The Leadership Blog Interview: Dave Ferguson

Dave Ferguson

Bio: Dave Ferguson and four friends from college launched Community Christian Church, a church that is passionate about “helping people find their way back to God”. This church has grown to 600+ leaders with more than 5,000 in attendance at eight sites every weekend throughout Chicagoland. Community Christian Church was recently listed in the Top 50 Most Influential Churches according to The Church Report. Dave also has a book coming out next month, The BIG IDEA: Focus the Message, Multiply the Impact.

Church: Community Christian Church
Blog: http://www.daveferguson.typepad.com/

The Leadership Blog Interview Questions
1. What gives you the greatest joy in being a leader?
Dave: Starting new things that “help people find their way back to God”. And I love helping other people start new things! I do love it. I love seeing new leaders and new artists developed. I love seeing new groups and teams deployed for mission. I love seeing new celebration services started. I get totally pumped every time we start a brand new Community Christian Church location. And when our NewThing Network starts a new church it is awesome! Seriously, I get an adrenalin rush just thinking about starting new stuff!

2. What is your biggest pet peeve as a leader?
Dave: Refusal to take risks. Refusing to take risk is unacceptable. A close second are leaders who blame followers for the lack of success. I always want to tell them, “If followers are going where they are supposed to go and doing what they are supposed to do they wouldn’t need you!”

3. Who made the biggest influence in your life as a leader?
Dave: I think my Mom had the great influence on my attitude – optimistic and believing all things are possible. And my Dad had the greatest influence on my passion – the church is God’s plan A for changing the world! Another early influence on my leadership was Lyle Schaller who is a neighbor of mine.

4. What books have changed your life?
Dave: The first book that really changed me was Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search For Meaning. It is amazing! Frankl makes the case from a Nazi concentration camp that while we can not avoid suffering we can always choose how we cope with it, find meaning in it and move forward with a renewed purpose.

5. What's your biggest challenge as a leader?
Dave: Often times the things that make you good also make you dangerous. One of the things that make me good is my ability to work very hard and get a lot done. But driven-ness can also make me a dangerous leader. So, the biggest challenge for me is to know how far to stretch and push Community Christian Church and the NewThing Network. I always want us to be taking risks and not play it safe. I want us as to be a team that is playing to win and not playing to keep from losing. Letting God’s Spirit guide that and not my type-A personality is a challenge.

6. What goals do you have as a leader?
Dave: The purpose statement for my life is: “To be a Spirit-led leader at home, church and in new ventures resulting in people finding their way back to God.” I have a lot of goals that fall under that purpose but here are two of the biggest: First, I want to see Community Christian Church become a missional church of 100,000 3C Christ Follwers. Not 100,000 in attendance, but 100,000 people who celebrate, connect and contribute to the dream of God. Secondly, I want to see our NewThing Network become a catalyst for a movement of reproducing churches. We dream of reaching a billion people. I know it sounds grandiose, but you asked!

7. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Dave: I mostly think about between now and when I’m 75. I’m planning on living at least that long and trying to accomplish the goals I just told you about between now and then.

Dave, thanks for taking time for the interview! It was worth the wait. May God continue to bless all you do!