Trying something new!
Filed under: Church Revitalization, Random Thoughts, church growth, creativity
I am proposing to my college a “new” idea to make us a Kindle Campus. All books, or at least all general education class books would be available as Kindle Downloads that way students wouldn’t have to carry around a backpack full of books anymore. (Sorry to The North Face company and other backpack makers.) This involves a change in the way teachers think about a text book. Can we now embed video in the middle of a text book? Can we make it so that students can click on difficult words and it gives them a definition? I know this isn’t a “churchy” post, but as a church, are we looking for new and innovative ways to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people or are we like many professors who want to keep teaching the way they have always taught. If you haven’t made creativity and innovation a part of your gospel presentation, then you are missing the boat! If you sit back and wonder why people are falling asleep in the service, maybe it is because nothing is there to get their attention. No, I am not saying you have to have lights and smoke just to keep people entertained. I am saying that to bring people to the Lord, the same methods that worked in 1950, might no longer be the most effective. Try something new!
For more ideas, don’t forget to check out the “In Search of the Great Pastor Conference” coming up in February!
Friends are Friends Forever…Moving Pianos!
Filed under: Church Revitalization, Random Thoughts, church growth
This morning, I am a little sore…no, not upset or miffed, just physically, some of my muscles are complaining. Two days ago, a friend wanted some help moving a piano. Now, for those of you who move pianos all the time, this is no big deal, but to myself who am a teacher for a living, lifting a 1/2 ton piano was more than I am used to lifting in the average day. Are we like that as a church? Are we so not used to doing the “heavy lifting” in this world that when it does happen, it causes pain? When we have to reach out to others in our community, is that so out of the ordinary that it makes the church groan a bit? If so, there is a solution, just like my own situation. Just like I can decide to either stay out of shape or hit the gym so that I won’t feel this weak next time someone needs my arms to help move a piano, the church can sit back and say “We won’t do that again.” or get the congregation used to stepping out of the comfort zone until it becomes natural and normal…then you have to up the workout!
What is the secret to reviving a dead church?
Filed under: Church Revitalization, Encouragement, Random Thoughts, church growth
The secret to reviving a dead church at the base level is simple. People must fall in love with God to the point that their love is contagious! Have you ever noticed how on a personal level, there are people that you like to be around? They inspire you to be a better you. There are also people that make you cringe when you see them coming. Admit it, there are those negative people that inspire you to be a better you by getting out of there as quickly as possible. Churches are the same. Is your church one that inspires people to live and love like Jesus? Or is it more the discouraging church that drives people away? Before I get any hate mail, I am not talking about watering down the gospel so as not to offend people. If the WORD OF GOD offends people, they need to be offended, but when the church offends them, then the church has a problem to fix. Beg God that your church can be one that is making a difference in your community through the contagious love of Jesus Christ! When that is taking place, you will no longer be a dead church!
Have you taken a Look Around Lately?
Filed under: Church Planting, Church Revitalization, Encouragement, Random Thoughts, church growth, community, evangelism, leadership, ministry
When Church planters enter a community, they usually do some research first. They figure out where the people are, where they can meet the needs of the people they intend to reach etc… In established churches, sometimes the community changes while we aren’t paying attention. Maybe we need to take a walk around the neighborhood with some new eyes. Plant a new church within the established church! Rose White (Sorry Rose, I don’t have a link to you on the internet) recently did some incredible research into the idea of the “Christo-centric Walkabout” finding where people would and wouldn’t go in a city and why people might find certain areas or even churches “inaccessible”. Has your church become inaccessible to the people of the community where it is located? Do changes need to be made so that you can meet the people where they are in order to create relationships in which the Gospel of Jesus can be shared? Maybe it is time for a Walkabout…or even just a walk around the neighborhood with your eyes open to how God would have you reach the people there.
Would you ask your church?
Filed under: Church Revitalization, Encouragement, Random Thoughts, church growth, leadership
Last night, as I thought about the sermon for this Sunday, a question popped in my head, really a series of questions. It is a survey of sorts. Since I am not the pastor of this church, just a guest speaker, my feeling is that if they hate me for it, that is fine. If the question gets some attention from them, then it was worth it. Here is the question series.
- How many of you have come to Christ in the last month?
- Last 2 months?
- Last year?
- Last two years?
- Last 5 years?
- 10 years?
My guess, sadly, is that in the first few questions, there may not be many hands going up. My second question then is “Why not?” If people will really ask that question and then do something about the answer, I believe we could have real revival and watch God do some incredible work in this country! Would you ask your church these questions? Would you be thrilled with the results, or does the idea terrify you? Oh, and like a boy scout, be prepared! God is doing AWESOME things in churches that are willing to actively take the gospel to the unbelieving and unchurched around them! You may have to get uncomfortable if/when you start dealing with the “Why not?” question. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do!
Henry Didn’t Invent the Automobile, but He Was Still a Success!
Filed under: Church Revitalization, Direction, church growth, creativity, leadership
Henry Ford may not have invented the automobile, but he was quite successful in his creative “new” way of building them. He had an idea to have men specialize in one part of building a car and then pushing it down the l
ine to the next guy to do his part. Back in 1913, it was a brand new idea! Think if car companies hadn’t updated at all since then what we would be driving! The model T was a great car for its day, but most of us would be quite disappointed with going 20 miles per hour on the open road now! In the church, we must be constantly begging God to give us new creativity! We don’t change the message that God has given us! We do change the method in which that message is conveyed. Just as I am sure Henry wouldn’t be content with still cranking out the model T in 2010, we shouldn’t be content to just do things the way they have always been done. I heard a quote recently, “Your organization is perfectly suited to get the results you are getting.” If you don’t like the results your church is getting, then something needs to change, or you will keep getting the same results. Change is scary! Some people won’t like it! Even a model T can be changed to be a hot rod!
Something is Missing!
Filed under: Church Revitalization, Direction, Encouragement, Random Thoughts, Vision, church growth, community, leadership, ministry
Today, my wife left for Seattle. The house hasn’t changed any. Life around me is more or less the same, but there is a little something missing. She is only one person, but in my life, she is a VERY important person! Are you a part of someone’s life enough that you would be missed if you disappeared for a while? Someone other than your spouse/kids? In church leadership we can ask that question both of ourselves and our church. If I disappeared from this ministry, would anyone care? Would it affect anything? The same with our church! If my church disappeared off the face of the earth today, would anyone outside of the staff & maybe the members even notice? Are we making a difference in the community? Do people outside see the life change that is going on in people’s lives because we are here? Or are we just that building on a hill that has a few cars outside it on Sunday mornings for an hour or so? Tough question to ask, but one we should be asking regularly. Just because you would be missed today, doesn’t mean you have that status forever. We must constantly be seeking the Lord and HIS vision and direction for our churches. When we step outside of HIS will, we are just a community club that will soon lose members and die off. Seek God’s grace that your church will be one that would be missed if you weren’t there!
Church Growth….Normal?
There are many books and seminars and well known speakers that deal with the subject of “Church Growth”. Last night, I was talking with one of the biology majors from the college I teach at about a final exam, and it hit me. One tenant of biology is that a healthy organism will grow! That is the natural way. A healthy baby doesn’t get smaller. A healthy tree doesn’t shrink…though sometimes a tree needs to be pruned in order to get healthy. Healthy plants grow, spread, flower etc. A church that is healthy should naturally be growing! Not because there is a master growth plan, or some special program or outreach, though there is nothing wrong with these things. It will grow because it is healthy. The members will be happy to tell their friends, relatives, coworkers etc…”Hey, come to church with me on Sunday!” They won’t be embarrassed of their church because it is healthy. If a kid has a tire swing that is hooked to a strong healthy branch, they will invite the neighborhood kids to come swing with them. If however it is attached to a weak branch that looks ready to fall, not only will they not invite their friends, but soon, they won’t swing on it either. In the same way, a dying church repels new growth. The medicine is the Holy Spirit! When the membership of the church is full of the fire of God, then things like outreach and evangelism will be the natural outcome…which will lead to church growth.
What are YOU reading?
Filed under: Book Review, Direction, Encouragement, church growth, discipleship, leadership
There is a statistic I have heard thrown around in business that the average millionaire in America reads at least one non-fiction book a month. They are constantly learning and improving by finding mentors in people who may not be in their area or even still alive, but by reading what they wrote they can learn from them. In the church world, we should be spending time improving our ability to connect to people with the gospel of Jesus Christ! Of course we must be reading the Bible! What else are we filling our time with though? Are we reading books that can help us be better leaders? Better teachers? Better communicators? Better managers? If millionaires can spend time reading a minimum of a book a month just to make a few more dollars, how much more should we be willing to continue our education to be able to more effectively engage this world in a conversation that leads it toward Jesus? For sake of transparency, Last week, I finished reading Can we do that? by Andy Stanley and Ed Young and Trevayne by Robert Ludlum. I am also reading Promotion Strategies for the Local Church by Wayne Kiser and re-reading It by Craig Groeschel. Some of you are thinking, Wait, Trevayne isn’t about the church?? It isn’t – Robert Ludlum writes fiction…and I enjoyed it. Also, he wrote it in 1973 during Watergate, but many of the truths in the book apply equally to the corruption of our current administration. Read for fun, but also to be better at what we do!
News about HIM spread quickly!
Filed under: Encouragement, Events, Marketing, Random Thoughts, church growth, creativity, evangelism
In Mark 1:28, we see the following about Jesus - “News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.” How does that happen? News doesn’t spread unless it is put out there. This verse got me thinking about the church. Is your church one about which news spreads all over your whole region? Or is your church one that people don’t even know is there? Size of the church isn’t the issue. If you are part of a church of 25 or a church of 25,000 there is something to tell people about. Since the church of 25,000 probably already has a decent promotional effort going on, I shall endeavor to target the smaller church today. If you are sitting there thinking, (((My church doesn’t have any news worth spreading all over our region))), then either you are right, and your church should just shut down and sell or give away the building…or you are wrong. Here are some ideas for press releases or even guest writing for a local paper/blog/news radio show/tv news.
- Highlight a guest speaker
- Neighborhood dinner party
- Hosting a church festival
- Ground breaking ceremony…for anything! (New swing set in the children’s play area?)
- Even a new sermon series dealing with life applicable issues. (Marriage, Money Management, Recovery…)
I hope this helps you get the news out there about your church. Not so that you will be famous, but so that the news of JESUS will be spread all over your region!
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