Hey BUSINESS OWNERS and LEADERS of Rocky River Church. I want to invite you to go with me to see Dave Ramsey LIVE in Atlanta on January 20. Most folks know Dave as a great financial guy. What you may not know is that he is a great leader of leaders. In this one-day event called “EntreLeadership” we will learn leadership development, goal setting, how to hire and confront failure, financial peace for your business, and how to make decisions the right way. I have heard Dave a number of times at live events and I promise you will not be disappointed. His leadership is practical, timely and right on!

I hope you’ll consider going with me. Not only will this be an awesome event but also it will be great for me to get to hang out with you for the day. Shoot me an email at Pastor@RockyRiverChurch.com if you would like to go. We are making plans now so let me know ASAP!

The cost is $99. It will be a “down and back” trip on the same day (so not expense of hotels). The event begins at 9AM so we will leave around 5AM from the church parking lot and travel together.

Oh yeah, here’s the link to buy your ticket. http://www.daveramsey.com/entreleadership/information/city/Atlanta/

Again, I hope you can make it!
Jimmy Britt
www.RockyRiverChurch.com
www.JimmyBritt.com

[A long post but worth the time!]

From Pastor Jimmy – Wrap Up AND Ramp Up
Happy New Year Rocky River Church! I am so excited about the New Year and what God has in store for each of us in the upcoming year. Are you? Sure you are! The real question is, “Are you PREPARED to receive all that God has for your life?” Are you prepared to GROW?

Wrap Up 2011 And Ramp Up To 2012

This post is mostly for my senior pastor buddies out there.

Guys, I'm in an Advanced Coaching Network with Nelson Searcy (Church Leader Insights). I can't even tell you how much I have learned after just two sessions. I'll tell you more about that in a later post but suffice it to say that if you're not in a CLI coaching network, you should be! Seriously!

Anyway, as a part of the network we are reading like crazy (not all readers are leaders but all leaders are readers). A few of the books we've read have really "messed" me up and I think you should read them too. Here goes...

"The E-Myth Manager" by Michael Gerber. This book will give pastors, especially in staff led churches, a whole new perspective on what it takes to manage others. Also, if you are a church planter, you MUST read this book. You need to hear that you are not a manager but a technician and need a team around you that includes a manager. Guys, read this book first!

"Maximize" by Nelson Searcy. Pastors, we've got to stop being wimps when it comes to money; handling it, preaching about it, and teaching our people how to steward it. This book will teach you how to develop extravagant givers in your church. BTW, next week all of our directional leaders at Rocky River Church will meet in my office to work through the Stewardship System (https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p293&navic...).

"Fusion" by Nelson Searcy. Actually, you should read this book first. This book is about how to steward the people God is sending to your church. You will learn how to turn first time guests into fully committed members of your church. I would also recommend you getting a download of The Assimilation Intensive. It will CHANGE your church by next Sunday - seriously! Here's the link https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p287&navic....

Let me offer one more thing. If you are not in a coaching network, then why not? The investment is SO worth it. I have been through several coaching networks with Nelson and I'm telling you that as he grows, I grow with him and so does Rocky River Church. And to those out there who are CLI coaching alumni, you have GOT to apply for the next Advanced Coaching Network. Here's the link to CLI coaching http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/index.php/coaching.

Remember, growing churches are led by growing leaders...period. If you are not learning you are not leading.

Jimmy

"Leaders have to learn to say NO to what is good, so they can say YES to what is best." -Ed Young Jr.

Growth always brings challenges and criticism.

I have been dealing with some BIG things in my life over the last year to 18 months. Specifically, I've journeyed to and through Gastric Bypass surgery. I've lost over 100 pounds. And that alone has made for some big changes. But there are more changes coming...

I am learning (and I've heard this for years but it is like I'm hearing recently like it is a brand new concept) that my number one job as a pastor is to stay connected to God. Sounds like a no-brainer doesn't it? But I have started to realize over the past few weeks and months that I am more connected with people who attend Rocky River Church and people who follow me on facebook and Twitter than I am to God. I'm realizing that my priorities as a pastor/Christian, husband, dad, and so on...are just out of whack. Maybe even out of order!

So, I'm working on reordering those things and my life so that I can be more connecting to God than other things and other people.

When I get this sorted out I'll let you know my plan...

"Nothing can stop a man with the right attitude. Nothing can help a man with the wrong attitude." -Thomas Jefferson

Do you want to know if you're a leader, or not? The answer to that question can be discovered when you answer these two questions:

1. Can you help people "see" and "do" what God has given you to accomplish? A leader can do those two things. If you can only help them "see" a picture then you may be a visionary or a dreamer. And if you can only get people to "do" without knowing why, you may be a manager but not a leader. There's nothing wrong with managers. But being a manger and a leader are not the same things.

2. Take a look over your shoulder. Is anyone following? If the answer is "no" then you're only taking a walk.

Anyway, just some thoughts on leadership....

It is true that "all leaders are readers." Now, not all readers are leaders. But all leaders are readers. If you're not learning you're not leading. For some of us, the reason our churches aren't growing like they could is because we're not reading like we should. Grow up pastor and learn to read.

Okay, THE MOST READ PERSON I KNOW ON THE PLANET is Nelson Searcy, the Lead Pastor of Journey, Church of the City in New York, NY. He's is doing a webinar next Tuesday called "How To Read More." Here's a blurb from Church Leader Insights about the webinar and what you'll learn.

[From The Website]
- How to find time to read (without robbing time from the more important things)
- How to know what to read (and what NOT to read)
- How to increase your reading speed (hint: its not by becoming a speed reader)
- How to retain what you read
- How to get everything you can from a book
- How to stay motivated to read (and not to feel guilty if you aren't)
- Plus much more.

All leaders are readers but did you know that Nelson never completed a book from start to finish prior to age 17? Yet today he (conservatively) reads five to seven non-fiction books a week.

He likes to say "God just gave me a passion to read" and while that's true, he's also developed a system (imagine that!) for reading that improves recall and keeps him focused on what is most beneficial and helpful to his ministry as a pastor and leader of leaders.

[Me again]
This webinar is required for all of my staff at Rocky River Church. It should be required for yours too! Here's the link to register today for only $23.95! Enjoy....

https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p1067&navi...

You've got to go to www.nelsonsearcy.com and look for the "Lessons Learned from Dave." The "Dave" is Dave Ramsey. I'm telling you right now that these are awesome!!!!