Think Ahead

Originally posted on Swerve by Bobby Gruenewald on June 17th, 2010.

Successful people are often great at anticipating.

•If you want to be promoted as an assistant, anticipate how you can better serve your boss.
•If you want to be successful in business, anticipate what the market will do.
•If you want to be successful in church, prayerfully anticipate. What new thing is God going to bless?
I try to think ahead by asking questions like these:

•How are people relating differently? What will relationships and community look like in two years?
•How are people going to communicate in the future?
•What future technology/innovation can help spread the gospel?
•What trends (business, entertainment, philanthropy, etc.) will affect the church?
Think ahead.

What is the Key to Success in Ministry?

what is the key to success in ministry?: in two words. I see success and stewardship as synonymous. It's not about how big your church is. It's about doing the best you can with what you have where you are. It's about cultivating your God-given gifts and using them to glorify God.

Here are five "two word" answers:

1) Keep Learning

When you stop learning you stop leading. I never want to become a closed system. If you keep learning you cannot fail. Why? Because failure is not learning the lessons God is trying to teach you. If you learned something you did not fail.

2) Take Risks

Playing it safe is risky. I'm more afraid of missing opportunities than making mistakes. I think that is a leadership mindset. You obviously need to discern if they are God-ordained. But our greatest regrets will be the lions we did not chase!

3) Stay Humble

This one is huge. Don't let pride take root in your heart. I'm so grateful for a failed church plant on my resume because it's a constant reminder that "unless the Lord builds the house they who labor, labor in vain." If you stay humble there is nothing God cannot do in you and through you.

4) Dream Big

The size of your dream reveals the size of your faith. More faith = bigger dreams. I'm convinced that God-sized dreams are one key to spiritual growth. God-sized dreams force you to live on your knees in raw dependence upon God. Live your life in a way that requires divine intervention.

5) Be Yourself

You need to come to terms with who you are and who you aren't. Ten years ago I was trying to be a pastor. I'm now trying to be myself. And there is a difference. Life is too short and ministry is too hard to be in an environment where you can't give true expression to your unique gifts, personality, and calling.

I'm obviously making a lot of assumptions here. For example, spiritual growth is all about becoming more and more like Jesus. That's a given. And I'm assuming a strong devotional life that includes prayer and Bible study. So these five tips are "beyond basics" if you will.

This is a repost by Mark Batterson from his blog.

Traits of a Successful Leader

1. Know (establish) who you are
2. Constantly stay in contact with your people (superior or subordinates)
3. Stick to your mission (focus)
4. View things differently
5. Be bold in the things you say and do
6. Always have a vision (that is what ties people together)
7. Let the success of others be your greatest accomplishment

For me personally, focus is the primary ingredient for success. With so many distractions in any area of life, those who keep the main thing the main thing tend to also be those that God seems to be blessing. Another key thought is to not allow good things to sacrifice the best thing!