BILLIONAIRE PRIORITIES

• Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos – rushing into space
• 7/11 “Billionaire Richard Branson reaches space in his own ship.”

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• What do you think about this?
• How is this a priority for the wealthiest?
• What do you think of those who ask why they are not seeking to solve poverty or hunger as a priority?

CONGREGATIONAL PRIORITIES

• A congregation that has clarity of identity knows well and is able to articulate its priorities.

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• How clearly defined are your congregation’s priorities?
• Are others than the pastor able to articulate the priorities?
• What connection do those priorities make with neighbors?

COVID – RHEOSTAT

• Rheostat – “an electrical instrument used to control a current by varying resistance.”
  • “Covid precautions are not an on and off switch, but more like a rheostat.” -D
• The Delta variant is now prominent in every state.
• The rate of infection is growing again in our region.
• People fully vaccinated are testing positive.

LISA ALLGOOD INFORMATION FROM MONDAY, JULY 12

• The Delta variant is in all 50 states and currently makes up more than 50% of new cases in the US and 80% of new cases in the Midwest
• The Delta variant is 60% more infectious than the original variant Alpha, and about twice as infectious (200%) as the original virus.  That means it has and will continue to spread very rapidly, particularly in unvaccinated people.
• Those who have both doses of an mRNA vaccine are more than 80% covered against Delta.  Those who only have one shot are about 30% covered.  The J&J shot is also effective at about 65% coverage.
• The Delta variant has shown that it can evade certain elements of the vaccine.
• New COVID cases in the US are above 20,000 per week for the past several weeks. Hospitalizations and deaths are also increasing in 42 states.
• 99% of deaths are in unvaccinated people.
• The Delta variant has infected some vaccinated individuals.  Generally symptoms are mild but they can still be infectious.
• Globally, although this varies greatly by country and region, 25% have received one dose and 12% have received two doses.
• Spikes are beginning globally, again primarily in unvaccinated individuals.

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• How are you experiencing this time?
• What rheostat like experience are you having with this?

REAL TENSIONS CHURCH LEADER FEEL

Cary Nieuwhof | “5 Very Real Tensions Every Small to Mid-Sized Church Leader Feels”
[LINK]

1. THE DESIRE TO KEEP THE CHURCH ONE BIG FAMILY.
   • “This pressure is huge. …The reality is even when our church was 40, those 40 people didn’t know each other—really.”
   • “The goal is not to create a church where everyone knows everyone. Create a church where everyone is known.”

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• What have you done or are you doing to create a church where everyone is known?
• How might talking about the church as one big family not well serve the church?

2. THE PEOPLE WHO HOLD POSITIONS DON’T ALWAYS HOLD THE POWER.
   • “…but often there are people—and even families—whose opinion carries tremendous weight.”
   • “This misuse of power is unhealthy and needs to be stopped.”
   • “When the people who are gifted to lead get to lead, the church becomes healthy. When we got healthy, we grew.”

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• How have you experienced this dynamic, what did you do or not do with it? Why did you choose action or inaction?

3. THE PASTOR CARRIES EXPECTATIONS NO HUMAN CAN FULFIL.
   • “Many small church pastors are actually more burnt out than large church pastors.”
   • “The key here for those who want to grow past this is to set clear expectations of what you will spend your time on.”

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• What tactics have you employed to put boundaries around your capacity, time, and expectations?
• What do you do when others disagree with your choices?

4. TRADITION HAS MORE PULL THAN VISION.
   • “The past has a nostalgia to it that the future never does.”
   • “The challenge for the leader is to cast a vision that is clear enough and compelling enough to pull people from the familiar past into a brighter future.”

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• What do you do with members or leaders that want to live in the past when it comes to nostalgia and your church?
• How does “Clarity of Identity” help you pull people into a bright future?

5. THE NATURAL DESIRE TO DO MORE NOT LESS.
   • “Often the key to reaching more people is doing less.”
   • “By doing a few things well and creating steps, not programs, you will help more people grow faster than almost any other way.”
   • “Complexity is the enemy of progress.”

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• What does progress look like for you? How is it/is it not connected to growth?
• If you were to name a singular focus or target for your church, what would it be?

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