How my time at Elevation ruined me.

My time there may have ruined me. Why?

Well that’s in the video for the subscribers serious enough to get past the paywall.

But allow me to setup my experience and exposure there:

• We moved across the country to attend and serve, NOT for a job. I wasn’t offered a job, didn’t expect one, just hoped for one. But we moved on faith and calling. That’s not a regret.

• We showed up on Friday, attended Saturday, served at 5am on a Sunday. True story. And did that without fail as dedicated volunteers for 9 months until I got a job.

• I had a key to the building and staff meeting access… as a volunteer. Yep, I attended campus staff meetings, led events, spent money, and even coached some staff … as a volunteer.

• I was asked as a volunteer one Sunday in September “What would you do to grow the church to 100,000 people?” I wrote a doc (I still have that doc). I emailed it to the boss. 5 months later I was hired to make that a reality.

  • For the record, we were well on the way and easily could have achieved this. Why we didn’t? Well, that’s another convo. But it was possible (still is) and can be for a short list of other serious leaders out there. Heck, 5,000 is possible for most churches but they’re not serious enough to do it. And those “big” churches of 12,000 who think they’ve arrived… honey, if you only knew how much more you had in you. Oh darling, sweetie pie, you could serve so many move and build so much more. But good job.

• In layman’s terms, for my entire time at Elevation, I was the guy who fixed or built stuff - groups, teams, campuses, campus pastors (I can give you references) the apprentice program, TV ministry, etc…. I built leaders who built teams who built the church.

• I hosted countless guests, from wannabe pastors and planters to celebrity preachers and even ignorant Texas pastors who badmouthed the church they were happily taking a check from at a revival. I heard the ins and outs about things most don’t ever hear or see.

• I met countless people who made my life better and richer, many of whom have paid me to coach or consult since my time there.

• I graduated Elevation staff (what some call “resign”) after 10 years. I finished my assignment, Elevation was done building things, and generally haven’t built anything new since. God was clear then and now. And we graduated on good terms, in a healthy way, on the way up, with no regrets.

• By the way, we just graduated staff but STAYED at the church. That’s possible. We also then achieved another goal which was to be on the top giver list.

• And even more so, I maintain contact now with dozens of the current staff. I’ve coached dozens of current staff and dozens of former staff with life situations and job transitions. I still maintain tremendous friendships with most of them.

So why do I say it ruined me?