development

Resisting Squishy Pot Syndrome

9 Feb ’12 By Christopher Hopper 14 Comments

[PHOTOS BY: JENNIFER HOPPER]

No, I’m not about to reveal the secrets of curing soggy marijuana leaves. (Hippies).

This week I had the joy of speaking for a YWAM School of Worship in Yverdon. Pictured here with my dear friend and translator Sylvain Freymond (also one of Switzerland’s most beloved worship leaders and songwriters), I shared on accessing God’s heart of creativity and principles of group leadership. Teaching in this format – a pair of two-hour classes each day – is something I look forward to, and something I’ve become good at.

But I wasn’t always good at it.

Ten years ago I was asked to teach eight-hours a day for five days straight in northern France. I was scared. Mortified would be a better word. I compiled the notes of every sermon I’d ever preached and scribbled countless reminders of sermons I’d heard preached growing up. I thought for sure that I’d share everything I’d ever learned in first two-hour block.

Back then I was a nervous wreck. Today I’m thrilled for the opportunity.

That’s because some of the greatest joys in my life have only recently been discovered.

That may not seem like a very meaningful statement, but given the fact that our culture largely broadcasts what you should be enjoying right now, waiting for things is hardly status quo, nor is the process of building long-term expectation.

Have sex now. Make lots of money now. Be popular now. Get what you want now. Don’t wait. And if you do wait, you’re missing out on everything.

But acting prematurely has some serious side-affects.

A pot that decides it should be filled with water before it’s fired in a kiln becomes a pile of watery clay by the end of the day. No matter how ready it thinks it is, the potter knows the vessel is simply incapable of fulfilling its purpose without engaging in the process of development.

Sure, I should have been happy with the opportunity to preach for a week ten years ago – and to a certain extent I was – but it wasn’t enjoyable. I needed time, coaching, and experience before I was truly ready to look at the invitation and discover the joy of doing it.

Becoming a husband and father has been much the same process. Oh, how I argued with God countless times, telling him I was ready for marriage, pleading (and pushing) for my spouse to be revealed. But he knew the vessel needed to be fired. And to a certain extent, I’m still being fired.

God is never late and he’s rarely early. He knows what he’s doing, and he will not be held hostage by pop culture or our adolescent demands.

Just remember that some of the greatest, most enjoyable moments in your life have yet to arrive. Recognizing the process is just as much a part of the arrival helps steady our impatience and temper the steel of our expectations.

Plus, being a squishy heap of soggy clay is downright embarrassing. Get fired and be useful long-term. ch:

Filed Under: culture, leadership Tagged With: creativity, development, jennifer hopper, maturity, pottery, school of worship, switzerland, Syvain Freymond, teaching, the process, yverdon, YWAM

Life-Themes and Leadership Tips

22 Jan ’12 By Christopher Hopper 3 Comments

While it seems the subjects of “age” and “getting older” are the brunt of many jokes, we would be remiss if we didn’t reflect on the fact that God invented the process. As such, there are some incredible benefits.

One of which is seeing life-themes emerge.

Although Jennifer and I have certainly had some highlights leading worship for thousands of people, that’s not the context God places us in most often. Rather, it’s is ministering to rural churches that are on the verge of “epoch” change.

A life-theme emerges: encouraging people that the idea that God likes to do big things in seemingly small places.

It’s a joy to fly home from a trip utterly spent. And my time here at Hope Community Church in Marlette, MI will be no exception. This place is in the midst of transforming their town for Jesus, and further, their county. In one year they’ve already moved from one building to a bigger building, and are transitioning to two services in less than a month.

Two tips to seeing a local church have a massive impact through word of mouth:

1.) Love your community. Every person on a church’s leadership team must be sold-out, head-over-heels in love with their region. If they’re not, they need to get the Father’s heart, step out of leadership, or move. People in a region can smell hirelings that are not 100% committed to a locale, and as a result the church will never grow. As my Senior Pastor once asked me, “Are your feet planted?”

2.) Love whoever God sends you, and whoever God sends you to. I just heard a story last night where a church leader did a mailing but told his secretary not to include the addresses of a trailer park. That is so anti-Christ it made me sick to my stomach. Yet we all have a little if that in us and it needs to be confronted. Loving the unlovely will spark revival every time: it’s what Jesus did for each of us.

Hope Community’s people clearly love their community and are walking testimonies of Jesus’ tangible love. I’m thrilled to be here for their one year anniversary weekend. My sincere congratulations to Pastors Paul & Erin Rohling. I’m behind you 100%.

So if you’re ever in Michigan’s thumb, you’ll be blessed to visit a powerful church touching God’s heart. ch:

Filed Under: #heavenmeetsearth, culture, leadership, marketing, travel, worship Tagged With: Church, church growth, development, Erin Rohling, Hope Community Church, Marlette MI, paul rohling, strategy

Tone Setting

11 Jan ’12 By Christopher Hopper 10 Comments

Setting the right tone at the beginning of any venture is imperative. It tells all those you’re working with exactly what they can expect, and what you expect as their boss or co-worker.

But doing so takes a lot of work. Experience gained through years, enduring one’s own set of scars, and lots of study are a few keys. But being able to articulate all that for the benefit of a diverse group is even more labor intensive. It’s one thing to be able to do something naturally, it’s another to explain why and how you did it.

However it’s much harder to define standards “as you go” than it is to initiate them right from the get-go. So while many prefer to just wing it because it demands less prep time, ultimately they’ll suffer the long term effects. Miss managed employees, poor work environments, emotionally disenfranchised team members, and suffering business or church models are just some of the ramifications.

If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. So take your time and accrue experiences of your own. It’s easier to set precedent now than make exceptions later.

Before you embark on any new venture ask yourself a few key questions:

• What are the qualities of the people I want to spend the majority of my day with?

• What are the values I want everyone to have in common?

• What kind of work ethic and environments will promote the greatest team collaboration among the most diverse group of people?

In discovering what you value the most, you’ll be able to better cultivate and communicate atmospheres where others feel comfortable with what’s in your head.

Day 1 for New Life Media employees yesterday was all about these defining company qualities. From our company profile and mission statement to our vision and core values, the executive team did a tremendous job at setting the tone properly. The result is team members who aren’t left wondering what unspoken expectations there are; they are comfortable and therefore free to be themselves. And therefore they perform better.

Of course playing with new iPads is fun too. But even that’s one of our core value: fun! It help alleviate stress in hectic environments (which our office is).

As the military is famous for teaching: BLUF – Bottom Line Up Front. It’s what successful organizational models are built on. You can qualify your statements all you want later, but just say what you need first so people know where you’re coming from. Trust me, your teams with thank you for it. ch:

Filed Under: business, culture, geek, leadership Tagged With: BLUF, company profiles, development, employees, expectations, management, New Life Media, staff, standards, tech training, work environments

New Life Goes to 3 Services

20 Oct ’11 By Christopher Hopper 24 Comments

I’m often asked why Jennifer and I decided to move to northern NY. Aside from simple obedience to the Lord, it’s because we fell in love with a vision.

We believe we can help affect a county for Christ.

We’re profoundly blessed to serve under some of the healthiest leadership anywhere on earth, and we’re surrounded by the most amazing support structure. How? I have no idea, other than to say God blessed us despite us.

8 months ago New Life was so full in its single Sunday service that we had to go to 2 services. Next month, on November 13th, we’re so full again we’ll be going to 3 services.

8:30am/10:30am/12:30pm

And yet we’re quickly approaching our very first goal: to reach 1% of our county for Jesus.

It’s still far too few.

If numbers mean people to you, then numbers matter. Because they matter to God; and they certainly matter to the devil.

The more I spend time with lost, hurting people and see their lives turned around by Jesus, the less time I have for the religious critic, pessimist, and cynic.

No matter the size of your particular church, lay your hand to the plow and be faithful to the vision you’re around. I believe the Lord will measure much by that.

And to those who wonder as to the time commitment for such county-influencing efforts, might I quote the late Sue Garland:

“I don’t have anything better to do.” ch:

Filed Under: culture, leadership, production Tagged With: development, growth, multiple church services, progression, structure

CiCi’s Progress Pics

30 Aug ’11 By Christopher Hopper 6 Comments

In honor of our newest CiCi’s Pizza store in Watertown, NY starting its new hire interviews today, I thought I’d share some of the behind the scenes pics I’ve collected of it’s development.

As with anything worth doing, the team of talented men and women who’ve collaborated on this project deserve a great deal of thanks. I’m very excited for its completion and grand opening in just a few weeks.

LOCALS: If you know of any hardworking, fun-loving people looking for new work – or just a game change – send them over to New Life today and tomorrow between 10am-12noon. ch:

Filed Under: culture, leadership, news, pictures Tagged With: building projects, business, CiCi's Pizza, construction, development, food, progress, restaurants, watertown