Posted By Aaron Marcelli on August 5, 2010
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on July 31, 2010
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on July 28, 2010
I have begun reading through the book of Nehemiah and just keeping a list of all the leadership principles I come across. I cannot believe a church planter has not written a book yet about all the principles in Nehemiah that apply to ministry and church planting.
These leadership nuggets though apply to all fields and I’m going to use the next several posts to share with you my findings.
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on July 24, 2010
“So where are you guys at?” is a question I feel is being asked of us a lot lately as we have become more open about church planting. At times I’m tempted to hang my head, almost ashamed, as I have to confess to others that we are not that far in or we do not have a launch date set yet. I used to feel a lot of pressure to have answers to everyone’s questions and have plans they would approve of, and in doing so approve of me.
Last month though Katy and I attended a church planting conference in Cartersville. Michael Lukaszewski (believe it or not – pronounces the way it looks) is the pastor of Oak Leaf Church in Cartersville and in session one of the church’s ‘Nuts and Bolts’ conference, he really challenged me. He stepped before a group of hundreds of church planters seeking wisdom about church systems and strategies and addressed the deeper issue: spirituality. Michael went through the story of Nehemiah, a book I had already been studying for leadership principles (posts coming soon) and mentioned how though Nehemiah had a passion and a vision, he was still patient and faithful in an extended time of waiting. That time of waiting ultimately caused Nehemiah to be more prepared when his chance to carry out his God-given vision arose.
I’ve never been one to adapt a habit or system just to copy someone else, but after a very honest (and even heated) conversation with my wife on the way home, I determined that I needed to set aside forty days. For the past month (and several more days) I have determined not to take any more steps toward church planting. Rather than raising funds, making plans, and meeting with people, I have prayed. Each morning during this time I have began the day by asking God what my prayer focus should be for the day, and then I have journaled what God has taught me throughout the days.
I have been lead to pray for things like purity, God’s favor, our marriage, and the less fortunate. Most successful church plant stories include unexplained acts of God that will not come to a person or group that is pursuing their agenda and plan rather than God Himself.
So if any of you have wondered why you have not received any church planting updates from me lately, it’s because there simply is nothing to update you on. My focus right now is not progress; it’s not movement. My focus is God. If I don’t make sure I have that right at this point, it will become more and more difficult to realign myself once things are in motion. I’m taking the time now to make sure I don’t see the end as being another church in Chattanooga, but rather being in a place where I hear from God and am able to be used by Him.
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on July 17, 2010
I was given this book sometime ago and read it in spurts over the past months. I love anything leadership, anything Maxwell, and was really attracted to the title, as I believe leaders must earn the right to be called so. There were a few disappointments though in the books contents.
The book is divided into seven chapters (or “sections”) each, in typical Maxwell form, dedicated to one principle or practice of leadership. The layout is gift-book like with each chapter drawing out its message amidst pictures, quotes, stories, etc. I occasionally found the quotes to have little to do with the subject of the chapter. The largest part of each chapter was basically a copied and pasted selection from one of Maxwell’s previous books. So though the content of the writing was good, if you are familiar with John Maxwell, it was certainly not new.
Though there are certainly solid teachings and motivational stories within The Right to Lead, again, I thought some of the quotes to be random and the fact that the book contains 40 pages of content stretched out over 125 picture filled and large print pages in a hard back format, I feel the book is probably over-priced……but maybe I’ll let you borrow mine!
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on July 9, 2010
Writing a blog post about Lebron James got me a lot of hits and comments earlier so I might as well ride that train again. Last night on ESPN “The King” broke the hearts of everyone in my home state of Ohio when he announced that he would be moving to Miami to play with the Heat. I jus happen to be in Miami for a conference and light flashings and horn blowing were easily heard outside my hotel window just seconds after the official announcement.
Today twitter, blogs, espn, radio talk shows, and every other source of media is blowing up with hate and anger in reaction to LeBron’s choice. The Cleveland Cavs owner has basically called LeBron an egotistical jerk (not exactly a smart move in recruiting future players) and some people in Cleveland have been seen burning jerseys of the player who was their hero just weeks before.
The emotional side of me of course wants to be upset that the best player in the game walked away from my childhood team. However, stepping back from the situation, I have to admit that what LeBron did was a very humble and smart move. He is taking less money to play on a team with his best friends and gives him a great shot at winning a championship. I mean, aren’t professional athletes constantly criticized of following the money and having inflated egos to where they over estimate their own abilities? In this case, LeBron has done exactly the opposite. Again, he is giving up money to play where he wants to play, with whom he wants to play, and on a team that will probably win it all several times in the years to come. Unless you are a fan of one of the other teams that wanted James, how in the world can you be upset about his decision. Yet still, he is facing a lot of heat (no pun intended) for his choice to put winning above the dollar.
This just goes to show you will NEVER be able to please everyone. There is no move Lebron could have made that would have made everyone, or even most everyone, happy. The same goes for you and me. When we try to live our lives according to common opinion, we will only set ourselves up to have more critics as well as becoming more aware that we now have more critics.
In a conversation with my wife just yesterday she made the comment, “It’s not ok for me to want that” in reference with a desire she has for her future. Her statement came as a result of pressures she feels from others. For most of us, if we continue our lives as current we will have to hear “concerns” from others as to why we are not doing “this” or “that.” If we step out and make some changes, whether by our choice or pressure from others, there will be those who will question us as to who do we think that we are that we would go and do that.
There will always be opposition, many times from those we least expect and possibly even those we are closest to. Case in point, we cannot live our lives trying to appease others. It’s a formula for exhausting ourselves and becoming walked all over.
Be who you are. Want what you want. Do what you feel like doing (as long as it’s legal) and don’t apologize for it!
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on July 2, 2010
My favorite 5 cities (that I have been to) are:
The 5 cities I most want to visit are:
What are yours?
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on June 29, 2010
Yes, yes I know that the title of this post is a complete contradiction to the title and message of my last post. I write this post though because I have seen and experienced much that leads me to believe that in many businesses, churches, and even families, it is all about position!
Of course the everybody matters, we’re all on the same team idea from my last post is great, and ideal, but rarely the case. The core values on the wall at your place of work may state that “Everyone matters”, but face it, there are days when you realize there is a huge chasm between you and the executives of your organization. You are treated differently in how your coworkers, and perhaps even customers, listen, respond, and dedicate themselves to your boss over you.
It’s unfair isn’t it? Everyone sits up straight and puts a smile on their face when the CEO walks in. All his jokes are funny and everyone gathers around to hear about his family vacation. And you can’t even get the accountant to spell your name right on a paycheck. People respect the CEO. And why? Simply because they are the boss! It’s all about the position.
When the boss asks questions in a meeting or challenges the process, he is making us a better organization and causing us to rise above the status quo and when you do the same thing you are annoying and trying to make everything difficult. When giving your best efforts you are a “show-off” or a “suck-up” and are often asked “who do you think you are?” when you try to propose an idea.
I have a coworker who has inquired about my intentions or concern for work because I am laid back and try to keep things light. This same coworker is friends with the CEO of a major organization in our city and raves about how well he handles the stress and is so funny when he cuts up in serious moments. How in the world are those different?!?! The only difference is….position.
What do you think? I’m I on to something or way off?
What has your experience been?
Was I more accurate in my last post or in this one? Are both true?
I would love to hear your thoughts!
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on June 28, 2010
An excuse I’ve heard a lot, and perhaps even used a few times, is, “I’m not in the position to do that.” Often people will use their job level or position within an organization as reason for why they cannot do this or that. Lower level workers will say, “well if I had his job then…..” or complain that “if others listened to me like they do her, well then….”
What I see though in most healthy organizations is an atmosphere where everyone’s input is valued and encouraged. Being an hourly worker rather than a salaried manager does not make you unimportant to the business. Just because you are not the boss does not mean you cannot share your thoughts. I mean, a good idea is a good idea no matter what level of the company it comes from right? But many times someone will use their position in the organization as the reason why they cannot or never will…(fill in the blank). Perhaps it’s not your position that causes people to not listen to you, but rather that you are always complaining and bad mouthing those over you, desiring their position as though that authority came to them by falling out of the sky. If you think bosses have it easy and never do anything, then you obviously don’t know the stress in being a manager and that may be why you are overlooked for promotions.
Either way, position is the excuse many employees cling to and it cripples them from making an impact where they are. Most companies are not going to promote you because you tell them they should. You cannot have the attitude that you will begin to really give it your best effort after you get the position you want at work. The title on your name badge is no reason to not lead or initiate ideas now.
Leadership is not a position, it’s a characteristic. Those who are leaders lead; they don’t wait for someone to give them the office and benefits that all of a sudden make them a leader. It’s not about position. It’s about who you are. If you are consistently making excuses, complaining, or believing that you’re entitled to what your boss has, you will have a difficult time finding a company that will believe your words over your actions.
It’s not about position. So don’t think you have to reach a certain hierarchy in the company before you really matter. Your position determines what you do, not who you are. So stop letting it be a reason to hold back or not show now all you’re capable of.
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on June 25, 2010
Growing up, I was lead to believe that being a follower was a bad thing. Even now, much of what I read or hear in our culture sends a subtle message that if you are a follower it is because you are weak. Whether in church, school, work, or media, it is the people who are on the stage, making the noise, or giving the performance who receive the praise. And along with that goes out a message to everyone else, “You are not as good as this.”
I don’t think though that leadership is desired by everyone, or should be. Leadership, in general, is a skill, a gift, and a desire. If everyone in you work or church was trying to lead the way, you would have hundreds of people going hundreds of directions and absolutely no cohesion.
A message we don’t hear enough is this: Be a follower!! To those who are content with their position at work. To those who are deeply introverted and don’t want to be leading the charge. And to those who don’t have the call to spend the majority of their time and effort in being “the guy”, I would first say there is nothing wrong with you! Secondly though I would say, be a follower – and be a good one! So many times in teaching on this subject it is stated that everyone is either a leader or a follower. That’s not true. There are some people who do nothing. Don’t do nothing, be a follower!
Being a follower means you are following. Find a person or a group that is making a difference and leading the way on an issue you believe in, then give yourself to following them and support them! A follower is not passive, lazy, or disengaged. Get in there and be an active presence even as you follow. And many times what you will find is that a good follower brings momentum to the team or cause. Because most people don’t follow leaders; they follow other followers. They sit back and observe what others are doing and then go with the crowd or follow the noise. So by following something you think is important, you may just inspire others to do the same thing!
We don’t hear this much. Most “experts” who read and speak on leadership make it sound as though everyone should be a leader and being a follower is a harmful disease. Such is not the case because any great movement is going to take a crowd of people and within that crowd there can only be so many positional leaders, and if I were the leader I certainly would not want my followers to feel like they were second rate or inadequate.
We need to hear more preaching about Paul’s challenge to, “follow me as I follow Christ.” If you always have to lead and you always have to be the one in charge, to the point that you will always leave and do your own thing when someone else becomes the leader, then you have insecurity issues and are unable to deal with authority and you need to fix that! Learn to be an engaged follower. Humble yourself and give to the cause rather than trying to build your own name, and in turn lead others to this as well!
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