18 March 2009

The other day my team was locked in a conference room doing data entry for an upcoming project. We were working hard trying to stay positive when the door opened and in walked the Senior Pastor.

He said something like, "Just checking in...making sure everyone is doing alright."

We laughed, said hi and then got back to work. But the small gesture wasn't lost on us. In a church this size the tendency is for the Leadership Team (what we call SMT) to retreat to large offices behind solid oak doors and administrative assistants that serve to deflect and redirect. But not at Granger.

Not only is SMT approachable and an integrated part of how we do ministry. But they make themselves available to other churches as well. They open themselves up to criticism by discussing things we do well and not so well. Many churches put locks on their doors and hold onto what they do well. But the SMT at Granger are always looking for ways to resource other churches and give away their knowledge through things like WiredChurches.com Workshops and the recently added Leadership Live Event.

I look at other large churches and there seems to be one significant personality at the top. One person that everyone looks up to and yet has little to no access to. But not at Granger.

That doesn't mean there isn't respect for the SMT. If anything, their approachability and humility makes our respect that much more sincere.

I'm SO glad I'm part of some"thing" and not some"one" at Granger