tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78080161629506718852024-03-19T16:07:37.212+08:00Albert's Church Growth IdeasThe health of your church determines how well your church will grow in number. Here are some church growth ideas that we have gleaned from all over the world to get your church back to good health. Feel free to apply all the appropriate ideas for your church to grow strong and healthy.revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-83851770747032930802016-09-26T14:43:00.002+08:002016-09-26T16:54:34.586+08:00Why A Church Needs a Team of Pastors and Many Workers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />by Reverend Albert Kang<br /><br />“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29 <br /><br />In any organizations, whether secular or religious, they cannot grow without having the capacity to take care of their clients or members. For example, take the food business – one person with two helpers will be able to run a food stall at a food court or hawker center. In many instances, we tend to see more than two helpers working with the stall owner. Now, if one wants to run a restaurant, then it depends upon what kind of restaurant business, the owner wants to do. He can manage a small restaurant where his whole family is involved plus five or six helpers serving as waiters and so on. For a bigger restaurant operation that caters to bigger crowds such as at wedding dinners, then the number of chefs, cooks, servers, waiters and other crews will have to increase. <br /><br />The question is which one comes first – something like the question of the chicken or the eggs. Customers first or the crews first? <br /><br />Can a food stall cater to a lunch crowd if it is only a one-man operation? Then of course the question will be how large a lunch crowd is one expecting. My father operated a chicken rice stall at a local coffee shop in Katong, Singapore, for almost 40 years. His little operation needed at least four people to run. <br /><br />How about if one wants to run a bigger operation? Can a big-time restaurant that caters to wedding crowds operate with only one cook and two helpers? I used to operate three restaurants, one supermarket and one business school. All in all, I had over 75 staffs helping me. In every instance, it was always getting the crews first before the businesses could serve any customers and the school able to receive students.<br /><br />Some pastors think that maintaining a one-pastor’s church is the most efficient way of fulfilling God’s will in their lives. That conviction is not wrong in itself as long as it comes from God. These pastors may have a couple of volunteers to help them maintain the church ministries but their goal is the keep their operations small enough to be managed by only one pastor.<br /><br />However, another group of pastors may have a different calling. They believe that in order to provide good ministries for all who attend their churches, they must build a stronger and larger base of leaders and helpers. Whether these are called “lay pastors”, “elders” or “deacons”, they are appointed for the purpose of providing leadership and ministries to the growing congregations. With a strong foundation of trained and competent leaders, these pastors believe that their churches are better equipped to serve more people and train disciples for the kingdom of God. Subsequently, these pastoral leaders are encouraged to launch preaching points, outreaches, mission works and plant churches.<br /><br />Both the ‘food stall owners’ approach and the ‘restaurant owners’ approach are not wrong. It’s matter of purpose and also the personal capability and capacity of the pastors. Some are called to be pastors of small congregations while others are called to grow large congregations. <br /><br />The important thing is that one be faithful to the calling of God in one’s life. It’s nothing wrong to begin small but it’s absolutely wrong if the church chooses not to grow to her maximum potential. The parable of the talents reveals that God does not give equally to every one of His stewards. Some He gives more while others He gives lesser. However, the parable also depicts one important principle – whatever God gives to you, you must invest and multiple. Jesus said, “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 25:29).<br /><br />If one is called to be a ‘stall owner’, then be the very best ‘stall owner’ one can be. If one is called to be a ‘restaurant owner’, then be the very best ‘restaurant owner’ one can be. In similar fashion, if a pastor believes that he is called to run the church with him serving as the only pastor, then he should be the very best pastor he can be. On the other hand, if a pastor believes in running the church with many pastors, then he should appoint, train and facilitate all the other pastors, assisting them be the very best pastors they can be. He, himself, must also learn to be a servant leader so as to become the very best lead or senior pastor he can be. <br /><br />To whatever station one is called, let us be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Chief Shepherd, Master and Saviour of us all.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> </span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-37324516527758114322016-09-26T14:43:00.001+08:002016-09-26T16:46:52.818+08:00Why A Church Needs a Team of Pastors and Many Workers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />by Reverend Albert Kang<br /><br />“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29 <br /><br />In any organizations, whether secular or religious, they cannot grow without having the capacity to take care of their clients or members. For example, take the food business – one person with two helpers will be able to run a food stall at a food court or hawker center. In many instances, we tend to see more than two helpers working with the stall owner. Now, if one wants to run a restaurant, then it depends upon what kind of restaurant business, the owner wants to do. He can manage a small restaurant where his whole family is involved plus five or six helpers serving as waiters and so on. For a bigger restaurant operation that caters to bigger crowds such as at wedding dinners, then the number of chefs, cooks, servers, waiters and other crews will have to increase. <br /><br />The question is which one comes first – something like the question of the chicken or the eggs. Customers first or the crews first? <br /><br />Can a food stall cater to a lunch crowd if it is only a one-man operation? Then of course the question will be how large a lunch crowd is one expecting. My father operated a chicken rice stall at a local coffee shop in Katong, Singapore, for almost 40 years. His little operation needed at least four people to run. <br /><br />How about if one wants to run a bigger operation? Can a big-time restaurant that caters to wedding crowds operate with only one cook and two helpers? I used to operate three restaurants, one supermarket and one business school. All in all, I had over 75 staffs helping me. In every instance, it was always getting the crews first before the businesses could serve any customers and the school able to receive students.<br /><br />Some pastors think that maintaining a one-pastor’s church is the most efficient way of fulfilling God’s will in their lives. That conviction is not wrong in itself as long as it comes from God. These pastors may have a couple of volunteers to help them maintain the church ministries but their goal is the keep their operations small enough to be managed by only one pastor.<br /><br />However, another group of pastors may have a different calling. They believe that in order to provide good ministries for all who attend their churches, they must build a stronger and larger base of leaders and helpers. Whether these are called “lay pastors”, “elders” or “deacons”, they are appointed for the purpose of providing leadership and ministries to the growing congregations. With a strong foundation of trained and competent leaders, these pastors believe that their churches are better equipped to serve more people and train disciples for the kingdom of God. Subsequently, these pastoral leaders are encouraged to launch preaching points, outreaches, mission works and plant churches.<br /><br />Both the ‘food stall owners’ approach and the ‘restaurant owners’ approach are not wrong. It’s matter of purpose and also the personal capability and capacity of the pastors. Some are called to be pastors of small congregations while others are called to grow large congregations. <br /><br />The important thing is that one be faithful to the calling of God in one’s life. It’s nothing wrong to begin small but it’s absolutely wrong if the church chooses not to grow to her maximum potential. The parable of the talents reveals that God does not give equally to every one of His stewards. Some He gives more while others He gives lesser. However, the parable also depicts one important principle – whatever God gives to you, you must invest and multiple. Jesus said, “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 25:29).<br /><br />If one is called to be a ‘stall owner’, then be the very best ‘stall owner’ one can be. If one is called to be a ‘restaurant owner’, then be the very best ‘restaurant owner’ one can be. In similar fashion, if a pastor believes that he is called to run the church with him serving as the only pastor, then he should be the very best pastor he can be. On the other hand, if a pastor believes in running the church with many pastors, then he should appoint, train and facilitate all the other pastors, assisting them be the very best pastors they can be. He, himself, must also learn to be a servant leader so as to become the very best lead or senior pastor he can be. <br /><br />To whatever station one is called, let us be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Chief Shepherd, Master and Saviour of us all.<br /><br />Rev Albert Kang<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> </span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-25887000999427255202016-04-29T01:11:00.000+08:002016-04-29T01:11:36.988+08:00Why You May Not Be Growing As a Church<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It’s one of the most pressing questions pastors and church leaders ask themselves:<br /> <br />“Why aren’t we growing?”<br /> <br />To be sure, not every mission’s soil will yield the same fruit. We’re not talking about overall size, but rather the idea that biblically, we can assume that God wants every church that honors His name and proclaims His message in Christ to grow and that He is willing to empower it to that end.<br /> <br />Churches are living things. Living things grow. If you’re not growing – even if just in compensation to what you’ve lost through transition – something is wrong.<br /> <br />Again, it doesn’t have to be by much. Those churches in smaller communities who are growing by five people a year may actually be growing at a higher percentage of the available population than the “mega” churches.<br /> <br />So take heart.<br /> <br />But if you are not growing at all, or declining…well, God isn’t the problem. We are.<br /> <br />Here are ten areas to consider as to “why”:<br /> <br /><b>1. Leadership</b><br /> <br />It’s been said that everything rises and falls on leadership. Perhaps a more accurate way of putting it would be that no organization will rise above the level of its leadership. If, on a scale of 1-10, the current leadership is around a “4,” then it will be difficult for the church to grow beyond that level in terms of vision, effectiveness, strategy and impact.<br /> <br /><b>Solution:</b> Ensure that people with the spiritual gift of leadership are actually leading, and that they are committed to developing that gift by reading about leadership, getting around other leaders for insight, and exercising their leadership gift in challenging settings.<br /> <br /><b>2. Communication</b><br /> <br />There are few things more critical to a church’s growth than an effective communicator for weekend teaching. The dilemma is that many who serve as the primary communicators in their church aren’t Spirit-gifted teachers. They like to speak, and the group that gathers around their teaching seems to benefit from it, but the majority of listeners tend to vote with their feet. At the very least, the teaching doesn’t seem to be catalyzing the congregation to invite their friends.<br /> <br /><b>Solution:</b> Make sure that the point communicator has the spiritual gift of teaching and is actively working at developing that gift by listening to other gifted communicators. Don’t be afraid of developing a team-teaching approach to shore up weakness, or to adjust responsibilities so that various roles more accurately reflect gifting. In other words, perhaps someone has been serving as lead communicator when their gifts are better used in another area. This is a difficult maneuver for, as stated above, people who are speaking tend to like to speak and have a (perhaps) distorted view of their effect.<br /> <br /><b>3. Quality of Worship</b><br /> <br />The quality of the worship experience is more important even than its style. If the service itself seems slapped together, incoherent or unable to be embraced, then it will not provide the traction needed for ongoing growth. To be sure, worship is not about what we get out of it, but what God gets out of it. But the better that service is at helping people connect with God, the more people it will attract. And lest we forget, the weekend service is the “front door” of the church. So it’s where we “win” or “lose” people. Which means part of the “helping people connect” dynamic will include helping those far from God connect to God through what we offer.<br /> <br /><b>Solution:</b> Review the music, presentation, style and quality of the worship experience of your church in light of its ability to optimally serve and engage people. View the services of larger, faster-growing churches that you feel are biblically and theologically sound for benchmarks. If you are continually plagued by forgotten lyrics, missed notes and awkward transitions, consider planning meetings for your services and run-through rehearsals of critical parts. And by all means, look at your service through the eyes of someone far from God and deeply unchurched.<br /> <br /><b>4. Atmosphere</b><br /> <br />Every church has an atmosphere, but not all have an atmosphere of friendliness and acceptance. Let’s put it bluntly: every church thinks it’s friendly. But what that often means is they are friendly to each other, friendly to people they know, friendly to people they like or friendly to people who are like them.<br /> <br /><b>Solution:</b> If you haven’t already, consider developing an entire ministry around first impressions and the creation of a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. At Meck, we call it “Guest Services,” and it oversees parking lot attendants, greeters, ushers, hospitality and so much more – all geared toward the experience of first impressions and friendliness. It’s one of our largest and most strategic efforts. In fact, one of the leading reasons people return to Meck is our friendliness.<br /> <br /><b>5. Location</b><br /> <br />The physical location of a church, if you want to grow by inviting people to attend, is decisive. If it is hard to find, hard to get to, too small in size, has insufficient parking, is difficult to enter or exit due to road traffic,<br /> <br />…then you are artificially limiting the size of your church.<br /> <br />In essence, the shoe tells the foot how big it gets.<br /> <br /><b>Solution:</b> Much of solving location problems is logistical in nature. Hire off-duty police to help people enter and exit your services. Increase the number of your services. Develop a capital campaign to help pay for increasing the size of your auditorium or parking. If needed, simply move to a new location. That may seem dramatic, but it’s often critical. Going “multi-site” is also proving to be a helpful strategy for many churches facing location issues.<br /> <br /><b>6. Structure</b><br /> <br />Most church structures are not “structured” for growth, much less unity. As an organization, you have to be able to seize opportunities, streamline decision-making and unleash the leadership gift. There is so much that could be said on this, so…<br /> <br /><b>Solution:</b> Read my chapter on “Rethinking Structure” in Rethinking the Church. Do away with committees, across-the-board majority rule and endless policies. Read the chapter and you’ll see why.<br /> <br /><b>7. Methods</b><br /> <br />Values and doctrine are timeless; methods and strategies are not. Think of a method as a very time-bound approach to solving a problem or answering a challenge. A vast number of churches are employing methods that simply aren’t viable. They hold on to them out of an unfounded sense of loyalty, or even worse, a sense of orthodoxy. Methods don’t fall into that camp.<br /> <br /><b>Solution:</b> Go to school on other churches and their methods. Further, make a list of all of your methods that haven’t been evaluated in five years. That’s your “to do” list.<br /> <br /><b>8. Blind Spots</b><br /> <br />Blind spots are interesting…they are what you do NOT see. Others can, but you can’t. It’s been said that we all have them – actually, many of them. Do you know yours? Do you know where you are weak, outdated, sloppy, understaffed, wrongly staffed, poorly funded...<br /> <br /><b>Solution:</b> Bring in “mystery” worshipers, or outside consultants, to observe you, talk to you, counsel you. Get 20/20 vision on as much as you possibly can.<br /> <br /><b>9. Not Fueling Growth Engines</b><br /> <br />Every church has one or more “growth engines.” These are the ministries that fuel whatever growth you have. Most will think of their weekend services; and to be sure, that is a powerful growth engine. But many of your sub-ministries offer the same, if not more, of your overall growth power. For example, at Meck our weekend services may be a powerful engine, but we tend to think that MecKidz is even MORE powerful. So we give it what it needs to grow. Right now, it has the largest staff and the most square-footage of building space of any ministry.<br /> <br />Why?<br /> <br />It grows our church.<br /> <br />Solution: Fund your growth engines. Repeat: FUND YOUR GROWTH ENGINES. And look beyond the weekend. The biggest growth engine of all, in most churches, is the children’s ministry.<br /> <br /><b>10. Unity</b><br /> <br />Jesus made it clear that unity would be THE verifying mark on His message. A unified church is a growing church. Period.<br /> <br />Solution: Do the hard leadership work of confronting division, dissension and disunity. See the chapter titled “No Tolerance” in What They Didn’t Teach You in Seminary (Baker).<br /> <br /><b>One Last Thought</b><br /> <br />The most important principle I could pass on is this: think like a lost person.<br /> <br />Really.<br /> <br />Think like someone far from God, divorced from church, coming to your church, would think.<br /> <br />Then…<br /> <br />...change things.<br /> <br />Not the message. Heaven forbid. But do change anything and everything that would be a barrier to this person engaging Christ that does not involve altering the message of Christ.<br /> <br />James Emery White<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br />About the Author<br /> <br />James Emery White is the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and the ranked adjunctive professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also served as their fourth president. His latest book, The Rise of the Nones: Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated, is <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=729203&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRise-Nones-Understanding-Religiously-Unaffiliated%2Fdp%2F0801016231%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1441147537%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dthe%2Brise%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bnones">available on Amazon</a>. To enjoy a free subscription to the Church and Culture blog, visit <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=729203&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchandculture.org">ChurchAndCulture.org</a>, where you can view past blogs in our archive and read the latest church and culture news from around the world. You can also find out information about the <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=729203&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fconference.churchandculture.org%2F">2016 Church and Culture Conference</a>. Follow Dr. White on twitter <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=729203&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FJamesEmeryWhite">@JamesEmeryWhite</a>.</span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-64553170573229509942013-10-24T16:00:00.003+08:002013-10-24T16:00:56.705+08:00Five Missional Misfires<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Every church would say they are in it for the mission. Which is why misfiring on that mission is something to be avoided at all costs. Yet it happens all the time.<br /> <br />Here are five of the most common misfires:<br /> <br /><b>1. Seeing other churches as the competition.</b><br /> <br />When I started Meck in Charlotte over twenty years ago, there was a large and once-thriving church experiencing stagnation and severe financial struggles. In an interview, the pastor was asked why the church was facing such difficulty, and his response was telling: “When we started, we were the only good Bible-teaching church around. Now there are more to choose from.”<br /> <br />I remember being stunned at the complete orientation toward transfer growth from existing believers, and the complete blindness to the vast numbers of lost/unchurched people.<br /> <br />But even more, I was taken by how strongly so many people involved in local churches view other local churches as the competition, as if it’s McDonald’s against Burger King.<br /> <br />I remember saying to our earliest core group, and have continued to say ever since, “We could have a hundred churches around us, and it wouldn’t matter. We’re not after churched people!” I would often go further and add, “We’re not even primarily after people looking for a church…we’re after the person who, right now, the last thought on their mind is being in a church this weekend.”<br /> <br />Bottom line: If you see other churches as the competition, you are reducing the mission to reaching the reached. That is not the Great Commission. Instead of being fishers of men, you’re just keepers of the aquarium.<br /> <br /><b>2. Criticizing “seeker” churches for being all evangelism and no discipleship.</b><br /> <br />It used to make me mad, now I just sigh at the ignorance. First, that they would bring out the tired moniker “seeker” when it is so passé, even among those churches that once consciously wore the label. Second, that they insist that if you prioritize the lost or unchurched in your outreach, you are somehow de-prioritizing the existing believers in your community or those who have moved into your area and are in need of a good church home.<br /> <br />Why the insistence on a false dichotomy that it either has to be evangelism, or it has to be discipleship?<br /> <br />The Great Commission makes it clear that we are to do both. Why can’t people see that if a church prioritizes the lost with outreach, as Jesus said we are supposed to, it doesn’t mean they aren’t strengthening existing believers for life in Christ and the cause of Christ? And why insist on taking shots at churches that are oriented toward the unchurched in their outreach as if they don’t care for the believer, or discipleship?<br /> <br />It’s such a straw man.<br /> <br />Bottom line: If you can’t make evangelism and discipleship a “both-and” instead of an “either-or,” you will never fulfill the “both-and” nature of the Great Commission, which was to “make” disciples and then “teach them everything.” And if you insist on this misfire, you will end up dropping the ball with one or the other side of Jesus’ marching orders.<br /> <br /><b>3. Saying you’re after the unchurched, but clearly targeting the already-convinced.</b><br /> <br />For most churches, this isn’t conscious. They talk about reaching the lost, or going after the unchurched, but when you examine their “front doors” – meaning their weekend services, website, mailings, ads – they are targeting the person actively looking for a church home, or someone already in one. Regardless, it is clear that it is assumed they are a Christ-follower.<br /> <br />“Dynamic preaching!”<br /> <br />“10-week series on James!”<br /> <br />“Communion this weekend!”<br /> <br />“Looking for a good church home?”<br /> <br />“Fifty-voice choir!”<br /> <br />Really, who is attracted to any of this? Only the already convinced, and often already-churched.<br /> <br />If you think touting that your church is bigger, better, more dynamic, has better Bible study or its own worship band with CD’s is going to reach the “nones” that are now the second-largest and fastest-growing religious segment in the country, then you need to get out and meet a few.<br /> <br />Bottom line: If you say you’re after the unchurched, and want to reach the unchurched, then for heaven’s sake (literally), try targeting them.<br /> <br /><b>4. Substituting social justice for evangelism.</b><br /> <br />In what is arguably a reaction against the previous generation’s emphasis on social morality – namely abortion and same-sex marriage – young Christians (and now older ones as well) are giving renewed emphasis to matters of social justice, including a new interest in public policies that address issues related to peace, health and poverty.<br /> <br />This is all well and good.<br /> <br />The misfire is when the mission of the church is reduced to social justice. In other words, we’ll buy Tom’s Shoes, but not witness to Tom.<br /> <br />Bottom line: Social ministry should not be paired against evangelism. We should extend the Bread of Life as well as bread for the stomach. But we must never begin, and end, with the stomach alone. The scandal of the cross – and humanity’s desperate need for it – doesn’t play as well as the hip work of IJM or supporting Bono in Africa. Yet think how tragic it would be to have compassion for the immediate needs of this life, but not the eternal needs of the life to come.<br /> <br /><br />So yes, buy a pair of Tom’s Shoes.<br /> <br />Just don’t forget Tom.<br /> <br /><b>5. Thinking outreach is offering them what they already have.</b><br /> <br />A flyer recently arrived in my mailbox from a new church plant, promising me relevant and practical messages; contemporary “urban” music and great coffee. The idea is that if you offer such things, people will come who wouldn’t normally come.<br /> <br />It’s a subtle and enticing temptation. All we have to do is encourage casual dress, offer Starbucks coffee, play rock music, and then deliver a “felt needs” message in a style similar to the popular speakers of the day and we will automatically grow.<br /> <br />And if you want to guarantee your growth comes from a younger demographic, just throw in skinny jeans, designer t-shirts, and a noticeable tattoo. It will instantly turn the most middle-of-age pastor into a Millennial magnet.<br /> <br />Stop.<br /> <br />Think.<br /> <br />People already have those things. They do not need to go to church to find them. If they want Starbucks, they’ll go to Starbucks; if they want to hear contemporary music, they have iTunes and their iPod. They may appreciate those things once they attend, but it is not what will getthem to attend.<br /> <br />This approach may have worked back in the 80’s and 90’s, but that was because the typical unchurched person was a Baby Boomer who had been raised in a church, just starting to have kids. They had the memory and the experience; once they had kids, they actually wanted to find a church. When churches took down the cultural barriers associated with attending (eliminating stuffiness, boredom, irrelevance, empty ritual, outdated music), Boomers were attracted.<br /> <br />And yes, back then, if you built it, they came.<br /> <br />But this is no longer our world, and hasn’t been for quite some time.<br /> <br />As uber-marketer Seth Godin notes, “The portion of the population that haven’t bought from you...is not waiting for a better mousetrap. They’re not busy considering a, b and c and then waiting for d. No, they’re not in the market...As a result, smart marketers don’t market to this audience by saying, ‘hey ours is better than theirs!’”<br /> <br />Bottom line: The foundational way that people divorced from the church and a life in Christ will come to church and find that life in Christ is if a Christ-follower does three things: build a relationship with them, share how Christ has intersected the deepest needs of their life, and then invites them into the community to see, hear, taste and explore.<br /> <br />And actually, that’s pretty much the bottom line for all five.<br /> <br />James Emery White</span><div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>Editor’s Not<span style="font-size: medium;">e</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">James Emery White is the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and the ranked adjunctive professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, which he also served as their fourth president. His newly released <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=697944&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FChurch-Age-Crisis-The-Christianity%2Fdp%2F0801013879%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1349907670%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dthe%2Bchurch%2Bin%2Ban%2Bage%2Bof%2Bcrisis" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">book</a>is <em>The Church in an Age of Crisis: 25 New Realities Facing Christianity </em>(Baker Press). To enjoy a free subscription to the Church and Culture blog, log-on to<a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=697944&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchandculture.org" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.churchandculture.org</a>, where you can post your comments on this blog, view past blogs in our archive and read the latest church and culture news from around the world. Follow Dr. White on twitter <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=697944&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2F%40JamesEmeryWhite" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">@JamesEmeryWhite</a>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-70150714420706163982013-03-15T00:46:00.000+08:002013-03-15T00:46:34.437+08:00 30 Reasons Church Leaders Need a Coach <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhB-aE11Swq_POHhp_ZQuhD5gx-JCYZWrnpzFjrMLKTjo3WHf9JimdYIWHiKMmBBgw2WtkLd25_mMBQSJDdSgUILLIuEWmWh286GlK-ir-ToJluQe4Nvjsq4Xs7Try3pHLNmy5iePcMA/s1600/coach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhB-aE11Swq_POHhp_ZQuhD5gx-JCYZWrnpzFjrMLKTjo3WHf9JimdYIWHiKMmBBgw2WtkLd25_mMBQSJDdSgUILLIuEWmWh286GlK-ir-ToJluQe4Nvjsq4Xs7Try3pHLNmy5iePcMA/s400/coach.jpg" width="369" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Scott Thomas <br /><br />A church planter's life can get pretty lonely. Even the best can unintentionally paint themsel<span style="font-size: large;">ves</span> into a corner due to how many new situations they face. This is why the most successful planters need a coach. A good coach can save planting pastors a ton of time and heartache. <br /><br />Here are 30 reasons why you should consider finding yourself a planting coach: <br /><br />1. Coaching helps to remind a leader of the Gospel. <br /><br />2. Coaching exposes a leader's blind spots. <br /><br />3. All leaders are capable of succumbing to sin's deception. <br /><br />4. Leaders are models for faithful obedience. <br /><br />5. Coaching is preventative maintenance for a leader. <br /><br />6. The stakes for a church leader are high. <br /><br />7. Coaching models biblical community. <br /><br />8. Coaching provides a prayer partner for the leader. <br /><br />9. Leaders can be prideful. <br /><br />10. Leaders are often lonely. <br /><br />11. Coaching is a practical means for a leader to pay careful attention to self. <br /><br />12. Coaching brings encouragement to the leader. <br /><br />13. Coaching can protect the flock from a leader’s mistakes and bad decisions. <br /><br />14. Coaching improves a leader's perspective and objectivity. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">15. Coaching facilitates the leader's growth and equipping</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">16. Coaching sharpens a leader's calling. <br /><br />17. Leaders lead where they have walked themselves. <br /><br />18. Coaching is a means for intentional accountability and submission. <br /><br />19. Coaching helps a leader identify and fight arrogance. <br /><br />20. Ministry is a difficult and complicated task. <br /><br />21. Leaders in a coaching relationship model discipleship. <br /><br />22. Shepherds need to be shepherded. <br /><br />23. Coaching sharpens a leader's skills and abilities. <br /><br />24. Coaching provides a safe sounding board. <br /><br />25. Coaching is fun. <br /><br />26. Coaching encourages friendship. <br /><br />27. Coaching provides affirmation for a leader's decisions. <br /><br />28. Coaching enables personal sanctification. <br /><br />29. Coaching protects family and marital health. <br /><br />30. Coaching is a means to obtain gospel reflections from a fellow leader. <br /> <br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Scott Thomas is the President of Acts 29 Network and Pastor of Global Church at Mars Hill Church. Scott has been a pastor for 30 years—first as a youth pastor and then as a lead pastor and church planter/church replanter for 16 years.</span></span></span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-56197547244039477652013-02-08T23:25:00.003+08:002013-02-08T23:25:36.277+08:00 The Seismic Shift in Outreach
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom9d002ap9EzvNBl9kK7t4DE0l1PVAFklhWhFCLdEm9n8N3CmcfL46ohNdKNGur7JLnxpSevDq3Jg7OmZ3NNCr1T2T1JJJ52HxykndOEnkqAImAHz72Xv6_FpTZQLPrY7R4tlGrJy2T4/s1600/Evangelism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom9d002ap9EzvNBl9kK7t4DE0l1PVAFklhWhFCLdEm9n8N3CmcfL46ohNdKNGur7JLnxpSevDq3Jg7OmZ3NNCr1T2T1JJJ52HxykndOEnkqAImAHz72Xv6_FpTZQLPrY7R4tlGrJy2T4/s400/Evangelism.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>The Seismic Shift in Outreach</strong></span></strong></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">There
has been a seismic shift in outreach that few church leaders are understanding,
much less pursuing.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">From
the 1950’s to the 1980’s, the vanguard of evangelistic outreach was direct
proclamation of the gospel. Whether the
crusades of Billy Graham or the creative approaches of Willow Creek Community
Church, presentation led the way.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">This
led to joining a community, and eventually, being discipled into participation
with the cause.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">From
the 1990’s thru the 2000’s, community took the lead. People wanted to belong before they
believed. Skepticism was rampant, and
trust had to be earned. Once enfolded,
Christ was often met in the midst of that community.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Cause,
again, was the last to take hold.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">From
the 2010’s forward, “cause” has become the leading edge of our
connection with
a lost world, and specifically the “nones” (and it is increasingly best
to
replace the term “unchurched” with the “nones”). Consider the recent
Passion Conference in Georgia. What arrested outside media attention
was the
commitment to eradicate modern-day slavery, not the 60,000 students in
attendance much less the messages related to the Christian faith.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">In
a word, “cause.” </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">This
made the gathering of 60,000 college students in the Georgia Dome <em>for</em> that cause become attractional. In other words, then and only then did
“community” come into play. Then, after exploring
that community, Christ could be – and was – introduced.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Think
of this shift in terms of moving people through stages of introduction:<strong></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>1950’s-1980’s:</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Unchurched
>>> Christ >>> Community >>> Cause<strong></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>1990’s-2000’s</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Unchurched
>>> Community >>> Christ >>> Cause<strong></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>2010’s -</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Nones
>>> Cause >>> Community >>> Christ</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">It
is important to note how far the message of Christ is from the mind and
sentiment of the average “none.” It’s
not that the church should “bury the lead” in terms of putting Christ at the
end of the line – remember, we’re talking strategy. It’s just that leading with Billy Graham’s
simple “The Bible says” was a strategy designed for people in a different place
spiritually than many are today.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">The
more post-Christian a person is, the more evangelism must embrace not only
“event/proclamation”, but “process” and “event/proclamation.” Earlier models were almost entirely “event/proclamation”
oriented, such as revivals, crusades, or door-to-door visitation. As I’ve written about in other places, this
is only effective in an Acts 2, God-fearing Jews of Jerusalem context. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">“Process”
models are needed in Acts 17, Mars Hill, nones/skeptical contexts.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Like
the one we live in today.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">The
presentation of Christ must remain central to our thinking, to be sure.
That is the only reason we are even talking
about strategy; the goal is to present Christ and Him crucified. But is
that where we start? On Mars Hill, the spiritual illiteracy was so
deep that Paul had to begin with cultural touchstones, lead in to
creation, and
work his way forward.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">It
took him a while to get to Christ.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">And
community? It matters, but the average
person has tastes of that already. Maybe
not functional, but they don’t seem as drawn to it as they used to be. Perhaps it is because of the lure and
illusion of social media, or because they’ve simply given up on it, but it’s
not the great “search” it once was.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">So
there has been a great, seismic shift.
Today, it is cause that arrests the attention of the world.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Which
brings us to the challenge.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">First,
to recognize the seismic shift, and begin to strategize accordingly.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Second,
to realize how difficult this will be.
If cause is in the lead, and community close behind, the church is at a
deficit. In the minds of many, our
causes have been mundane (let’s raise money for a fellowship hall!) or
alienating (Moral Majority!). And the
close second of community? Our
reputation for dysfunction in that area is legendary.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">But
there is great irony in the challenge.
Jesus wed mission and message together seamlessly, proclaiming the
Kingdom that had come while healing the leper and feeding the hungry. He mandated concern for the widow and the
orphan, the homeless and naked, the imprisoned and hungry, while speaking of
the bread of life and a home in heaven.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">In
other words, we should have been nailing this all along.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">And
if community is lurking in the back of the minds of people as a felt need, that
should be a calling card as well. Jesus
challenged his followers about the importance of observable love toward one
another as the ultimate apologetic for His life and ministry and message.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">And
even if it takes a while to get to Christ, He should be presented raw and
unfiltered in all of His scandalous specificity. As Moltmann proclaimed, “the crucified God.”</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">So
as we ponder the rise of “cause” as the cultural bridge over which to walk,
perhaps the greater truth is more elemental:<em></em></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><em> </em></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><em>Do all three.</em></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Imagine
a church that had community, cause and the undiluted message of Christ in the
vanguard of its efforts.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">It
might just become the church Jesus had in mind all along that would reach the
world.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">James Emery White</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong></strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>Editor’s Note</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">James Emery White is the founding and
senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and the
ranked adjunctive professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary, which he also served as their fourth president.
His newly released <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=687133&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FChurch-Age-Crisis-The-Christianity%2Fdp%2F0801013879%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1349907670%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dthe%2Bchurch%2Bin%2Ban%2Bage%2Bof%2Bcrisis" target="_blank">book</a> is <em>The Church in an Age of Crisis: 25 New Realities Facing Christianity </em>(Baker Press). To enjoy a free subscription to the Church and Culture blog, log-on to <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=687133&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchandculture.org" target="_blank">www.churchandculture.org</a>,
where you can post your comments on this blog, view past blogs in our
archive and read the latest church and culture news from around the
world. Follow Dr. White on twitter <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=687133&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2F%40JamesEmeryWhite" target="_blank">@JamesEmeryWhite</a>. </span></div>
revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-83161409098439435092012-12-13T13:18:00.000+08:002012-12-13T13:18:11.140+08:00 Conversations that Connect <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHl8lZTP-aW_pcznG18i6qKGgxdd6CMCA6rc17WXWT3f1N-h2LcoIUKEnwyDB33_r1k5hfDCGNAPvwATYRxgTRi2yJAgujXp0xbqVxOLR5iwvCmw6BhhBjmWmQOkRe9hX8aSzsAAiAh0/s1600/coffee-shop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHl8lZTP-aW_pcznG18i6qKGgxdd6CMCA6rc17WXWT3f1N-h2LcoIUKEnwyDB33_r1k5hfDCGNAPvwATYRxgTRi2yJAgujXp0xbqVxOLR5iwvCmw6BhhBjmWmQOkRe9hX8aSzsAAiAh0/s400/coffee-shop1.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Conversations that Connect </b></span></div>
<div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Colette Carlson</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Conversing naturally is key to your success in the business world. Knowing when to initiate a conversation, keeping it interesting by asking effective questions, sharing your own stories and ending a conversation with kindness is an art. Create connections by following these seven steps:<br /><br /><b>Step 1: Exude confidence.</b> When you're comfortable in your own skin, you make others comfortable. If you take the attitude that you bring something to the table, you will see that attitude reflected in others. Remember: Enthusiasm is infectious.<br /><br /><b>Step 2: Show up with something to say.</b> Always be on the lookout for material. Although it may sound contrived, I read The Wall Street Journal looking for interesting, timely information that I can share at my next get-together: a party, association meeting or business affair. Think about keeping a file that you can review before your next event.<br /><br /><b>Step 3: Begin with a question.</b> Besides showing interest in someone, one simple question can start an entire conversation. Asking something a bit unusual sets you apart from the crowd. Rather than, "What do you do?" ask, "How do you enjoy spending your weekends?"<br /><br /><b>Step 4: Find common ground.</b> The surest way to build rapport is to find something you have in common and build on that interest. Don't shy away from topics that have nothing to do with business. They often create the perfect connection.<br /><br /><b>Step 5: Focus on others.</b> Putting your energy and interest in another person marks you as a great conversationalist. Englishman Raymond Mortimer once described the art of conversation in the United States as "not tennis, in which you return the other fellow's serve, but gold, in which you go on hitting your own ball." Keep that back and forth volley going with conversation.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Step 6: Be inclusive.</b> Excluding others in the group is a conversation killer. Make eye contact with everyone in the group, not just the person who asked you a direct question.<br /><b><br />Step 7: Close a conversation with class.</b> When a conversation naturally lulls, take advantage and say, "It's been my pleasure talking with you. I hope our paths cross again soon." Before leaving, be certain to thank the hosts.</span></div>
revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-11315908749176659802012-11-21T23:35:00.003+08:002012-11-21T23:35:26.243+08:00GETTING OFF YOUR NAIL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3pDfbieJvqTMqX_j93jl6j3VGWSALcDV3-9HtYQXHNsNiPJYLbTqYQ5Hgm42mTGmIVYp98Y-_RrACFECU008S5ZMTE-dO6BtXO1HSjV5_CenYOR92OF7uESc0yf3Zkbtf0N6P2R4Bsg/s1600/dog+howling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3pDfbieJvqTMqX_j93jl6j3VGWSALcDV3-9HtYQXHNsNiPJYLbTqYQ5Hgm42mTGmIVYp98Y-_RrACFECU008S5ZMTE-dO6BtXO1HSjV5_CenYOR92OF7uESc0yf3Zkbtf0N6P2R4Bsg/s640/dog+howling.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One day a man was walking down the street on his way to work. As he walked down the street, there were dogs on just about every front porch and they all would bark as the man walked passed them. However, there was one dog that he remembered, because this dog was just sitting there and he was whimpering and whining and moaning, you know the little whimpering sounds dogs make when they are wounded or in some sort of pain. Well, this particular dog was just sitting there on the front porch making those sounds.<br /><br />The man was curious as to why this dog wasn 't barking like the other dogs and why he was whimpering. He couldn't figure it out, so he just kept walking to work. The next day he was in the same situation where he was walking down the street and saw the dogs once again and this same dog that was moaning and groaning the other day was doing the same thing today and he just couldn't figure it out. Well, he walked passed for an entire week and every day the dog would be there moaning and groaning. So, finally, the guy got fed up, he said, "Let me find out what's going on." So he went and knocked on the door and a guy came out and said, "Yes, how may I help you?" <br /><br />He said, "Sir, is this your dog? " <br /><br />"Yes, that's my dog. " <br /><br />"Well, what's wrong with him?"<br /><br />The owner of the dog said, "What do you mean?"<br /><br />"Well, he's been sitting here moaning and groaning, whimpering and whining for an entire week. The rest of the dogs are barking, your dog should be barking too, why is he moaning and groaning?" <br /><br />The owner said, "Well, he's actually sitting on a nail." And the guy said, "What! Your dog is sitting on a nail. Why doesn't he get off?"<br /><br />"Well, it just doesn't hurt him enough."</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Story by Les Brown<br />----------------------------</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some churches are like this dog. They do not like the situation that they are now in but since it doesn't hurt them enough, they choose to remain in that situation. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They want to win souls and grow spiritually but they are afraid to get off their nail. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What they are doing now in the church is very comfortable. Even though the congregation is small, they are able to pay their bills and have enough to pay their some programs and activities. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They are so afraid of doing something different and actually get very upset if someone tells them to do so. For the next 20 or 30 years, they will sit on that nail until grave claims all of them.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A sad story but thousands of churches around the world are sitting on their nail.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Are you and your church sitting on the nail?<br /><br /></span></div>
</div>
revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-25931173707373222612012-08-02T00:38:00.003+08:002012-08-02T00:38:45.273+08:00The Five-Finger Prayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW4KqMzfZGjvVlIeV3wQGdEPwfjQGx_-kF4UuTDi8peKYxVzd2K1os6xQtP42W3k53ThLYaZipe2uKzTnYJVyMzdigabXdA9TsZ6kGRHZocbkjMo-Zg0WvtBXfkcIW1KxRscKdHd0yUI/s1600/prayer-before-doing-some-work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW4KqMzfZGjvVlIeV3wQGdEPwfjQGx_-kF4UuTDi8peKYxVzd2K1os6xQtP42W3k53ThLYaZipe2uKzTnYJVyMzdigabXdA9TsZ6kGRHZocbkjMo-Zg0WvtBXfkcIW1KxRscKdHd0yUI/s400/prayer-before-doing-some-work.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-left;"><strong>The Five-Finger Prayer</strong></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: -webkit-left;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-left;"><b>1. Thumb (people who are close to you)</b><br />Your thumb is nearest to you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C.S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty". <br /><br /><b>2. Pointer (people who point the way) </b><br />The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers. <br /><br /><b>3. Tall Finger (people in authority)</b><br />The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance. <br /><br /><b>4. Ring Finger (people who are weak) </b><br />The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them. <br /><br /><b>5. Little Finger (your own needs)</b><br />And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all. Which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "the least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinky should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.<br /><br /><b>Use your daily routine of life to reinforce your prayer life:</b><br /><br />When you first wake up - Praise your Creator<br /><br />When you shower or bathe - Ask for cleansing of your soul; confess, repent and receive forgiveness<br /><br />When you eat - Give thanks not only for the food, but for your family, home, life, etc.<br /><br />When you go to work or school - Pray for those with whom you come into contact<br /><br /><b>Where to Pray...</b><br /><br />Jesus tells us where to pray in Matthew 6:6: "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."<br /><br /><b>How to Pray..</b>.<br /><br />In Matthew 6:9-15 Jesus tells us how to pray when He gives us the pattern for prayer in what is now referred to as the Lord's prayer.<br /><br />"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'<br /><br />For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."</span></span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-56418226440477260502012-04-09T02:33:00.001+08:002012-04-09T02:33:32.693+08:00The Arrow Principle - 2nd Edition<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Nv7mdUrC8OdBeBQSu5HY8LTWs6Jy8aldQdswyIm3_569LjkiIATjgypF2oApM9DZfQF7nIfBrCOQ22Mvfpfpfj1SxBmyDARlv86TG3I1nb8GlJ-0jKBpgU-LiIO3XJRftVG4-J9LF1s/s1600/The+Arrow+Principle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Nv7mdUrC8OdBeBQSu5HY8LTWs6Jy8aldQdswyIm3_569LjkiIATjgypF2oApM9DZfQF7nIfBrCOQ22Mvfpfpfj1SxBmyDARlv86TG3I1nb8GlJ-0jKBpgU-LiIO3XJRftVG4-J9LF1s/s320/The+Arrow+Principle.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Arrow Principle - 2nd edition</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever felt that no matter how hard you try, your church or
organization just cannot grow? Maybe it’s time you apply the Arrow
Principle: find the right people and build a competent team.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
The Arrow Principle first appeared in 1987 as a one-page delineation in
my Church Growth Manual. Since then many people, both from the churches
and secular organizations, have heard me shared the Arrow Principle.
However, it was not until 2007, while ministering in the Philippines
that I was inspired to elaborate upon these principles and put them in
book form. This year, the second edition is published and will soon be in the bookstores.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Ministers from both the Evangelical mainline churches and the
Charismatic/Pentecostal churches had asked for more materials and
details on how these principles may be effectively applied to their
ministries. That triggered a writing project that took one and half
year.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
This book is obviously not a scholarly or theological monograph. I have
written it with the purpose of serving as a practical guide for
contemporary church management and growth. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In future postings, I will share with you more about the principle that helps so many pastors to organize their churches for greater growth. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">God bless,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Rev Albert Kang</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-63898415780230075702012-03-22T19:37:00.001+08:002012-03-22T19:37:41.432+08:00Causation vs. Correlation<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILaNdmdOu6caiD2Q-HoyQQ4tJN1HiyjtSCF4WX5zaYXTwbeMwiR5XCfUGdnfCRwsdQr-DizXZKALkzJ4-1wcAVi9ynukuCu-GkxxXIDCWITgM2uSIwderu21vUqrEO5dUGyaXZdNsdmU/s1600/religious-fervor-with-a-pastor-and-congregation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILaNdmdOu6caiD2Q-HoyQQ4tJN1HiyjtSCF4WX5zaYXTwbeMwiR5XCfUGdnfCRwsdQr-DizXZKALkzJ4-1wcAVi9ynukuCu-GkxxXIDCWITgM2uSIwderu21vUqrEO5dUGyaXZdNsdmU/s400/religious-fervor-with-a-pastor-and-congregation.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="left" style="color: purple;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong>Causation vs. Correlation</strong> </span></div>
<div align="left" style="color: purple;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">You
visit a church that has become known for its rapid growth. You take down a number of observations,
seeking the “key” to its “success.” </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">You
note that the pastor is young, dynamic, and hip. The music is loud and edgy. It is situated in an affluent area of the
city. They “market” their “brand”
unblushingly. </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">The
temptation would be to do the following:
take note of the music, the sermon topics, the communication style, the
outreach strategy, the type of facility it rents or has built, and deem
yourself informed about what makes that particular church “work.” Throw in a few designer tees and skinny
jeans, and you think you’ve got this one covered.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">There
would be so much wrong with this it’s hard to even know where to begin. First, it’s one of the poorest ways to study
church growth. Second, it assumes that
whatever works in one situation will work in a different context under a
different leader. Third, it mistakes
cosmetic issues – the kind gathered from a site visit – the most substantive
ones to note. </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">But
most of all, it runs the very high risk of confusing causation with correlation.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Seth
Godin gives the example of noticing how, in most cities, every time you observe
that lots of umbrellas are out and open, it's raining. From this analysis, the obvious way to make
it rain is to be sure that everyone has an umbrella, preferably a black one,
since that seems to be the kind that's most visible during big storms.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">But
that would be confusing <em>causation</em>
with <em>correlation</em>. There is a <em>correlation</em> between umbrellas and rain, but <em>not</em> causation. The umbrellas
have nothing to do with whether or not it rains.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Let’s
return to our church visit.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">What
if the deeper reality is that the church was actually the beneficiary of unprecedented
transfer growth due to several large churches in its proximity going through
some kind of split or internal dissension at the same time, and they just
gathered the disaffected? What if one
church alone sent over 1,000 people its way, and another nearly 2,500? And further, the high baptism rate was not
true conversion growth, but Presbyterians getting dunked by Baptists, or
rebaptisms for rededications?</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Suddenly
what might deserve to be studied is how to position a church for transfer
growth, largely through the disgruntled and the disaffected, and to see the
maximum value of that church’s education more in the realm of assimilation than
outreach.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Countless
other examples could be offered of fast-growing churches that beg to be
examined for music or teaching or style or innovation, but in truth:</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">...the
church reached out to Christian high school students, and then the parents
followed in fear of becoming spiritually separated from their child (but in
truth, didn’t really like the church at all).</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">…the
church was planted in a small town, rural area with a large population base
built by many nearby small towns. They
became the transfer growth magnet due to being the only contemporary church in
the region, almost its only “entertainment.”</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">…the
church has such a flaming evangelist for a pastor that the church would grow
regardless of the style of worship or strategy.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">…the
church is benefiting from the fastest-growing edge of town and interstate
access.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I
know all of this is crass, and plays into some of the worst (read “secular”)
reflections on church growth. My apologies. But the point is that whenever we study any
model of church life, health or growth, or get ready to anoint the “next, next
thing,” we must dig deep to make sure we are determining causes, and not just
correlations.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Most
of the time, the umbrella has nothing to do with the rain.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">James
Emery White<strong></strong></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong>Sources</strong></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Seth Godin, “Getting confused about causation and
correlation.” Read <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=671951&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fsethgodin.typepad.com%2Fseths_blog%2F2012%2F03%2Fgetting-confused-about-causation-and-correlation.html%3Futm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Btypepad%252Fsethsmainblog%2B%2528Seth%2527s%2BBlog%2529" target="_blank">online</a>.<strong></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Editor’s Note</span></strong></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">James Emery White is the founding and senior pastor of
Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and the ranked adjunctive
professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, which
he also served as their fourth president.
His latest book is <em>What They
Didn’t Teach You in Seminary</em> (Baker).
To enjoy a free subscription to the Church and Culture blog, log-on to <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=671951&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchandculture.org%2F" target="_blank">www.churchandculture.org</a>, where you
can post your comments on this blog, view past blogs in our archive and read
the latest church and culture news from around the world. Follow Dr. White on twitter <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=671951&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2F%40JamesEmeryWhite" target="_blank">@JamesEmeryWhite</a>. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-22508456605491349022012-03-22T16:39:00.000+08:002012-03-22T16:39:01.248+08:00Danger of Broken Focus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW1qj80rwouQnokyeMbfDaKdV3Cn-hkB6PtQsMdhvpvsBowcW6eCqDgXkFQ9MGXyo0SFh_S3jniCSTA1J6hh_coEqKvhK4Zdw6jfiubeALQeClYGUtwDRvcS6SBUTPYZvoaXa1PeSZII/s1600/Broken+Focus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW1qj80rwouQnokyeMbfDaKdV3Cn-hkB6PtQsMdhvpvsBowcW6eCqDgXkFQ9MGXyo0SFh_S3jniCSTA1J6hh_coEqKvhK4Zdw6jfiubeALQeClYGUtwDRvcS6SBUTPYZvoaXa1PeSZII/s320/Broken+Focus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The way for a pastor to have a mediocre ministry and a
non-growing church is to have a broken focus. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The key of concentration
is to stay focused on the primary goal that God has given you to do. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The
devil can destroy that primary goal by recommending many other
non-essential goals and make them of equal importance as the primary
goal. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When you have too many goals then your focus is broken.
Ultimately, you will fail not only in achieving the primary goals but
all the other goals too.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Rev Albert Kang</span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-8911386794617052422012-02-15T23:11:00.001+08:002012-02-15T23:11:31.149+08:008 Reasons Why People Aren't Coming Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhth3-8wDC8XCuMpfDbhYo4aCd-22nAU4WY9gMwa3GZr25EUIm_IWd8OOYMEJEkxTEekTd9GTG9XgAfkJwhNCLh6baGm4qQsR9KRdS7jdHzatflMt-as7QIXY1n03BE8HIqOxbuJbX_bGM/s1600/Empty-Church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhth3-8wDC8XCuMpfDbhYo4aCd-22nAU4WY9gMwa3GZr25EUIm_IWd8OOYMEJEkxTEekTd9GTG9XgAfkJwhNCLh6baGm4qQsR9KRdS7jdHzatflMt-as7QIXY1n03BE8HIqOxbuJbX_bGM/s1600/Empty-Church.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">As a secret shopper or mystery worshiper of churches around the
country, I’ve found there are some reasons that I will tell a church I
would not return for a second visit and some may be news to you. Whether
I’m working with a church plant of 60 people or a mega-church of over
15,000, some things are universal and should be present regardless of
church size.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Throughout this post we’ll look at actions and areas every church needs to address.</span><strong> </strong><br />
<h2 style="color: purple;">
<strong>1. The Front Door</strong></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Before a guest ever steps foot on your church’s physical campus, he or
she has probably already checked out your church website. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What every church should have clearly visible on their homepage is a
section or button for first-time guests. Once clicked on, this should
take you to a page that addresses FAQ’s, service times, directions,
parking instructions (Is there a side of the building that is better to
park on if one has kids?), what to expect (upbeat music and relevant,
practical, Biblical preaching in a come as you are atmosphere, etc.),
what to wear (Are jeans okay? Are shorts okay?), and encouragement for
them to be sure to stop by Guest Central or your church’s Information
Booth to pick up a first-time guest packet.</span><br />
<h2 style="color: purple;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>2. What Stinks?</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">It’s important that no church ever underestimates the sense of smell.
While sight is the strongest sense for short term memory, the sense of
smell is the strongest and most vivid for long-term memories.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If you’ve ever smelled something and had memories you hadn’t thought
of in years come flooding back, that’s your sense of smell in action.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Every church has the potential for positive or negative smells. Mold
is a bad smell. Coffee is a good smell. Bleach is a bad smell. Citrus is
a good smell. Many churches have restrooms that are disgusting and
smell bad. This lack of attention to detail can be costly and discourage
many from ever returning.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As best you can, try to walk into the lobby or entrance of your church with a new nose. </span><br />
<h2 style="color: purple;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>3. Park Here</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">One of Tim Stevens’ three “growth lids” that he thinks every growing
church should have someone who is constantly watching is parking.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tim says, “This is why Visitor Parking is so crucial. If it’s
difficult for newcomers to go to your church, they won’t go.” Some would
argue that guests want to remain anonymous and don’t want special
parking.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Of course some want to go unnoticed and will choose to park in
regular parking (a minority), but for the rest of newcomers, they are
appreciative for a close parking space; it’s a kind gesture in an
already intimidating and nerve-racking experience of attending a church for the first time, especially a large one with a huge campus.</span><br />
<h2 style="color: purple;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>4. This Way Parents</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">One way to assure guests will not return is to have a confusing, long
or hard to find process for getting their kids registered and in the
right classroom. Wise churches have signs for first-time guest kids’
check-in and make the process quick and painless.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Regular attendees may know to go up to the check-in kiosk and enter
their phone number or swipe their card, but guests will be clueless and
need a manned station that is clearly marked for guests and have a
volunteer walk them through the registration. Then have that person or
another helper walk you to your kid’s class explaining what will be
going on and how to go about picking their kids back up. If they must
have a sticker with corresponding numbers on it to get their kids, this
needs to be explained to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Signage for the kids check-in should start in the entryway of the
guest parking. Do not assume people know where to go once they enter the
building.</span><br />
<h2 style="color: purple;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>5. Give It Away</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Something subtle, but powerful is a church that has a generous
spirit. Chris Hodges at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, AL is big
on this. They have a coffee shop, but they also have a designated area
where people can get free coffee and not pay anything. They also give
away their message CDs.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Too many churches charge for everything and wonder why no one buys
CDs of the message. If you want to bless people and create a generous
spirit throughout your church, give away free coffee and message CDs
(and other surprises throughout the year).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Chris Hodges will have ice cream trucks pull up outside the church
doors and give away free ice cream to congregants leaving on a hot,
summer day.</span><br />
<br />
<h2 style="color: purple;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>6. Security Counts</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">One issue that is huge to a secret shopper and visiting families is
security. If a parent is worried about their child’s safety, they will
not enjoy the service and will likely not return.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A children’s classroom must be clean, safe and secure. Security also
includes the check-out process. If anyone can walk into a classroom and
pick up a kid, you’re asking for trouble and will turn off potential
newcomers. It’s important that your kids’ volunteers are trained well and know to ask for the parent’s sticker when picking up their kids.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This is vital and goes a long way to ensuring a tragedy doesn’t occur and a parent has peace of mind.</span><br />
<h2 style="background-color: white; color: purple;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>7. The Visible Pastor</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Accessibility of the senior pastor is another subtle and powerful
statement of a church. Even pastors of the largest churches in America
make an intentional and strategic effort to be seen, greeted and hugged
after a service. They may have a body guard present for security
reasons, but they are available and willing to pray with people that
need to speak to their pastor.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Some churches have a designated “Guest Central”, like Steve Stroope
at Lake Pointe in Rockwall, TX or Brady Body at New Life in Colorado
Springs. Some have a “Meet and Greet” like Charles Hill in Utah. Some
pastors stand down at the altar and meet and pray with people like Kevin
Myers at 12Stone in Atlanta. Some walk around the campus shaking hands
like Don Wilson at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Erwin McManus at Mosaic LA has an “After Party”, at which the pastor
is present and available to meet with newcomers. This, especially in a
large church, goes a long way toward countering the rock star or
unavailable pastor stigma that so many guests walk into the church
expecting.</span><br />
<h2 style="color: purple;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>8. Finish Strong</strong></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">It’s simply not enough for greeters and parking lot attendants to say
“Hello” or “Welcome” when one walks into their church. To go to another
level, have your first impressions team stationed at their posts when
the service ends to say “Goodbye” or “Have a nice week”.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This goes a long way to wrapping a bow around the entire morning
experience and will send them off with a lasting positive impression.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
Do these 8 things and you’ll see a greater return and higher percentage of second and third-time guests.</span><br />
<br />
About the writer: <span>Greg Atkinson has been writing, speaking and training Church
leaders since 2000. In late 2003, Greg launched MultisensoryWorship.com
(mSw) – a website geared to encourage, network, resource, and equip
Christian pastors, media ministers, artists and worship leaders – after
having served the previous 11 years as a worship pastor himself in the
Carolinas and Washington DC.
Greg produced ARC’s online church planter training (<a class="smarterwiki-linkify" href="http://churchplanter.tv/">http://churchplanter.tv/</a>)
and now travels the country as a secret shopper/mystery worshiper for
churches of all sizes. Find out more about Greg's ministry here: <a class="smarterwiki-linkify" href="http://worshipimpressions.com/">http://worshipimpressions.com</a>.
</span><br />
<a href="http://www.churchleaders.com/author/GregAtkinson/" title="More from Greg Atkinson">More from Greg Atkinson</a> or visit Greg at <a class="external" href="http://www.gregatkinson.com/">www.gregatkinson.com/</a><br />
<br />
<br />revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-65365784751002795902012-01-10T23:19:00.000+08:002012-01-10T23:21:17.896+08:0010 Suggestions for the Shepherd of a Stagnant Flock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8BR5FQ06VNW59cUmJvoaqzeLso3OsqXd72C8YrEAPL4_YqOgZYcMkb2T0EBMz0MbmPY3tKDinDRtpg3XlQHuSlI_ue9iUJbV35VE67GGhNv0rmqlc4jdrepUabWLt4Ct1DhvZV_rSwQ/s1600/Empty+pews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8BR5FQ06VNW59cUmJvoaqzeLso3OsqXd72C8YrEAPL4_YqOgZYcMkb2T0EBMz0MbmPY3tKDinDRtpg3XlQHuSlI_ue9iUJbV35VE67GGhNv0rmqlc4jdrepUabWLt4Ct1DhvZV_rSwQ/s400/Empty+pews.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h1 class="largeGray" style="color: red; margin: 0pt;">
10 Suggestions for the Shepherd of a Stagnant Flock</h1>
<h1 class="largeGray" style="margin: 0pt;">
</h1>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">How many churches in this country—in your denomination, of your
church-type, in your county or parish or town—have stopped growing? It
depends on whom you ask. Go online and you’ll soon have statistics
coming out of your ears on this subject. In our denomination, the
Southern Baptist Convention, the most significant number—one that seems
to have held steady for over three decades—is that some 70 percent of
our churches are either in decline or have plateaued.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Plateau.</i> Funny word to use for a church. One wonders how it
came to be in use. Why didn’t they say “mesa,” “plain,” “delta” (ask
anyone who lives in the Mississippi Delta—flat, flat, flat!), or even
“flatline.” Of course, in the emergency room to “flatline” is to die. No
one (to my knowledge) is saying a non-growing church is dead, just that
some things are not right.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Healthy churches grow. Non-growing churches are not healthy, at least
in some significant ways. If it’s true that seven out of ten pastors in
our family of churches lead congregations either in decline or
stagnation, this is a situation that ought to be addressed. And to my
knowledge, everyone <i>is</i> addressing it. Everyone has an opinion.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
My single contribution to this discussion is directed toward the shepherd of a stagnant flock: <i>“If your church has plateaued, make sure you haven’t.”</i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Bill Day, the numbers cruncher and evangelism professor at New Orleans
Baptist Theological Seminary (as well as pastor of Parkview Baptist
Church in Metairie, LA), gives his definition of growing, declining, and
plateauing: <i style="color: blue;">The church that increases 10% in a five-year period is
growing. Decline 10% in the same five-year period, and your church is
decreasing. Plateauing means your church fits neither group</i><span style="color: blue;">.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Here are ten statements to pastors of churches that are either stagnant or are in decline.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
1. Some churches are easier to pastor than others.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
When Bob began to pastor Easytown First Church, to his amazement and
relief, the numbers turned around almost immediately. People loved him,
they began responding to his leadership, the pews filled, and soon they
were bringing in chairs. Bob was elated.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
That’s when he made a mistake. Bob decided the great response was
because of his terrific preaching and inspired leadership. And who’s to
say he was wrong? After all, had he preached poorly or led haphazardly,
the story certainly would have been different.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
But Bob became critical of churches that were not growing and pastors
who were not leading in dynamic ways. Without knowing it, Bob had become
part of the problem. He was discouraging pastors of troubled churches,
when what they needed was an encouraging word.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
I have pastored both kinds of churches. Serving at Easytown early in
your ministry can sure be nice. It can also give the young preacher a
heady dose of ego. I’m afraid I pontificated on matters I knew nothing
about and criticized denominational leaders for not doing what we were
doing. I cringe with embarrassment over some of the statements I made.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Either because of the Lord’s sense of humor or of fair play, He let me
get hold of a church that did not respond to my dynamic personality (!)
or bag of tricks. At the annual associational meeting, when certificates
were handed out to those who led in baptisms (a practice of dubious
merit, I must say), I was embarrassed by our small numbers. As if to
break me of disparaging even one person coming to Christ, the Lord
eventually let me see how it felt for our church not to make that
“top-ten” list at all.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Some churches are easy to pastor, some are hard, and all are different. Not all methods work in every church.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
2. Some pastors have the gift.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Argue with this all you please, but I will go to my grave believing
that preachers like John Bisagno could grow a huge church in the Sahara.
They say “Good morning” in a way that makes you look around for an
aisle somewhere to walk down.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
As the old saying goes, “Some were born on third base and think they’ve
hit a triple.” I’m not saying Bisagno is this way; he has helped more
pastors (including me) to become Kingdom-growth-minded than anyone I
know. But for some of us, those without the “gift,” turning a church
around is hard work.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
3. Even if my church has plateaued, I don’t have to join it.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Just because my church is not growing does not mean I have to stop
growing. Don’t give in; don’t throw in the towel. Don’t stop learning
and growing and looking for ways to make a difference.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
4. Some churches should not grow—at least, not yet.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Some churches do not grow for good reason: They are sick. The last
thing in the world they need is for a hundred new members to join them
next Sunday. They need to get some matters right with God and with their
neighbors before the Lord is going to allow them to grow.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
I watched as a small congregation tried to self-destruct. The unhappy
members ran the pastor off, along with the group which supported him. As
pastor of the nearest church, I watched this from the outside and did
not understand all the issues, but my personal conclusion was that the
pastor was a fine man, and the ones who left would have been excellent
members of any church. In fact, several joined my congregation and
became just that.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
As soon as the pastor left, the disgruntled few looked around, found an
unemployed preacher, and made him pastor. The man of God walked in, saw
all those empty pews, and decided the church needed to grow. He
announced a week of revival services. They printed leaflets and hung
posters, then held their meeting. But nothing happened. The community
wanted none of what that little group had to offer.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
The merciful Lord in Heaven clearly decreed that little bunch would not
be allowed to mess up a new crop of young believers. They did not need
to grow; they needed to repent.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
5. The pastor’s problem is not the church members’ or deacons’ problem.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
“We announce visitation, and no one comes.” “I handed out assignments,
but none of the deacons made their calls.” “These people are just like
the ones following Moses—headstrong, stiff-necked, hard-hearted.”</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
The people are not the problem, pastor; they are your opportunity. <i>You</i>
are your biggest problem, pastor. If you want your people to minister
in the community, go minister in the community yourself. If you want
your people to visit in homes, go visit in homes yourself. If you want
them to take door-to-door surveys or prayer-walk blocks, go do it
yourself.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
After you’ve done it for six months on a regular basis <i>without telling a soul that you’re doing it,</i> invite the rest of them to join you.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
6. The most urgent task is to become a person of intense prayer.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
If you love your church and have a burning desire to see it live once
again and make a lasting difference in your community, tell the Lord.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
The tendency for pastors with a hurting desire to help their churches
grow is to look for human saviors—some pastor of a big dynamic church
somewhere whose brain they could pick or whose conference they could
attend. That’s not entirely wrong, but it’s out of order.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
It’s prayer time—time to spend concentrated time on your face before
the Lord finding out what He wants for His people. Keep reminding
yourself (and Him) that these are His people. He died for them, you
didn’t, and their welfare and health means far more to Him than it does
to you. Seek His face; ask for His will.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
The Lord may tell you His entire plan during a two-day prayer retreat.
But I’d be surprised if He did. More likely, He’s going to give you some
immediate direction for your leadership and sermons, but you’re still
going to have to spend quality time on your knees pleading for His
intervention.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Expect this to take six months, a year, several years. Some have said
if the church has been stagnant for six months, turning it around will
take six months. If a year, then one year. If 40 years ... well, surely
it won’t take that long! (I’m not sure what I think about this
principle.)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
7. Go to conferences and read the books on reversing plateaued
churches. But do not look for a program for your church; look for a key
idea.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
There are experts out there who would willingly come into your church
(for a fee), take over the show, and rearrange all the furniture to get
the church growing again. But then they would leave, and you would be
left to deal with the consequences. You don’t need that.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
When you sit before pastors with “turnaround” stories, listen in two
directions at the same time: to what they are saying, and to the Holy
Spirit.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
When something is said and all the bells go off inside you, that’s what
you came for. The Holy Spirit is fingering this principle, that story,
this strategic ministry, that idea.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
8. Don’t be surprised if the Holy Spirit has you start with small improvements.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Someone in our church called my attention to a needy trailer park. A
seminary student in our church wanted to try to reach the people there.
We sponsored him. No big deal. At first, it was just an arrangement
between the student and me, the pastor.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
In time, as leaders came and went, God sent us a young man with a real
heart for the families in that park. He began reaching the kids, some of
the parents began to respond, and our church members began to get
involved.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
This became the finest mission experience of any church I ever
pastored. Before long, more than 60 members of our church were involved
to some degree with the young pastor, his wife, and that trailer park.
It’s my observation that this compassionate ministry helped make it a
truly healthy congregation.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
“Who has despised the day of small things?” asks the prophet in
Zechariah 4:10. I think we can answer that. Our spirits despise small
things. We want big numbers, big programs, big responses. Anything wrong
with 3,000 people coming to Christ in one day? Not a bit. But great
results often begin with tiny deeds, such as prayer-walking a
neighborhood or putting someone in a leadership position who becomes a
key player.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
9. Start even smaller than that.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Walk over your campus. Are the restrooms clean? Do the hallways need
painting or brightening up? What do the grounds look like? Never, ever
pass a piece of trash on your property without picking it up and walking
it to a dumpster.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Even if your sanctuary has not changed since the 1950s and looks every
bit as dated as it is, and even if you can’t afford a renovation, you
can get a bucket of paint and cover the fingerprints on the walls. You
can scrub the floors. You can see that wastebaskets are emptied each
week.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Schedule a “work day” on a Saturday. Encourage your students to
brighten up their rooms. Appoint two or three of the most persnickety
matrons to walk through the buildings with one of the men and make a
list of improvements to be made. Talk it up, serve breakfast early that
day, and make it fun.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Don’t overdo it and don’t over-expect, pastor. Don’t make this an
all-day thing. Two hours on a Saturday morning with 20 or 30 adults can
make a huge difference. If they uncover more tasks to be done, ask them
if they’d like to have another such work day six weeks later. That’s far
enough in advance that they’ll agree, but not so distant that they’ll
forget about it.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Go for little improvements at first. See that the church sign
represents the church well and is changed weekly, even if you have to do
it yourself until the Lord raises up a responsible volunteer. If your
sanctuary looks bare, ask a florist to lend you some greenery on the
weekends, or even rent you some. When the congregation responds
enthusiastically, see how people would feel about purchasing the
greenery.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Use the word “experiment,” as in, “We’re going to experiment with
this.” It won’t sound as threatening or as permanent as, “We’re making
this change.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
10. Thank people. Encourage them. Praise them. Send them notes.</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
You have two choices, pastor. You can harangue the people on Sunday
because they are not what a church ought to be, or you can applaud them
as they take baby steps in that direction.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
I’m in favor of the pastor calling names from the pulpit of people who
did well this week. (You’ll want to work hard to not leave someone out
who should have been included. If you do, be sure to include him/her the
next Sunday and apologize for omitting them.)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Write thank-you notes on the church letterhead. One or two sentences
are all that’s required. Tell them how much better the church looks with
those new flowers in front and how it is a glorious witness for the
Lord. Tell the custodian how pleased you were to hear someone comment on
the clean bathrooms last Sunday.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
I once wrote a column in the church bulletin thanking our custodian.
Andy was not an easy man to work with. He could be curt, and more than
once he’d offended some members with a sharp comment on the way she kept
her classroom. But when you gave him an assignment, he carried it out
well. So I wrote a note of appreciation to let church members know that
Andy was responsible for the building looking so impressive on Sundays. A
year later, while looking for something in the sanctuary building, I
opened a closet. There was my column, taped to the inside of the door.
Andy had kept it all this time.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
I never forgot that lesson. It matters. As nutrients to flowers and as
fertilizer to a crop, so is encouragement to God’s people.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
The Lord’s people should be seen as tender plants; if you want them to
grow, you must never mistreat them. Instead, handle them with care,
treat them lovingly, and keep them in the sunshine with plenty of food
and water. Protect them from storms, shield them from careless children,
and watch for signs of disease or trouble. They want to grow, and they
will—if we do it right.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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Joe McKeever</a></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Dr. Joe McKeever</b> is a preacher, cartoonist and the
retired Director of Missions for the Baptist Association of Greater New
Orleans. Currently he loves to serve as a speaker/pulpit fill for
revivals, prayer conferences, deacon trainings, leadership banquets and
other church events. Visit him and enjoy his insights on nearly 50 years
of ministry at <a href="http://www.joemckeever.com/" target="_blank">JoeMcKeever.com</a>.</span></div>
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</div>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-61537517771371231382012-01-03T14:53:00.000+08:002012-01-03T14:53:47.879+08:00The Cost of Outreach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMOcT-Ued01Es4klk23IoK1X7QSy6DWoAr8_HJygYFdsnUo-eVaYKuj4ZxpZdD3qJ-EcV_t_98dUoWGKsdKWVny5ozKYaUsifi6O5JH-p794YsUWgmTET5cEwcgEJ65hPuQbgDA1uDdM/s1600/evangelism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMOcT-Ued01Es4klk23IoK1X7QSy6DWoAr8_HJygYFdsnUo-eVaYKuj4ZxpZdD3qJ-EcV_t_98dUoWGKsdKWVny5ozKYaUsifi6O5JH-p794YsUWgmTET5cEwcgEJ65hPuQbgDA1uDdM/s320/evangelism.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Recently,
it was reported that 82 percent of the churches in my denomination do
not have a soul-winning program and that last year more than 11,000 of
the churches did not report a single conversion!<br /><br />
I believe one of
the reasons so few churches engage in outreach is because they ask the
wrong question. Too often, the first question asked is, “How much will
it cost?” The right question is, “Who will it reach?”</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
How much is a soul worth? If you spend $500 on a newspaper ad that reaches one unbeliever for Christ, is it worth it?</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
If
your church gets serious about developing a comprehensive evangelism
strategy, it will cost money! With this in mind, let me share some
insights about financing your strategy, based upon my experiences as
Saddleback Community Church grew from four members to over 15,000.</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
First,
money spent on evangelism is never an “expense”; it’s always an
investment. The people you reach will more than repay the cost you
invested to reach them. Before we held the first service of Saddleback,
the people in our small home Bible study went $6,500 in debt preparing
for that service. Where did we get the money? We used our personal
credit cards! We believed the offerings of the people we reached for
Christ would eventually enable everyone to be paid back.</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
One of
the “miracles” of our dress rehearsal service was that a man who had not
attended our home Bible study came to that first service and gave a
check for a thousand dollars when we took the offering. When the woman
in charge of counting the offering came up and showed me the check, I
said, “This is going to work.” Sure enough, we paid everyone back within
four months. (<i>Please note: I’m not advocating that your church use
credit cards to finance it. I’m just trying to illustrate how willing we
were to pay the cost of reaching people for Christ.</i>)</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
Often when
finances get tight in a church, the first thing cut is the evangelism
and advertising budget. That is the last thing you should cut. It is the
source of new blood and life for your church.</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
Second, people
give to vision, not to need. If “need” motivated people to give, every
church would have plenty of money. It is not the neediest institutions
that attract contributions but those with the greatest vision. Churches
that are making the most of what they’ve got attract more gifts. That’s
why Jesus said, “It is always true that those who have, get more, and
those who have little, soon lose even that.” (Luke 19:26 TLB)</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
If
your church is constantly short on cash, check your vision. Is it clear?
Is it being communicated effectively? Money flows to God-given, Holy
Spirit-inspired ideas. Churches with money problems really have a vision
problem.</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
Third, when you spend nickels and dimes on evangelism,
you get nickel and dime results. Do you remember the story about the
time Jesus told Peter to go find money in a fish’s mouth in order to pay
the Roman taxes? In Matthew 17:27, Jesus told Peter “...go to the lake
and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open it’s mouth
and you will find a four drachma coin.”</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
I believe there is an
important lesson in that story; the coins are always in the mouth of the
fish. If you’ll focus on fishing (evangelism), God will pay your bills.</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />
Fourth,
remember that “God’s work done God’s way will not lack God’s support.”
This was the famous motto of the great missionary strategist, Hudson
Taylor. </span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://www.churchleaders.com/files/endslug_533550574.gif" />
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span><em><br />Adapted from </em>Rick Warren’s Ministry ToolBox,<em> a free e-mail newsletter available through Pastors.com. </em>Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church. </span></span></div>
<h3>
<br /></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<a class="addthis_button_email at300b" href="http://www.churchleaders.com/#" title="Email"><span class="at300bs at15nc at15t_email"></span></a><a class="addthis_button_facebook at300b" href="http://www.churchleaders.com/#" title="Send to Facebook"><span class="at300bs at15nc at15t_facebook"></span></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter at300b" href="http://www.churchleaders.com/#" title="Tweet This"><span class="at300bs at15nc at15t_twitter"></span></a><a class="addthis_button_googlereader at300b" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&winname=addthis&pub=chagen&source=tbx32-250&lng=en-US&s=googlereader&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchleaders.com%2Foutreach-missions%2Foutreach-missions-articles%2F139524-it-costs-to-reach-your-community.html&title=The%20Cost%20of%20Outreach&ate=AT-chagen/-/-/4f02a14f9a38914d/1&frommenu=1&uid=4f02a14fb8bc1ddc&description=Rick%20Warren%20encourages%20leaders%20to%20ask%20the%20right%20question%20about%20evangelism.&ufbl=1&ct=1&tt=0" target="_blank" title="Send to Google Reader"><span class="at300bs at15nc at15t_googlereader"></span></a><a class="addthis_button_evernote at300b" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&winname=addthis&pub=chagen&source=tbx32-250&lng=en-US&s=evernote&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchleaders.com%2Foutreach-missions%2Foutreach-missions-articles%2F139524-it-costs-to-reach-your-community.html&title=The%20Cost%20of%20Outreach&ate=AT-chagen/-/-/4f02a14f9a38914d/2&frommenu=1&uid=4f02a14f69ce4e91&description=Rick%20Warren%20encourages%20leaders%20to%20ask%20the%20right%20question%20about%20evangelism.&ufbl=1&ct=1&tt=0" target="_blank" title="Send to Evernote"><span class="at300bs at15nc at15t_evernote"></span></a></span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-9150877471027796532011-12-02T11:54:00.001+08:002011-12-02T12:10:51.046+08:00Pastors, Are You A Winner or Loser?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGObzq5JToyySZrdCp1M2WJjgrRGQInKSzV6i_b4PtEe_e-S-d0VC9HY_nNAhNAX-sNh71ZnfctcxPQMkDl7StUinqMNHK3hiwjDTTCPSWGZkmhZQgQPCooCnknalzfQW6iFIDsJHJdGk/s1600/Not+my+job.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGObzq5JToyySZrdCp1M2WJjgrRGQInKSzV6i_b4PtEe_e-S-d0VC9HY_nNAhNAX-sNh71ZnfctcxPQMkDl7StUinqMNHK3hiwjDTTCPSWGZkmhZQgQPCooCnknalzfQW6iFIDsJHJdGk/s400/Not+my+job.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When winners make a mistake, they say, “I was wrong.”<br />
When losers make mistakes, they say, “It wasn’t my fault.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">A winner works harder than a loser and has more time;<br />
a loser is always “too busy” to do what is necessary.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">A </span><span style="font-size: large;">winner</span><span style="font-size: large;"> goes through a problem;<br />
a </span><span style="font-size: large;">loser </span><span style="font-size: large;"> goes around it and never gets past it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">A </span><span style="font-size: large;">winner</span><span style="font-size: large;"> makes and keeps commitments;<br />
a </span><span style="font-size: large;">loser </span><span style="font-size: large;"> makes and forgets promises.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">A </span><span style="font-size: large;">winner</span><span style="font-size: large;"> says, “I’m good, but not as good as I ought to be;”<br />
a follower says, “I’m not as bad as a lot of other people.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Winners listen;<br />
</span><span style="font-size: large;">losers </span><span style="font-size: large;">just wait until it’s their turn to talk.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Winners </span><span style="font-size: large;">respect those who are superior to them and tries to learn something from them;<br />
</span><span style="font-size: large;">losers</span><span style="font-size: large;"> resent those who are superior to them and try to find chinks in their armor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Winners</span><span style="font-size: large;"> feel responsible for more than their job;<br />
</span><span style="font-size: large;">losers</span><span style="font-size: large;"> say, “I only work here.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">A winner says, “There ought to be a better way to do this;”<br />
</span><span style="font-size: large;">losers</span><span style="font-size: large;"> say, “That’s the way it’s always been done here.” </span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-35686135175817919272011-11-17T11:00:00.001+08:002011-11-17T11:09:46.287+08:00THE SEVEN C’s OF SUCCESS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtv7HkKGvn6X8HHkjG0FHNEMuhEfKnLDQj90EAEiikRCbp9rqHXoAiNyWvxvhL56A_EV5C5gDvP5WC3IlW7Vinz0tCijiRED4lz6BAGILDa-biq6Ib0iJQ3_zKzCYR_9H2TQ22KCEFac/s1600/Keys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtv7HkKGvn6X8HHkjG0FHNEMuhEfKnLDQj90EAEiikRCbp9rqHXoAiNyWvxvhL56A_EV5C5gDvP5WC3IlW7Vinz0tCijiRED4lz6BAGILDa-biq6Ib0iJQ3_zKzCYR_9H2TQ22KCEFac/s400/Keys.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">by Brian Tracy<br /><br />After having studied top achievers and peak performers over the past 35 years, I’ve concluded that these unique men and women, have in most cases, mastered what I call the Seven C’s of Success.<br /> <br />Clarity: Eighty percent of success comes from being clear on who you are, what you believe in and what you want.<br /> <br />Competence: You can't climb to the next rung on the ladder until you are excellent at what you do now.<br /> <br />Constraints: Eighty percent of all obstacles to success come from within. Find out what is constraining in you or your company and deal with it.<br /> <br />Concentration: The ability to focus on one thing single-mindedly and see it through until it's done takes more character than anything else.<br /> <br />Creativity: Flood your life with ideas from many sources. Creativity needs to be exercised like a muscle; if you don't use it you'll lose it.<br /> <br />Courage: Most in demand and least in supply, courage is the willingness to do the things you know are right.<br /> <br />Continuous learning: Read, at the very least, one book a week on business to keep you miles ahead of the competition. And just as you eat and bathe, organize your time so you spend 30 minutes a day exploring email, sending messages, going through websites, because like exercise, it's the only way you can keep on top of technology. If you get away from it, you'll lose your edge.<br /><br /><br /></span></div>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-42185218641912578112011-11-09T00:20:00.001+08:002011-11-09T00:20:35.642+08:00Megatrends that Weren't<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong><strong><div>
<strong> <br />
</strong></div>
</strong></strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhiPfZi35oBReOeA_QWZneV7Nk8NwBnFFgpq9-M2erktorP1lCMJV1t8JWLy_JorJBzdqFttc73K4oKKs4wbHCTBvtTyvh61b5Dgn5VoqFCe0XjXaGMQUm_LcgLs0YSDdCpneBTKZKC8/s1600/Megatrend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhiPfZi35oBReOeA_QWZneV7Nk8NwBnFFgpq9-M2erktorP1lCMJV1t8JWLy_JorJBzdqFttc73K4oKKs4wbHCTBvtTyvh61b5Dgn5VoqFCe0XjXaGMQUm_LcgLs0YSDdCpneBTKZKC8/s1600/Megatrend.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">The
most recent issue of <em>Foreign Policy</em>
is themed around its first-ever set of predictions about the future. Articles from some of the world’s most
“bleeding-edge” thinkers look at the planet in the year 2025. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">As
you would imagine, most of their predictions have already been set in motion by
recent events, and could, themselves, have been predicted. For example, technology will take on a life
of its own; micromultinationals will run the world; everything will be too big
to fail; the South China Sea will be the future of conflict; the world will be
more crowded (but with old people); the shape of the global economy will
fundamentally change; and problems will be increasingly global in nature, as
will their solutions (you think?).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">But
what intrigued me the most was an article titled “Megatrends That
Weren’t.” Joshua Keating writes about
“yesterday’s Next Big Things” that never took place, noting that “history can
be awfully unkind to pundits wielding crystal balls.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">As
his examples show, today’s “Next Big Thing can quickly become tomorrow’s “Trend
That Never Was.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Such as:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>*The Japanese
Superpower</strong>. In the 1980’s and early 1990’s, as Japan’s
industrial production surged by more than 50 percent, a cottage industry
predicting Japan’s economic dominance was born. Instead Japan entered its “lost decade” of economic stagnation and was
overtaken by China in 2010.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>*The Permanent
Economic Boom</strong>. Prior to the current financial crisis there
was unbridled optimism that the good times don’t have to end. Experts placed inordinate faith in the power
of computerized trading, financial “innovation,” and the exploding housing
market. The reality was that the Dow
Jones industrial average never did get higher than its 2007 peak of
14,164.53. So much for predictions of
the Dow reaching 36,000, 40,000 or even 100,000, as some predicted.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>*Peak Oil.</strong> While there is a finite amount of oil in the
world and it’s going to run out sooner or later, it was predicted that global
oil production would tap out in the early 1970’s. Peak-oil theorists failed to take into
account both the discovery of new oil and new means of extracting
difficult-to-recover reserves buried deep beneath the ocean or in tar sands in
the Canadian tundra. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>*The Resource Crunch</strong>. In 1798, English scholar Thomas Malthus
predicted that global famine and disease would eventually limit human
population growth. As of last month, we
are now at 7 billion and growing without imminent global famine and catastrophe
due to rapid population growth. There may come a time when the Earth’s
population becomes unsustainable, but for now the problem isn’t lack of
resources but how to distribute them to those in need.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>*The Internet Fad</strong>. Excessive skepticism can be as bad as buying
into overly optimistic predictions. In 1943, IBM Chairman Thomas Watson saw a
global market for “maybe five computers.” Then there’s astronomer and popular science author Clifford Stoll, who
in a 1995 book and <em>Newsweek</em> article,
ridiculed the idea that “we’ll soon buy books and newspapers straight over the
Internet” and argued that “no online database will replace your daily
newspaper.” And more recently British
entrepreneur Alan Sugar predicted in 2005 that the iPod would be “kaput” within
the year. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">In
my recent book <em>What They Didn’t Teach You
In Seminary</em>, I talk about the “Next, Next Thing,” and how our culture’s preoccupation
with “next” has replaced our earlier fascination with “new.” The difference? New is what something is; next suggests a
special insight. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Christians can be
captivated by “next” as much as anyone. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">I know of pastors who
joke about a “migratory flow pattern” among Christians in their community who
are constantly church-hopping to the “next” thing in church life. They move from one church to another, looking
for the next hot singles group, the next hot church plant, the next hot
speaker, the next hot youth group. Many
times they end up full circle where they began, because their original church
suddenly became “next.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Church leaders can succumb
to the same temptation, only in terms of church model. First it was
Willow Creek. Then Saddleback. Then came Hillsong, Northpoint and
Fellowship. Or perhaps instead of doing
it by church name, it was by type: first
came seeker-targeted, then purpose-driven, then postmodern, then
ancient-future, then emergent, then “simple.” For some the allure of the
next “next” is programmatic, moving from
Alpha to KidStuff to...well, you get the picture. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Stop and think what
happened to the “megatrends” of drama in church, the meta-model of small
groups, the seeker-targeted strategy of the 80’s and 90’s, and praise choruses?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">In truth, many of the
“next” churches we flock to - as attenders or leaders - have little of the true
“next” about them. More often than not,
what is behind the attention is little more than a gifted communicator, or a
niche-focus, or tried-and-true contemporary approaches in a traditional
context, maybe one or two twists on previously envisioned programs – coupled
with a growing edge of town. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Yet the seduction of
the “next” lures us to race to their conference to find the “secret” to
success. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">But racing toward the
“next” is more than just deceptive – it can be dangerous. Meaning you can buy into the “next” before
you know whether it was ever worth buying into in the first place. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">There have been, and
will be, some truly “next” churches. But
our threshold should be more than rapid growth, a charismatic leader, a
niche-market, the latest beneficiary of a growing edge of town or the migratory
flow of believers. Not simply because
there may not be anything truly “next” about it beyond that which is cosmetic,
but because our appetite for the “next” has us looking to churches that have
yet to truly prove themselves, much less their ideas, through the test of time.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Leaders must realize that however exhilarating a new church model may appear,
silver bullets do not exist. Leaders
must look deeper than the latest model or program, conference or style, and
realize that the process inherent within a thriving church has not changed in
2,000 years: you must evangelize the
lost, then assimilate those evangelized, then disciple those assimilated, and
then unleash those discipled for ministry.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">That’s
a megatrend that is, was, and ever will be.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">James
Emery White</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> <br />
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>Sources </strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">“Megatrends
That Weren’t,” Joshua E. Keating, <em>Foreign
Policy</em>, September/October 2011, p. 92. <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=664522&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foreignpolicy.com%2F" target="_blank">www.foreignpolicy.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> James Emery White, <em>What
They Didn’t Teach You In Seminary</em> (Baker Books, 2011).</span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>Editor’s Note</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">To enjoy a free subscription to the Church and Culture blog, log-on to <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=664522&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchandculture.org%2F" target="_blank">www.churchandculture.org</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">,
where you can post your comments on this blog, view past blogs in our
archive and read the latest church and culture news from around the
world. Follow Dr. White on twitter </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=664522&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2F%40JamesEmeryWhite" target="_blank">@JamesEmeryWhite</a>.</span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-63465441349932418822011-11-08T16:03:00.000+08:002011-11-08T16:03:50.863+08:00A Formula for Success<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9C6kTWr73MxfYzVfZGwhboLcuurCDmkscmQIPUXlUSykQaECKOltg7s3vdz8XuHo8ZwqvGjw2HvNgiqOygG4Y7S07E149XfLGTHoJXlZtVSKCXrTFhyHiNbfVfW3y4of3TV1nKW7bi4Q/s1600/Wendy%2527s+Emil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9C6kTWr73MxfYzVfZGwhboLcuurCDmkscmQIPUXlUSykQaECKOltg7s3vdz8XuHo8ZwqvGjw2HvNgiqOygG4Y7S07E149XfLGTHoJXlZtVSKCXrTFhyHiNbfVfW3y4of3TV1nKW7bi4Q/s320/Wendy%2527s+Emil.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Emil Brolick, CEO of Wendy's</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Wendy’s new CEO is fed up with being known as the “third” burger chain. If you want to pull his chain even more, talk about Wendy’s as the fallen star of the fast-food industry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">In his first interview since being named chief executive, Emil Brolick spoke candidly with a <em>USA Today</em> marketing reporter about his plan to once again make Wendy’s an industry innovator.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">It better be a good one. It will need to fix a company with 6,600 locations worldwide that has been, to quote <em>USA Today</em>, “rudderless in an ocean of competition since its iconic founder, Dave Thomas, died nearly a decade ago.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">When asked what difference he could make, Brolick said, “I’m a big believer in the importance of leadership in an organization. My leadership can make a difference in this brand.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">He’s right. And not just for burger chains. The Bible talks clearly about the spiritual gift of leadership in Romans 12, and challenges those with the gift to step forward and lead. Since the gifts were given for the building of the church, there can be little doubt that the Holy Spirit finds leadership indispensable for the church’s flourishing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Brolick then offered a single formula for success.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">“Have a vision, a strategy, define reality, give hope and execute.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">I think I like this guy, and may just buy stock in Wendy’s. I have seldom read a more concise, direct plan for organizational success that resonates with everything I know about leadership.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Let’s unpack it in light of the church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>1. Have a vision</strong>. We all know that where there is no vision, the people perish. Or more accurately, run amuck. Vision is a clear picture of the future that paints a target on the wall. You can’t ever hit what you don’t aim at. Vision tells us what we’re aiming at.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">What is your vision? Has it been clearly articulated?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">At Meck, our immediate vision is called our 20/20 Vision: to have 20,000 active attenders with ministry in 20 countries by the year 2020.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>2. Have a strategy</strong>. Very few churches have a strategy. Instead, they have tactics – meaning, things they are doing. But there isn’t an overarching strategy that leads tactics to be chosen, much less that the tactics feed and support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">What is your strategy? How do you plan on achieving your vision?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">At Meck, our strategy to reach 20,000 attenders is to mobilize our church community to invest in those around them and then invite those very people to attend a growing number of regional campuses throughout our city. Our strategy involves not only outreach, but assimilation, discipleship, and then unleashing individuals for ministry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>3. Define Reality</strong>. This is one of the most overlooked aspects of church leadership. My friend Bill Hybels has, of late, been chanting “facts are our friends.” He’s right. If an area of ministry is slipping, if a staff person is not a good fit, if a strategy is not working, if an area needs work, it does no good whatsoever to continue on with a “business as usual” mentality or to gloss it over as if everything is fine. A leader defines reality, and that helps realities change. If something is broke, call it broke – and then fix it! If something is dying, bury it – before it starts to stink! A good leader won’t just tell you how good things are – they can also tell you exactly where things are weak. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">What is the reality of your church’s situation? What’s working, and what’s not?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">At Meck, we need to relocate one of our new campuses as early as January because its current location/facility is hindering growth. Our set-up and break-down teams for our two newest campuses are in desperate need of support to prevent burn-out and break-down of volunteers. We are grossly understaffed in areas of children’s ministry and guest services. These are realities, and there are many more to go with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>4. Give Hope</strong>. It’s been said that you can live for four months without food, four days without water, and four minutes without air - but not four seconds without hope. It isn’t enough to cast vision, much less to define reality – a leader has to give hope that the vision can become reality; that things can change. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Does your church feel like it can change? That it can do what it is being called and challenged to do?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">At Meck, we take the first weekend after my summer study break and lay out the God-movements in our church. When a church has a breakthrough, when progress is being made, it should be brought front and center to the church. Not simply so that God can be given His glory, though that is primary, but also so that the people can maintain the hope they need that we can continue to kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>5. Execute</strong>. I recently tweeted about the importance of having a bias for action. Too often we have a “ready, aim, aim, aim…” mentality. Fire your dang gun! There comes a time to pull the trigger on action and decision.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Is your church weighing whether to do something, and it’s been weighing it for a long time? Is there a “paralysis of analysis” going on?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">At Meck, in the last 12 months, we decided to build on one campus, launch two new campuses, begin a ministry to Spanish-speaking persons, add two more countries to our mission investments, and adopt a local school that has the highest poverty rate in the city. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">In truth, having a vision, a strategy, defining reality, giving hope and executing is far from simply a marketplace strategy, much less unique to a fast-food executive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">It’s part and parcel of the exercising of the gift of leadership.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">And as the apostle Paul said of the gifts given for the church, “If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.” (Romans 12:8, NLT).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">It’ll flip around more than a burger chain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">James Emery White</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>Sources </strong> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><em>“Wendy new CEO has big plans to flip its ranking</em>,” Interview with Emil Brolick, conducted by Bruce Horowitz, <em>USA Today</em>, Tuesday, October 18, 2011, p. 1B and 2B. Read <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=55311748&msgid=664667&act=XQGJ&c=320029&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fmoney%2Findustries%2Ffood%2Fstory%2F2011-10-17%2Fwendys-ceo-emil-brolick%2F50806918%2F1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">online</a>.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><strong>Editor’s Note</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Visiting ministers can be a great blessing to any church. But if you don’t do your homework, you could be inviting disaster.</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">A friend of mine recently told me that the leaders of a ministry invited a prominent American preacher to speak at a conference. During discussions about the engagement, the preacher’s handlers explained two of the terms of his visit: (1) he was always to be addressed as “apostle” by anyone who spoke to him; and (2) he was to be ushered out of the auditorium and into a green room immediately after he delivered his sermon, to guarantee that he would not have to fraternize with the audience. He needed his privacy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">If I had been on the other end of the telephone conversation that day, I would have offered this reply: “Please tell Apostle Arrogance that since he is so concerned about being bothered by the little people, never mind. Just don’t come. We don’t need the disease he is spreading in the body of Christ. God bless you.” Click.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I have heard horror stories of ministers who required their hosts to provide shopping money, certain types of exotic bottled water, limousines and manicurists. A childish rock star might be expected to ask for these luxuries, but such behavior is reprehensible for a minister of the gospel. Don’t cater to their appetites.”</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">That may sound harsh, but I don’t think there’s any other way to prevent the spread of this plague. The “celebrity syndrome” is still alive in 2011, in spite of the recession, and the only way we are going to stop big-headed charlatans from corrupting churches is to boycott them. We need to hand them a pink slip. I recommend these safeguards:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. Investigate before you invite.</b> There are many wonderful traveling ministers who carry genuine anointings and can bring great blessing to churches and ministry events. They have been called by God as evangelists, prophets, teachers and apostolic leaders—and those who walk in the anointing of the Holy Spirit will produce fruit wherever they go.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">But there are also imposters on the preaching circuit. Some of them once carried the anointing and lost it; others actually entered the ministry as fakes and learned to prey on naïve congregations. Don’t give anyone a platform who has a questionable record. Always find out who they are accountable to. If they have no relationships, no oversight or no reference board, you are taking a great risk by having them in your church.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Slam the door on egotism.</b> The celebrity syndrome is easy to detect. Does the visiting preacher have a servant’s spirit? Or does he come across as cocky and unapproachable? Any man or woman engaged in ministry should have the attitude of Jesus, who was willing to ride a donkey into Jerusalem and wash the feet of His disciples. If you allow a prideful, unbroken preacher in your pulpit, you are giving a spirit of Lucifer the opportunity to infect your congregation.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>3. Don’t feed the spirit of entitlement.</b> Every traveling minister appreciates a gracious host. You show honor when you provide him or her with a nice hotel room, meals and transportation during their stay. But you should be alarmed if a preacher demands celebrity treatment.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have heard horror stories of ministers who required their hosts to provide shopping money, certain types of exotic bottled water, limousines and manicurists. One preacher who recently ministered in Australia demanded a certain type of steak that had to be flown across the Pacific Ocean from the United States! A childish rock star might be expected to ask for these luxuries, but such behavior is reprehensible for a minister of the gospel. Don’t cater to their appetites. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>4. Don’t tolerate financial rape.</b> I know of an American minister who traveled to a church in Canada and insisted that the pastor rent a civic auditorium that seated more than a thousand people. The pastor couldn’t afford the hall, but the evangelist said she wouldn’t come unless a large venue was provided. In the end, the evangelist canceled the trip because not enough people registered for the conference—and the pastor was left holding the bag. His church went bankrupt.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">A true minister of the gospel would never push a church to go into debt just to satisfy his or her egotistical need for a big crowd. Jesus was just as comfortable preaching to a few disciples as he was to a multitude, and He didn’t base success on numbers. If you fall into the numbers trap you will be sorry.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Also, a shepherd who cares about his or her flock will never allow a visiting preacher to manipulate a congregation financially. Visiting speakers who spend 30 to 45 minutes begging for money, or making outlandish claims of “supernatural returns” for investing in their work, are sheisters who need to leave the ministry and find a job on a home shopping network.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>5. Beware of strange fire.</b> A minister imparts his life, not just the words of his sermons. That is why it is so important for preachers of the gospel to walk in humility, sexual purity and financial integrity. If a minister has allowed compromise in any of those areas, his anointing will be hindered and he may pollute your pulpit and leave a toxic environment in your church.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I talked to one pastor in California who had invited a speaker to his annual conference. But before the speaker arrived, the pastor learned that this man often used drug imagery in his sermons and even compared the Holy Spirit to marijuana. When he asked the speaker to refrain from such references, the man arrogantly refused. Thankfully the pastor did the right thing: He politely but firmly canceled the man’s visit.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is possible for us to “just say no” to the charlatans, shysters, con men and rock star evangelists who have never submitted their lives to the discipline of the Spirit. Please heed the warnings, inspect the fruit and be willing to disinvite.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>J. Lee Grady is contributing editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. His latest book is 10 Lies Men Believe (Charisma House).</i></span><br />revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-13869901027524726672011-10-13T17:33:00.000+08:002011-10-13T17:33:01.975+08:00Creating 'Textable' Content<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Matt McKee</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">We now live in a culture that reads, responds, and reacts in 140 characters or less. I'm not trying to make the point that as pastors we should or should not be on Twitter, or that teens use Twitter at all. The point is that we now share information with family, friends, and fake friends faster than we have ever done before. This information mostly is shared via text message. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">According to Sprint and other reports, mobile phones are used for talking less than 50% of the time. So if people aren't talking on the phone, what are they doing? They're sharing, liking, tweeting, texting, searching, and updating. They are doing this all the time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why in the world then don't we try to leverage this power that people already know how to do to spread the gospel? Why are we so opposed to asking people to spread the message of hope, love, forgiveness, and salvation in the means that they are already doing? Furthermore, why are we not giving them ideas and content that would fit in 140 characters or less so that it would be the easiest to share?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is not an article that is saying that I think we should keep our heads buried in our phone. This isn't an article saying we shouldn't have time where we're still and reflective on what God is doing. This isn't an article that thinks if we all used iPhones that our world would be a better place. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is an article about content and what we want people to live with and do. Let's just take a possible subject for example. Let's say you taught principles behind effective prayer. Each principle comes from the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6. This would be a great topic and one that needs to be taught, but what would you have people share from this? The principles that you are teaching, are you stating them in a way that phrased in a way to be shared? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">The takeaway and application, are they communicated in a way that your audience would be compelled to send to someone else? Why not? Why are we not even taking this into consideration?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's what I believe:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Breaking down ideas that are complicated to principles that are easy to understand is much harder than keeping things complicated.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Understanding a topic is one thing, telling people to do something with what they understand is much harder.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">People only do hard things when they are a priority and processed over time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">So the next time you teach, preach, lead a small group, or share the gospel in any form, make it "textable." Ask yourself when preparing the message or lesson, what in here is "textable" and what do I want them to share? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">By the way, if you were going to share this article or principle, you might say, "I'm being challenged to teach in "textable" ways. If you want to know what that means just ask."</span><br />revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-6354277888666625732011-10-13T13:49:00.000+08:002011-10-13T13:49:23.922+08:00Vision Can Only Succeed by Alignment<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdanda;"></span><br />
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<span>By Graham Cooke</span></div>
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We do not get a vision by ourselves and ask God to breathe on it. We worship, pray, meditate and listen to His heart. A vision that is rational, logical and based on what we can reasonably accomplish given our numbers and resource... will ultimately not upgrade anyone involved in the enterprise.</div>
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The Father has a vision for us personally and corporately. What does He see? Dreams, visions, scripture and prophecy are the seedbed for a vision that comes from another dimension. We cannot open ourselves up to Christ without becoming supernatural in our lifestyle and processes. A man made vision breeds struggle. It takes away our energy in the Spirit. It strips us of astonishment, awe and wonder.</div>
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Supernatural resources cannot come to a man made vision. God must own the vision and we must steward it in wisdom and obedience. Revelation always produces a sense of responsibility. When the Lord owns the vision He will commit resources to it from Heaven. When we are struggling financially we must question our alignments. Whatever God orders, He always pays for in real terms. Lack of resourcing is a sign that we are not aligned with His purpose.</div>
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Some people blame the enemy for their lack. That is a poverty spirit speaking. When we blame the enemy for something we are confessing that he has a power over us that we cannot fight. Some people blame circumstances, such as the recession for their lack. That is a poverty mindset. Poverty is not economic; it is learning to live with meager possibilities. Is God broke? Is He working to a tight budget? Is the Kingdom of God reliant on the word system? Who has abundance and fullness? If the Father is the true possessor of abundance and the wealth of the wicked... then we must determine the reason(s) why we are under resourced.</div>
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What is out of alignment? Where do we need to conform to the image of Christ? If we received the original vision from God Himself, are we walking in it? Are we stewarding it in the manner He requires? Or, are we, who began in the Spirit, now trying to work things out ourselves? Paul's big picture perspective was that he must remain obedient to the Heavenly vision (Acts 26:19).</div>
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Stewarding the vision means that we rely on our Principal supporter for resources. He is our true fulfillment in all things. We should never allow people or circumstances to dictate who we are or what we can do.</div>
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Vision that embraces the Father's heart and will is always resourced. In His favor we are empowered to have a conviction that He Himself is our renewable life source. Vision releases faith, which is the confidence that we are walking and working in partnership with Him. Vision produces power and supplies the necessary courage to live by His Empowering Presence.</div>
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God's vision energizes. Each day we come under the weight of His joy and passion for us. His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). If our vision is not properly aligned we come under the weight of responsibility to make things happen.</div>
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His vision provides insight. He allows us to see what He is seeing, both in us and for us. We learn His perspective and to see the resources at our disposal. I am always reminded that the vision given to me is God's and therefore I can continue to look at my life through His eyes.</div>
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<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">About the Author</span></strong></div>
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Graham Cooke has a passion to bring God's people into deeper levels of relationship and intimacy with the Lord. His life and ministry are underpinned by his delightful, intimate and unreserved two-way friendship with God. He inspires others to pursue God with abandon…letting go of old mindsets and opening up a radically new understanding of who God really is. He brings insight, hope and vision for the future of individuals, churches, cities and nations through prophetic ministry and powerful teaching. Originally from Manchester, England, he now lives in California and is part of the leadership team at The Mission in Vacaville. He is the founder of Brilliant Book House and <a href="http://myemerginglight.com/" style="color: black;"><strong>My Emerging Light</strong></a>.</div>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-55696030536672512162011-10-12T00:14:00.000+08:002011-10-12T00:15:01.016+08:0023 Reasons for Rapid Church Growth in China<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Church Planting Alliance of South Africa published a handbook in 2000 intended to encourage, equip, and guide church planters, pastors, intercessors, and denominational leaders toward the strategic challenge of saturation church planting in South Africa and beyond. The handbook included statistics, strategies, and stories of church planting activities. One of the articles that captured my attention focused on Rapid Church Growth in China.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">From April 1993 to April 1996, growth among house churches [in one part of China] increased from three churches with less than 100 members to over one hundred churches with over 16,000 members (by the end of 1998 they had grown to over 55,000)...Primarily second, third, and fourth generation churches [were] planted entirely by local believers intentionally targeting the least evangelized areas and groups...All growth was from adult conversion growth rather than transfer or biological growth. Average reproduction time was six months.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">As you read through these reasons for growth, consider what ramifications they present for your ministry in your context.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Reasons for Growth</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Society in XYZ was undergoing rapid change during the period under examination. The late 1980s were pivotal in XYZ's history. After thousands of years as a cultural and economic backwater, it was coming into its own within the national political make-up. The rapid societal change created a hunger for spiritual change as well. Traditional religious and spiritual movements as well as Christianity experienced surges in growth following these changes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Government opposition and persecution resulted in a church that is relatively free of casual believers. Since a Christian commitment potentially has negative repercussions, people who do make such a commitment tend to be more serious about their faith.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. The churches displayed a remarkable degree of boldness despite the threat of persecution. This was displayed in their bold witness as well as in their loud and fervent singing in their worship services. They also demonstrated great trust in one another and in new believers. Such trust is in stark contrast to the extreme distrust that was engendered by the Cultural Revolution when the people learned to distrust everyone. This trust is attractive and surprising to unbelievers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. The believers demonstrated great love toward one another even when they are not relatives. This extended to the point of helping one another with financial needs. Such love is in sharp relief to the selfish and materialistic bent of the culture. This contrast served to draw attention to the Christian community.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. New believers were baptized soon after their conversion, even in totally pioneer areas. This served to cement their new commitment and communicated their full responsibility and participation in the church from the very beginning.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">6. When works were started in a new area, local believers were placed in leadership positions from the start. This helped to ensure that the new church was locally relevant and served to minimize dependence on outsiders. It also meant there were no problems with leader distribution since local leaders were always raised up from within local churches. There was never a question of leaders not wanting to return home after leaving for advanced training since training was done on the job.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">7. Whenever a new church was started, multiple leaders were always established. This prepared new leaders to lead church plants. This helped protect the church against a leadership vacuum if a leader was imprisoned. It also trained members for outreach.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">8. Unpaid lay leadership was used in the churches. This helped prevent any artificial bifurcation between "clergy" and "laity." This supported the practice of every adult member being part of the evangelistic outreach of the church and undergoing continuing training for ministry and being accountable for practicing what he or she had learned. Another advantage of this type of leadership is that since leaders do not require advanced theological degrees, the preparation of leaders does not form a bottleneck in the church planting process. They also require minimal financial support if any, enabling new churches to be started with little or no money.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">9. Growth and fruitfulness was expected from new believers. This growth was in terms of knowing the Lord's commands and obeying them. Such growth results in fruitful Christian lives.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">10. Spiritual reproduction was expected. This reproduction was in terms of leading others to Christ, teaching others what one had learned, and planting new churches. Since this was seen as the normal outgrowth of Christian experience, then any exception was quickly noticed and steps were taken to make the situation right. The gospel carries a responsibility to share words of life with those who have not heard. This responsibility is most clearly seen in areas where the gospel has not penetrated.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">11. Security concerns resulted in the inability of individual churches to grow beyond a certain point (which varies by location), necessitating church multiplication, rather than merely increasing the size of a single congregation. This in turn resulted in a larger, more diverse, and more geographically available interface with the non-Christian community. It also helped to preserve the higher level of intimacy and accountability that typify smaller groups.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">12. Another factor that was enforced by the hostile environment is the fact that the vast majority of churches did not have the option of using a dedicated church building. They instead used homes or shops in most cases. This means there was no facility expense to tie up the resources of the congregation and consume their energy and attention. It also assisted believers in maintaining an outward focus in ministry rather than an inward focus.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">13. Quite often, the new churches wrote their own original hymnody, which expressed their personal faith and Christian experience. This music became a strong encouragement and influence toward solidarity and a rallying point in difficult circumstances.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">14. In teaching and training as well as in evangelistic methods, reproducibility was emphasized. The teaching was kept simple in both format and content. Application with accountability was a constant emphasis. This helped increase the likelihood of continuous reproduction.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">15. Believers at every level were held responsible to apply or put into practice what they had learned. They were also expected to teach others who were newer in the faith what they had learned. This resulted in mature and stable believers even when they had not been in the faith for a long period of time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">16. Vision and responsibility for the completion of the Great Commission was taught at every level in the churches. It was also "caught" since every trainer and leader was consumed with that task, and mentoring and on-the-job training are the heart of the training methodology. This vision ensured the common direction and purpose of every new congregation.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">17. Accountability was practiced at every level. Even the "senior" leaders of each congregation were accountable to the leaders of other congregations. This created a sense of solidarity and camaraderie, which is essential in an environment that is hostile, and in which Christians are such a tiny minority.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">18. There was a conscious awareness among church planters and trainers that their identity, methods, patterns, and attitudes would be emulated by the new believers and congregations. They were the models or patterns on which new work would be based. This resulted in great intentionality in these key areas.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">19. When work had to be done in Mandarin, every possible effort was made to ensure that it would be passed on in XYZese at the first generation. The XYZese churches then imitated this pattern in planting cross-cultural congregations.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">20. Ethnic Chinese people exclusively were used as trainers and church planters, helping to avoid impressions of Christianity as a Western religion. This resulted in churches which were very "at home" in the culture.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">21. Low education levels were catered to in terms of indirect and informal teaching styles and forms. Scriptures, hymns, training materials, evangelistic materials, and Bible teaching were all distributed on cassette. Video materials were used where appropriate. Training was based on personal interaction (modeling, mentoring, and on-the-job training) rather than written materials.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">22. There was a tremendous amount of specific prayer focused on the XYZese people and their evangelization. This was done by groups of people on several continents who were committed to pray regularly for the XYZese using specific and timely prayer requests provided by newsletters, phone, and e-mail. God moved because His people asked.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">23. It was God's time for the XYZese. He had clearly been preparing them and preparing His people for the task. He was working for His glory in such a way that no one else could possibly take credit for it. It was clearly a sovereign work of grace.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In reflecting on these 23 Reasons for Rapid Church Growth, my colleague Bob Rasmussen makes the following observations:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The factors seem to fall into two general categories: those that we can affect and those we cannot. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the first category are things like every believer expected to share the gospel, early baptism, leadership from the beginning, etc. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the second category are factors that are beyond our ability to affect but are left to God and society at large. In this category would be persecution, lack of wherewithal to have church buildings, etc.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is interesting to me that the obstacles for replicating factors within our control are of our own making. Our traditions. This would suggest that in seeking rapid church multiplication, one key area leaders should re-examine is traditions that inhibit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">New wine demands new wineskins.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What insights does reading these 23 Reasons spark in you?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What traditions do you need to re-examine?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How can you remove inhibitors to rapid multiplication?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dave is a MISSIONALIST! He is focused on equipping and empowering pastors and church planters to embrace missional practices, and partnering together with leaders to strategically multiply churches to reach our nation and the nations among us. His wife, Deanne, and he were led by God to plant Lake Hills Church in Castaic, CA in 1990 and he pastored there for 16 years before joining OC International's U.S. Team.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">More from Dave DeVries or visit Dave at www.missionalchallenge.com/</span></div>
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revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-79530018050876273082011-10-05T14:04:00.000+08:002011-10-05T14:05:37.210+08:00Tips and Hints about Effective Self-Talk<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: white;">As one of the facilitators of Communication in Haggai Institute Malaysia, I have often emphasized upon the importance of 'self-talk'. This exercise is extremely crucial if we want to have a clear picture of what we want to do, where we want to go and how we are to achieve that. Here are some tips and hints written by my friend, Denis Waitley, that I found to be very helpful to anyone on the journey of becoming the person whom God wants you to be. Remember: Nothing happens outside you until it happens inside you. God bless!</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: white;"> Pastor Albert Kang</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">We're all talking to ourselves every moment of our lives, except during certain portions of our sleeping cycle. We're seldom even aware that we're doing it. We all have a running commentary in our heads on events and our reactions to them. Here are some tips to remember:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">• Be aware of the silent conversations you have with yourself. Are you a nurturing coach or a critic? Do you reinforce your own success or negate it? Are you comfortable saying to yourself, "That's more like it." "Now we're in the groove." "Things are working out well." "I'll do it better next time."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">• When you fail, view it as a temporary inconvenience, a learning experience, an isolated event, and a stepping stone instead of a stumbling block.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">• When you have even a small success, reinforce that success by rewarding yourself and feeling pride, rather than feeling lucky or guilty for the attention.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">• When you receive a compliment for any reason, simply respond: "Thank you." And accept value graciously whenever it is offered.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">• Always greet the people you meet with a smile. When introducing yourself in any new association, take the initiative to volunteer your own name first, clearly; and always extend your hand first, looking the person in the eyes when you speak.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">• In your telephone communications at work or at home, answer the telephone pleasantly, immediately giving your name to the caller. And when you call, give your name before you ask for the party you want and before you state your business. Leading with your name underscores that a person of value is making the call.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">• Don't brag. People who trumpet their exploits and shout for service are actually calling for help. The showoffs, braggarts and blowhards are desperate for attention.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">• Don't tell your problems to people, unless they're directly involved with the solutions. And don't make excuses. Always talk affirmatively about the progress you are trying to make.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Apply these tips and keep the running commentary in your head on a positive note!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">—Denis Waitley</span>revalbertkanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18293624402585748728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808016162950671885.post-45236861350684959402011-10-05T11:09:00.000+08:002011-10-05T11:09:30.830+08:00The Evangelistic Script That Has Been a Tool to Save Thousands<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>"Just read the script. Everything within you...is going to scream to want to ad lib. But just read the script."</em></strong> <strong><em>-Pastor Dan Mickelson</em></strong></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><strong><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></em></strong></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Many salvation testimonies continue to come in about people being led to the Lord by Christians who have witnessed to them with this script. All it takes is a willing heart to reach out to a hungry soul.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can made it into a bookmark, with your church contact info on the bottom, so that it's easy for your Church members to carry and distribute. Here is the text:</span></em></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Has anyone ever told you that God loves you and that He has a wonderful plan for your life?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have an important question to ask you. If you were to die this very second, do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you would go to Heaven?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">(If yes, great. Ask how they know and if it's because they're a "good person" or anything other than Jesus, proceed with this script. Also proceed with script if their answer is "No.")</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let me quickly share with you what the Bible says. It reads, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" and "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The Bible also reads, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">You are a "whosoever," right? Of course you are! All of us are.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, I'm going to say a quick prayer for you. Lord bless (FILL IN PERSON'S NAME) and his/her family with long and healthy lives. Jesus, make Yourself real to him/her and do a quick work in his/her heart. If (FILL IN NAME) has not received Jesus Christ as his/her Lord and Savior, I pray he/she will do so now.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">(FILL IN NAME) If you would like to receive the gift that God has for you today, repeat this after me, both out loud and in your heart: </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive me of my sins. Wash me and cleanse me. Set me free. Jesus, thank You that You died for me. I believe that You are risen from the dead and that You're coming back again for me. Thank You for saving me and forgiving me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Make me a new creation in Christ Jesus. I trust You as my Lord and Savior. Give me a passion for the lost, a hunger for the things of God, and a holy boldness to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm saved. I'm born again. I'm forgiven and I'm on my way to Heaven because I have Jesus in my heart.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">As a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I tell you today that all of your sins are forgiven. Always remember to run to God and not from God because He loves you and has a great plan for your life.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">[Invite them to your church and get follow up info: name, address & phone no.]</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Note:</b><i> If the person does not understand what sins are, use the Ten Commandments to explain to him. The purpose is to use the<b> Law to convict and the Grace of God to save</b>. The Holy Spirit is the One who provides the conviction of sins... not you. Repentance is the result of this conviction. The person cannot change or be transformed until he or she encounters Christ personally. Never expect the person to change first because salvation and transforming power are provided by Christ. </i></span><br />
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