The FlipFlop Gospel

Can You Spell Team?

Erik Bennett — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 02:33:04 +0000

Team. There is nothing better than leading one or being effectively led while on one. If you lead a team of at least five people I want you to be a guest blogger on this site. The rules are simple and look like this:

The subject of the post must be Team Leadership.
The post must tell us the practical side of your work.
The post should teach us from failure as well as success ie… be honest.

Once you submit your post, I reserve full editing rights (grammar, spelling and, length if needed). Your submission is your agreement with these rules.

Remember these things when writing:

1. Keep your post under 650 words.

2. Your post must be original.

3. Your post cannot appear elsewhere.

4. You agree to have your post linked/appear on Twitter and Facebook.

Email all posts to erik@legendlabs.org I will respond within one week with a simple yes or no. Please include in your post a short bio, twitter name, and pic if you wish.

Thanks. Looking forward to seeing how you lead teams.

How to Get Toilet Paper Out of Your Tree

Erik Bennett — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:57:37 +0000

I am a former 15 year veteran of Student Ministry. Some people call it Youth Group. I hate that term. It’d take another post to understand why. In 15 years my house has been the subject of pranks. One morning I woke up and there was a goat tied to a tree in the front yard. I live in the ‘burbs. Then they forked my lawn. Google it. They post-it noted my car. All of it. No that glue doesn’t come off easy. They Christmas wrapped my car. They shaving creamed a message on my garage. They snuck into my house while I was on vacation and rearranged the whole house. The living room was in the kitchen. The kitchen was in a bedroom and so on… The thing I actually dislike the most is when they toilet paper my house. Its the most boring. The easiest to clean up. So here is how you clean it up:

Pick up all the stuff off the ground you can roll
Rake up all the other big pieces…if it gets dirt in it it actually helps.
Get out your hose. Turn on high. Blast everything else out of the trees. TP dissolves in water.
Take a picture. Maybe this should have been #1.

That’s pretty much it. Not rocket science. Imagine you could do the same thing in your life with interruptions. What if you had a simple strategy for reacting to a mess. Maybe you could use the TP method?

Respond to what you know must be done first. Eliminate clutter. The big pieces. Start with the easiest of the hardest.
Get some tools to help you cope with what remains of the clutter. Tools look like people, God, a Bible, counselors, friends, mentors…
Have some fun with the problem. Blast away and play. (yep the hose part)
Remember your trial for it is sure to find you in some form again.

If you are in a mess now. Let me know. The best thing I can do for you is to pray for you.

How do you handle a surprise mess?

Tagged: burbs, front yard, how to get toilet paper out of my trees, life, mess, pranks, remove toilet paper, rocket science, student ministry, toilet paper, tp

Boba Fett. $15K. Really?

Erik Bennett — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:19:07 +0000

Do you have an extra $15,000 available? Didn’t think so. However. If you by some chance answered yes than I have a deal for you. You can buy a never released prototype Boba Fett action figure from Star Wars. You remember those little toys. Han Solo, Luke Sywalker, C3PO, Darth Vader – the gangs all here. The beauty of the prototype is the real firing missile! Only the coolest bounty hunter of the future has that. Most models sold did not have the missile due to potential choking hazards. Still interested? Heres a picture of 15k added value:

Value is a crazy thing. Today, instead of telling me why this is sooo worth the investment, think about things in your life that have value. Measure them using these three questions:

1. How will this (thing, person, object, ideology etc…) help my community to flourish?

2. How will this help my faith to strengthen?

3. How will this bring glory to God and not me?

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. – Philippians 2:3 and 4

The guy who bought a similar prototype did so at Comic Con for 17K. 17. Yes. Se-ven-teeeen. Thousand. Dollars. Here’s what he said post purchase, “my girlfriend is going to kill me”. Well, probably not kill but pretty sure she is re-valuing her profile at match.com right about now. Today, know what you value and why. Here’s my working standard measuring tool. Not perfect. Not always met. But in place:

1. Family over work.

2. People over programming.

3. Humility over pride. Still working this one out :)

4. Bonus: Han Solo over Boba Fett ;)

How do you measure value?

Tagged: boba fett, comic con, little toys, luke sywalker, star wars

Value. Valued. Valuable.

Erik Bennett — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:08:24 +0000

Ever found yourself frustrated trying to get everyone around the same idea? Of course. Who hasn’t? The frustration setting in for many business and organization leaders is not plan or purpose. Its people. Millennials are frustration de jour. They think different. Act different. Perform different. Partner different. Buy different. Sell different. And, different leads to frustration. The honesty of understanding is found in knowing that M’s want three things really. They want to add value to the organization so they can feel purposeful (this is different from useful. Don’t confuse them). They want to know that they are valued in an organization (this is different from wanting to complete a directed task. They want to understand their role in the larger process) They want to work with a valuable organization (this is the core part of the “change the world’ DNA you need and they will bring to your ORG.) I want to help you not be frustrated by M’s. Heres a bit of help. Try using a few of these questions at your next organizational meeting when Gen M’s are in the mix to understand where they are on the timeline of Value, Valued, Valuable (Our M’er is named, John):

Value: Every Millennial wants to add value to an organization.

‘John, what do you think about this?’ or ‘John, how would you present this widget‘
‘John, your good at _______. How would your skill set make this work for others?’

Valued: Every Millennial wants to know that they are personally valued by an organization.

‘John, lets grab coffee (then don’t talk about work).’
‘John, nice work on that widget. Can you change this part of it a bit?’
‘Thanks for thinking through this with me. Is there something more you think we need here?’

Valuable: Every Millennial wants to be a part of an organization that is valuable.

‘John, how do you think that idea will help people do ________?’
‘John, you made a difference with your idea to _______________. Do you see that?’
‘John, last year we served our community by ________________. How could we do more of that?’

These are a few quick statements. You will need to make them your own. They need to honest. M’s don’t shy away from process but they do walk away when process is cloudy as to value, valued and valuable. How are you using Gen M in your organization?

Tagged: frustration, honesty, millennial, organization leaders, timeline, widget

Goodbye, fairwell, and that other word from Sound of Music I can’t spell…

Erik Bennett — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:11:19 +0000

(On Sunday , after 11 years of ministry, I officially announced my departure from FBC Weston. Heres why.)

All,

On behalf of the Bennett Family, I want to thank you for the last 11 years of ministry. I am truly blessed to have served you. I don’t have enough words to express my gratitude. You have helped reach students and families with the gospel. You have helped disciple and evangelize a generation. I would challenge you to continue to pursue Christ, live out the gospel, and rescue a generation of students and help them to become like Christ.

It’s an amazing paradox isn’t it? Christ joins us as believers through the bond of salvation. A justified family of brothers and sisters in Christ. That same ‘family’ bond also breaks us apart as God leads us to pursue the cause of Christ for the world. I am incredibly excited about the next phase of ministry. Pray for us as we transition. Love you guys. You will be in my prayers and in our hearts always.

As I stated to the church on Sunday morning, the Bennett’s will be continuing to live in Weston and our children will finish the semester at WCA at the end of the school year. Many have asked, ‘where are you going?’. So, in order to not have to continue to answer so many emails and texts and twitter messages:), Here are the details: I am pursuing a few different things this next year but the majority of my time will be spent on developing a new ministry called Legend Labs which is a mentoring group to churches with my friend Adam Bond.

Last year Adam asked me to be on his board of directors of his new group. Later in the year when he learned of transition plans he asked me to pray about resigning my board position and coming on as a ministry partner full time. After wrestling with God for quite a few months I finally committed in January 2012 to one year time frame to help him and see from there where it all lands. Very exciting times.

check out what we do here: www.legendlabs.org
my new email is erik@legendlabs.org

Christ Alone,

Erik, Jill and the rest of the Bennett’s

Tagged: bennett family, family bond, mentoring group, ministry partner, transition plans, wrestling with god

Why I Trust 20 year olds w/ My Future.

Erik Bennett — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:49:20 +0000

In Marcus Buckingham’s book, Stand Out, there is a great tool that helps analyze your giftedness. My highest scores were as, Provider and Pioneer if you’re playing along. A Provider is someone who values the team and wants everyone to come along for the ride of leadership. No one gets left behind. A Provider would see great value in team leadership and want to give access to many voices. The Pioneer is someone who loves the challenge of doing new things or restructuring an old way to a new way of doing things. Combining those two types produces: Trailblazer. A friend in ministry called me, Daniel Boone. Maybe this is why I love shows like Deadliest Catch and Gold Rush. They are shows about team work and adventure. That could be a Gen M hashtag. #TeamworkAdventure. M’s are a great tool that most leaders over the age of 40 have yet to fully value.

Here is part of what a Millennial can do in your organization. They can tell you whether you are being honest in your evaluation of yourself. Millennials have this uncanny knack at seeing truth for truth. They can spot a fake and sniff out the truth. If truth got buried in an avalanche we’d use Milliennial St. Bernard rescue dogs to sniff out a rescue. Are you engaged with Millennials on your leadership team? Here’s how you can lead them to help you lead your organization:

Give them a true voice at the leadership table. You will feel scared that their lack of practical experience will derail you. Dismiss that feeling. Fear is never a good motivator. Instead, listen to the words they say and how they make you stick to topic and doctrine. They know a line when the hear it. Use them to help you know the same. Use them to help vocally challenge the norms.
Let them dream about change out loud. Millennials want to change failing systems. Let them browse your systems and then allow them to dream about a new way of doing things. This will cause you to be scared. Dismiss that feeling. Fear is never a good motivator (yes, I said it again.). Instead, listen to what they dream about. I like hearing Gen M’s dream about the future church, since in fact, they are it.
Ask them good questions that promote more questions. Gen M thrives in places that reek community. They leave places that don’t. Good questions create atmospheres that allow for community. The question, is the petri dish of community. We ask Gen M questions that help make us all think together through issues. Dont be afraid to ask hard and challenging questions (repeat that sentence about fear). Gen M’s see that as you valuing their place at the table. It makes them bonded to you and to the organization.
Dont leave their decisions aside without telling them why. Biggest.Mistake.Ever. Gen M’s need to know if they are doing well or if they need to raise their game. To walk through the first three steps and leave this one out will destroy any community you thought you created. Why would you throw that away? Fear (repeat the sentence again). If the decisions don’t make sense for your Org let them know. It wont hurt their feelings. Instead it will energize them toward helping you solve another part of the process.
Take numbers 1 through 4 and apply it toward a personal friendship. It’s not time they are after, its you. They desire mentoring not coaching. Mentors don’t solve problems they help you solve problems. Coaches dictate who you could be if you followed their direction. Coaches win or lose. Mentors help you prepare for life after the game. Spend an early morning drinking coffee or a late night playing Call of Duty (preferably: MW3). Allow them to see your life and speak into it. You will find that they speak into it with questions so that they will have answers to live their life. This is all about the team and the relationships within it.

Who are the Gen M’s on your team? How are you using them to help impact your organization? How are you using them to impact your own life? How are you creating community in your organization?

Tagged: gen m, leadership, marcus buckingham, mellenniels, standout

I Ate Your Candy! Prepare to Laugh Your Brains Out!

Erik Bennett — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:17:18 +0000

Things I Learned at/from the Dave Ramsey Chapel

Erik Bennett — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:21:58 +0000

I spoke today in Nashville, TN at Lampo, headquarters for the Dave Ramsey team. They hold a weekly chapel for the entire team of 300 folks and have super-famous speakers and me come and speak. Prior to speaking I pummeled my long time friend, Dino Evangelista, who leads a team there with organizational culture questions. From the simple, ‘what do people wear to work?’ to the complex ‘what is the strategy of the organization?’. That helped me be a more effective communicator. I think one of the greatest tools a leader possesses is the ability to see, listen and ask good questions. Heres a snapshot of what I learned from watching, listening and asking:

The right culture is quickly contagious.
Everyone works together when everyone is vested.
When the vision is clear everyone is clear on the vision. (that’s so simple but is so true)
Rewarding your team not only brings fun, but care which grows trust. (these people freak over November and December)
Jon Acuff is as funny and authentic at 7 a.m. at Cracker Barrel as he is before thousands at a conference.
The Loveless Cafe has the best fried chicken and biscuits this city boy has ever eaten. That has nothing to do with Dave Ramsey. It’s just good to know should you be traveling to Nashville.
God can put you anywhere he wants, when he wants, for whatever purpose he has decided, all for his glory.

Thanks for letting me learn today. Enjoyed every minute. You guys rock.

Tagged: dave ramsey, jon acuff, learning, nashville

Hope. Belief.

Erik Bennett — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:55:36 +0000

Hope is the belief that your dream can be a reality. I’m at an airport watching jerseyed-up football fans scream (really loud) hope toward their teams on the giant flat screen while I wait for my plane. Watched a guy look hopeless as he struggled to decide on what sandwich to order. Bro, it’s an airport. It all tastes the same. Watched a sales guy offer two free flights if I signed up for a credit card He was hopeful I’d take the deal so he could make money. That kind of hope is temporary fix stuff. The, I hope to feel better right now. And, I hope there is milk in the fridge. Possibly, I hope we have waffles tonight.
The hope I’m blogging about is hope that is deeply connected to desire and fulfillment. The kind of thing that your soul yearns for you to know when your mind is in disbelief that what God planned for you, he set in stone. Hope is an interesting emotion. It springs eternal. It joins faith and love. Maybe it’s why my favorite movie of all time is The Shawshank Redemption, a story of rescued hope.
At the end Red (Morgan Freeman) says this as he exits prison.
“I find I’m so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it is the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”
Hebrews 6:19 says that hope is an anchor to the soul. An anchor. For deep water. For your deep hope.
I hope.

What Do You Need?

Erik Bennett — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:42:36 +0000

If you are a leader or participant in an organization or ministry its likely you think about what you have, and, what you need. One of the ways you know you are a leader is if you are able to see need. The response to meeting that need shows if you are an impassioned leader. The response of others to helping you meet that need shows if you are a followed leader.

In your ministry or organization ask yourself these three questions today:

What is the need of my community?
How can I help meet that need?
Who shares this passion with me to meet that need?

So, what is the need you are trying to meet? Let us know. We’d like to help.

Tagged: 3 questions, leadership, leading to need