THINGS THAT I AM PRAYING WILL HAPPEN IN OUR CHURCHES IN 2015

THINGS THAT I AM PRAYING WILL HAPPEN IN OUR CHURCHES IN 2015

 

These are my eight prayer requests for churches in 2015:

1. For greater emphasis on prayer. Many, if not most, churches have a woeful emphasis on corporate prayer. Churches who do not give prayer a high priority are churches without God’s power.
2. For standing firm on biblical truth. Culture is trying to push our congregations away from the truths of Scripture. We cannot yield to that pressure. If we do, our congregations cease to be true, biblical churches.
3. For greater unity in our churches. There is too much infighting in many of our congregations. And there is too much disunity from church to church. The world is watching our fights. “Now this is His command: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us” (1 John 3:23).
4. For greater intentionality in evangelism. The typical church in America is doing very little to share the gospel of Christ boldly and intentionally. May we be so grateful for what Christ has done for us that “we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
5. For greater emphasis on groups. Churches should grow larger by growing smaller. A church member not in a small group or Sunday school class is not fully committed to the body.
6. For membership to be more meaningful. For many churches, membership has become nearly meaningless. For others, membership is a perceived entitlement, much like country club membership. I pray that membership in our congregations will become truly biblical as Paul demonstrated in 1 Corinthians 12.
7. For clear plans of discipleship. Too many congregations cannot clearly articulate how members can become more obedient followers of Christ.

 

8. For more ministry involvement and impact in our communities. I pray that our churches will become known by the positive impact they have in their respective communities. As we obey Acts 1:8, we must first be obedient to our own Jerusalem.

 

Adapted from a church blog that I read on a daily basis..

MY PRAYER FOR THE CONGRAGATION THAT I AM A PART OF. I LOVE BLOGGING ABOUT THE CHURCH. Find more on www.njorogemoses.wordpress.com

7 Warning Signs Your Church Staff Is In Trouble

7 Warning Signs Your Church Staff Is In Trouble 

The caliber of your church staff is crucial to the long-term health of your church. Honing your ability as a leader and your church staff's ability to operate as a high functioning team takes work, but the payoff will prove beneficial for the development of your church's community. 

We sometimes have blinders on when we look at our own church staff. We're there day in and day out, trying to stay above water as we deal with the urgent matters before us each day. It may feel overwhelming to even think about anything but only what has to be done today. However, when you focus on developing the synergy of your church staff, you'll begin to see the power of how a great team can revolutionize your church. 

The team rebuilding process begins with the team leader’s awareness of the reality of how the team is functioning. When you drive a car, there are often subtle cues that tell us if the car isn’t functioning as well as it should. If we don’t pay attention to the rattle of the engine or the squeak of the brakes, we’ll see lights on the dashboard. The signals are there to protect us. If we ignore those signals, it’s at our own peril. 

In a team, there will be signals that will be subtle at first but will warn you that your team needs attention. 

What are some warning signs that your team is heading for a breakdown? 

1. One or more members of your team do not contribute ideas or thoughts during meetings.  

Pay attention and take notes. Who’s speaking up? Who’s being quiet? Who’s acting independently, and who seems to need handholding?  Observe Body language and facial expressions. Was there an opportunity for healthy debate that was missed? The way your team interacts with each other in staff meetings will help you take a temperature check of how they are interacting with other in the office. 

Ask yourself: Who isn’t speaking up in meetings? Should I have a one-on-one meeting with them this week to make sure their ideas and concerns are being heard?   

 2. Blame shifting is toxic.  

Are your team members taking responsibility for their actions or not? Are members of your church staff blaming a lack of productivity on another team member? Be quick to notice and address blame shifting, or your team members will quickly feel beaten down. 

Blame shifting can also contribute to a culture of gossip, which will cause division on your team. We’ll talk more about gossip below.  

Ask yourself: Is my senior leadership taking responsibility when our team experiences failure or is blame shifting happening? Is there gossip that is breaking down our team unity? Who do I need to talk to this week to address gossip before it’s out of control? 

3. Absence of healthy conflict.  

It is a misconception that healthy teams should never experience conflict. In fact, the truth is quite the opposite. Healthy teams engage in healthy conflict because they are striving to do what is best for the church. Thus, leaders should encourage a culture where team members' ideas, opinions, and concerns can be heard. A lack of healthy conflict could mean that team members have lost their passion for their role or the overarching vision of the team. 

Be sure to incorporate a diverse mix of personalities on your leadership team. You don’t want a table of “yes-men” who just say yes to everything that the leader says. Create a culture where feedback and constructive criticism is invited and encouraged at the table. You set the tone as the leader as to how feedback will be handled on your team.  

Ask yourself: When was the last time someone told me no, and how did I respond? Am I inviting my team to give me feedback and constructive criticism on ideas and initiatives before I move forward?  

4. Lack of trust and a fear of speaking the truth.  

Does your team trust each other? Are staff meetings a safe place? If you sense that certain team members are dominating the decision-making and others seem uncomfortable speaking up, lean into the root of the situation. The most effective teams trust each other.  

You set the tone as the leader of the team as to how you trust them. If you are micromanaging your team, you are showing them that you do not trust their problem solving ability. However, if you are too absent as a leader and make decisions without your team’s input, they might feel that you don’t trust or value their opinion. Be intentional about showing your team you trust them.   

 

If you do sense a lack of trust, consider planning a retreat or onsite where you can help build cohesion among your team. Team building doesn’t happen overnight, but there are tangible team building principles you can apply now.  

At our staff onsite, we have an hour dedicated to encouraging one another and building trust among our team. We chose someone’s name from a piece of paper in a bowl, have them stand in front of the team, and share words of affirmation with them about how we see them living out our company values on a daily basis. It has proven to build immense trust among our team, especially for newer team members. It allows people to feel noticed and loved by their colleagues.  

Another way to build trust is to do a team building problem solving activity. See if your city has an Escape Game location. It has become a popular and fun way for teams to build trust outside of the office. The idea is that you have a case to solve and only one hour to solve it. Everyone on the team is needed to solve the problem. Nashville’s is NashvilleEscapeGame.com, and Houston’s is HoustonEscapeRoom.com. 

Ask yourself: When was the last time our team stepped away from everyday work and intentionally spent time building trust with each other? Do I show my team I trust them or do I micromange them? 

5. Offline conversations about one or more individuals on the team.  

Gossip will destroy a team. As a leader, you must be clear that there will be a zero tolerance for gossip on the team and be the primary example of this no-gossip policy. Consider having your team write and sign a no-gossip covenant with each other to help establish expectations and build trust. 

Our client Dave Ramsey has zero tolerance of gossip on their team of over 400 employees. He understands the power gossip can have in deflating a culture of teamwork and cohesion when senior leadership does not address gossip early on.  

Ask yourself: Am I gossiping to my senior leadership team? What tone am I setting as a leader? Is it time for our team to sign a no-gossip covenant?  

6. Meetings to debrief meetings.  

If your church staff is constantly in meetings, then when is ministry being accomplished? If your team is overwhelmed with meetings, take a step back and ask your team why these meetings are necessary. There may be unhealthy reasons for too many meetings including micromanaging, a dominating leader, or an understaffed team. 

 As a leader, think about how much each meeting costs you. How many people are sitting in the meeting? If you break down each of those staff member’s salaries, how much are you paying them to sit in that meeting? Then ask yourself, “Is the return on this meeting worth the time and money I’m investing to have this meeting?” This will help you prioritize which meetings are more necessary than others.  

Ask yourself: What is the purpose of our daily, weekly, or monthly meetings? Are we seeing results come out of those meetings that make them worth it? Are there people in the meeting whose time would be better spent outside of the meeting? 

7. People take a back seat to productivity.  

If your church staff is placing productivity above people and ministry, then your vision needs to be revisited. Is your team giving people a back seat to productivity because they have too much on their plate? You may need to hire more staff. Are people taking the back seat because your church staff is ignoring them? Your staff may be burned out, or you may need to let some people go. 

Ask yourself: How have I instilled vision in my team this week that people matter? Am I continually pushing numbers, or am I focusing on life change?   

Have you noticed any of these characteristics in your church staff? Rebuilding a team is hard work, but it's crucial to the long-term health of your church.      

Adopted this edited it and shared it.. LEADERSHIP IS HARD. BUT ASA LEADER YOU SHOULD ALWAYS READ THE SIGNS THAT ALL IS NOT WELL IN YOUR TEAMOR ELSE THE FALL WILL FIND YOU UNEXPECTEDLY. PROPHETICALLY SPEAKING…..#MosesToday www.mosesnjoroge.blogspot.com or www.njorogemoses.wordpress.com on tweeter as @sesmoyd instagram as @moresaysgn on facebook I am moses Njoroge and on linkedin its Moses Njoroge

Five Reasons Why Millennials Do Not Want to Be Pastors or Staff in Established Churches

Five Reasons Why Millennials Do Not Want to Be Pastors or Staff in Established Churches
Not all Millennials are averse to serving in leadership roles in established churches. But many of them are. And our churches are approaching a tipping point where many are unable to attract Millennial members or leaders. It will likely soon be a crisis.

What is it about established churches that push away Millennials? Let’s examine that question first, and then let’s look at some possible solutions.
1.Millennials perceive established churches to have values that are entrenched in non-missional traditions. Millennials have values that focus on community, cooperation, and service to others. They see established churches as barriers to those values, institutions that are more concerned about maintaining the status quo rather than making a missional difference.

2.They perceive that much time in established churches is wasted catering to members’ personal preferences. For a number of Millennials, the established church feels more like a religious country club rather than an outwardly-focused organization. Budgets, ministries, and activities seem to be focused on preferences of members rather than reaching out to others.

3.Many established churches are denominationally loyal; but many Millennials see denominations as antiquated organizations. If a church is affiliated with a denomination, this younger generation views both the church and the denomination as anachronisms. They don’t see either as effective or relevant.
4.Millennials don’t see established churches as community-centric. The men and women of this generation typically have a heart for their community. Many have become key to the revitalization of urban communities and other locales. But they see most established churches with a minimal focus at best on the community in which they are located

5.Millennials see church planting as a far superior alternative. To use a well-worn phrase, they would rather have babies than raise the dead. They see futility in wasting precious resources of people, time, and money on churches that will not likely budge or change.

As a reminder, the Millennials are almost 80 million in number. While Christians comprise only about 15 percent of this generation, they still are an influential force in our churches. And, to this generation’s credit and defense, many of their concerns are valid. #MosesToday more on www.mosesnjoroge.blogspot.com
adopted from Rainer

I CANT HELP BUT WONDER,!!!

I Can’t Help But Wonder

The report was bleak, the morale was worse...

Why is it that Christians are often pessimists about the culture? Have you noticed? We mope and shake our heads in disgust. We walk around with our shoulders hunched and our spirits low. From all appearances, we’ve given up and given in.

As I read Numbers 13, I am struck by the account of the spies who had investigated the Promised Land. I’m not mistaking for a moment that the United States is the Promised Land, it’s not... but I am struck by the pessimism of God’s people – honestly, it feels familiar. The land had giants and a value system that celebrated destruction.

This was not news to God. He wasn’t sending His people on a suicide mission; He was inviting them to witness His surpassing power. A land that devours its inhabitants was no match for Him.

God didn’t expect His people to be naïve; He expected them to be confident. God was on their side. This confidence should have birthed optimism (someday I’ll ask Caleb and Joshua why it didn’t.)

What if we Christians bucked the trend? What if we became cultural optimists? Not naïve about our culture or evil or the giants that inhabit the land... but optimists about the transforming power of God. (Note the optimism of Jesus when He confidently proclaimed something about the gates of hell being no match for His community of believers!)

The Bible emphasizes this promise when, through the Apostle Paul, we’re told...

“... in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Nothing can separate us.

In all these things we are MORE than conquerors.

Key verses numbers 13:31:32

Romans 8:37-39

It’s time for those of us who follow Jesus to occupy the promises of God – in spite of the bleak reports. I’m optimistic. Are you? Find more on www.mosesnjoroge.blogspot.com

HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT WHAT YOU WANT?

How badly do you want what you say you want?

I hope you are not discouraged due to the fact that the breakthrough you wanted is not yet a reality. Don’t stop believing!

Did you know that the authors of the Chicken Soup for the Soul were rejected 140 times? After I read their story and read a few of their books my faith in my pursuit for greater things got stronger. Never give up!

Did you know that the Alchemist was not an instant best seller and Paulo Coelho was told that the book was not to going sell but later sold 65 million copies? That’s what happen when you trust the process and yourself. I love that book!

Did you Eric Thomas the hip-hop preacher who is now a renowned motivational speaker, author and educator were once homeless and a high school dropout? Eric Thomas is a perfect example of possibility. He too trust the process!

The faith and belief that these individuals have displayed is something that we can all exercise. Sometimes we stop too quickly and may have been very close to making the dream a reality and not even knowing that we were close. The thing about the above mentioned individuals is that they believe with all their heart in what they felt deep within their soul – they have the conviction that they too have something of value to offer to the world and like them, when we want something; the universe conspires in helping us to achieve it. The question is, do you really want what you say you want? If you do, you have to decide that you are going to move towards that which you want despite the oppositions.

I love how Eric Thomas said it,

“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.”

There are several more individuals you can think of that have demonstrated faith and belief in what they wanted to accomplish. You may have to knock on more doors, make more call or hit the road and start sharing what you have with everybody that you come in contact with. You have to do the work! It is a conscious choice that you’ll have to make.

“When you want something, the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.” Paulo Coelho

What I want to say to you today is that no matter how many times you have heard  no’s or your work is not good enough or that’s not what the people want, but if you have a conviction that you have something meaningful to offer you want to keep believing in the possibility of it coming to a reality.

For the most part it is going to take your faith, determination and belief to carry your dream for the required amount of time. So don’t lose faith especially when you start feeling the pressure, the resentment or the lack of support you have to remember it is still your dream.#MosesToday www.njorogemoses.wordpress.com

PARENTAL RESPECT

PARENTAL RESPECT 

There’s a common problem in many homes today. Disrespect. Refusing to consider each other’s opinions, interrupting when someone’s talking, never apologizing for a mistake. Sounds like I’m talking about children, doesn’t it? But, parents, I’m actually referring to the way you behave. 

Maybe you’ve seen it – a parent spewing anger or yelling careless words to control a child. You may have even done it yourself. It’s an easy trap to fall into. After all, such methods do create compliance – at least for that moment. But does it really make sense for a parent to demand respect by acting disrespectfully themselves? 

Disrespect is an attack on a child’s self-worth. Parents who scream, belittle, interrupt, and lecture endlessly will erode the connection between them and their child. And without connection, parents face a never-ending struggle. As author Josh McDowell says, “Rules without relationship equals rebellion.” Over the long run, disrespect from a parent will lead to less compliance from a child, not more. 

Another important consideration is what a parent’s behavior models. As you’ve probably already noticed, kids don’t need help learning how to be disrespectful. It’s part of the fallen nature at work within all of us. But that’s why it’s even more crucial for parents to keep themselves under control. It models for the child how to resolve conflict with another person while treating them with respect. 

Listen, I understand how tough it is to raise kids these days. But parenting with respect not only shows a child how deeply we value them, but the need to respect others as well. Today, ask God to help you model a life worth imitating. 

PARENTING; WORRKING YOURSELF OUT OF A JOB.

PARENTING: WORKING YOURSELF OUT OF A JOB 

Would you accept a position with your employer if your task was to work yourself out of a job, so you were no longer needed? It’s an important question because that’s precisely the role of a parent in the life of their child.

There’s nothing like the feeling of stepping inside the house after a day of work, and having your toddler race to the door to greet you. But something downright sinister happens when that little one enters the teen years. Well … it feels sinister, at least. I’m referring to the process of your teen pulling away from you and becoming more independent. The worst part of it is it’ll feel as if your child no longer needs you. 

The teen years are when adolescents seek their own identity apart from their parents. It’s a natural process that prepares teens for adulthood and, within certain parameters, moms and dads must allow it to happen. Instead, many parents hit the panic button and desperately cling to that feeling of being needed. It’s definitely tough, but you have to let go. 

Parents, God has given you the responsibility of working yourself out of a job by raising kids who can stand on their own two feet. So when your child becomes more independent, take heart. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you. It simply means they’re developing as God designed them to. They’re spreading their wings into adulthood to live a happy, successful life on their own. #MosesToday

FIGHT FOR YOUR TEENAGERS..A WORD FOR TODAYS PARENTS.

FIGHT FOR YOUR KIDS 

There is a crucial attribute to fatherhood that many dads overlook. It’s the readiness to do battle for the heart and mind of their teenager. 

The epic World War II battle of D-Day occurred on June 6, 1944. The night before, American paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines to cut off Nazi reinforcements. Astonishingly, some of the soldiers were later found relaxing in a farmhouse, partying with liquor they’d discovered in the cellar. Many historians have expressed bewilderment that these men – by simply landing in an area untouched by battle – could somehow forget there was a war going on. 

Then again, maybe we shouldn’t be so surprised by the behavior of these men. After all, many of today’s fathers suffer from a similar lack of awareness. There’s an unseen battle at work against a teenager’s heart and mind. And many dads don’t seem to recognize it. 

Teens are being stalked by everything from pornography and sex, to school bullies and drugs. But as long as all seems quiet on the home front, many dads lose themselves in sports, hobbies, or their career and assume their teenager is fine. But, quite often, they’re not. 

That’s why teens need men of valor, who will fight for their kids’ heart and mind – men who will be a source of strength and work to instill biblical values throughout the confusion that so often characterizes adolescence. Dads, engage with your teen and get involved in their life because this is one battle you can’t afford to sit out. #MosesToday

A DAD’S STRONG SHOULDER

A DAD’S STRONG SHOULDER 

Derek Redmond was an international track-and-field star with three gold medals to his name. But he’s best known for a race he didn’t win. In the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, Derek Redmond was favored to win the 400-meters, having set the world record in the event a few years before. But halfway through the race, he suffered a severe pulled hamstring and stumbled to the track. By the time he got back to his feet, the race was over. Although devastated, Redmond staggered toward the finish line anyway, brushing away Olympic officials who tried to lead him off the track. 

If this were your son, what would you do? Cheer him toward the finish line from your place in the stands? Look on in silence? Or maybe watching the death of your son’s dream would cause you to turn away completely. Derek Redmond’s father did none of these. Instead, he burst from the stands and ran to his son on the track. Then, with his son leaning on his shoulders, they walked together, arm in arm, to the finish line. 

One of the tough parts of being a parent is knowing we can’t rescue our children from every difficulty in life. Sometimes the pain they suffer has to be their own. In those times, what we can do is walk with them in their suffering and, with God’s grace, see them through it. Even if the burden is theirs to carry, they don’t have to face it alone. #MosesToday more on www.mosesnjoroge.blogspot.com

BLOOPER PARENTING

BLOOPER PARENTING 

Do you look at other families and struggle to believe you measure up as a parent? One problem may be that you’re comparing your blooper reels with other people’s highlights. 

A popular segment on many sports channels is the blooper reels. These humorous videos show the silly mistakes of professional athletes as they trip and fall over their own feet, miss an easy catch, or stumble over a teammate while chasing the ball. 

Other fans would rather watch highlight reels. Instead of goofy blunders, this footage is a collection of great catches, amazing shots, and incredible displays of skill from sporting events around the country. It’s the best of the athletic world. 

So what does all this have to do with parenting? Highlight reels show athletes at their best; bloopers, athletes at their worst. As parents, we’re all too familiar with our own mistakes. We remember the harsh words we’ve spoken, or the times we’ve had poor judgment, or the areas where our children struggle and we don’t have any answers. Many times, it can feel like we’re living a blooper reel, except it’s anything but funny. 

But other families? We see them from the outside, and it’s like watching a highlight reel. Their children don’t squabble, the parents never have a disagreement, and life is perfect. But is it really? From what I’ve seen, every family has it’s challenges. So don’t get discouraged by comparing your behind-the-scenes struggles with others’ superficial highlights. Remember that God looks at your heart. #MosesToday

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Think like The Successful

“When you
put your efforts into your gift, you are giving God something to bless.” ―
Steve Harvey


Are they smarter than you?

Not really.The difference is that they may just think differently from the way you
think. It is evident that thinking in a certain way will enhance the
possibility of you accomplishing more out of life. Why? Just look around
you and you’ll see individuals from the environment/background that are
similar who have achieved more than the other. To be smarter I
believe is to select that thing you love and give your all to it. Make
connection with like-minded individuals. Act is if you want what you say you
want. Remember that a failure in not final. Treat every mishap as valuable
experience. Eliminate the use of excuses because they’ll only hold you back and
it is very important that you respect yourself.

 Don’t doubt the possibility of
you making it.

You want to
create a better life for yourself but get up every day doubting the possibility
of it ever happening is just crazy.  You may have heard the saying if you
think you’re beaten, you are. So, don’t think you are beaten! Check
history and you’ll see that none of those who succeed in life doubt the
possibility of them being successful. However, some may say that they were
before they realized that it was them who was stopping them from achieving
what is possible. It was through that awareness that they change the way they
think and then things began to change.

You must believe in the
possibility.

 Set yourself S.M.A.R.T
goals.

In regards to
your goals, you want to make it S.M.A.R.T. Your goal should be specific,
measurable, attainable, and relevant and should be anchored to
a time frame in which you wanted to accomplish your goal. A goal need a
plan – a step-by-step plan and the plan that you create to accomplish your
desired goal should be tailored to you. After your goal is tailored to you, you
must get in the mindset of giving your desired goal the time and effort it
will need in order to make it a reality. You want to be optimistic in
your approach. You want to align yourself with like-minded
individuals. You want to let go of any disbelief of why the goal maybe
impossible. Set your standards and stick with it.


Focus your energy.

Commit
yourself to something and focus your energy on that which you want to
accomplish. Remember, you can’t be everywhere, do everything and know
everybody. By focusing your energy on the important things in your
life you’ll see greater improvement in those areas in a shorter time than being
all over the place trying to do everything that present itself.

Don’t be the smartest in your
group.

Don’t be
afraid to be challenged. Being around others who make you stretch will help you
to improve on you. It is wise to know that we don’t know it all and even the
things we thing we know can still be improve upon. If you haven’t already you
want to start hanging around other people who stretch you, make you think and challenged
you think you on what you already think know.


Think outside the box!

It is
possible to go beyond limitations. It may not be easy, but it is possible.

A TIME FOR EVERYTHING

A Time for Everything

Imagine that outside your front door at this very moment is everyone who, in the last week, has sent you a text, an email, called you on the telephone, written you a letter, spoken to you about seeing them for a pastoral visit, invited you to a meeting and those you have chosen to spend time with….

How far around your neighbourhood would that queue stretch and how long would it take you to see them if you saw them one after the other, even without a break?

Perhaps you feel overwhelmed by the demands you and others place on your use of time? Maybe the full weight of the issues you face in making the best use of your time are masked by the technology you use to manage your problem or perhaps you are working far too many hours to cope with all these demands on your ministry?

A Time for Everything

The writer of Ecclesiastes 3 v1-6 tells us there is a time for everything, describing the endless ebb and flow of actions that can sweep us up in an endless flurry of activity that leads to stress. There is a time for everything, but that does not mean we have to do everything NOW, as much as we or others might want us to do so. Nor should we simply succumb to all the demands others place on our time. Although we cannot manage time, as we are not in control of its passage, we can manage the way we and others use our own time. As a servant leader we need to role model a healthy use of time for our own benefit and for those to whom we minister.

10 Top Tips to manage your time better

1.  Review how you use your time.

Spend a week keeping a diary of your use of time, (including coffee breaks, telephone calls, travel time etc.) and with whom. Then review the diary, looking for recurring patterns and highlighting where you have not used your time as you would have liked and/or as effectively as you could. E.g. if you split your day into morning, afternoon and evening: do you regularly work all three sessions? Would it help if for all or part of the week you only worked 2 of those sessions per day?

2.  Review your diary with a trusted friend

Discuss the various areas in and then agree to take steps to address a couple of the issues it highlights.

3. Prioritise your use of time.

Steven Covey in his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” introduces a simple four box model to help us use our time effectively. On one axis is “urgent” and “not urgent” and on the other what is “important” and “not important”. Our issue is often twofold: firstly, that we spend our time meeting the demands of others in what they see as urgent and important. Secondly, that in failing to deal with the important but not urgent tasks, that the tasks soon become urgent and lead us into feeling and being overwhelmed.

Populate each quadrant of the diagram with your view of what fits where. Next decide, and agree with others what are the important but none urgent issues for you to be an effective leader and resolve to spend most of your time on these. Where would regular hospital visits or home communion come? What about the article for the church newsheet? Personal retreat?

4.  Set expectations

Set expectations about response time and considerations of urgent and none urgent issues. My experience in working with ministers is that when people use the phrase “this needs doing urgently”, this can mean anything from in the next 10 minutes to the next 3 days”. When we and others understand what we all mean we can respond appropriately and prioritise our time effectively.

5.  Take a team approach

Talk to your co-workers about your joint use of time and the challenges you each face and how you can support one another e.g. do we all need to be copied into emails about the redecoration of the church hall? Sifting through which emails to read or not all takes time when we have large numbers of them.

6.  Use Meetings effectively

Do meetings have to happen the way they always have? Do you have to be there for all of the time or just the part that needs your input or when you need to hear vital information? Can other technologies help reduce the time and frequency of your regular meetings? Can you have an on-line discussion of some agenda items before the deacons meeting?

7.  Don’t let technology control you

Take control of the technology. It is easy to respond to the ring of the telephone or the bleep of the mobile phone or the ping of the email arriving in the in box. Turn off the bleep of the email and only check your emails twice a day (see also “Taming the Email Dragon” ). Turn off mobiles during meals, use an answer machine or call divert on a mobile phone when you should not be interrupted. Would we pause in the middle of a conversation with a bereaved couple to respond to a text message? Why do we then allow other situations to be interrupted by the call of technology?

8.  Manage interruptions

Research suggests it takes approximately 8 minutes to recover from being interrupted when you are in the middle of a task. Be ruthless with time, but gracious with people when handling interruptions and try to keep interruptions to a minimum. Find a time and a space where you won’t be interrupted, use technology or another “gatekeeper” to help e.g. your wife. Often when we are struggling with the task we find our own interruptions to distract us from the difficulty of the task e.g. that third cup of coffee, social chat with a colleague.

9.  Avoid procrastination

Procrastination:  “putting off the doing of something that should be done—intentionally, habitually and reprehensibly”. (John Adair). Do the worst jobs first – once you’ve got them over with you will feel a sense of relief and won’t be dreading them for the rest of the day/week. If it’s a big job that you are putting off, break it up into bite size chunks: it’s easier to think of repainting one room in a house than having to repaint the whole house.

10.  Does it have to be me?

It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking “If I don’t do it, it won’t happen or be done as well”. Allocate some of your tasks, meetings to others. Might some of them be a development opportunity for others? It may take longer to do this at the outset as you have to explain what is needed but is a worthwhile time saving in the long term.

Reflection

How much of your use of time is driven by your personality and that of others? Do you thrive on being with people generally and certain people in particular? Does sermon preparation get crammed into your remaining time?

Do you have to push yourself to leave the solitude and preparation time spent in the study for pastoral visiting?

Whatever your personality, time spent with a coach reflecting on how our personality impacts on our use of time, supported by the completion of personality inventories that highlight our own issues, can be extremely helpful.

• Commit to completing your time diary
• Set up an appointment with someone to review it together
• Try out one of the tips and see how it works for you: Today!

7 essential things that we must confront if we want to create in our lives the things we want and deserve

I CHOOSE TO BE UNCOMMON.......

I Do Not Choose to Be a Common Man

Today I was listening to Les Brown and has he recite the words from “I Do Not Choose to Be a Common Man” by Dean Alfange and I was amazed because I was thinking about the phrase “being uncommon” earlier in the morning. I replayed the record over-and-over about five times because the words were so profound as it strikes a chord in me. The words from the poem goes like this:

I Do Not Choose to Be a Common Man, by Dean Alfange

It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.

I seek opportunity—not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say, “This I have done.”

We all have a choice. Life’s going to come at us it doesn’t matter what we choose to do, either to be common or uncommon. Being uncommon is where we can show our authentic self and do what we love, show our creativity and stand for something, because then is when we know that we matter. 

What type of life style do you want for yourself? Sometimes the life style you want will cause you to step outside of your comfort zone and people may call you crazy. I said this to a friend about eight (8) years ago-If you are crazy enough to think that you can change the world, you might just do it. So don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t, because the sameness lifestyle should be evicted from our daily living. We can’t live our lives in someone else’s shadow. It is okay to be uncommon; it’s just because you refused to conform to someone else’s ideology.

Be You! All others are taken!

Check more on Facebook @ MOSES Njoroge or 

More on www.njorogemoses.wordpress.com