Practically Speaking

I have appreciated Andy Stanley‘s approach to ministry and I wanted to share a few of his thoughts on ministry.  If you are not familiar with Andy Stanley, he is the son of Charles Stanley and is one the planters and current lead pastor Northpoint Community Church near Atlanta, Georgia.

Below are links to seven podcasts that Andy and the leadership team at Northpoint did about how Northpoint thinks about and carries out their ministry.  I have been challenged to think about if and how these principles should apply to God’s calling in our ministry that God had called us to direct and lead at Lakeview Chapel.  The original webpage that these were pulled from is http://insidenorthpoint.org/practically-speaking/

Practically Speaking

Under the leadership of Andy Stanley, North Point Community Church has become one of the largest and most innovative churches in the United States. Much of the growth and impact of North Point is reflected in its ministry practices and core values. Practically Speaking offers insights into these practices and values through informal discussions by members of the North Point Leadership Team.

The following audio files are free for downloading.

  • Practice #1 – Clarify the Win   download Even the best team can’t score if it can’t find home plate. In this conversation, we’ll 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, we’ll 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.