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Multiplication Ministries | Church Dynamics International

Category: Church Growth and Health

Are You Running on Empty?

Pastors, elders and deacons are not the only church leaders that deal with burnout.  In fact, after 30 years of being a ministry I have often thought that the things I struggled with took an even greater toll on my wife Belle and our children.

Though this article is meant for everyone and certainly applies to anyone, it was originally written  targeting women…and written by a woman.  My pastor’s wife, Cindi McMenamin.  From this post you will see Cindi’s practical insights to life and life’s emotions and struggles.

Andy

How Do You Know When You’re Nearing Burnout?

By Cindi McMenamin

Author of  When You’re Running on Empty

Do you know how it feels to be running on empty?

I do. I’m not sure when it happened. It must have been a gradual process. But the day I realized I was feeling drained, and defeated, I knew something was wrong.   I’d lost my fire, my fervor, my fuel.

I’d written books on letting God meet your emotional needs, yet emotionally I was empty. I wrote about how God strengthens us through our alone times but I was feeling weakened.  I’d written a book on how to truly rest and I was feeling more overwhelmed than ever. And a year earlier I’d written a book on discovering and living out your dream and yet I was struggling with a lack of motivation.

What was wrong with me? Why was I feeling so complacent? Why did I have no motivation to continue forward?

I met with a doctor-friend of mine and his wife over lunch one day and talked about it.

“Burnout manifests itself in a certain activity you’re doing to the point that you’ve emptied the battery out,” said Dr. Jeff Birchall, who at that time was seeing a new person dealing with some sort of exhaustion, anxiety or depression every day…and following  up with about four every day.

Dr. Birchall said 50 percent of the population suffer from burnout at some point in their life, 10 percent at any given moment .

The symptoms of burnout? They sound a lot like the symptoms of running on empty:

  • chronic fatigue  (exhaustion, tiredness, a sense of being physically run down)
  • difficulty sleeping (waking in the middle of the night and finding yourself unable to return to sleep)
  • decreased concentration (can’t finish things)
  • anger at those making demands
  • self-criticism for putting up with the demands
  • cynicism, negativity, and irritability
  • a sense of being besieged
  • exploding easily at seemingly inconsequential things
  • frequent headaches and stomach aches
  • changes in appetite resulting in weight loss or gain
  • shortness of breath
  • increased irritability (men tend to get angry more; women tend to cry more)
  • social withdrawal
  • depression
  • feelings of helplessness

Maybe you can relate to some of those symptoms. Burnout can sometimes look like depression. Sometimes like anxiety. Some of us feel just a hint of it, like we’re getting our toes wet…others of us are drowning in it.

I knew I wasn’t in a state of depression.  I wasn’t suffering from anxiety. But I was tired, overwhelmed and frustrated. The fire of my relationship with God that once burned brightly now seemed to be barely flickering. The juices had dried up. The motivation was lost. I was running on empty.

My friend says some cases of burnout or exhaustion require medication. Some require counseling. And mostly all of the cases require a change of environment to get the balance they need in their life. That one was mine. I needed the balance. Too much striving, not enough trusting. Too much work, not enough rest. Too much expenditure, not enough filling. It was time for something to change.

I went to the Psalms – Scripture’s songs of human emotion – and related to the songwriters. They, too, experienced seasons of weariness and emptiness. They too cried out for help. And I began to notice a link between their cries for help while flat on their faces, and their ability to get back up on their feet again. What I saw in there, as that link, was a shift in focus (following times of prayer and praise) and a sense of determination.

The Psalmists often sang – in their songs of frustration and desperation – the words “I will” when it came to getting out of their slump.

Asaph, in Psalm 77, was disillusioned with the way life was going. But he said “I will meditate on all Thy works…I will remember your deeds.”

David, in asking God to consider his sighing and hear his cries for help, said “I will come into your house; in reverence willI bow down ” (Psalm 5:7). And when he felt like he was being defeated, he said “I will know that God is for me…I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:9-11).

The Psalmists didn’t say  “I think” or “I feel” or “I should.” It was “I will” – a sense of determination – a determined course of action. In all 150 Psalms in the Bible, the phrase “I will” is sung at least 140 times. That told me something. It made me realize that – whether I feel empty or not, whether I am motivated or not  – I need to do something to allow God to infuse that energy into my life again. I needed to take whatever action would put me in the place where God could relight the fire in me and re-ignite the passion that once burned brightly. But I couldn’t wait until I felt like doing something, because the feeling might never come.

So I began to will to follow a course of action to keep focused (in my mind), keep fit (in my body) and keep fresh (in my soul). It involved simple things like starting my day right by starting it with prayer; acting on the facts of God’s Word, rather than my feelings;  keeping a good diet, keeping a clean heart, and keeping at it; and taking time to play, taking time to reflect, and taking time to re-ignite the flame of my love-ship with God. And as I began to follow this course of action, God met me where I was and infused that fuel back into my life.

For more on that course of action, or to derive principles from it that will work for you, see my book When You’re Running on Empty and save yourself from impending burnout.

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Well folks…care to share some burnout stories?  I tend to think that church workers, pastors and their wives are more at risk for burnout then any other profession or volunteer.

I highly recommend Cindi as both a woman’s speaker and author.

Andy

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Cindi McMenamin is a national speaker and the author of several books. Her books, free resources and ministry helps are available at  www.strengthforthesoul.com. For discounts on her books for small group studies, email her directly at Cindi@StrengthForTheSoul.com.

No Comments by Pastor Andy on September 2, 2010
filed in Church Growth and Health, Pastors

Is there joy in your ministry?

THE JOY METER

Click here to request this resource By H.B. London

Of late, I have been in contact with a great number of clergy who have lost the joy in ministry. They are struggling to maintain their enthusiasm for what they do.

So, this week, I was reading in my devotional book — Pause, Recharge, Refresh — and, on page 199, I ran across something I wrote several years ago. I thought the selection “The Joy Meter” might encourage you. I pray so.

In the book of Hebrews are words written to a group of people about their pastors: “Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden” (Heb. 13:17).

I thought a bit about what that phrase really means, “joy, not a burden.” I’m sure it does not mean people are just to be robot yes-men to their pastors. Rather, they are to honor the calling of their pastors and conduct themselves in a way that brings joy to pastoring.

What would make ministry joyful for you?

  • People who continue to show growth in their walk with the Lord.
  • People who have a genuine concern for their brothers and sisters in the faith.
  • People who do not turn a deaf ear to the lost.
  • People who walk by faith and not by sight.
  • People who pray rather than faint.
  • People who are drawn to peace rather than contention.
  • People whose self-image is based on who they are in Christ rather than what they accomplish by themselves.
  • People who pass the torch of righteousness to the next generation.
  • People who love the church and give themselves to it.

“I think each of us has a “joy meter.” Please don’t let yours be based on what happens around you more than on your contentment in Christ and the job He has given you to do. Rejoice!

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Rom. 12:12).

This article comes from a weekly publication called The Pastor’s Weekly Briefing and comes directly to your email.  If Good Morning, Colleagueyou want to be on H.B. London’s email list to receive this helpful email you can send a request to family@mail-family.org
So tell me.  What brings you joy in ministry?   You don’t have to be a pastor to answer that as we are all in ministry to some degree.
Andy
No Comments by Pastor Andy on August 27, 2010
filed in Church Growth and Health, Pastors

So your church is small…Is that such a bad thing?

Good Things in Small Packages

By

Most Christians are in small churches. Though megachurches usually get more attention, small churches are the backbone of Christianity. People are more likely to come to faith in a small church than in a megachurch.

M0st congregations are small, averaging less than 100 people in attendance, so it is important to understand how small churches function. They are not miniature imitations of multi-ministry megachurches. Rather, they have a dynamic of their own, often a slower pace and a more friendly face.

Our small churches will be a little different from small Baptist, Methodist or Presbyterian churches. Our history and our geographical circumstances will make some things different for us. Yet we can learn from other small churches some ideas that may help us in our own.

Small churches are not confined to small towns—they are found in the biggest cities, too. Some are dying, but others are thriving, and God is doing a remarkable work through them. We need to see what small churches do best, so we can make the most of our strengths, and not try to be something we are not. If Christ has made us a little toe in his body, we want to be the best little toe we can be.

Strengths

Small churches have several important strengths:

  • Relationships. People know one another and care about one another. If someone is missing, others notice. When big churches set up small groups, they are trying to imitate something that comes naturally to a small church.
  • Involvement. Everyone gets actively involved in the church. A high percentage of people have assigned duties: setup, cleanup, ushering, greeting, sound system, music, scripture reading, teaching children and speaking.
  • Stability. Large churches may lose five percent of their members each year. Small churches retain members better, partly through involvement and largely through relationships.

In general, the larger the church, the more business-like it must function. The senior pastor must be an executive, an administrator. The programs of the church must be well organized, well coordinated, professionally done. There must be a clear organizational structure. Small churches tend to function more informally, more through the relationship networks of the church. Decisions are made more on how they affect people, and less on logic.

Church management textbooks are usually designed for mid-size and larger churches, so their advice doesn’t always work in the small church. This is especially true when it comes to programs or ministries. The books say, the more the better. Have something for every age group, every need, every day. This is impossible for the small church. The small church cannot offer the same array of special-interest ministries. It cannot follow the same methods and expect the same results. It cannot have the same kind of children’s ministry or the same kind of youth group. But neither does it neglect them.

Small churches tend to have activities in which everyone is involved: seniors, teens, singles and marrieds. The activity is a success if most of the congregation comes. Small churches don’t always have a designated women’s ministry—the women are already involved in ministry. They don’t have a big teen ministry—they involve their teens in ministry and activities anyway. They may have only a tiny children’s class, but they make sure that the children enjoy it and feel welcome at church.

I make these observations not to provide an excuse for small churches to abandon ministries they ought to have, but simply to point out that a small church doesn’t have to have everything. Women, teens, children and men should all be involved in the church. Small churches cannot do everything, but each one can do something, and they need to do it as best they can.

“Researcher George Barna has observed that the most effective churches deliberately limit their ministries, focusing on those specific areas for which they have resources and in which they have the ability to serve with excellence. If even large churches have to observe this principle to be effective, how much more do small churches whose resources are even more limited need to follow it?” (No Little Places, Klassen and Koessler, p. 90).

Making decisions

The pastor’s role in a small church is more relational. Leadership is exercised less by command and more by consensus-building. Members want good sermons, but they want good relationships even more. They want pastors who love them, who care for them. They will reject his ideas (no matter how good they are) if he doesn’t love the people.

It takes time for a pastor to build these relationships, to build the trust needed to lead. It usually takes several years. The pastor needs to learn the culture of the church and how to work within that culture. The pastor needs to know how to suggest ideas, whom to suggest them to and how to implement the ideas the members have.

Pastors grow in influence by spending time with members, by visiting the sick, by performing funerals and weddings, by caring about the people. He initiates change more by asking questions, by helping people see the need for change, than by having all the answers.

Churches need leadership, or else they stagnate. Pastors need to be optimistic about what God is doing in the church, and what he can do in the church. Pastors need to help members be excited about the mission, to have a clear idea of what they are doing. This leads to growth.

Healthy small churches grow. Growth can affect the relationship networks within the church, and because of that, some members may resist growth. They do not want new people taking the pastor’s time away from them. They do not want new people taking ministry roles away from them.

Growth means change, and some people have a low tolerance for change. Change means conflict. But a refusal to change means slow death. “We may have to choose between the past and the future, between clinging to our old ways and having a vital church for our children and grandchildren” (Klassen and Koessler, p. 61). If we want our church to survive, we must be willing to change.

Growth

How do small churches grow? It is generally through personal relationships, through members inviting friends and relatives to church. People may be invited for special programs, or simply for a weekly worship service, but the invitation begins with a relationship.

When people visit a small church, they should be warmly welcomed. The greeter or usher does not just shake hands and give a songbook—the greeter begins a relationship, making the person feel loved, making sure the visitor gives his or her name and address in the guest book.

In many small churches, there is follow-up within the week. A lay member brings cookies, fruit or some gift to say, We’re glad you visited. The church is building on its strength: relationships. The church is saying: We care. We like you. We want you back. Love is the water that helps the seeds sprout and grow.

The most important ingredient in church growth is the members’ attitudes about their church. They make no apologies for their small size. They belong to the church and are involved in the church not because of its music or its building, but because God is working in the church, and they want to be where God is. When people are excited about what God is doing in their lives, when they see the church as a place in which God works, they find it much easier to invite people. “Come and see,” they say. “I think you’ll like it.”

In our impersonal, technological world, many people are looking for greater meaning to life, something spiritual, something that gives them community and friends. Some try to find this in a bar; others find it in small churches. The people who care about them convince them that God cares about them.

Small churches must look toward God. He’s the one who has set us in our places, and he wants us to be the best we can be, to bloom even if we are a little plant. As long as we are small, we want to be the best small church that we can be.

“One half of all Protestant churches in the United States and Canada average fewer than 75 at worship, and a fourth average fewer than 35″ (Schaller, p. 58).

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Small congregations have more in common with other small churches than they do with larger congregations in the community, or in their denominational communion” (Dudley, p. 16).

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“Too many small-membership churches spend an excessive amount of time lamenting their weaknesses, bemoaning their shortcomings and emphasizing their limitations. A more productive approach is to identify, affirm, and plan to build on strengths” (Schaller, p. 73).

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“God wants us to use what we have, not moan about what we don’t have…. God will not hold you accountable to match the deeds and ministries of a larger church. You will be accountable, however, to be the best small church you can possibly be” (Bierly, p. 75).

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“In a big world, the small church has remained intimate. In a fast world, the small church has been steady. In an expensive world, the small church has remained plain. In a complex world, the small church has remained simple. In a rational world, the small church has kept feelings. In a mobile world, the small church has been an anchor. In an anonymous world, the small church calls us by name—by nickname! As a result, small churches have survived where others have failed” (Dudley, p. 176).

Resources for small churches

  • Steve Bierly, Help for the Small-Church Pastor. Zondervan, 1995.
  • Ron Crandall, Turnaround Strategies for the Small Church. Abingdon, 1995.
  • Carl Dudley, Making the Small Church Effective. Abingdon, 1978.
  • Ron Klassen and John Koessler, No Little Places. Baker, 1996.
  • Lyle Schaller, The Small Church Is Different! Abingdon, 1982.

    Dr. Joseph Tkach

has been president of Grace Communion International since 1995. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Azusa Pacific University.

http://www.gci.org/church/small

So are you the pastor or do you attend a small church?  Tell me what makes your church so special.  Each church has something unique about it and I’d like to hear what it is.  I’m sure it could be encouraging to the readers of The Disciple Makers.

My small church has the best worship music that a small church could hope for, plus it’s a real caring family.

Andy

No Comments by Pastor Andy on August 24, 2010
filed in Church Growth and Health

Attention Pastor, Leaders and other kinda Church People

Brandon A. Cox wrote this article for pastors, but as I read it I thought about so many church leaders and members of a church that seem to get so busy doing churchy stuff that they miss the God they serve.  I have fallen into that trap a few times.  How about you?  Andy

Don’t Forget Your Soul

by Brandon on 29. Jul, 2010 in Leadership

This is the age of innovative ministry techniques and methodologies. We’re mad with creativity, which I love, but at times we can be right in the midst of innovation and be missing out on developing something so much more vital – our souls.

I went through a period quite a few years ago in which all I was reading were books on growth, health, techniques, trends, etc. What I wasn’t doing, and need to be, was soaking in the classics, devotional reading, and deepening my theology. So Pastor, here are three things we need to remember in the midst of our rapid ministerial pace…

Our Theology Can Always Use Deepening

Most systematic theologies will organize biblical doctrine around anywhere from ten to twenty major topics. There are four specific areas of theology that stand out in my mind as being vital to a Pastor’s soul-health:

  • The theology of our pastoral calling. Who is it exactly God is calling me to be? is really more important than what are the tasks God has called me to do?
  • The theology of our message. It’s vital that our respect for the word of God continues to be elevated. It’s the source of our confidence in the pulpit and in life.
  • Our theology of heaven and hell. Eternity hangs in the balance and the degree to which we are not only believing biblical truths about eternity, but the degree to which we focus our thoughts on them directly relates to our approach to the great commission itself.
  • Our theology of Jesus. Ministry really ought to be about chasing the Person of Christ, not chasing a passion for organizational growth or ministerial success.

Our Relationships Can Always Use Attention

We often work so hard at establishing and growing relationships with our church family and our community that we forget about growing our relationship with our wife and kids, our brethren (co-laborers in ministry), and with friends whose connection with us is independent of our being their shepherd.

We can ALWAYS Use Greater Personal Growth

I mean that statement spiritually in the sense that if our quiet time and connection with Jesus flames out, we’re toast professionally anyway. But I also mean that professionally. Sometimes I fall into the habit of trying to be a content producer and an influencer to the neglect of allowing myself to be shaped and influenced by other leaders, by books, and all the great content there is to consume.

In the midst of reaching people, doing ministry, preparing sermons, and growing a church, don’t forget the soul stuff

Brandon A. Cox

Brandon is first and foremost a follower of Jesus Christ. He’s a husband to Angie and a Dad to Ella Grace and Samuel David.  He’s a Pastor at Saddleback Church, Editor of Fuel Your Blogging and also a logo and web designer.

What do you think? Do you struggle in one of these areas, or some area  not mentioned? And what helps you feed the soul?

2 Comments by Pastor Andy on August 7, 2010
filed in Church Growth and Health

Are churches equipping for ministry or driving for programs?

Where are the churches that honestly equip people for ministry?

Actually there aren’t many, mostly due to being program focused. Often I tease pastors that ministry isn’t simply going to the “church program” store and buying the latest notebook that contains what some other successful church is doing.  What works for one church doesn’t always work for another.  Churches need their own “process” of equipping and developing people for ministry.

Dr. Bill Donahue helps us to determine the difference.  Tell me your thoughts  Andy

Is Your Church Developmental?

by Bill Donahue

There is clearly a difference in a group, church or other organization between those that equip and develop, and those who simply gather people and move them around.

Here is a comparison.

Non-equipping                   vs.                        Equipping

Event-driven                            vs.                        Community-Driven

Fills Slots                                    vs.                        Forms Servants

Throws Tasks at People        vs.                        Tasks Emerge from People

People Serve Organization  vs.                        Organization Serves People

Begins w/ a Program              vs.                        Begins w/a Relationship

So, an event-driven, slot filling approach uses the platform to drive people toward accomplishing the program. A community-driven, servant-mobilizing group starts with a relationship and re-strucutres the organization to support people on a mission.

What is the litmus test?

Does your staff spend more energy competing for announcement slots on Sundays to mobilize volunteers for service than on training them for ministry? (“Our infants will grow up to be little Hitlers if you don’t serve in the nursery!”)

How much money in the budget is spent on training people for specific ministry based on their gifts and ministry opportunities, and how much is spent on “gathering” people to fulfill organizational roles and tasks? What is the ratio in dollars, hours, staffing? Sounds a bit idealistic, but is entirely biblical.

Did Jesus say, “Go you therefore and organize events?” Did Paul write in Ephesians 4 that each part of the body does church work or that churches should work to help each part of the body do its own work?

In reality these are never either-or propositions – but what is the primary focus of your community? That is a fair question. Equipping is harder to do and measure, at least initially. Reggie McNeal gets this in his book Missional Renaissance, about changing the scorecard of the church.

What if we measured how many apprentice leaders we had, how many couples in restorative therapy, how many people trained for serving the poor, how many people are equipped to actually study the bible and engage life’s challenges with the truth? What if we measured not only how much money we collected each week (most church bulletins do this) but posted how much we gave away each week?

What would it take to get there?

Dr. Bill Donahue

Dr. Bill Donahue is a widely sought after speaker, author and strategic voice for building community, shaping strategic mission and vision, and developing leaders at all levels of an organization. Bill has worked in the marketplace and in non-profit environments, most recently serving 18 years building groups and developing leaders at Willow Creek Community Church

http://drbilldonahue.com/

I love the comparisons that Bill offers in this post.  Can you think of any others.  Andy

Could your church use a “secret shopper” (worshiper)?

Not every pastor is brave enough to do this.  But those that do, often find it a painful yet eye opening thing to do and in many chases a strong motivation to begin to make some changes.  Andy

25 Years of Being a “Secret Shopper Worshiper”

by Doug Lawrence
10 easily corrected things I found…is this your church?

Who’s checking your church for “chinks in the armor?” It’s important to identify and do something about them. For 25 years I’ve enjoyed the occasional foray into sister churches to act as an objective “chink finder.” My checklist for effectiveness has over 100 items on it, but I’m just going to share some impressions that have occurred way too often in my experience!

I didn’t intend to be a “secret shopper,” it just sort of happened. Twenty-five years ago my pastor called me into his office to talk about a newspaper article he had been reading about the retail industry and how cleverly they were sending paid stealth shoppers into the field to ferret out bad practices in their retail stores. The pastor thought maybe we should do the same sort of investigation at our church.

So, I found someone (non-Christian) to help with the task and, I must say, he was thrilled at the possibility that he might find out about some horrible secrets we were hiding or maybe even learn about our clandestine rituals and human sacrifices! He was very disappointed to find zero weird stuff, and about two weeks later started attending the church regularly. That was a good outcome, but the great lesson for us (and everyone in our congregation) was that we should all be “watching the store” a little more closely.

I spoke of this experience at a church conference many years ago and over time I’ve been asked dozens of times to come to various churches and report on my objective observations. This is a list of some of concerns I reported to one church’s staff and elders. Remember that by the time I gave them their debrief, we were speaking very candidly.

1. I believe you think that your church is very friendly, but not one person greeted me in the hour and a half I spent with you.

2. Your signage is similar to a country club’s golf course—no information. At a CC the members all know everything there is to know about every hole on the course, so signage is usually not needed. At your church, I ended up feeling like I was in a club and didn’t know the secret handshake. I couldn’t find an adult class I wanted to attend and finally gave up. The truth is, I couldn’t even find the men’s room.

3. The folks at Willow Creek told us years ago that visitors don’t like it when we talk about money during services. That’s probably true, but, at least for me, I kept waiting for you to tell me about some of the things you were doing in the community and around the world so that I could help. I was looking for the “put your money where your mouth is” challenge that goes with your considerable vision.

4. There was a lot of talk about families and married folks. I wondered how I would have felt if I were a single in your community.

5. The sermon was exemplary from a homiletics point of view, but I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with the information I received. Not every sermon needs an application, but every sermon should have something resembling a behavioral objective. “So what?” is never a bad question to ask when you’re assembling a sermon.

6. I must say that I couldn’t figure out what your core beliefs are. You said a creed (rapidly) in unison, and I still didn’t get it, and there was no written material that would have helped answer that question either.

7. The announcements were twice as long as the Prayers of the People. If I had not known better, I might have assumed you were more interested in potlucks than prayer. That may seem harsh, but I observe in many churches that they believe that their activities are a sign of their health. I’m not entirely sure that’s true.

8. The guy operating the PowerPoint for hymns and songs on your screens consistently forwarded the slides late, so I was never prepared to move on. Come to think of it, I got very few cues from leadership about what was happening next in the service, so I spent the hour constantly playing catch up.

9. It felt like you believe that long delays between events in the service make it more reverent. Educators used to say that Sesame Street was too fast-paced for young minds, but they don’t say that much any more. We’ve all become accustomed to fast edits and rapidly moving story lines. Long pauses are not necessarily more reverent. In fact, they might be the moments where people’s attention slips between the cracks!

10. Small thing… Instead of just saying, “We’re so glad you’re here this morning,” try adding, “God loves our coming together to give Him praise.” Without meaning to, churches often end up being more about themselves and their culture than the Founder of their gathering.

Have you developed a plan for evaluating your worship experiences. As my uncle used to say, “It couldn’t hurt!”

Blessings,
Doug

—Doug Lawrence, internationally recognized speaker, author, and advisor, helps churches assess and improve their skillfulness in creating engaging worship experiences by utilizing his more than 35 years of “deep trench” worship leadership in prominent mainline churches.  Doug now teams with the slingshotgroup.net to place extraordinary worship leaders in extraordinary churches.

This post is close to my heart and where I live and breathe.  When I first begin working with a church, “I’m the secret worshiper that arrives late, sits in the back and acts somewhat lost…all to see how prepared churches are for newcomers.  Often my report surprises the leaders, but in all honestly, seldom the pastor.  I could add a few to this list of 10, could you?  Let’s hear them.

Andy

No Comments by Pastor Andy on July 31, 2010
filed in Church Growth and Health

When churches jump the shark

Churches Jumping the Shark

By Derik Hambly

ABP) — When does a church “jump the shark?” That phrase refers to the time Fonzi, the star of the TV comedy “Happy Days,” jumped a shark (literally) and has served as an example of a TV show that tries something strange to boost sagging ratings.

I wonder if many churches are trying to “pack the house” by doing the same thing? I’m reminded of the story from the life of fundamentalist Baptist preacher J. Frank Norris about the time he baptized a rodeo cowboy and had the man’s horse stand in the back of the church to watch. Personally I believe he jumped the shark long before the cowboy baptism, but today it seems many churches — in the desire to be innovative and creative — are jumping their own sharks.

Ed Young Jr. recently hosted a “Car give away extravaganza.” Young gave away 13 cars on Mother’s Day. Some were for the needy and others were random drawings. I’m not against the idea of helping women in this way, but listening to the clip it sounded just like an episode of Oprah Winfrey. He announced it with the excitement of a talk show and the crowd (congregation) responded with cheers.

This is the same man who preached on sex with a bed on stage and gave a daily sex challenge to couples. I recently saw a video of him doing a rap song for a preachers’ conference called “UBU.” I really do believe Young has jumped the shark so many times I’ve lost count.

Young isn’t the only one. Preachers are preaching with tanks, cars, entire stage sets. Some mega-churches constantly bring in celebrities and script their services in ways that are slick and polished like an episode of “American Idol.” I know one church that designed its children’s department to model a kids’ show and baptized children with a cannon shooting confetti over the crowd. So much shark jumping I can’t keep up.

I watched a video clip of Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, when he rode – dressed like General Patton — into the chapel on a Hummer with guns. Blank machine guns were firing. He got off, took off his helmet, pointed around and said, “We are going to take the Hill!” The Hill is the neighborhood where the seminary sits and he was announcing a new evangelism effort to visit homes in the area. The crowd went wild. Even schools are jumping sharks.

I’m not bitter over mega-churches or big churches. Smaller churches can jump the shark just as easily. Some smaller churches do their own gimmicks and many try to model what they see the “big” churches do. Many small-town churches jump baby sharks.

Have I ever jumped the shark? I have to say yes. There are times I can worry more about how things “look” or whether people “liked” worship. Now I’m not saying we shouldn’t strive for quality and the best in what we do. But the best/quality I do is not for me, but for God.

I do want to be relevant so folks can connect and so that real needs and real people are brought to a real God. This very article used many cultural references and I see no problem with that. There just comes a time when we cross a line that makes us look very fake and quite silly. This isn’t a call to any style of worship because this happens in all styles. As worship leaders and churches we are going to have to work hard to help our folks understand worship and strive to experience a holy God who can transform lives.

It’s only a matter of time before some preacher out there literally does try to water ski over a shark to boost attendance. I just wonder if he’ll look as cool as the Fonz when he does!

Derik Hamby

Derik Hamby is pastor of Randolph Memorial Baptist Church in Madison Heights, Va., and a trustee of the Religious Herald. He blogs at http://dwhamby1.wordpress.com.

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Has your church ever “jumped the shark?” or are you familiar with any shark jumping churches?  I’m looking forward to hearing your stories.  You can’t make up this stuff.

Andy

6 Comments by Pastor Andy on July 28, 2010
filed in Church Growth and Health

Starting A Fire to Reach Your World


This is most likely one of the most helpful posts that I have placed on The Disciple Makers so far.  Many of the things on this blog have pointed out the difficult condition of American churches.  This article however is filled with great ideas and concepts of churches that are creatively reaching their communities.  You may not agree with everything you read, so take what you can and pass on the rest.  Happy reading.  Andy

As an organization, the Center for Church Communication (CFCC) wanted to spotlight churches that are excelling in brilliant communication. They wanted to recognize communication that demonstrates talent leveraged with creativity and commitment to the cause and to celebrate design, but not just for design’s sake, more specifically for the purpose of connecting people to God’s message, to Jesus.

Firestarter is a way to recognize churches that have ignited ideas and sparked brilliant communication. The hope is that this project will fan the flame and spread those creative embers to other church communicators.

2010 Firestarters

The 2010 Center for Church Communication Firestarters were announced in July. Read more about what a Firestarter is and how churches were selected.

Bloom – St. Paul, Minn.
They have a fresh approach to church branding. They launched a young, hip and sophisticated  church brand for young adults in the politically-charged Twin Cities. The brand appeal has been attracting creatives to the new church plant since its launch in the fall of 2009.
On the web: http://whybloom.com

The Gateway Church – Des Moines, Iowa
They desire to join with God in the renewal of all things, namely Des Moines. The design flows into the building that they use. The preaching flows into the small group materials. It all works. They are reaching a community of believers (ages 20-35) exceptionally well, in a time when this age group is leaving the church in droves.
On the web: http://thegatewaychurch.com

BridgeWay Church – Oklahoma City, Okla.
Their Worship & Arts communication and community is a definite highlight. There is a highly connected, inter-generational community of artists that bring a distinctive feel to this church. They communicate the gospel through home church groups and Celebration Sunday, and also through projects within the art community.
On the web: http://www.bridgewaychurch.com & http://brandnewmountainspeeches.com

Mission Community Church – Gilbert, Ariz.
This is a church focused on the raising up the vision of Micah 6:8 as their mission. They are doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly with God. They recently opened a brand new facility and for their grand opening did an amazing kick off to this new season in their church. Mission Community Church has been a part of rescuing girls out of the sex trade locally in the Phoenix area and globally in places like Fiji. They’re huge on putting flesh and bones to the gospel while helping people find their spiritual shape as they build relationships.
On the web: http://www.mission68.org & http://www.mission68.org/_grand-opening

Park Community Church – Chicago
They are incredibly forward thinking in their communications, transitioning away from a bulletin to an email/web/texting/social media structure that gets the info out much more efficiently and effectively.
On the web: http://www.parkcommunitychurch.org

Waterfront Community Church – Schaumburg, Ill.
They give away 100% of their Sunday offering to serve and love people in their community. This move has allowed them to take down barriers that exist between the church and it’s community. They have chosen to love their neighborhood and give sacrificially with what is brought in through tithes and offerings. Local media has taken notice and Waterfront has taken great strides to advance the gospel in Schaumburg.
On the web: http://waterfrontcc.com

Guts Church – Tulsa, Okla.
They have a long standing reputation for community relations. Any time their is a community disaster, Guts Church is there to help. Additionally, Guts Church has volunteers throughout the city helping in schools and many other organizations.
On the web: http://www.gutschurch.com

Grace Church – McKean, Penn.
They’re using a fresh voice and simple clarity to personalize communication and alleviate the noise and chaos of traditional “broadcast” promotions. Also, they’re partnering with the mayor’s office and major nonprofits to ‘Serve Erie’ and have a diverse management team (in experience and age). They’re innovative without significant resources.
On the web: http://whoisgrace.com

The Chapel – Chicago
The Chapel is doing some incredible work in the Chicagoland area and have leveraged great marketing ideas, social media, and the web to effectively reach thousands. They have an active presence on most social networks, ranging from a Facebook group for their singles ministry to a staff Twitter directory.
On the web: http://www.chapel.org

Ottumwa Bridge – Ottumwa, Iowa
Led by Marty Schmidt, this church has done a lot with a very small budget. They have a great website and lead pastor Marty’s blog serves as one of the primary points of communication for the church. They are growing exponentially in a tough place for church growth, with a minuscule budget.
On the web: http://ottumwabridge.org

About CFCC

As the Center for Church Communication (CFCC), we exist to help the church matter. We’re a resource for church communicators. Churches have the greatest story ever told, but struggle to tell it well. We want to help churches tell it better. http://www.cfcclabs.org/

Was this post helpful?  Anything spark your interest with some great ideas?  Maybe some of the ideas had a reverse impression on you.  Let’s hear your thought.  Andy

No Comments by Pastor Andy on July 26, 2010
filed in Church Growth and Health

Can Churches Get by on Less?


Getting by when churches have to make do with less

by: Dan Hotchkiss

Our parents’ and grandparents’ memories of the Great Depression are not fond ones, but they came with a silver lining: When you’re making do with less, you learn what really matters.

Having less is no fun, as many church executives are finding out. Whether unpaid pledges, unmet campaign goals or plummeting investment funds, the fiscal story over the last several months for congregations has been challenging. It’s a situation no one would have chosen, but here it is; we need to make the best of it.

Americans are out of practice with making do with less. Between 1950 and 1970, real income per capita—the amount of stuff each of us can buy with what we make—almost tripled. Congregations participated fully in that growth: During the same 20 years, the per-member revenue of denominational churches tripled. Our concept of the minimum a church needs to provide each member has grown with members’ concept of the minimum to which they are “entitled.”

Since 1970 real incomes have stagnated, but until recently, consumption has kept on growing. We made the difference up by borrowing: consumer debt, mortgage debt, and—especially since 2001—national debt. Reliable statistics about churches are hard to come by, but who can doubt that congregations have participated in this trend? Over the last 30 years, churches have become as comfortable with debt as families. And, with the same results.

“If you build it, they will come,” is a nice slogan, but not an eternal truth. Like families, churches can go into bankruptcy or foreclosure. Some have already. Others will if they don’t quickly tighten up their belts.

Where is the growth?

The good news, such as it is, is that spending more per person does not seem to spell success for congregations. The denominational churches that increased their standard of living most during the postwar decades are the same ones that declined in influence and numbers.

And who grew? Lean, mean, mission-oriented churches operating out of storefronts and warehouses, using clergy without seminary training and musicians without highbrow credentials; big congregations with low costs per worshiper. And, online ministries whose marginal cost for increased volume comes as close to zero as a cost can come.

This is nothing new. Throughout American history, most churches start lean and get fat. As they invest more in perpetuating their institutional life, new converts lose interest. Over time, churches that began as earthshaking religious movements accommodate the culture, accumulate capital, and increase operating costs. Churches that do not continually renew their interest in future members eventually lose their edge.

Does your church have a mission statement? Probably. Does it say whose lives you plan to change and in what way? Probably not. The typical church mission statement is either a vague bumper sticker or a catalog of every program and activity with a strong enough constituency to raise a fuss if it were left out. In theory, mission statements reflect hard choices about priorities; in practice they too often reflect leaders’ preference not to choose.

Here is where an economic crisis may conceal an opportunity. When budgets grow, leaders find it easy not to choose. They say “yes” to every question. When budgets shrink, leaders have to say “no” sometimes. In order to say “yes” to what is central to the mission requires saying “no” to cherished, praiseworthy, excellent, and long-established—but peripheral—activities simply because they are not central to the mission.

Refocusing on the core

It is not easy to take advantage of this opportunity. During the Great Depression, the established, mainline churches suffered, but their decline accelerated. I suspect one factor is that most of them gave priority to preserving the externals of church life—clergy, staff and buildings. And, with too few exceptions, they didn’t take advantage of the slowdown to refocus on the core, distinctive gifts each congregation offers people.

What needs to be done? On one level, it’s a simple business calculation: If you believe, as most economists do, that this recession will be deep and long, your church needs to cut costs or find new revenue, and soon. From a business point of view, the time to act is early. Politically, this may be difficult, because the seriousness of the recession may take awhile to sink in with your decision-makers.

If parts of a large plant need to be sold, closed or rented in order to save cash, it’s better to do it sooner than later. Selling unused real estate may seem unwise in a down market, but remember not to fall victim to the “sunk cost” fallacy that leads gamblers to throw good money after bad. The fact that an asset has lost value does not mean you need to hang onto it. Unless you believe values are likely to rise soon, the price you can get today—however disappointing—is the true value of the property.

It is even more tempting to postpone needed staff cuts. Waiting for attrition—or even for the end of the budget year—only deepens the cuts that need to be made. That is the business calculus.

But money decisions in the church are never simply about money. To persuade decision-makers to make hard budget cuts and donors to open their reduced pocketbooks, leaders need to connect decision-making to a clear-eyed understanding of the congregation’s mission. That’s where the sense of urgency created by a global recession can actually create opportunities.

Because we all need to make do with less, it can be easier to get leaders to focus on distinguishing the core mission from the external, “nice, but peripheral” cost centers that naturally spring up when funds are plentiful.

Getting hit from both sides

If your church depends heavily on endowment income, it may be hit from two sides: decreased “draw” from the endowment, and wealthy contributors who feel less wealthy because of their own investment losses. Of course, wealthy people—even when their losses are great in percentage terms—do not suffer as a struggling family suffers after a job loss.

The philanthropic principle: ”From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48)  continues to apply. But we who ask for gifts can plan on being asked sharp questions by both rich and poor. “What difference will my gift make?” “Why your church and not some other?” In hard times, a glib answer to these questions will not do.

To satisfy the queries of potential donors who are making do with less, the church must separate the kernel of its mission from the chaff surrounding it. Mission-driven budget cuts are one way; a renewed focus of staff and lay leader effort is another.

In economic hard times, people need the church more than ever—to comfort them when they lose jobs, have to adjust their lifestyles or postpone retirement; to provide them with meaningful opportunities to serve those worse off than themselves, and to advocate for justice for the weak. In the process, we may gain new eyes to see the frills in our own institutional life and recommit ourselves to what is most essential.

Dan Hotchkiss, Middleboro, MA, is a senior consultant with The Alban Institute. www.danhotchkiss.com

Have churches become spoiled with all that the past economy had to offer and now unable or unwilling to make the needed adjustments?  I have seen churches make cuts but almost always in the things that never made sense to me, such as missionary giving, evangelism, discipleship and community outreach.  It stands to reason that those things are the areas that will cause growth, yet the first ministries that suffer cuts.  OK…what are your thoughts?

Andy

5 Comments by Pastor Andy on July 20, 2010
filed in Church Growth and Health, Stewardship

Revolutionary Restart – Tips for churches that need a restart

A Hail Mary Approach to Restarting a Dying Church

by Bill Easum Revolutionary Restart – Tips for churches that need a restart.

By Bill Easum

The average church in the U.S. is under a hundred in worship. Churches with less than 50 people in worship make up 40% of all churches in the U.S. The average age in these churches with less than 50 people in worship is over 65. Add to that less than 2% of these churches are growing and you have a formula for major disaster over the next fifteen years for 40% of all the churches in the U.S.

If there is to be any hope for the vast majority of these churches radical action must be undertaken within the next few years or most of them will go out of existence. So, I am suggesting a “Hail Mary Strategy” for these churches.  You get the image. It’s the last five seconds of the football game; your team is down by six points; and you are on your own 45 yard line.  Only a touchdown will allow you to win the game. So you call the play and launch the ball as high and as far as you can hoping beyond hope the ball will come to rest in the arms of your receiver somewhere over the goal line.

So the question is this – “Will the leaders of your church wake up to the fact that the church is in serious trouble and the only way to move it from survival to thriving is by starting over?”

Starting over means the following based on the “Hail Mary Strategy.”

  • Find a way to have a full time pastor/planter who will commit for three years . I know you can’t afford this at the moment but you must find a way or you will continue to decline. A part time pastor does not have the time to do all that is necessary to restart a church.
  • Suspend all of the present ways/policies/hidden agendas/system stories regarding decision making and day to day running the church and allow the pastor and a launch team to give direction to the church during the three years. This also means disbanding all of the existing committees and the Administrative Council.
  • Do away with the present mission statement and come up with one that a six year old can remember as well as short enough to be written on a t-shirt.
  • Allow the pastor to bring together and disciple/equip a re-launch team of a seven people and give them full authority to make all of the decisions for the next three years.  These people need to have four faith characteristics: one, a renewed belief in Jesus Christ and the mission of the church; two, a servant’s heart; three a deep compassion for the lost; and four, a more focused prayer effort.
  • The pastor should be personally responsible for spending 80% of his or her time in the community, dreaming up ways to reach the unchurched, and responding to the visitors to worship. I’ve never seen a church this size grow without the pastor being the direct cause of the growth. Just think how it would change the church if the pastor personally brought in fifty new members over the next eighteen months?
  • Begin an indigenous worship service designed specifically for people 25-50 which means lively music and tons of visuals.
  • The pastor must find a musician who believes in the mission and is willing to give his or her time to developing the music and musicians for this service. I know you don’t have a clue how to do this but you get what you look for and if part of the 80% of the time the pastor is spending on the unchurched is devoted to finding this person the pastor will find them.  These people are out there waiting to be asked to play in worship rather in the bar scene.
  • Send out six off-the-wall direct mail pieces to all the households with five miles of the church announcing the start of the new worship service.  These mail out pieces will focus on two things- a new service and a new sermon series designed to catch the imagination of the people under 50 years of age. It must not look churchy.
  • Develop one or two signature ministries.  Churches with less than 300 in worship can only do one or two key ministries. I suggest one of these be a children’s ministry fashioned after Promise Land from Willow Creek. You will not be able to afford  to purchase it, but you can easily put your own program together once you understand the basics.
  • Keep the present worship service in tack for the present members. These folks have kept the church open all these years and need to be honored for their commitment. What I am suggesting in no way diminishes their past or future contributions to the God’s Kingdom.
  • Have a capital fund drive to raise enough money to accomplish the above. One of the roles of the present members will be to “pray and pay” for what needs to be done to reach young adults for Christ and cause your church to thrive once again. With a solid plan in place you can probably borrow more from your bank.  This should be more than enough money to do what is necessary.  Now you see why I call this a “Hail Mary” strategy. But it works if you have the right planter/restart/pastor.

The one thing you know for sure; if you keep doing what you’ve been doing you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting. Surely you’re not satisfied with that.  So roll the dice; spend everything you have; and see what happens. If it doesn’t work, it just means you’ll close the doors a few years sooner and with a lot less grief.

Bill Easum

Bill Easum is the founder and senior consultant for 21st Century Strategies and is one of the most highly respected church consultants and Christian futurists in North America.  He has been a pioneer in helping churches grow on behalf of the Kingdom, with 35 yearsof pastoral ministry in three churches and two denominations. During his 24 years at Colonial Hills Church in San Antonio, the church grew from a restart of 35 in worship to over 1,100 in worship (1993 when he left the local pastorate).  Bill is a graduate of Baylor University, B.A., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, M.D., and Perkins School of Theology, S.T.M. He is the author of twelve books, the most recent, “A Second Resurrection.”

http://churchconsultations.com/

I always encourage churches to think “outside the box” and allow God to put new dreams and vision in their hearts in order to do something supernatural and exciting.  After reading this article by Bill, there is no doubt that he’s certainly is suggesting that inside the box is slow death for a church.  I’m curious what your opinion is about his idea of “restarting” a church.  One thing for sure is that it’s taking a chance, but honestly it’s a lot better idea then letting a church die.  OK…ready for your thoughts.

Andy

7 Comments by Pastor Andy on July 14, 2010
filed in Church Growth and Health
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