When a visiting church leader asks us to identify the key factors in the growth of Elevation, we’re never sure how to answer.
We can tell them about our assimilation systems, which are thorough and extensive, and have no doubt been a key element of our high retention rate and astounding volunteer involvement.
We can lecture them about the importance of simplicity, and warn them against over-programming which leads to defused energy and mediocrity.
We can show them the marketing materials that our production department creates (which are slicker than snot and second to none) and share our philosophy of branding.

All of these systems and concepts are relatively concrete and definable.
But the most important component of church planting is the culture you create.
And it’s often completely ignored.

The current of culture is a powerful thing.
When a group of extraordinary people are committed to an extraordinary cause, it washes away lots of preconceived notions and creates a high tide of momentum.

The current of culture is a dangerous thing.
If you hang around Elevation too long, you might get sucked in by the undertow. I just heard about 2 more families who are currently uprooting their lives to move to Charlotte. Not for a job. Just to be a part of a move of God.

That’s how strong the culture of current can be, when created correctly.

Tomorrow, I’ll share more about the culture of sacrifice that is so vital to Elevation Church.

In the early days of Elevation what was your greatest win? What is the thing you’re most proud of?

My friend Clayton is trying to get into blogging. I thought I would give him a boost. (Hey buddy, you can’t ride with training wheels forever, get your own blog )

Guest Blogger: Clayton King
I remember the good old days when there was “an election year.” Twelve months before a Presidential election and everyone began raising money, airing commercials and doing their best to convince the country to vote for them. Those days are gone. Politics has become a circus and politicians run perpetually, around the clock, every day of every year. And the thing that drives me most crazy is how the media manipulates issues to bring a sense of blame and guilt on Americans for every single thing that is wrong in the history of the world.

While we are not innocent by any means, we are also not to blame for the fallen state of humanity. But this is not a reflection on the good old stars and stripes or a rant about patriotism. This is about my own personal decision to become part of the solution and not the problem.

I have never personally tortured anyone, burned down a rainforest, intentionally kept a family in poverty, or dropped bombs on civilians in a middle-eastern country. I have also never hurt anyone in Darfur or taken giant bribes while working for the United Nations. I have never clubbed a seal or purposefully discharged an entire bottle of hairspray to open a hole in the ozone. And I have never even been to the polar ice caps, so I certainly have never built a bonfire on a glacier just to watch it melt and raise ocean levels.

My point is, it’s not all my fault. And it’s not all your fault either. But there seems to be a “mood” afoot today, whether instigated by the media, legalistic Christians or the very lord of darkness himself, that says we should all feel guilty about how things are on our little planet.

But emotions of guilt accomplish nothing. NOTHING. I have learned this with my own two boys. Making them feel guilty for their misbehavior simply brings shame, and shame cripples us into inability and inactivity. If guilt is all we feel (for poverty, corporate corruption, materialistic waste, AIDS in Uganda), we simply try to transfer that guilt to someone else by looking for another scapegoat to blame for the horrendous mess in our world.

So I am stopping the madness.

I declare that it is NOT my fault. None of it. I will not take the blame for all the ills and evils that plague our planet.

But I also declare that it IS my responsibility. As a man who loves Jesus Christ and follows Him as my Lord and King, I am compelled to act out of compassion to heal a broken world because that is what He did.
I am guilty of countless sins and evils, but because I have been redeemed, I need to minister redemption to the world.

I will not not just sigh and moan when I see pictures of hungry kids on late night info-mercials. I will use my influence to speak for those children, raising awareness and dollars. I will go. I will give. I will pray. I will listen and pay attention.

Since 1998, students at our Crossroads Camps have raised over $360,000 for hungry children in orphanages in India. They see the pictures and hear the statistics, and they do something about it.

So quit thinking it is your fault. That is a coward’s way out. Be brave and take responsibility. Take the initiative and change things.
Your guilt will disappear and your energy will be used to love those around you with the love of Christ.

Winston Churchill said “It is easy to criticize. It is much more difficult to create.” Forget blame. Give us responsibility!

We’re still finishing out staff evaluations ‘round here (the process takes almost a full month these days!)
I think Chunks is posting something more technical about our staff eval process on our Access blog. If not, I’m sure there’s something else helpful there that will make it worth your click. Take the chance.

I love staff evaluation time. Yes, you read that correctly. I feel like God anoints me to conduct and sit in staff evals much in the same way He anoints me to preach, and I approach it with a similar intensity. We always end up going way past the allotted time (right lead staff?:)), and we always leave very built up and even more stretched.

I know some pastors conduct staff evals because they’re supposed/expected to, but to me, it’s almost a holy time of pouring into those I lead, and I can’t imagine trying to lead my staff without this process in place. Of course, I only have 2 direct reports, but I sit in 3 other evaluations and offer input as I feel compelled to.

Wanna know something funny? I was doing staff evals with our staff before we ever even launched our church! Wanna know something funnier? I was evaluating staff members who weren’t even paid!
I was a tough grader then, and I’m a tough grader now.

Darn right I expect a lot from those on my team, starting with myself. I treat them like they’re starters on the All-Star team, because I believe that’s what church leadership is… especially at Elevation… my favorite church in the world.

I think people thrive on high expectations, as long as they’re clear and consistent. At least the kind of people I want on my team do.
It insults high capacity people when you evaluate them with handicaps and exception clauses. It honors them when you evaluate them rigorously, like you expect them to be the best in the world.
And then resource them to become just that.
And honestly believe that they will.