All posts tagged Church

The Decade // 10 Things I’ve Learned from 10 Years in Ministry

by Tim Schraeder on 08/04/2011 in Church Communications, Personal with 9 Comments

This week marks my 10th year in ministry.

That’s a decade.

That makes me feel really old. It also amazes me that I made it this long!

Some days it seems just like yesterday and other days I feel like I’ve been doing this work forever. Regardless, it has been an amazing decade and I’m thankful for the opportunity God has blessed me with to serve the churches and ministries I’ve had the privilege of serving.

I started in ministry as an 18-year-old, right out of high school. I had no formal training but simply had a heart to serve the Church. I learned what I know in the trenches of everyday experience and am thankful I had a church and a pastor who believed in investing in and empowering the next generation of church leaders.

I could not have imagined what God had in store for me and am in awe of the amazing opportunities, people I’ve met, and experiences I’ve been a part of these last 10 years. It’s all by His grace.

Although I’m not on a church staff team today, I’m still heavily involved in the life of the Church and am thankful for the opportunity I have to serve churches with Church Solutions Group and the Center for Church Communication.

These last 10 years have taught me a lot… about myself, ministry, and the church. I decided to share 10 things I’ve learned (5 personal and 5 about the church) from my first decade of ministry.

1 – Surrender your ego at the door. I worked many, many years with the idea that I was God’s answer for the churches I worked at. I wasn’t. I may have been a part of the solution, but I needed to get beyond myself for God to use me to my fullest. Don’t have an ego in ministry. It doesn’t look good on any of us. Be humble. And don’t take yourself or your ideas too seriously. Humility is a posture of the heart and God honors it. It doesn’t matter how gifted or talented you are, if your heart isn’t right, there won’t be much for God to work with.

2 – Submit to the vision and to your leaders. This seems fairly basic but most of the time it’s an area where most young leaders fall short. If you join a church staff team, you are aligning yourself with the vision of that church. Your job, regardless of your title, is to submit to that vision and to do, with all that’s within you, to see that vision fulfilled. Don’t go creating your own vision or ideas of how things should be. If you aren’t in the visionary role, your job is to serve the vision. Honor your leaders and pursue the vision with everything you have. Not only is that the right thing to do, it’s the Scriptural thing to do.

3 – When you feel like it’s time to go, go…but don’t walk away with a rebellious heart or attitude. I’ve seen way too many people stay on church staff teams beyond their time, or leave too quickly. Most people stick with it too long for very good and honorable reasons, but in my experience, if you feel like God is leading you elsewhere the best thing to do is follow that leading. Your staying beyond your time won’t help anyone. Listen to God’s voice intently and follow His leading. Don’t leave with a rebellious attitude, though. The greatest growth happens in hard places. Looking back over 10 years I can say that the years I thought were the hardest in the moment were, in the end, the most fruitful. Running away and doing your own thing isn’t the solution, especially as a young leader. Grow though the hard times and follow God’s voice when He says its time to go.

4 – Remember you’re not pursuing a career, you’re fulfilling a calling. We are not professionals. The church is not a business. Don’t look at what you do as a career. The work we do is work of the Gospel. It’s ministry. Check your heart. Why are you doing what you do? Do you fill like you are fulfilling a calling or performing a function? Sure, sometimes parts of the work we do may feel mechanical but every little thing you do is contributing to something greater that’s all about impacting people’s lives. I can honestly say that in 10 years I never felt like I was “going to work” when I walked into my office. I felt like I was fulfilling something greater and had a sense that I was a part of something bigger than myself. If you want your name in bright lights, you’re in the wrong business. Ministry is hard work but it’s fueled out of a passion and calling that’s inescapable.

5 – Make space for yourself. Working for a church will rob your soul unless you carefully learn to guard it. Learn to make space for yourself and Sabbath. Take a break, rest. Turn your phone/email/other devices off. Set some boundaries. If you can’t think of the last time you took some time for yourself and were able to just “be,” then you need to take a breather. Don’t get so consumed doing work for God that you neglect the time God needs to do work in your own heart and life. Don’t fall for the trap of excellence. Yes, we need to give our all and honor God with our best, but as my friend Shawn Wood says, good enough is fine. Your own heart and soul are primary ministry spaces you need to focus on… that’s where everything else you do flows from.

6 – The Church will never be destroyed by outside forces; churches will always collapse from the inside out. I’ve seen so many churches full of potential lose significant people or momentum because they didn’t know how to deal with internal conflict. Whether its gossip, sin that isn’t addressed, or any other host of reasons, the things that will bring down a church will come from inside. Protect the unity of your team. Support one another. Be willing to have hard conversations and do the right thing. Don’t run from conflict, embrace it and honor God through how you handle it.

7 – Churches that are unwilling to change have an uncertain future. Change is an inevitable part of growth… healthy things grow and growing things change. Don’t make an idol out of what worked in the past. God’s message is unchanging but in a culture that’s adapting and changing, the method in which we communicate it must change, too. Don’t hold on to what worked before, see God and embrace something new. Irrelevance is irreverent. For real. Growth is hard and painful but worth it. What worked yesterday isn’t going to work tomorrow. Do you care more about your methods and ideas than you do about the people in your community that God has called you to reach? Check your perspective? Where’s your focus?

8 – People don’t want programs or events, they want connection and community. We can do some amazing programs and productions and fill people’s schedules with events, but when is all is said and done, all people really want is connection. To be known. To be accepted. To be loved. Don’t forget to focus on the individual. How are you creating space for people to know and be known in community? Community isn’t a noun. Community is what we were created for and is what people desire. Don’t give people another program, give them an on-ramp for connection and relationship. Churches that have healthy community will grow exponentially.

9 – Churches need to stop comparing and start celebrating. I think many churches get bogged down by what’s not working, what they want but don’t have, and don’t realize or celebrate the significance of what God is doing through their ministry. It all comes down to redefining how we measure success. Numbers matter but aren’t a definitive measure of effectiveness. God is doing something amazing in churches all around the world and every church is uniquely wired to bring something to bear in the life of their community. Don’t compare your church to another church, celebrate what God is doing in yours.

10 – The local church is the hope of the world… its future is in our hands. Paraphrasing Bill Hybels there but I believe that statement to be true now more than ever. The Church is God’s idea and His plan. It’s His hands and feet in this world. We are all, regardless of a title or a position, a part of forming and shaping what the Church will look like in the future.In a world filled with hopelessness and uncertainty, injustice and pain, we have hope and know we serve a God who is love and who desires to reconcile us into a relationship with Him and one another. There is nothing like the local church and there is no greater cause to give your life to than to building the House of God. The work we do matters. We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us and have been given an amazing opportunity in this time in history to carry that calling and to do the work that will extend God’s Kingdom into future generations. The darker our world gets the brighter God’s light will shine through each one of us… and collectively, as the Church, a city on on a hill. No matter what happens, nothing will prevail against us… God will build His church. We get the honor of joining Him in that work.

Immense thanks to Eric Robbins and the team at Columbia Heights Assembly in Longview, Washington; John King and the team at Riverside Community Church in Peoria, Illinois; and to Jackson Crum and the team at Park Community Church in Chicago. You all took a risk with a young buck like me and I cannot thank you all enough for the blessing and opportunity you gave me to serve with you.

Also, I would have been lost without the insight gleaned from some other key people and ministries: the Willow Creek Association and the Global Leadership Summit; Catalyst; ministryCOM; the Center for Church Communication and my friends, mentors, and peers Dawn Nicole Baldwin, Kem Meyer, Kirt Manuel, and Shawn Wood… and many others who have been along for the ride.

Ultimately, thanks be to God for this amazing journey. Every day I’m thankful and humbled to do the work I do and know I’m so unworthy and incapable… it’s all been by God’s grace and faithfulness.

I’m thankful for what God has done and am excited for what’s ahead… greater things are yet to come!

Sunday is Coming…

by Tim Schraeder on 04/22/2011 in Inspiration with 4 Comments

Just a couple of weeks ago I was in a drugstore looking for Carbury Mini Eggs, my favorite Easter candy, when a man shopping asked me when Easter was. I stopped for a second and realized I had no idea. This was the first time in 10 years that I wasn’t a part of the planning and production of an Easter weekend service, with the date seared in my memory.

It was an odd thing for me to consider… this was my first Easter in 10 that I wasn’t on staff at a church.

And let me tell you, I saw a lot in those 10 years.

Half of them were spent working with a, shall I say, more charismatic church where Easter meant a HUGE production which included live animals, dancers with banners and flags [yes, THOSE kinds of dancers], and some really well-intentioned but terrible dramas. There were many funny moments… like the time a light placed too close to the paper-machet tomb set the whole tomb on fire and brought Jesus and the angels running out of the tomb with billows of smoke behind them. Or there was the time when we were ascending the man playing Jesus at the conclusion of the production and the harness he was wearing slipped, went around his neck, and began choking him. He was OK, he just passed out for a minute. Then, in more recent years, we created a Ferngully-esque indoor park for children which included live birds… a few of which escaped and went flying throughout the church building.

All joking aside, though, some of the most incredible and fulfilling moments of ministry for me came from the transformational work God did in people’s lives on those Easter weekends. Seeing people come to Christ or re-engage with their faith made all of the toil, hard work, long nights, rehearsals, time spent designing and re-designing and everything else that goes into making Easter weekend completely worth it all. Knowing people’s lives were being changed, that hearts were being open to the Gospel and that eyes were seeing the beauty of cross was all that mattered.

Today would normally be the longest day of my life.

Good Friday in the church world means Easter services are just kicking off for the weekend or that you are in panic-mode, going crazy and prepping for Sunday.

Wherever you find yourself today… in last-minute meetings, putting final touches on the services set to launch later tonight, or working on the meticulous details for the weekend… just know it’s Friday, but Sunday is coming.

The sad thing is that for most church staff members the joy of Sunday isn’t the hope of the resurrection, the joy of knowing we have new life because we serve a Risen Savior… the joy is the relief that it’s all finally over.

I’m not sure that’s a good thing.

Yes, we should give our all to create moments for people to experience the hope of the Gospel, to celebrate the life we have in Christ, to see that out of darkness God has brought His glorious light… but that should never be at the expense of your own time of reflection and wonder at all Easter means and represents to us as followers of Christ.

The work you do matters. The moments you create matter. The time spent is worth it. The things you’ve created… images, words, videos, songs, dramas matter. The people who will come to your services, some for the first time, matter. But don’t forget in the process that you and your relationship with Christ matter, too.

The Lenten season and Easter remind us all of the painful price of our sins and the hope and joy we have as God freely gave us His love and forgiveness through the sacrifice, death, and resurrection of His Son. We have hope. We have life. We have victory.

In the middle of all you’re doing and all that’s ahead this weekend take a moment… even if you don’t think you can… and reflect. Remember what your life was like before Christ. Relive that moment when His grace and love captured your heart. Reflect on what Easter means for you. Recommit yourself and your life to the One who gave His life for you.

Don’t stress… remember God will work in spite of whatever may happen. Trust the details to Him. Give all you’ve got, but don’t try to do God’s work for Him. Remember that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. Let His Spirit lead and guide your actions. Commit your labor and your efforts to God and let Him do the rest.

Let the joy of Sunday be the hope we have and the stories of the work God has done in the lives of people who will attend your services.

I’m excited to attend Good Friday and Easter services as a normal church attender. Does it seem weird? Kind of. It’s definitely a different experience and part of me misses the work and craziness that is Easter. The other side of me is thankful to have a break! :)

If you find yourself stressed and in the middle of all that is Easter week, be thankful. Be thankful for the role you get to play, not just this weekend, but in every moment in the life of your church. What you do matters both for life now here on earth and for eternity.

Keep your chin up… it may be Friday but Sunday is coming.

I can’t wait to see and hear about all of the incredible things does through all of your churches this weekend! I’m expectant and prayerful with all of you for God to do great things as you labor to tell people of the immense love of God who sent His only Son to be our Savior. Love wins because Jesus is alive.

Happy Easter.

Creative Matters

by Tim Schraeder on 03/23/2011 in Books, Reviews with 8 Comments

“In the beginning God created…” - Genesis 1:1

One of the first things we learn about God, other than the fact that He’s timeless, is that He’s creative. We only need to look at the world around us and see His creativity. God’s creation reflects His greatness and creativity. His glory is seen all around us.

Creativity matters and I believe that the Church should be one of the most creative places on the planet. Why? Because we serve the God who is creative. The Church should be capturing people’s hearts, minds, and imaginations with the greatness of who God is in creative, innovative ways. Not for the sake of being trendy but for the sake of helping people see, hear, feel, and experience the message of the Gospel and to be captured by the beauty of Christ.

There’s many other people who share that same conviction who are leading churches and teams of artists and creative-types that are truly doing some remarkable things that have unique insights and ideas to share.

I was honored when the team at Clark invited me to be a part of their Creative Matters e-book project and starting today you can download a copy for FREE.

Creative Matters is a call to arms for all of us who endeavor to create beautiful, transcendent and transformational experiences in and around the Church. It’s a field guide of sorts…written by Creatives for Creatives… for those who work in the trenches of the “Create-On-Demand” challenges that every weekend brings. It’s a fresh perspective on the process, people, and purpose surrounding Creativity. It’s an invitation to live and work in a way that is both inspired and inspiring. And it’s the kind of kick-in-the-pants that we all need and will come back to again and again.

Creative Matters is a field guide of sorts for the role of creativity in the Church. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative, there’s a lot of wisdom and insight shared in this book from some truly remarkable, gifted, and talented individuals that love God and love the Church.

Included in the book are entries from:

So do yourself a favor and download this great ebook today… learn, be inspired, and CREATE! It matters!

Forget Your Mission or Vision, What’s Your Passion?

by Tim Schraeder on 06/02/2010 in Church Communications with 3 Comments

Argo Tea is one of my favorite Chicago-based companies. Not only do they brew some amazing tea [Green Tea Ginger Twist is my fav] they also do some killer design work. Their to-go cups change every year and are always funky, their stores are have a great esthetic and their marketing, print and design are top-notch.

Argo recently began bottling their teas and selling them at Whole Foods in Chicago. Again, great design… the bottles are glass and reusable [bonus!], and the tea is, of course, exceptional. But there was one thing on the bottle that stood out to me and got me thinking… it was in the fine print on the back of the bottle… their Passion Statement.

That’s pretty awesome if you ask me. Well, I mean, I’m not that excited about tea, but what I loved was that instead of calling it their “mission statement” or their “vision statement” they opted to call it what it was: their passion statement.

If you view what they do in the light of what they say their passion is, they are right on target.

Having a defined mission and clear vision are important, but having a burning passion is where it all starts.

Vision statements and mission statements tend to be pretty cookie-cutter in nature and can quickly collect dust if there isn’t a passion driving them.

Passion leads you to action… it gives you a vision for where you want to go and your mission gets you there.  Or, more simply, your passion focuses your vision and empowers your mission.

Step outside of the church space for a moment and consider some of your favorite brands.

While they might not write their passion in words on their products like Argo did, their passion is seen in everything they do. Apple is passionate about simplicity.  Starbucks is passionate about creating a Third Place. 37signals creates products to help people get things done simply. You get the idea.

Now think about you or your church/organization… what are you really passionate about?

What do you mission statements or vision statements really communicate?

At Park, our vision is to be a biblical community where the Gospel of Jesus Christ transforms lives, renews the city, and impacts the world. This is the filter that guides all of the decisions that we make. If what we’re doing isn’t leading to life transformation, seeing our city renewed or impacting the world… we don’t do it.

Our mission is to be living Gospel-centered lives, engaging in city-centric ministry. This defines who we are and how we’ll accomplish our vision.

But our passion is a desire to see 1% of the city of Chicago, that’s nearly 30,000 people, cross the line of faith and be connected into biblical community. That passion is behind everything we do as a church. It’s an audacious goal [although I think most churches dreams are way too small!] and I’m thrilled to be a part of a church that’s as passionate as Park is to see this vision become a reality. It’s what first attracted me to Park and has kept me loving my job ever since.

People, businesses and organizations with a burning passion are undeniable. Their passion exudes from them and motivates other people to get on board.

Think about causes people are passionate about lately… To Write Love on Her Arms scored a full-page ad in USA Today because their fan base flooded Twitter; charity:water raised over $2 million dollars through mycharity:water; TOMS Shoes has given away hundreds of thousands of pairs of shoes to children in third world countries… and all of that was birthed out of people pursuing something they were passionate about.

So what about you? What are you passionate about?

If you had to boil down what you’re passionate about to a few sentences or a brief statement, could you do it?

Do your vision and/or mission statements of your church reflect a burning passion that keeps you awake at night or do they put you to sleep?

Do you need to toss out what you’ve got and write something new?

I’d love to hear what you or your churches are passionate about… and stay tuned, I’ll share my passion statement tomorrow.

In the meantime, if you need a solid read about all this stuff, check out Church Unique by Will Mancini… he’s much smarter than I am when it comes to this stuff.