Okay, forgive the poor attempt at humor here, but I’m not even sure this is funny. Today I got a letter.  I won’t tell you who from, but I think it’s too good (or too something) not to share.  (My wife says I share too much.)  What would you think if you got this letter? 

Dear Pastor,

You recently received a letter of invitation to the Pastor’s Update held at _________________ September 10th-12th.

Please disregard this invitation – this is a training/informative seminar for Black Pastors and Planters.

Sincerely,

____________________

Wait a minute!  I already had it on my calendar!  Not really, but I am disappointed I don’t qualify.  Plus, how do they know I’m not black.  I am not aware that I ever indicated that on any documents this organization would have.  I’m sure it was a huge error to send out the original invitation, which I don’t even remember receiving, but the retraction is hilarious.  So much for bridging the barrier lines in our churches. 

Just for that, I’m not going to their little party.  You can take me off the list!

Yesterday I caused some people to think and others to throw things. The idea that I would introduce competition among churches as an idea for Kingdom growth excites some people.  Obviously the word excites can have positive and negative connotations.   (Feel free to comment those thoughts for the general public. Don’t hold back.  I love competing thoughts too!) 

What if I made the idea more palatable by calling it variety?  What if we offered more choices of churches, so that we bring more opportunity to engage the unchurched and lost people’s interests, and could thereby give more people an opportunity to hear the Gospel?  Would that make it easier to accept?  I still like the concept of competition; not in a competitive sense, but perhaps in a competitive spirit.  Mainly though I was speaking in terms of volume of churches more than the concept of competing against one another; and definitely not in a this one wins and this one loses; since we are all trying to “win” the same prize; the glory and honor of God our Father. 

As with any word there are numerous definitions to the word completion.  One that’s closest to what I’m suggesting is: The act of seeking, or endeavoring to gain, what another is endeavoring to gain at the same time.

Ideally we are seeking cooperation, not competition, but the competitive spirit that drives our business world may sometimes be needed to drive our church world to greater success.  We should always desire and push for excellence in all we do.   We should strive to win a lost world to Christ.  My church tries its methods. Your church tries theirs.  Somehow through our different “competing” efforts we win some for Christ.  You win some in your church and I win some in mine.  (Obviously God’s Spirit wins people, but don’t be so technical.  You get the idea.)   

So, put your boxing gloves on…let the games begin… Just kidding…..Let’s do give it everything we have, however, so that Christ may be exalted! 

We could use a little competition in the church.  I know, that’s a “bad” word around most church people, but frankly, I’m not your average church guy.  I guess coming from the business world into the church world one of the things that has baffled me the most is this anti-competitive spirit among pastors and churches.  I really believe a little competition could do us all some good.   

Please don’t misunderstand what I’m advocating.  I believe we are all on the same team.  I think, if we have a passion to reach people for Christ (the one and only Jesus Christ, Son of God, King of kings, Lord of lords, Creator of the Universe who died and rose again and only through Him we receive eternal life Christ….just so I’m clear) then we share the same basic vision for our church.  We are all trying to disciple people to reach more people for Christ (Yes, that same Christ.) 

What has seemed strange to me is how many tend to view any church that honors Christ opening near their church that also honors Christ.  (Again, same Christ.)  When we started our church one would have thought we were starting a war in some people’s minds.  This is my second church plant.  This one happens to be in my hometown.  The first one was not.  Because I was an unknown planter I didn’t bother anyone there until we started to grow and then it seemed every large church in town wanted to get to know me so they could figure out what we were doing.  I always felt the main thing they wanted to know was how many of their people we had.  People can criticize the way we began. (I’ve seen the Ed Young Jr. video criticizing what he calls “church pirates”.) They can argue against our methods (to reach people for the same Christ I remind you), but the bottom line most of the time, at least it appears to me, is that in the church world some feel there is to be no competition.  This is especially true within particular denominations. 

That appears exactly opposite of the business world. Competition in business serves a great function. Today in Philadelphia I saw a Ted’s Montana Grill right next to a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.  Of course, anyone who goes to Philly is made aware of Pat’s and Geno’s steak sandwich war that’s been going on for years.  They are right across the street from each other.  Almost everywhere I see a Lowe’s I also see a Home Depot nearby.  Some say the best pace to open an independent coffee shop is near a popular Starbucks.  Why do the best malls have the nicest food courts; with dozens of restaurants located next to each other?  Have you ever been to a farmer’s market?  Just wondering: is it still called a farmer’s market if there is only one farmer there? 

Could it be because the business world knows something about competition that the church world needs to learn?   Perhaps we need to learn a valuable business principle that competition drives interest, which generates traffic, which translates into bigger sales; which happens to be the like goal of each of the businesses.  If we are all in it for the same end purpose, maybe we need to be less afraid of competition and more grateful when someone in the same “industry” of leading people to Christ (same Christ) opens nearby.  We might even want to help them get started. It might be good for “business”.     

By the way, in addition to greater sales, competition also has a way of generating better quality and we all know a few churches (including mine) that could always use more of that….

As a pastor it is not typical for me to write about a beer company, but I’m an observer of culture, and honestly, it would be hard to deny the impact the beverage has had on the culture I watch. (Beer has had an impact if for no other reason than providing cool Super Bowl commercials.) An example of a cultural phenomenon I see occurring now is found in the selling of Anheuser-Busch to the Belgian company InBev. (Has anyone even heard of InBev before a few months ago?)

In addition to being a pastor, I live in the South. People around here take their beer very seriously. That’s why I knew months ago when I read rumors of this sale that tempers would flare. The Internet has been full of stories over the last few days of how distasteful a foreign own Bud really is in the minds of consumers. (http://tinyurl.com/5qjatp) It will be interesting to see how loyal beer drinkers remain after the sale is final. Still, in spite of the protests, apparently the sell will go through. (I wonder if the Clydesdales will remain in America.)

Why does this matter? I think it matters because it is one more example of how small the world has become. We truly are a global economy. Our world has shrunk more the larger it has become. One thing is certain, it is more difficult than ever for a company to remain totally an American company. To really grow a company must think internationally. Don’t be surprised if next year it is Wal Mart, Ford or Starbucks on the international auction block.  Trust me; if it can happen to the “King of Beers” it can happen to anyone.

There’s a coffee shop in Nashville (pastors can surely write about coffee) that has a sign over the men’s urinal (okay, so I crossed another line talking about urinals) that says “Think Globally, Drink Locally”. That phrase has actually become a cultural buzzword for the mindset of many people today. I can’t find a definitive answer of where the phrase came from or even what it means, but basically it appears to mean that we live here, we shop here, we enjoy life here (wherever here is), but we have access to an incredible world at our fingertips with the touch of a mouse or keyboard or through the products that we can easily buy and we should, therefore, always keep the greater world in mind.

As a church we have a similar mission. We are local, but we have been called to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. We worship together, we minister to each other, and we share each other’s burdens. It would be easy for us to get comfortable in our own little world and forget about the world. Discovering how we take advantage of this smaller world culture may be one of the greatest challenges today in the local church, but somehow I think this culture change may work in our favor if we allow it to and give us greater opportunities to grow the Kingdom of God.

(Just to avoid the negative comments or emails because I wrote about beer, let me be clear now that I’m not promoting the sale, purchase or consumption of beer. It’s just an illustration. I hate that I have to put disclaimers on posts like this, but I’ve been there…done that. Don’t have a t-shirt though…FYI size medium.)

Obviously, God builds the church, but He uses people to build it. What kind of people does God use to build a great church? As a pastor, I have noticed some trends among church people who help move the church forward. The following is a list of characteristics of those type of people. Not everyone will have every quality, but it’s the combination of each of them in people that builds a great church.

Great church people:

1. Support the pastor and the church.

1 Corinthians 16:10‑11 When Timothy comes, treat him with respect. He is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am. Don’t let anyone despise him.

A pastor is always looking for someone he can feel is his friend. Great church people are that friend.

2. Are encouragers in the church.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Great church people are a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. They look for ways to help, invite their friends and neighbors, and help without having their arms twisted.

3. Don’t think everything is about them!

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me.”

Did you know everything may not go your way? Great church people are willing to allow the best to be done for the church even when it goes against their own desires.

4. Think outside the walls of the church. They think external not internal.

Acts 1:8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me every where‑‑in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 

If we are not careful, our churches could be hard to tell apart from a Country Club. Great church people think of those not yet in a church!

5. Maintain a friendly church.

2 John 6 Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

Great church people make sure visitors never stand around long with no one to talk to. They are welcoming and friendly to everyone.

6. Believe and love God’s Word.

Joshua 1:8 Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.

Great church people let the Bible guide them.

7. Grow in prayer.

Ephesians 6:18 Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.

Great church people pray more than worry.

8. Build on faith.

Hebrews 10:38 And a righteous person will live by faith.

Great church people are willing to walk by faith as God leads, even through the most challenging times.

9. Put God’s will first.

Mark 3:35 “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Great church people put God’s will ahead of every other agenda.

10. Enjoy meeting with God regularly.

Amos 4:12 says, “Prepare to meet your God,”

Great church people look expectantly for opportunities to worship God and experience Him with other believers.

I’m so thankful to be in a church with so many who make this list easy to write.

What would you add to this list?

If you want an organization to grow you must develop leaders.  Success or failure of an organization rises and falls on leadership.  I believe it is equally true that the degree of success an organization can attain is directly proportional to its leadership potential.  Those can be scary words, because it means that we must constantly be finding new leaders if we intend to continue to grow as an organization. 

The goal for our church would be that we never have to say, “We can’t, because we don’t have anyone to lead that.” 

Recently I shared these points with our small group leaders about replacing themselves as leaders.  I dug them back out again this week, because I think we need some more leaders…again! 

Here are 10 steps to replacing yourself and find new leaders

1.      Catch the vision of multiplication

If you don’t believe in the system of multiplication then you aren’t as likely to participate in it.  You must recognize that multiplication is a part of kingdom building.  Growth in the kingdom will be greatly impacted by the numbers of leaders you develop. 

2.      Be intentional. 

You must be intentional about finding your replacement and put energy into leadership development. Replacing yourself must become a part of your overall leadership strategy.

3.      Start early. 

A new leader needs time to prepare. You need to get started early in your leadership role looking for that person who might be able to take your place.  With some people bent towards leading you either use them early or you will lose them from your organization as they search for a place of significance.

4.      Invest in your own personal growth. 

You can’t take people where you haven’t been or aren’t going.  The only sure way to lead people towards spiritual maturity is to be heading there yourself.  Live a life worth following.

5.      Humble yourself.

Today’s generation likes honesty, so don’t be afraid to allow your weaknesses, failures and shortcomings to be the catalyst to help your organization grow.  Also, don’t be threatened by others.  They will bring different styles; maybe even be better than you at some things.

Take pride in finding them as potential new leaders. 

6.      Share responsibilities early.

The quickest way to learn something is to do it.  Allow people a chance to grow under your leadership.  Give them a chance to lead.

7.      Identify potential. 

Look for leadership qualities in people that match the character of your organization. 

Here are some qualities we look for in potential leaders:

a. Concern/love for others

b. Not a complainer.

c. Teachable and open to suggestions.

d. Demonstrates a propensity to lead through an excellence in following.

e. Reliability

f. Interest  (in the system, the organization, people in the organization)

g. Character

h. Potential

i. Positive attitude

j. Confidence

k. People skills

8.      Create an environment conducive to produce leaders. 

Leaders don’t develop well under a dictatorship. If people are afraid to have an answer in your organization for fear of being “wrong” they are less likely to try to have an answer.  Give people an opportunity to rise and fall. Leadership is less about managing people and more about enabling them. 

9.      Recruit. 

Don’t use the sign up method. “Raise your hand if you want to be a leader.”  That will get you a bunch of quality people! The best people are often recruited. 

10.  Lead for life change. 

Some people will experience their greatest life change only when they are leading others. 

Think about the blessings people you recruit into leadership will have in their life from serving others.

Peter Block says “Leadership is about developing leaders; not followers.”  Jesus said, “Follow me”, but remember He was perfect.   Even Jesus though was seeking followers who would be unleashed to be leaders.  He sent the disciples out to launch the church. 

Growth of any organization is directly related to its leadership potential.  Who is sitting in your organization that could be a leader?  Who has the skills, probably should be leading, but hasn’t stepped forward?  Your God-given mission may be to move them into a leadership position.  

My mind started racing Sunday afternoon. I tried to take a nap, but I couldn’t get these thoughts out of my head.  I woke up with the same thoughts again this morning.  I’m trying to figure out how best to reach people in today’s culture.  These thoughts began with a game my family plays each Sunday after church.  Perhaps your family plays the game. It’s called “Name The Missing” and the object of the game is to list as many people as you can who you didn’t see at church that day.  I hate the game personally, but I seem to fall into it and actually win quite often.  If you can name the person and where they were you get extra points.  The most common response lately has revolved around dance competitions or sporting events.  I’m wondering now if there is a better game we should be playing. 

We are living in a culture where Sunday morning is not necessarily reserved for church. It used to be and we could wish it still were, but it’s not.  For years I have tried to figure out how to stop this cultural shift, but I’m beginning to wonder if that is the correct response.   I wonder if we should be considering how we interact with the present culture.  How do we reach people who no longer have the mindset that to find God they must free up their Sunday morning? 

Jesus said, in Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”  Does that command include the dance competitions and the baseball diamond, even if those places are occupied on Sunday morning?  What about the restaurant I passed on the way to church this morning?  Does the absence of a person from my organized time of service mean they have no interest in God or no desire for Him in their life? I’m not sure it does.  I’m wondering if we as the “church” need to rethink our strategy to include those absentees in our outreach. 

I’m not suggesting Tuesday night visitation.  I don’t want unannounced visitors at my house and I’m a paid professional.  I am, however, talking about finding ways to reach people within the schedule the culture is setting for them.  That could mean alternative scheduling of our services or it could mean alternative type of “services”.  I think it definitely means taking the message of God’s love and grace, which is only available through the person of Jesus Christ, (I added the Jesus qualifier just so someone doesn’t think I’m talking about a new “religion”) to them in a ways that intersect with where and how they have currently chosen to live their life, even if that is just through personal relationships.   I guess I’m also wondering if thinking through ways to accomplish this should be occupying my thoughts as much or close to as much as thoughts about how to improve Sunday mornings at my church. 

I don’t have all the answers. I’m just thinking.  I welcome your ideas. 

What is the next level for your organization?  Do you have a vision to get you there? 

As we approach our third anniversary as a church, I’m in a deep brainstorming time about where God would want us to lead the church in the coming years.  God has blessed us with three wonderful years, but what’s next?  I have always believed and taught that a healthy church is a growing church, so what is our role in producing that growth.  Of course our overall vision remains the same. We want to make growing followers of Jesus Christ.  I know that God ultimately is the One who grows the church and people, but I also know that He uses people to carry out His will.  Will what worked to accomplish our growth the first three years work the same way in the next three years?  As fast as the world is changing, and since we are a culture invading church, reaching people who are very entrenched in the culture, it would make sense that we would need to be ready to make changes quickly to maintain our growth.   

So, here are some of the tough questions I’m asking myself.  While at this point these are personal questions I am processing, yesterday I shared these with our staff for their input and to spur their thoughts in similar directions.  I welcome your input if you have questions or thoughts that would be good for us to consider or if you have insight for a church at our stage of its life-cycle.    

Where do we want to go?  What specific goals in each area of ministry do we have for the next three years in regards to numbers of people engaged and numbers of people volunteering?  What changes need to be made to our current structured programs in order to better disciple people?  Do we need to alter our service times, tweak our style of music or add new services to reach new people? 

How are we going to get there?  Once we know where we want to go, what steps need to be in place to accomplish each of the goals?  How much will it cost?  Will our current facilities be enough to sustain our new growth goals? 

Who is going to lead the way?  Are the right people in place to take us to the next level?  Do we need to add staff or alter responsibilities in order to achieve maximum results from everyone on the team?  How many new volunteers will be needed to meet our goals? 

These are just a few of my questions. Again, I welcome your input in this process. 

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22 NIV

This is such a friendler post than what I started writing yesterday on this subject. Thank you God for time to think through commenting. I do have a question though about a denomination that I’ve been a part of since birth:

Are the Southern Baptist, by their passing of the resolution “On Regenerate Church Membership and Church Member Restoration” claiming that all the 10 million missing people from their membership rolls are in need of discipline?  You can read the resolution here: http://www.bpnews.net/blog/article.asp?id=176.  It passed at the denomination’s convention earlier this month. 

If so, I have a problem with that. My suspicion is that not everyone understands or even agrees with the system of record keeping Southern Baptist hold so dear.  In our military town, for example, people move away, join a church that doesn’t request “letters”, and never think to notify the sending church.  Are they living in sin because of an oversight in record keeping? 

I know that’s not the intent of this resolution.  Hopefully it is incredibly well-meaning to make sure disciples are being made in keeping with the teachings of Christ, but perception says otherwise, and, as I have learned in church planting trying to reach lost people, perception carries a lot of weight with the unchurched/unsaved world. 

I think the proper response may be to follow up with those “misplaced” members, find out where they are in their walk with Christ, and if necessary, adjust the churches records.  If discipline is needed then it can be addressed then.  I would suggest starting with the “love others” approach first.

Just a suggestion. 

Have you ever read something and wish you hadn’t?  That just happened to me.  While researching for message prep I stumbled on this blog post.  It’s not “new” information, just compiled in a way I haven’t seen; all in one neat, tidy, sobering place.  What to make of it?  Not sure yet.  I’m still processing it all. 

Check out what stirred my thoughts this morning at: http://faithwalk.wordpress.com/startling-statistics/