Steve Parr

I have been honored over the past seven-plus months to serve as the interim Lead Pastor of Hebron Baptist Church in Dacula, Georgia. This is my home church and it was great to preach before family and friends each week. I preached several messages during the course of the interim that speaks to issues relevant to church leadership. I wanted to share seven of those messages with you. Listen to one, some, or all and I hope you will post and share with others as they speak to you and your church leaders. Here are the sermons with titles, subject, and a link to listen in…

1. The ONE reason Young Adults are Walking Away. This message addresses High School students, young adults, and parents. It is based on research from my book Why They Stay and drills down on the core reasons young adults are leaving the church and directly challenges them to persevere in their faith. Please watch. Here is the link. [Link Here]
2. Yield to All Pedestrians. The title is based on the theme of “Accelerate” as I preached through James. However, the subject is critical for all churches. How are you treating guests that come to your church? James tells us how and this message is important for any church. Here is the link. [Link Here]
3. Get Connected. Why does every member of a church need to be in a small group? Is there a biblical reason? Watch this message and learn. Here is the link. [Link Here]
4. I Beg Your Pardon. No church can fulfill its purpose or vision where there is division. This is a message that challenges every member to make things right with all other members by following the biblical call to extend forgiveness. Everyone needs this message. Here is the link. [Link Here]
5. Give Me My Music Back. The culture is changing rapidly. Churches are going through changes. How are you handling the changes? Do you have the right attitude about worship? God blessed me with a powerful message and I encourage you to view this message on dealing with change. Here is the link. [Link Here]
6. Why Membership Matters. In preparation for this message, it occurred to me that I had never heard a complete message on church membership. I certainly hear it mentioned or encouraged but have never heard a comprehensive message. I have now because I preached it. Do those who attend your church clearly understand why membership matters? Here is the link. [Link Here]
7. What God Looks for in a Pastor. I was preaching through 1 Timothy when I came to this text. Members and pastors alike need to understand what God looks for because that is what we should expect and look for. Most people judge the pastor by his preaching…and that is important. But, what does God say about a pastor’s qualities and priorities? Find out. Here is the link. [Link Here]

For church leaders, I can assure you that listening to these messages will maximize your leadership!

“I’ll give you a call by the end of the week.”

“I’m going to take you to lunch soon.”

“I’ll get that info to you by the end of the day.”

“I’ll sit down with you and we can talk it through.”

Have you ever let someone down? I know that I have and I’m not proud of it. But I will tell you straight up that it is always my intent to follow up on what I say I am going to do. I’ll take it a step further. I would personally want to know if I have neglected anything I told you that I would do and would appreciate a reminder. That does not bother me because I want to follow through on what I said I would do. When I led the Evangelism team at the Georgia Baptist Convention, I would meet with the staff each month. One part of the agenda was labeled “What about” This item was where I made myself accountable back to my team for anything that ever came out of my mouth. I have likewise done this with all teams I have led through the years. I was always willing (and still am) to give an explanation, status update, or apology if needed for anything I said I would do that may have been left undone. You can ask those who have served closest to me about this. I want to keep my promises.

I imagine you know someone who makes statements like the four in the introduction and you know good and well you are not going to hear back from them. They make proclamations and don’t understand that their credibility erodes further with each failure to follow through on what proceeded from their own mouth. I am not talking about making a mistake here. I am referring to not following through on what you say you will do. Sadly, when this occurs with customers they don’t simply interpret it as “Mack does not keep his promises,” but as “the whole organization does not follow up on their promises.” Ouch! It is not only your personal reputation at stake. John G. Miller says, “Whether its boss to employee, peer to peer, or corporation to the field and vice versa, no one should be surprised when anyone keeps a promise. Whatever we say that we’ll do, we do. When people treat one another like this, your leadership is maximized.”

Adapted from Chapter Fifteen of John G. Miller’s book, Outstanding; 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional.

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” Those were the infamous words of “The Captain” (prison warden) in the 1967 classic “Cool Hand Luke” starring Paul Newman. It is often repeated by leaders and team members in any organization. Communication is the hub around which all elements of organizational leadership are built. When done well the wheels of the organization turn smoothly and when not, the squeaking sound you hear is the organization steering towards dysfunction. Here are the four key layers that effective leaders always maintain and improve upon.

1. From the leader to the team. This may be the most important layer. Failure here ultimately flows out to the other layers hindering forward progress. The words of “the leader” carry more weight than all others, inspires or discourages, serves as a compass, and can make or break an organization. He or she must speak with clarity, conviction, wisdom, hope, and consistency. How are you doing communicating to your team?
2. From the team to the leader. Do the team members have access to the leader? How quickly can they have interaction? Are they free to ask or say difficult things without fear of reprisal? Is there time designed where team members can speak to the leader? If not, the wheels or your organization will turn much slower.
3. Between team members. Are there standards related to how team members communicate with one another? Is your organization seeking to minimize and eliminate silos between different departments or ministry areas? Is a timely response between members a core value or clear expectation? Are there systematic gatherings that encourage interaction? Are some of the interaction built on fellowship or relationship building to increase trust and enhance peer to peer communication? The answers to these questions can say much about how well the wheels of your organization turn.
4. Between the team and the public. The public could be customers, members, or the community at large. The tools, methods, and strategies are quickly evolving in a fast-changing culture. The reputation of your organization depends on this as well as the level of involvement or sales in a for-profit circumstance.

Are you attending to all four layers? How is it going? What is your next step? Answer these questions and you will be much more likely to maximize your leadership!

The four points are adapted from chapter fourteen of John Maxwell’s The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork.

Leaders who do not invest time in training those who serve on their team take the greatest of risks. What team members do, how they do it, and when they do it is left to their own imagination. Effective leaders take the initiative to equip members, to “coach them up,” to inspire them, and to increase their skills. The result is increased effectiveness and a greater ability to respond to challenges as well as to adapt. But where do you find the time? I have found a couple of ways which I refer to as “equipping in drips.” Check these three ideas and then I will explain.

1. Send a weekly email to all team members to help them develop their leadership. You are experiencing this technique as you read this article. Each week throughout the year I write a brief article for the staff that I lead to challenge them to grow in their leadership skills. I follow up by posting the article publicly so that others may benefit and be influenced.
2. Record a weekly video message for your team. I do this each week for Bible study leaders in the church where I serve as the interim Lead Pastor. It is only five minutes long and is attached to an email. I call my version the “Parr Five” and I use a free software called Screen-cast-o-matic. Watch an example here at ParrFive!
3. Spend one-on-one time with all team members at some time throughout the year. I try to do this by having lunch with each team member. For me, that is about seventy-five who serve on a “consultant level” or higher in our organization. I go with no agenda but more often than not end up discussing issues that make our organization stronger. It takes no extra time for me because I eat lunch every day anyway.

Note that none of these actions are profound.  The first two require less than fifteen minutes of my time each week and the third requires no additional time. However, the combination has the potential to place me (my ideas and mentorship) before a staff member for up to nine or more hours during a year and mostly in five minute “drips.” That does not even include the formal gatherings that you have. It does make a difference. Equip your leaders by any means even if you must do it one drip at a time. That will maximize your leadership!

Much has been written about why people stray from the church. For those who return to church after years of absence, what is it that gets them to come back? Tom Crites and I are conducting a nation-wide study to discover what tangible factors can make the biggest difference. The study targets 25-55-year-olds who grew up in the church, left for at least two years, but then returned. The participants of this confidential short survey (less than 10 minutes) will offer valuable information that will help as we seek to assist church leaders in reconnecting those who have left the church. This is based on the most common question we receive when doing seminars based on our book Why They Stay.  Survey participants will be entered in a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card. In addition, those that refer participants will be entered for a $100 gift card as well. Please refer people you know by tweeting, posting and emailing the link to the survey.  Your participation is greatly appreciated! One last thing…this is national and multi-denominational. Please forward this to as many influencers as you know across the USA, as well as to individuals you know who fit this profile.

 

Click here to take the survey.

Six Reasons Developing a Team Makes You a Better Leader

There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves. –Lyndon Johnson

I have been a student of leadership for decades and one of my personal missions in life is to develop and equip as many leaders as possible. The word “leader” itself implies an individual and I truly do desire to help you become a better leader personally as I continue to grow myself. However, if we do not have a team to lead then we are not actually leaders. The leader is an individual but he or she stands at the hub of an organization, a team, a community, a business, a church, or some group. The aim of the leader is to move that collection of individuals in a purposeful direction providing inspiration, support, vision, training, problem-solving, and of course “leadership.” While you stand out front you cannot accomplish what needs to be done by yourself.

Gene Wilkes reminds leaders of six reasons that teams are superior to individuals when it comes to accomplishing a mission or task.

1. Teams involve more people affording more resources, ideas, and energy than would an individual.
2. Teams minimize the weaknesses of any individual.
3. Teams provide expanded perspectives that individual insight can rarely capture.
4. Teams share credit for victory and blame for losses resulting in a stronger community and a greater capacity to overcome failures.
5. Teams provide higher levels of accountability.

I will add a sixth;

6. Teams multiply time, availability, intelligence, and creativity exponentially beyond the capability of any individual.

Effective leadership absolutely requires your personal development and strength. But when it comes to big decisions, strategic planning, and moving your mission forward, be certain to tap into the gifts and talents of a team. That will help you to maximize your leadership.

 

Portions adapted from chapter one of John Maxwell’s The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork.

 

Five generations. That is how many distinct generations are living in North America today. If you travel back to previous centuries, you would find three generations providing leadership at any given time. However, with the advance in technology, the speed of change, and longer life-spans, you are now living among five generations.

• The Greatest Generation (those who fought and won WW II) represented by those 73+.
• Baby Boomers represented by those age 54-72.
• Generation X represented by those age 38-53.
• The Millennials represented by those age 24-37.
• Generation Z represented by those age 8-23.

Brad Szollose is the author of a book called Liquid Leadership: Multi-Generational Ideas That Are Changing the Way We Run Things. It is a worthy read and he shares seven laws to follow if you desire to be effective at leading cross-generational.

1. A Liquid Leader places people first.
2. A Liquid Leader cultivates an environment where it is free and safe, to tell the truth.
3. A Liquid Leader nurtures a creative culture.
4. A Liquid Leader supports the reinvention of the organization.
5. A Liquid Leader leads by example.
6. A Liquid Leader takes responsibility.
7. A Liquid Leader leaves a lasting legacy.

Szollose has written an entire book illustrating and instructing based on those seven laws and I recommend the book to you. However, there is wisdom in simply viewing the list and assessing your own leadership based on what you see. Today, more than ever, it is important that you develop leadership skills that help you to be effective cross-generational. Consider his list and self-assess yourself in order to maximize your leadership.

“There’s only one thing more contagious than a good attitude – and that’s a bad attitude.”

                                                                             John Maxwell

I just got off the phone with a key leader in a large organization. He was reflecting on a team within his organization and expressed how each individual, though good-natured, were the worst gripers and complainers whenever they got together. I have experienced the same thing on some teams in some organizations. My first job out of college was as a teacher of Social Studies in a Junior High School. The teacher in the room next to mine was constantly complaining about everything and criticizing every person. Even as a twenty-one-year-old young man, my mind always wondered…why don’t they find another job! I am so glad I had the wisdom, even as a young man, not to allow their attitude to rub off on me.

I have always elevated the value of “attitudes” both personally and as a leader. How do you identify the seeds of a bad attitude? Here are a few examples.

1. An inability to admit wrongdoing. Everyone makes mistakes and the person who cannot acknowledge their mistakes has the wrong attitude…. whether they will admit it or not.
2. Failing to forgive. People hold grudges assuming they are doing harm to the other party when in reality they are primarily poisoning their own spirit.
3. Petty Jealousy. When people succeed, do well, are promoted, or win, they should be celebrated and applauded. The person who cannot celebrate has a real attitude problem.
4. Self-Centeredness. When an individual believes that the world revolves around them they are displaying a level of immaturity that will only hinder those around them and the mission of the organization.
5. A critical spirit. Criticism is not a gift or an asset. While there is a place for evaluation and critique there is no place for constant criticism. Be the solution and not the problem or the person who only focuses on the problems.
6. Failure to share credit. While individuals can accomplish much, most significant accomplishments in an organization are the result of many team members working together.

Your attitude matters more than your actual competence. A person with a good attitude can be “coached up” and develop enough skills to get the job done in most cases. A person with competence who possesses a bad attitude can be like cancer to the whole organization. Put several people together and they can totally sabotage the mission. Don’t have a bad attitude. It is a choice. Don’t tolerate bad attitudes if you are in leadership. Failure to address inappropriate attitudes will prevent you from maximizing your leadership.

Some portions adapted from chapter eight of The 17 Indisputable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell.

 

A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. No doubt you have heard that analogy in the past. Every member of a team brings unique levels of experience, ability, intellect, and passion to the group. The ultimate aim is to have a team with no weak links. Ideally, everyone is growing or at least being “coached up.” Obviously, in a worst case scenario, a team member who is so weak that the team is being hindered or restricted must be removed. You are not that weak link, are you? You are growing personally, aren’t you? You are inspiring the other members to grow also, right? Here are three things that you and each team member should do to keep each link of the chain strong.

1. Each team member should have a mentor. A mentor is someone who has greater experience, stronger ability, excellent intellect, and exceptional passion who is willing to give some of their time to help others to be more effective at what they do. The mentor should have experience in the same field of responsibility, a track record of success, and a willingness to pass on his or her wisdom to others. Who is your mentor?
2. Each team member should have a personal growth plan. Growth can happen by osmosis sometimes, but it is not ordinary and less likely as you rise to higher levels of leadership. Growth comes as you read, experiment, pilot new methods and strategies, fail, collaborate, listen to others, subscribe to podcasts, attend seminars and conferences, pursue degrees, “bend the ears” of other skilled leaders, submit to accountability and self-evaluate. That is not an exhaustive list but simply examples of actions a leader or team member can take to grow. What is your plan?
3. Get out of your comfort zone. I personally am not a fan of stress, but I have learned that if I am not stressed I am not really growing. Some reading this already think that number two is not possible for them because it will put stress on their schedule. Welcome to leadership! I am not speaking here of unnecessary stress but of strategic stress. You must be stretched to grow, and you will rarely find it comfortable. It may finally become comfortable with time and experience, or it may not. I continually find myself in uncomfortable situations because I expose myself to situations that test me and make me stronger. How are you getting out of your comfort zone?

Don’t be the weakest link. Don’t be a weak link at all. Commit to continue your growth and you will be on your way to maximizing your leadership!