CMTeleSummit – The Art of Leading Up – Gina McClain

Here is my next installment of notes from the CMTelesummit.

• Statements
  • My effectiveness in ministry is just as dependant on connecting with parents as it is connecting with kids
  • I don’t have a weekly audience with parents, but my pastor does.
  • My pastor has level of authority and influence over parents.
• Have tried everything to connect with parents
• Why do I want their attention?
  • Vision to communicate to parents.

• Who has greatest opportunity to communicate vision – Senior Pastor!
• Three strategy to make Pastor greatest advocate for ministry
• Can use his influence to leverage vision
• Not manipulative tactics
  • Anything less than integrity and respect for role of pastor dishonors God
  • If have issues with pastor, need to resolve that with him
• Strategies
  • Informing
  • Praying
  • Storytelling
• Not original ideas, but three things to do to leverage influence
• Three questions to ask?
  • What is it?
    • What is your vision for your ministry?
    • If no goal, there is nothing to keep you on track
  • Does it fit?
    • Before you can shape the vision for your ministry, you have to know the vision for your church
    • Critical that vision of your ministry aligns with vision of Senior Pastor
  • Does he know it?
    • Has he bought into it?
    • Does he know your heart?
• Informing
  • Consistently keep Pastor informed of what parents need
    • Often see something he doesn’t see
  • If you keep him informed, he is better equipped to lead from his perspective
  • Important to refrain from dramatic terminology
    • Be a source of solid even-killed information about your ministry
• Prayer
  • Critical that you personally pray for your pastor
  • Pray pastor would be filled with wisdom and discernment for the community we are serving
  • Want God to give him a vision
  • Believe God is sovereign and the vision he gives you will align with your senior pastor
• Storyteller
  • Many times overlooked
  • In many churches, children’s ministry is highly valued
  • There will be seasons when your senior pastor doesn’t put a lot of thought into your ministry
  • No news is good news
  • Sometimes, you will get more attention than you want.
  • If he doesn’t have consistent positive input, you leave him to create his own impression based on what he has heard.
  • Needs to hear stories of life change coming from your ministry.
  • They become of bigger proponent for your ministry.
  • We tend to discount many of the stories that come out of our ministries
    • Much of what we see includes the “cute” factor that comes with kids
    • We aren’t leading a lot of Satan worshippers to Christ in kidmin
    • Life change stories are not as dramatic
    • Still have to tell them
    • Pastor need to hear them
    • Compile a list of stories that reflect great things happening in your ministry
  • Don’t embellish or exaggerate.  Just share the stories.
  • How to capture the stories is an ongoing challenge
    • If you have an idea, e-mail it to Gina at gina@ginamcclain.com

Make sure you check out Gina’s blog at http://ginamcclain.com.

Related posts:

1. What Matter Now in Children’s Ministry – Parents by Gina McClain
2. CMTeleSummit – Leading Strategically From Your Strengths – Michael Chanley
3. CM TeleSummit – Leading a Core Volunteer Team – David Wakerley and Nathan McLean
4. CM TeleSummit – 10 Attributes of a Children’s Leader – Justyn Smith
5. CMTeleSummit – Digital Children’s Ministry – Amy Dolan