Author Archives

Garry Brackett

BA - Fort Wayne Bible College
MAR - Trinity Evangelical Divinity
D.Min - Grace Theological Seminary
Birkman Certified Coach
John Maxwell Certified Team Member
Myers/Briggs Certified
FIRO-B Certified
TKI Certified
25 Years Executive Coaching

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Multiplication Vs. Growth Mindset

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:29 — 35.0MB) | Embed

We are 29 weeks into our COVID journey and there are some data points that are solidifying. Notice the following:•Church Attendance Pre-COVID – 52% lower; 32% equal; 17%increasing•Giving Pre-COVID – 27% dn.; 56% same; 17% increased•Projected Overall Post-COVID – 51% decrease; 27% same; 17% growth

What can be stated about these data points? While growth is occurring it is not as a rapid as pre-COVID days. Many churches have plateaued sooner and more suddenly; Struggling churches are experiencing a more rapid decline likened unto a death spiral.

It is now being projected that 1-6 churches are expected to close their doors in the next 18 months.

Consider also that 65% of churches are open now with pre-cautions in place. This data point does not mean these churches are meeting weekly. In fact 54% of churches are offering weekly service on campus. 13% of churches have concluded they will wait until 2021 to fully re-open. That said there seems to be a move to fully re-open during the Christmas season. This number will most likely change. It is also interesting to note that now generally speaking churches have lost trust in their elected officials’ ability to remain as the NorthStar on how a church should operate and when.

The Mental Health issues cannot be overlooked or overstated as a key concern during this COVID shutdown. The health of you and a leader and the health of your staff pastors will determine the health of you church. There is a lot a stake to simply ignore this issue.

There are encouraging signs on the horizon for the church. There is a growing need for “Spiritual Transcendency” coupled with a need for smaller group settings. The “micro-church” is an idea come of age. The micro-church concept is more about the house-church or smaller congregation church size. Smaller yet functioning as a church. 

Currently there are three basic groups of people engaging with church. The traffic light motif is used to describe them.

The Traffic Light motif gives us a way to describe what will become innovation for churches. “Fluidity” will most likely become the popular way of describing how churches function and connect with people who call your church home! In other words there will be  people attending live services, or attending watch parties with discussions on how to apply the sermon that day, or stay at home and watch the service online. People will flow in and out of these versions of participating in church post-COVID.

The key is in developing a multiplication mindset – “We are glad you joined our church and we cannot wait to see you leave and start a new work with other people!” It is a celebration of multiplying. The mantra is; Growing churches of the future will engage a multiplication capacity instead of a seating capacity!

Instead of cursing the darkness of what has been lost – speak to the light of what we get to do!

Churches that have already embraced the Multiplication Capacity thinking are experiencing what I would call a modern day revival!

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher – SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!

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Dissonance Versus Resonance: What is your Leadership Style?

Dissonance in its original musical sense, describes an unpleasant harsh sound. Dissonance refers to a lack of harmony. Dissonant leadership produces groups that feel emotionally discordant; in which people have a sense of being continually off-key. Anger, fear, apathy, or even sullen silences are signals of dissonance at work. This type of emotional energy at work in the leadership team produces an emotional toxicity. Dissonance dispirits people, burns them out, and sends people packing for greener pastures. The real unfortunate outcome of a dissonant environment is that you tend to bring home unhealthy emotional toxicity which poisons the very safe place that you most need.

Resonance musically creates a pleasant environment that all can appreciate. Harmony prevails! There are two primary categories associated with resonant leadership: Personal Competence focuses upon the management of ourselves and Social Competence focuses upon the management of relationships. Resonant leaders possess self-awareness and self management as part of their personal competence. Take notice of the following:

  • Self-Awareness
    • Able to read one’s emotional signals and recognize their impact upon a group
    • Involved in self-assessment and psycho-metrics
    • Self confidence – possessing a sound sense of one’s self worth
  • Self-Management
    • Able to keep disruptive emotions and impulses under control
    • Able to display honesty and integrity
    • Able to adapt to changing situations or overcoming obstacles
    • Ready to seize upon opportunities
    •  Seeing the upside of life

Regarding social competencies of the resonant leader take note of the social awareness and relationship management skills:

  • Social Awareness
    • Sensing other’s emotions, understanding their perspectives and taking active interest in their concerns
    • Keeping emotionally aware of the work environment around them
    • Servicing others needs over their own needs
  • Relationship Management
    • Motivating others to excel
    • Being a person of influence
    • Developing others’ competencies through feedback and guidance
    • Being a change catalyst – leading in new directions
    • Maintaining a web of healthy relationships
    • Promotes TEAM-WORK!

The choice could not be clearer for ministers. Dissonance crashes the existing culture. Resonance assists people in feeling great about the change that is occurring and assists them in their development to become effective participants in reaching our world for the Glory of Christ.

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To Win: Start. Play The Long Game

Life Is Not A One and Done Deal

In her book The 5 Second Rule, Mel Robbins writes; “To play any game, you have to start. To win, you’ll need to keep going. If you want to make your dreams come true, get ready for the long game. Life is not a one-and-done sort of deal. You’ve got to work for what you want. Do you know the game Angry Birds? Rovio, the brand that created the game, launched 51 unsuccessful games before they developed Angry Birds. How about The Avengers star Mark Ruffalo? Do you know how many auditions he did before he landed his first role? Almost 600! Even Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times. My favorite vacuum cleaner is Dyson. And there’s no wonder why it doesn’t suck at sucking up the dirt. James Dyson created 5,127 prototypes! What? And this last one will blow your mind. Picasso created nearly 100 masterpieces in his lifetime. But what most people don’t know is that he created a total of more than 50,000 works of art.

Did you see that last number? 50,000. That’s two pieces of art a day. Success is a numbers game. And, you’re not going to win it if you keep telling yourself to wait. The more often that you choose courage, the more likely you’ll succeed.”[1]

In playing the long game of life it has been stated that you can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you cannot have booth. So, what is courage? Aristotle suggested that courage is the virtuous activity of the soul versus the courage in acting out some foolish dare in life. I am not referring to the superhuman strength in saving the world every day. I am suggesting that real courage is about teaching your children right from wrong, loving your family deeply, helping a work colleague, and caring for your neighbor. If you possess the courage to begin life’s journey, then you already possess the courage to win the long game of life.

What is at the end? Legacy!

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

[1] Brian Johnson’s Philosophers Notes, The 5 Second Rule, Mel Robbins. Accessed 25 September 2020.

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Racism, What Do You See Currently?

Acknowledgement of the past does not equal solutions for the future

When you stop and really think about the summer of 2020, it is breath taking. George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, NBA, WNBA, MLB, Soccer, Symbols, flags, hashtags, Religious leaders, Government Leaders, Businesses, and top-selling books have all invited a deep and public examination of their actions. You might assume all of these events have served to increase awareness of racial injustice and the motivation to address the problems in America. According to Barna Research the story is not so straight-forward. Current research in a joint effort between Dynata and Barna reveal there are signs of clarification regarding racial injustice. However, this does not mean that people actually see the issue or their role in providing a solution with greater urgency.  This is especially true in the church world. Study the Info-graphic below and you will see that motivation to address injustices has declined within the past year.

What is the answer? I am still of the opinion the Mercy Pathway is the solution. It is not a short-cut but more of a long view. Biblical Mercy begins in the heart of every person – All lives are created by God. The family unit must instill the principles of Biblical Mercy in the fabric of the family unit – teaching respect for God’s creative design in each person. The Place of Worship has a responsibility to instill Biblical Mercy throughout their teachings and then putting this into community action as a Church. Let the world see Mercy lived out in the community of faith!

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

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Blizzard, Winter, or Ice-Age?

How do we see the COVID Journey?

We were told by Virologists of the Coronavirus task force in mid-March that we should expect to expect COVID to last through July-August timeframe. Well, here we are in late September and we are not clear when all changes in our lifestyle will “go back to the way it was. No one seems to know how much further we will travel in our new daily habits.

Ironically, Andy Crouch and his team wrote about the winter motif as a way of thinking about the impacts of Covid-19.  He suggested a blizzard may be difficult, but that it is not long term. “This will be over in a few days or a couple of weeks”, we said. A winter season last usually lasts 3-5 months of the year. We know that springtime is coming, and it will be sunny and warm again. However, an ice-age does not necessarily imply hundreds of years, It can be 16-19 months to 30-50 years. Andy Crouch suggested March 20th, this pandemic was going to reassembly an ice-age.

Regardless of how long all of the impacts of layered disruptions last, how are faith leaders to make sense of this radical change and then how are they going to lead a new version of the faith community? One of the exilic Psalms can help us in getting through a prolong national crisis. God’s people are in Babylon. When you read Psalm 137 you hear the people lament over being tormented by their captors to sing songs from their homeland. Notice v.4. – “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? That is a statement of despair! The emotion of v.4 sums up our emotions today! How can we carry on in the face of so many layers of disruption in our church efforts?

We must reach back into scriptures to find our footing and solid marching orders. “Go into all of the world…..” is still a biblical mandate that must be followed. Do not allow yourself to become paralyzed because of all the social unrest. Stay focused on what matters biblically. There are three keys which will bring success in this endeavor: 

  1. Clear endorsement and vision by Senior Church Leadership
  2. A clear pathway that disciples can follow and feel they are growing as Christ-followers
  3. A metric assessment to measure the progress of the strategy

Do not become prey to the notion of building a large church without massive community impact. Make disciples first, community impact will follow.

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

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9 Characteristics of Revival

The Earth is Being Prepared For The Last Great Revival

Repent therefore and turn back that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord and that He may send the Christ, appointed for you, Jesus. Acts 3:19-20 ESV.

A Sovereign God acts sovereignly. Notice that nothing can be done against the truth, but that all things work together for His truth. He raises up Kings and brings down Kings. He raises up nations and brings down nations. YES, the earth has been in preparation for a great season of revival before the end of times and the second return of Jesus Christ.

History past assists in understanding history future. When we look back and study great revivals we notice general characteristics of those moves of God. Dr. Carolyn Tenant in a lecture (June 9, 2015) at the Theological Seminary for the Assembly of God in Springfield, Missouri gave nine characteristics of revivals past. They are listed below.

Occurred in times of moral decline

Began in the heart of a consecrated servant

Rested on the Word of God

Resulted in a return to worship of God

Witnessed the destruction of idols

Recorded separation from sin

Had people returning to obey God’s laws

Experienced a restoration of joy and gladness

Was followed by a period of national prosperity

We are witnessing a level of moral decay that we have not experienced in this generation. There is a spiritual restlessness that is stirring in the hearts of worshippers. This will drive a new sound of worship coupled with a manifest presence of God that has not been heard since the late 1960’s.

The earth is being prepared – the real question, are you being prepared?

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

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Ministerial Calling Under Attack

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The “Call of God” to pastoral ministry has taken a huge hit in the last 28 weeks of COVID. This results in a huge impact in churches. 58% of pastors state they feel confident their church will survive 12 months from now. You might say, at least this is a majority! However, this is not all that reassuring since 1-in-3 churches will close their doors in the next 3 years.

Notice the sample of data points at week #28 of our COVID journey: •1-in-5 churches have stated they will not reopen until sometime between Easter and early summer 2021.•81% of Ministers are very concerned about the use of screens and the impact upon our younger generations.•14% of Ministers state they have a definite plan in place to equip families and our younger generations in the unhealthy use of screens.•We are learning the church is good at ministry in Acute situations. However, we are learning that we do not perform well in Chronic situations. This is a matter of short-term versus long-term needs.

Regarding the comparison of Acute Vs. Chronic Jeremiah and Ezekiel spoke to their history and cultural genocide. Babylon was a long-haul journey before they ever were able to return home.

What is Culture? Culture is what we do in terms of daily rhythms and social interactions that we never think about. It infers familiarity without a second thought. Cultural Genocide is the disruption of these daily rhythms and social norms that causes us to think about our next move and emotional reaction. 

I would refer to the prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel to help us with some comprehension about the long-haul nature of a national crisis. Without going into a deep dive of study for both prophets, let me state they spoke to their history and the cultural genocide among God’s people.

When we consider that the Ministerial Calling is under attack today, there are some factors that need to be considered in this moment. Barna Research has previously reported that 60+% of ministers today feel their number one role is to be the primary developer of content to be presented. The “Shepherding” functions are in greater demand now than content development and speaking. However, public speaking is challenging when talking to a camera and empty room. This is the perfect storm that is brewing!

Consider Jeremiah as the weeping prophet, weeping for the nation because of their sin. Jeremiah warned that Babylon was being used by God to judge national Israel – don’t resist he says! Jeremiah was ostracized for this type of speaking. No trophy given for that presentation.

One of the great challenges of leadership today is the “Shrinking Circles of Trust!” Trust is perhaps our greatest need. Who do you trust enough to care for you? Who do you trust enough to have conflict with and remain in relationship? How do we build trust in a shrinking world (I.e.. Social Distancing). It seems that we are having conflict about people instead of with people. There is a huge difference in those conversations.

COVID is pushing our junk into the open for everyone to look at. During these 28 weeks to date there have been leaders that have morally fallen and ruined Christian Universities, marriages ended in divorce, and suicides. We cannot deny COVID will have long term impacts upon the faith community. Denying this is behave as like King Zedekiah – He dismissed Jeremiah’s message from God and then Jeremiah was thrown out of the temple as well. There are no trophies being handed in the ministry – this is a tough hour to stand and declare, “Thus says the Lord!” 

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher – SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!

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Signs of Revival

These Signs Were Discussed 6 Years Ago

Six years ago, there was a declaration that 2014 was to be a year of revival and the prophetic. A lot has happened in our world since that time. Revival has not been at the fore-front in the last six years. A national crying out to the Lord is not about unlocking Heaven’s treasure box. It is more about humanity crying out to God for help that man cannot generate and provide. Our COVID Journey has turned everything upside down and right-side up – we are confused at times as to the nature of our country. Christ made it clear that His house was to be a house of prayer if it is going to be anything. So, what are the signs of Revival that were mentioned six years ago.[1]

A Work of God – Spiritual awakening is a work of God. Spiritually dormant Christians cannot resuscitate themselves! Those in a coma cannot push the button beside their hospital bed to alert the nurse’s station of their dire condition. They cannot give themselves medicine or go for a walk to get some fresh air. God is the Creator and sustainer of life. Only He can dispense it. Even when people begin to sense their need for revival and they start meeting with others to pray for it, they are simply responding to a divine initiative, convicting them of their sin and prompting them to return to God.

Place of Repentance – Spiritual awakening involves returning to God. God urged His people through the prophet Malachi: “. . . Return to Me, and I will return to you” (Mal. 3:7). 

Holiness – True revival always leads to holiness. You cannot continue to practice sin and simultaneously experience spiritual renewal. In Isaiah chapter 1, God rejected His peoples’ worship when they entered the place of worship with sin-filled lives (Isa. 1:1-20).

Filled With The Holy Spirit – In times of revival, people are filled with the Holy Spirit. Preaching becomes powerful when anointed by the Spirit. The congregation can sing the same songs, yet now they are invigorated by the Spirit and the times of corporate worship are characterized by the joy and presence of God’s Spirit.

Willing Obedience – Revivals stimulate obedience to whatever God requires.

Love Relationship – Revival brings God’s people back into a LOVE relationship with Him. Our sin represents a renunciation of God and a violation of our LOVE relationship with God.

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

[1] Kay Horner. 6 Signs of Revival. www.charismamag.com Accessed 19, September 2020.

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Cultural Genocide

Double Standards Applied During COVID-19

No one will argue that 2020 has been a year of layered disruptions that has altered our normal rhythms for years to come. Our cultural norms are in the way of the current pandemic dialogue. Who would have believed that all centers of worship would go dark overnight? Who would have believed that home-life rhythms of parents would take on the role of Schoolmaster, Digital Career, and keep the normal atmosphere of home life alive? Who would have believed that End of Life Celebrations would be limited to a handful of people and live streamed to others that are not permitted to attend because of COVID restrictions? Who would have believed that COVID-19 does not impact peaceful protests that has caused an estimated $6 billion in community damage while churches are still being forced to either stay shut-down or meet with severe restrictions because of the fear of churches becoming “super-spreaders” of the coronavirus? Who would believe that protests over wrongful death would morph into the deliberate death of those we ask to protect our communities?

To a pathogen, one crowd is very much like any other, no matter how righteous the cause or how justified the protest. If a handful of people protesting lockdowns were a cause for concern, the much larger protests sweeping America—with exponentially more potential vectors of transmission—should have been met with the offer of safer options for making one’s voice heard. African Americans have already suffered disproportionately from Covid-19; failing to protect them by implicitly encouraging large public gatherings is a display of cynical disregard for black lives.[1]

It is interesting how history past proves the future. The German Jewish poet Heinrich Heine wrote in 1821; “Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings.” More than a century later in 1933, Heine’s books would be burned in Berlin’s Opernplatz, presaging the murder of six million Jews in a vicious calculated campaign of genocide.[2]

“Cultural Genocide” as a conversation descriptor for current activity has been revived by numerous authors and faith leaders. In an article in 2018 by Facinghistory.org it was stated that cultural genocide involves the eradication and destruction of cultural artifacts, such as books, artworks, and structures, as well as the suppression of cultural activities that do not conform to the destroyer’s notion of what is appropriate.[3]

YES, cultural norms will change! Biblically speaking, church culture must change because of the spirit of antichrist that is so obvious in our world now. We see its manifestations more clearly. You cannot read the Bible books of Daniel and Revelation without understanding that days of devastation will come. Yet our hope is not in cultural institutions, but in an eternal message of hope in Christ Jesus. This is a battle between good and evil, heaven and hell, Christ and Satan. Do not weep over lost cultural institutions, rather weep over the spiritual lostness of mankind!

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

[1]Chris von Cseflvay, Distrust Is Infectious Too. www.City-Journal.org. Accessed 19 September, 2020

[2] Edward C. Luck. Cultural Genocide and The Protection of Cultural Heritage. (J. Paul Getty Trust: Los Angeles Ó2018) p.5

[3] Cultural Genocide. www.facinghistory.org. Accessed 19 September, 2020.

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Cultural Comprehension of The Holy Spirit

For Such A Time As This

In my morning devotions in the Bible Book of Acts I ran a search on the Cultural Indwelling of Spirit. I was amazed when my Logos Bible software yielded a response of 5, 824 results in 120 resources (Multiple Translations). What does this mean and how are we to apply this amount of data? At a basic conclusion it can be stated the indwelling presence of the Spirit is embedded into the Biblical life and times of people. It was understood that SPIRIT and spirit (Holy Spirit vs. divination) can indwell humans. I have been trained to observe the frequency of or lack of word usage or phrases as this adds to the overall meaning and trajectory of the authors message.

This search as it pertains to the Book of Acts is important to understanding the birth of the church in Acts. Christ’s words are riveting in chapter 1:4-8. This is the last words of Christ as He was ascending into Heaven. Literally, gravity released its grip and Christ was taken up in a cloud out of their sight. Christ’s instruction was, do not leave Jerusalem until you are baptized with the Holy Spirit and a result of this fact, you will receive power. This is the ignition point of the New Testament Church. The function of the Church was going to be different from the religious systems that had dominated national Israel even to the utter-most reaches of civilization. 

While scripture gives numerous references to spiritual indwelling, Pentecost was going to be different from cultural understanding. Christ’s words were clear, “…He ordered them to not depart Jerusalem, but wait for the promise…” The nation was experiencing layered disruptions; Religious power systems were uprooted, Rome had conquered, and Christ had descended back to Heaven. The Disciples were now alone in one sense, but now they were going to wait for the abiding Holy Spirit presence. What was the impact? Here are 17 references of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in Acts – 1:8; 2:2-4, 17-18, 33, 38; 4:31; 5:15-16; 7:54-56; 8: 15-17; 9:17-19; 10:38, 44-47; 11:15-17; 13:9; 15:8-9; 16:16-18; 19:2-7.

It is safe to say the New Testament church grew while making a massive impact upon the communities where the Gospel was being preached. Our COVID world is a great opportunity for a fresh presence of the Holy Spirit to realign our missional purpose; “….All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18b-20 NIV.

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com