Mentors Who Changed My Life – Hugh Kirby

Other than my parents, no one had a more profound impact on my life than Hugh Kirby.

He was my youth pastor my junior and senior year in High School. He was a massive man with a gentle spirit. He took me under his wing and said the most powerful 4 words a young man can ever hear :: “I believe in you.”

He made me a part of his life and family. He was discipling me before I knew what that term even meant.

And I watched him. I watched him lead, love his wife and kids, work-out, pray, be in the pain with struggling parents.

Even as a high school student he was giving me challenging opportunities to use my gifts to serve Jesus. By the time I was 19 or 20 he was throwing me up on a stage to teach 100′s of high school students. His willingness to allow me to preach so early catapulted me into my calling and purpose. His willingness to hand off leadership to young men like me have led to dozens maybe hundreds of men like me serving the kingdom of Jesus today. His impact is exponential.

I think the 3 most important things he taught me were:

1. How to have a devotional time with God everyday.
2. To pray and persevere.
3. To believe in young men and give them stretching challenges.

I honestly can’t remember one sermon he preached. But the sermon he preached with his life forever altered me.

It stamped me. Tattooed me with a distinct perspectives and habits that have shaped me, my family, and ministry.

2 Timothy 2:2 – and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

No one I know more exemplifies this verse than Hugh Kirby.

Words could never express my gratefulness for what you and Mary Lynn invested in Amy and I.  My world changed that day on that little bus on the way to that little mission project when you tapped me on the shoulder and said “Come on, follow me, I’ll use you and abuse you.” I never dreamed that small, funny invitation would lead to the great adventure my life has become.

Love to my friend and spiritual father.

My Tools for Productivity

There are a few tools I’ve come to rely on for being productive that I can’t imagine living without:

• iPhone
• iCal (synced with Google Calendar for my assistant to update.)
• My Moleskine
• Things
• Google Docs

What do you use?  What works best for you?

Basic Calendar Management

A Pastor/Leader/Manager’s schedule is most accurate view of their priorities.

Most of the time a person’s calendar doesn’t line up with their goals and what they say they value.

Planning and long term goal setting should be done at the annual and quarterly level but I believe the most effective way to manage your priorities is at a weekly view.

Schedule time with God first.

• Nothing will set the tone of your life and your ministry more than your time with Jesus.
• Give your mornings to God.
• I will meet with God before I do anything else, before any activity or meeting.
• EM Bounds “The glory and efficiency of the gospel is staked on the men who proclaim it.”

Schedule health/exercise.

• Some would say others priorities should come first.
• But if I’m dead, I can’t fulfill my mission.
• I am the steward of the body God has given me. I will take care of it.
• This is a marathon. I can’t possibly finish strong and give me best without being healthy.

Schedule family.

• Put in on your calendar. (Vacations, special events, birthdays, sports, activities, etc.)
• Set a time to leave the office every day.
• Review your calendar with your spouse once a week. Sunday night works best for me.

Schedule time for email.

• 2-3 times per day.
• Morning, Lunch, Late afternoon.
• Let people know when you’ll be checking and returning email.
• No such thing as an emergency email. If it truly is an emergency they will get in touch with you.
• Returning email is not work. It’s a useful tool but don’t let it dominate your day.
• If you have an admin, have them return as much of your mail as possible.

Set key objectives and schedule time into weekly calendar for them.

• set at least twice a week 90 minute slots of uninterrupted time for planning or action on most important goals
• big rocks theory – make time for the most important things and then the smaller less important things fall into the time remaining or not done at all. No one leaves work finished. There is always more to be done. I want to leave with the most important things done.

Schedule one-on-one’s with direct reports.

• Developing the people on your team is the primary duty of the leader.
• Before you become a leader, success is all about growing yourself. After you become a leader, success is about growing others.” – Jack Welch
• One one one meetings should be 30 minutes.
• Agenda is communication, clarity, goals, and how I can help them.

Schedule a meeting with people you are discipling or developing.

• Who are you the men who are following you?
• A meal or coffee to mentor younger Christians in their walk with Christ.
• Keeps you in touch with the real needs and questions of people trying to take steps with Jesus. Makes your preaching more productive.
• Hand off the baton of leadership.
• You can really influence when you get up close.

Schedule a lunch for building your network.

• Someone you can include in your network of co-workers, friends, mentors.
• Use the time to catch up, reconnect, ask questions, and learn.
• Look for ways to serve that person with no strings attached.
• This a no agenda meeting, meaning I don’t want anything from you other than for us to stay connected.
• May have to schedule this weeks in advance but should have these meetings each week.