When was the last time someone said to you, “Hey, lets go to an average restaurant!”
Or how about, “I hope this year the football team I pull for has a .500 record!”
If someone did say those things to us we would consider them to be slightly insane - because all of us know that AVERAGE has never been the goal of people or organizations who really want to make a difference!
If we would not settle for average with our food or football - then why in the world would we settle for it with our church?
We could list several possibilities; however, I personally believe that average is always the result of apathy.
Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand how apathy can develop over time in the life of a leader; after all, we have challenges of people questioning our motives, an overwhelming feeling there is always more to be done and the massive responsibility of preparing for 52 Sunday’s per year.
However, as church leaders, apathy cannot be our default setting—because we follow a MAN who was/is a lot of things, but “average” and “apathetic” are two words than cannot be associated with him—which is why I believe they should not be associated with His church (or those who are called to lead in it.)
Here are five things I do that continually increase my passion:
#1 - Diet and Exercise - Sorry for those who wanted a more spiritual answer…but what we eat and how active we are really does make a difference in the level of passion we possess. (AND…I would actually argue that this IS a spiritual issue. Anyone remember what the enemy used to tempt Adam and Eve with? Answer—FOOD! Anyone remember what the enemy used the first time he tempted Jesus? Answer—FOOD! Anyone think that’s just a coincidence?)
In July I weighed 234 pounds, this morning I weighed in at the gym at 208—and I’m eating cleaner than I’ve ever eaten in my life—and I can tell you that these two things have made a HUGE difference!
#2 - Hang Out With Passionate People - Recently I had the privilege of being around church leaders from all over the world for about five days, and I can tell you that after my time with them I was seriously more excited about the church than I’ve ever been in my life. As leaders we should NEVER apologize for wanting to be around people who absolutely get us excited about what we do!
#3 - Change Up Your Routine - I heard Mark Batterson say one of the most profound things I’ve ever heard in my life several years back: “Change of place + change of pace = change of perspective.” I’ve got to admit when I first heard him say that I thought, “wow, that’s awesome the way it rhymes and everything;” however, the more I’ve lived this saying out the more I can tell you it is absolutely true. If your passion levels are decreasing—it really could be as simple as changing up WHAT you do and WHERE you do it!
#4 - Set Goals - Recently I heard someone say, “People without goals will always work for people with goals.” Lots of time a lack of passion is the result of a lack of purpose - and a lack of purpose is the result of a lack of planning out goals. I can testify as someone who has lived without goals and someone who has lived with them that having goals gives me a greater sense of purpose, which absolutely fuels my passion!
#5 - Learn - We’ve all heard people say, “you don’t know what you don’t know,” which is so true! However, with information at our finger tips (can anyone say Google) we literally have no excuses. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been listening to a podcast (Steven Furtick and TD Jakes are always on the playlist) or watching a YouTube video (Simon Sinek, “Start with Why” is a MUST) in which I’ve learned something new - and it absolutely inspires me to take action (rather than just merely pontificating on the new information!)
These five things are things I know work - they’ve helped me, and I believe they will help you as well…
And by the way…if you REALLY want to dive into the last one I listed (LEARN) then I wanted to make sure you know you have less than 48 hours to purchase my video coaching curriculum - I can promise you that you will learn some things you did not know, and be reminded of some things you have known in the past, but may have forgotten. It’s my sincere belief that the Lord will use these videos in your life to FIRE you up AND shape you into a better leader - go here to make the investment ASAP!