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It’s easy to get bogged down with the urgent things in life, the things that are screaming for our attention. Although many of those urgent things in life are important many of them are not, they’re just immediate. If I’m not careful I will sometimes neglect the important for the urgent because I don’t take the time to distinguish between the two. Don’t get me wrong the urgent things have to be done, but not at the expense of the important. Here are some practical things that help me to make sure that the important things are getting done.

1. Know my priorities.
Sounds simple, but before I can focus on what is important I must know what’s important. What’s important to God, my family, my job, or to making progress in a particular area?

2. Block out time.
While urgent things demand my time I have to make time for what’s important. I put the important things on my calendar and make sure they get my attention.

3. Just say no.
Because something is demanding my attention doesn’t necessarily mean it requires my attention. I ask myself, “Does this really need my involvement or can I have someone else give this the needed attention it requires?”

What are some ways that you make sure the important things are getting attention?

The following is from “Developing the Leaders Around You” by John C. Maxwell:

“The greatest leadership principle that I have learned in more than thirty years of leadership is that those closest to the leader will determine the success level of that leader. The determination of a positive or negative outcome in my leadership depends upon my ability to recognize the value that others bring to my organization. My goal is not to draw a following that results in a crowd. My goal is to develop leaders who become a movement.”

“Stop for a moment and think of the five or six people closest to you in your organization. Are you developing them? Are they growing? Have they been able to lift your load?”

Dream BIG. Think BIG.
Plan BIG. Work BIG.

Remember… God is BIG and you are not. Follow after God and he will use you to make a BIG impact in this small world.

In the world of church and non profit organizations volunteers are the people who make things happen. Although, it’s important that we recruit people based on ability and not just availability. If there is one thing I’ve come to realize (sometimes the hard way) it’s that a high caliber volunteer can add significant value to your ministry, but the wrong volunteer can have a negative impact on the entire team. So, here are a few things to look for when recruiting volunteers.

1. Proven Track Record - Have they been faithful in the small stuff? 

2. Pure Motives - Do they have a hidden agenda or is their heart in the right place?

3. Problem Solver - Do they complain or do they bring solutions to the table?

4. Cool Under Pressure - How do they respond in high stress situations?

5. Good with People - Are they good with people (other volunteers, parents, guests)?

6. Goes the Extra Mile - Do they take ownership of their role and hand it off in better condition than when it was given to them?

What are some things that you look for in volunteers?

Here’s a list of five quotes that have crossed my path over the last week that I thought I would pass along.

1. “If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.” - Abraham Lincoln
2. “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hatred, hatred leads to suffering.” - Yoda
3. “Hang out with the wise, living or dead, for that is how we too become wise.” - John Eldridge
4. “The heart of Leadership is putting others ahead of yourself.” - John Maxwell
5. “Accomplishing the impossible is all about seeing the invisible.” - Steven Furtick

Do you have any to share?

Those in ministry can sometimes be the most susceptible to losing their passion and zeal for God and people. It is very easy to become a “professional minister” or to work in full-time ministry yet have a part-time devotion to God. I have personally experienced this in my own life, completely blind to the condition of my heart. To be completely honest I am still recovering from this and have to be on constant guard.

Here are some symptoms to be on the look out for in your own life:

1. Your time preparing a sermon has replaced your personal Bible study.
2. You avoid people and find yourself “hiding” in your office or backstage preoccupied with tasks and other staff members.
3. You encourage others to invite friends to church or to share their faith, but this is not something you attempt to do yourself.
4. You primarily depend on your own ability and training to do the work of ministry and only look to God when the situation exceeds your personal leadership capacity.
5. Systems are placed at a higher priority than the people they are intended to reach.
6. You rarely spend time in solitude with God away from the busyness of ministry.
7. You can’t remember the last time you cried or felt moved with compassion for the lost.
8. You project an unapproachable persona.

These are only a few, but I think you get the point. It’s important to remember that God is more concerned about having a relationship with you than the “success” of your ministry role. If you can identify with any of these symptoms then I would challenge you to get on your knees before God and ask him to restore a love for him and a love for people. For God to use you greatly, you must first love him deeply.

It is important that we constantly examine our motives for leading others. Leadership is a stewardship and a responsibility that you and I will be held accountable for. I believe that our motivation for leading should be to serve and help others. To be honest, it takes a secure person to use the influence that God has granted them and use it for the good of others. I know for me that I have to constantly examine myself in this area. So today I encourage you to not just lead, but lead with the right motivation.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. - Mark 10:45 NIV

The one book that has had the greatest impact on shaping my approach to ministry is, Seven Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley, Lane Jones and Reggie Joiner. I highly recommend that you put this on your reading list. Much of the content of this book is included in a series of free recorded audio discussions. Below I have included links to download each discussion. I hope that you take the time to listen to these and I also hope that they challenge your approach to ministry so that 2011 may be the most effective year you have experienced yet.

• Practice #1 - Clarify The Win   download

  Even the best team can’t score if it can’t find home plate. In this conversation, they discuss the importance of clearly defining wins at every level of your organization.

• Practice #2 - Think Steps, Not Programs   download

  Before you start anything, make sure it takes you where you want to go. In this conversation, they discuss the importance of a clear ministry strategy.

• Practice #3 - Narrow The Focus  download

  The longer a ministry operates, the more complex it becomes. In order to maintain a winning organization, we must continually face the challenge of narrowing its focus.

• Practice #4 - Teach Less For More  download

  People are bombarded by thousands of messages every week. If the local church is going to be effective, it must cut through the noise. It must learn to say only what needs to be said to the people who need to hear it.

• Practice #5 - Listen To Outsiders  download

  Why don’t the unchurched people in your area go to church? Could it be because you’re focusing on who you’re trying to keep instead of who you’re trying to reach?

• Practice #6 - Replace Yourself  download

  We are all replaced eventually. The wisest leaders will extend their influence by finding and mentoring their replacements.

• Practice #7 - Work On It  download

  All of us work in ministry every day, but is that enough? Working on your ministry requires time to evaluate your work and to celebrate your wins.

I subscribe to several blogs and all of them are really great (that’s why I subscribe to them), but I thought I would share my top 10 from 2010. These are the blogs that I have gotten the most out of on a consistent basis over the past year.

1. Brad Lomenick - Brad is the director of Catalyst. He writes about leadership, creativity, innovation, social media, teamwork, and personal growth. Be sure and check out Catablog the blog for Catalyst.

2. Coach Shef - A blog by Tom Shefchunas. He is the multi-campus director of Middle School at North Point Community Church. He writes a lot about systems and processes.

3. chrisbrogan.com - Chris Brogan consults and speaks professionally with Fortune 100 and 500 companies he blogs on how to improve online business communications like marketing and PR.

4. MacLakeOnline.com - Mac Lake is the Chief Launch Officer of The Launch Network, a Church Planting Network. Mac writes about personal growth and leadership. 

5. Michael Hyatt’s Blog - Michael is the Chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. He writes on leadership, productivity, publishing, and social media.

6. ronedmondson.com - Ron Edmondson is a pastor and church leader who blogs on leadership, church, strategy and life.

7. Seeds - This is a collaborative blog from the staff of Church on the Move. It mainly consists of insights on creative arts, kids ministry and youth ministry. Also be sure and check out their free resources and upcoming conference.

8. Seth Godin’s Blog - Seth Godin is a bestselling author and writes about the way ideas spread, marketing and leadership.

9. Swerve - This blog is from the leadership team of LifeChurch.tv on the topics of leadership, technology, and innovation for church leaders. Be sure and check out their free resources as well.

10. The 99 Percent - This blog is simply about making ideas happen. 

Well I hope that you can get something out of these blogs, I know that they have added a lot of value to my life over the past year. If you have some blogs you would recommend please let me know by leaving a comment.