Leadership Conference

I spoke at a leadership conference last night to around 1500 to 2000 pastors. My assignment was to share the story of People's Church and give some leadership insights to encourage pastors. It was fun remembering where God has brought us from.

Highlights from my talk last night:

A. I started People's Church in May 2002 when I was 26 years old (I turned 27 the next month). I really didn't have a clue what I was doing (I'M SERIOUS). I had never worked on a church staff before or been a senior pastor before. I was inadequate, inexperienced, scared and insecure.

B. After Tiffany and I started People's Church, we were exhausted physically, emotionally and mentally from the wear and tear of church planting. I had to travel and speak out to provide for my family for two years. The demanding schedule of trying to get a new church off the ground with no financial support or people support and having to travel to make ends meet and to help underwrite the church was a VERY TAXING season for Tiffany and I.

C. After we started People's Church, I was extremely discouraged. I thought the church would take off and run 400 to 500 in three to six months. The first three months of the church our Sunday attendance was between 40 and 60 people. How many of you know that's a long way from 500 people? I was discouraged and wondered if I had missed God's will for my life and ministry.

D. After we started People's Church, I felt like a failure. I hired a staff member in the first three or four months of the church and had to let them go in the first six weeks of their arrival to Oklahoma City because they were not a fit with our vision. In the first year of the church, I had a secretary quit and leave me a nasty note. I felt like a failure in more ways than one.

3 Things I've Learned So Far While Being A Senior Pastor (I've learned a lot more, but I only had time to share three)

1. You have to seek God and get His vision for your city and church and STICK WITH IT!

A. Don't let people sway you from the vision God has given you. God's not going to bless their ideas or complaints, he's going to bless the vision he's laid on your heart.

B. Don't allow a church bully to sway you from the vision God has given you. Every church will have someone or some people show up and try to bully and control the pastor and the direction of the church. Don't give in! Hold your ground and do what God has called you to do. How you handle the church bullies will be defining moments in your leadership.

2. We overestimate what God can do in the short run, and we underestimate what God can do in the long run. One of my mentors told me this two or three years ago, and boy, it's sure true.

3. People give up too quickly.

A. Too many pastors leave when the going gets tough instead of sticking to what God called them to do!

B. Galatians 6:9