Good Idea
I've got to hand to the folks over at Outreach. They are creative in the opportunities they present to churches in the area of marketing. Recently they've come out with personalized cards for mailers. It's a good idea that I think has some merit. I thought I'd pass it along to you.
The Priority of God's Presence
I just finished reading Isaiah 6-8 this morning and I'm awestruck about the absolute priority God's presence is to all of us, especially leaders. Here are my observations...
- It was a time of transition within the nation (6:1), which means a great deal of instability was present.
- God was looking for someone to serve his purposes (6:8).
- In the midst of national transition and unrest Isaiah volunteers to be God's man for the nation. Was he out of his mind? WHY? He volunteered for the job because he saw the magnificence, power, authority and glory of the One who would send him.
Sorry About That
I just found out that the link to Tony Morgan's article in yesterday's post was bad. I've since corrected it. For those of you who want to see it from your inbox, here' the link.
Another Comparison With Starbucks
There have been a number of comparisons over the years between Starbucks and the Church. Tony Morgan is the latest blogger to add to this list, citing an article that Psychology Today did on everyone's favorite coffee shop. The problem with these comparisons is that the real nature of the church can get lost in the comparison.
For example, when talking about Starbuck's intentionality, the article says, "At Starbucks, nothing is accidental. Everything the customer interacts with, from the obsessively monitored store environment down to the white paper cups, is the product of deliberation and psychological research. The coffeehouse as we know it is a calculated creation..."
I'm all for being intentional in the church; from how a greeter welcomes guests at the front door to how the sermon is concluded. My observation is that most leaders leave way too much to chance, simply due to a lack of forethought and planning. But to hold up Starbuck's "calculated creation" as a model for the church, are you kidding me? If there's one thing our services should never be it's calculated! Yes we need more planning and intentionality in regard to what we do on Sunday morning. But we must never be so intentional that we begin to view a Sunday morning meeting as something we create. Let's never forget, dear leaders that the Church is God's creation, not ours!
For example, when talking about Starbuck's intentionality, the article says, "At Starbucks, nothing is accidental. Everything the customer interacts with, from the obsessively monitored store environment down to the white paper cups, is the product of deliberation and psychological research. The coffeehouse as we know it is a calculated creation..."
I'm all for being intentional in the church; from how a greeter welcomes guests at the front door to how the sermon is concluded. My observation is that most leaders leave way too much to chance, simply due to a lack of forethought and planning. But to hold up Starbuck's "calculated creation" as a model for the church, are you kidding me? If there's one thing our services should never be it's calculated! Yes we need more planning and intentionality in regard to what we do on Sunday morning. But we must never be so intentional that we begin to view a Sunday morning meeting as something we create. Let's never forget, dear leaders that the Church is God's creation, not ours!
What Do You Measure?
This link from Leadership Network sold me on the fact that everyone measures what's important to them. A business measures profits. A runner tracks their time. A parent monitors their teen's cell phone minutes. If it's important, it's worth measuring.
As a church leader, what is it you measure? Why is it when a church starts keeping track of significant things like attendance, giving, guest cards turned in, etc, it gets accused of being too "businesslike" and less "Spirit-led"? I don't get it. How are we supposed to improve what we're doing if we're not able to somehow measure our current effectiveness, or lack thereof?
If it's important, it's worth tracking. If you're not keeping track of things in your church, small group, or whatever it is you lead; chances are those things are just not that important to you. Prayerfully ask yourself these questions.
As a church leader, what is it you measure? Why is it when a church starts keeping track of significant things like attendance, giving, guest cards turned in, etc, it gets accused of being too "businesslike" and less "Spirit-led"? I don't get it. How are we supposed to improve what we're doing if we're not able to somehow measure our current effectiveness, or lack thereof?
If it's important, it's worth tracking. If you're not keeping track of things in your church, small group, or whatever it is you lead; chances are those things are just not that important to you. Prayerfully ask yourself these questions.
- What is the one thing I want to see accomplished in this church (group, class, etc)?
- What are some indicators that will help me know when this is accomplished?
- Is there a way I can track these indicators now?
One Thing You Simply Must Know!
As a leader, what is it that gets you through difficult times? When it comes to being criticized and misunderstood by others and second guessed by yourself, it's not a matter of if, but when. These things are an inevitable part of leadership no matter if you're planting a church, leading a church, leading a small group, teaching children, etc. Gary Lamb shares what he feels to be the most important thing a leader needs to know. Knowing this one thing can make the difference between confidence and chaos, peace and perplexity and sleep and insomnia just to name a few. I think we all can benefit from what he has to say. Here's the link.
So Where Are All The 18-22 Year Olds?
Most of the churches I'm familiar with are particularly interested in developing leaders while they are young and mobile. Yet, gathering folks in this age range can be difficult. LifeWay has done some research that gives us an indication as to why these young adults stop coming to church, and why they come back. Here's the original report and here's the short version.
Now That's Gonna Leave A Mark! OUCH!
There weren't many highlights for my Huskers from last Saturday's thrashing by USC. However there was one hit by freshman running back Quentin Castille on a kickoff return that is worthy of a closer look. Keep your eyes on #19. If you enjoy football, you're going to love seeing this.
More Free Resources
Since I just posted about free resources the other day I thought I'd send a few more your way. Though I've referred you before to resources from Leadership Network here's a link I recently received from them regarding more good stuff. Link I trust this stuff is helpful!
The Possibilities of A Multi-Site Approach
Geoff Suratt is one of the leaders in the multi-site church movement in America. Based on what's happening in his church of Seacoast Church, I'd say we need to listen to him; 26 services on 11 different campuses!
Free Resources
We're starting to see an increase in the number of churches that offer resources free of charge. This is a big help to church plants, small churches and big churches alike. Earlier this Summer Tony Morgan posted about where to find some good resources free of charge. Here's the link.
It's Not All About Football!
Rarely do I post things of a personal nature on this blog. But this post is going to be different. Those of you who know me know that I'm a huge fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Give me a break, I'm an alum so you should expect me to cheer for my team. This Saturday is a very big game for the Husker faithful as we host #1 rated USC. Obviously I'd love to see my team pull the upset, but a lot of things would have to go right for it to happen. Nonetheless I'm hopeful!
On game days Memorial Stadium in Lincoln is the third largest "city" in the state. What you may or may not know is that Memorial Stadium is not only the home of one of the best football teams in the country, but it is the home of the best fans in the country, period. Don't take my word for it, listen to long time college football guru Beano Cook and ESPN.com writer Gene Wojciechowski.
GO BIG RED!
On game days Memorial Stadium in Lincoln is the third largest "city" in the state. What you may or may not know is that Memorial Stadium is not only the home of one of the best football teams in the country, but it is the home of the best fans in the country, period. Don't take my word for it, listen to long time college football guru Beano Cook and ESPN.com writer Gene Wojciechowski.
GO BIG RED!
Could Counseling Be This Easy?
Helping people in crisis is an ongoing task for leaders. Bob Newhart makes, what can be a very difficult thing, look rather easy. See for yourself.
Thanks Gary!
The following link will help you, whether you're a church planter or not. Gary Lamb of Revolution Church shares ten things he wished he would have previously known. I'm grateful for living in an age where information like this can be freely shared. It's a huge benefit for leaders to be able to glean from others who have gone before us. Here's the link.
Thoughts From Job
Besides being the shortest man in the bible, Bildad the Shuhite was a legalist. Job 8:3-7 is a portion of Bildad's response to Job's suffering. It's human nature (that's a kind way of identifying our flesh) when things don't go as expected, to look for tangible reasons why. This kind of searching can invariably lead to legalistic introspection that keeps us mired in a selfish perspective. "Maybe I've sinned." "Maybe I haven't prayed enough." "Maybe it's because I haven't been faithful reading the bible lately." Such thinking has a common thread...ME! If I could just do better...(fill in the blank) I wouldn't be in this mess. This is classic Cookbook Christianity that reduces relationship with Jesus to a recipe. Just follow the recipe (pray, read your bible, tithe, witness, etc) and good things will happen. When good things don't happen, the inevitable conclusion is that I must not be following my part of the recipe.
As leaders it's vitally important that we reject this kind of legalism and live a God-centered life that looks to Him first and foremost rather than within ourselves for understanding. One glimpse of the grandeur and majesty of our beautiful Lord and King is enough to put every circumstance in its proper perspective.
As leaders it's vitally important that we reject this kind of legalism and live a God-centered life that looks to Him first and foremost rather than within ourselves for understanding. One glimpse of the grandeur and majesty of our beautiful Lord and King is enough to put every circumstance in its proper perspective.
How Does Your Church Communicate To Guests That They Matter?
Since my last post dealt with a restaurant, I thought I'd stay with the same theme. Maybe I'm just hungry! Tim Stevens of Granger Community Church recently posted about his experience at the local Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. It's funny and also thought provoking. Link
I'm Lovin' It
Dave Ferguson shares some leadership lessons he learned from a recent trip to McDonalds. I found the information to be very thought provoking indeed. Link
"Signs & Wonders"
I've been hearing a lot recently about signs and wonders. In the process it's been great to see my faith expanded and my level of expectation raised. This post however, is not about those kind of signs. I've been "wondering" about the "signs" churches need to have in their public meeting places. Here's a great article that asks "8 (or so) Questions About Your Church Signage".
Some times we neglect the ordinary in a quest for the extraordinary. Why do this when we can have both? Be on the lookout for those signs!
Some times we neglect the ordinary in a quest for the extraordinary. Why do this when we can have both? Be on the lookout for those signs!
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