Tony Morgan Joins FaithSearch Team

Tony Morgan FSP Ministry Partner

As many of you know, I spend the bulk of my time helping churches, mainly large ones, find key staff. The model we use at FaithSearch Partners is a highly relational one, and relies heavily on personal interaction and discernment from our consultants with their clients.

God has been very good to our firm, as we have seen tremendous growth. To respond to that growth, and to expand our capacity for the future, we are slowly adding to our team in the ministry practice. We have been praying and planning for God to bring us a handful of outstanding people to partner with as we move into a newer, larger phase of our work. Prayers have been answered.

I’m thrilled to announce that our first new ministry partner is Tony Morgan. In addition to his consulting, coaching, and writing, Tony will be helping FaithSearch with our executive recruiting work.

Tony brings the FaithSearch Ministry Practice a wealth of experience, knowledge, and networks in the largest, fastest growing churches in the United States. His expertise is particularly focused on Executive Pastor roles and searches regarding strategists for churches seeking to reach a new level of growth and effectiveness.

Many, if not all of you, know Tony. His expertise in strategic thinking and executive pastor work is some of the finest in the country. His website has reached over 1 million unique visitors. His coaching networks are thriving and his demand as a speaker and consultant grows daily.

For more than 10 years, Tony served on the senior leadership teams at NewSpring Church (Anderson, SC) and Granger Community Church (Granger, IN). With Tim Stevens, Tony has co-authored Simply Strategic Stuff, Simply Strategic Volunteers and Simply Strategic Growth–each of which offers valuable, practical solutions for different aspects of church ministry. His newest book, Killing Cockroaches (B&H Publishing), was released in 2009.

Tony has also written several articles on staffing, technology, strategic planning and leadership published by Outreach Magazine, Rev Magazine, the Christian Management Association, Pastors.com, and PurposeDriven.com. Tony and his wife, Emily, reside in Anderson, South Carolina with their four children–Kayla, Jacob, Abby and Brooke.

Tony’s reputation, wisdom, and network are beyond compare in the world of Executive Pastors. He is going to take FaithSearch to a whole new level, and we look forward to seeing how God uses this new partnership to help churches find the right leaders.

If we at FaithSearch can help your church or faith based company, or if you have any questions about what we do, please feel free to contact me directly. I’d love connect with you.

William

Where Can You Find Hope?

If you would like to hear the message I preached on this subject at Cypress Christian Church on this subject, click here. Come see us sometime, I would love to shake your hand and say hello.

 

Where can you find hope?

I have hope for the future. God has hope for your future. He has promised it.  And so I believe you should enter today choosing to hope.

 

But what does that mean?  Where do we find hope?

 

Sometimes, people think that hope can be secured by living well enough. The thinking goes like this, “If I invest well, my future will be secure.” Or, “If I follow the rules, if I keep my nose clean, if I do what is right, then I have a reason to hope.”

 

But if you have read the news at all, you know we cannot invest well enough to secure a hope. If you have lived long enough, you have probably realized that none of us are able to keep all the commandments, or live well enough to secure our hope.

 

This week, I studied and found that the word hope does not occur in the Bible until the book of Ruth. That may not sound important, but a little reflection brought me to  an important realization. The word hope cannot be found in the first five books of the Bible, the books that our faith has called “The Law.” My realization,

 

You will not find hope in the Law.

 

You will not find hope in your behavior. Nor will you find it in what you know.  You will find it in a different kind of relationship with God, one that is based on a heart to heart connection.

 

Maybe you have been trying too hard to build your own future, or secure your own hope. Let today be a day that is committed to a new kind of hope, one that is based on a heartfelt connection to God. When you do, behavior will flow out it. And hope will flow through your life.

 

Hopeful,

 

William

Things You’ll Never Hear Your Father Say

Last week, I ran across one of the more popular Fathers’ Day Cards of the Year, 

“Top Ten Things You’ll Never Hear a Dad Say”

A couple of the better ones:

You’ll never hear your Dad say, “Well, how ’bout that?… I’m lost! Looks like we’ll have to stop and ask for directions.”

You’ll never hear your Dad say, “You know honey, now that you’re thirteen, I think you should start unchaperoned car dates. Won’t that be fun?”

And my personal favorite,

You’ll never hear your Dad say, “I know we have a long drive in front of us, and that we’ve only been driving for 30 minutes, but I’m just wondering….does anyone want to stop and go to the restroom?”

That card got me thinking, “What would you never hear your Heavenly Father say?”

You will never hear your Heavenly Father say, “You aren’t good enough.” Unlike some of the stories I’ve heard about fathers and children on earth, God is not waiting on you to prove yourself to Him. He says that He accepts you just as you are. And while He loves you too much to leave you where you are, you don’t have to do anything to earn His love, his favor, or a seat at His table. “See what great love the Father has for us, that we should be called the children of God. And that is what we are.”

You will never hear your Heavenly Father say, “I don’t have time for you.” So many pictures of dads on earth are pictures of busy men who are telling waiting children “I’ll be there in a minute.” Maybe you have felt that God is so busy running the universe that he doesn’t have time for your concerns. The Bible tells us that He has counted every hair on your head, that he wants to give you the desires of your heart, and that in the end, He wants to “pitch His tent with us.” God has time for you. And He wants you to spend the rest of forever with Him.

Finally, you will never hear your Heavenly Father say, “I’m done with you.” In this world, we can find ourselves in so much trouble that people walk away. We’ve all had relationships end, sometimes with a bang, and sometimes with a fizzle. But God says that He will never leave us or forsake us. He says that He will be there for us no matter what we’ve done or how long we’ve been doing it. He says that He will stay by our side for good.

Even though I had a great dad, even though I do remember him getting lost once and needing directions. His best quality was that he kept all his promises. It’s what I try to do as a dad. But good as my dad was, and no matter how much I try, no human can be perfect.

That’s why I’m so thankful for a Heavenly Father whose promises are a sure as the rising and setting of the sun, and will be with me no matter where I go or what I do.

The same is true for you. He loves you just as you are. He has time for you. And He will never leave you.

Happy Fathers’ Day.

How The Mighty Fall – And How To Avoid It

In his new book, “How the Mighty Fall,” Jim Collins talks about why great companies often fail. In my consulting work with large churches, and my work as a Pastor, I have found that Collins’ research on companies has incredible parallels between not only churches, but also individuals who fall.

 

Collins has identified 5 stages on the path to failure. They are listed below with my brief synopsis, commentary, and questions you (or your church) might use to prevent a fall. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this soon to be hot topic.

 

STAGE 1: HUBRIS BORN OF SUCCESS

God elevates a person, church, or company because of their humility and ability. But soon, success becomes a set of blinders that keeps people from thinking seriously about their possible failure.  Think of how none of the churches of Revelation exist now. How Rome fell. The list could go on and on.

 

Ask yourself: When is the last time you prayed for humility? How do you (or your church) do your gut checks against the blinders of success?

 

STAGE 2: UNDISCIPLINED PURSUIT OF MORE

God elevates a people or person for their excellence in an area. The person/church begins to take on new disciplines that they are either ill-equipped to do, or have no business doing. Think of how Solomon “diversified his portfolio” by taking 700 wives. Think of how the fall of nearly every general in history is taking on a multi-front war.

 

Ask yourself: What are the one or two things I (or my church) should use my skills for? Am I focusing on those things, or wandering into something new just so I can “grow bigger?”

 

STAGE 3: DENIAL OF RISK AND PERIL

A person/church is failing, but there’s still enough health to “explain away” the problems and believe that things are fine. A major symptom: shut down of dialogue. Think of how the kings of the Bible clamped down as their kingdoms drifted from a God-mission. Another major sign: blame-shifting.

 

Ask yourself: Are lines for honest dialogue more open, or less open than they were a year ago? When is the last time I personally accepted responsibility for specific problems?

 

STAGE 4: GRASPING FOR SALVATION

Fearful, reactive behavior begins to permeate the falling individual/church/company. Think of how Saul was plagued with reactive behavior and paranoid persecution of David as his throne crumbled. Nearly every failing individual/church/company enters a stage where the leader believes they can save the organization by frenetic work, rather than a return to the original disciplines that bore excellence

 

Ask yourself: Is your current plan for the future based on what you are gifted at doing, or what you are afraid might be happening? Are you being proactive, or reactive with your life and mission?

 

STAGE 5: CAPITULATION TO IRRELEVANCE OR DEATH

 

Enough losses mount that hope fails, the person (or church) that’s failing raises the white flag. Once hope is extinguished, failure is inescapable. Sometimes this takes the form of relentless negativity, strong stands against all that is evil (rather than a call for hope). If attitude determines altitude, this is the point where the mind of the failing sets a course for a crash landing.

 

Ask yourself: If you asked those around you to label you (or your church), would they call you an ambassador of hope, or a prophet of doom?

 

A REASON TO HOPE:

In the midst of all failures studied, Collins found that there are some companies who can turn the ship around and, that they share a common marker: they didn’t avoid problems, but found a way to hope in the middle of despair, and comeback to even better levels of success after setbacks.  It is almost as if Collins implies that those who are truly successful are able to hope against hope, and find a way to bring life to what was dead.

 

Now that sounds a little bit like Easter to me. And it gives me hope. Take a hard look in the mirror. Then look to the Risen Savior and know there is a hope for your future.

 

Looking Forward,
William

 

If you would like to learn more, read and watch exclusive interviews previewing the book here, or order the book and read for yourselves.

Four Great Questions Everyone Should Be Prepared To Answer (or ask)

 

You can know a man’s wit by his answers. You will know his wisdom by his questions.

 

It seems like I spend more and more time looking for good questions. Have you ever noticed how often the Bible says, “Jesus answered them by asking a question….”

 

In my work with FaithSearch Partners, I help large churches find key staff. I’ve been (and am) the Senior Pastor and Head of Staff for large churches for a while now. Both of those roles have required me to keep improving on how to ask the right questions. If you’re like me, that’s a skill that you weren’t taught in school.

 

Most churches I have studied have about a 50% success rate with their hires working out over the long haul. Interviewing the right way is a real difference maker in improving the likelihood of a long term match between candidate and church.

 

Among most of the top executive search consultants in the world, the trend in interviewing these days is toward a form of questions called “behavioral competency.” Questions center around a candidate’s ability to articulate their work in their most recent jobs. Many psychologists who write on this say that this method is the single best way to get to the root and true acumen of a candidate.

 

Below are what I consider to be four great topics/questions for assessing behavioral competence. They’re not original; – very few good questions are.

 

And they’re not just helpful in your work. If you tag on the phrase “in my spiritual life” to the end of each question, you’ll see that these can be great measuring sticks for your own spiritual development. If you’re looking for a job, I would urge you to walk through these and prepare yourself to answer them. If you’re running a business or church, you may want to put these on file for future interviews.

 

1. What constructive criticism have you received in the past that surprised you the most?

2. Tell me about an initiative that you conceived and were responsible for executing. What challenges were expected? What challenges did you not foresee, and how did you overcome them?

3. Describe the cultures of your last few job or church settings, how they differed, and which one fit you best.

4. Tell me about a time when you had to get people with different viewpoints to the same level of understanding.

 

Hoping that this post helps you do your own gut check, and maybe even arms you with questions that take you and your church to another level.

 

Looking Forward,
William

The Flag Doesn’t Stop Flying

If you have ever been to a veteran’s funeral, you have probably seen the casket draped in a United States Flag. I remember presiding over both of my grandfathers’ funerals and watching the servicemen carefully remove, fold, and present the flag to grandmothers at each service.

 

I often wondered, why do we keep the flag? Why not let the fallen soldier take it with him to his grave? Many times people send mementos to accompany the departed. Whether it was enormous treasures for Pharaohs in Egypt, or horses buried with departed generals, or even a stuffed animal with a deceased child, we have a history of burying belongings with the dead. So why not the flag for the fallen soldier?

 

Some years back, a friend of mine explained it to me. “We don’t bury the flag, because we believe that even though the soldier has fallen, the flag still flies.”

 

What a great message to remember this Memorial Day. And can’t you see the parallels to the Gospel?

 

The soldier may have fallen, but the flag still flies. We may suffer losses that are here and now, but the everlasting cause is won. It may seem like Good Friday to you on a day of mourning, but those who know the Savior know that Sunday is coming.

 

Take a minute today and thank God for those who have laid down their life to preserve our national freedom. And let that theme guide you to reflect on and give thanks for the God-man who laid down His life to preserve our eternal freedom.

 

No matter how dark it seems now, the flag of that eternal freedom will never be buried. It will fly in the Heavens for eternity, alongside all of those who have chosen to follow the Way of the freedom giver named Jesus.

The Real Difference Maker in Prevailing Churches

 

“One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain’t nothin’ can beat teamwork.” – Edward Abbey

Churches rise and fall on the strength of their leadership teams.

 

Good teams can accomplish anything. Bad teams? Nothing.

I spend most of my day finding key staff people for churches, mostly really large churches (through FaithSearch Partners). In that work, I get to be around some of the very best leaders and teams in church work. I’m convinced that the difference maker in the most effective churches in the country is not their plan, their tech, or some secret ingredient.

The difference maker is the strength of their teams.

Recently, the Gallup Journal listed an article (read it here) outlining their study of stronger than average teams. They listed five traits that strong teams have in common:

1. Conflict doesn’t destroy strong teams because strong teams focus on results.

2. Strong teams prioritize what’s best for the organization, then move forward.

3. Members of strong teams are as committed to their personal lives as they are to their work.

4. Strong teams embrace diversity.

5. Strong teams are magnets for talent.

 

I couldn’t help but think about how the leaders of the early church fit all of these markers. I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if we were to strive for those marks in our teams.

How does your group measure up? If you are a leader, this question should haunt you. What changes need to be made to take you to a stronger level? I hope the marks and the article stir up good thoughts and actions, and that everyone’s team gets stronger.

Remember what was said of those early church leaders, that they were the ones “who had turned the world upside down.”

Looking forward to seeing your teams turn it upside down too!

William

follow me on Twitter!

A Breakthrough Is Coming

The way I see it, every historic Kingdom breakthrough has happened on the heels of a seminal communication breakthrough. And those who leverage and steward the communication breakthroughs become the stewards of the Kingdom breathroughs.

From Roman roads, to common Greek, to printing presses, the pattern is clear. Greater communication means breakthrough time for the church.

Today, we’re standing on the brink of arguably greatest communication breakthrough in history. Something’s gonna break through for the Kingdom, and I believe that those who strategically leverage our new electronic world will help usher in a brave new world for the Church.

What are you doing to use new communication tools to breakthrough in your world?

Do you have someone on your staff whose entire job is to create, implement, and manage your communicaitons and tech? Think Bobby Gruenwald at LifeChurch.
I’m convinced that leading churches will adopt a best practice of the business world – the key position of Chief Communications Officer, or Executive Pastor for Communications. Many already do.

If you have such a staff member, or if you’d like to consider it, you might take a look at this brief overview of job scope, responsibilities, and reporting structures for CCO’s in the Fortune 500.

Profile of a CCO

And for a lighter version of using communication to create a breakthrough, check out Tripp and Tyler’s “Things You Cannot Do While NOT in a Pool.”

Hope it helps stir up good thoughts.

A breakthrough is coming. And I cannot wait to see which of you is a part of it!

Looking Forward,

William

 

Follow me on Twitter