Author: Nate Edmondson

Theology and church practice

/ Nate Edmondson / 2 Comments

My systematic theology professor last semester gave us an assignment that forced me to think critically about my theological convictions. The assignment was to take our view on a particular subject in systematic theology, and then analyze how our particular view should inform our ministry practice.

For example: If I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, how should that inform the way I teach the Bible?

I think this discipline is critical for church leaders. Why? Our ministries should be shaped by our theological convictions. 

Because of this, I think it’s interesting to consider why churches do church the way they do. What beliefs are informing their practice?

Here are some questions for consideration:

What theological conviction leads your church to do…

  • Small groups or Sunday school?
  • Seeker-sensitive or Insider-focused services?
  • Contemporary or Traditional music?
  • Verse-verse or Topical preaching?
  • Multi-site?
  • Missions the way you do it?
  • Church membership the way you do it?

I think we’re doing a lot of stuff in the church just because we think it “works”. But what theological conviction helps us define what it means to “work”? You owe it to yourself and your ministry to think about these things. Unless you’re clear on why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’re setting yourself up to waste a lot of time and energy, and even worse, to lead your people and your ministry away from the truth that should be shaping your people and your ministry.

Organic and positional leaders

/ Nate Edmondson / 7 Comments

As I’ve observed people and situations, I’ve noticed two different types of leaders. I’m sure some leadership expert has written extensively on this somewhere, but if they have, I haven’t read them. So, for the sake of this post I’m using my own terms for these two people: Organic Leaders and Positional Leaders.

  • Organic leaders are the people who walk in a room and become the leader by instinct. It doesn’t matter if they knew the people before or not, give them half an hour and they’ll be in charge.
  • Positional leaders are those who can lead once they have an opportunity, but aren’t as gifted at creating the opportunity themselves. In an unfamiliar environment, they may not vocalize their opinion (even though they probably have one and likely feel strongly about it).

I think misunderstanding these two types allows for potential stars in leadership to fall through the cracks.

I’ve heard this statement multiple times in reference to leadership: “Real leaders don’t need a position to lead.” The thought is that “real” leaders will just start leading.

The problem with this statement, though, is that it confuses organic leaders as real leaders, as if organic leaders are the “true leaders”. Consequently, potential stars are never recruited, trained, or encouraged because they seem passive, quiet, or apathetic in the initial environment. This causes the organization and the individual to miss out.

I understand the thinking that a person should be willing to contribute to the team even without a position, and I agree. My point, though, is this: Some of the best leaders are not going to thrive until you give them a position. That doesn’t mean you have to hire them, it means you have to recognize them and give them a platform.

Don’t allow potential stars to fall through the cracks by confusing organic leaders as real leaders. We need organic leaders and positional leaders, but unless we’re intentional, we’ll only get the organics.

Have you seen this dynamic play out? How do you attempt to recognize positional leaders?

The power of friendship

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Recently, I was sitting beside a 20 year old’s mom on a plane. The mom explained that her daughter was transferring colleges because of the friendships she had made at her first school. She was trying to make wise decisions, but her friendships at college made that very difficult.

Isn’t that interesting? Her friendships were moving her in a direction she didn’t want to go, and the only way to stop the movement… was to move. I think that reveals a powerful principle about friendship.

All friendships move you to a new place, but not all friendships move you to the right place.

If you want to make wise decisions, you’ll need to be wise in choosing your friendships. If your current friendships aren’t with wise people, eventually you’ll start moving in an unwise direction. In order to change directions, you’ll have to move away from your current friendships. That may not mean leaving the city, but it will mean changing who you spend time with.

If you continually hang out with people who don’t value what you value, eventually you’ll be forced to either change your values… or change your friendships. You can’t keep both.

And that’s what makes friendship so important. It’s powerful. It moves us. But if we’re not careful, we could get moved somewhere we don’t want to be.

The danger of being proud

/ Nate Edmondson / 6 Comments

When I was in 4th grade I participated in a speech contest at school. My parents worked with me on my speech, and taught me many basic, foundational principles for public speaking. Things like pausing at key times, using hand gestures effectively, making eye contact. That sort of thing.

By the time I was in high school, I had gained a reputation for being “good at speeches”. My ability to seem confident and polished in front of an audience helped me be elected Student Body President going into my senior year.

When my senior year started, I had given several important speeches to the faculty of the school, the parents of incoming freshmen, and the student body as a whole. I felt they were all important for me in my early days of presidency, and I felt I had done a good job delivering them.

Then, the third week of my senior year rolled around. I was scheduled to make an important announcement over the intercom about a big event the school was sponsoring. I had already delivered what I thought were the important speeches, and I didn’t put any time into the intercom announcement. Then…

I blew it.

I had become over-confident. Consequently, I stuttered, rambled, and choked my way through the announcement. The next day, I had to give a speech to the freshmen during a class assembly. The same thing happened again.

I remember jokingly telling the teacher in charge of student government, “I’ve lost it. I don’t know what’s happened to me.”

But now I know what happened. I had become proud. I had stopped preparing. I had stopped recognizing Who gave me my gift. I was no longer stewarding my gift well. And when that happens, you only head in one direction.

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 HCSB

What are you tempted to place your confidence in other than God today? What gifts are you using today that you’re tempted to take credit for? By doing so, you may just set yourself up for embarrassment.

Praying like Jeremiah

/ Nate Edmondson / 2 Comments

You will be righteous, Lord,
even if I bring a case against You.
Yet, I wish to contend with You:
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all the treacherous live at ease?

Jeremiah 12:1 HCSB

I love Jeremiah’s prayer here. He’s looking around at all of this terrible mess in Judah, just wondering what God’s up to.

  • God’s not making sense.
  • God seems absent. Aloof.

And look how he begins His prayer. You will be righteous, Lord.

Even though You’re not making sense, and even though I can’t see why You’re doing things the way You’re doing them, You’re right, Lord. You’re always right.

What if we prayed that way?

  • God, things aren’t making sense to me, but You’re always right, so please help me see how You see.
  • God, before I even complain or ask why You’re doing this, I just want to acknowledge that You know what You’re doing.

We’ll always have questions and concerns, but before we voice them, let’s remember who we’re talking to.