My 1999 Honda Accord is experiencing some transmission trouble. When the car is cold, the transmission will jerk into gear and when the car is warmed up, the transmission ‘shutters’ as I’m coming to a stop.

As little as I know about cars, I do know that the transmission of a car should be something that I never think about. The whole purpose of the transmission is to cause all of the moving parts of the engine to line up perfectly with all of the moving parts of the wheels and axles so the car can continue to move forward. When that doesn’t happen smoothly, you have problems…

At Elevation Church, Pastor has prepared us very well for our past ‘shifts’ as well as the fact that in order to grow we will always need to prepare for the next ‘shift’ that’s coming soon.

If you’re committed to forward motion then you will have to learn how to shift well. Here are some practical things that I have picked up from my personal shifts and by observing the successful shifts of those around me.

o Let your first reaction be “Yes, and thank you.”

o You have to be committed to the belief that the shift you’re experiencing is best for you and the church. Receive it well. Even if you’re overwhelmed by the new responsibilities or discouraged by the change.

o Avoid the temptation to make it personal.

o If you make a “promotion” personal you may get conceited. If you make a “demotion” personal you may get deflated.

o Adopt a position of redeployment.

o Don’t ever let yourself or those you work with start to believe that the job their doing today is the job they will be doing in a year or 5 years from now. You don’t know what changes will need to take place down the road to continue to achieve the vision of the church. The priority is the mission, not your position.

o Keep a tight connection with God.

o I believe that God wants you operating in your sweet spot more than you or anyone else. He’s got things under control even when they seem like they’re spinning out of control.

We will all experience shifts. Those of us that learn how to shift well will always contribute to the forward motion of the vehicle we are a part of.

John Bishop, Ministries Pastor

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1) The content must be worth the time it takes to make it.

The importance of content kind of goes without saying, but I’m saying it here because when you’re stuck in the detail of something it’s sometimes hard to surface long enough to see when something really matters at the big picture level verses when it is only important in the detail itself. For instance, when we report on our children’s ministry, we only include numbers about 4th and 5th grade attendance, overall attendance and volunteer retention. I could tell you how many preschoolers we had in church this Sunday, but it doesn’t directly impact the bigger picture so I can just as easily leave it out. We believe that if these 4th and 5th grade is on the increase, overall attendance is growing and volunteers are still coming then everything else is probably falling into place.

2) It should be obvious to someone who has never seen the detail behind the report what the report is actually saying.

This is tricky because sometimes you have to sit with a report for a few minutes to figure out what it is telling you. I’m not saying that reports can’t be complicated only that they must be obvious. Label all information well, place headers and titles in bold font and make sure they clearly explain what you’re presenting. You should also find a layout that works and stick to it so the person receiving the report can always go back to the same box to find the same answer.

3) The format of the report is almost as important as the report itself.

I am a format fanatic! If I’m going to present something that carries the message of my ministry to people who don’t have a complete understanding of it, it had better look good! Therefore, I use color. I include graphics when they’re available and I spend the time it takes to make the report look good. It matters.

For your viewing pleasure I have included a copy of one of our reports here. Check it out! It’s a work in progress, but hopefully it gives you an idea of what I’m talking about.

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What would happen if you decided you were actually going to hit all your deadlines? What if no one had to wonder if you were actually going to deliver when you said you were going to?In the Creative Dept, deadline mistrust is about the worst thing we can do. It really should be this way for every department.

When a video bumper doesn’t get produced check out what happens…

Video deadline gets missed…the bad news is delivered from the Video Editor to the Communications Director (in our org chart)…the Communications Director passes the news on to the Creative Pastor…the Creative Pastor sits through a meeting with the Executive Pastor or Lead Pastor and has to explain why the deadline wasn’t met…the missed deadline creates a sense of mistrust between parties…now things that shouldn’t be questioned are being questioned (what else is getting missed?)…the emotional energy it takes to not think about what else is missed doesn’t get used for more productive efforts…we’re not as productive or efficient as a church…we don’t create the optimal opportunity to hear about Jesus because we’re wasting time and energy…we’re not being good stewards for what God has given us…

Think this is a little dramatic? That might be the problem.

Of course, it doesn’t always play out like this, but the daisy chain is real whether you think so or not. Missing a deadline has the potential to send ripples so much further out than we realize.

Do the little things and communicate all along the way. It can only help.

Larry Hubatka, Creative Pastor

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Monday was a great day for our directional staff at Elevation Church. We were able to attend the churchplanters.com conference and see our Pastor do a breakout and main stage session. It was so encouraging for us to see what a national voice God has given Elevation Church to impact His kingdom.
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Pastor spoke about seeking God for direction on being who God has called you to be in your city. He cautioned church planters to not simply recreate what God has gifted other people to do in other cities. This is a powerful concept that I’ve witnessed in Pastor Furtick’s life firsthand through his preaching and leadership. God has always been his source and everything else has been a resource.
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Today is also a special day. I want to take a minute to honor my Pastor and wish him a happy birthday. He’s 28, that’s right 28 years old. He tells me this all the time and I firmly believe it: the best is yet to come in his life and the life of Elevation Church. �
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Wednesday we are taking the entire staff to C3 is Dallas, TX. We couldn’t be more excited. The conference is going to be great and the time we have together as a staff to dream, pray, and set goals is often the some of the most valuable time we spend on conference trips.

Chunks Corbett, Executive Pastor

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