Ready to expand your reach in 2012? Join Janice in Atlanta on January 27th at Road to Expansion Live Event. Click here to sign up!

I had a major breakthrough this week! Finally, [I’m pretty sure God had been trying to get me to see this for quite some time now], I realized that the expansion of one’s ministry is truly a life-long journey of character development and spiritual maturity.  As 2011 comes to a close and I reflect on my personal expansion journey I would characterize it as nothing short of a costly roller coaster ride. The highs have been really HIGH and the lows; well let’s just say they have been baritone low.  In the midst of it all there has been but one constant—and that is God and His unrestricted availability.   He has never shunned me from His presence or denied me His guidance. Yet I haven’t always made the most of this divine access.  For some retarded reason, I thought it brave to try things my way  and mistakenly  thought it admirable to be deemed the one who “cracked the code” the one who “figured out the hard stuff”.  But, let me tell you. The expense (monetarily and spiritually) of this mode of operating can be quite daunting.  And trust me whatever the prize, it’s not worth it!

You’re probably wondering what does this have to do with expanding the reach of your ministry. As I train leaders like you and dare walk out this expansion process I realize that our ability to lead and grow a healthy ministry depends largely on our continuous commitment to our own personal and spiritual development—to this there is no end.  Many of the roadblocks and challenges we as leaders face in our public ministry are a manifestation of unaddressed private matters.  My mentor would say, “when there is struggle on the outside there almost always exists struggle on the inside”.

As you reflect on your progress in 2011 and finalize your plans for 2012 be sure your expectations are in line with your actions. No tool, strategy, or even ROCK-solid expansion plan will bring you to your destination or help you receive your desired results if God’s plan for you is to endure an exercise in character development.

Remember, expanding your reach has NOTHING to do with you, but everything to do with God working through you to reach others.  The moment you accept your ministry expansion as a journey toward spiritual maturity everything changes!

Expanding Your Reach is not optional but mandatory. If you're ready to reach the masses with your message click here to download your FREE Ministry Marketing Makeover Kit.

A quote that really opened my eyes was from a Christian business leader, Dani Johnson. She said that excuses were none thing more than well thought out lies. That really got me to thinking.  The more I seem to work with Christian leaders and Pastors there are 7 major excuses that I have heard why they aren’t expanding their reach.

The major excuses that Pastors and Christian Leaders tell themselves are:

1. I have no desire to be big. Expanding your reach is not for big businesses and mega churches.  It is not for those that desire for fame and fortune. Expanding is mandatory for every believer. God has blessed you with certain gifts that are to be used for his glory and to build up His kingdom.

2. “It’s a good idea, but I’m not quite ready yet.” Have you ever said that when faced with an opportunity to expand your ministry or help someone experience God through you? When you get ready for the sake of getting ready, you put yourself in a place of paralysis.  Fear sets in and others miss out on experiencing God through you.  The amazing thing about God is that he has already equipped you with everything that you need. You were born equipped and ready!

3. It costs too much! The true cost of expansion is the commitment to God. When you’re committed to God and His ways, avenues will open up. Sometimes it may cost you to expand such as purchasing business cards, getting help from others, etc. But remember we serve a God of abundance.

4. I’m not as good as….In Romans 12:6 it states that God has blessed each of us with different gifts that are to be used to impact the world. Comparing yourself, your business, and your gifts to others is time wasted. What you’re really saying is “God I don’t like who you’ve made me to be. I’m inadequate. Can you give me what you gave them?”

5. If its God will, then He will it happen. That is the most passive and lazy approach to expansion that you can ever take. The Bible teaches that the steps of a good man or woman are ordered and he delights in his way. If you’re not moving to expansion or your destiny then none thing is going to happen. You have to take action.

6. It’s too complicated. Expanding your reach is simple. It’s taking things that you already do, consistently, on purpose, and striving to a desired goal.

7. If I do dare to be great and do things in a huge way, I’m going to lose everybody I love. This lie is the biggest deception that the enemy has made us believe. If you’re a pleaser then this lie is the one that is hindering you from moving forward in a great way. The truth is that this lie is rooted in selfishness. It’s rooted in your desire to be liked and accepted by those around you. The truth is expansion has none thing to do with you. When you’re focused on you instead of those who you’re called to serve, you’re being selfish and hindering God from blessing others through you.

The truth is that there are people waiting to experience God through you. And they can’t experience Him if you continue to make excuses and stay in a place of paralysis.

Expansion in Action

1. Based on the 7 excuses, which excuses have you been given as to why you aren’t letting others experience God through you?
2. What is the underlining reason for your inaction? Fear? Not knowing what steps to take?
3. Now that you are aware of your excuses, what steps are you going to take to overcome them?

Regardless of what excuses you’ve been telling yourself and others, I want to help you overcome them. I would like to personally invite you to join me on October 2st at my live event “Road to Expansion.” Click here to learn more.

Your Video Assignment

Your assignment this week is simple and straightforward. I want you to ask yourself the following three questions. Give your answers some thought. Then write them down.

1. What are 3 goals that will really stretch you in 2012? Remember that we serve a God who can do the impossible.
2. Are you currently in a place where you are holding your tongue or procrastinating on taking any action because of the fear of offending your team? Pastor? Family?If so, how is this hindering you from serving those you are called to serve?
3. Practice the 3 P’s.  Pray consistently. Plan. Possess.

If you need help sharing your significance with the world around you join me and other Christian leaders for the Road To Expansion LIVE event here in Atlanta October 21, 2011. I will share with you the exact process I walk through with Pastors and leaders like you, who were born to change the world around them. Find out more by visiting www.RoadtoExpansion.com

Are you feeling overwhelmed with your ministry marketing? It’s great to have goals and high expectations for yourself and your team. We all need to set benchmarks; the problems start when we start to become paralyzed by the sheer volume of what we’ve set out to do.

You may not have realized it, but having a multitude of goals can actually cause us to get less done than if we only had one or two? Why is that? When our To-Do List becomes overwhelming our brains only have two avenues of escape

•   Inaction: That’s when become figurative “deer in the headlights” and we’re on a collision course with unpleasant consequences (loss of funding, disappointing others, etc.)

•   Random Action: That’s when we’re a “rabbit on the run” not looking where we’re going and landing in pitfalls that could have been avoided easily. This type of reaction takes its toll not only on you, but your entire staff as they attempt to make deliver on your instructions.

So how do visionary leaders, like you, avoid sliding into either of these activities? How can you keep yourself and your team motivated? Let’s explore four effective ways to achieve your vision:

1. Refresh. Stop everything that you are doing. Take a deep breath. Take a break.

Taking a day off (or even a few hours) to clear your mind will ultimately help your establish priorities. Take the time to discover what your true priorities are. I have found that most often when we are overwhelmed and unsure of exactly what to do, we start operating in what I call “survival mode.”

We engage in activities that have no clear strategic results.  Action that is not-purposeful is just as bad as inaction. It takes just as much time and energy to do something random than it does to do something right. And when you do the right things you get the right results.

2. Reboot. Now that you have taken time to refresh your mind and your body. It will be a good idea to reboot your marketing systems.

You know kind of like the way you reboot your computer when it runs slow or get stuck and won't do anything at all. I don't know about you, but I quite frequently press CTRL+ ALT+ DELETE To jump start my computer after I have overload it by running multiple programs at once?  Do you know why you do this?

Rebooting your systems clears out all the "gunk" and glitches in the system and allows your computer to get a new start. And if you (the brains of the operation) are feeling stuck then chances are your ministry marketing systems are stuck as well.

Rather than forcing things that to work (you know, pressing the ESC key twenty times when we get frustrated) take a moment and reboot all your marketing programs and systems. It’ll give your programs a fresh start and reinvigorate everyone who is working with you too.

3. Regroup. Let's get organized again.

Most ministries lack the clear organization and focus they need to get the results they expect. Because of this lack of organization ministry marketing is often performed on an ad hoc basis, or worst yet,  as a mere after-thought .

Remember random actions produce random results and cannot random generally be cannot be duplicated. Now is the time to gather the critical components of your ministry marketing:

- Goals
- The plan
- Processes/programs your are using within the plan
- The steps you'll need to take to complete those processes

The key to success is to make sure that all of these elements are all in one place that is easily accessible to your team at all times. Then Review, Rank, Prioritize.  Review, Rank, and Prioritize your ministry marketing goals.

Now you are ready for our fourth and final step.

4. Re-open. One at a time

Re-open only those programs that are critical to the goal you want to achieve right now. Today. Not next week, not next month -- Today.  We often get overwhelmed because we cast BIG visions, Develop BIG plans, and set BIG goals. Then we set out to achieve it all in one BIG step.

That is an insane expectation! And if you are feeling a little crazy right now, this is probably why. Rather than trying to tackle everything at once focus on ONE thing at a time.

- What would you like to achieve within the next 30 days?
- What steps do you need to take to achieve that goal?
- Who will you need to help you make this a reality?

Whew! We covered a lot of material today. Now let’s break it into chunks so that the ideas and lessons that we discussed can actually do some good.

Here’s your ministry marketing assignment:

1. Take a look at your schedule and determine right now which day this week you are going to REFRESH.

a. Write it on your calendar.
b. Send messages to your team letting them know that you are taking a planning day (or a couple of hours whichever your schedule permits).
c. Decide where you will go and how long you will be there.
i. *Be sure it is a place where you can truly refresh…don’t leave one place of chaos and jump into another 

2. Identify the systems/ programs you have running that need to be halted and restarted.

a. Get organized right away.
b.Take a look at what you are currently working on.
c.How can you reorganize it and get it all in one place so that you can operate more efficiently?

3. Okay, now you are ready to try again

a. What will you engage in right now?
b. Why this project or program?
c. Be sure to share with your team next steps and any deviation from the original plan (the last things you want to do is have your team go one way and you another)

Are you feeling overwhelmed in your ministry but are ready to expand? Click here to schedule your F.R.E.E. Ministry Marketing Breakthrough Session with Janice. You can share you vision and ask key questions.

“If you’re not out of your comfort zone, then you’re probably not walking in obedience to God” What a bold proclamation—filled with such resounding truth! As I read a recent blog post from beloved client, business partner, and now dear friend Janice Fletcher, President of Christian Coach Institute, I am reminded that the privilege to serve as a leader is one that should not be taken lightly. Beyond the center stage appearance at events or fancy titles on business cards and websites, the call to lead requires a daily walk in humility, courage and an abundance of God grace.  Regardless of the subject matter: sports, medicine, finance, ministry, or business-- at its core all leaders are life influencers.  Janice did an excellent job of gathering the top “10 Traits of Great Leaders and Life Coaches”, take a moment and read her post here as featured in the Christian Post.  Click here to read Janice's article. 

Are you ready to expand your reach but you don't know how? No need to worry, I am here to help.  I would love to learn more about your vision, let's get acquainted. Schedule your complimentary "Get Acquainted" session and let's see if I can assist you with your next step! Click here to schedule your F.R.E.E. appointment.

We are officially halfway through 2011! And can I tell you a secret? It’s been a great year! As I stop long enough to peer over my shoulders, I’ve come to realize that what in the moment seemed to be tiny steps along a never-ending path have actually resulted in giant leaps forward on my road to destiny. These past six short months have been full of stretching, prodding, pulling and praying –but none of it was in vain.

A moment of quiet reflection has revealed that “it was good”. Isn’t that what God our Father said at the end of each day’s work? “It was good.” He didn’t complain about the way things turned out nor did he fret over what was left undone. With appreciation and since of accomplishment he looked back at His creation and offered Himself kind words of acknowledgement “it was good.”

What about you? Have you stopped long enough to look back over the past six months and notice areas in your life, ministry and business and say “it is good”? If the past six months seem to be too far to look back, why not mimic our Father. At the end of each day, take a few moments and reflect over your work and acknowledge that which is good. I promise if you look for the good in your life, you will surely find it.

Let me take this moment to acknowledge you. I am abundantly grateful to God for allowing our paths to cross. I have had the privilege of working alongside some awesome leaders this year including you—together we’ve been stretched, pulled and through the power of God’s grace we will be propelled to places we couldn’t dare imagine. And this is only the beginning!

I’m excited about what lies ahead for you, me, and those we were created to serve—for I know “it’s good”.

Do you have a vision but no strategy for the next six months? Don't worry, I am here to help. I would love to learn more about your vision, let's get acquainted. Schedule your complimentary "Get Acquainted" session and let's see if I can assist you with your next step! Click here to schedule your appointment.

This week was a phenomenal week—I shared a powerful VIP Day experience with private partner (client for those new to the EYR community) Mark Furlong featured in the picture below.

Janice Johnson and Private Client Mark Furlong

Together we mapped out his ministry’s next step strategy and got rid of some of the clutter that was keeping him stuck from moving forward in a BIG way. I also spoke to the graduating class of the Christian Coach Institute inspiring them that it’s ok to Be Bold, Build upon (rather than bury), and Benefit abundantly from their Blessing.  And now on this sunny Saturday, I am relaxing and reflecting on how awesome the God we serve truly is!

Can I be transparent for a moment? Things were not always good—though my intentions and desire has always been for God to use me greatly-- in the beginning things were rough! I can recall squandering around in a quagmire of contentment and complacency too afraid to step out and go big. My money was “funny”, I was afraid of rejection and not being accepted by my peers in the faith community,  and for some reason my big dreams could never manifest beyond my journal and service in my local church.  I was too ashamed to ask for help.

“I am a child of the Most High God, I’ve got degrees from the finest schools, I pray fervently and serve selflessly—surely the Lord will make a way.”

Yes, those were the words that flowed from my lips though in my heart I often felt disgusted and defeated. Yet somehow I found hope. Finally, hope birthed the faith to do something I’d never done before. I had the faith to sow seeds, pray prayers, serve selflessly—but I never had the faith to invest greatly (and strangely) in my future. Perhaps I did have the faith, but what I lacked was the right “works” needed to produce the results of my faith. It was only when I looked beyond what was familiar, comfortable, and widely acceptable in my current community that I begin to achieve the results I sought.

Sometimes, we must leave what’s familiar in order to receive what was promised.  Has God promised you something that you have yet to receive? His word teaches that the answer to all God’s promises are “yea and amen”—perhaps you need to do like I had to do--go against the familiar and take claim of what God has promised.  I promise, you won’t regret it. (Joshua and Caleb didn’t: read Numbers 13-14:5)

To get more information about spending a VIP Day with Janice click here.

Janice Johnson and Kendall Summerhawk

No matter where I am in life and ministry I have found that there is absolutely no substitute for learning at the feet of those who've gone before you.  Sharing the same space with the like-minded leaders who recognize that God has given each of us a responsibility to serve in a BIG way--fuels me in a way that I can hardly describe.  All I can say is this – what’s lies ahead for YOU,  is far greater than you think and the ONLY way you can realize your FULL potential is to move forward!

While the Arizona heat was hot; the abundance of joy and insight I received superceeded any discomfort I may have experienced.  One such enlightenment that occurred for me was the revelation of God’s “open door policy.” Stick with me here, this may seem to be TMI (too much info) but I assure you the deeper meaning will change you – if you let it.

Upon walking into the ladies room I was faced with a myriad of choices. Stalls with closed doors, partially opened doors, and wide-open doors. Though my time was limited--we were on a break from our meeting-I still felt the need to pause between doors. Without a second thought, I briskedly walked toward the partially closed door. Suddenly, I was halted.

A voice uttered, "Why?  Why would you choose the partial path?"

“That’s what I always do.”

“Exactly, but why?”

“With all the open doors before you- why would you choose a path of struggle, resistance, uncertainty?”

I had to cut the conversation short but during my impromptu quiet time I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 16: 9 "a great an effectual door is open unto me" – that’s when it hit me – walk through the open door.  instead I was accumstomed to pushing the door open.

We serve  a God who has an "open door policy". He never offers an opportunity without having a plan to safely see you through it. If you’re on the brink of a major decision, new direction or a new opportunity – don’t hesitate walk through the open door and trust that God will safely guide you through.

Do you need help expanding your reach? Click Here to download your F.R.E.E. Ministry Marketing Makeover Kit!

Would you like to schedule YOUR OWN Ministry Marketing Makeover Strategy Session? Click here to learn more.