Growth Points
• Years ago Lyle Schaller published a small but very important book, The Seven-Day-a-Week Church. One of the key things he anticipated in that classic volume was the fact that many churches would be offering several worship services every weekend. On this point Schaller nailed it. In many places we now see churches offering seven or eight worship services every weekend. For Schaller, the key was the stamina of the senior pastor. He did not foresee multi-site churches or the multiplication of the use of teaching pastors and the technology so many churches now use each weekend.
• But the theme of Schaller’s book is right on. Is your church a seven day a week church? The larger your church is, the more days it should be impacting your community. If your church is small you need to add impact with excellent, making it a part of your church culture before adding something else. Smaller churches historically try to do too much. They over commit resources, especially leaders. So what should you do to begin?
Small churches (fewer than 125), make sure you are a one-day-a-week church. Be tenacious, but kind, at looking at your Sunday services and programming. Find out what is working and what isn’t. Fix it before you move on.
Medium size churches (125-300 in attendance), look at your ministries and programming on Sunday evenings and mid-week services. What groups are growing? Which ones are struggling? Which need to be fed or starved? Are they outdated and/or outmoded? Are there needs that aren’t being met? Could this be an opportunity for your church?
Larger churches (300 +) should ask a couple of questions about everything they do: does this ministry align with our values and vision? Is this who we are? Is there enough support for us to do this? What kind of staff and resources do we need to do this or make it better?
• Your goal should be to create as many quality entry points as possible. How many do you have? If you don’t know how many you have, then that’s your first assignment. Get started. Now.
Leader Lifts
Winston Churchill is one of my heroes, for so many reasons: leader, writer, speaker, and his famous wit. He once said that “courage is the greatest of all virtues because it guarantees all others.’ So true. Pastor Ron Edmondson describes the seven traits that separate a courageous leader: http:www.ronedmondson.com/2011/7-traits-that-separate-a-leader-of-courage.html.@via RonEdmondson. Become a leader with courage! Enjoy.
Conversations from the field
Recently, I spent a couple of hours with a pastor. He’s been at his current ministry less than a year. His last church he served for nearly 40 years. So he’s not your typical new pastor. But he has fresh eyes for a church that needs it. He pastors a county seat ‘first church’ in a fast growing county of nearly 120,000 people. He’s in his mid-sixties. I asked him why he wasn’t bass fishing somewhere and he laughed, “I’ve still got too much preach in me I guess.” The fire still burns. The passion remains.
We talked about some of his leadership challenges. The next five years are critically important for his church. It will determine if they have a healthy future or see a decline in community impact and influence. I’ve had this conversation before. I have it on a regular basis. I believe that is the challenge of the vast majority of evangelical churches in North America. Yes, there are great islands of health. Yet, most of our churches continue to operate and make decisions like it’s the 1950s. This will not do. It cannot continue. Too many churches are past the tipping point.
My pastor friend has five years. So many of our churches have less. How many years does your church have? Be a difference maker. Be a leader. The fire must burn. The passion must remain.
Quotes for Preaching, Teaching & Leading
Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble.
Laura Maxwell, John Maxwell’s mother
If God only used perfect people nothing would get done. God will use anybody who’s available.
Rick Warren
Light houses blow no horns; they only shine.
D. L. Moody
Pride is the mother of all sin.
Martin Luther
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