Shane Ash

I was conversing with some of our leadership team of nbc…and sharing the frustrations and fears I am discovering in local church leadership. Since I am so new at this gig…I try to create opportunities and safe places to confess and talk through the thoughts and emotions that distract from leadership. It took a while, but finally I had blabbered my way to the self-diagnosis of…”I guess I am just wanting to see immediate results.”

After listening to my ramble, one of our leaders paused and said something like, “We are not looking for deposits of change…we are looking for culture change. And culture change always takes time.”

My inner thoughts were scrambling, “But how do we create culture change. How do we move people to not only give sacrificially but to live sacrificially. What does it look like to reshape church-culture forms and religious habits that have become spiritual to people? What does it take to change not only a local church culture but the Church culture?”

The leaders spoke again…as if they had heard my thoughts, “Our responsibility…your responsibility…is to lead this change through clearly and commonly sharing the changed vision.”

I heard it…and it was dead-center right. To change church culture…the changed vision must be clearly defined and commonly shared.

Openness by the leader paves the way for ownership by the people. Without ownership, changes will be short term. Changing people’s habits and ways of thinking is like writing instructions in the snow during a snowstorm. Every twenty minutes the instructions must be rewritten, unless ownership is given along with instructions. – John Maxwell

• Justin has invested a ton of time and preparation for the next few months in our student ministries…I love the direction our teens are headed…
• And goodbye is bitter…but I trust and hope that we will see more of Jon at nbc…come back Jon…come back.
• Donnie is cool…and he is a great picture of Christ in his community. I was pumped to hear about what is happening in their church community as they tackle the moving target of participation in intentional discipleship. Pray for them as they transition and grow together as a community.
• Sam starts preschool this Friday…here.
• I have been wearing out this page…you need to check it out.
• I doubt a lot. I doubt God, others, but most often I doubt myself…and often it holds me back from what God has in mind. No doubt that I have missed some of God’s plans by doubting His ability to provide and guide. So when I read Perry Noble’s  great post yesterday it has stuck with me…what is holding you back?

Ok…every once in a while you see or read something and think to yourself, “That’s what I am talking about…!” Today, I had one of those moments. Over the last year at nbc…we have been re-imagining church…talking about what could and should be…dreaming about the 7 day a week church rather than the 1 hour a week experience we have made church to be. Check out this promotional video for a place call Soul City Church and then comment about what it triggers in your little mind…let’s talk.

Summer is ending and the vacations are finished…(sniff, and my little boy starts preschool in about a week). I am super duper pumped about the fall series here at nbc. We have partnered with these guys and are using this as we take a journey through the beatitudes. In our efforts to become a community devoted to Christ-likeness…this is a step forward into God’s future for us. I love the fact that we are moving “church” into the other 6 days of our lives. This is going to be great.

• Yesterday was awesome! We baptized and celebrated stories of life-change within the church. One of the stories we celebrated was Brandon. God is at work in this guys life…and seeking to make a leader out of him.
• I love this story of Onesimus…and perhaps…just perhaps…it can be your story too.
• Next week we wrap up our “changed” series…and I am telling you, you will love the ending to this story in the book of Philemon. God is ironic and amazing…seeking to restore us from broken wandering people – to healed leaders for the Kingdom.
• Loved having the teens back from camp yesterday…great stories about the Prodigal Son theme this year. I am geeked when I see the teens leading participation in worship and service at the church. Way to go guys…
• We are nearing the end of the “church year” for our church. We are spending extra time the next few weeks evaluating some of the needs and dreams within the church.
• We are getting very close to launching the new NBC website…gonna be sweet…
• Get to camp out this Friday night with little Sam for the first time…I wonder how long he will make it through the night…he is already asking, “how will we keep the snakes out?” Not a good start so far….
• Gonna be a great week…taking control of my thoughts and making them obedient to Christ…”perhaps, you can think of it like this…”.