Lessons learned by Luaulou

The Pain of Growth

 

Here's a great post by Tim Stevens of Grangier Community Church.

Last week I was asked, “If our church is going to double in the next two years (from 500 to 1,000), what will it take?” Here is what I shared…

• Some of you won’t have as much access to the senior leader. This has to be okay with you.
  • Ask: Are you more committed to maintaining the tight-knit staff size and your proximity to the pastor? Or are you more committed to the church growing?
• Some of you are doing okay as a leader in a church of 500, but that’s not going to cut it at 1,000. You need to be willing to step aside into another role.
  • Ask: Are you more committed to keeping your position and title? Or are you more committed to reaching more people?
• You will need to anticipate the strain and pressure before you actually feel it. You are the leader–looking ahead, around the corner.
  • Ask: Are you comfortable? If so, you probably aren’t anticipating growth adequately.
• You will have to be as willing to stop stuff as you are to start stuff.
  • Ask: What are you doing that takes time and energy and diverts your focus? What has God uniquely gifted your team to do where you should put more focus?
• You will have to drive up the level of excellence. When people walk up to a fair booth to buy food, they have one expectation of service and quality. At McDonalds, it’s another level. And when they walk into a Houlihan’s, it’s yet another level. As you grow, so will the expectations of your guests.
  • Ask: What areas of the ministry would not be considered excellent if you were a church of 1,000?

What if Church was like a NBA Game?

Four Great Questions on Leadership

Perry Noble writes that he is asking himself four questions that are really stretching him as a leader. These are great questions, and humbling questions. Great leaders need to take time to ask these questions. They will keep you on-track, and keep you from becoming a pompous jerk of a leader, (who just happens to have a growing church). Here are the four questions:

1. What do I need to stop doing?

2. Do I always have to be right?

3. Am I helping people around me succeed?

4. Am I speaking positively of other people?

Who are you focusing on?

Scott Hodge had a great post yesterday about focused leadership. He said that one of the most empowering moments in the turnaround and transition at his church was when someone said to him this:

"Until you get your focus OFF of the people who are disgruntled, unhappy, unsupportive, and resistant to the direction God has called you to go, and ONTO those who are excited, supportive and on board, you will NEVER gain momentum and see a new culture created in your church."

For those of you who are in a turnaround situation, these are great words. I'm wondering... for those of you who have seen transition and turnaround in your situation: what was the tipping point? when did you finally say to yourself, 'this just might work?'

15 Signs That You (Or Your Church) Lacks Vision

Perry Noble has been coming up with some great lists here lately. Here's part of how Perry thinks you can know if you church has no vision. Great stuff...

#15 - No one is ever challenged to radically rearrange their lives to be a part of what God is doing.

#14 - God hasn’t asked you to give something up.

#13 - Everyone in your church is perfect. (If you are truly reaching lost people then you will discover that ministry is messy.)

#12 - Nothing in regards to how you lead has changed in the past year.

#11 - When your youth group wants to do something you make them have a bake sale in front of Wal Mart–but when your senior adults want to do something the church covers the cost; after all, they are tithers! (And that same church will wonder why “the youth don’t come to church anymore.”)
#10 - You always find something wrong with ministries that are seeing fruit.

#9 - You can do everything you have in front of you WITHOUT the help of God AND others.

#8 - You spend more time on other churches websites than you do reading your Bible.

#7 - You think the answer to every problem is, “If we just had more money.”

#6 - No one has ever left your church.

#5 - You continually call other churches begging them for money.

#4 - You allow people with money to dictate the way you spend your time and the direction of the church.

#3 - When you go to a conference and come back and announce “we are changing everything” because you have received INSPIRATION not REVELATION.

#2 - You’ve never spent sleepless nights wondering, “How in heck are we going to do this? Seriously, I told our church we were going to do WHAT?”

#1 - You worry more about keeping the people in your church happy then you do about pleasing God and speaking the truth.

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If I were looking for a church to attend in the morning, here are 16 things I’d look for . . . .

Dave Foster of davefoster.tv  gives us a great list of questions to ask ourselves as we prepare for our weekly services.  How are you measuring up?

If I were looking for a church to attend in the morning, here is what I’d look for:

1. When I enter do I hear laughter?
2. Are people greeting me as a job or a joy?
3. Does the place look like they were expecting me?
4. Are people buzzing as they greet each other?
5. Is there spirited music playing as people gather?
6. Does the music move me?
7. Do the people on stage look real and engaged?
8. Are the announcements short, strategic, and to the point?
9. Is there a printed outline with Scripture already printed on it?
10. Does the pastor smile?
11. Does the message title promise a relevant topic I am interested in?
12. Does the pastor speak with humility and authority?
13. Do I feel the presence of God?
14. Are people listening and engaged?
15. Is the service no more than 71 minutes?
16. Does it pass by fast?

Taking Membership to a New Level

Forget your Members Only jacket. At Vintage21, a church in Raleigh, North Carolina, it's Owners Only. The church is eliminating the concept of membership entirely in favor of what they believe is a more appropriate description for the body of Christ: ownership.

Gyms and clubs have members. Vintage21 contends that these memberships are "painless to obtain and even easier to discard." "Ownership," on the other hand, springs from the fact that followers of Christ are co-heirs of the Kingdom, and as such, possess a piece of the church. Vintage21 hopes each person will feel responsibility for the church and want to be more intimately involved, rather than just coming to services and taking off. They hope to ditch a consumer mindset and move into an investor's outlook.

"An owner makes the organization happen. Jesus wants his followers to make the church happen—go out and love people, nurture each other, and serve with your whole life. Ownership is a higher call than membership," Vintage21 explains.

Our only question is, will they call the offering a property tax?

Copyright © 2007 by the author or Christianity Today International/Leadership Journal.

Why We Need to Get Them in a Group

According to Smallgroups.com surveys, there is a 10% likelihood that a church visitor will become a member, but if the visitor is invited to a small group, that likelihood spikes to 50%. 

How to Leave Your Church With Grace

We’ve all seen it; many of us have experienced it: a pastor who leaves his church under less than pleasant circumstances. Although it is certainly not the way God wants things to be, the fact remains that many pastors are forced to leave the churches they serve under fire. And while it is impossible to totally circumvent these unfortunate realities there are some principles which, if applied, can help make the transition easier on both the pastor and the church.

 

So should you find yourself in the position of having to leave or wanting to leave very badly and finally getting the opportunity here are a few things to consider.

1. Recognize that the church still belongs to God and only He can make it what it should be.

You don’t have to set everything straight before you leave. As you may realize, many of the forces at work which were instrumental in “pushing” you out the door are systemic and have been around long before you showed up. If you were not able to see a change of heart amongst these folks while you were serving there, it is very unlikely you will effect that change on your way out. There may be some wrongs you need to right before you leave but you don’t need to make sure everyone gets their due. God is able to do this far better than you so leave it to Him.

2. Forgive those who have wronged you.

Forgiveness sets you free to accomplish your next assignment while bitterness holds you a prisoner of the past. Letting go and letting God handle those who mistreated you is not only biblical, it is intensely practical. After leaving a church where I was ill treated I made a conscious decision not to hold on to any of the wrongs which I felt were done to me. Letting go of them enabled me to move directly on into the most fruitful and productive ministry I had ever known.

While it is easy to take things personally, especially when your family is involved, we must remember that we are God’s servants. If we have suffered for His sake then anyone who stood where we stood and preached what we preached would have suffered the same fate. There is great consolation in that.

3. Let your parting words reflect the grace of God not a grudge of the flesh.

As you leave it is often tempting to say things you did not previously feel free to say. Avoid this temptation at all cost.

• Giving people a “piece of your mind” as you leave will only burn bridges which don’t need to be burned.
• The people who have stood by your side through the difficult days will feel betrayed if you act ungodly on your way out. Prove to them that their faith was well placed in your character and leadership.
• Your wife and your children are also watching, thy will notice and remember how you respond. Be an example of God’s grace. After all, your best revenge is a kind and gentle spirit (see Romans 12:20).

As you leave look for things to say which are positive and yet still true. For instance,

• What has God taught you?
• How has He grown you?
• What are some positive things you will take away from the experience?

Remember, one of the most tragic things on earth is wasted pain. Find something good to say.

Who you really are is best seen in the midst of difficulty. As you leave, even if you are leaving under fire, make a conscious choice to leave under grace.

Dr. Calvin Wittman is pastor of Applewood Baptist Church in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

What the Church Could Learn From Microsoft

Here are a few 'business' practices that many churches would be wise to adopt. Don't call them 'business' principles, if you like. Call them something totally different... but wouldn't more churches be healthier and accomplish more for the Kingdom if they adhered to some or all of the things on this list? (Also, please don't over-spiritualize this list... it's not a theological doctrine statement of a church... just a list of helpful practices). All those disclaimers out of the way, see what you think I'll put some of my comments in parenthesis). This is how Microsoft keeps going and growing into the world leader in computers...

                        

1). Hire the Best People—(how many churches hire poorly and then really pay for it?  Hire the best people the first time by doing your homework and searching high and low for your next staff member)

2). Bet the Company’s (church’s) Future On Big Opportunities —(that’s called ‘risk’… something many churches NEVER do!)

3). Expect People To fail & Learn from Their Mistakes—(many times, we don’t allow people to make mistakes; many times we don’t allow people enough authority and ownership to make mistakes.  I think it has something to do with #2 (our aversion to risk))

4). Insure that Managers Can Do the Work of the People That Report To Them—(this goes to ‘competence’… again, hire well; hire competence… ministry should be a team effort; not a ‘that’s his area and I know nothing about it’ thing)

5). Evaluate People Only On Their Recent Performance— (boy, I see this often… when a staff person fails (see #3), he/she is doomed. Forgive and give another chance.  Restore and encourage.  Allow for growth and encouragement.  You may be surprised what people can pull off!)

6). Spend Money Frugally—(Many churches are frugal because they have to be.  Others spend money like it’s going out of style.  Make sure your spending match’s your vision and purpose… otherwise you might as well throw it out into the street)

7). Manage A Large Company (church) Like A Collection of Small, Independent Companies (churches) —(I think we’re starting to see this happen more these days)

8). Know What Is Actually Going On In the Company—(again, ministry is a team thing… be sure you know what’s happening in other areas, not just your own.)

9). Establish an “esprit de cour” (a spirit of cooperation) to motivate People To Superior Performance—(isn’t this biblical?)

10). Never Make Your Employees Put Up with Stupid Rules—(ok… be honest… does your church have any stupid rules?  Why?)

11). Create an Office Atmosphere That’s Like a Home Away from Home— (people always work best when they’re comfortable)

12). (a rule specific to Microsoft’s environment): Focus On Total World Domination—(OK… ‘world domination’ sounds a little strong; but in our ‘business’ it would be a great thing, wouldn’t it?  To see the church and Christ’s impact on the world increase would be awesome.)