Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 55

Three Quick Ways to Ruin Your Church’s Online Reputation

We’re in an age where reputations are lost in a matter of moments. One errant Instagram video or Facebook post and your audience can quickly abandon you. Now, most churches don’t have to worry about this because the online audience is typically made of their church members who are naturally loyal. 

However, social media now allows for your church to grow its presence beyond your city and across the globe, making it much easier to reach people who may never enter your building on Sunday morning. While this is exciting, it also represents a challenge because now you have to curate and manage your church’s online reputation just like you would your church’s reputation in the local community. 

So what should you avoid when trying to protect your church’s online reputation? What are the areas that can turn into missteps and then later turn into disasters? Here are three quick ways to ruin your church’s online reputation if you’re not careful. 

Your Church is Inconsistent

One of the hallmarks of a great brand is consistency. Apple has a consistent brand look with white space and black typography. Home Depot’s signature orange is consistent not just in their stores, but also in their online presence as well.

Brand consistency isn’t just about colors, it’s about the tone of voice as well. The tone of the brand’s voice should sound the same no matter what social media channel you’re using. You use language that not only resonates with your audience but is familiar to who you are.

Churches who are constantly trying to sound or look like another church have trouble gaining and maintaining an audience. Sure, they may gain an initial following at first, but then over time, the audience can sense the lack of consistency. 

Take some time to figure out your church’s online voice. Are you reserved or upbeat? Do you lean more towards charismatic language or does your audience resonate with a style that’s more plain spoken? Determine what that looks like and stick to it. 

Your Church Loses Its Gospel-Focus

It’s tempting to want to jump into the fray of the latest social media fight. Yes, your church can score quick points with the audience by weighing into political issues or commenting on the latest denominational disagreement. However, weighing into these social moments rarely pays off in the way you’ve intended. 

What does occur is “mission-drift.” Mission drift is when you and your church slowly veer off course. So instead of focusing on advancing the gospel, you find yourself fighting those battles that only advance someone else’s agenda. 

Now there are moments when the issues of the day have gospel relevance and it makes sense to speak into those issues, however, those moments are rare and can require more effort than they’re worth. 

Your Church’s Social Media is Focused Solely on Promotion

I love social media ads. They are by far one of the most cost-effective ways to reach people. However, social media ads work because they’re paid advertisements. Try posting a social media ad as a regular post on your church’s social media account and you’ll see the difference. You’ll get little to zero engagement. 

However, a lot of churches run their social media accounts this way. The majority of their content is designed to get people to come to their event, join a small group or attend on Sunday morning. The content is solely focused on promotion. 

Social media accounts that are run this way, typically never create a reach beyond a few loyal followers. There’s no potential for growth because these churches’ social media accounts are communicating that the church only cares about itself. 

However, social media accounts that focus on the people in the church and community fare much better in the long run. These accounts naturally pull people in and create an online audience that grows over time. Yes, they still have social media ads to promote events, but the majority of their content is focused on people and their followers reward them by automatically sharing the church’s content. 

It’s all avoidable

Everything I mentioned above is avoidable. The question is whether or not you’ll take the time to evaluate your church’s social media and mitigate. Yes, it will require some work and it will require you to be vigilant, but if you believe your church’s online reputation is worth it, you’ll be thankful you took the time. 

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Every Church Is a Culture – What Is Yours?

Culture is profoundly important. The culture in which we live teaches us how to behave and how to think. We learn what is good and bad by living in a culture. We learn our moral intuitions, beliefs, and convictions in community. For Christians, this is true in our churches as well as in society at large.

Think about what you believed was normal and good when you were a child. Now think of what you believed was normal and good after you became a Christian. Where did you learn your instincts? From the culture at home and from the culture within the church. For example, in the culture of the church where I grew up, I learned it was wrong to go to movies.

Culture affects everyone. There is no un-enculturated person anywhere in the world. No one is unrelated or un-embedded. We’re all shaped by our interactions with others, and that shaping becomes the culture in which we relate to each other.

Like any organization, every church is a distinct culture, formed and nurtured and perpetuated by the ongoing interaction of leaders and congregants. In addition, every church culture has a life of its own. However a church is organized—with a senior pastor, lead pastor, teaching pastor, along with associates, elders, deacons, directors, and ministry leaders—the leaders guide the organization toward a particular culture. But they’re not the only ones who have a say in the matter. The congregation, too, is involved in shaping the culture of the church. So, though it is true that leaders lead and thus have a decisive and sometimes overriding voice in the formation of culture, it’s more accurate to say that leaders and congregations form the church’s culture together.

Think of it this way: Pastors and other leaders exercise a preliminary voice in forming and telling the church’s narrative, acting out the Christian life for others to see, teaching the Christian faith and how it is lived, and articulating policies. They exercise formal authority to create and maintain the church’s culture. The congregation, both individually and collectively, embraces the culture but also begins to reshape the narrative, act out the Christian life for others to see, reteach the Christian faith, and rearticulate the policies. Over time, it is the interaction of the leaders and congregation that forms the culture of a church. In that sense, everyone in the church is “complicit” in whatever is formed, good or bad.

Not only does every church culture have a life of its own, but that life is powerful, self-perpetuating, and always changing. In other words, the culture created and nurtured by the pastor, church leaders, and congregation becomes a self-reinforcing agent of both change and conformity—forming and shaping.

Have you thought about the values of the culture your church promotes?

What people experience in contact with your church—its services, its leaders, its people, its programs—defines your church’s culture. If you look at the behaviors of the most industrious workers in a church, you will see the culture of your church. Those dutiful servants embody the life of the church. Thus, a church’s culture is not incidental. Your church is its culture, and that culture is your church.

Never underestimate the transformative power of culture.

If you want to create a culture of goodness in your church, you need to understand the type of culture your church possesses right now. Trace its outlines. Notice how it motivates people to act. That is the first step to reshaping your church’s culture into what God intends it to be.

 

This article is an excerpt from A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing by Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer

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How to Put the Fun Back into Leading an Established Church

Leading an established church is not the trendiest of ministry endeavors. Most established churches aren’t trendy, but they can be a lot of fun. Obviously, the primary calling of the church is gospel work, not having fun. And leading some established churches is more tough than anything else. I’ve been forced to resign without cause by a group of people I thought were my friends, and I’ve been to the point of exhaustion. Ministry can be hard, but if you aren’t having fun, then you’re not a joyful church leader.

What’s so fun about the established church?

Places to discover. My childhood church in St. Pete, Florida had a pipe organ. Since my dad was the pastor, my brothers and I were often left to explore the church after school. We had a lot of fun crawling around the pipe organ chambers. At West Bradenton, before our renovation, there was a secret door behind a library shelf leading into a kitchen few people knew existed. Why was it there? Who cares! It was a lot of fun. I don’t know of too many church plants building secret passageways from the library into the kitchen.  

History to learn. Established churches have a history, typically with lots of colorful characters. I pastored a church that had a previous pastor who was put in jail for holding services during the 1919 flu pandemic. The scope of this post can’t cover all the other crazy things he did during his tenure. A church with history is fun to lead if you take the time to learn that history.

Stories to uncover. Not only do established churches have a history, but the individual members are full of stories if you’re willing to dig to get them. I’ve heard stories from a man who was good friends with Jim and Elisabeth Elliot. I’ve heard heroic war stories and miraculous stories of healing. I have a church member friend who was a planetarium scientist and held a NASCAR license and who once played guitar with Elvis. Let’s just say he has good stories to tell.

Quirkiness to enjoy. The more churches age, the quirkier they become. My first church—a Baptist congregation—had crucifixes inside. When I inquired about them, I was informed the only place to buy Christian items was a Catholic bookstore. Another church I pastored called the newsletter “Manna” because 100 years prior the pastor couldn’t come up with a name, so he just went with “What is it?” The name stuck.

Gospel work to continue. My favorite part of leading an established church is the generational impact of the gospel. A church with 200 years of history will have four, five, and six generations of people who were saved, baptized, married, and buried at the church. Church plants are critically important. We need more churches. But equally important are the established churches with decades—if not centuries—of gospel work. God will call some to start something new. I pray God calls just as many to continue the work at established churches.

Sure, established churches can come with baggage. But there’s also a lot of fun things in that baggage. It’s all about perspective.

 

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How the Stand and Greet Time Disappeared in Churches (And How to Replace It)

You don’t hear much about it today, but it was a topic of amusing debate a few years ago.

Its most common name was “stand and greet,” but it was also known as “meet and greet,” “passing the peace,” “greeting time,” and others. It was a time during the worship service where church members greeted one another and welcomed guests. Sometimes everyone would stand and greet one another. On other occasions, often to the horror of guests, those who were visiting were asked to remain seated while everyone stood (or even worse, to stand while everyone else remained seated). The members would seek out the targeted guests to greet them, speak to them or, in worst cases, hug them.

So, how has this issue moved from hotly debated to largely ignored? Here are a few salient facts.

The practice was waning well before COVID. In our last survey before COVID, only 18% of churches were continuing a stand and greet time in the services. It was steadily declining.Our studies showed very few guests were comfortable with the stand and greet time. Though a majority (58%) of church members did not like the stand and greet time, it was particularly uncomfortable for most guests (89%). In other words, it was highly ineffective in welcoming one another, and a clear turn-off for guests. Again, these numbers are pre-COVID.Today, the stand and greet is almost non-existent in churches. It was dying before COVID. Though we have not done a current survey, I would be surprised if more than three or four percent of churches resumed this practice after COVID entered the world. The virus was likely the final straw to cause the greeting time to cease.We need to recognize that guests see friendliness through a different lens. They were clearly not comfortable with the stand and greet time. But they do appreciate the natural friendliness of church members speaking to them or helping them when they attend for the first or second time.We must exhort and equip our members to be intentionally friendly to guests. That step begins with leadership, but it must be a consistent theme. Many church members used the lame practice of a three-minute stand and greet time to be friendly to guests instead of being genuinely friendly.A well-equipped welcome ministry is incredibly important. While the welcome ministry should not replace overall friendliness in the church, it is vital to have members whose responsibility is to make sure all guests are greeted as they enter, and that they are comfortable finding their way around the church. Of course, those in this ministry should be alert to sensitivities guests might have about shaking hands, getting too close, and other COVID realities.The best way to get to know guests and make them feel comfortable is to encourage them to join a group. Groups are the lifeblood of churches. It is where true community thrives. Our church members should learn the habit of personally inviting a guest at the worship services to their group.

The pandemic accelerated the demise of the stand and greet time in worship services. It is not a bad thing. Now our members must learn to greet and welcome visitors to our church in a more natural and genuine way.

When that happens, your church will definitely be a more friendly and welcoming congregation.

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Nine Questions to Ask Before Visiting Someone in the Hospital

For the last two years, hospital visitation has been a challenge. That’s beginning to change, and it’s time to rethink the strategy for hospital visits.

When I started pastoring, I didn’t think much about the strategy of a hospital visit. I just went. In most cases, a simple ministry of presence is the key. However, there are some strategic questions to ask before visiting someone in the hospital. Perhaps these questions will help you be more effective when ministering to people in the hospital.

1. What is the hospital and room number? I learned the hard way in my first couple of years of ministry. Someone would be in the hospital. A family member or friend would tell me, “I think they are in Riverview.” After a thirty-minute drive to Riverview, I would discover the person was across town in the other hospital. I now confirm the hospital and room number.

2. Can I bring someone with me? When possible, use a hospital visit to equip another person. Some people are spiritually gifted to care for others. Most people need training. Bringing someone with you is also good for accountability.

3. How connected is the family to my church? I’m glad to visit random people from the community who are in the hospital, but I must give the priority of time to my church members.

4. Was my presence requested? If a family wants me to visit, then I have a higher level of urgency to go see them. I can’t visit everyone, but I try to be there when people desire my presence.

5. How serious is the patient’s condition? The more serious the condition, the quicker I try to get to the hospital. Also, there is no way I could be present for every outpatient procedure. However, I try to call people once they are home to check on them.

6. How long do I plan to spend? I plan for about 15-30 minutes with each person. At times, I will stay longer. You should have a flexible plan, since more time than you realize may be required. However, the goal is not to prove your love with a long visit. The goal is to make sure people receive the needed amount of care and prayer.

7. Is anyone in the family not a believer? I’m always on the lookout for gospel opportunities. When I know a family member is not a believer, and they are at the hospital with a loved one, then the priority is to share the gospel with them as tactfully and lovingly as possible.

8. Is my phone on silent? I created a habit of stopping as soon as I enter the hospital. I check my phone for any urgent messages. Then I put the device on silent. When I’m ministering to hurting people in a crisis, I don’t want my phone buzzing and ringing.

9. Is the family willing to pray with me? I always ask to lead a prayer with the family. The reasons are both theological and practical. Theologically, I believe God still does miracles and can heal. Practically, I want to help people with the spiritual discipline of prayer, even in acute moments of pain.

I doubt many church leaders think strategically about hospital visits. It’s probably for the best. Our default posture with hurting people should be care, not strategy. However, these nine strategic questions should help with making hospital visits more effective.

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Seven Ways Your Church Must Deal with Rapid Change

Though it is cliché, change is the constant in our culture. Even before COVID, the world was changing steadily and constantly. When the pandemic came, change was accelerated, and the challenges were exacerbated.

In earlier years I was an advocate of “eating the elephant” change, that is making incremental, “one bite a time” changes. I no longer hold to that position. Church leaders and church members must deal with the reality of rapid change today. Incremental change is not sufficient.

Of course, I always add the caveat that we do not attempt to change the unchangeable truths of God’s Word. And we don’t forsake radical obedience to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. But we must be willing to change the way we “do church.”

I have read Michael Green’s classic, Evangelism in the Early Church, at least a dozen times. Green looks at the early church and its evangelistic priority through the first half of the third century. In my most recent reading, I was impressed at how adaptable the churches were during the tumultuous times in the Roman Empire. Without compromising biblical fidelity, the churches made change after change to reach the world with the gospel.

We are in another global period of rapid change. Few leaders or members in our churches have lived through such times. How do we respond to these changes? Here are seven suggestions:

1. Acknowledge the changes. It’s not 1989 or 1999. It’s not even 2019. The world has changed dramatically. Don’t avoid reality. Ask God to help you deal with the changes in the world so your congregation can be a more effective gospel bearer.

2. Keep informed. While you can’t read everything or listen to everything, stay informed. My news sources are varied. Some do not reflect my worldview. But I don’t ignore them. I particularly appreciate those sources that give me information in summary form. I can always dig deeper if I choose. We are committed to keeping you informed at Church Answers about issues that affect local congregations.

3. Work with change leaders in your church. While you must be pastoral to all of your church members, spend focused time with leaders who will walk alongside you in these tumultuous times of change. You no longer have the luxury of pacifying resistant church members who are slowing down the entire congregation.

4. Stop fearing failure. Sure, you will make some mistakes, but you can’t let the fear of failure slow you and your church down. Pray through changes. Don’t do stupid things in the name of change. But quickly make the moves you need to make. Remember the words God spoke to Joshua: “This is my command – be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

5. Re-envision your church budget. It is likely your budget is a good fit for 2019 or 1989. But the pace of change today demands we re-think how we use the resources God has given us. Everything needs to be on the table. Every church should prepare a zero-based budget without preconceived notions (at least as much as possible) about how God’s funds should be used.

6. Accept membership losses. Sadly, some members will only support their congregations if the church does ministry the way they’ve always done it, or at least the way the members demand it. You can’t let self-serving members hold the church back.

7. Keep the church outwardly focused. One of the biggest takeaways from my multiple readings of Evangelism in the Early Church was the way the churches stayed laser-focused on the Great Commission. If we are obediently looking outwardly, God will sustain us and lead us in tumultuous times and new territories.

Churches around the world are facing both big challenges and big opportunities. Those that can see the opportunities and act upon them are likely the churches that will see the greatest Great Commission fruit.

Our response must be profound but simple: Trust God and make rapid changes in his power.

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A Brighter Tomorrow Awaits Your Church

If God can save any person, He can save any church.

No church should die. Ever. Perhaps a church is far gone, deep into a toxic state of disunity. Perhaps a church has decades of decline. Perhaps a church has veered far from doctrinal convictions. Would the death of these churches advance the kingdom? Would their death glorify God?

No.

If God can save any person, then He can save any church. If we believe in redemption for people (anyone!), then we must also believe the same for churches.

This conviction drives the theme of my newest book, The Church Revitalization Checklist.

A brighter tomorrow awaits your church. This book is a tool to help you start fresh. It’s a step-by-step path to a hope-filled future for both you and your church. The seven-point checklist is a practical tool to help you in all the key areas of church revitalization.

God has placed you exactly where He wants you. But let’s be honest, if you’re leading a church, it isn’t easy. Maybe your church has been in the doldrums for years. Maybe you’re hearing a lot of complaints, and you’re simply tired or disheartened. Maybe you’ve been hurt. But you are not alone. Many church leaders have sore backs from carrying a heavy load. This book will lighten that load.

Your church has the opportunity of a lifetime. The world has shifted, and a new, brighter tomorrow awaits. The Church Revitalization Checklist is a tool to help you start fresh, leverage your strengths, and discover hidden opportunities for church growth.

 

Available now at Tyndale or Amazon.

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10 Ways the Enemy Attacks Church Leaders

For more than 25 years, I have studied the biblical reality of spiritual warfare. In no particular order, here are ten common strategies I’ve seen when the enemy attacks church leaders:

1. Encouraging leaders to live in self-reliance. Because most leaders can lead, they are always susceptible to leading in their own ingenuity and strength. Creativity and strategizing trump prayerful dependence on God . . . and the enemy relaxes in glee.

2. Distracting leaders from their devotional life. What leaders do when no one is looking – when they are alone with God in Bible study and prayer – matters much. A lack of quiet time with God affects a ministry, even if leaders don’t recognize it.

3. Destroying the leader’s family. Leaders tend to be task-driven more than people-driven. Those who lead their organizations while neglecting their families are not inviting spiritual warfare; they are already losing the battle.

4. Enticing leaders into email relationships. The Internet is a marvelous but dangerous tool for leaders. It’s easier to talk about intimate issues across cyberspace, and flirting seems less risky. The affairs that often develop, though, are no less damaging.

5. Drawing leaders into ongoing sin. This strategy is at times related to the fourth one above – though not always. Leaders are by nature hard workers, and they at times wear themselves down physically and emotionally. The enemy wins when leaders have little strength left to fight temptation.

6. Focusing leaders on their kingdom.  After all, leaders deserve attention and recognition, they think—and recognition in the church world is often based on the “size” of a ministry. The distracted focus then weakens leaders in their daily ministry.

7. Isolating leaders in loneliness.  It happens all the time. The leader who looks so relational, so “together,” so popular is actually secluded and isolated. Leaders who fight battles on their own are destined for defeat in spiritual warfare.

8. Diverting a leader’s attention away from evangelism. Leaders have the opportunity to influence others with gospel truth. The enemy is not alarmed when leaders focus more on their own goals than on the spiritual needs of others.

9. Encouraging leaders to live by comparison. It is the enemy who directs a leader’s eyes to somebody else’s popularity, opportunities, and recognition. The enemy delights when somebody else’s fame becomes another leader’s idol.

10. Convincing a leader that failure won’t happen to him. Here’s what I’ve learned through the years: no leader expects to fail, and few recognize their own dangerous steps in the wrong direction. They come to their senses only after failure has cost them much.

Leaders, how have you seen the enemy attack? Tell us how we can help leaders win.

 

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Rainer’s Resource Review #1: Rooted Might Be the Best Discipleship Pathway I’ve Seen

As I promised last year, I will review different resources in 2022 on occasion in my weekly article. For the new year, my review is of one of the best church resources I’ve ever seen. Let me explain why I’m having trouble curbing my enthusiasm.

 The Origins of Rooted

This resource has its origins in Kenya. Churches that used Rooted were seeing transformation among their members. Eventually, the 10-week resource made its way to Mariners Church in Irvine, California. After making the resource the discipleship pathway for its congregation, Mariners began receiving inquiries from other churches about this small group experience.

Today, primarily through word of mouth, Rooted is in thousands of churches and more than 30 countries around the world. It is not an overstatement to say Rooted is a movement today.

Rooted Is a Discipleship Pathway for Churches

One of the most frequent questions we get at Church Answers is: What is a good discipleship resource for my church? After I ordered the Rooted material, I soon saw that I had my answer. In fact, this resource provides a discipleship pathway that moves the participant from the study of biblical truths to becoming a transformational believer impacting the church and the community.

In essence, this resource is a study resource, a discipleship resource, a volunteer resource, a generosity resource, a ministry resource, and an evangelism resource. Impressively, nine of ten church members who participate in Rooted continue in ongoing small groups after the 10-week discipleship experience concludes.

Currently, Rooted is offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and German. It is truly a worldwide phenomenon. It has spawned The Rooted Network for church leaders to get support, training, and collaboration.

What the Research Says about Rooted

Since Rooted began several years ago, we have several data points that demonstrate its efficacy and the ways God is using it. 

70% of participants serve more frequently as volunteers.82% of participants increase their giving to their local church.90% of participants continue in an ongoing small group.10% of participants are baptized.

Most churches using Rooted develop a rhythm where it is offered more than one time a year. In essence, it becomes the on-ramp in the church and the pathway for discipleship as people come into the church. Church leaders seek to get as many existing members into the 10-week experience as well.

An Excellent Review

It is good to start the year with such an outstanding resource to review. I love the fact that the discipleship pathway is so clear. I love how this experience can touch the mind, the heart, and the actions of church members. And I love that Rooted can eliminate complexity in churches that have a myriad of programs and ministries.

If you are using Rooted in your church, let me hear from you. If you are not familiar with Rooted, you can check it out at www.experiencerooted.com.

You will be glad you did.

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5 Shifts To Make In Your Hospitality Team This Year

It’s the beginning of a brand new trip around the sun, and all of us are experiencing some form of renewal, restarting, or rebranding. No matter your personal take on resolutions, there’s something about a fresh page on the calendar to make us think about what could be.

If you serve or lead in any capacity in your church’s guest services or hospitality ministry, I’d like to offer you five shifts to consider this year. You may already be doing one or all of these, but they’re a good litmus test for the maturity of your ministry.

Shift 1: from “all about the weekend” to “all about Jesus.”

I don’t fault people who use the term “It’s all about the weekend.” I’ve used it myself, many times. I get what they’re getting at. But it’s easy to slide into the mindset that what we do in a Saturday and Sunday service is more about our quality, our organization, and our giftings than it is about the One we should be all about. We can never assume that Jesus is the centerpiece, the foundation, the beginning and end of everything that we do. When we start to assume Him is when we start to overlook Him. Let’s hold Jesus high to our volunteers, to our guests, and to our own souls as we desperately cry out to him to do what only He can do.

Shift 2: from “visitor” to “guest.”

If you’re still using the dreaded “v-word,” stop it. Stop it right now. Knock that junk off. I once had a friend show up at my house at 8:40 pm. I didn’t know he was coming. There was no crisis that precipitated the visit. He just … showed up. And he stayed. Until 12:19 am. That night my friend was a visitor. I didn’t expect him and I didn’t know if he was ever leaving. But the people that come to your place on the weekend? You should know they’re coming. You should have a plan. They should feel like you wanted them to come and can’t wait for them to come back.

Shift 3: from “guest” to “family.”

Someone recently took me to task on my use of the term “guest services.” I’ll dig in a bit deeper in a future post, but let me speak out of both sides of my mouth for a minute. Side one: we seek to create weekend experiences where everyone is treated like a guest. From the brand-new family that just moved in all the way up to the lead pastor, we want to greet and treat everyone like an honored part of the weekend. But there’s an obvious side two, and that is the reality is people don’t need to stay in a guest mentality. We need systems to move people into action. We need plans to get them off the sidelines and into the game. We need to move them from connected to committed.

Shift 4: from “come and see” to “go and tell.”

I am not at all against “come and see” (i.e., attractional models of ministry). I wrote about that fairly extensively in chapter four of People Are the Mission. The problem comes when we focus only on “come and see” to the neglect of “go and tell.” This is a shift we’re praying about, thinking about, and strategizing about this year on our teams: how can we take our current roster of volunteers and help them beef up their personal evangelism? How can we make sure that the gospel isn’t just being preached on the stage, but shared in the parking lot? How can we help our teams have an evangelistic mindset long after they take off their lanyard and head back to their real lives?

Shift 5: from “leader of volunteers” to “leader of leaders.”

Before you dismiss this because leader isn’t in your title, hang with me. I don’t care whether you are on the payroll at your church or if you do what you do for free. If you have relationships, you have influence. You are – in some way – a leader. And you can exercise that leadership influence to be a taskmaster, calling other people to embrace a job description and a checklist. Or you can use your influence as a leader to raise up other leaders: to cast vision, to call out gifts, and to create a perpetual cycle of growth where your gifts are multiplied into those who come after you.

Which of these five shifts do you need to make this year?

 

This post originally appeared on dfranks.com . 

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