Welcome to this week’s newsletter.

My core conviction is that the local church is the hope of the world. When churches get it right, lost people are found, found people grow to maturity in Christ, broken marriages are restored, and communities grow stronger.

Therefore, feeding and leading the sheep well is vital. We must shepherd the flock of God among us with upright hearts and skillful hands (Psalm 78:72) for the glory of God.

This newsletter is about helping you develop skillful hands. Thanks for reading!

360 Degrees

A compass does more than point you North, South, East, and West. It also contains the number of degrees in a circle—360.

The phrase “360-degree leadership” refers to the different directions leaders must learn to leverage their influence. Leadership is all about influence. It is about helping people move in a particular direction. The tactics and strategies you use to move people in the direction you desire depends on the seat you’re sitting in.

For example, a student pastor faces several leadership directions. They must lead up with the Senior Pastor and/or board of elders. They lead out with parents and peers on staff. The lead down to their volunteer leaders and students.

Each direction requires different approaches and tactics for influencing that group.

Lead Up, Lead Out, Lead Down

Leading Up is about influencing those you don’t have positional authority over. To influence those you don’t have authority over requires good communication, compelling arguments, and developing trust. It is important to connect things to the bigger picture, and not just your area of responsibility. In this position, you can’t demand things. You must commit to a longer timeframe for getting your ideas adopted.

Leading Out is about leading those who don’t have authority over you, but who you don’t have the authority over either. To influence these people, you need good relationships. You also need to demonstrate competency. Your goal is to win these people over by showing them a good plan and communicating with clarity. Good arguments are key in this seat.

Leading Down is about leading those you have authority over. This is the direction you have the most freedom to act on, but the responsibility for leading well is higher. If you fail to lead well in this direction, you can lose influence despite your position.

1 Actionable Tip

Focus on how to lead in each direction you face, and your leadership influence and effectiveness will grow.

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Take A Next Step to Keeping Growing

Whenever you want to take a next step of growing in your leadership, there are lots of ways you can do that.

1. Individual Coaching. For those who want to get a more tailored coaching experience, this option helps you grow in church leadership skills and solving your church-specific challenges. Sign-up soon, limited spots.

2. Church Consulting. If your church needs revitalization and desires assistance in developing a vision and strategy for going forward, this option can be great for you. We not only help diagnosis issues but work with you to create a plan and coach you on execution.

3. Student Ministry Leader Lab. Join us in Nashville August 3-4^th for coaching and practical help for leading an effective student ministry. Register here.