I can’t stop thinking about this lately:
Is it possible that the key to Elevation’s continued growth lies in my ability to lead less?
To spend less of my time executing and almost all of it empowering?
I’m not talking about passive or nebulous leadership.  It will always be my responsibility (and my passion, and my honor) to lead wholeheartedly and boldly in key venues and to key people.
Developing and communicating clear and thorough direction will always be on my job description.

But I think the bigger this thing becomes, the more time I’ll spend receiving vision from God, and the less time I’ll spend implementing it at a hands on level.
It’s a brand new paradigm for me: I can lead better by leading less.

I envy preachers who are able to approach creativity as a science. I really do. I have friends who prepare sermons the same exact way every single week. They study at the same times, in the same setting, organizing thoughts in the same sequence…that must be nice!
I’ve tried to emulate this approach, because I honestly think it would be the most effective way to do it. Sadly, I’ve never been able to make it work for me.

For me, creativity is compulsive. Ideas are like waves, and I’m just a guy with a board. No matter how good I get at riding these waves, I can’t generate them. I can locate the best beaches, even, but I can’t control the tide.

Recently I recorded an audio blog in response to a FAQ:
Explain to me how you prepare sermons.
I laugh when someone says that to me, because whether they know it or not, it’s kind of like a kid saying to his dad:
Explain to me how babies are made.
See, you don’t really want to know. You’ll find it disgusting. It’s messy. It’s traumatic. It’s downright awkward to discuss.
But parts of the process are a lot of fun. And the end result is new life, which makes the pain worthwhile.

Recently I sat with all of our worship leaders at Elevation and asked the question, “What are the keys to creating a worship ministry that is in line with the vision of the church and the senior pastor?”

Senior Pastors, you might want to grab your worship team and gather around. Worship Leaders, I think you’ll find this very insightful and challenging.

By the way, one of our worship leaders, Chris Brown, recently released a fantastic solo project called Starbore. You can get it on itunes, here.

Also, the guys are releasing an Elevation project this summer that is going to blow your mind. It’s really, really good.

I have a love/hate relationship with my blog.  I’m pretty committed to posting no less than 4 times a week, usually 5.  And I try to post stuff of substance, the best I can.   Sometimes it’s a very energizing outlet for me.  It gives me a platform to flesh out ideas in a different way than my journal does, because I’m forced to refine my thoughts until they’re coherent enough for the general public.  I’m also able to broadcast concepts that may not get airtime in a sermon.  My blog also opens a window into my life for the people who are a part of Elevation.  It provides them with access that would just be impossible otherwise.
I look at it my small investment in other leaders, and I’m always amazed at how many of you tell me that you’re refreshed, encouraged, and stretched by the things you read here.  Nothing makes me happier than to hear that. 
And the connections God has brought about for Elevation through the ministry of this blog kind of make me chuckle…I never imagined.

Other days, I regret ever starting the stupid thing.  On weeks when I have several sermons or leadership talks to prepare, a runny nose, complicated leadership decisions looming…I fantasize about hiring a ghostwriter, smashing my computer, or decrying blogging as the devil’s platform. 

But I probably won’t.  Not anytime soon, anyway.  In fact, I’ve got my core staff brainstorming ways that we can take this blog to the next level over the coming months.  To make it more helpful and insightful: for the people of Elevation, first and foremost, and to all of those who God has blessed us to minister to around the world as well.  I want to keep showing up and speaking up…it’s as good for me as it is for anyone else.

I’m not sure why I wrote this today.  Since many of you who read this blog also have a blog, maybe the purpose was to encourage you: you should probably stick with it and be as consistent as possible.  You never know what your words might mean to someone you’ll never meet.  I swear, every time I have a substantial thought about hanging it up, Lori brings a stack of emails, and on the top is an email from a staff member in Connecticut who was going to quit the ministry and didn’t-because of something they read on the blog.
So I grab the laptop, stare at the blank MS Word document, and rack my brain for the 25th time this month:
What the heck am I going to blog about today?