Skip to main content

What To Do First to Make a Profit

The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat  ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're  not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director.  Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year.  God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started inve
Post a Comment

How did this word get such a bad reputation?

Clique [klik]
noun
a small, exclusive group of people; coterie 

Every time I hear this word in any form or fashion, it's always with distain.

I've often pondered the subject of why.  

I'm a compassionate person by nature and definitely don't harbor the "us four and no more" mentality when it comes to Christianity or church.  I believe it's important for us to welcome people with open arms.

At the same time, my heart tells me that there is sometimes an appropriate setting for a clique of sorts in certain settings of life. 

Are my husband and I not in a clique by literal definition being that we are an exclusive couple, not allowing another woman or man into the inner sanctum of our relationship?

Is my family of five not a "clique" when we go on a sacred family vacation together or have a family meeting, "just us five"?

Last night and for the better part of today my husband and I have been at a denominational leadership team meeting where only the team leaders and their spouses - an exclusive group -  were invited for this special time away together.  We are spending time together away from everyone else, and receiving special appreciation.  Are we a clique? If so, or if not, WHY?


Why do cliques get such a bad rap across the board?
When does an exclusive pairing or group become a bad thing?

In my experience of pastoring all these years something I have noticed is that when someone doesn't get a friendship with a "certain person" they want one with in the church they will make an accusation of cliques.  There may be plenty of inroads to a friendship within the church, just not the "certain one" that person wants.  Or, if someone wants to be "close friends" with the pastors, and it doesn't happen all of a sudden there is an accusation of cliques in the church even though there may many others available for this person, their interest was the pastors, or no one.


The fact that someone accuses of cliques doesn't mean there ARE cliques, however, it just means the person did not experience the mutual receptivity from one or two people they were particularly interested in.


I have also noticed that when a leadership team is really in unity and is moving things forward and others in the church may not like it, the naysayers just accuse the team of being a clique.  This is an easy accusation to throw around and it is easily "proven" by the accuser when others see the team hanging out/working together.

I strongly believe it's important to welcome and include others and at the same time I believe there is  an appropriate place for a close bond between a few friends.  In one dictionary definition I found, the definition of clique was simply this:  "circle."  

When does a circle of friends become something of reproach rather than blessing?

I'm really intrigued by the idea of how the word or idea of a clique became scornful. 

What do you think?
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Relevant Church doing something...

incredibly RELEVANT!

I just heard some news today that really inspired me. A church here in Tampa, Relevant Church is doing a new thing this month called the "30 Days Sex Challenge." (I've never visited the church but Pastor Trinity - our children's pastor - has visited or has met some people from this church and he was very impressed.) Realizing that this is a major element missing from some marriages (the frequency factor) their lead pastor, Paul Wirth, has issued a challenge for all the married couples to have sex for 30 days in a row. At the same time he has issued a challenge for all unmarrieds to completely abstain from sex. Of course we know the Bible says that those who are unmarried should not have sex in the first place but the point is, a lot of unmarried's aren't obeying the Lord's command to abstain and this is just one pastor's way of trying to get them to see that indeed, there is a better way! (God's way!) At the same time, many married couples are not
29 comments
Read more

Excellent teaching on Criticism

My friend Pastor Leanne posted this today on her Myspace blog and I thought it was excellent and so timely. It's a blog post from Pastor Perry Noble , about criticism. I think it's perfect for the pastors at Relevant Church right now, as well as any other person going through this. I would like to note that when he says, "when God begins to move" it wouldn't necessarily just pertain to your church but to your life, your family, your marriage, anything that concerns you. I have found that the greater God does things in my life and the more He blessed me the more I should expect it. This teaching is good, so good I was almost wavin' a hanky in my office. Okay, here we go... You Will Be Criticized When God Begins To Move–Expect It And Get Over It. (Pastor Perry Noble at http://www.perrynoble.com/ ) I've never met a devil worshiper–to my knowledge that is. When I first became a Christian I was convinced that I needed to do all that I could to be ready to comba
3 comments
Read more

What Verbal Abuse is Really Like, and Why We Must Care
Guest Post: Terri von Wood

In my speaking travels, I meet the most amazing people. Some are connections that go beyond just a night or a weekend of preac hing. One day on my journey, I met Terri von Wood, and we immediately clicked and have been friends ever since.  Just a reminder that all of our guest bloggers this week are available to chat with you in the comment section here on the blog or on my facebook page where the blog is also published.   *** People who have never suffered through or witnessed abuse (including pastors) often don't know how to help women in abusive situations. Knowledge is power and it is my belief that if the church understood the prevalence of abuse, help would be made available.  First, we must acknowledge that the divorce rate is the same  in the church as in the world.  Second, we must understand that the 50% divorce rate does not include all the women who are abused but stay because they do not know what else to do or do not have anyone to turn to.  If those women we
12 comments
Read more