Serve by Design

After preaching recently, I received some kudos from close friends within our church family. While I appreciate these kind remarks, I always remember the saying, “You’re only as good as your last sermon!” Our fulltime pastors know well the weekly stress of sermon preparation. No sooner do you close the week’s message out with a benediction than it is time to begin the process all over again! I can remember many Sunday afternoons when my after-lunch time was spent at the computer with Bible in hand typing out the next week’s sermon outline! Among this most recent feedback, I was surprised by one comment. This sweet lady remarked, “Pastor, I appreciated your message last Sunday. And I like your accent, too! ” I wasn’t completely sure what accent she was referring to, but I ventured a guess with this reply, “You mean, as in Texas?!” And she nodded and responded, “Yes!” I then commented, “Well, you’re not the first to note that subtlety. I did spend fifteen years in Texas, and it did leave...

I have been using all methods of persuasion throughout my years as a church leader. It involves verbal and nonverbal communication in formal and informal settings. I have presented ministry ideas on paper, through email, texts and over the telephone. There have been numerous one-on-one meetings with key individuals, and there have been even more meetings with committees, teams and multiple groups covering tasks with diverse responsibilities. Credit: vectorstock.com The goal behind all this activity has been to facilitate collaboration and hopefully gain “buy-in” to ideas, action plans, implementation strategies, and the advancement of the organization’s mission. I have found this process both exhilarating and exasperating. It requires patience, support, and openness to divergent ideas. The latter has always been a particular challenge to me and to my impatience! But I have found all of this to be a necessary process for getting things done! I have been a student of communication all ...