Will You Give Me a Dollar

February 29, 2012 by 1 Comment

With each stop on the Giving Rocket tour, we’ve been continuing a social experiment and project called Will You Give Me a Dollar.  Basically, we are asking people we meet to give us a $1 bill for no particular reason at all.  The results and conversations have been amazing.

While this is a fun project, we’re learning some serious things and writing a book about those learnings. Here’s a little glimpse into the New York City dollar-asking experience. For a little more on the experience, visit the Dollar site.

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Grace in the Old Testament

February 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I recently finished reading Andy Stanley’s The Grace of God. Not only did I receive some tremendous encouragement and teaching, I thought the book would make for a great sermon series called “Grace in the Old Testament.” Most people don’t think of grace and the Old Testament together. In fact, some consider the Old Testament to be about the law and the New Testament to be about grace. But that’s a big mistake.

Here are a few title and subject ideas, inspired by various chapters in the book:

1. Grace in a Garden. God created an amazing environment that had just one rule – that’s something to consider about how God wants us to live. He gave humanity a purpose for living, a job, and company. Creation itself is a blessing and an act of grace.

2. Grace on Tablets of Stone. The ten commandments weren’t given to Israel until God had already established a relationship with His people.

3. Grace in the Belly of a Fish. The story of Jonah is really a story of grace. God gave Jonah a second chance, and the city of Nineveh a second chance. God isn’t interested in paying back people, but in bringing back people.

4. Grace for a Prostitute. In the story of Rahab, we see that God can punish sin but extend grace to the sinner.

5. Unending Grace. The life of David shows us that grace has no limit.

Have you ever preached on grace exclusively from the Old Testament? Maybe it’s time to give it a try.

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Jeff Foxworthy Wants You To Preach Better Sermons

February 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Have you heard about Preach Better Sermons, a FREE online event with Andy Stanley, Dr. Charles Stanley, Louie Giglio, Perry Noble, Jud Wilhite, Vanable Moody and Jeff Foxworthy.  It’s happening on March 15 from 1-4 EST.  All of these communicators will be sharing practical information on preparation and delivery, all to help you become a better communicator.

Check out this short video with Jeff Henderson and Jeff Foxworthy, and be sure to register for the event.

Jeff Foxworthy Wants You to Preach Better Sermons from Preaching Rocket on Vimeo.

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You Can’t Lead From Behind Your Desk

February 27, 2012 by 1 Comment

In 2006, when I was doing the leg-work that would lead to the launch of a brand new church, I spent a lot of time creating strategies and systems. I wrote every word on our website. I drew up some pretty charts.  I created a darn good strategic plan.

And all of those things, while foundational, did not directly result in one person joining our launch team or showing up to our grand opening service. Nobody ever showed up at church with a print out of something from our website claiming that our doctrinal statement on heaven is what drew them in.

A computer screen is my comfort zone. And I like my desk. I’d be perfectly happy behind a closed door surrounded by books and connected to blogs. Such is the life of an introvert.

But my introverted personality quickly turned into a relational obstacle, and I failed to realize this important lesson: Leadership involves people, not just paper.

While strategies are helpful (in fact, I believe they are essential) I allowed myself to get lost in them and missed the bigger picture.

Musicians are not going to be developed via twitter. You can put out a twitter APB for bass players, and someone may respond. But frequent calls for help is a sign that there isn’t a culture built on relationship and mission.

You cannot make disciples via Facebook. You can find out what vampire you are most like, or join the pirate army in the fight against the Sith Lords or maybe even discuss that obscure Old Testament passage in the One Hundred Million Christians Strong Studying the Old Testament Group, but for all the social that Facebook brings to media, life isn’t going to happen there. It might be a window into life, but it’s not real life.

If we are going to make a difference, it’s going to involve conversations. We’re going have to push back from our desks, leave the confines of our keyboards, and go out there and talk to people.

Maybe it’s time to stop creating sending status updates looking for musicians and go listen to some bands play. Maybe we should stop sending emails to groups of ten people hoping for one response and take someone for a cup of coffee.

I cannot force myself into being an extrovert. But If I want to be an effective leader, I’ve got to lead where people are. And that’s not from behind my desk.

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How Do You Create a System in the Church

February 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Here’s a simple system for creating a system. (Ironic, isn’t it?)

1. Start with the end. Just like in communicating, start with the end. What do you want people to do, feel, or thing? What’s the desired outcome? If you can’t define a clear win, how will you know if the system works?

2. Get some people together. You can create a system on your own, but if it’s going to involve other people, you’re wise to involve them in the process. It’s hard for people to buy in to a process they didn’t help create.

3. Talk. Get out of the office and turn off the phones. Capture thoughts on a dry erase board or a sheet of paper. capture thoughts. Argue, debate and discuss.

4. Write it down. I’m convinced that God wrote the 10 Commandments on tablets of stone because Moses would have gotten them wrong if he tried to remember. If you want people to be on the same page, put some words on an actual page.  And if you’d rather start with 100+ templates instead of 100+ blank pages, grab Docs and Forms.

5. Review. Systems aren’t eternal – they evolve and change over time, Review them on a regular basis.

Filed Under: Leadership

When Do You Need to Create a System in Church?

February 24, 2012 by 1 Comment

If you do it more than once, then you should create a system around it. Decide HOW you’re going to do it, and each time you do it, it gets a little easier. Here are some examples of where systems can help:

1. Sermon writing. Since you do it every week, what can you do on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual process to make your prep time more meaningful?  This is just one of the things Preaching Rocket is going to help you do.

2. Finances. You can build systems around counting money, thanking donors, communicating with your donor base, reporting and accountability. Think of all the repetitive tasks involved in church finances. Build systems so you don’t make mistakes.  Nothing will be better than Giving Rocket to help with this.

3. Hiring. Getting your hiring system right is more important than your next hire. Create the steps you’ll go through each and every time you need to identify and fill a staff role.  A hiring process is a part of Docs and Forms.

4. Planning events. How many of your events happen every year? Decide in advance when you’re going to start planning and promoting. Build a system and stop reacting to the calendar.

There are just four areas where healthy systems can really help.

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Organize Your Church in 30 Days with My Free Course

February 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Sign up for this FREE eCourse called Organize Your Church in 30 days and get 30 practical, action oriented lessons delivered to your Inbox over the next 90 days.  You’ll learn:

  • How to create calendars that actually help you execute
  • How to create systems and strategies that help your staff lead effectively
  • How some technology tools can save you time and save your butt
  • How to develop staff and volunteer leaders

You will also get sample documents and resources along the way to jump start your organizational process.  Sign up now…it’s FREE.

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Build a Better Core Team with Ten Minute Training

February 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Your core group will influence the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of people in your church for the next several years. People on the Core Team aren’t enough…you need the RIGHT people on the team. You may have a plan or a prospectus, but unless the people on your core team reflect the mission, vision and values, your church might not get off the ground.

HERE ARE TWO REASONS THIS MATTERS

  1. The wrong people on a core team can absolutely kill momentum, passion and vision. Too many churches DIE in the early days because the first group of people is not on the same page.  Great people don’t automatically make great teams.
  2. Who you are is who you will become.  That’s why Lyle Shaller said, “Your first 20 members will determine who your next 100 members will be–even if there will be a next 100.”  You’ve GOT to get this right now, because your core group will be a microcosm of your entire church.  At this point, your mission and vision flows through your core team.

William Tinsley says, “Core groups are best developed in informal meetings of interested persons. Through these meetings relationships are nurtured, spiritual truth explored, and questions asked. A strong core group is developed that will give rise to a healthy new church.” (Breaking the Mold, p. 30)

But what do you DO during your core group meetings?  When you gather in a living room or a rented space with a small group of people ready to change the world, what should you talk about?  How do you best describe the hard work that lies ahead, communicate expectations, and build unity amongst this new group?

TEN MINUTE TRAINING IS THE SOLUTION

From my personal experience in building a core group and launching a church, I will speak DIRECTLY to the people in YOUR core group, as if you’d invited me to speak.

It’s a collection of seven videos, all ten minutes in length, you watch WITH your core group or launch team.  Each video covers one of these topics:

  • How to Protect the Unity of the Church
  • The Personal Responsibilities of a Core Group Member
  • Dealing with Change
  • Caution: Hard Work Ahead
  • You ARE the Marketing Department
  • This Isn’t Your Last Church
  • Meeting Immediate Needs through Serving

In addition to the .mov files, you’ll get a one-page PDF handout with a Bible passage and discussion questions. After you watch the video, you can lead your group through the discussion.

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This resource isn’t filled with theory or flowery language – I speak directly to some of the most important issues you and your core group will face in the early days.  I will deliver practical training on crucial topics.

“This is top notch training! I wish we had it when we started three years ago. I am making this required training for all of our future church plants.” – Zak White, Revolution Church

SEE FOR YOURSELF

Here’s a full-length preview of “The Personal Responsibilities of a Core Group Member.”  This is one of the seven videos you’ll get.

HERE ARE THE BENEFITS FOR USING THIS WITH YOUR CORE TEAM

  1. It’s easy to use.  You can use the videos and lead the discussion with little prep time.  This is important for planters who are trying to juggle many things at one time.
  2. Someone else will say what you want to say.  Parents know this, because they see their kids respond to someone else saying what they have been saying for years.  I will support your leadership and talk openly about how your team can support you and your family.
  3. I will share personal success and failure stories from my time building a core group and launching a church.  You and your team will be able to relate.
  4. Your core group meetings will have just the right amount of structure.  Each video is just ten minutes long, so I’ll teach a little bit and you can lead the rest of the meeting.

Ten Minute Training for Core Teams is an instant download and costs $149.  You will receive a link to download all seven videos and seven discussion guides.

In addition, you’ll receive a bonus audio session called From Core Group to Launch Team, full of practical ideas for developing a launch team.  In Ten Minute Training, I’ll speak directly to your core group, but in this audio seminar, I’ll coach you – the planter.

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BUILDING A CORE TEAM IS SERIOUS WORK

In order to plant a healthy church, you must have a strong vision and mission.  But you must be as equally serious about building a strong team. This plug and play resource will help you build a strong team that shares your mission and values, who will fight with you for the long haul.

As with all of my resources, I offer a no-nonsense guarantee.  If you aren’t satisfied with the resource, just let me know and I will promptly refund your money.

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Everything Egg Drop

February 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Do you want to put on a high-impact, highly-attended event that will attract hundreds or thousands of people and eventually connect them to your church?

Think about doing an Egg Drop.  It’s like an Easter Egg Hunt, only you drop plastic eggs from a helicopter.  And WAY more families attend. We got the idea from Elevation Church in Charlotte, and we did it four years in a row.  It fit with our values, it was a great way to invite children and families to church, it was a bold announcement to our community, and it helped us involve a bunch of NEW volunteers.

We learned a lot over three years and I want to share everything with you in this resource. I’ll show you how you can do this event on a shoestring budget and how to avoid some huge killer mistakes.

The Egg Drop Kit will give you everything you need to execute an Egg Drop for your community.  It’s a step-by-step guide that will teach you the folliwing things:

  • How to get a massive amount of volunteers to sign up at once
  • Where to purchase supplies
  • How to plan the details of your event
  • One decision that will save you thousands of dollars
  • How to connect those who attend to the ministry of your church
  • How to pre-register people for the event
  • How to promote the event for your community
  • How to keep children and parents safe
  • How to follow up with those who attend

In addition, we’ll give you all original documents, including:

  • Layererd graphics, logos, and design elements.
  • A frequently asked questions handout given out at registration
  • Volunteer sign up form and master list
  • Candy donation request letter
  • Press Reselease
  • Schedule
  • Sponsor and Vendor applications
  • Master planning timeline

Charlie Swain, from the Church at Cane Bay had this to say:  ”I bought your Egg Drop resource…we had 4000 come out! It was unbelievable.  So many doors open.”

Get The Egg Drop Kit for $99 today via instant download.

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Why Systems Matter in the Church

February 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Today is part two in a series on systems in the church.  Today, I want to talk about why systems matter.  Here are three reasons.

1. Many of the problems you face are systems problems, not people problems. You can blame a person, but a good person in a bad system will produce mediocre results. If you fix the system, you’ll see better results.

2. You will save money. There’s a very real, tangible benefit to getting yourself organized – you’ll save real money. How much money is wasted because of poor planning. Rush jobs, overnight shipping, and high premiums can be avoided with some extra time that healthy systems will give you.

3. Systems allow volunteers to function at a higher level. If you create a good framework around your people, you’ll see them soar to a higher level. Too many times, we make the mistake of handing something broken and ineffective to a volunteer in the hopes that they can fix it. But nobody wants to jump on a sinking ship. Create a good system, THEN volunteers can thrive.

Up Next:  When to create a system and how to do it.

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