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Culture creation

January 19, 2011 / / 10 Comments

We’re working to create a different kind of leadership culture at Grace Community Church.

Our staff doesn’t function like many other staffs, even though we are one of the most understaffed church staffs that I know.  And though we’re busier than ever preparing to launch a new campus (details HERE), it feels like the right kind of busy.  Here’s what our pastors do, that other pastors and leaders may not do.

Our pastors

  • Answer phones. We don’t have a receptionist.  If you call 931-647-6800, you’re going to immediately hear from one of our pastors.  But please don’t try it just for fun…I’m busy today.  And if you leave a message, our system emails us immediately so we can follow back up with you quickly.  Because we value resources, and don’t want to spend money on someone whose primary responsibility is something less than shepherding.
  • Are highly accessible. You can reach our staff members by Facebook, Twitter, Email, or cell phone.  Because we care about building relationships with those we’re seeking to minister among.
  • Set up on Sunday mornings. Our pastors are there as early as any volunteers, setting up tables, speakers, coffee, and banners.  Because we don’t want to ask our volunteers to do something that we aren’t willing to do.
  • Answer our emails quickly. Because we value promptness, and strive for excellence in our communication.
  • Book our own schedules. If we’re traveling to a conference, or scheduling a lunch meeting, we do that ourselves.  Because we hire pastors on our staff, not just administrative assistants.

Is this the right way to assemble a staff of leaders?  Is it biblical?  Is it the only way?  I don’t know.  But I do know that this is what we do, and it’s working well for us.

Difficulties and Rewards

Because we’re so accessible, more people feel the freedom to email and call us about random events in life at random parts of the day.  Which I think is pretty awesome.

Because we hire capable shepherd leaders, our staff is stretched pretty thin doing the work of ministry.  Which I think is pretty awesome.

Because we setup on Sunday mornings, we’re physically and spiritually drained by Sunday afternoon.  Which I think is pretty awesome.

Because we value promptness in communication, people have begun to communicate more, and more often.  Which I think is pretty awesome.

You can assemble your leadership staff differently if you want.  And I won’t fault you for it.  But I’m thrilled to serve here at Grace.

What things should a pastor be busy doing?

Does the way you spend your day show that you value relationships?

 

Online effectiveness

January 18, 2011 / / 28 Comments

I read a lot of blogs.  And I think that blogs will continue to become an increasingly respected source for opinion, information, and idea sharing.  Because no form of print media has the ability to impact as many people globally, in such a short time, as blogs.

But for the blogger that’s just getting started, or the company that’s looking to expand their influence and effectiveness, what should they be doing?  Here are some essentials, for both on and off your site.

Off of your site

1. Read other blogs. Although each blog has its unique twists, there’s a generally accepted format.  You pick this up the more you read other blogs.  In addition to formatting and styling, when you read blogs in your niche, you’ll notice trends, and what your readers care about.  You may think you know what makes your audience tick…but you also may be surprised by what bigger bloggers are saying.  And trust me, if they’re a big blogger, they’re doing research to know what posts will drive traffic to their site.

2. Comment on other blogs. And don’t just say, “Nice post!”  Interact on sites you like.  The more you do this, the more you will build your platform (your online reputation) with your potential audience.

3. Build your online platform on outposts. I’ve stolen this term from Michael Hyatt, and I think it’s helpful.  You don’t own Facebook, Twitter, or FourSquare.  But you use them as outposts, representing yourself there.  You’ve got a unique voice…let it stand out among the rest on outposts.

5. Guest post. If there’s a site you’re learning from, and that you know the readers of your blog enjoy, ask the site owner if you can put a guest post together for them.  Of course, this would be something you’d do for free.  And though it may take you some time to put together a high-quality guest post, the return on investment you’ll see is worth the effort, as you build your online platform with a wider audience.

6. Connect offline. When you get an opportunity, connect with your online friends offline.  Don’t just be a robot.  Let online interactions spur you to build real, in-person relationships.

7. Read voraciously and widely. Don’t just hang out in the blogging world.  Read books.  Magazines.  Journals.  Pamphlets.  Brochures.  The fine print on back of your insurance card.  The more you know, the better blogger you’ll be.

On your site

1. Consistency. Some of your blog posts will hit a homerun…and some will be a pop fly to the catcher.  And that’s ok.  Blogging is, in a sense, an experiment.  The more you do it, the more you’ll know what will work with your audience.  But don’t let a few strike outs keep you from posting again.  Just keep putting your stuff out there.

2. Creativity. Try something different.  Mix up your posting style.  Try posting

  • a series of pictures
  • a video (that’s consistent with your niche)
  • a review of a product you’ve tried
  • a guest post
  • a praise of another site
  • a story from your childhood
  • a list of resources you use
  • a series of posts on ‘how-to’ do what you do
  • a question that helps people interact
3. Value. You need to be consistently posting, but to be successful, your posts need to add value to your specific readers.  If your audience is primarily young pastors, then posts with just pictures of your children probably won’t add much value.  However, if you’re a ‘mommy blogger,’ posts with pictures could be your m.o.  Knowing your audience is key.
Do you have a new site?

Have you found other ways to be effective?
 

New York City

January 17, 2011 / / 1 Comment

A good friend of mine, Freddy T Wyatt, is a church planter in New York City.  He’s doing great work at The Gallery Church.

And this year, he’s asking that you send your VBS offerings to The Gallery Church to help propel the Gospel forward in NYC.

Check out this video, and consider partnering with The Gallery Church this summer, helping them to do what God’s called them to do in NYC.

VBS Missions Offering from Freddy T. Wyatt on Vimeo.

 

Mostly Forgotten

January 12, 2011 / / 10 Comments

I go to your church, but you don’t know my name.

I sit in the back.

I slip out early.

I’m there every week…almost.

I try to follow God, but I’m not perfect.

You give me a smile and a handshake, but you don’t know my story.

You don’t know what I do for a living.

You don’t know my passions.

My struggles.

My plans or goals.

My past failures.

You’re happy I’m at church…you tell me every time I come.

But you never follow up throughout the week.

With an email or a phone call.

I’m not in a small group.

I’m haven’t been on a mission trip.

I’m not serving others.

I’m not on your radar.

Or your potential leaders lists.

But God’s gifted me.

And those gifts were meant to bless others.

Including you.

Our church needs my gifts.

And I need to use them.

But I need you.

I need your encouragement.

I need you to believe in me.

To breathe hope into my life.

Show me that I matter.

That God cares.

That I have a part to play.

That my story matters.

But until then…

I’m mostly forgotten.

 

Why bloggers love blogging

January 11, 2011 / / 9 Comments

I love blogging.

In fact, to date, I’ve written 347 blog posts.

Given that there are over 133 million blogs, and that 1 in 5 update their blog daily, it’s apparent that many, many people throughout the world like blogging as well.  I’m guessing you’re one of them.

And I think I just might have an idea why.

10 Reasons Why Bloggers love Blogging

1. The immediacy of the feedback. Within 30 minutes, you can get Retweeted.  Mentioned.  Get a Facebook “like.”  Facebook comments.  Comments on your blog.  Replies to comments on your blog…all of which immediately tell you whether your post was a success or a flop.

2. The quickness of publishing. Have an idea?  Watch a video?  A quote move you?  Throw it up on the blog…right now.  No need to wait on a publisher to review and edit.  No need to wait on a webmaster to get back in front of their desk to push your post live.  You can publish right now.

3. The freedom. Since it’s your blog, you can publish what you want, when you want, how often you want, with the consistency and length you want.  You can include pictures, videos, and links…or not.  Your choice.

4. The design. What you write can look cool on a page.  That’s motivating.

5. The platform. Many of us don’t have the chance to communicate with mass numbers of people every week.  Yet God has gifted us to do so.  Blogs give us that chance.

6. Work out our thoughts publicly. Instead of sitting in your office and stewing over thoughts and ideas on your own, blogging gives you a chance to work those thoughts out loud.  And I, for one, find great value in extroverting my ideas.

7. The interaction. Iron sharpens iron.  I think somebody said that.

8. Global reach. Instead of just sharpening your iron in a conversation with one or two friends, blogs give you the chance to sharpen it with hundreds, or even thousands, of people around the world.

9. Sharing. So much of the value of social media is found in sharing ideas, insights, and wisdom with others.  Successful bloggers give away more than they ever get.

10. The challenge. Blogging isn’t easy.  Condensing the content.  Focusing it.  Consistently posting high quality content.  It’s a challenge, but one that bloggers love.

Why do you love blogging?  What did I miss?

 

Truth, Love, & Relationships 11s on the 1s

January 11, 2011 / / 7 Comments

On every day ending in “1,” I’m writing an 11 word post.

Doing the same things over and over again bores me (see what I mean HERE)…which is why I’m trying this new 11-word series out.  If you’d like to catch up with this series, click HERE.

11s on the 1s

Without love, Truth is

Obnoxious

Offensive

Empty

Impersonal

Insignificant.

Relationships matter.

 

What we can learn from Christmas music

January 10, 2011 / / 1 Comment

I love Christmas music.  It gets me in the mood to celebrate Christmas.

On Thanksgiving Day this year, we drove to my in-law’s house, about an hour away.  The whole way there and back, we listened to Christmas music.  Singing…smiling…talking about the upcoming holiday season.  I even set up a station on Pandora so I could listen to Christmas music when I was working in the house.  Wherever I turned, it was Christmas music.  I couldn’t get enough of it.

But the day after Christmas, I was done with that stuff.  It was almost repulsive.  I deleted the station off of Pandora.  Took the music off of my iPod.

And in the process, I learned a few things that we can apply to our churches and organizations.

What we can learn from Christmas music

1. Sometimes less is more. The fact that Christmas music only comes around once/year, and only for a month at that, makes it that much more exciting and meaningful.  People can get tired of a good thing.  Case-in-point: Christmas music.  Good ideas have short shelf lives.  Christmas music is a great idea around the holidays…but don’t think that that same idea will work in May.  Move on to another genre.

2. Change for change sake is good. I was so ready for a change on December 26th.  The music that had, the weeks prior, gotten me in the mood to celebrate Christmas now felt old.  Those Christmas carols needed to go.

3. Sometimes any change is a good change. Feel stuck?  Change something.  It’ll feel good, and keep the ball rolling forward.  Change feels like progress (whether it actually is or not).  Putting away the Christmas decorations and turning off the Christmas music feels good.  Like I’m taking a step forward.

4. When you do the same thing the same way, people will get bored. Christmas music works because, in January, you’re going to stop hearing it.  We’d all get bored if we heard the same music all year.  And when we get bored, we tune out…and stuff loses its meaning and significance.

5. Be willing to do away with your model. Andy Stanley says, “Marry your values, but date your model.”  As organizational leaders, we must know what our core values are.  Those are un-compromisable.  But our model should be constantly changing as it, over time, begins to shift us away from our core values.

Christmas music sounds awful right now. Because I’ve worn out the holiday stuff. Put up the tree. Boxed up the ornaments. Unplugged the lights.  And moved on.

And it feels so good.

Do you need to shake some things up in your church?

What things need to change?

Does “change for change sake” need to happen?

 

A second chance

January 5, 2011 / / 1 Comment

Have you seen this video of a homeless man, panhandling for money in Columbus, OH?

He’s got a fantastic voice for radio!  He just needed a second chance. (and he got it…read about his new job HERE)

There’s somebody you know that needs a second chance.  They need you to take a risk on them.

God’s gifted them, and for years, they’ve been told they’re not worthy to use those gifts.  They’ve been pushed to the back because of their past.  Ostracized because their story is messy.  And incomplete.  And there are more loose ends than tied ones.

They need somebody to believe in them.  Tell them that there’s still hope.  Encourage them.  Give them a shot.  Trust that God does change hearts and make things new.

Is there somebody you know that you could give a second chance?

Have you ever been given a second chance?


 

Why you can’t see God right now

January 5, 2011 / / 1 Comment

You can’t see God right now because you don’t want to.

I read 95% non-fiction.  The fiction I read is stuff like The Pilgrim’s Progress.

I know…I’m a nerd.  But I’m a learner (StrengthsFinder confirmed that), and am always looking for some new concept to engage.  Fiction doesn’t necessarily offer something new to learn…it offers a fun experience.  A story that is engaging, funny, or exciting.  And though there are definitely messages and truths to be found in fiction writings, be honest…that’s not why you read them.  You read them because you enjoy getting lost in a good story.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Which is why, throughout the month of December, I decided to put down my nonfiction and pick up a good story.  I’m reading (almost done) through the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.  Rick is a good storyteller, and I’ve enjoyed reading through the books.

The Mist

In the books, monsters and half-bloods (half-human, half-god) live, work, and fight right among mortals.  There’s a Mist that’s present on Earth (hang with me…I’m going somewhere…it’s fiction, okay?) that causes mortals to see supernatural people and events in a way that is not supernatural…which explains why we never “see” any of these events.  The main character (Percy Jackson) wields his sword and fights with a god in the city of Los Angeles…and the newspapers report that damage has been done by an earthquake.  When he fights 3 demons in a city bus, mortals see something completely different, explaining away what they saw as a natural occurrence.  In another instance, mortals saw a homeless boy that was big and goofy…through the Mist, he was really a Cyclops.

A little silly, yes.  A little childish, maybe.  But there are implications here for us.

We choose the Mist

Because we do the same thing every day.  God is at work all around us.  He’s causing the sun to rise and the rain to fall. (Matthew 5:45)  He’s changing hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26).  He’s turning the hearts of fathers to the hearts of their children. (Malachi 4:6) He’s holding the universe together.  (Colossians 1:17)  He’s healing relationships.  Overcoming fears. (2 Timothy 1:7)  Breaking the bonds of addiction.  Restoring marriages.  Drawing those who are far from Him closer.  Answering our cries for help.

And yet we choose to still ask, “Where’s God?!?”

The reason you can’t see God right now is not because He’s absent. Or abandoned you.  He doesn’t work like that.

The reason you can’t see God right now is because you’ve chosen not to. Even when you’re far from Him.  And your story has taken you off the best path.  And you’ve got more junk in your life than you’d like to admit.

God’s not far away (Acts 17:27).  You’ve just got to look through the Mist.

Have you seen God working lately?

Have you ever chosen to not see what He’s doing?

 

Why? Why? Why?

January 4, 2011 / / 5 Comments

I’m going to start posting more consistently on the topic of social media.  Because I use it.  And so do you.

How do I know?

You’re reading this blog right now.

You also likely use other forms of social media (platforms thriving on interaction around user-generated content), like

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
  • Ping.fm
  • MySpace
  • Wikipedia
  • Yahoo!Answers
  • FourSquare
  • Gowalla
  • LinkedIn
  • Spoke
  • Google Reader
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • Flickr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Posterous
  • PostRank

I wish I had all of the answers, but I often find myself with more and more questions when it comes to success in social media:

  • Why do some blog posts take off, and get thousands of hits?
  • Why do others, some of my favorites, fall flat on their face?
  • Why do the seemingly meaningless status updates get the most comments?
  • Why do the posts I take the most time crafting sometimes get no traction, and the ones I put together on a whim go viral?
  • Why do I sometimes get loads of comments and no retweets?
  • Why do I sometimes get loads of retweets and no comments?
  • Why do I think it’s cool to check-in using FourSquare…but nobody else seems to think so?
  • Why do some people I know and connect with off-line quit following me on-line?
  • What’s the next social media trend?
  • What’s next for my blog?

It’s questions like these that I wrestle with.  They keep me moving forward, pursuing continued effectiveness online, and with my local ministry here in Clarksville.  If I’m not moving towards an increasing effectiveness, it’s time for me to quit.

What social media questions are you wrestling with?

How do you measure effectiveness on your social media platforms?

 
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