More on the WELS Welfare Queens: Glende, Jeske, Patterson

Groeschel and Andy Stanley shared a tender moment
about diversity in their rainbow congregations.
They are the gold standard for WELS leaders - believe it or not.

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2013/04/wels-welfare-queens.html

Mary Thompson (aka California) has made this point many times - when the church depends on business and government to keep it going, it has sold its birthright for a bowl of lentil soup.

Glende, Jeske, and Patterson are welfare queens because they spend so much time and effort getting outside funds instead of trying to support others. In effect, they steal from the poor in their own denomination, so they can brag, "Look at how much money we have."

The Mafia has a lot of money, too.

The Child-Care Business - Disguised as a Christian Academy

I believe Cascione got into this early - get guvmint subsidies for running a child-care business. Buy the building with it. Hire your wife and her friends as teachers. Give yourself a salary for supervising.

Patterson and many other WELS business-clergy have started day care businesses marketed as Christian academies. They are not schools at all. No one ever said Kindergarten was school. The Germans invented them - children's gardens - to get them ready for socialized education.

These alleged Christian academies are pre-K and Kindergarten. They end up requiring guvmint regulation, so the control switches to the federal and state authorities.

When the regulators decide to make churches engage in pan-sexual families, pan-sexual marriages, and every other rainbow possibility, the prostituted churches will have to go along to keep their funds.

Thrivent Will Buy Your Soul for a Farthing

Thrivent operates the same way. They offer peanuts to congregations, with the demand that this audacious offer of $47.15 in matching funds be earned with a gracious announcement in the bulletin and newsletter (provide proof). They are not giving anything, but buying entire lists of potential customers for almost nothing.

When one congregation got that offer, they laughed. They did not need the pittance and were not going to favor one business over another.

Church as Mall Kiosk

Junk for Jesus, candy, and other sales also prostitute a congregation, because they say to the community,

"We cannot or will not support ourselves with offerings, so we will use our tax advantage to undercut genuine businesses that pay taxes and required benefits."

The church kiosk mentality makes people think of selling rather than giving whenever they are short of funds. For all the talk about being "passionate about sharing Jesus," they are really greedy for living luxuriously off the gullibility of others.

The rot spreads and soon everyone is singing the same tune and bowing to secular and business authorities. What choice do we have? We need the loot.

WELS used that excuse when they shocked everyone by participating in a joint leadership program with ELCA and Missouri at Snowbird - insurance funded. WELS even did evangelism with ELCA - insurance funded.

One DP lamely defended working with ELCA by saying, "If we didn't spend the money, they would get it."

Yup. He's WELS. Dr. Becker Cannot Spell

Bow, bow, to the Doctor of Ministry Elect.

ckground

Experience

Executive Vice President

Time of Grace Ministry

March 2009 – Present (4 years 2 months)Milwaukee, WI

Time of Grace is an international Christian media ministry. It's (sic) mission is to share the good news of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible through the most effective technology available.

---

Education

Trinity International University - Deerfield, Wisconsin

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Leadership and Ministry Management

2007 – 2012 [That is the slowest drive-by DMin in history! They must have held him back for poor spelling and grammar.]
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=49977185&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=VVOd&locale=en_US&srchid=c4ddb1b0-d3a9-463a-ae6d-c27eb2b3776b-0&srchindex=1&srchtotal=253&goback=%2Efps_PBCK_bruce+becker_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*2_*1_Y_*1_*1_*1_false_1_R_*1_*51_*1_*51_true_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2&pvs=ps&trk=pp_profile_name_link

Actorum Huberianorum. Update - We Could Buy This and Get Part of It Translated and Published

Hunnius

 Reader:

I saw your post the other day.  Your link, as you know, brings up the title of the book, but no ability to access it.

Just found the following link.  I have no experience with it.  But it appears that, for $99 (Euro’s), about $135 dollars, one could order a PDF scan of the book.  

http://www.books2ebooks.eu/odm/orderformular.do?formular_id=14&sys_id=AC03122472

***

GJ -

If someone is interested in donating the $135 to buy this book, I can get parts of it translated and published.

---

The Wittenberg Faculty Writing against Huber's "Universal Justification"

“Never does Paul teach universal justification. For as far as concerns 2 Corinthians 5,the words ‘not imputing their trespasses unto them,’ they are not to be understood universally about all men regardless of faith.”

Actorum Huberianorum pars prior. Durch die Württembergischen Theologen Pars posterior, p. 122

Posted by Christian Schulz at 7:33 PM

A. Berean has left a new comment on your post "Ecclesia Augustana":

Where can someone find a copy of Actorum Huberianorum pars prior. Durch die Württembergischen Theologen Pars posterior? That quote from the Wittenberg theologians is fantastic.

***

GJ - The Ichabod research department found it here:

http://books.google.com/books/about/Actorum_Huberianorum_pars_prior_Durch_di.html?id=RrxiNQEACAAJ

Leyser was an editor of the Book of Concord.

Bibliographic information

Title	Actorum Huberianorum pars prior. Durch die Württembergischen Theologen Pars posterior
Published	1597

Nope

	Hi Gregory, Rev. David sent you an invitation to connect 3 days ago. How would you like to respond? Accept Ignore Privately Rev. David Peters Pastor @ Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church (WELS) I'd like to add you to my professional network. - Rev. David Peters

WELS Welfare Queens

Glende turned a prosperous Bethlehem Lutheran Church
into a prosperous Eastern Orthodox campus church,
moving out to the cornfields to build a debt-burdened Star of Bethlehem.
Star of Bethlehem is a pernicious weed - do not plant it in your yard.

Musing about the strange blogging career of Tim Glende, Ski's drinking buddy, I remembered how outraged he was that our little congregation solicited support from appreciative readers. The post about moving to Arkansas infuriated Glende so much that he had to start anonymouse blogging again and denounce an Ichabod he claimed no one (but himself) read.

Rick Techlin, later excommunicated by Glende and Ski wrote this and linked the following insert:

The video above is of the bulletin from James Skorzewski’s installation as pastor of the CORE on November 16, 2008.  The accompanying hymn on the video is “I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table” (TLH, 315) played by me on a classical guitar.

St. Paul’s Bulletin

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church is the large WELS congregation one block from the CORE.  Recently, their church bulletin contained an insert with some information about the CORE.  Click here to download a pdf copy of that insert.

2009 Workshop for Congregations

On March 7, the Northern Wisconsin District held its 2009 Workshop for Congregations at Fox Valley Lutheran High School.  Pastor Skorzewski presented at this workshop, and here is the description of his presentation from the workshop’s brochure:

20.  Be Relevant — Pastor “Ski” James Skorzewski

This session will explore how relevant worship can be used to reach young people ages 19-35 who, statistically, are missing from churches today.  Examples will be given from Pastor Ski’s experience with such worship at St. Marcus Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI.  Pastor Ski will also discuss how he plans to use this approach at his new church [GJ: a lie - not a new church], The CORE in Appleton.  [2009 Workshop for Congregations Northern Wisconsin District; March 7, 2009]. 

Click here to see the entire workshop brochure.  Pastor Engelbrect is the President of the Northern Wisconsin District.

***

GJ

Here is an interesting letter from Rich Techlin about Glende and St. Peter in Freedom, Wi.


No one knows how much they have spent since 2008, but these are some basic facts.

The CORE was never a mission congregation - and it is still NOT a congregation. Someone dumped a pile of money on St. Peter in Freedom so Glende could put his buddy Ski (and Ski's pal Bishop Katie) on the staff, create a fake mission, and burn money like nobody's business.

Early on, Ski, Glende, and Bishop Katie spent $250,000 on The CORE, simply plagiarizing Craig Groeschel, copying Craig's graphics, and running around to all the false teachers (Groeschel, Stanley, Driscoll, Beeson, etc) to learn how to worship.

Although St. Peter brags about having an income of $1,000,000 plus per year, Glende got a free staffer, an extra service for sheep-stealing from WELS congregations, and a WELS grant to buy a failed, stinky old  bar in downtown Appleton.

The bar cost over $500,000 and that was covered by a gift from WELS headquarters, where Schroeder has no power at all. He does not even know what is going on there, he claims.

Glende is a welfare queen. St. Peter should be self-supporting, but it needs enormous subsidies from some mysterious source, protection from godfather Engelbrecht, money for staff and a superfluous bar, plus cash from the following public begging efforts:
1. Buy Wings if you love Jesus.
2. Buy our pizza if you love Jesus.
3. Buy our chocolate bars if you love Jesus.
4. Bring in paper so we can sell it because we love Jesus.
5. Buy custom gear--The CORE--if you really love Jesus.

Mark Jeske is the model for all WELS welfare queens. His Church and Changers work together to funnel the funds into their pockets while applying for Thrivent, foundation, and ladies auxiliary gifts.

Not content with selling trinkets on the WELS.net site, which happened under Gurgle, Jeske straddled the synods to work with ELCA and the LCMS to increase his funding.

Kudu Don Patterson shows WELS how to get ahead. Every year he got himself a free vicar so he could run around the synod acting important.

Instead of offering spiritual advice as a senior pastor, he sold his services as a life-coach through another Church and Change connection. $100 a month buys you Kudu Don's most excellent tips on how to be a synod grifter.

Poor old Holy Word needs all that extra grant money, so they hired the ex-SP, Gurgle, who came out of hiding to grab another sinecure. What Gurgle did for Milcraft, he did for the Schwan funds. Let us all hope he does the same again.

Everyone could see from Gurgle's Holy Word fund-raising messages why he was elected Synod President. "He spells worse than us do!" they exclaimed, as voted to keep him in office for 14 years.

Ecclesia Augustana: Musings on Contemporary Worship

Even better - close a congregation and be invited
to teach everyone about coffee and couch evangelism
with a lady pastor. Randy Hunter knows how to do this.

Ecclesia Augustana: Musings on Contemporary Worship:

Monday, April 22, 2013

Musings on Contemporary Worship

Last year at school we had Koiné come and lead chapel for us. It was held in the gym partly because that's the only place where the lights and sound equipment would work and partly because lots of area grade schools came. It was... interesting. The "service" consisted of confession and absolution, Bible passages being read, and lots of singing by Koine. It was more or less consistent with the stereotypical form of "contemporary worship." To me, it felt more like a concert than a worship service. Apparently the grade school kids felt the same way since they clapped throughout the service.

Why am I bringing this up? It exemplifies one of my concerns with contemporary worship. In contemporary worship, the service revolves around us and our feelings. The grade school kids clapped because it didn't seem like a church service to them. I mean, we don't get up and clap after the organist finishes a rousing hymn in church, do we?  But if you were in a gym with a band playing? Well clapping only seems normal, because the atmosphere is not one of worship. Koiné uses hymns, which is better than praise songs for sure, but the atmosphere still resembles that of a concert.

The informal quality of contemporary service is coupled by the lack of depth often found in its music.  I recently found a video on YouTube that shows just how shallow the lyrics in praise songs are. These praise songs always seem to be centered around being "lost in the moment" or "feeling God" in some shape or form. There also seems to be something on fire in every song. These songs often have little or no theological depth. Many of them are simply designed to be catchy, making you feel good, saved, and spiritual; they are simple enough so they can be sung without thinking about what is being sung. There's not much to think about when you say "hallelujah" over and over and over again. The reason these churches use contemporary worship is so they can get the people on a rush. Why do we feel the need to do the same when the doctrine behind it is so wrong?

Another thing to consider is the fact that when we use contemporary worship, it signifies a solidarity with the practice of the Reformed and Sacramentarian sects.  Doctrine and practice are linked, so we should make sure we don't send mixes signals by lauding Lutheran doctrine and counteracting it with sectarian practice.  We aren't in fellowship with sectarian churches, so we shouldn't worship like them. Actions speak louder than words. If we look like a Baptist church, what's to stop people from thinking that we believe what Baptists churches believes?  Also, if we use these practices long enough, they are bound to infect our doctrine. Lex orandi, lex credendi, after all.  While the slippery slope analogy can be dubious, Scripture does warn us that a little yeast leavens the whole lump.  If we think it's okay to mimic false teachers in one area, we shouldn't fancy ourselves immune from mimicking them in other areas as well.

Contemporary worship is not something we can define as "doing the same thing, but in a different way."  Don't get me wrong; I like variety in worship. I'm just opposed to letting the way we worship or the things we see in worship become contrary to what God says.  So, in conclusion, I suggest that we should just stay away from contemporary worship altogether.

The First VP of WELS, Fuller Seminary trained,
has a coffee shop in his hive-church.

'via Blog this'

Posted by Bryan Lidtke at 4:23 PM 

The CORE for April 21, 2013 - Ski Still Welcomes People on Website: Three Fundraisers at Once Mean - "We Won't Support Ourselves, So We Sell to the Public"

---

1. Chocolate bars for sale.
2. Buy The CORE gear.
3. Paper fundraiser pays for tuition assistance.

---

quercuscontramalum (http://quercuscontramalum.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "The CORE for April 21, 2013 - Ski Still Welcomes P...":

Shall we presume there's no tinge of regret or irony that Mr. Ski held those middle school "Sexed" nights?

***

GJ - Since Ski is still inviting people to The CORE--at their websty--on their fourth anniversary, after being removed from the ministry, we should presume DP Doug Engelbrecht has another trick up his sleeve.

Some are gone but not forgotten. Others are forgotten, but not gone. Ski is neither forgotten nor gone. Mark my words.

Classic Ichabod - Wisdom of Drive 09: Orchestrated Spontaneous Dancing, "Balling" During Communion

Gay Activist Andy Stanley and Ski,
who was recently given lavish funds from WELS, 2012.

Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed: Wisdom of Drive 09: Orchestrated Spontaneous Dancing, "Balling" During Communion:


http://twitter.com/Aflynt
RT @loswhit 
: Yup. That was pretty much one of the dopest times
of communion I've had. Wow. Powerful. #drive09 // for real y'all... Dope

His blog:
4. I went to the Drive’09 Conference this week. It was aaaaamazing! I loved connecting with friends. It was solidly biblical, off-the-chain creative, and intensely practical. I loved communion on night one, the Breakskate group, and a breakout session with Dian, Andy’s assistant. It was just more confirmation that I am on the team that I need to be on at Access.



Thursday, May 07, 2009

The Spontaneous Dance at DRIVE '09

Before one of the sessions at Drive there were people in the audience that were strategically sitting and spontaneously starting dancing. This is how they taught the dance to the staff and volunteers involved. It was awesome.

http://micahanderica.blogspot.com/2009/05/spontaneous-dance-at-drive.html
Before one of the sessions at Drive there were people in the audience that were strategically sitting and spontaneously starting dancing. This is how they taught the dance to the staff and volunteers involved. It was awesome.

Snapshots of Drive 09

http://www.kriegs.org/page25/page25.php
Just experienced Drive Conference '09, Day 1. And, yes, experienced is the right verb. Wow. Excellence at every level. Typography (modern, sans serif, all caps), color scheme (aqua, black, white)(even taffy and mints in the lobby were matched), smooth admin, teaching (it's Andy Stanley. And even he was more honest and vulnerable than usual), media (informative, hilarious, and looked good), music, and really, experiential worship (I was balling (sic) during communion as they led you through the Last Supper, crucifixion, and resurrection with a full orchestra). It reminded me of why I am doing what I do.

I will include my random notes from Andy's first talk. But some takeaways for me included the fact that despite the fact that I am in charge of media at a small church..media is just a tool. I need to be strengthening my spiritual man if I am going to be able to feed and lead others. I love, love, love media stuff so much that sometimes I think I focus too much on technique (learning the next effect in photoshop or motion or whatever) and don't continue to nourish my soul so I have things to say. My wife wisely pointed out tonight that perhaps this is due to the fact that the technique is tangible. If I create a cool graphic, I can immediately see it. Ministry, building something spiritual, is much more slippery and often takes years to see fruit bud above ground. It brought to mind and inspired me to re-read Eugene Peterson's Under the Unpredictable Plant...which is what half of Andy's message was tonite....uncertainty.

Anyways, enough drivel. Here are the notes. :)

FLEXIBILITY
no one knows what to do. not even the president. he’s just a person.
i will always be uncertain. i’m certain of it. (made us repeat 3x)
uncertainty 
a leader is sometimes the only person who has an idea
i don’t have all the answers, but i’m going to pray hard and lead hard.

all the stories that happen in the Scriptures deal with uncertainty
Jesus’ death was very uncertain
God, what are you doing?!
I’m redeeming the world. Be quiet.

You don’t grow spiritually when things are going incredibly
When do you learn? During your greatest challenge and God showed up
We should THRIVE on uncertainty
This is where God does His greatest work

CLARITY
we can afford to be uncertain. we can’t be unclear.
what has God called us to do?
clarity around vision is key

andy (now the leader of a large church) struggled to get things going at first. when they were meeting in a high school gym, a couple said to andy: “this is a great thing here. when you get things going, we’ll come back.”
we don’t need you when we get things going. we need you now...he told them...and admitted bitterness still to this day if he doesn't watch it
andy felt God say to him....would you have done this if the noncomittals didn’t come? would you still WANT to do this? yes.
what do you want to do? what are we doing? what has God called to do locally?
in spite of the uncertainty, this is what God has called us to do
tell your people...this is what we are doing

inside “steve jobs mind

steve jobs: we create computers that are simple to operate

clarity will allow you to stay focused

plans change. vision remains the same.
plan is how. vision is what.
plans change ALL the time.

since the plan isn’t working out, it doesn’t mean the vision is bad
it’s very dangerous to attach God’s name to your PLAN

you can get more done in times of uncertainty
this is the time to rethink stuff b/c people are flexible b/c of the economy
leverage uncertainty for the vision
clarity. flexibility.
clarity. flexibility.
clarity. flexibility.

lead confidently but don’t fake it.

express confidently 
i don’t know right now. but we’re gonna figure it out.
i don’t know for sure. but this is the direction i believe God is pointing us

seek counsel
leadership is not about making decisions on your own. it’s about owning decisions once they are made.

you’ve got to pray like crazy
pray for clarity. pray for vision.

north point’s vision: create a church for unchurched people

when you lead in the face of uncertainty, you need grace

Lord, would you take us back to that time and place when we were just starting out and everything was uncertain? When we had no resources, no people, just a call.

WELS bought a twice-failed bar in downtown Appleton for Ski and Glende.
The latest version of the bar was The Pulse.
So now it is The CORE.

Anthem Church
Our aim in attending this conference is to introduce you to the North Point model, which will give our team a point of reference for future ministry at Anthem. We hope that by the end of the conference, you will walk away with an “Ah-ha” moment of how you can implement what you learn at Drive here at Anthem. Drive is the opportunity for “buy-in” of the vision of both North Point and Anthem. Hopefully this conference will inspire individuals to enlarge their vision of personal commitment and strategic service. This conference is going to be an incredible experience and a great learning opportunity for Anthem! 

AnthemChurch The group is heading back from #drive09. It was an incredible conference this year!
12:21 PM May 6th from Tweetie We are here at #drive09 ready for session one. http://yfrog.com/2856204850j
4:23 PM May 4th from Tweetie What a great conclusion 2 "Text" yesterday! Also a crew is about 2 take off 4 @driveconference. So excited! Updates 2 come. #driveconference
3:55 AM May 4th from Tweetie A fun surprise at #anthemchurch today! Thanks @jgmoyer. http://yfrog.com/0bld9ij
6:50 AM May 3rd from Tweetie It's going to be an awesome day at @anthemchurch. @stephencope & @jgmoyers are leading us in worship and it's the final part of "Text".
2:02 AM May 3rd from Tweetie An awesome new video about Anthem and NP partners on the facebook page. http://tinyurl.com/dc6zxm
7:05 PM Apr 30th from web Has enjoyed the "text" reading schedule this week. Psalm 53 today.
6:59 PM Apr 30th from Tweetie RT The countdown to @Driveconference has officially begun. (via @BuckheadChurch)
3:48 AM Apr 29th from Tweetie R U involved? http://tinyurl.com/c6gfcu/p...
8:45 PM Apr 27th from web An awesome set at a partner church. RT Run thru @athenschurch http://twitpic.com/41ao7 (via @mKOS)
7:52 AM Apr 26th from Tweetie The upstreet hallway this morning at #anthhemchurch. Yes that is a car! http://twitpic.com/41ew1
7:48 AM Apr 26th from Tweetie The production team at #anthemchurch rocks. Here is their view this morning. http://twitpic.com/41est
7:46 AM Apr 26th from Tweetie Watching live worship at Buckhead Church. Check it out. Global Night of Worship. http://blog.buckheadchurch....
4:54 PM Apr 23rd from web RT @blainehogan Blue Like Jazz the movie needs your help. http://tinyurl.com/BLJthemovie
8:27 AM Apr 23rd from Tweetie RT @Jlferrini: loves SUNDAY's! Worship@Anthem was AMAZING!So happy 2have shared that wTrae & Cami!My text from God is call'n. Got 2read it!
7:34 PM Apr 19th from Tweetie Check out this Anthem Update - http://eepurl.com/0lK
12:28 PM Apr 17th from MailChimp Are U a fan of Anthem Church on facebook? Check out the new & improved fan page. http://tinyurl.com/cqg5j7
5:27 AM Apr 16th from web RT: Please join us live in person or on the web for the Global Night of Worship. April 23, 7 pm. #Buckheadchurch (via @BuckheadChurch)
8:32 PM Apr 13th from Tweetie If God was on twitter, would you read his tweets? "text" a new series starting this Sunday at #anthemchurch

James Laing's Blog
Got back yesterday from the Drive Conference at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA. Had a great time or learning, worship and FUN!

Andy Stanley taught in the three main sessions. A few takeaways:
1. "Uncertainty is permanent and is why we need leaders. Leaders can afford to be uncertain but not unclear."
2. "It's very dangerous to attach God's name to your plans because they always change whereas vision does not."
3. "Leadership is not about making decisions on your own, it's about owning decisions you make."
4. "To be a great leader, you must be a great listener because you are probbably not the smartest person in your organization. You are just the leader."
5. "Leaders are attracted to environments where their ideas and opinions are heard. Leaders who refuse to listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing important to say."
6. "In a seniority structure, title and position, rather than insight or creativity, determine who sits at the decision-making table. Eventually, a seniority structure leaves the seniors in charge."
7. "Fairness ended in the garden of Eden. When you shoot for fairness you become unjust. Shoot for what is right."
8. "Vision: A mental picture of what could be, fueled by the passion of what should be."
9. "If doing Church is hard, it's because it is. But it's worth it."

I have worked in churches where the senior leaders always sat at the decision making table. Even though these leaders had a passion for young families they didn't have a clue about how to create environments for young families. What they created was an environment that repelled young families. The results of a fair, seniority seniority structure. This could have been overcome if they invited those with insight into young families to sit at the decision table.

How have you seen the seniority structure played out in your organization? 

[GJ - Recently read - Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger]

Small Group Pastors
Your Leadership Matters!
05.07.09Andy Stanley: Thoughts on LeadershipPosted in Andy Stanley, Catalyst, Drive Conference, Small Group Leaders, Small Group Ministry, leadership, pastors tagged Andy Stanley, leadership, Small Group Leaders, Small group pastors at 4:00 pm by centralcouples

Andy Stanley has been one of those leaders that has made a HUGE impact upon my life! Recently at the CatWest and Drive ‘09 Conference, Andy made some statements about leadership that I thought I would pass along. Great stuff and thought provoking…as always! 

“Is this an easy, obvious, strategic step toward community?” 
This is the question asked when North Point determines whether or not to add something new to their ministry! Great filter for simple church! 
“As leaders, we gravitate to voices we want to hear.” 
How are you being intentional in allowing other voices to speak into your leadership? 
“You have got to create a mechanism to listen to the right people.” 
What mechanism do you use to ensure that you are listening to the RIGHT people? 
“What and who you listen to will determine what you do.” 
Who are the top three people that you listen too? Why do you listen to them? 
“The more sense of input that people have, the less the push back.” 
Love this one…Ownership…Ownership…Ownership! Do your leaders feel as if they have ownership in the ministry? 
“Leaders are attracted to environments where ideas and opinions are heard.” 
How are you intentionally allowing your leaders to give input? 
“If you want great leaders, you need to create systems for listening to great leaders.” 
Ask some of your veteran leaders how they know that you value their input. 
“Leaders want more than assignments. They want input into the decision-making process.” 
Are you in a ministry that wants YOUR input or are you just doing assignments? Are your leaders empowered to do the work of the ministry? 
“Leaders want to influence their own destinies.” 
Love it! They also want to feel that they matter in things of eternity! How do you continually show them that their leadership matters? 
“Leaders who refuse to listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing important to say.” 
Oh, so true! 
“Eventually a seniority structure leaves the seniors in charge.” 
Do you feel valued in your ministry and do your leaders feel valued as a leader? 
“Your structure has to change or your structure will impede information flow.” 
I always try to ask, “Do my leaders know what is going on and do they own it?” If it is a surprise or they get caught off guard all the time, then the flow of information has a kink in it and needs to be adjusted! 
“I don’t want anyone to live with the frustration that I used to live with in the lower levels of the organization.” 
Good stuff! Put yourself in the leader’s shoes. 
“You want the best thinkers and the most strategic people at the table with you.” 
Who are your best thinkers and most strategic people? Are they at the table with you? If not, why? Are you secure in your ability to lead? 
“You need to listen deep in your organization. That doesn’t mean you have to meet with everyone in the organization.” 
Andy said he meets with 150 volunteers occasionally to get input. Listen to the people who are in the trenches and on the frontlines. They have a very different perspective than that at Headquarters. 
“Resist the urge to lead every meeting you attend.” 
Share your leadership! Sit and listen sometimes. It will let you know how you are leading and if vision is sticking.
“The people we don’t want to hear from are the people we often need to hear from most.” 
Who do you not want to hear from? Schedule a One on One with them and see what they are thinking! Huge insights! 
Again, these are some random thoughts from what Andy said at Drive ’09 and some of what he shared at Catalyst West Coast. Let me know what you are thinking and how you have structured systems to allow for great leadership! I would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks again Andy!

Mark Batterson
Our Pastor of Discipleship, Heather Zempel, just sent me a link to the videos from the Drive Conference hosted by Northpoint in Atlanta. I was totally bummed that I didn't get to go this year, but they have made the videos of the sessions available online. Here's a link.

This is totally aside, but do any other pastors out there wish Andy Stanley was their friend :) There you have it. I just came out and said it :) Man, I love the way that guy leads and preaches. 

By the way, I'm definitely going to drive next year! I'll probably fly there. But I'm definitely going drive. Get it? I'm not going to drive to drive. I'm going to fly to drive. 

Drive could do a fun take on the Abbott and Costello Who's On First schtick. Or not. 

Online Drive for Drive Addicts
I have been to DRIVE two different times at Northpoint Community Church in Alpharetta, GA. That conference has been a huge turning point each time in my own life and ministry. I have learned a ton of things about church leadership from Andy Stanley and the Northpoint folks over the years.

They have just recently announced a new conference for people who can’t make it to the DRIVE conference in GA. DRIVE-IN is a series of online web events on several days this spring starting this Wednesday, January 21st at 9 a.m. EST. Click HERE for more details.

It can be a really cool thing for our church to get all on the same page about how to create a church for people who don’t like church–in our culture! Jump in, log on, and drive-in.

Groove Is King
DRIVE Conference at North Point Community Church 

THe Drive conference hosted by North Point Community Church is an amazing conference. I play at it every year, and always walk away recharged. Andy Stanley and the other speakers always leave you with something to chew on. 

Here is the link to it: Look for me. I'll be playing drums!

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