Get Connected..... Stay encouraged!

Some church planters belong to denomination. Some are part of a network of churches. Some however....for one reason or another are alone. If that's you, get connected to some life line. Rest assured, there will be times when you want to quit, when you question your calling, when you want to close the doors and nail a sign that says "closed". One way to be connected and encouraged is through social networking. Twitter for example can serve as great encouragement. Today is Thanksgiving.... Lets see some posts from Twitter:

gregsurratt Greg Surratt

Don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged & give up, 4 we will reap a harvest of blessing @ the appropriate time Gal 6:9

dinorizzo Dino Rizzo

Happy thanksgiving , so much to be thankful for ( in-laws that cook, italy jet lag, "others", my tribe , 80's music, most imp. - Savior ! )

erwinmcmanus Erwin McManus

Making good memories is like storing a healing salve for difficult times. Take time today to reflect on all that God has done for you.

Those are just a few people that I follow. If I can be of any help to you, please feel free to email me or connect....via Twitter @jeffhoglen

Marketing Mistakes by Tony Morgan

I just read a great article from Tony Morgan of West Ridge Church near Atlanta. For more of his writing you can visit his site: www.tonymorganlive.com

• Making a promise you can't keep. The world already thinks churches are filled with hypocrites, so make sure you exceed expectations on everything you say you’ll do. The easiest place to begin is with the guest experience. Are you delivering a welcoming, friendly environment? When someone takes a step to connect to your ministry, make sure your team is ready to follow through.
• Trying to be all things to all people. Yes, we want the world to know Jesus, but who has God put in your world? That’s who you need to reach. And, more specifically, what person within your world are you most likely to reach? Design your ministry to connect with him or her. That means some people may not like your church. That’s OK. God uses different ministries to reach different people.
• Thinking other churches are your competition. We are competing with today’s culture. Other churches are on our team. It doesn’t help if you distinguish yourself from another church. You need to distinguish your message from the world people live in. Clearly communicate why someone should connect with your church instead of spending their time doing a million other things.
• Publicizing programs that compete with one another. More choices create more confusion. You may have lots of great programs, but the more options you provide, the less likely people will be to take a step. I know, it’s counter-intuitive. But you don’t want a situation where your men’s ministry is competing with your discipleship classes that are competing with your home groups that are competing with volunteer opportunities. Figure out what you do well and what God is using to reach people for Jesus—and do that.
• Promoting your church instead of generating a response. No one really cares that you are First Church Such-and-Such. And, no one really cares what your building looks like. Promote a message series over the church. Promote a conversation over the church. But don’t promote the church or a specific ministry. Others will do that for you if it’s worth promoting.

6 Mistakes Leaders Make

Here are the 1st 3 of 6 mistakes as written by Perry Noble.
To read the article in it's entirety, check out www.churchleaders.com

1. Not getting the entire story before confronting someone about an “issue” that had been brought to my attention! A leader who always believes the worst about the people he leads needs to do a serious gut-check!
2. Letting emotion get the best of me and shutting down a discussion when I should actively listen. A leader is way more likely to get buy-in if the people he leads actually feel like he listens to them…REALLY listens to them.
3. Choosing “the obvious” rather than listening to The Holy Spirit.

Missions - Local and Global

Remember missions isnt just for third world countries. Also dont forget... it's not necessarily an either/or situation. I like to say it's a yes/ and :) We are to serve locally and abroad...wherever an opportunity should arise...wherever the Lord shall lead.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

More Free Resources

Need some sermon ideas? Listen to some Seacoast resources and get inspired. They do a great job and are kingdom enough to give it away freely.

SEACOAST SERMONS


Need some help with the admin side of church planting? Try this resource from Northpoint Church. Remember to "fish and bone"....take the stuff that you like and leave the rest.

NORTHPOINT ADMIN SITE

ChurchMetrics.com is a free web-based application that helps you keep tabs on attendance, giving, salvations, and baptisms at your church. Did I mention free???

CHURCH METRICS

Resources

Here is a list of resources you may find helpful as you plant your church:

1) For signage / vinyl banners
http://www.bannersinvinyl.com/

2) Outreach Ideas
http://www.onmission.com/site/c.cnKHIPNuEoG/b.4749751/k.9261/Outreach_Ideas/apps/nl/newsletter3.asp

3) Church Marketing
http://www.detailsdirect.net/templates/cusdd2005/default.asp?id=32085

4) Giveaways to 1st time guests
http://booksbythebox.maninthemirror.org/

5) Websites
http://bridgeelement.com/index.html

Character...........

When looking for a leader or potential leader within the church plant, one of the main things I look for is character.

Here are some of my favorite quotes on character:

"Character is what a man is in the dark." Dwight Moody

"No one can win a race with intermittent effort. Christlikeness cannot be reached with that kind of effort either—it is an ongoing pursuit. So Paul says, "Let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained" (Phil. 3:16). The Greek verb translated "keep living" refers to walking in line. Just as a runner must stay in his lane and keep up the same effort until he reaches the finish, you must stay in line spiritually and keep moving forward toward the goal of Christlikeness."
- John MacArthur

"No man can climb out beyond the limitations of his own character." John Morley

"God's call to be holy, as he is holy, is a general summons to live by his revealed precepts and prohibitions, as embodying the loves and hates which make up his character and which his ways with us will always express; Christ's call to follow his example is a specific summons to unlimited self-humbling, and giving of ourselves without restraint, in order to relieve others' needs and make them great, which is what true love is all about." J.I. Packer

"Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them." Winston Churchill


"The highest reward for man’s toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it." John Ruskin

"Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece—by thought, choice, courage and determination." John Luther

Many would think the most important trait would be competence. I believe some things are taught and other traits like character have developed over a period of time.

What's the difference between capable and competence?
Answer: Competence is when a person can demonstrate with certainty, over time, that they will succeed in or perform Capably.

Leadership

Here is a video from Larry Kreider, author and leader of Dove Christian Fellowship International. I had the opportunity to travel with Larry to the Philippines a few years back. This brother in Christ is the real deal.... walks the talk...and I'm glad to count him as a friend!

I highly recommend his books and the DCFI material. You can get more info at www.DCFI.org

Attention to Detail

John Wooden, former coach of the UCLA Bruins, has more NCAA championships than any other basketball coach in history--10 national titles in 12 years. What did he teach his players to ensure top-level performance? He taught them how to put on their socks. Each season Coach Wooden showed his players how to prevent sock-wrinkles around the little toe and the heel, and how to lace up their shoes with a double-knot. This helped his players avoid blisters. In the closing minutes of a close game, the player without blisters on his feet will perform better. This simple, basic detail contributed to a series of National Championships. Attention to detail, Wooden says, creates success in basketball, in business and in life.
Hmmmmmm.... how can this apply to church planting? (Selah:)

Thoughts on Worship

What do smoke machines, laser light shows, mechanical bulls and pizza all have in common? Not an easy one to answer, right?

Answer: They are all things that different churches have tried:
· in order to spice up their worship services,
· to make them more exciting,
· to make them more appealing to today’s worshipper.

What ever happened to relying on the anointing of God? I guess its easier to put on a show.... I good friend of mine had an opportunity to hang out with Dr Yongi Cho for a weekend. They attended a conference together. My friend drove Dr Cho to the airport so he could return to Korea and back to his church of over 1 million people. Along the route, my friend asked Dr Cho what he thought about the conference and the western church in general. The answer he gave really blew me away. He replied, "It's amazing how much can be accomplished without the Holy Spirit". He was referring to all the hype - the lasers, lighting, large sound systems, lcd projectors and multiple screens etc...

Let's take a step back and check our hearts....check our motives. Let us seek after God and then minister out of the overflow.

Those of us who have the honor of leading worship, lets seek God's anointing rather than on gimmicks.

Keep the main thing...the main thing

I found a good definition of church - A group of born-again believers in Christ who come together for worship and are lead by shepards who preach the Word and lead the congregation to the purpose of glorifying God by fulfilling Jesus' Great Commission and Greatest Commandments.

As leaders - lets keep our calling and purpose in front of us. Dont get sidetracked into programs or people pleasing. Obey God's call to lead and not comromise and let your people lead you.... Afterall, have you ever seen sheep lead their shepard around? I hope not....


Have a Merry Christmas....and I pray you dont grow weary in doing good!!

Measuring Success

I've often wondered about measuring success within the church plant paradigm. Is it wrong to measure or should we just believe we are on track and keep going?

I recently came to the conclusion that defining a "win" or measuring success with measureable results is healthy and can lead to good stewardship in both time and money.

For instance, if we are spending a good chunk of the budget on outreach, yet nobody is getting saved, nobody is visiting the church or there are no other hints of success...then maybe we are doing something wrong. This could be a matter of tweaking or it can involve a complete overhaul. Reminder: Dont fall in love with the methodology... fall in love with the goal - to reach the lost for Jesus in this case.

Within the church plant itself, how can we measure success? I think it will differ from church to church. It may help you to review your missions statement and see if you are doing what you claim is your mission : )

Here are some goals I have set for our recent church plant and how we can determine if we are on track:

Excitement & Passion for the Great Commision

• > 75% involved in local outreach


• >50% involved in world missions

Excited About Church

• >50% Inviting friends on a regular basis


• > 75% involved in service within the local church


• >75% giving financially to the local church

Committment to Spiritual Growth

• > 75% involved in small groups / "Life Groups"

Write the goals down and file them away. Revisit your file regularly (I recommend monthly) to see how you are measuring up.

Using Pop Culture.....

Here is an excerpt from the website: www.Neverquitonmoday.com For more - check out the site and the blog article "How to Create a Buzz".

Churches need to be able to speak in the language of pop culture and communicate the Bible in and with this strange new culture. In a sense, we need to become cross-cultural missionaries. Like missionaries, we must dwell in the culture and use the language, the signs, and the symbols of that culture to reach people. Rather than embracing pop culture, this means we must leverage it.

At our church, we’ve found at least three different methods for using the language of pop culture to reach people.

Using pop culture to acquaint people with the stories of the Bible.
Looking for pop culture examples to illustrate biblical truths.
Employing secular images and songs to raise a deep life issue to the surface of people’s thinking.
This is important because speaking someone’s language is the first step toward gaining a hearing from them.

Imagine if churches (new and existing) would think of real resource sharing (life, programs, teaching, money, gifts, volunteers, knowledge) beyond their own congregation. What if we (all churches) had a "same team" mentality?

I have seen this in large churches that share graphics, free sermons on MP3 and even video productions. Lifechurch.tv comes to mind. The leadrship is kingdom minded and freely shares resources with anyone regardless of denomination or affilliation.

This past week I saw this within our own community. Three kingdom minded churches gathering to do an outreach, for the sole purpose of sharing the love of Jesus. We went a bit further and gathered for worship the next day as 1 congregation. Each church did their part.

After the weekend events there was a buzz around the community. People actually witnessed 3 churches that not only got along and liked each other, but were encouraging each other to be all that God has in mind for them. The leadership at each of the churches met and prayed for one another...prayed for the churches...and prayed for the community. Going a step further, each pastor expressed their desire to help the others in any way possible.

I cant help but think that God was smiling as He looked down on His children getting along and doing His will - Loving Him...Loving one another....and making a difference.

Great Quote!

"To reach people no one else is reaching....we must do things no one else is doing" Craig Groeschel via Andy Stanley.

Take some time and ponder that statement. We can continue doing things out of habit...or we can take a risk and do something different....and possibly make a difference for the Kingdom!

Replanting churches?

Dictionary.com defines replanting: “To plant (something) again or in a new place…” In a church replant, a church avoids permanent death by recognizing it will no longer flourish unless conditions are drasticallychanged to facilitate growth.

Here are some facts about churches in the USA:

1) 3,500 churches in the USA close every year.

2) 80% of all churches are in decline.

Can anything be done to stop these closures or to reverse the decline? Of course there is!

I have heard that it is easier to birth a baby then raise the dead. So....why would anyone try to revive a dying church?

There are 2 good answers:

1) Because there are people in the church that God cares about. These people are probably the most faithful and have been praying for some type of renewal.

2) Because with God's help....it can be done. It's not easy...but it is possible. Just ask my brothers in Nigeria about people raising from the dead : )

The process begins with a primary vision carrier - much like a typical church planter. The replanter however must have some additional skill sets. You see, they must be able to reorganize and pastor without the help of a core team that are excited about the "new" church. Typically, a replant consists of a leader and some people but people who are somewhat burned out. The excitement of church...has gone.

The replanter must make tough decisions. I liken these decisions to that of a triage nurse - there are things that need immediate attention and there other items that can wait. Most people would try the "turn the ship slowly" rule. I would recommend making tough decisions quicker rather than slower. Dont worry about losing people. Do what you are lead to do as the leader! The smaller the group, the faster you can make changes! Small groups that have been around for a period of time usually need quick change so that life can take place once again.

Note on change: Dont make unneeded changes based solely on your personal preferences. There should be a reason for change. If you can't clearly articulate it and it's value, put it on the back burner.

People Will Leave.....

People will leave your church. The majority of your core group (typically 80%) will not be with you in 2 years. This is just how it is! As leaders, we need to understand....even expect this to happen. Steve Sjogren calles these people "scaffolding" in one of his books - Community of Kindness. It seems as God sends people in for a season in order to help get things going. Then for some reason or another, they leave.

There are many reasons for a person to leave. Some are legitimate such as a calling to another area, or a return to a sending church. Some reasons are selfish in nature. Some people will stay as long as the church is small. Once they see growth, they bail. Some will go quietly and others will go crazy and try and bring others out. Some will talk to you about their leaving....some people will leave and then talk about you : )

If you are like me....you might take it personally and wonder what you may have done or said to make them want to leave. But I believe we should expect this to happen and when people leave, we should bless their departure and thank them for their contribution to the church plant. Dont beat yourself up with doubts and dont try and keep someone who is determined to leave. By all means, NEVER promote someone to leadership in order for them to stay. This will only lead to problems down the road. Take the high road and bless them and get on with the ministry that God has called you.

Signage....

OAIM is currently helping one of our network churches re-launch. After years of being average...they wanted to step it up, make a difference in their community and bring excellence into everything they do.

One of the first things I did with the lead pastor was to drive to the church with him and look at everything from a fresh perspective. One of the 1st things I noted was the sign. The lettering was so small, nobody who was driving the speed limit of 45 mph could read. Church signs should communicate a clear, concise message that passers-by can read and understand while driving past it.

I make comments about signage all the time - so much in fact, my son Skyler points out good signage as we drive around town. It may do some of you good just to get in your car and drive around and see what signs are clear and noteworthy.

While on the subject of signs - I had a guy come to one of our churches and said the reason he came to the church was because we didnt have some cheesy saying on the church sign. I couldnt agree more... those signs turn me off. You know ...the ones that say stuff like,"Whats missing in Ch__ch? answer: UR". Or how about “Soul food served here!”

Let me add, good ole common sense will go a long way.

Top 10 Reasons Young Adults Drop out of Church

Here is a survey which was put together by our friends at Lifeway. Very interesting results, but makes me wonder if being outward focused and making a difference in the community would put an end to some of these reasons (or excuses) why young people no longer attend church.

Church Planting Tips

How do you start a church from scratch? By a faith that envisions what God's will is and then sees it come to pass.

Here are some great tips for a new church plant:

Have an excellent children's church. Children raised in an environment of "can-do" faith find it hard later to settle for "ho-hum" Christianity.

Welcome newcomers as guests....not just visitors. Reach out in friendship quickly, since we know what it's like to be new, too.

Be Flexible. If a change is needed, dont take a year to pass it through all the committees and sub-committees. Take a pragmatic approach, "If we have to, we can put it together in the next week or two". Younger churches are typically good at managing change

Enjoy Being Casual. Some folks enjoy dressing up on Sundays--and that's okay--but casual dress should be embraced and in my opinion...encouraged--slacks rather than suits or dresses. The outer appearance isn't so important here; it's the inner person who is important.