BREAKOUT LEADERSHIP GOOD TO GREAT BREAKOUT CHURCHES WHAT

BREAKOUT LEADERSHIP

GOOD TO GREAT

BREAKOUT CHURCHES

WHAT CONSTITUTES A “BREAKOUT CHURCH”?

WHAT CONSTITUTES A “BREAKOUT CHURCH”? • At least 26 conversions per year.

WHAT CONSTITUTES A “BREAKOUT CHURCH”? • At least 26 conversions per year. • A conversion ratio no higher than 20: 1 (How many members does it take to reach one person in a year? )

WHAT CONSTITUTES A “BREAKOUT CHURCH”? • The church had been experiencing STAGNATION prior to breakout and had experienced sustained growth since breakout.

WHAT CONSTITUTES A “BREAKOUT CHURCH”? • The slump, reversal and breakout all took place under the SAME pastor— These weren’t stories of changing leaders—they were stories of changed leadership.

IT ALWAYS STARTS WITH LEADERSHIP

IT ALWAYS STARTS WITH LEADERSHIP Collins’ “Level 5 Leadership”:

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”:

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 1—The CALLED leader.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 1—The CALLED leader. ØMinistry is more than a JOB, there is a clear sense of call.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 1—The CALLED leader. ØMinistry is more than a JOB, there is a clear sense of call. Ø 98% of pastors have attained this level.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 2—The CONTRIBUTING leader.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 2—The CONTRIBUTING leader. ØCommits adequate time and energy to do ministry BASICS well (preaching, prayer, etc. ).

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 2—The CONTRIBUTING leader. ØCommits adequate time and energy to do ministry BASICS well (preaching, prayer, etc. ). Ø 22% of pastors have attained this level.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 3—The OUTWARDLY-FOCUSED leader.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 3—The OUTWARDLY-FOCUSED leader. ØConsistently and persistently leads the church to minister BEYOND the walls of the church.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 3—The OUTWARDLY-FOCUSED leader. ØConsistently and persistently leads the church to minister BEYOND the walls of the church. . Ø 14% of pastors have attained this level.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 4—The PASSIONATE leader.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 4—The PASSIONATE leader. ØThey exude OBVIOUS love and energy for people and ministry.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: ØThis is not a PERSONALITY trait; passion can be seen in both extroverted and introverted leaders.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: ØThis is not a PERSONALITY trait; passion can be seen in both extroverted and introverted leaders. Ø 6% of pastors have attained this level.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 5—The BOLD leader.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 5—The BOLD leader. ØIs willing to make the TOUGH CALLS that few other leaders will make.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: ØTakes risks where success is possible only with GOD’S power.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: ØTakes risks where success is possible only with GOD’S power. Ø 3% of pastors have attained this level.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 6/7—The LEGACY leader.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: • Acts 6/7—The LEGACY leader. ØHave all the ATTRIBUTES of the previous stages, plus…

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: o A burden for ministry to continue BEYOND their lifetime.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: o A burden for ministry to continue BEYOND their lifetime. o. Humility: quick to give others CREDIT for successes and accept RESPONSIBILTY for failures.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: o. Makes decisions that will benefit the church AFTER they are gone.

Rainer’s “Acts 6/7 Leader”: o. Makes decisions that will benefit the church AFTER they are gone. ØLess than 1% of pastors have attained this level.

Some Unique and Encouraging Commonalities in Breakout Leaders:

Some Unique and Encouraging Commonalities in Breakout Leaders: • SLOW progress is fine. Two extremes in the comparison churches:

Some Unique and Encouraging Commonalities in Breakout Leaders: • SLOW progress is fine. Two extremes in the comparison churches: ØThe PEACEMAKERS; maintained status quo to avoid conflict.

Some Unique and Encouraging Commonalities in Breakout Leaders: • SLOW progress is fine. Two extremes in the comparison churches: ØThe PEACEMAKERS; maintained status quo to avoid conflict. Ø“My way or the HIGHWAY”; if you can’t get on board with the vision, find another church.

Some Unique and Encouraging Commonalities in Breakout Leaders: ØBreakout leaders moved patiently, but PERSISTENTLY toward their goals.

Some Unique and Encouraging Commonalities in Breakout Leaders: • They tended to be more THIN skinned than THICK—skinned.

Some Unique and Encouraging Commonalities in Breakout Leaders: • They tended to be more THIN skinned than THICK—skinned. ØCriticisms did not just roll off of them—it hurt them deeply, but they PERSEVERED.

Some Unique and Encouraging Commonalities in Breakout Leaders: • Many breakout leaders are RELUCTANT leaders—have a lack of desire to “climb the ladder. ”

Tabletalk: ü How do you respond to the percentages that Rainer assigns to each leadership level? Too high? Too low? About right? ü Talk about finding the balance between peacemaker mode and “my way or the highway. ” Do you tend to err in one direction or the other?

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader:

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Fierce Biblical FAITHFULNESS.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Fierce Biblical FAITHFULNESS. ØFaithfulness to the Bible drives an evangelistic urgency that leads to intentional ministry to the COMMUNITY -they don’t wait for the community to come to them.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • TENURE—breakout leaders have a long-term view of ministry.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • TENURE—breakout leaders have a long-term view of ministry. ØThey realize that it often takes TIME to reverse unhealthy structures and build a healthy culture.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Confident HUMILITY.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Confident HUMILITY. ØAll leaders, from the ACTS 4 level and up, showed confidence in their leadership ability.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: ØThe difference is that Acts 6/7 leaders centered their confidence more on what GOD was doing and less on their own abilities.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Acceptance of RESPONSIBILITY.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Acceptance of RESPONSIBILITY. ØActs 6/7 leaders simply do not make EXCUSES; they don’t blame people or circumstances and they see possibilities even in difficult situations.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Unconditional LOVE of the people.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Unconditional LOVE of the people. ØBreakout leadership views even difficult members, not as the ENEMY but as part of the FLOCK.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • PERSISTENCE.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • PERSISTENCE. ØBecause these leaders have a longterm view, they are able to lead change INCREMENTALLY.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: ØPersistence is more than TENURE; it includes the fulfillment of goals, regardless of how long it takes.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Outwardly-focused VISION.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • Outwardly-focused VISION. ØThe focus is MORE on those who are not yet in the church and LESS on those already in the church.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • A desire for a lasting LEGACY.

Eight Keys to Becoming a Breakout Leader: • A desire for a lasting LEGACY. ØThe ambition of these leaders goes beyond personal SUCCESS; they desire to build a church that will thrive long AFTER they are gone.

Tabletalk: üWe’re Wesleyans; one of our cornerstones is Biblical faithfulness. Can we really claim to be faithful to the scriptures if we aren’t intentionally evangelistic? üIs “confident humility” a contradiction?

Made or Born?

Made or Born? • GOOD NEWS: While breakout leadership may come more easily to some than to others, these characteristics can be LEARNED and HONED.

Made or Born? • Remember, these weren’t stories of CHANGING leaders, these were stories of CHANGED leadership.

CONCLUDING QUESTIONS: • Which level of leadership best describes where I am as a leader?

CONCLUDING QUESTIONS: • Which level of leadership best describes where I am as a leader? • Am I willing to commit myself to pay the price to move up just one leadership level?