4 Factors in Phenomenal Church Growth: Part III

RIGHT TYPE:

You will never catch the leaders by doing things they way they did it.  When you do it, it will be predictable and boring.  Which means, nobody will care, or you will muddy up the waters and confuse people.

You can’t expect to open a successful non-franchised burger chain in between Wendy’s, Burger King, McDonald’s and Sonic…unless you are Five Guys Burgers.  Seriously, why are people trying to do the exact same thing when it comes to church.  Start a church with jeans, rock band, casual dress, coffee and Danishes for the 15th time in the same community?  People aren’t going to pay attention unless its different, new, exciting.

Acworth, Georgia needs another church like a Kobayashi needs another hotdog.  However, pastors seem to be attracted to the big houses of Bent Water and are looking to get a piece of the action.  Consequently, in an area overly saturated with church plants, the planters keep coming.

When Oak Leaf Church and Westridge Church started in adjacent areas, they began with a bang and sustained their lead in reaching the people that nobody else was reaching.  It was because they were the only experience like it in the whole county.

4 Factors in Phenomenal Church Growth: Part II

RIGHT GUY:

Nothing against northerners (I was born in New York), but if you sound like you are from Boston, don’t expect to have success in Nashville.  If you are from Mobile, Alabama you probably have no business in New York City.

I don’t think it has anything to do with competency it has to do with culture.  Just like George Bush Sr. realized when he went to Australia and flashed a “peace sign” the wrong way and flicked off tons of people.

You may love the Subway, prefer walking places, and don’t mind paying $3000 a month to rent a house, but it doesn’t take you across the cultural divide between a Yankee and Southerner.

Finally, personality is extremely important.  I know pastors that were successful because there was nobody like them in town.  Their town needed a little irreverence and they provided it.  People were looking for something different, that wasn’t stuffy and canned.  Consequently, their personality was an attraction.  In other towns, that are used to reverence, respect, and a specific way of doing things, that kind of stuff would get you in trouble.

4 Factors in Phenomenal Church Growth: Part I

THE RIGHT TIME:

If you plant flowers, vegetables, or trees in the wrong season you can expect to have some dead plants or poorly performing veggies on your hands.  If you plant a church at the wrong time (not talking about one of the four seasons, although it is a factor) then you risk just ask much.

All of the successful churches that I know have Pastors who came to town when the town was ripe for harvest.  They showed up before there were 10 other churches doing the exact same thing in town.

Paul was pretty clear in Romans 15:20 that he wanted to go somewhere he could do a new thing.  You may remember that it worked out pretty well for him too…

“It’s Not You It’s Me!”

There are so many perspectives to take when something fails.  You can take the attitude that you gave it your best shot, did everything you could, but your best efforts weren’t enough.  You can blame it on circumstances out of your control.  You could just pretend not to care and say that it doesn’t really matter. Or, you could investigate all of the factors and see what the common forces may have been that resulted in failure (lack of funds, poor planning, wrong people involved, bad timing, etc.).

Not matter your choice there are always three things that are true.  It’s either because of you, God, or both.

For instance, no matter how bad I want to dunk a basket, it ain’t gonna happen.  I’m too short for my jumping ability or I can’t jump for my height…whichever you prefer.  Reality is God made me this way and no matter how much I try, the best I can hope for jumping on a trampoline as a mascot at halftime or lowering the goal.

Likewise, if I set out to start a business, a church, have another kid, etc. I am either part of the solution or part of the problem. God is either going to choose to bless my efforts or He is going to teach me something about myself along the way.  Possible lessons are you can’t lead, preach, manage, don’t have enough money, charisma, friends, or you have Guidestone and it would cost you $10,000 (baby of course).

Question: Are you being honest with yourself and determining if it’s you or God?  Somebody is the reason you aren’t where you want to be, so you better get it straight.

Speedy Gonzales

I’m sure there are some cops that would disagree with this post, but I’m convinced of the following opinions.  Just like I’m convinced that Ohio State is overrated and ACC should stand for Almost College Competition.

I’ve only been driving for 16 years, but I’m thoroughly convinced that cops aren’t really trying to stop speeding.  What they are really after is in instilling fear of being caught speeding and thus ruining your day.  Plus, generating revenue and getting to see how the new tuneup is working out on their car.

If the State and Federal governments wanted to keep people from disobeying traffic laws they would employ completely different methods. Seriously, if you wanted to make sure people didn’t run red lights you would install traffic cams and just mail tickets (I know they have these in some places).  If you knew you would receive a picture of your car in the intersection and a $100 ticket I bet you wouldn’t be punching the gas when you see a yellow light.

Speeding is no different.  Radar detectors, cameras, and a ticket in the mail would seriously crack down on speeding. Heck you could just have factory install governers put in vehicles that maxed out car at 75 (fastest posted speed limit I’ve seen).

I don’t know why we pretend to want to stop something and then employ disgustingly inept means of curbing the offenders, but it’s obvious we just want the appearance of seriousness, not the real deal.  Kinda like rent-a-cops, neighborhood watch groups, and mace on your key chain.

Freedom To Fail

A good leader is suppose to be willing to let others fail in order to help them learn and reach their full potential. They typically tout their organization as a safe place where people can figure out who they are and how they will lead, by convincing people that they can fail and it won’t cost you your job. Letting others screw up and learn on the job is admirable and helpful (long-term), but it has a price.

• It’s fine to let someone manage the budget less efficiently, mess up, and cost the company…but what is the dollar amount limit?
• It’s nice to let someone figure out their leadership style while they make enemies and have incredible turnover…but how much turnover is palatable?
• It’s great to let let a rookie counselor talk the “jumper” off the roof…but is it worth the consequences if they fail?

This weekend, we let Micah play with a sparkler at my brother’s wedding. Part of me thought it was a bad idea and knew people that wouldn’t have let their kids do the same thing. Yet it was extremely fun for him…for a while. Now there is potential of long-term problems if his hand scars badly.

Where are you allowing the freedom to fail go too far?

Like Father, Like Son…

Competition

I’m not sure if you follow sports, but one of the things that I love reading about is recruiting.  It’s not because I don’t get anything out of the season or my team always stinks so I’m stuck looking forward to next year.  It’s actually because I like following a player throughout their career.  It’s always interesting to see if they live up to expectations or if they are a bust.

Another thing that is very intriguing is watching to see if they can elevate their game to another level.  It’s more then typical to read an incoming freshman’s comment about how in High School they did this or that, but when they got to college everyone was just as good as them.  Instantly, they were starting over and having to earn a spot, not getting it just because they could go faster, jump higher, etc.

Watching these athletes get it shocks me how quickly we resolve to just stop competing in our Clark Kent lives.  You know, the lives where we aren’t superstars, just normal people doing normal stuff, but sit on so much potential.  Why is it that restaurant managers are often fine with just running a store to not get fired, keep everything average, and never trying to push themselves.  Why is it normal to walk into a old church and see them trying the same old tired techniques to bring lost people in or to connect their current audience with God in worship?  I don’t think conferences are the answer, but instead it might be visiting the big leagues (wherever that is for you).

When are you going to take your game to the next level?

History in the making…

Mind Dump

I’m rather mixed up right now, because I feel like a CIA agent who has to convince his wife that he really is a Banker.  It’s like I’m living a double life.  Being a teacher that is trying to start a church is an interesting balancing act.

So, it is with mixed emotions I spill out the thoughts I am pondering into this blog:

• It is remarkable how much I want to start this church, in comparison to how little I wanted to even attend church when I graduated seminary.
• Sweet Tea is dangerous.  It can make you fat faster then Coke, because it doesn’t have carbonation which means you drink more and therefore consume more calories and get fatter faster.
• If you don’t look back at yourself from 5 years ago and think…”that dude was stupid!” you need to read more books, have more experiences, and get to know more people.
• The Church can’t die, no matter how many of its opponents inside and outside the church say it’s dying.  Remember that gates of Hell can’t overcome it stuff?
• I can’t wait for this college football season!!  I think LSU is going to have a great year…really, I’m serious.
• It stinks being away from my family.  I could never be in the military and just being away from family makes me respect the armed forces personnel.
• We are all replaceable, but don’t take it personally.
• I read last night in one of my old Experiencing God Bible Studies (13 or so years ago) that I wished I could understand better what God was saying to me.  Why is that still the case?!
• The more you give of yourself to something or someone the more your will miss them/it.  It hurts, but it’s worth it to feel.
• I’m reading an amazing book right now called, “What We Love the Church” and you should read it too.

All for now…