May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Entire Group of Volunteers You’re Missing

Churches are often great for helping people find places to serve. We’ve got spiritual gift tests, web forms, and volunteer expos that do a fantastic job at matching people’s skills to the needs in the church. Here’s some common volunteer needs:

  • Teach children
  • Be a greeter
  • Play in the band
  • Set up or tear down
  • Church work day
  • Work with students
  • Drive the church van
  • Chaperone a trip

Do you know what’s missing from that list? It’s what’s missing from similar lists at most churches.

We’re great at giving people opportunities to serve with their hands, but where are the opportunities for people to serve with their mind?

Everyone isn’t wired to work with kids or be a greeter. Some introverted and smart people don’t want to work in the middle school ministry. It’s great that people can show up and serve, but what about the thinkers, readers, planners, or techies?

We need to do a better job of creating opportunities for people to use their mental talents, just like we give people the opportunity to use their strength or smiles.

Here are some ideas:

  • What if you turned over your church twitter account to a team of three people skilled in social media?
  • Do you have people who are always wanting deeper messages? What if you invited them to bring their commentaries ad study Bibles to your house and you worked on messages as a group?
  • Your website doesn’t have to be updated by a staff member. There’s probably a teenager who can do it better than you.
  • What if you allowed people to make funny videos? What if you brought in someone to teach PhotoShop or Final Cut and started training people to make videos.
  • Could someone make your sermon PowerPoint presentation?
  • What if you engaged some people gifted in public relations to help with a media campaign?
  • Are there strategic thinkers who could make your strategic plans or long-range decisions better?
  • What if you found people skilled in event planning and gave them help and budgets?
  • Are there copywriters, bloggers, or editors sitting in your services?
  • Would someone be willing to proofread your bulletin, newsletters or emails?

There is a large group of people in your church who are waiting for you to engage their brains, and give them some thinking-work to do. It’s not that they are above cleaning floors at the church work day – it’s that God has given them a different skill set.

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May 9, 2012 By 3 Comments

Your People Don’t Want You To Grow

When I go to a restaurant, I don’t want my server to be slammed with tables. It prevents me from getting refills. But the restaurant owner, wants every table in the house filled, with a waiting list to boot.

When I hire a consultant, I don’t want him to have 35 other clients. It means I miss out on personal attention. The consultant, however, wants a packed calendar because it leads to a bigger paycheck.

Customers don’t want their favorite business to grow because it means less personal attention – less of what attracted them in the first place. Yet most business owners want to expand, often choosing to focus on who is NOT a customer. It’s an unresolved, never ending tension.

You can brag about how many clients you have. For some, that’s social proof. For others, it’s a sign that you’re too busy for them.

It’s true for churches, too.

Do you realize that most people in church don’t WANT their church to grow. It means more hassle in the parking lot, less personal attention given to their kids, and more difficulty finding a seat.

Church leaders like crowded services – most church attenders hate them. Leaders like crowded parking lots – anyone driving a car hates them. Pastors like crowds of people in the congregation – most people avoid crowds.

But there are very few churches whose members are clamoring for the next capital campaign and building expansion.

Because growth is an inconvenience.

Filed Under: Church, Leadership Tagged With: ,
May 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

How Church Planters Can Create a Generous Culture Before Launch

Too many church plants start well, but fall by the wayside in year two or three because of a lack of funding. After initial support dries up and the young church is left to grow on it’s own, it’s often too big a burden to bear. So the planter takes on a second job and the second team member has to relocate. The handful of people who were supporting the vision and funding the majority of the budget begin to wonder if their sacrifice is making any difference just as they get a postcard from their old church.

A church is a spiritual thing, but here’s a reality you must embrace: Money changes things. When the money dries up, you have to make difficult decisions that affect the quality and quantity of ministry you provide to your community.

But money also makes ministry possible. Imagine if you could fully-fund the vision that God has given you. Imagine what would happen if you were able to see financial growth from the inside instead of watching outside support taper off. Imagine the possibility of leading generous people who are eager to meet the financial requirements of a growing church.

That doesn’t start when you have services, when you break the 200 barrier, or when you find a permanent location. Leading a financially healthy church starts before you even have a recognizable church. Here are some things you can do before you launch to create a culture of generosity in your young church.

1. Make it normal to talk about money. If it’s weird to talk about money early on, it’s going to feel weird to talk about money after you launch. One of the best things you can do is just make it normal to discuss money. It’s a Biblical subject, and it’s a practical subject, so embrace it.

Don’t apologize for talking about what the Bible teaches – make it normal to talk about money from day one. If people are going to jump ship because you preach a sermon on stewardship or boldly ask people to fund the vision, let them jump ship early int he process.

2. Lead your core group to give generously. I was talking to a church planter about the size and commitment level of his young core group, and he told me that while he had about 25 or so people in his core group, about half of them were still attending and giving to their home church. I told him his core group was half the size he thought. Financial support is one of the most telling signs of commitment level.

If your core group doesn’t give, they won’t give after you launch. There’s no generosity button people push that turn them into faithful supporters.

This is important because what your core group does early on, your entire church will do on a grander scale later on. Leading a generous church starts with a generous core team, no matter the size of the team or the place in the process.

3. Communicate clearly. From your prospectus and strategic plan, to communicating your needs to potential supports, to updating donors on what happened with the money, clarity is the key when it comes to communication. Too many church planters write flowery communication with Christian or church-planter buzz words that don’t mean anything to the reader.

Don’t make up a budget – do careful research and report the facts. Don’t label everything missions – clearly articulate where the money goes. Don’t thank all of your supporters – individually thank them for their specific contributions.

Church planters, leading a financially healthy church starts in the planning process.

This post originally appeared on the Portable Church blog.  For more information on church finances, check out Giving Rocket.

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May 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Every Church Needs an Annual Calendar

Too many of us react to what’s on the calendar, saying things like, “Man, that event just snuck up on me.” We move from special service to special event at a backbreaking pace. We come up with new ideas, programs, events and ministries that will help us reach the community and grow the church.

The problem occurs when our events and ideas don’t fit in with the larger context of ministry and what happens in the church on a regular basis. Instead of consntaly planning new events, you need an annual calendar – an at-a-glance look at ALL of the events and special things that happen in your church every year.

I’m not talking about getting the next few months planned out – there’s a little value in that. But you’ll see tremendous value and synergy from looking at the year as a whole. What happens church-wide in January, and how does it lead into February? What should all of our ministries be doing the month after Easter. When can we give that big event the three weeks of focus it needs?

Wrestle through the big-picture calendar and the day-to-day stuff will make more sense.

If this sounds like a lot of work, don’t worry. A ready to use template is a part of Docs and Forms - an instant download with more than 120 documents you can customize and use in your church. It will save you a ton of time.  And if it’s not what you expected, just let me know and I’ll give you a refund.

Here’s a complete list of all the editable documents you’ll get:

  • Administration Documents:  Annual Calendar, Board of Directors, Bylaws,Calendar Request, Counseling Confidentiality Agreement, Counseling Referrals,Event Planning Checklist, Head Count Sheet, Ordination, Staff Retreat Overview, Statement of Beliefs, Travel Guidelines, Terminology, Weekend Process, Church Planting Philosophy, Church Health Report, Core Values
  • Facility Documents:  Closing Policies and Procedures, Facility Use and Rental Policy, Facility Use Request Form, Building Policies and Procedures, Key and Security System Acknowledgement, Wedding Policies
  • Family Ministry Documents:  Family Ministry Volunteer Application, Oak Leaf Kids Volunteer Policies and Procedures, Oak Leaf Kids Parent Handbook,Pro-Kids Philosophy, Family Dedication Philosophy, Student Ministry Philosophy, Release Form
  • Connections Documents: Baptism Monthly Checklist, Membership Philosophy and Application, Discipleship Overview, Baptism Process,Congratulatory Baptism Letter, First Time Giver Follow Up Process, First Time Guest Follow Up Process, Giver and Guest Letters, New Christian Process, Three Ways to Get Connected
  • Creative Arts Documents: Guest Musician Expectations, Guide to the Giving Talk with Giving Talk Ideas, Guide to the Welcome, Welcome Philosophy, Intern Responsibilities/Expectations, Series Graphic Needs, Series Launch Checklist,Series Planning Checklist, Style Guide, Service Planning Philosophy, Weekend Master Schedule, Worship Leader/Musician Expectations
  • Financial Documents: Benevolence Policy, Budgeting Process, Chart of Accounts, Finance Team Job Description, Housing Allowance for Pastors,Offering Count Sheets, Purchase Order Worksheet, Reimbursement Form,Spending Procedures, Budget Philosophy
  • Staff Documents: 6-Month Evaluation, 360 Degree Evaluation, Blank Housing Allowance Form, Confidentiality Agreement, Employee Handbook, Employee Handbook Agreement, Employment Application, Firing Process, Hiring Process,Interview Questions, Monthly Staff Evaluation, New Hire Checklist, Prospective Employee Screening, Resignation Agreement, Social Media Policy, Staff Job Descriptions, Leadership Development Plan, Staff Leave Request Staff, Organizational Chart, Termination Agreement, Org Chart
  • Volunteer Documents: Guest Services Handbook, Huddle Guide, Volunteer Lanyards, Parking Handbook, Parking Map, Security Policies and Procedures,Volunteer Job Descriptions, Volunteer Team Organizational Structure, Small Group Handbook
Get Docs and Forms now and take a huge step towards creating healthy systems.

Add to Cart

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May 2, 2012 By 1 Comment

Every Church Needs Guest Speaker/Worship Leader Expectations

Ever had a guest speaker come in speak way too long? Ever asked a guest worship leader for help, only to find that the skinny jeans and scarf didn’t really work for your people? Ever have someone show up at the wrong time, or the wrong day, or to the wrong building?

The problem isn’t the clock or the scarf, the problem is you didn’t clearly communicate expectations. Without clear expectations, well-meaning individuals are left alone to figure out what’s culturally appropriate and best for your congregation.

When you book a guest speaker or a guest musician, you need to send them a simple document that outlines your expectations. It’s your job to tell them where to go, what to do, and what to wear. These expectations need to clear, and they need to be typed on one sheet of paper.

So where do you start? Certainly not from scratch. You download Docs and Forms, and change the Worship Leader Expectations document to suit your church. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did this.

Here’s a complete list of all the editable documents you’ll get:

  • Administration Documents:  Annual Calendar, Board of Directors, Bylaws,Calendar Request, Counseling Confidentiality Agreement, Counseling Referrals,Event Planning Checklist, Head Count Sheet, Ordination, Staff Retreat Overview, Statement of Beliefs, Travel Guidelines, Terminology, Weekend Process, Church Planting Philosophy, Church Health Report, Core Values
  • Facility Documents:  Closing Policies and Procedures, Facility Use and Rental Policy, Facility Use Request Form, Building Policies and Procedures, Key and Security System Acknowledgement, Wedding Policies
  • Family Ministry Documents:  Family Ministry Volunteer Application, Oak Leaf Kids Volunteer Policies and Procedures, Oak Leaf Kids Parent Handbook,Pro-Kids Philosophy, Family Dedication Philosophy, Student Ministry Philosophy, Release Form
  • Connections Documents: Baptism Monthly Checklist, Membership Philosophy and Application, Discipleship Overview, Baptism Process,Congratulatory Baptism Letter, First Time Giver Follow Up Process, First Time Guest Follow Up Process, Giver and Guest Letters, New Christian Process, Three Ways to Get Connected
  • Creative Arts Documents: Guest Musician Expectations, Guide to the Giving Talk with Giving Talk Ideas, Guide to the Welcome, Welcome Philosophy, Intern Responsibilities/Expectations, Series Graphic Needs, Series Launch Checklist,Series Planning Checklist, Style Guide, Service Planning Philosophy, Weekend Master Schedule, Worship Leader/Musician Expectations
  • Financial Documents: Benevolence Policy, Budgeting Process, Chart of Accounts, Finance Team Job Description, Housing Allowance for Pastors,Offering Count Sheets, Purchase Order Worksheet, Reimbursement Form,Spending Procedures, Budget Philosophy
  • Staff Documents: 6-Month Evaluation, 360 Degree Evaluation, Blank Housing Allowance Form, Confidentiality Agreement, Employee Handbook, Employee Handbook Agreement, Employment Application, Firing Process, Hiring Process,Interview Questions, Monthly Staff Evaluation, New Hire Checklist, Prospective Employee Screening, Resignation Agreement, Social Media Policy, Staff Job Descriptions, Leadership Development Plan, Staff Leave Request Staff, Organizational Chart, Termination Agreement, Org Chart
  • Volunteer Documents: Guest Services Handbook, Huddle Guide, Volunteer Lanyards, Parking Handbook, Parking Map, Security Policies and Procedures,Volunteer Job Descriptions, Volunteer Team Organizational Structure, Small Group Handbook
Get Docs and Forms now and take a huge step towards creating healthy systems.

Add to Cart

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May 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Every Church Needs an Employee Handbook

Do your employees understand your benefits program? Have you clearly communicated the time off policy? Is it clear who owns a computer, and the information on the computer? Can your youth pastor re-sell the videos he created? Who approves vacations? How can a person be terminated?

Your Church Needs an Employee Handbook

And it needs to answer all of those questions.  You need to have ONE document that describes how things work and answers employee questions in advance. Every employee should get an updated version of this each year, and new employees should read it before their first day on the job.

You might not get fired up about policies and procedures, but you’ll be thankful on the day that a clear policy saved your butt. Create an employee handbook right now.

I know staring at a blank screen and thinking of all the things you need to write is intimidating. That’s why I’ve included a 15-page editable document in Docs and Forms. This one document alone is worth the price of the entire download (and you’ll get over 120 other documents that will save you time).

Here is What’s Included in Docs and Forms:

  • Administration Documents:  Annual Calendar, Board of Directors, Bylaws,Calendar Request, Counseling Confidentiality Agreement, Counseling Referrals,Event Planning Checklist, Head Count Sheet, Ordination, Staff Retreat Overview, Statement of Beliefs, Travel Guidelines, Terminology, Weekend Process, Church Planting Philosophy, Church Health Report, Core Values
  • Facility Documents:  Closing Policies and Procedures, Facility Use and Rental Policy, Facility Use Request Form, Building Policies and Procedures, Key and Security System Acknowledgement, Wedding Policies
  • Family Ministry Documents:  Family Ministry Volunteer Application, Oak Leaf Kids Volunteer Policies and Procedures, Oak Leaf Kids Parent Handbook,Pro-Kids Philosophy, Family Dedication Philosophy, Student Ministry Philosophy, Release Form
  • Connections Documents: Baptism Monthly Checklist, Membership Philosophy and Application, Discipleship Overview, Baptism Process,Congratulatory Baptism Letter, First Time Giver Follow Up Process, First Time Guest Follow Up Process, Giver and Guest Letters, New Christian Process, Three Ways to Get Connected
  • Creative Arts Documents: Guest Musician Expectations, Guide to the Giving Talk with Giving Talk Ideas, Guide to the Welcome, Welcome Philosophy, Intern Responsibilities/Expectations, Series Graphic Needs, Series Launch Checklist,Series Planning Checklist, Style Guide, Service Planning Philosophy, Weekend Master Schedule, Worship Leader/Musician Expectations
  • Financial Documents: Benevolence Policy, Budgeting Process, Chart of Accounts, Finance Team Job Description, Housing Allowance for Pastors,Offering Count Sheets, Purchase Order Worksheet, Reimbursement Form,Spending Procedures, Budget Philosophy
  • Staff Documents: 6-Month Evaluation, 360 Degree Evaluation, Blank Housing Allowance Form, Confidentiality Agreement, Employee Handbook, Employee Handbook Agreement, Employment Application, Firing Process, Hiring Process,Interview Questions, Monthly Staff Evaluation, New Hire Checklist, Prospective Employee Screening, Resignation Agreement, Social Media Policy, Staff Job Descriptions, Leadership Development Plan, Staff Leave Request Staff, Organizational Chart, Termination Agreement, Org Chart
  • Volunteer Documents: Guest Services Handbook, Huddle Guide, Volunteer Lanyards, Parking Handbook, Parking Map, Security Policies and Procedures,Volunteer Job Descriptions, Volunteer Team Organizational Structure, Small Group Handbook

Add to Cart

Filed Under: Church Tagged With: , ,
April 28, 2012 By 11 Comments

Complete List of Church Planting Networks

A friend started a list of all the church planting networks, and asked me if I knew of any more. Since everybody is smarter than somebody, I thought I would post the list and ask for your help. What’s missing?

  • Acts 29
  • Stadia
  • New Thing Network
  • ARC – Association of Related Churches
  • Orchard Group
  • National Missions (General Baptists)
  • North American Mission Board (Southern Baptist)
  • Next Coaching Networks
  • Missio
  • Passion for Planting
  • Launch
  • Vision 360
  • GlocalNet
  • Mosaix Global
  • Liberty Church Planting Network
  • PLNTD Network

Please leave a comment and tell me what’s missing.

Filed Under: Church Tagged With: , , ,
April 22, 2012 By 1 Comment

Three Things Every Pastor Secretly Wants

After a dozen years as a youth pastor and six years as a church planter and Lead Pastor, I’ve learned a lot about myself. Part of that process involved being honest about what I truly wanted, which made me wonder if more pastors don’t have these secret desires, too.. Here’s my humble list of three things every pastor secretly wants:

1. A Pastor Wants a Best Friend

For a period of a few years, I was a conference junkie – I even kept the lanyards hanging on the back of my office door. After a while, I realized that most conferences were the same and started pursuing coaching relationships. I learned that I could pay money to have people who were getting it done mentor me and show me how to reach the next level. While this was a step in the right direction, it still fell short.

Coaching is greater than conferences. But friends are greater than coaches.

I didn’t have a best friend in ministry, and that wasn’t anyone else’s fault but my own. Sure, I had people who wanted to learn from me, and I had people who said they wanted me to let them in, but I was skeptical.

More than anything, I’m convinced that what pastors need is what pastors want. Not a fake system of accountability that keeps up appearances, but a real friend or two who could handle any amount of crap. If a pastor is struggling with something, he needs to talk to someone that can’t fire him. He needs someone who will get in his face, but not throw him out on the street. That’s a friend.

2. A Pastor Wants Financial Security

I believe there’s something in the heart of a man that wants to provide for his wife and children. And answering the call of God to communicate the Gospel or lead a church doesn’t erase that deep desire to love, protect and provide.

My first full time job in ministry was in South Florida, and I made less than public school teacher. That was fine for a youth pastor with no kids, but once I had a family, it wasn’t going to work. Sadly, that meant no longer working at that church. And for the next ten years, I scrapped by, earning enough to live a comfortable life but setting aside nothing for retirements. I was able to travel and attend conferences, but my wife and kids missed most of that.

I secretly wanted to be a better provider for my family. I wanted the freedom to send my kids to a good summer camp (not just the free VBS) and I wanted to attend and buy my wife some new furniture for the house. I never went into ministry at the age of 18 to make a lot of money, but there were times when I didn’t want it to be so dang hard.

I’ve struggled with whether or not to write something like “Five Things Pastors Could Do to Earn More Money” because I don’t want to be misunderstood. But in general, I believe pastors need to earn a little more money so they can make decisions on what’s best for the church and what’s best for their family, not what’s necessary for their survival.

3. A Pastor Wants Respect

Dr. Emerson Eggerichs says every woman has a deep need for love and every man has a deep need for respect. This was true for me.  I wanted to be respected in my profession and in my home. I wanted the people in my church to respect me as a leader. I wanted the people in the community to respect me as a legitimate contributor. And I wanted the rest of the church world to respect my ideas and experience on how things should be.

But even deeper than that, I wanted my wife and kids to respect me as a husband, father and provider. There’s a great irony in this because my family was never impressed by my accomplishments. My wife and kids weren’t impressed buy the amazing meeting I had, the pastor of the mega-church who called seeking advice, or the brilliant paragraph I wrote for a message. I was recognized for accomplishments at work, but these accomplishments didn’t earn me much respect in the home. It seems like my kids just wanted me to read them a story and my wife wanted my undivided (aka no phone) attention.

There’s a fine line between seeking the approval of man and wanted to be respected for what you do. And looking back on my six years as a church planter and Lead Pastor, I think a healthy desire for respect too easily morphed into a hunger for attention. But nevertheless, that respect was a real desire.

Looking back, one of the healthiest things that could have happened was for my secret desires to become my open desires. My hope is this post would encourage you to openly admit what you want – whether or not it sounds spiritual.

Filed Under: Church, Leadership, Personal Tagged With: , , ,
April 12, 2012 By 2 Comments

Your Steps are Too Big

We don’t ask first graders to do advanced algebra.
You don’t program the launch codes on your first day at NASA.
You don’t sign up for the Olympics after one year of U6 soccer.

Sometimes, church leaders ask people to take steps that are too big for them to take. It’s especially true when it comes to serving and giving.

People who are upside-down on their mortgage and over-spending on their budget and crippled by credit card debt may not feel like they can jump from total chaos to tithing. Argue if you like, but it’s a big step for people, and like stepping across the ocean, if people feel like they will fail at the onset, they probably won’t even try.

People who already feel stretched with work and family responsibilities aren’t going to be overly excited about giving an undetermined amount of time and attending 8 training meetings in order to be a volunteer at their church.

Maybe we need to give people smaller steps.

Ask them to give 1% more than they are currently giving.
Ask them to volunteer one week a month.

Encourage people that no matter where there are, there’s a simple next step they can take.

Filed Under: Church, Leadership
April 10, 2012 By 2 Comments

Organize Your Church in 30 Days (for $20 or for free)

I believe a lot of churches with a big vision don’t have the systems and structure in place to see it happen. Today, I’m releasing a brand new resource that will help your church get more organized around the mission.

If you’re leading a church, here’s what I think is true about you:

  • You are called and compelled, but you sometimes feel that things aren’t clicking on all cylinders.
  • You have some great people around you, but there are some that don’t seem to be on the same page.
  • You’ve got a lot you COULD do, but you’re wondering if some things are really working.
  • You FEEL like things could be set up a little better and run a little smoother.
So this new resource will guide you and your team on a 30 day journey toward setting up your church for success.  It’s a no-nonsense guide to getting organized, and it will make a difference across MULTIPLE areas in the church. Lead Pastors, Youth Pastors, Family Ministries, and anybody who leads another person will benefit from the simple and practical lessons in this book.  Here are just a few of the things you’ll learn:
  • The ONE THING you can do to immediately make staff members more effective (and accountable)
  • What things need to be immediately written on paper
  • A simple way to make sure that every volunteer is cared for and discipled
  • How creating a process instead of completing a task can save you tons of time
  • How a free technology tool can change the way you capture information
  • What every volunteer wants but very few ever get
  • Some new meeting ideas to mix things up and advance the mission
  • A simple way to provide training to your people
You have TWO WAYS to get this information.
  1. Buy the eBook for $20.  The instant download PDF can be shared with everyone on your team.  It also comes with a $20 discount code for Docs and Forms, so if you make that investment, this book ends up being free.  This is a great option if you want to get organized now.
  2. Sign up for the free 30-part email course.  It’s most of the same content, but delivered over 90 days to your Inbox.  This is a great option of you don’t have $20 but still want to get organized.
I’m really proud of this resource and I believe it will be a great help to many churches. Grab the eBook or sign up for the course.  Either way…happy organizing.

 

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