[00:00:00] for me Jason, it's really is like when we turn the page and think vision again kind of spend some time working on something
[00:00:08] It has a revitalizing effect. It really does and I think that's why this is so valuable just how do we get things going?
[00:00:16] Get the candle burning again a little bit.
[00:00:19] Welcome to episode 320 Happy New Year! Are you worn out already by goal setting and healthy habits?
[00:00:26] Here's a non-resolution kickstart to get traction on your biggest goals in minutes instead of weeks as today on The Reclaimed Leader.
[00:00:41] Hey everyone, welcome to episode 320 of The Reclaimed Leader, I'm Jason Tucker.
[00:00:46] Back again my partner in crime Jesse Skiffington, Jesse has a going man. Happy New Year!
[00:00:51] Happy New Year to you Jason, 2024 is here whether we like it or not, ready or not.
[00:00:57] They're on again so we're back at it and it's been it's good I like this time of year we've got to kind of refocus and it's a completely arbitrary excuse to do some things to kind of recalibrate and get moving forward
[00:01:12] And so today we're going to talk about just a couple ways to do that and you got three S's for us today that we can do just to get our New Year off to a good start.
[00:01:22] Yeah like any good preacher I made them all S's but yeah well yeah
[00:01:26] And if we sound a little tired it's because we are pastors, we are pastors too.
[00:01:31] And having just gone through the holidays and I know you're still, you know we also kind of have that end of the year hangover if you will hopefully not a literal one but you know just to just kind of get and going again and thinking about what are we hoping to see happen in the life of our church this year and yeah and Jesse I know you're battling a little bit of a cold so it's you know if we sound a little tired and that's because we are yeah yeah.
[00:01:57] But we're here, we're doing it and I think for me Jason it's really is like when we turn the page and think vision again kind of spend some time working on something they has a revitalizing effect.
[00:02:10] It really does and I think that's why this is so valuable just how do we get things going get the candle burning again a little bit and that's so important so we don't want to just like be February all of a sudden and we're like man we haven't really gotten going yet so I love what you're going to offer today
[00:02:27] and talk about the three S's that can help us launch into the new year kind of a three S challenge.
[00:02:34] Yeah and so speaking of challenge this is what sparked the idea couple of days ago I'm going through my email and I must have had a dozen offers in my email inbox.
[00:02:47] And this is why like I understand when you know we'll send out an email to remind people that there's a new podcast episode up and we'll send it up and I and not everybody opens it and I believe me I get why because it's like how many of these am I going to open so there's like a dozen of these and they all have a very similar headline.
[00:03:04] Get your new year off started right 2024 new year new you knew that I must there are all offers to join some sort of a challenge to set my New Year's goals my resolutions or to develop good healthy habits.
[00:03:21] All these things are great which by the way I'm not a hater on on the New Year stuff I actually think it's a really nice time to do some reflecting and to think about how to want my life to be different in this year I think that's a healthy thing yeah that's fine yeah I mean they go me and it's an arbitrary time and we just pick it because it's the New Year but hey let's do it there's nothing wrong with kind of diving in taking a look.
[00:03:43] Yeah why not so and honestly most of these things that I saw would probably work I mean it's I think they all kind of get at the same thing it's trying to how do you get into a good rhythm.
[00:03:55] And you have some tools you can get things in accomplished things I think that's all great so sign up I'm not saying don't sign up for these things but for me I was also feeling a bit overwhelmed I was thinking you know if I sign up for
[00:04:07] these things it's really going to be kind of a long process right to just start taking action could and which isn't bad it's just long.
[00:04:16] And I know for me it's like I want something where I can kind of get the spark going a little quicker so that's the spirit of today's episode is it we're trying to give you some very very practical tools where you could sit down
[00:04:29] and we're doing it over the course of three days honestly you could do it in an hour you can probably do it over the course of a couple weeks it's all up to you but the idea is that they're quick and they're to the point so here we go.
[00:04:41] Three S's in three days we're calling it our three day New Year kick start here we go.
[00:04:47] So in the first day and I would suggest this make a little time for yourself if you could get half an hour or better yet an hour just for you where you can shut things down go to a coffee shop or hide out in some corner of the church that nobody knows about.
[00:05:02] And that has good internet.
[00:05:06] And or maybe doesn't have good internet and start with this one this is number one.
[00:05:13] Think about one sit down you can have this week one sit down what do I mean take one staff member or one volunteer or leader so it could be an elder a deacon it could be just simply a Sunday school volunteer anybody take him to coffee.
[00:05:34] Or take him to lunch just one person don't over think it who's the first person that kind of comes to mind see if you can set that up on the calendar here's why I just had an experience like this and a friend of friend of mine in the church you know church member.
[00:05:54] He congregate has really helped out a lot of things over the years was like hey you know we should hang out.
[00:06:03] Okay you know it's always sort of like what are we going to do he's like I'm like watch us come over to the house he hadn't seen the mants that were in and I said why don't you just come on over we'll just hang out there we can hang out in the basement because my dog will be all over you if you we have a new dog so it's very large and very excited.
[00:06:20] So anyway let's come up comes to the basement so he comes and he brings a bottle of scotch which if you ever come to my house that's the way to come you just bring a bottle of scotch for now.
[00:06:32] No it's like hey do you want to have some scotch I didn't want to be rude Jesse yeah I mean not see no so all my baptist friends were listening very sorry about that but so we did have we had some scotch.
[00:06:44] And we just sat and talked there was no agenda we were talking about life we're talking about the church and here's the thing that got me at the end of it he said this is about as relax as I've been in as long as I could remember.
[00:06:59] Yeah that's good.
[00:07:01] And he said I don't know that I've ever done this and I mean what do you mean just sat down with a friend and I didn't have anything to do with work and just talked and relaxed.
[00:07:16] And honestly that blew me away I'm sure at some time in his life he has but but the fact that that would even enter his mind that not only do I have I feel more relaxed than I've been long time but I don't remember the last time I've ever done this
[00:07:29] and it was a great conversation because it felt like we were able to invest in our friendship but we also like we had Monday night football on we were just kind of hanging out and it was so it was a spark for me.
[00:07:44] I started to think about what are his pain points what what are some of the topics that came up how can we I wonder if anybody else is feeling that way.
[00:07:52] And if so what are some things we can do is a church to help them I found it so incredibly helpful just to have one sit down with one person yeah that's really cool Jason and something of no agenda I think is a big part of that right you just want to get to know somebody spend some time with them.
[00:08:10] I think it communicates I value you I value your leadership if they're part of the leadership team or I value participation and I value you enough to come and spend time with you or in your case to have them come and spend time with you and I think there's a lot there and if you think about building friendships it's like it's only through shared experiences over time that you're going to build a relationship but we can also kind of have those listening years what what is going on with this person
[00:08:39] and what else is that how does that correlate to other things going on in other people's lives or more generally in our world and you can learn a lot too and be I do think there is something of a spark there for us because at its core ministry is relational but we end up spending so much time on admin and sermon prep and all these things that we forget that we're there are people that we're there to connect with and and to be in relationship with and I think that that is rejuvenating and filling when you take the time to do that.
[00:09:09] Hey reclaim leader community based on today's episode we put together a free three day kickstart worksheet to help you take quick action on your biggest leadership goals with space for you to write in your three themes as well as suggested steps for you to make it happen.
[00:09:25] It's the perfect companion for you to take to the coffee shop and fill out in a few minutes just go to reclaim leader calm forward slash kickstart today that's reclaim leader calm forward slash kickstart now back to the show.
[00:09:39] Yeah and it's it's not exactly the same as taking out somebody you're just getting to know right yeah so there's a little bit of relationship there so that when you do get together it's a little bit more of a freer sort of conversation
[00:09:56] and things come up now it didn't come up in this conversation but in the past things have come up that have really been helpful that help me sort of get a sense of what is the temperature of the congregation so I'm you know they'll say things like have you ever thought of
[00:10:10] have you ever thought of and often times that's something that people in the congregation have talked about and that they probably agree with yeah they just want to ask you like did it get to your ear did you know are you aware of this situation I remember one time it came up and it was
[00:10:28] I've ever thought of doing a financial report like they do in other charities where they really show you where where the donations go yeah because I think more people would give if they had more confidence that they knew exactly where it was going to and this we took the idea we're like well let's create
[00:10:48] a narrative summary of the finances from this last year and we hadn't been in the practice of doing that that was a great suggestion and I know that would have come out have we not just had some hangout time I love it I think that's so cool so pick one person sit down with have something have a drink just spend some time together yep
[00:11:08] so that's the first thing and I would I would start there because you don't have to prepare anything right show up just show up so that's the first thing and we're saying three days whatever time frame you want but let's say this is day one decide who do you want to sit down with make that make that reservation make that happen on your calendar set the second.
[00:11:30] What is one system that needs to be addressed in your church what is one system again the idea it's going to be one one one once it down what's one system where in your church is there the most tension around a system what on me by system
[00:11:49] it could be giving or stewardship that's where we have the most tension or new guest follow up visitor follow up we don't really have a process or could be your budgeting process
[00:12:00] or your organizational chart maybe you're not staffed away and I don't mean paid necessarily maybe you're not structured in the way they need to be in order to move forward or maybe it's the way that your elders and deacon work
[00:12:15] maybe it's you need capital funds to take care of some things on your property whatever that system is pick one that you're going to work on intentionally on this day and by work on so you don't have all the answers just need to start asking the questions yep
[00:12:36] so I recommend at starting with this question ask yourself why is this system why do you think this is causing tension what do you think the tension really is and sometimes you discover some interesting things sometimes you realize that it's actually there's a person in the middle of all this that is the tension and it's actually not a systems problem it's a person problem but that's important to identify
[00:13:03] what why is it causing tension and then when you when you kind of start getting some clarity around that you can then start asking how do I learn more about how to approach this system
[00:13:17] and you know maybe I want to do an online search for some giving new giving platforms or some articles on property management or whatever the case may be then you start to sort of learn and gather data right so you don't have to have any solutions yet you just have to start getting to where in your church is there the most tension around a system yeah
[00:13:39] and I think I like that you say just pick one because there are problems everywhere you know fire support every week or yeah so you can get overwhelmed in a hurry when you start thinking systems and wouldn't it be better good if we had a better giving system and a better new guest system and a better whatever but by focusing on one I think it feels more manageable more doable
[00:14:00] and inviting then maybe even some others ended at conversation at the right time but saying we want to get better at welcoming our new guests and helping them see who we are as a church and what their next step might be
[00:14:13] and you just start picking away at it a little bit and I think you know you've said this before Jason and I agree with it I think when we choose one system to start working it will have a cascading effect into other areas
[00:14:26] and so when you start with one the one maybe that has the most tension or feels the most problematic it's going to have a positive carry on effect in other areas too
[00:14:36] and people are going to be ready to maybe address those things but I like it pick one so take someone out connect and then pick a system and pick away at it ask some questions about it.
[00:14:46] Yeah absolutely and then and then the third is one sermon think about what's a big swing that you want to take this year maybe it's some ministry initiative that you have felt you wanted to do for years
[00:14:58] or maybe it's something that's just bubbling to the surface maybe it's a big thing maybe it's a medium sized thing maybe it's a small thing it sort of doesn't matter
[00:15:08] what's the swing that you want to take where do you feel it's important that the church takes a step forward
[00:15:14] and then just sit and think about where's God and all of that what's your sense of God's lead what is the dream
[00:15:23] what is that vision that God's planted in your heart
[00:15:28] write it down maybe have a couple ideas but you write it down pick one
[00:15:34] and then just start again asking questions doing some research on well so let's say I'm the one that I hear all the time in well two things one is staffing
[00:15:46] so how do we how do we recruit pay for and manage staff and I hear there's some churches of all different sizes
[00:15:55] or how do we attract young families or whatever it is
[00:15:59] do you do a research do a go research go to barna.com go to some of these other resources where you like to get your information
[00:16:07] and start working on it and then start working on what's where's my scriptural anchor in this theme
[00:16:13] right I mean you all know how to write a sermon you've been doing it for years so yeah but then here's what I like to do
[00:16:19] three sentences the first sentence is what is the thing right what is what is the thing specifically and be a specific is you possible
[00:16:31] what is the need what's your one sentence description of the of the move that you want to make or you feel like God's leading it to take
[00:16:39] the second sentence is how does the gospel speak to that thing and then the third sentence is how how can we partner with God
[00:16:51] yeah to make that thing happen I love it so practical nature too here's our need here's what the gospel has to say about it
[00:16:59] maybe some answer from scripture or an imperative related to it now let's go and do it here's how you can get involved in that
[00:17:05] and and handing off the mission and inviting people into it I love it Jason I think that's spot on so picking something that kind of stirs up your heart
[00:17:13] and when you do that and you find that language that just comes naturally spilling out of you
[00:17:19] man people are going to resonate with it and so you know often I mean we got sermons there's it's a lot right we write a lot of sermons
[00:17:27] but we do by drilling down and is there one sermon or one series that I really want to just go for it
[00:17:35] and give yourself permission to sort of dream and think big on on something and you can't do that with every sermon all the time
[00:17:43] but maybe just pick one so I love that I think that's that's something I'm going to add to my New Year
[00:17:49] awesome all right so that's it three S's in three days sit down work on a system work on a sermon
[00:17:56] this will help you get quick forward movement in 2024 that doesn't take a huge time investment
[00:18:03] and that you could realistically do in a few days so whatever we mention is going to be in our show notes
[00:18:09] which we are bringing back the show notes which if you go to reclean leader calm forward slash whatever the episode number is
[00:18:17] so this is episode 320 so four slash 320 the notes will be there along with a link to we made a cheat sheet for for these three steps that you can download and use
[00:18:28] but yeah this is really just in the spirit of how do we help you how do we as pastors because we're in the trenches too
[00:18:35] how do we just get some quick movement and it's strategic right we're thinking strategically but we're not taking you know six months to do it
[00:18:44] we're taking hopefully just a couple of hours the bite size something we can get traction on right away
[00:18:49] yeah good stuff for the New Year Jason
[00:18:52] well thanks Jesse and as we get ready to sign off if you've really been enjoying this podcast
[00:18:57] would you help us out and share it with a colleague or leave us a review we would love it it would be really helpful to us
[00:19:03] for the podcast to continue to get spread far and wide and hopefully we're helping leaders do exactly what we hope we're doing
[00:19:11] and that is listening to God and responding faithfully and because that's the metric that God cares about right faithfulness
[00:19:18] and to remember as we say this every time we really mean it ministry is hard it is so much better when we do it together
[00:19:26] take care everyone happy New Year
[00:19:33] you