Yes, I'm an unabashed Panther fan.  Yes, I know eyes are rolling on the other side of computer screens.

I'm cool with that.  These are exciting times in the Carolinas, folks.  We have a team playing in the Super Bowl.  And while the winning certainly facilitates our enthusiasm, it's the intangibles that really have us hooked.  This team has personality.  This team has drive.  This team has fun!

So pardon me a few minutes of fandom, but when I look at the Carolina Panthers in their current incarnation, I see some qualities that all leaders - including those in the church - could learn something from.

LEADERS USE THEIR INNATE SKILLS WHILE LEARNING NEW ONES
Cam Newton came into the league as a bit of a freak of nature - a QB built more like a running back.  This was supposedly the "new NFL quarterback" prototype that would move the position away from a traditional "pocket passer."  Cam fit this new model to a "t."  Problem was, running QBs who don't learn to run judiciously get beat up and see their careers end prematurely (see: RG III, Michael Vick).  

So Cam worked with his QB coach to learn to be a better pocket passer.  It wasn't always pretty - balls soaring well above wide open receivers were a common occurrence the past few Panther seasons.  But this year, things seemed to click. He became a legit pocket passer, while at the same time still able to burn you with a strong run to get a first down - or more.  Which is certainly keeping the Denver defense up at nights over the next two weeks.

I've written before for NEXT Church about the need for pastors to be able to stand with one foot in "tradition" and the other in change.  This is not easy, but very necessary.  If we come in and try to immediately change everything, chances are we're going to get pretty beat up.  But to simply lead the church where it's always comfortably been isn't good, either.  We have to be skilled at doing both, or at the very least intentionally learn how to be.

EVERYONE ON THE TEAM IS A VALUED MEMBER OF THE TEAM
In case you haven't heard, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is paying for all support staff and interns in the Panthers organization to attend Super Bowl 50 - travel, accommodations, tickets, the whole thing.  For the record, he also did this the last time they made the Super Bowl, in 2004.  

Call it a PR stunt if you want, and Richardson certainly has deep pockets, but it should be noted that this is not something NFL owners typically do.  He chose to do this.  Which, as a friend of mine commented, makes us wish we had applied for that stadium sweeper job.  

In all seriousness, it sends a very powerful and important message - the team is more than just the 50+ players on the field.  It makes me happy to think that Jason (the guy who contacted me about doing the invocation at their first playoff game a few weeks ago) and Allyson (the lovely staffer who served as my family's escort during our on-field time) are heading to Santa Clara with Cam, Luke and the others.

Churches are notorious for making both successes and setbacks about one person or a small group of people - the pastor, the session, etc.  A true culture of leadership recognizes that every person involved needs to be held accountable and get credit when things go well.

GOING THE EXTRA MILE WHEN YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE TO
Panthers star linebacker Luke Kuechly is an amazing player, but seemingly an even better person, as this story lays testimony to.  I showed this video at a church staff meeting last week and paused it in that moment right after Luke accepted the car with thanks.   I asked the staff, what are some possible scenarios of how this might play out going forward?  Responses were as expected: he could simply move on to the next kid, he could toss the car in the trash when he got out of the kid's view, etc. etc.  Then I started the video again.  And we watched Luke, in a brief moment of pause, seem to make a conscious choice to take things a step further with the kid - going off script, as it were, and kind of let things play out themselves.  And that changed the whole scene from simply being a neat gesture on the kid's part to a transformative experience for both.  I love thinking about that kid at the school lunch table the next day: Yeah, I got Luke's gloves, but my signed Pinewood Derby car is on display in his locker right now.

In church we have a lot of practices/policies/procedures that give us direction and tell us what we need to do in most any situation.  And that's certainly ministry.  But a deeper ministry can happen when we go off-script - take the common practice a step further and see where it leads us.  More and more I'm convinced these opportunities are around us all the time - that casual conversation in the hallway, a moment in worship, a session meeting.  Our job is to remain alert so we see them when they materialize and let the Spirit do its thing through us.

WHEN SOMEONE GOES DOWN, SOMEONE ELSE STEPS UP
Football is a tough sport and guys get injured all the time.  Star players, too.  Often this affect's a team's success.  At the beginning of the year before even the first game, star wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin was lost for the season, leaving a cadre of no-names and castoffs to fend for themselves.  Those guys, as it turned out, banded together and proved to be a more than adequate receiving corps.  There was no single breakout star in the bunch, but together they helped take the team to a 17-1 record.

Churches stay, but ministers and staff come and go.  The sign of a strong church is one where a church's well-being and future don't hinge on who comes and goes.  A strong sense of team and vision provides the continuity a church needs.  And if there's a strong sense of team and vision, good people will always be drawn to the mix.  

THIS TEAM HAS FUN, AND IT'S CONTAGIOUS
I feel for Cam.  All he wants is to enjoy the ride, and yet people are raking him over the coals.  How dare he dance in the end zone, do the dab, give footballs to kids!  

Admittedly more than a little biased on this and fully acknowledging that #1 is a bit of a showboat, I still have a hard time understanding the Tennessee Moms and Seattle petition guy.  This quarterback isn't accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs or beating his girlfriend.  And while his wardrobe choices are slightly suspect, and naming your kid "Chosen" certainly takes some chutzpah, I'm convinced that he really is just enjoying the moment, eagerly sharing it with teammates and an entire city.  

In fact, the very act of giving footballs to kids is worth note.  Cam started it himself - run for a TD, give the ball to a kid in the stands.  If a wide receiver or running back scored, they'd give the ball to Cam so he could do his thing.  Then one game, wide receiver Devin Funchess (gotta love the name) caught a TD and handed it to Cam.  But Cam declined it, pointed to him and then the end zone crowd.  The message was clear through my TV set: No, you give it away! It's a blast!  Now, it's rare that Cam does the actual football-sharing himself.  Setting a standard and then letting everyone else in on the fun is shared leadership at its best.

The church deals with a lot of heavy things - life and death, sin and salvation, kingdom-building, heavy social hot-button issues, all on a tight budget.  That's serious stuff.  But sometimes I wonder if we wind up taking ourselves too seriously, and not the God we claim to serve.  Ministry should be fun, and we should find enjoyment in each other and the ministry we are called to carry out, always seeking to share that joy with whomever.  After all, joy is biblical.

And as an example of said joy, I dare you to tell me this doesn't brighten your day:

Go church.  Go Panthers.  Keep Pounding.

If you don't have a clue who Adam Silver is, I won't fault  you. Honestly, had it not been for the fact that our family has become rabid former-Bobcats-now-Hornets fans since our move to Charlotte eight months ago, I probably wouldn't have known he's the new NBA commissioner either, coming on the job this past April.  Some thought that following his long-term and very successful predecessor would be a challenge, but Silver has more than demonstrated he's up to the task, as evidenced in how he's handled a couple of tricky situations with tremendous grace, compassion and action.

In fact - and here's a true sign that you can paint me Hornet purple and teal, folks - I actually think there's a few things pastor types like me can learn from the NBA Commish.  Here's what I've got:

WHEN TRAGIC THINGS HAPPEN TO SOMEONE IN THE FAMILY,
FIND WAYS TO HONOR THEM AND HONOR ALL.

Last Thursday night found the Lindsleys joining a few thousand of the Hornets faithful at Time Warner Cable arena in uptown Charlotte, attending the NBA Draft Party.

You heard right, people.  A draft party. This is what my life has come to.

Anyway, in addition to watching our team pick an Indiana power forward with great potential and freakishly huge hands, we also got to see this:

How amazing is this!  In a radio interview a few days after the draft, Austin said that Silver had called him the day after he learned his medical condition would keep him from pursuing his dream.  I want you to be my special guest at the draft, and we want to honor you" was all Silver told him.  It would've been enough if Silver had simply acknowledged him, said everyone was rooting for him.  But he took it a step further and gave Austin what he wanted most on that night: to hear his name called, go up on stage, get a cap, get "drafted." You can see in the video how much it meant to him.  And how much it meant to everyone else there - players, parents, fans.   

The real beauty of what he did?  It not only communicated authentic compassion to this one player, but to everyone there.  It sent a clear message: we care about you in this league.  When one of us falls down, we're there to pick you up.

Pastoring people means you're there for folks in both the good and the bad.  It's pretty easy to celebrate the good stuff; it's a little harder to know how to respond to truly tragic situations in transformative ways - ways that communicate the same caring love not just to the one directly affected, but to everyone.  Silver led in a special way in this instance; pastors as well should keep their eyes peeled for moments to do the same.

WHEN CONFLICT AND DYSFUNCTION REAR THEIR UGLY HEAD,
CONSULT, PONDER, PRAY - AND THEN ACT.

Back in May, news broke that Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling had said some pretty heinous racial things.  For those who have followed him over the years, this came as no surprise, as he'd compiled a stellar track record of offending just about every minority possible. Roughy four days later, Adam Silver stepped to the mic at a called press conference and responded - lifetime suspension, huge fine, and pushing him to sell the team.  It was the strictest punishment Silver could administer per the NBA bylaws.

It would've been easy for Silver to have looked the other way (it's what his predecessor did for years) or give him a slap on the wrist.  But Silver chose to act.  And the thing is, he didn't make the decision in haste or by himself.  It came after a pretty intense period of discernment and consultation with other NBA owners and players.  He got all the information he needed, he heard the thoughts and opinions of others.  And with that surrounding him, he stepped to the mic.  

It's one thing to have some minor disgruntlement in a church ; it's another thing when there's an ongoing dysfunctional pattern of behavior that's harmful to everyone.  Churches, like so many organizations, tend to deal with this sort of thing by sweeping it under the rug or rationalizing it away.  Pastors are in a unique position to help a system heal.  However - and this is key - they should never try to do it by themselves.  Talk to people, seek out counsel in and out of the church, gather information, and then act.  It's hard stuff, but the dividends pay off in many ways, including a healthy family system that has greater potential to flourish and grow. 

DON'T TAKE CREDIT FOR THE GROUP'S SUCCESS (AND DON'T LET THE GROUP LET YOU).

Weeks after Silver's press conference on the Sterling matter, he stepped to the podium at the annual NBA MVP awards ceremony.  And something unheard of happened: the place erupted in applause.  It's well-known in professional sports circles that a true fan holds general disdain toward their sport's commissioner; the "big brother" that meddles and screws up the purity of the game.  Heck, every time NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell gets introduced somewhere the crowd boos lustily.  It's like a rite of passage.

But not this time - Silver stepped to the mic and fans clapped and cheered.  And how did the commish react?  Raise his arms up in the air, flash the "victory" sign, pump his fists?  Hardly.  Slightly taken aback at first, Silver briefly paused and then proceeded with his remarks, quieting everyone down.  He didn't bask in the glow - because, in a sense, he realized that it really wasn't his glow anyway.  They were applauding a system that worked.  He only stewarded the process along.

Pastors are a lot like sports coaches - they tend to get more credit than they deserve when things are going well, and more blame than they deserve when things are not.  It's rare, especially in the church polity I serve under, that a single individual can make significant changes all by themselves.  In the church, pastors and congregations "succeed" together.  Just because it's one person standing up in the pulpit every Sunday doesn't mean he or she is up there by themselves.  Which brings me to my next point....

WHENEVER POSSIBLE, SIT IN THE STANDS.

Watching the NBA Finals this year (another thing I didn't do much of until recently), I remember one point when the camera panned the crowd for a few seconds, stopping to focus on a relaxed Adam Silver chatting it up with his neighbor and drinking bottled water.  This, when he as the Commish could've easily scored seats at floor level, or in the team owner's box sipping champagne instead of Dasani.  I've since learned that this is his normal routine at games - whenever possible, he sits with the fans.

Churches are way too eager to put their pastors on a pedestal.  It's an odd dynamic, thrusting a person you ought to be close to at such a distance.  Pastors should find ways to gracefully resist this and plant themselves in the crowd.  Consider asking folks to call you by your first name instead of using titles like "Reverend" and "Doctor."  Head to the back of the after-worship lunch line instead of letting those well-meaning folks push you to the front.  Keep your office door open when you're not sermonizing or counseling someone.  We serve our people and lead them much better when we are truly among them, not apart from them or over them.

What are other important qualities of a pastor and leader that you see in people you admire?

Members and friends of Trinity Presbyterian Church (and anyone else who's interested):

As promised in worship this past Sunday, I want to share some thoughts on the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Detroit last week.  Every two years, our denomination’s largest governing body convenes with elders and ministers from all over the country, elected by their presbyteries, to formulate some of the policies and procedures that define us as Presbyterians.  Because we're all part of one big Presbyterian family, I feel it’s important that you know what happens at these gatherings and in what ways they affect us as a congregation and as a larger denominational church.

But first, take a few minutes to read this one page summary, A Brief Summary of the 221st General Assembly, as it'll help make what follows a lot easier to digest.

(Did you read it? Seriously, it's worth it.  You'll thank me later. Did I mention it's just one page?)

There are two things I'd like to draw your attention to, as both received a decent amount of national and international press.  The first is the issue of same-sex marriage.  As you may recall, in 2010 the General Assembly voted to remove language from our constitution that prohibited gays and lesbians from being ordained to ministry.  This year, the body acted positively on two similar motions.  One, known as “Authoritative Interpretation,” grants clergy in our denomination the ability, if they choose, to officiate at a same-sex wedding in states where the practice is legal (this went into affect immediately after the conclusion of the GA). The second, which will need ratification of a simple majority of presbyteries in the coming year, is a rewording of the description of marriage from “a man and a woman” to “two people (traditionally a man and a woman) Both passed with significant majorities.  

So, two things. First, neither of these force a pastor or session to officiate or host a same-sex marriage if they don't want to - all it does is grant the ability to those who do.  Second, you should know that great care was taken leading up to, during and following the vote to reach out to those in opposition, in an attempt to foster unity in the midst of disagreement.  In fact, the parenthesis part of the motion was inserted on the floor of the General Assembly and was received very positively by those displeased with the overall change.  Following the vote, a joint letter from the Presbyterians For Renewal and Fellowship of Presbyterians was issued, expressing disappointment while reaffirming their desire to remain part of the PCUSA (you can read that letter HERE).  It was an extremely gracious gesture and, I hope, will go to great lengths to foster ongoing dialogue and unity, even as we may continue to disagree.  

Another big issue addressed at the GA involved divesting the church’s investments in three American companies, Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola.  The denomination's Mission Responsibility Through Investment Committee (MRTI) had determined that their business practices and products serve to foster the ongoing conflict on the West Bank between Israelis and Palestinians.  If you've been part of the PCUSA for a while, you know our denomination has a strong ethical sense to its various financial holdings, choosing to invest in companies that promote peace and the well-being of all (we do not invest in tobacco or alcohol companies, for instance). The MRTI had reached out to a number of companies to share our concerns and encourage positive change; and while some of these conversations proved fruitful, our dialogue with these three businesses did not.  The measure was close and passed by only seven votes.

Almost immediately after the vote, the press, as well as numerous groups fiercely entrenched on either side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, cast this action as a slight to Israel and a clear siding with the Palestinians - even though the motion itself affirms Israel’s right to exist as a sovereign nation and PCUSA's support of a two-state solution (you can read the text of the motion HERE). Some of the fallout the PCUSA will face in the months ahead will involve mending bridges with our Jewish brothers and sisters, explaining in full our reasons and rationale and assuring them of what this action was not about, as much as what it was about.  I personally found this blog post to be very helpful in understanding this action and encourage you to check it out, and I'm grateful for this rabbi who seems to get what we Presbyterians are trying to do.

I can almost hear the question on the other side of the computer screen: So, Steve, what do you make of all of this?  Good question.  Three thoughts come to mind.  First, both of these actions feel, to me, to be honest, thoughtful and faithful efforts to uphold and act on the tenets of scripture and our unique Presbyterian witness; as well as what I believe to be our primary calling:  to always err on the side of the love of Jesus, even if that might cause hurt and confusion and make people mad.  As a pastor, I feel compelled to acknowledge this and seek reconciliation with my brothers and sisters in and out of the church who may feel differently from me and fear these actions will lead to future declines in our denomination.  I actually remain very hopeful that the opposite will be true (as echoed in this blog post from a colleague and fellow Presbyterian minister).

Having said that, I know there are those in our church and the PCUSA who grieve one or both of these decisions and may question their future in the denomination. Which leads me to my second thought: my door is always open to sit down and talk.  The promise I make to you is not to try and sway your opinion, but simply to listen and be your pastor and friend.  And, as I did in 2010 in my previous church, I'd ask anyone significantly grieved to give themselves six months: six months to remain active in the church, worshipping, fellowshipping, and serving as you always have. And if, at the end of six months, you truly feel something has categorically changed in the church, then you will leave with my blessing.  If, however, you find that you don't feel any different about our church, then perhaps we can at least agree that amendments to open the door for same-sex marriage and further our commitment to peacemaking were not amendments that destroyed the church.

My third thought is this: regardless of how we feel about these decisions, I find myself staunchly proud to be part of this denomination; if for no other reason than it can never be said that we are a church that sits on the sidelines; bypassing and avoiding the tough, hard conversations and issues that matter in our world today.  We tackle them head-on; we talk and listen, pray and ponder, dialogue and disagree and converse.  And then we act.  And if there’s anything the world today needs, my friends, it is a church that is not afraid to act - always in good faith, always with Christ leading the way. My hope and prayer is that we’ll continue in helpful dialogue, within and outside the PCUSA, to further discern God’s will as we worship, study and serve together.

Again, if you have any questions or concerns, my door is always open!

Your pastor and friend,

Every Easter morning, as I drive to church, I have a ritual. I listen to "Easter Song" by Keith Green.  In my former church, one play got me from driveway to parking space. This year, it took a few more times - probably would've been two, had their not been an accident on Providence Road that caused me to go a bit out of my way. Winding through neighborhoods I've never been in before, the sun peeking through the early morning haze leftover from a rainy Saturday onto manicured green lawns and budding azalea bushes.  A new experience, one of many. 

Still, it's Easter nonetheless; and it is glorious.  And I'm reminded: every Sunday is Easter.

(Click HERE if you don't see the video above)

I've come to the conclusion that airport terminals - like the one I'm sitting in right now waiting for my flight back to Charlotte - are a lot like NEXT Church conferences. Throw a vast assortment of people in one place, people from all different places and heading toward all different destinations, and see what happens.  Somehow things just seem to work out.  And the reason is because we're all doing the same thing: we're on a journey.

This is my second national NEXT Church conference, and "journey" - though a woefully overused faith word (present company included) - is still an appropriate image.  Because even when you know  where you're going, you quickly find out there are innumerable ways to get there.   Take the first leg of my journey from Charlotte to Minneapolis, where this year's NEXT conference concluded mere hours ago.  There was a direct flight, but it got canceled.  I had to wait a full day and go through LaGuardia to get here.  If that sounds undesirable it still was better than the Charlotte-to-Miami-to-Minneapolis route they proposed.  

Missing the first day of NEXT had me a little off-kilter and discombobulated the rest of the conference - the stuff I got to be part of was great, but I always had this feeling lurking inside me like I had missed the foundation, because I had.  It was a tad frustrating.  But guess what?  The church can be frustrating too, when everything around it is changing so fast; when we feel like we missed something.  Mainline churches today are experiencing dramatic cultural shifts faster than you can say the word "postmodern."  The arrivals and departures are all over the map; and they're affecting attendance, giving, and commitment. Some choose to view it as a sinking ship that you either disembark as soon as possible, or go down with as the loyal sea captain.  NEXT Church, however, chooses to see these as birth pangs of something exciting and transformative.  And when you attend these NEXT workshops and seminars and hear some of the amazingly creative, faithful things that churches are doing, it's hard not to rejoice a little bit.  Because you sense there's something substantive and meaningful there, and you want to dig into it more.

I believe in NEXT because I still believe the church has relevance.  I believe people want the church and need the church to bear witness in the world.  This is not the time for the church to try and be something it used to be, or even something it never was. Nor is this the time for the church to "sell out" to the culture in an attempt to fill up pews and offering plates.  This is a time for the church to do exactly what Jesus did and what he would do still today: in the words of the prophet Jeremiah (our scripture for the conference): Seek the welfare of the city, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:7)

I'm ready to get back to my city and, with the wonderful folks at Trinity, do just that.  But first, one final flight and maybe a little sleep too.

Like a lot of churches, my new church sends a monthly newsletter to members and friends, including a letter from the pastor.  Having been on the field for barely two months, I chose to share my "Pastor Top Eight" (I was shooing for ten but couldn't come up with two others).  My goal with this is to help facilitate the relationship-building and trust I'm working on in these first few months, giving my new congregation an idea of who I am as a person and the kind of pastor I long to be.  

I rather enjoyed the exercise - so much that I'd encourage you to come up with a Top 8 as well - or 5, or 10, or 20.  What things matter most to you?  What guiding principles define how you live your life?  Share in the comments section below if you like.

Anyway, I now present to you...

MY PASTOR TOP EIGHT

1. Call me Steve.  Some churches instinctively use more formal titles to address their pastors.  Often it is simply out of respect, but it can inadvertently create a sense of distance.  I am happy and content with all members - children, youth and adults - calling me by my first name.  After all, we’re in this together!

2. My door is always open, literally and figuratively.  You may have noticed that I moved my desk into the larger room of the pastor’s study.  This way I am more accessible. If the door is closed - a rare occurrence - it probably means I’m on a phone call or in a private meeting.  Other than that, you are welcome to drop in and say hi.  I always encourage folks to call the church in advance before coming by to see me specifically - that way I can make sure to be available to you (and you can always sign up with Becky for one of the Thursday morning coffees). 

3. My calling to be a good husband and good father is as important to me as my calling to be a good pastor.  Incidentally, this does not mean that serving you is any less of a priority - in fact, I’ve found that, by always striving to honor my family relationship and responsibilities, I’m a much better pastor to and with you.

4.  I will make mistakes.  As I do, I hope you will let me know so I can keep from making it again. No one likes to admit they make mistakes. But I can promise you that at some point, I will.  I’m also pretty sure that, at some time, I will do something that may upset you.  By coming to me and letting me know personally, you give me a tremendous gift: an opportunity to grow as a pastor and to build a stronger relationship with you.

5. We’re a team!  If you haven’t noticed already, my leadership style with staff and the session centers around a team approach that is founded in mutual trust and respect, and keeping open lines of communication.  My experience is that a church functions at a much higher level, and lives into its vision more efficiently, when this is the case.

6.  The church is not here to meet people's needs, the church is here to meet God's needs.  I once read about a minister who would share this at the beginning of their church’s new member class.  It caught people off-guard at first, but eventually they came to see the truth in it.  I believe churches that understand the heart of this put themselves in a much better position to grow and thrive.  The great thing? When we focus on meeting God’s needs first - in the church, community and world - we find our own needs are met as well!

7. I believe we in the church are called to respond to God's amazing grace and love in three ways:

• Giving our TIME (being present in the body of Christ)
• Giving our TALENT (putting our individual, unique gifts in practice for the church’s ministry)
• Giving our TREASURE (our financial response)

My goal, through my preaching, pastoring, and leading, is to live this out in my own life while equipping you to do the same. 

8.  Love will guide the way.  The guiding force in everything I do as your pastor - preaching, teaching, pastoral care, staff empowerment, church visioning - will always be centered in the love of Jesus and sharing and fostering that love.  If I err, I will always do my best to err on the side of love.