Leading and Loving It

Recently, our sweet friend and Church Planter’s wife, Crystal Johnson, threw a Mission Impossible event for the women of her church. Thanks Crystal for sharing how you used one of the Local Event PDFs to help connect your ladies!

From Crystal:

This Mission Impossible Event was meant to bridge the ladies to Sundays and small groups – and was very effective. We had brand new peeps who’ve never been to a service come to the party then come on Sunday. One gal works every Sunday, but joined our 40 Days in the Word small group as a result! It also deepened connections of those who come regularly. Loved it!

We had 4 teams (007, Charlie’s Angels, Austin Powers, & Alias) run this Amazing Race style event. The ladies had a blast with the activities laid out in the PDF.

Next up, we will do The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Mother’s Day weekend. That event will be cross-generational (including our youngest girls), so if you have any ideas for that, I’m all ears. It will be a little different dynamic, but I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate all ladies and encourage them to bring moms, sisters, aunts, friends, daughters, etc.

When I was growing up I collected lots of things. I collected stickers, Strawberry Shortcake dolls, anything with a rabbit, charms, Precious Moments…the list goes on and on. Now I have kids and again there are collections! We have had pirate collections, Webkin collections, knife collections (probably shouldn’t admit that one!), Kooky pen collections, Silly Bandz collections, again, the list goes on! As I have gotten older, I no longer add to my sticker books but I have started an adult collection…Starbucks City Mugs. I love my new collection! As David and I have had the opportunities to travel at times, I wanted to find a keepsake that would mean something and not break the bank. Every time I visit somewhere I swing by Starbucks (order a venti, non-fat, 2.5 pump mocha, no whip) and buy a mug of the city. This is great for me because with my addiction…I mean love…of coffee, I pick a mug in the morning and as I enjoy my caffeine I take a moment and pray for my friends in the city represented on that mug.

What are your favorite collections? Where do you live?…If I have your mug I will pray for you!

(Today I’m sharing a series of posts my husband did on his blog last month.)

It would be nice if leading a church, business, family, city or company was all predictable, a slow pace and packed with easy decisions, but it’s not. I’ve learned that for me to be a good leader I have to learn to lead through chaos. Chaos is a part of leadership and you have to learn how to successfully navigate through chaos. Here are some things I’ve learned and am learning:

1. Chaos is a part of a growing organization, so embrace it don’t fight it. When you are growing and moving forward with the vision it can create chaotic moments. It’s a part of the natural flow and rhythms of organizational life. You outgrow systems, people and structures, and it can create chaos. Embrace it and don’t run from it.

2. Don’t panic during seasons of chaos. Identify the root of the chaos and don’t get sidetracked with the fruit of the chaos. It’s easy to overreact because of all of the stressful fruit that chaotic seasons can bring to your organization, but don’t let the fruit stress you, let it reveal to you what the root of the problem is. You can spend your time and energy trying to fix the fruit or you can let the fruit reveal to you the root of the problem so that you can correct it and lead your organization out of the chaotic season and into a new season of growth and health.

Leading Through Chaos Part 2

Leading Through Chaos Part 3

It’s comforting to know that most of us have experienced chaotic moments in ministry. Maybe one day we’ll embrace chaos like we do chocolate cake! Or, maybe chocolate cake just helps us to cope with the chaos! How do you tend to respond in chaos? How does chaos make you feel?

Posted by Brandi Wilson

Last week Lori and I had the opportunity to hang with the fabulous Tricia Lovejoy at Velocity. It was a blast. We met so many new friends and hugged many familiar necks.

But I walked away knowing there was one thing I wanted to share with you all. Trisha Davis, who is part of our Equipping Marriages team, and her husband, Justin, shared their story on main stage. I was so proud of them when it was over that I just wanted to stand in my seat and hoop and hollar.

Why, do you ask, did I feel the need to hoop and hollar? Justin is one of our campus pastor’s at Cross Point. But my pride didn’t come from the fact that he’s part of our staff. I was filled with joy because we’re friends. We met the Davis’s for the first time 11 years ago and instantly connected with them. We only lived together in the same city, serving on the same staff for a year before they moved to Indiana to plant a church. But even several states away we kept in contact and would get visits in here and there. Then life suddenly changed for them. I vividly remember both of them sitting on the couch in our family room about 7 years ago and hearing Justin say “I will never work in ministry again.”

God so richly blessed my husband and I by giving us a front row seat to restoration and redemption in Justin and Trish’s lives and their marriage. So watching them on the same stage where my husband had just spoken, 7 years later, at a conference I was attending (which rarely happens)… well, I am overwhelmed with emotion just thinking about it. It was a full circle moment that still gives me goosebumps.

Lucky for you ChurchPlanters is amazing and you can watch all their main stage sessions for free! So, here ya go… take 25 minutes of the day and watch this.

And Justin you’d better watch out, cause Trish can PREACH!!!

Velocity Main Session 4B: Justin and Trisha Davis from churchplanters.com on Vimeo.

Posted by Brandi Wilson

Well… this is the LAST week of our friendships series. I have truly loved reading each of your comments and so appreciated that you’ve shared your hurts and struggles in friendship.

Someone asked me recently, “What is the hardest part of friendship.”

Here’s my quick answer… we talk a lot about “levels” of friendships… also referred to as friendship circles (inner circle, outer circle, etc). There is so much wisdom in this thinking.

But, where things can get messy is when someone considers you a level 8 friend (with 10 being depth) and you only consider them a level 3 friend. It often happens because you’re their pastor’s wife. They confide in you and because of their vulnerability they consider you closer than you might actually be. It’s a tough one to wade through at times. It can really put you in a difficult situation. But even wading through the muck, friendship is still worth getting your feet dirty, sometimes you just need to wear a good pair of boots rather than flip-flops (any concept can be made clear with a good shoe analogy).

I hope I will always believe friendships are worth the risk. Relationships cause pain… they also cause laughter, growth and community.

Why do I have friends? Because I couldn’t imagine life with out these people trusting, loving, molding, pouring into, and praying for me.

I don’t show you those photos to “brag” about friends, but to put a face to why I risk, reach out, and choose friendship. And I’m sure you recognized from the photos… I don’t just choose friendship for me, but for my family as well.

Simply, I am blessed and couldn’t imagine doing life any other way. I couldn’t imagine life without friends who pour into me and help shape me as I’m growing in Christ.

What is your biggest blessing from choosing to have friends?

Why I Have Friends… Part 1

Why I Have Friends… Part 2

Why I Have Friends… Part 3

Why I Have Friends… Part 4