by Clarence E. Stowers | Sep 21, 2008 | Christian, Christianity, Church Issues, Empowerment, Leadership
LEADERSHIP CAN BE EXHAUSTING!
As I shared last week, at Mars Hill, we have been trying to get our minds and hearts around some of the data that points to unmet expectations. What do you do when not as many people are inviting their friends…not as many are growing in Christ…not as many are tithing…not as many are reading their Bible…not as many are attending…and not as many are being baptized?
These questions are very real for us right now, and over the next few days I will share some of the stages of unmet expectations I have recently experienced…
WHEN WE EXPERIENCE UNMET EXPECTATIONS, WE TEND TO BLAME OTHERS.
It's the fault of the congregation. They stopped giving. They stopped inviting their friends. They think they're mature and deep, but they aren't contributing to the cause.They are whining but not helping.
MY RESPONSE: In our frustration, we tend to blame the people. Sometimes we might even design messages with a prophetic tone to get them to be better, stronger and more committed. Rather than lead them through the difficulty, we preach them through it.
Three down…two to go…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Sep 17, 2008 | Christianity, Church Issues, Empowerment, Leadership
LEADERSHIP CAN BE STRESSFUL!
As I shared earlier this week, at Mars Hill, we have been trying to get our
minds and hearts around some of the data that points to unmet
expectations. What do you do when not as many people are inviting
their friends…not as many are growing in Christ…not as many are
tithing…not as many are reading their Bible…not as many are
attending…and not as many are being baptized?
These
questions are very real for us right now, and over the next few days I will
share some of the stages of unmet expectations I have recently
experienced…
WHEN WE EXPERIENCE UNMET EXPECTATIONS, WE TEND TO QUESTION THE DATA. Perhaps the stats are wrong. Maybe we didn't ask the question in the right way. I bet a certain category of people refused to take the survey and so the results are skewed.
I once heard someone say, "figures don't lie; but liars know how to figure."
MY RESPONSE: When we don't like what the data says, it is so easy to question its' validity. We look deep for one anomaly – one thing that sticks out. We find the one piece where we can cast doubt on the data…thus causing a large shadow over all the findings. Here's the problem: It makes it easier to say everything is okay. We tend to say, "The problem isn't the church – we're good, it's the data."
WRONG!!!
It's like the person who continues to squeeze into clothes/shoes that are too small – the data says either loose weight or go to the next size.
Two down…three to go…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Sep 15, 2008 | Christianity, Church Issues, Empowerment, Leadership
LEADERSHIP CAN BE FRUSTRATING!
Perhaps you've heard of the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). I wonder if a similar list could help define the stages a leader goes through when his or her organization fails to meet certain expectations.
In the past year at Mars Hill, we have been trying to get our minds and hearts around some of the data that points to unmet expectations. What do you do when not as many people are inviting their friends…not as many are growing in Christ…not as many are tithing…not as many are reading their Bible…not as many are attending…and not as many are being baptized?
These questions are very real for us right now, and the next few days I will share some of the stages of unmet expectations I have recently experienced…
- WHEN WE EXPERIENCE UNMET EXPECTATIONS, WE TEND TO JUSTIFY: Well, the attendance is down because of the weather. Everyone is at home entertaining, shopping, golfing, etc. People aren't reading their Bibles because we have so many who are exploring Christ. The economy is terrible so people aren't giving.
MY RESPONSE: Sometimes there are rational reasons for failure, but if you continue to explain it away over time, it begins to look like an excuse rather than a reason. You can justify a week or even an entire season…but it's difficult to justify trends that are happening over time.
One down…four more to go…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Sep 3, 2008 | Current Affairs, Empowerment, Family, Leadership, Money and Finance, Parenting, Politics
We will continue to push for superior schools for disadvantaged children until the problem is solved!
by Clarence E. Stowers | Aug 27, 2008 | Current Affairs, Empowerment, Events, Family, Politics
CHECK OUT "THE HILL" IN ACTION SUNDAY…THE PRESSURE IS ON!!!
NOTICE: MYTH REGARDING FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FUNDING…1ST DAY ATTENDANCE DOES NOT AFFECT A SCHOOL'S FUNDING…CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
Only 6 of 100 Black and Latino high school freshmen males will graduate from a four year college. Source: University of Chicago’s Consortium on Chicago School Research
Between 2003 and 2007, white students' reading scores went up while African American, Hispanic and low-incomes student's scores went down. (Chicago Sun-Times, October 31, 2007)
Money spent in Illinois on:
- Housing an adult prisoner: $21,000
- Educating a child in Chicago: $10,000
(Source: Illinois State Board of Education
Office of Governor Rod Blagojevich)
- Only 9% of African American 4th graders ranked proficient or above in reading, ranking Illinois 38 out of 41 states. (Chicago Sun-Times, November 2, 2006)
- Illinois has the largest unaddressed district-to-district funding gap in the nation. (Source: Education Trust)
2005-2006 School Year Graduation Rates in Chicago
- Black males – 37%
- White males – 62%
(Source: Schott Foundation)
- Illinois ranks 49 out of the 50 states when it comes to funding education from state funds. (Source: Education Trust)
Click Here for more FACTS about the SCHOOL FUNDING CRISIS
by Clarence E. Stowers | Jul 23, 2008 | Christian, Christianity, Empowerment, Leadership, Vision
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW9jk6lEqbE&hl=en&fs=1]
Beginning August 3, 2008, we’ll offer a 3-part series to lay out the changes coming to Mars Hill this fall: It’s called “Trading Candy for Pearls.”
The countdown begins…
