Read a sneak peek of chapter one from Andy’s newest release by clicking here.

When Work & Family Collide is updated content from the previously released title
Choosing to Cheat.

Publisher’s Description:

Let’s face it. With all the demands of the workplace and all the details of a family it’s only a matter of time before one bumps into the other. And many of us end up cheating our families when the commitments of both collide. In this practical book, Andy Stanley will help you. . .

• establish priorities and boundaries to protect what you value most.
• learn the difference between saying your family is your priority and actually making them your priority.
• discover tested strategies for easing tensions at home and at work.

Watch as this powerful book transforms your life from time-crunching craziness to life-changing success.

To purchase a copy of When Work & Family Collide, click here.

If you work at a church, though, Christmas can be downright insane. Especially if you do a living Christmas tree. Something about assembling a set that rivals Les Miserables out of 2×4s and phone books doesn’t seem so Christmas cheer-y.

Thankfully, we don’t do the living Christmas tree at North Point. In fact, it really is the season I look forward to the most every year. Over the last few years, we’ve been able to do some really fun stuff - and the process of making it happen is so much fun.

Typically we start sometime in late summer or early fall with a brainstorming session. We’ll bring in people from all over the church staff and just ask for as many random ideas as possible. Everything from baking turkeys in ovens to fill the room with the aroma to making the band wear footie pajamas, no idea is a bad idea. Then, all of those ideas get taken to another meeting with our Service Programming Team. We try to take those loose ideas and find some themes, some big picture ideas for what to tackle this Christmas.

From there things get really fun. I typically sit down with the people on the music team and we brainstorm anything and everything we could possibly do with music that could work at Christmas. This is where ideas like the iBand and “Santa Went Down to Georgia” were born. We get all excited and bring our half-baked ideas back to the SPD team. The SPD team listens patiently to our strange music ideas, and most of them end up on the cutting room floor. But some of them survive, and when they do they go back down to the music team with ideas for changes and new direction.

Then our team gets to work on creating demos for these ideas. We spend time with microphones and karaoke tracks, trying our best to piece together a reasonable idea of what our concepts would look and sound like as a finished product. After another round or two of edits, the SPD team signs off and we are all systems go. Then we bring in musicians and singers for rehearsals, some of which start months ahead of time depending on what we’re trying to accomplish. Finally, after some of the longest nights of rehearsal we have all year, we get to try these ideas out on Sunday mornings in front of people in their best Christmas sweaters.

The best part is, we never really know if it’s going to work. I was pretty convinced the iBand was going to flop until we stood on stage and heard the laughter after the first few notes. It’s always exhilarating and nerve-wracking, but at the end of the day it is incredibly satisfying to work so hard and see something come together like Christmas. I can’t wait to see it come together again this year…

How do you like to prepare for Christmas? What’s the idea you’re looking forward to this year?

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s time to deck the halls!

We just kicked off our annual holiday giving and serving campaign, Be Rich.

Check out the video above for the details of this year’s efforts.

Like the soundtrack? Visit NorthPointMusic.org to download a free MP3 of “Here And Now”
by Eddie Kirkland. ]]>

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s time to deck the halls!

We just kicked off our annual holiday giving and serving campaign, Be Rich.

Check out the video above for the details of this year’s efforts.

Like the soundtrack? Visit NorthPointMusic.org to download a free MP3 of “Here And Now”
by Eddie Kirkland. ]]> http://insidenorthpoint.org/blog/2011/11/01/tis-the-season-already/feed/ http://insidenorthpoint.org/blog/2011/10/18/why-the-new-album/ http://insidenorthpoint.org/blog/2011/10/18/why-the-new-album/#comments Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:07:32 +0000 Jessica http://insidenorthpoint.org/?p=1370 Eddie Kirkland is the Music Director and frequent worship leader at North Point Community Church. His new album, Here & Now, debuted at Catalyst earlier this month. Below Eddie explains the inspiration behind this new release.

Every once in a while I’ll hear a song and it really captivates me. There’s no logic to it, no formula or predictable pattern, but every once in a while something about a song - the melody, the musicality… something grabs my heart. Although I’ve never heard anything like it, I feel like it’s strangely familiar. It feels like someone expressed something that’s been inside me for a long time, but until then I never had the voice to say it.

In a way, that’s why I wanted to make this record. That’s why I want to make music, period. But it is specifically why I wanted to record the six songs on Here & Now. There’s always an artist part of me that wants to push the envelope a little bit and do things a little differently. I don’t want to just record another batch of worship songs that sound just like every other worship record out there, or that say the same things in the same way as every other worship song. I want to try and add something to the conversation - add something to the dialogue the church is having each week. I want to try and say something that’s been in my heart for a while, but to give it a voice for the first time.

This is a huge task, and if I’m not careful I get caught up in this and end up not writing “worship music” at all. I end up with a collection of artsy songs that most people don’t like or don’t listen to and no one can worship to but me. Instead, I wanted to take the music that we’ve been singing every week at North Point and take it one step further. My hope is that people will be able to relate to it, but also be challenged in a new way. That’s why you’ll hear songs that have different metaphors and even different instruments. I hope it can be a fresh collection of songs that express something people have wanted to express for a while.

For me, a lot of the ideas for this EP came together when I started reading a few books by NT Wright, specifically Simply Christian. I’m late to the NT Wright party, and the ideas he presents are not new at all, but for some reason they gripped me and I felt like my world began making sense. My view of God and the church suddenly became much clearer, and Scripture became much more invigorating. Over time, these ideas began to influence a few of the ideas in these songs. They became a way for me to express this newfound hope in the kingdom of God, a kingdom that is here, now, living and active in the world. A kingdom that will one day make everything new again.

I feel like these thoughts have been inside me all along. God sets eternity in the human heart (Ecc 3:11), and I think music specifically helps us tap into that. Music helps us realize tiny bits of what eternity truly means. These songs have done that for me, and hopefully they’ll do that for someone else as well.

Here & Now is available via iTunes and Eddie is available via Twitter (@EddieKirkland) or Facebook (/EddieKMusic).

What’s best for your organization is not always what’s easiest for you, the leader. Instead of making difficult changes, we often put them off or avoid them all together. One such change is a personnel change. It’s always easier to work around or hire around people than it is to remove them. Personnel changes can be messy and painful, but they are a necessary part of a healthy organization.

Any number of factors can lead to a personnel change:

· An individual fails morally or ethically.

· A financial downturn forces broad reevaluation of personnel.

· A position outgrows an employee.

· An individual doesn’t fit the culture of the organization.

· An individual demonstrates a poor work ethic.

Situations like these oftentimes make it easy to determine when a personnel change needs to happen. Although the change itself will present a challenge, it will be clear that a change needs to be made.

What about those not-so-clear situations? How do you determine when a personnel change needs to happen when the situation is not black and white? These gray situations often begin with an ongoing, nagging suspicion about a person. Pay attention to those feelings. In Good To Great, Jim Collins suggests asking two questions when these nagging suspicions begin:

· Would I hire this person again?

· If he or she quit, would I secretly be relieved?

Your honest answers to these questions can help you determine if a change is needed. Your answers will bring clarity. They may also help you realize a change is not needed. Maybe the person just needs coaching through a situation or there is just a difference in personalities.

Personnel changes are difficult. There is always tension leading up to the change and there is always an aftermath. But leaders who want to create a healthy work culture must deal with personnel changes from time to time. Knowing when to do so is critical.

In Part Two we will share a principle that will help you when it’s time to make a personnel change. It is very difficult to apply, but not applying it can prove deadly to your organization.

When was the last time you took a good, long look at a guardrail? It was probably the last time you needed one. Guardrails aren’t much to look at. They’re mostly dull gray metal with dents and dings that remind us of why they’re there—to protect us. That’s why you’d rather not notice them, because noticing a guardrail usually means you’ve just smashed your car into it.

And yet, when that happens, how grateful are you that the guardrail is there?

Sure, it did a number on your fender and grillwork, but things could’ve been much worse. Guardrails protect us from what lurks on the other side. The danger zone. You never see guardrails on long, flat stretches of road. They’re in the sharp curves and along the sheer cliffs. Yes, they can dent your bumper and bust your headlight. But all that lies on theother side of the guardrail could do far greater damage.

I have to confess that I’m not a highway safety expert. But I’ve spent years watching people make wrecks out of their lives. And the principle of the guardrail applies on the road and in your life. Your greatest regret in life probably could have been avoided if you had protected yourself from the danger zone—if you had established some guardrails.

Personal guardrails are boundaries you establish on the safe side of damaging decisions that protect you from the danger ahead. They’re meant to set off warning bells over seemingly little things . . . little things that can lead to big, messy consequences. If you’re going to have a crash, have a conscience crash, instead of destroying your career, your marriage, or your reputation.

Before you find yourself thousands of dollars in debt, cue your conscience to guard your budget. Before you find yourself confiding in that attractive co-worker two cubes away, let your conscience prevent any alone time with him or her.

But here’s the trick. Guardrails must be set intentionally—because culture’s gravitational pull is toward the very edge.Party all night long . . . oh, but drink responsibly. Everybody’s having sex, but wait until you’re ready. What do you mean you can’t afford it? It’s zero percent down!

The good news is that God has given us some great guardrails. In fact, one of the first verses Sandra and I had our kids memorize—one of our family mantras to this day—comes from Proverbs.

“The prudent see danger and take refuge.

But the simple keep going and suffer for it.”

Proverbs 27:12 NIV

The prudent see danger and build guardrails. The prudent see danger in having coffee alone with her and say no. The prudent see danger in working 60 hours every week and go home. The simple keep going and drive off the cliff.

So, where is the danger zone for you? Where do you need guardrails? Career? Marriage? Finances? Personal integrity? Remember, many of our greatest regrets in life could probably have been avoided if we had put guardrails in place.

If you think your congregation could benefit from this message, we have free resources to help you! Guardrails is a six-part series about setting boundaries in friendships, finances, and relationships. And with special thanks to Zondervan, we have some free resources to help you bring this sermon to your church. Visit the Church-wide Journeys website to access free downloadable files including sermon outlines & transcripts, promotional materials, and video packages. We hope it’s helpful!

You are where you are today because a leader ahead of you leveraged you. He or she identified you as someone worth the investment of time and energy. And you were given opportunities to lead, although it was risky. It’s your turn now.

Are you ready to leverage the next generation of leaders? You are either going to leverage them or you are going to lose them. The decision is yours.

Before you decide, be warned! When you decide to leverage the next generation, the failure rate is high. Not every person you identify as a potential leader will become a leader. Investing your time and energy will feel like work. Yes, there are future rewards, but in the short-term, it will take a lot of effort.

If you accept the challenge to leverage the next generation, they will need four things from you:

1. They will need opportunities. While it may be helpful to teach them solutions to problems, the real value will be in simply sharing the problems. Trust the young leaders to solve the problems. Teach them how to lead through the problems without micromanaging them. And keep the feedback robust and two-way.

2. They need to be given responsibility. Allow the young leaders to own the problems. Give the problems to them. Of course, this means you will need to allow them to make mistakes.

And now we get to the difficult part—for us, not for them.

3. They need to be given authority. Delegating authority is mandatory if you want to truly leverage the next generation. Authority allows leaders to make decisions, not just complete tasks. With this authority must also come the resources.

4. They need to receive the credit. While responsibility and authority will help the young leaders feel the weight of their decisions, they also need to feel the rewards of their successes. Public praise is fuel for difficult days.

If we choose to empower the next generation of leaders, there will be days when we will feel like quitting. There will be days when mistakes are costly. But if we choose not to invest in these leaders, we are ensuring that our local expression of ministry has a shelf life that is restricted by our numbered days. Unleashing young leaders to lead, learn, and grow will enable our churches to outlive us.

An anecdote from the world of human resources:

A factory in the small southern Illinois town of Dupo was a local landmark. It had been in operation for 92 years. During that time, they employed just about everybody—and everybody’s papa and grandpapa and neighbor and cousin. The giant blue concrete building and the timeworn white sign were recognizable to all. Until the day the sign disappeared.

The factory had recently changed management. A nice enough man from just outside of town had purchased the company. News of the “new guy” was greeted well; reports were that he had honest intentions and folks’ jobs were safe. In fact, to show his commitment to the small town of Dupo and the hard-working folks who lived there, the new owner commissioned a brand new sign for the factory. In fresh paint it would now read, “Proudly operating in Dupo, Illinois, since 1918.”

On Monday morning, workers began removing the old sign. However, delivery of the new sign had been delayed; it wouldn’t be installed until Thursday afternoon. Monday evening, folks began noticing the missing sign. By Tuesday evening, everyone knew the sign was gone. And by Wednesday, everyone in town was convinced they knew the reason: the factory was closing.

Has this ever happened at your church? At your office? If you don’t operate in a culture of continual change, even the smallest change can be a major disruption. Sing two worship songs instead of three and you have an email inbox stuffed with complaints. Cancel the Christmas party this year and you get voicemails about “ruined holidays.”

So how do you continue to innovate and improve when even minor changes have a major impact? We think one of the secrets is operating preemptively. Make the change before you need to make the change. Do this often. And follow it up with noticeable improvement.

Around here recently, that’s meant scrapping popular parts of our singles programming in favor of service-oriented opportunities; routinely altering holiday service programming to make room for awesome openers (see: North Point iBand); and changing the name of our middle school ministry so we had a name to which the kids could really relate.

When these changes are made before you’re backed into a corner, they feel proactive. They are easier to cast in the light of your vision. And people are quicker to trust in the change because it is intentional . . . We’re changing because we get to, not because we have to.

Do this often enough and eventually folks will get excited about change. They will begin to trust that you’ll exchange the scrapped program for a better one; or swap the worship song for an even cooler video; or maybe even replace the timeworn white sign out front with a fresh, new one.

Next time we’ll consider how the label of test can make introducing these changes opportunities to build excitement. But for now, what changes could you make preemptively in your church or company? And can you make the changes in a way that teaches people to believe that change equals improvement?

Around here, we work hard to fight the natural tendency of churches to gravitate toward insiders and away from outsiders. (A familiar principle to those of you who attended Drive11!)

We know, if we aren’t careful, we’ll get wrapped up in our routines and environments and Sunday parking lot tricks and we’ll lose focus on what we’re trying to be: a church that unchurched people love to attend.

This gravitational pull reaches even to the message being preached on Sunday. The only folks providing feedback on the sermon are the ones who heard it—the insiders. Too many post-sermon handshakes or Monday morning emails, and it’s tempting to start “preaching to the choir.”

In light of this, Andy took to the Atlanta airwaves to research his spring sermon series on dating. With the help of the Q100 morning radio crew, Andy asked Bert Show listeners if marriage still mattered today. Is it still a relevant institution? If you live with your significant other before getting married, what causes you to want the ceremony and certificate?

Listeners called in and, encouragingly, many were “outsiders”: folks who don’t attend one of our campuses; folks who don’t attend any church on Sunday morning.

So Andy has fresh insight for his sermons and these folks spent their Monday morning commute hearing from a church that wants to hear from them.

So how are you preparing for your sermons? How are you hearing from outsiders? And how do you make sure your messages are relevant for insiders and outsiders alike?

Hear Andy on-air on the Bert Show web page.