing. It's something special that I'll always share with the God who put his hand between my head and a telephone pole.

January 7th is an anniversary for me. I'm alive, and I'll never be able to forget it.

My Life or Death Story - Part 7

(continued)
I woke up Sunday morning, January 8th, 1995 to my head wrapped in white cloths and a tube sticking out the side. I remember a nurse telling me very loudly as I was coming to that, "Matthew, there is a tube coming out of your head to relieve the pressure from the blood clot on your brain." I just remember her yelling at me, and thinking "gall, that's horrible." She proceded ever so loudly to ask me a serious of questions that at the time seemed elementary. "Matthew, do you know what day it is?" "Who's the president of the United States?" "What's your name?" All of which I answered immediately with no problem. Apparently, there was much concern about what I would remember, if there would be brain damage, and if I would even know who anyone was.

A short time later, Sarah and Alison came in. They had went to church that morning and then straight to the hospital. Before arriving in my room, they asked the nurse for an update on my situation and she had cautioned them to not be alarmed if I didn't remember who they were or their names. She gave them the heads up on the reality that I may have to learn to read and write again, etc.

They came in the room and I was lying there with my eyes closed, all bandaged up like a woman just getting out of the shower with wet hair. They said hello, or something, and then Alison began asking me questions. "Matt, what's 2 + 2?" To which, I'm thinking, "Why the heck is she doing this? I just did this for the nurse." Thinking she was having fun, I decided to play along. I answered her without so much as opening my eyes, "5." She asked another question, "What day is it?" "Thursday." With that, the two of them left the room.

I just laid there. In a moment, the nurse returned with them and again began her loud question asking, "Matthew, who's the president of the United States?" Not having any idea what was going on and becoming a little annoyed at the game we seemed to be playing at my expense I replied, "Hillary!" Which is obviously Bill Clinton's wife. To which everyone in the room burst into laughter and some joyful tears.

It's an absolute miracle that I never had one bit of memory loss or brain damage. Although my staff might tell you differently depending on the day. God was truly watching over me. What a miracle.

My Life and Death Story - Part 6 - 16 years ago, I was involved in a life-changing accident...

Upon hearing the news, mom and dad felt thankful they were still in Fort Wayne and thereby closer to Lutheran hospital where my surgery was being performed. When they arrived at the hospital I was already in surgery and so all they could do was wait. My mom has always been very private about her faith. Where I tend to be more outward in my display of faith, my mother tends to drift toward the opposite.

In conversations I had with my mom after the surgery, the only thing she really ever said to me was, "Matt, I met with Jesus that night in the chapel of that hospital." I can't imagine what it must feel like to have one of your children's life hanging on the edge. My mom is a strong women. My respect for her grew exponentially that night.

The next 24 to 36 hours would be critical to whether the blood clot would reappear or dissolve. They were monitoring my status in ICU.

My Life and Death Story - Part 5 - I'm recovering from brain surgery, my brother has a broken neck & my parents still don't know...

(continued)

Mom and dad had left in the afternoon to go shopping in Fort Wayne before they ended up at a birthday party for my cousin, Darcy. (I don't think my cousin has ever let me forget ruining her birthday that year.) My dad had just gotten his first cell phone the week before and didn't even so much as know the number yet. Once Sarah and her family arrived at the hospital in Angola, they took on the burden of trying to get in touch with my parents. Unfortunately no one knew how to get a hold of them. Alison, Sarah's mom, at one point asked Nick if he knew my aunt's telephone number where the birthday party was supposed to be held that evening.

With his eyes closed, and just drifting above consciousness, Nick rattled off the number. To this day, we have no idea how Nick knew their phone number. It wasn't something my brother or I needed to call, until that day, January 7th. Alison was able to get in touch with my aunt Toni and told her what was happening. Should mom and dad call, have them call her cell phone immediately.

After a few hours of shopping, my dad was anxious to show off his new cell phone to mom and so he stopped around 4:30 pm in the parking lot and wanted to show her how it worked. His idea was to call my aunt Toni, just for illustration's sake on what this new fangled gadget could do. They never could have imagined the news they were about to receieve on the other end of that phone.

The only 2 sons were both in critical condition. 1 in a neck brace. The other in brain surgery.

My Life or Death Story - Part 4 - Brain Surgery

(part 4, continued)

My brother was still being treated at the hospital in Angola. They discovered he had crushed the 3rd vertebrae in his neck 10%. He spent 8 weeks in a neck brace and missed a semester of college. Because of our accident, he had to stay through the next summer to finish his degree. It was during those summer months that he met his wife, Elizabeth. He would have never been there had it not been for our accident on January 7th.

Meanwhile, Sarah and her parents were now 60 miles away. "I've never seen my dad drive so fast in my entire life," she told me later. Sarah actually had a journal that she recorded her thoughts in later that night. She wrote 8 pages of some of the most raw and gut wrenching emotions I have ever heard come out of her.

The helicopter landed at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, IN, and I was immediately rushed into the O.R. Dr. Isa Conavatti. I still remember the doctor's name. He's the only person on the entire planet who has ever seen my brain. That's crazy for me to think about.

They shaved the front left half of my head and then cut a moon shaped incision in my skin. They drilled in to my skull to relieve the pressure and when they pulled the drill out, they later told us the blood shot out and hit the wall of the O.R. 10 feet away. They put in a drainage tube and wrapped my head. I think the surgery took like 4 or 5 hours.

I can't imagine how my parents were feeling... how they got the news was another story entirely...

My True Life & Death Story - Part 3 - "Being Airlifted by Helicoptor"

(part 3, continued from yesterday)

The EMS took us to the nearest hospital in Angola, IN, a small town just a few miles inside the Michigan boarder. Once at the hospital they ran a CT scan on my brain. They discovered I had a blood clot on my brain the size of a softball and it was getting bigger. If I didn't have emergency surgery to relieve the pressure, I would die.

In Northeast Indiana there was only 1 medical helicopter in the entire region at that time. And it was presently tending to another life or death situation miles away. The helicopter was called off of that emergency to come and pick me up and take me to a larger hospital 60 miles away.

At the time, Sarah and I were still just dating. She was only 17 and a senior in high school. We knew we were meant for one another, but that was still a dream for years to come. The guys had called Sarah and her family when the EMS had arrived at the campground, so she was able to come to the small hospital shortly after I had arrived. In those days I wore a gold chain with a cross on it. I guess during the entire ordeal, they took my cross and chain and handed it Sarah and said, "You may want this."

I can't imagine what it must have felt like for her to see the man she would one day marry and dreamed of spending her life with, loaded onto a helicopter with the hope that his life could be saved. She was 17. I was 19. And because this was in the time that cell phones were a luxury not a necessity, we had no way of getting a hold of my parents.

My True Life & Death Story - Part 2 - (Continued from Yesterday)

(continued from yesterday...)

After take off, we rounded a corner and the sled slid out wide to the left going down into the ditch next to the path we were on. (Picture a water skier going out wide behind a ski boat). Unfortunately what none of us saw was the row of telephone poles lining the ditch as well. We were headed straight for a pole at 35 mph. Faces buried in the sled, eyes blinded by the snow, an imminent collision ahead.

The ski rope hit the telephone pole first and then jerked the sled up into the telephone pole. Nick's neck curled up into the toboggan sled and I struck the pole literally "head on" at an estimated 50 mph. The sled shattered and the two of us were thrown 20 feet beyond the pole. The guys came running up to us yelling and cheering until they saw me face down in a pool of blood.

One of my best friends, Taitem, who had been a lifeguard all summer the year before, reached me first and recognized what was happening. He stablized my neck and rolled me over all the while shouting, "Call 911!" Nick was moving around but was experiencing immense pain in his neck. After Taitem pulled my ski mask off of my face he couldn't figure out what the white powdery stuff was all over my mask. The powdery stuff was my 3 front teeth. They had been smashed into the back of my brother's head. and never mind the powdery stuff, I had a golf ball sized bump protruding from my left temple, and blood coming from my ears.

16 years ago today my life changed forever. It's my personal life & death story. (Cliffhanger warning) Read part 1 here...

I woke up this morning with the same words that come out of my mouth first every January 7th. "I'm Alive." I'll never be able to forget what happened 16 years ago. January 7th, 1995.

It was a typical winter Saturday in Indiana. We had gotten about 4 inches of snow on the ground through the night, so my buddies and I decided to go toboggan sledding, like we had the year before. For those of you who know what toboggan sledding is, what we were talking about wasn't your typical toboggan sledding deal, with a track and an hourly waged employee helping you on and off the sled while instructing you to "keep your hands, and arms tucked inside at all times." No, we were going Extreme Toboggan sledding.

We drove to a campground about 30 minutes north of where we lived and would spend the day riding on a toboggan sled tied behind a pick up truck with a ski rope. We used couch cushions to make the ride less bumpy. When we arrived at the campground, my brother and I opened the trunk and started to pull out 2 snowmobile helmets we had from our childhood. At once, all of our friends began immediately mocking. "Did your mom make you bring those?" "The 1970's called, they want their helmets back." "What are you 8 years old?" So without another thought, we replied with a "Just kiddin'" and threw them back in the trunk.

Extreme sledding is quite an exhilarating thing to do on a Saturday in Indiana. It's got all the elements of fun 6 late teen and early 20 something guys look for. Speed, risk, adrenaline, and danger. What we didn't realize, or perhaps more accurately had chosen to overlook was just how much danger it had.

It was late in the day (around 4 pm) and it was my brother and I's turn to ride. Sled, cushions, Nick, and myself. Stacked up one on top of the other like a cold meat sandwich on hoagie bread. Nick's head was tucked up under the curl of the toboggan sled to shield his face from the massive amounts of snow flying toward us. My face was situationed facing down into the back of my brother's head, to shield my face from the snow. Little did we know that snow would be the least of our concerns in about 30 seconds.

I got serious thoughts on the New Year. I'm believing for some big time stuff. And I'm making a huge declaration over this year...

As we move into 2011, I have to tell you, I'm really excited for a lot of reasons. I believe 2011 can be the greatest year we have ever experienced. For Next Level Church and for every single person reading this right now. (Listen to my New Year's Kickoff Message Here)

I am believing God for 2011 to be 3 things:

1.  A Year of Expectation.

     I have high expectations of God this year! My hopes are high on what He's going to do in us and through us in 2011. I'm believing for huge things! Miraculous things! Monumental things!

2.  A Year of Transition.

     This year will be a year of physical transition for us as a church as we take occupancy of our 1st Permanent Location later this Spring which is all kinds of exciting! The facility that is being constructed as I'm writing this is a tool for us to impact and reach more people for Christ than we ever could otherwise. We're gonna see lives changed, marriages healed, leaders trained, kids impacted & the next generation empowered in that facility.

(Click Here to see the latest pictures from Construction)

     I believe that 2011 is going to be a year of transition for the region of SW FL as well. As one of the hardest hit economic regions in the country, we need a transition.

     I'm believing this will be the year that our cities begin to recover.

• That jobs begin to return. 
• That foreclosures decline. 
• That there is a "lift" across Southwest Florida like never before. 

     May God use our church as a catalyst for that.
3.  A Year of Stories.

     Finally, I am believing that 2011 will be a year of stories. I shared with our staff yesterday that when Jesus was challenged by a religious leader, he didn't retaliate with perfectly crafted arguments or statistics or facts or figures. Instead, he simply told a story. A story about a Good Samaritan.

     When Jesus simply told a story, it broke the argument of the religious leader in half. Suddenly, all of the religious jargon was powerless in the face of a story. I am declaring 2011 to be The Year of the Story at Next Level Church. I am believing for thousands of stories this year of how God intervened and changed a life. How God showed up and did a miracle. How God appeared and brought clarity. How God came through for person after person.

     I believe that stories are potentially the single most powerful tool we have at our discretion as leaders and believers. Let's start telling stories this year! Let's let 2011 be The Year of the Story!

1st Monday Prayer & Fasting - January Edition

Today is 1st Monday Prayer & Fasting at Next Level Church. Wherever you are, you can participate. All you do is pray, instead of eat! It's the simple. Turn the desire for food to God today. For more detail go to http://www.NextLevelChurch.com/fasting

Here are a few things to pray through today:

1.  The Construction of our 1st Permanent Facility. We need to pray that the crews will be able to stay on their timetables without a hitch. Pray for safety from injury and that they will sense and feel something different while the workers are on the job site.

2.  The Launch of our new Series this Sunday! "So I want to be a better _____. This is how I do it!" Everyone wants to be "better" in some area of their life this year. Let's pray God changes people's lives over the next 4 weeks.

3.  The January Semester of Connection Groups is just2 weeks away and dozens of people are stepping up and leading! Let's pray that hundreds of people will take the next step of connection and relationship in the new year.

4.  Girls Night Out & Guys' Wing Night - Pray that men & women will find friendship, and be inspired to go deeper in their relationships this year.






5.  Our Pastors & Church Planters Nationwide. We are blessed to have the privilege of training dozens of pastors and churches across the country on how to do ministry more effectively. Specifically pray for:

• Dan & Stephanie Stauffer - Roxbury, NJ. - Pray that God will lead them to the exact right location for their church.

• Shane & Rachel Frasier - Lebanon, IN.They are moving from a movie theater to a YMCA in 2 weeks! Let's pray God's blessing & provision on their move.
• Josh & Tiffany Cossey - Oklahoma City, OK. - They are scheduled to launch their church in less than 4 weeks! Pray for God's blessing and provision and peace in this crazy but amazing time.

6.  Pray for our Missionaries as well.  God has privileged us to be in partnership with missionaries making a difference around the world. Specifically:

• Christ for India - training pastors & planting churches in India

• Mark Pyles - Planting churches in the Dominican Republic

• Kelly & Kathy Johnson - Training pastors like crazy in Kenya

Thanks everyone for praying today,

Pastor Matt Keller

A New Year's Challenge for Your Leadership Growth. I dare you to...

Hey leaders, I got one for ya. I challenge every leader reading this right now to take this personal growth challenge in 2011. I call it a "Thinker Saturation."

Here's what it is:

When you find an author, leader or communicator that you admire in some area (finance, leadership, marketing, team-building, etc.) make a decision to "saturate" yourself in how they think for 3 months.
For an entire quarter of your year, dunk yourself in everything that leader writes, says, blogs, records, or tweets.

This information is so easily available on the internet and costs next to nothing to acquire.

Over time, you'll start to pick up on themes in how they think, how they make decisions, etc. You'll also pick up themes of how you listen to them.

A Real-Time Illustration:

I did this recently with Author and Thought-Leader, Seth Godin. (SethGodin.com) For several years now, I've really admired the thoughts & writings of Seth Godin. Seth is what I consider to be the premiere mind in the marketing world today. Brilliant.

So, for 3 months, I decided to saturate myself in how Seth thinks. I did a google search for "Free Seth Godin Audio" and then spent an hour downloading every podcast and interview I could find, putting them in a file on my iTunes that sync's to my iPod.

Then, for the next 90 days, whenever I would work out, or was in the car, I listened to those audios. I'll end up listening to each one 2 or 3 times. Sure, it is redundant, but repetition is a phenomenal teacher.

In addition to listening to Seth, I subscribed to his blog and read or re-read several of his key books. After 90 days, here's what I learned:

1.  How Seth processes information for decision making.

2.  How Seth sees ideas everywhere.

3.  Seth Godin is Courageous. The main reason I love Seth Godin is because he is courageous. He breaks all the rules & succeeds at it very well! I need more influencers in my life who do that!

Now It's Your Turn:

So, here's the challenge... pick 4 thought-leaders and saturate yourself in each one for 90 days next year. I'll even give you the homework for the first one (if you want to use Seth Godin) click here. That's all the audios I downloaded in an hour.

Imagine what your personal leadership growth could look like a year from today if you saturated yourself in 4 premiere thought leaders this year.

I dare you to take the challenge. It could be the most valuable decision you make this year.

Yes, I Practice My Messages on Thursdays. Here's why...

After a little comment I made in a Twitter Post last week, I have had many of you ask me about more detail on what a "Practice" looks like for me in preparation for Sunday. To read an article I wrote on what I call "The Monster of Sunday" click here. But to supplement that...

Here are a few high points:

1.  I Practice on Thursday Mornings  By nature, I'm a morning person so I try to practice my messages in the mornings. And I practice on Thursdays because Fridays are my day off. So, I want to head into my day off feeling like I have a handle on my message for Sunday. As a rule, do what makes you feel strong when you feel the strongest as you head for your weekend.

2.  Practicing is horribly awkward. People will often ask me, "Doesn't feel weird to just preach to yourself?" And the answer is a resounding, "YES!" But just because something is uncomfortable doesn't mean it's not good for you. (Like exercise...) I had to work hard to get over myself so I could take advantage of all the benefits that practicing my message affords.

3.  It's two of the most uninspiring hours of my week.  There's seldom a practice that I don't feel uninspired. Nothing within me wants to expend the kind of emotional energy it takes to practice my message the way I need to in order to be prepared for the weekend. But I do it. Because it's right and I'm always glad I did on Sundays.

4.  I inevitably think of 1,000 other things I "should" be doing. Practicing my message on Thursday mornings isn't a result of everything else on my to-do list being scratched off. Quite the contrary, there's always a list of things that I need to be doing. But in the midst of all the things I could be doing, I'm the only one who can be prepared for Sunday's talk. That's the most important thing only I can do.

5.  I subscribe to the "sweat in preparation or bleed in battle" theory. I can't tell you how many times I wish I had a do-over. Because I know that what I put out there could have been so much better if I would have sweat a little more in practice. While traveling one weekend recently, Sarah called to see how my message had went that morning at church. Hearing her question, I paused and then responded, "I got out of it, what I put into it." Sweat in preparation or bleed in battle. The choice is ours.

6.  When I practice, I hear and see things that I never would otherwise. One of the biggest reasons I practice is to hear myself say things out loud. I can write something in my notes and think it sounds good, but then when I say it out loud in the context of everything else I'm trying to say, I realize it doesn't fit. I wish it weren't true, but there are just some things you'll never catch until you say them out loud.

7.  I practice alone. Some of my friends practice in front of an audience. I don't do that. I'm not opposed to it. I will use others in the writing process, but then when it comes to week of practice, I feel like I need to just be left alone to do my thing. Kind of an "artist and his canvas" thing, I guess. There's no right or wrong to it. In fact, I use several voices to tweak my message between services on Sundays. But for the next reason I'm about to share, I need Thursday's to be me alone.

8.  I'm locking my notes into my memory and memorizing the PPT. I must confess that I have a photographic memory which I have come to realize is a huge plus when it comes to speaking publicly as much as I do. (150-200 times/year) But it doesn't come easy. I have to actively and aggressively engage my notes in order to "lock them in." That's what Thursday's are for me. A necessity to lock in the notes to memory. Many Thursdays, I am as emotionally spent after I practice as I am on Sundays. It's hard work that on the surface doesn't look very productive.

9. I never regret it. I can't ever think of a time where I've gotten to the end of a Sunday and thought, "You know, I wish I hadn't practiced this week..." By far, it's one of the hardest things I have to work myself up to do, but I am never sorry I did it. Just the opposite, I can't tell you how many times I've blown off a Thursday practice and gotten to Sunday and been disappointed.

There you have it. A few points of clarity for my weekly discipline of practicing my messages. Feel free to comment. I would love to hear what has worked for you. Weigh in on your thoughts, experiences, and helpful tips!

Matt

Thanks #HamptonInn for EXCELLENT Customer Service! How I was surprised by a "Remarkable" Experience that made my Christmas!

Last week, I flew to Indianapolis for a quick 2 day trip to be with my nephew, Joey, who is going through Radiation for a battle with cancer. He's 7 years old. (To read Joey's story, click here)

Anyway, I opted to stay the 3 nights at the Hampton Inn in Greenfield, IN. And as a bonus, I had enough points for all 3 nights to be free. So, I enjoyed my free breakfasts, warm cookies and free coffee available throughout my stay. I even ran on the treadmill one morning... Nice. All of those features are par for the course for a hotel like a Hampton Inn.

However, on my 2nd night, when I arrived back at my room after being with my nephew and my family all day, I found a green lollipop, a green Ande's mint, and this card on my bed.

 

In case you can't read it, the card says in hand-written ink: "Dear Guest: Merry Christmas -n- Happy New Year! Be safe in your travels. May you follow your heart always! May the spirit of the season soar in your heart forever! God Bless, Wanda."

Now, I don't know if Wanda had "official jurisdiction" to do what she did, but I'm telling you, it made my week! Wanda had no idea who I was or what I was going through or why I was even staying in her hotel, but she took it upon herself to make sure that I was touched in a personal way! 

I'd be willing to bet that nobody at "headquarters" made her do that. And, I'd also be willing to bet that Wanda paid for all that out of her own pocket. AND, I bet Wanda doesn't make too much more than minimum wage.

So for her to do what she did, was a big sacrifice and a HUGE deal to me!!!

 

So thanks, Wanda, in Greenfield, IN. Thanks for brightening my day. Thanks for being remarkable. Thanks for taking extra special care of your guests. Thanks for understanding that every once in a while an uncle of a sick little 7 year old nephew is going to be staying in Room 405 and that uncle is going to need something to brighten up his emergency trip to Indiana.

Thanks Wanda for making Christmas a little brighter for me this year.

You made my day and my Christmas.

 

Matt Keller

1st Monday Prayer & Fasting Ideas to Pray For

Today is 1st Monday Prayer & Fasting at Next Level Church. Wherever you are, you can participate. All you do is pray, instead of eat! It's the simple. Turn the desire for food to God today. For more detail go to http://www.NextLevelChurch.com/fasting

Here are a few things to pray through today:

1.  The Construction of our 1st Permanent Facility. We need to pray that the crews will be able to stay on their timetables without a hitch. Pray for safety from injury and that they will sense and feel something different while the workers are on the job site.

2.  Our Year End Facility Offering. Next Sunday, December 12th, we are receiving our Year End Facility Offering. Pray that every person who calls NLC their home will turn down the noise of the world & turn up the voice of God this week. Let's believe that as each of us listen and obey, the need will be met!!!

3.  Our Christmas Series launching This Sunday, December 12th called "Do You Hear?" Christmas is such a busy time of year, let's pray for people to be able to be still and hear the voice of God this Christmas. Pray that the people of NLC will not miss the One who is Christmas, because of all the chaos of Christmas.

4.  The January Semester of Connection Groups is just around the corner and dozens of people are stepping up and leading! Let's pray that hundreds of people will take the next step of connection and relationship in the new year.

5.  Our Pastors & Church Planters Nationwide. We are blessed to have the privilege of training dozens of pastors and churches across the country on how to do ministry more effectively. Specifically pray for:

• Dan & Stephanie Stauffer - Roxbury, NJ. - Pastor Mike Ash was just with them & they are taking ground in hard soil.

• Darian & Tyra Rains - Pryor, OK - Sarah & I had the privilege of being with them in late October and God has positioned them to impact Northeast Oklahoma in a big way.

• Paul & Andi Andrew - New York City, NY - They are scheduled to launch in 7 weeks! Let's pray for favor in the Big Apple!

6.  Pray for our Missionaries as well.  God has privileged us to be in partnership with missionaries making a difference around the world. Specifically:

• Christ for India - training pastors & planting churches in India

• Mark Pyles - Planting churches in the Dominican Republic

• Kelly & Kathy Johnson - Training pastors like crazy in Kenya

On a personal note: Pray for me as I am in Indiana visiting my nephew who has been fighting cancer for the last couple of weeks. Thanks to so many of you who have been faithfully lifting up my family in prayer. Pray for strength for my family during this difficult time.  http://bit.ly/JoeyKeller for all the details.

Thanks everyone for praying today,

Pastor Matt Keller

Leadership Development Thought #5

Here is the final thought for preparation for this weekend's message at Next Level Church.

Thought #5:

The Best Teacher is NOT Experience alone, it's Examined Experience.

     At Next Level Church, we believe in Real-Time, On-the-field development of leaders. However, just giving leaders experiences to test and try their leadership is not enough. We're constantly coming behind leadership opportunities and dissecting them with our leaders. It's not enough to just go through something. The key is to maximize learning from whatever it is you just went through.

     If we can get maximum learning from any given experience, before, during and after, that's what we're looking for. We believe that's how leaders are developed effectively. We try and set leaders up before they lead, we walk with them while they're leading, and we debrief on the back end to get the most out of what they experienced.

     Examining experience yields the most value when it comes to leadership development.

I Can't wait for this weekend at NLC! We're talking leadership baby...

In preparation for the final installment of our "Get Out" Series, where I'm going to be sharing something I've never shared about leadership at NLC before, I'm giving one thought each day about how I think about Leadership Development.

Thought #4:

I believe Leaders Grow Through Responsibility.

     I believe Young Leaders, (but leaders in general too) are longing for a chance for someone to pass them the ball. They want to be trusted with a piece of the vision. At Next Level Church, we believe in On-the-field training and coaching in leadership. Now, I'm not saying that you just blindly give away the vision of your organization to a leader that is untested or unproven, but I do think there are areas all over the organizations we lead that can and should be entrusted to up and coming leaders.

     Responsibility increases buy-in and ownership. It also creates real-time scenarios for leaders to seek counsel and wisdom, and hone their leadership skills in real time. One can only read so many books or learn so many theories before they actually need to be put in a game-time situation and forced to lead.

     Leadership development through Responsibility is huge for me.

I'm Saying Something this Weekend, I've never said before... Read More here...

This weekend, we're talking Leadership at Next Level Church. In preparation, I'm sharing one thought each day about how I think about Leadership Development.

Here's Thought #3:

Teaching People how I think about Leadership and our Organization is how I grow Leaders.

     When I can get another leader to see what I see in terms of our organization, then I multiply my leadership and effectiveness. However, here's what I'm not saying. I'm not saying that I think everybody needs to think like I think about everything because the way I think is the best or the only way to think about the vision of our church.

     Whenever we teach leadership and vision to other churches or organizations around the country, we always say it this way: "It's not that I think about the vision best, it's just that I think about the vision and see it first." Biblically we believe in an "anointing flows down" philosophy. In other words, God puts the picture that an organization is called to paint on the canvas of their community in the heart and mind of one person first, and then it's his/her job to get everyone else in the organization to see that same picture.

     As a result, when everyone is seeing & painting the same picture, the organization reaches maximum effectiveness. Therefore it's my job to constantly be helping other leaders around me see what I see, so they can paint the picture we're called to paint. I don't see it best, I just see it first.

We're moving the Updates for Joey Keller to his Own Page!

Hey everybody,

Now that Joey is a bit more stable and we are actually able to get a handle on a more predictable and sustainable way to keep everyone updated, here's what we've done.

Thanks to Riley Hospital, we have created an Individualized website just for Joey. It's a great site where so many of us can interact on a regular basis. I (Matt, Joey's Uncle) will still be moderating it and writing the updates for the time being, but this will give us the ability to interact and keep up with Joey's progress more thoroughly. You can even subscribe through e-mail or text.

All of the original posts have been uploaded there in an effort to keep a complete timeline and history from the beginning of Joey's Journey.

You'll still be able to comment, etc. on the updates and eventually this will give Nick and Elizabeth a place to update personally if they choose to in the future. As I mentioned before, for the foreseeable future, I'll still be driving the updates each day.

The web address for Joey's updates is:

http://www.CaringBridge.org/visit/JoeyKeller


Please spread the word to everyone who has been faithfully tracking and praying over this situation from the beginning.

I will have the link to Joey's page on my blog as well, just in case people show up there in the meantime.

Thanks everyone,

Matt Keller

My 2nd Thought on Developing Leaders

This coming weekend at NLC, I'm sharing some thoughts on leadership that I've never shared with our church before. In preparation for that, each day this week I'm sharing a quick thought on what I believe about leadership development.

Here's Thought #2:

I Strongly believe that one of my Highest Priorities for our Organization is to grow the Leaders on our Team.

     There are alot of things that I could be doing everyday within our organization. But I learned a long time ago, that there are only a precious few things that I can do that will add the greatest amount of value to our organization. And one of those few things is: Growing Leaders. More than e-mail, or busy work, or so many of the daily & urgent things that fight for my attention, here's what I've learned: When I spend time developing a leader, I'm multiplying the effectiveness of our organization.

     I make it my aim to help every leader in our organization reach their full potential for who God has created them to be. If I can do that then I believe 2 things happen:

1.  Our Organization will become the best that it can be.

2.  That Leader will become the best that they can be.

As I see it, it's a Win/Win! The Organization I'm called to lead wins, and the leaders within it win!

8:30 Post-Surgery Update for Joey Keller - Monday, Nov. 29th, 2010

Hello everyone,

I just got off the phone with my mom (Jo) and she was excited to give me the evening update. Joey ended up going into surgery at 4:30 pm today and came out around 6:30. The surgery went well and the Doctors seem to be pleased. They have already done another Cat Scan tonight to check on the shunt and make sure everything is looking okay.

They hope to remove the catheter tomorrow, which would be a good thing. The plan is to continue Radiation on the spine as soon as possible in order to keep attacking the tumors on his spine as aggressively as possible.

At this point, they will not be starting Chemotherapy for a few weeks in order for his body to heal from the head wounds from the 2 surgeries. At this point Joey as 3 incisions that we need to believe to heal quickly; 2 on his head and 1 on his abdomen from today.

When the Doctors came in this evening they said that it looked like the surgeries both went very well and they were pleased with the way things looked during the surgery today. After one of the doctors thoroughly examined Joey tonight, I guess he turned to Nick and Elizabeth and said, "He looks really good!" This is great news everybody! We believe in the power of prayer! It's working! Let's keep praying!

The Goal for Tomorrow is to get him out of bed and moving to keep his muscles from atrophying and to get him to eat as many calories as he possibly can. We need to pray that Joey's appetite will come back and that he will regain his strength in his muscles.

Nick and Elizabeth stayed last night with Joey in the room which was a good thing for the 3 of them as a family unti to be together, especially before his surgery today.

Nick and Elizabeth continue to be so thankful for the tremendous outpouring of love from all of you through your comments, prayers and encouragements. They can definitely feel it.

We'll continue to keep all of you posted as to Joey's progress tomorrow.

Thank you for caring and carrying this with us,

Matt Keller

Noon Update for Joey Keller - Monday, Nov. 29th, 2010

Just talked to dad (Harold) and he said that Joey is going to be having surgery today at 2 pm to install the shunt from his brain to his stomach. This shunt will relieve the pressure that continues to be building up on Joey's brain and causing him so much discomfort.

The surgery is scheduled for 2 pm and should take a couple of hours.

Please be in prayer that God will give them precision and success as they place this tube in his body.

Thanks everybody,

Matt (Joey's Uncle)

How I Think about Leadership Development - Part 1

This coming Sunday, December 5th, we finish up our "Get Out" Series and I'm going to be sharing some thoughts on leadership that I've never shared with our church before. The truth is, I love teaching leadership, because I believe the strength of any organization, and particularly, the strength of the local church rests upon leadership.

Therefore, in preparation for this weekend, I want to publish 5 thoughts on How I think about Leadership Development at Next Level Church.

Here is the 1st One:

Thought #1: 

I have a Responsibility to Assemble and Build the Best Team I possibly can for this Organization.

     The potential and future of our church rests upon the shoulders of the leaders we assemble. There's not a day that goes by, that I'm not keenly aware of that fact. That's why I spend so much of my time learning and growing my own leadership, and stretching and growing the leaders within our organization.

 

Evening Update for Joey Keller - Sunday Night - 6:30 pm - Nov. 28th, 2010

Hello everybody,

Just talked to my dad (Harold) about the latest on Joey.  Joey was eating more today and was generally more hungry than he's been which is a very good thing. Dad said that his color is better and he just seemed a bit more sharp. All good things.

They are still concerned about his legs and atrophy setting in. This is a matter of prayer for us.

The other big prayer concern is centered around the drainage of his brain fluid. Right now they have a shunt in which has been draining the fluid. The long term goal is that the body can absorb this fluid on it's own, which as I understand it, it is not doing or not doing well. The lack of draining is creating the pressure that is giving Joey the headaches and causing him the most pain.

Tomorrow Joey will undergo a Cat Scan for the doctors to make a final decision about the drainage issue. After the Cat Scan, they may need to take Joey into surgery at 2 pm to install a permanent shunt that will drain the excess fluid into his stomach. This could be a long-term answer for the pressure. This surgery would be a 2 hour surgery.  We need to pray for wisdom for the Doctors tomorrow morning as they read the results. Pray for peace and wisdom for Nick, Elizabeth and Joey concerning the decision that is best for Joey.

The final big update & announcement is that  

Joey is NOT going to be able to see ANY VISITORS for the next few days. Everyone who is local and desiring to visit needs to forgo visiting until further notice. 

Please understand that this is nothing personal. Thank you for helping us with this request for the next few days. We will let you know when visitors will be invited again as soon as we know.

Tomorrow is a huge day and we need to pray over this brain fluid issue. Thank you for standing with our family.

Pray for Nick and Elizabeth and strength and peace.

Thank you, all of you,

Matt Keller

10 PM Update for Joey Keller - Saturday Night, November 27th, 2010

I spoke with Nick for about 25 minutes tonight. He and Elizabeth are really tired, but all in all, are managing the intensity of their new reality. They are staying again tonight at the Ronald McDonald House. Dad (Harold) is staying with Joey in the room.

Joey ate alot today, relatively speaking. The hospital is pushing hard a heavy protein diet in preparation for Chemotherapy in the future.

Nick wanted to communicate that we need to keep praying for the pain in Joey's head area. That's really where he's feeling it the most.

Joey did his first round of Physical Therapy today, which he didn't want to do. It wasn't too awfully painful as Nick told it, but it was just cumbersome and overwhelming for a 7 year old who just had major surgery and has had daily doses of radiation for the last 5 days.

A bit of Very Good News today: Joey was able to stand on his right leg which the doctor later said was a very positive thing based on his condition when he entered the hospital a few days ago. Nick has to do physical therapy exercises with Joey during their time together each day, just to keep exercising and working out the muscles in his legs especially, but throughout his body as well.

When Joey is awake, Nick said he is wanting to play legos in a big way. In fact, one of Joey's friends brought him a new lego set today, which got Joey extremely excited.

As we head into Sunday, let's continue to pray for Nick and Elizabeth and strength for their weariness. Continue to pray for Joey's legs and organs. Pray for the tumors on his spine to shrink. And let's continue to pray that the brain fluid drains off the brain like it is supposed to.

Thanks everybody for covering Joey and the family in prayer. You have no idea how encouraging it is to Nick and Elizabeth to know that so many hundreds of you are standing with them in prayer and support.

God bless you,

Matt Keller

Noon Update for Joey Keller - Saturday, November 27th, 2010

I heard from dad (Harold) about the update for Joey. He (Harold) stayed in the room last night with Joey and they came in and ran tests at Midnight and 5 am.

Joey was complaining about pain in his legs, so they removed the IV's that were in his legs. So now he only has 1 IV in his arm for Medications and Emergencies which is a good sign.

All Liquids and Nourishment are happening orally now, which is a good sign.

They removed the bandages and head band today. Joey still has the drainage tube in, and they are concerned about the spinal fluid not draining right and not enough. This is a matter of prayer now.

Also, his right leg is still swollen and they are wanting him to keep moving it and exercising it. This is the leg that was giving Joey trouble when they arrived at the hospital last Sunday night. So this too is a matter of prayer.

They are not doing any radiation today or tomorrow to give Joey a break until Monday.

They are wanting Joey to eat as many calories as he possibly can with food, milkshakes and other high calorie items in an effort to add as much as they can before Chemotherapy.

Nick and Elizabeth are really tired right now. We need to pray for supernatural strength for them right now. They are obviously exhausted and need our prayer.

So to recap, we need to pray for 3 things:

1.  For Joey's legs.

2.  For the drainage issue in the brain fluid.

3.  For Nick and Elizabeth for supernatural strength.

Thanks everyone for praying,

Matt

7:30 pm Update for Joey Keller - Friday, Nov. 26th, 2010

Good news! Joey is out of the ICU which is absolutely huge! They have moved him to the heart center, not the cancer center at this point, because of the Neurological Aspects of his surgery. This will give them the ability to monitor closely all aspects of his case Neurologically.

They are in a private room now that dad (Harold) describes as "Huge." So everyone can be in the room at once. There is a private bed for whomever stays with Joey at night, & it even has a private shower. Dad couldn't say enough about how magnificent and first class everything at Riley Hospital has been! Kudo's to Riley!!!

Today was a slower day with the holiday weekend, other than his daily radiation treatment which he will have again tomorrow morning.

Dad and Nick were able to go out to Nick's house to shower and disconnect for a few minutes, as I understand it, this afternoon.

They are expecting to hear more from the Doctors when they come in tomorrow morning.

Until then, many thanks for praying and believing with us for healing of this cancer.

God bless all of you tonight,

Matt Keller