Webinar March 19, Run Your Race: How Pastors Can Get the Most from the Church-Association Relationship

The Long Beach Harbor Association exists to Resource, Assist, Coach, and Equip the leadership of local churches, empowering them to make disciples, and launch new churches and ministries. We are here to empower our leaders to run their RACE! Resource, Assist, Coach, and Equip! 2

IF you could pick two New Testament people, besides Jesus, to be your mentor and coach, who should you pick? Ready? I would strongly suggest these two men: Paul and Barnabas 3

Barnabas was known to be a great encourager. Pastors and churches today need great encouragers! And Paul was perhaps the greatest missionary, pastor, disciple-maker, and church planter of his day, as well as a tent- maker for much of his ministry, like many bi-vocational pastors today. See Thom Rainer handout. 4

So where can a pastor and/or church find a Paul and a Barnabas today? I believe the best place is in your local association, and in your local Director of Missions, and in his team! 5

Napoleon defined leadership in this way: Leaders define reality and give hope! Who can best help you define your local reality? Your DOM and his team! Who can best help you find real hope to overcome challenges and achieve God’s plans in the midst of that reality? Your DOM and his team! 6

Who is the person and/or team that God has provided to help you define your local realities? I strongly suggest that God has given you a DOM and his team to help you do this!! DOMs are the hinges that open doors, and are the catalysts who can transform ingredients into powerful compounds! 7

Who is the person and/or team that God has provided to help you give real hope from God? I strongly suggest that God has given you a DOM and his team to help you do this!! DOMs can often see objectively the ingredients of a church’s progress per Kingdom values and objectives! Our teams can provide assessment and training to help your church. 8

What are some specifics of what your DOM and association can provide? #1—Leadership training and development at all levels of your church. We use Leadership Bridge retreats, VBS Clinics, Empower Sunday School and Leadership Training Conferences, an ASSISTeam, mentoring and coaching, (continued) 9

What are some specifics of what your DOM and association can provide? (#1 continued) personal and church encouragement, conflict training, resolution, and mediation, healthy church training, best books and magazines, and best internet websites and blogs. 10

What are some specifics of what your DOM and association can provide? #2—Weekly and/or Monthly Groups for “iron sharpens iron” benefits. No pastor is to be a Lone Ranger! We are Kingdom Builders together! #3—Mentoring and coaching support. Mentors pour into you from their skills and experience. Coaches pull out of you what God has placed inside you! 11

What are some specifics of what your DOM and association can provide? #4—Coordination of mission teams in the area from out of region and out of state. #5—Connections to all resource people and agencies: other associations, CSBC, SBC, NAMB, IMB, WMU, Disaster Relief, et al. 12

What are some specifics of what your DOM and association can provide? #6—Supply preachers, interim pastors/ministers, and search committee help. #7—General legal and societal trending help. #8—Demographics of all kinds, including actual names, addresses, and ethnic info of community. 13

What are some specifics of what your DOM and association can provide? #9—Evangelism training of all kinds, Bibles, and tracts. #10—Opportunities for pastors and churches to help other pastors and churches in region. #11—Starting new churches in region, state, nation, and world. 14

What are some specifics of what your DOM and association can provide? #12—Emotional and spiritual encouragement in all kinds of situations and challenges. #13—Warnings as to dangers in theology, practices, teachings, and trends. #14—Opportunities to be part of a “bigger picture” throughout region, state, nation, and world. 15

What are some specifics of what your DOM and association can provide? #15—Association and Cooperative Program Missions #16—Mission trips to NAMB and IMB regions #17—Healthy Church Development #18—Raising up workers for and from the harvest field. 16

So who can best help you define your local reality? Your DOM and his team! Who can best help you find real hope to overcome challenges and achieve God’s plans in the midst of that reality? Your DOM and his team! Your Director of Missions and teams in your association can be your best racing allies and teammates! 17

No church or pastor should go it alone, not when your DOM and your association are eager to empower you to run your race! We are here to empower our leaders to run their RACE! Resource, Assist, Coach, and Equip! 18

Richard Graham, DOM/CPC Long Beach Harbor Southern Baptist Association cell 19