Lonnie Lehrman, from Granbury Baptist Church (Granbury, TX), spoke at the 2015 BBFI meeting in Springfield, Missouri. He & his associate, another Lonnie, did a great job demonstrating the diversity and strengths possible in leadership. They both spoke and gave us all great ideas and encouragement in our ministry. These are some of the ideas they communicated.
Plan your communication – Communicate your plan!
Our Communication is the Great Commission. What & how are we communicating? Vision comes before strategy. Yet, most of the time our vision comes from our strategy. Figure out your vision… then communicate that vision.
Recommended Reading: ‘What’s Best Next?’
There are three types of planners:
1. Non-planner – no goals, drift.
2. Prideful planner – my goals, drives (James 4:13-16)
3. Godly planner – God’s goals, designs (Prov. 16:3)
Five Phases of Planning
1. Defining – purpose – Why?
2. Visioning – outcome – What?
3. Brainstorming – goals – How?
4. Organizing – Manageable – Where?
5. Identifying – Actions – When?
Why is it hard to set and complete a goal? (1) we don’t put the goal in our schedule (system). (2) No accountable (people)
Seven principles for goals that make a difference
1. First ask ‘what will make the best contribution?’ (Phil. 2:4-5)
2. Then ask, ‘where can I serve according to my strengths?’
3. Clarify the ideal state, then make compromises.
4. Have God-sized goals and lead.
5. Keep goals in alignment with purpose, vision and values.
6. Review your priorities after you reach a goal (Celebrate & talk with the team)
7. Prioritize goals that are compassion filled.
7 key areas to set goals: Family, Faith, Friends, Financial, Personal, Professional, Physical. No more than 7 big goals per year.
4 Types of leaders needed to be on a team: Directional, Motivational, Strategic, Operational.
Proverbs 24:9: It is evil to plan to do evil… so it pleases God to plan to do good. Even if it doesn’t work out, a good plan pleases God.
Once we set goals, we need to communicate:
1. Keep it simple. Don’t speak so that you can be understood. Speak so that you can’t be misunderstood.
2. Keep it fresh. Continue to say what you want to say, but do it in different ways. use audio/visual.
Lonnie Lehrman
3. Keep it credible. We better be leading what we’re talking about. If not, they’ll think we’re lying.
4. Communicate with passion. Speech from the head affects the head but speech from the heart affects the heart. Don’t be negative. Be willing to be vulnerable. Don’t just talk about it – Do it!
5. Communicate with stories. Use God stories, faith stories.
As in football, we need to play till the whistle blows. Don’t stay in the huddle. Don’t play it safe. Take the Gospel to the world.
You can read my other articles about this meeting at: Revitalization.