Busy is one of those words that can mean different things at different times. There has been times when I thought I was busy then later I thought “What was I thinking? I wasn’t busy then, I’m busy now.” In a few months I end up eatting my words because it just got busier. Why does busy change?
1. Your time management skills either need to improve or you are not practicing what you know about time management.
2. You’re not delegating to your team.
3. You’re having a hard time saying no.
4. “Your hummingbird butt overrode your alligator mouth.” Which means, “You bit off more than you can chew,” which means all of the above need work.
Author Archive for Jim Wideman
Same action brings same results… I’ve found out these past 53 years on the earth you can’t keep doing things the same way you have always done them and get different results. For the last 12+ years I have been teaching a monthly audio leadership lesson that I call the children’s ministers leadership club or theClub for short. Every workshop, book chapter, magazine article and blog post I do has come from a club lesson. TheClub has been a blessing to me and the lifeblood of income and support for JWM. They have also blessed a lot of leaders. In January I made the Young Guns Program available to CM Leaders under 30 so they could get theClub lessons free. I’ve had a great response. But I feel led to do something crazy over the next 3 months I’m going to give my June, July, and August club lessons away free to anyone of any age who signs up for my newsletter on jimwideman.com. Call me crazy, call me generous, call me a nice middle age gentleman who looks a little like the guy on the chicken bucket. Hurry and sign up before June 15th so you won’t miss a single lesson. I’m excited to see the growth that will happen when you dare to expand how you think about leadership.
Now…”that’s the way I see it!”
Good reasons to say no
1. There simply aren’t enough hours in a day to work on it, even if I get to work early and stay late.
Just say no!
2. You are booked
Just say no!
3. My other work will suffer if I take on this assignment.
Just say no!
4. I don’t have the necessary skills to complete this project and I will not be able to attain them in
time.
Just say no!
Ok it’s your turn again. Know any reasons to say yes to no?
jw
Bad reasons to say no
1. The project looks too difficult. Don’t say no to an opportunity to grow and learn.
2. It isn’t part of my job description. Never let these words come out of your mouth
3. I’m in the middle of planning my wedding and can’t focus on anything
right now. What? This was told to me by a leader once, life never stops, learn to balance personal stuff and your ministry. There will always be something going on at the same time as something you need to do for ministry. Both life and church must go on.
How about you? Know any bad reasons to say no?
jw
Here are 6 questions to ask before saying no for no sake.
1. Am I already working on several important assignments that leave me no time for this one?
If so maybe no is the right answer.
2. Can I delegate some of my other work to make room for this assignment?
If no maybe no is the right answer.
3. Can I put some of my other assignments on the back burner while I work on this one?
If not maybe no is the right answer.
4. Will taking on this assignment cause harm to my other work?
If so maybe no is the right answer.
5. Do I absolutely lack the skills necessary to complete this assignment?
If yes maybe no is the right answer.
6. Am I the only person who can successfully complete this assignment?
If no maybe no is the right answer.
more to come…
Let’s look at our example (JESUS) Here are eight times Jesus said no..
1. He said no to the devil (Luke 4)
2. He said no to religious people and their doctrines & traditions (Luke 5 & 6)
3. He said no to family (Luke 8:19-21)
4. He said no to a man who wanted Jesus to act as a judge between an inheritance dispute
with his brother (Luke 12:14)
5. He said no to miracles because of the lack of faith of people in their hometown (Mark 6:5)
6. He said no to his disciples when they asked him to send the people away so they could buy
themselves food. He said no, you give them something to eat (Mark 6:36 & 37)
7. Said no to the Syrian Phoenician woman because she didn’t have a covenant (Mark 7:26)
8. He said no to ministry (Matt. 8:18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.)
Notice he didn’t say no to all these situations all the time but what these verse give me is permission to say no to even good things as well as bad things. It also let’s me know that sometimes no is the best answer.
Have you ever wondered, “Am I really making a difference in the lives of kids?” “Are they really getting what I’m teaching?” The answer is yes. The cool thing about the Orange Conference for me was that I ran into at least one child or leader from all of the 4 churches I’ve worked at in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and the 00’s and yes they got it. They are now all grown up, not only loving Jesus but they all also ministering to children themselves. They know this children’s ministry stuff works, it worked on them. Don’t ever forget this… YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN THAT WILL IMPACT GENERATIONS TO COME!
Most people work on their strengths and ignore their weaknesses. I believe it’s good to know your strengths and develop them to their fullest. I get a lot done, I do, time management fascinates me.
I have a true confession: “My greatest strength also covers up my biggest weakness!” I’ve always been a sucker for “it can’t be done.” I’ve also had a hard time passing up the challenge, “no one can do this.” I don’t think I’m a workaholic. Sure I enjoy what I do. My wife says I have the gift to turn hobbies into work. Over the past year I have learned to separate my self-worth from my performance. I have been called driven and maybe I am. I sometimes have unrealistic expectations for myself and others. I have been known to enjoy the high of success although the pressure can be too much some time. The truth is I have a hard time saying no! Okay I said it!
I struggle with when. I struggle with how. I struggle with why. I’m having to work on walking out the fact of “just because I am asked to do something that it doesn’t mean it’s God’s will for my life!”
more to come…
It has been exactly a year since I talked to my pastor of 17 years for the first time about my departure from the staff there. I never thought I would leave but it was God that I did. What a year this has been! It’s been amazing to watch the Father’s care for me and my family. It’s wild how a step of obedience can be both the best of times and the worst of times. Peace and faith went head to head against wonder and unknown and won. If you had told me this time last year that I would be on staff at a new church, I would be living in Tennessee, giving my leadership club away free to children’s pasters under 30 years old and I would be seeing another dream of mine coming true, launching a 12 month mentoring service, I would have said….naw. It’s been the greatest year of learning, reflecting, evaluation, dreaming, and change I’ve experienced in years. I’ve prayed more, laughed more, cried more, repented more, traveled more and ate more than I should have but it’s been a great year! I’m healthier, happier, and less stressfull. I’ve found myself asking people “How are you doing?” more than “What have you been doing? or “What’s going on?” As I think about the question “What will I be writing in a year?” I don’t have a clue what the new year holds but I know it’s going to be good. I choose to have only 2 kinds of days…good days and better days! And I am committed to spend the rest of my life pouring into the next generation of leaders. Thanks for your prayers and coming with me on the journey.
In summary, remember these seven points:
1. Full-time doesn’t always give you more time than what you have now .
2. You’re not the first to be in this situation.
3. Your gift will make room for you.
4. Keep your priorities in the proper order.
5 Time management is a must.
6. Learn to be a good communicator.
7. Learn to be content where you are.
As you walk out these steps, you will be more effective as you serve your Lord full-time on part-time or less pay.