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Ignite is one of Outreach’s Resources of the Year!
It seems like every week I’m posting something about all of the great feedback and interaction I get from you about my books and resources, and today I just want to send you a heartfelt, genuine THANK YOU.My latest book, Ignite: How to Spark Immediate Growth in Your Church, has been selected as one of Outreach Magazine’s Resources of the Year for 2010!
Click here to read the article and see all of the resources that were chosen.
What an amazing honor this is, and I want to say this: it wouldn’t have happened without you picking up your copy, reading, reviewing and recommending it!Accolades like this one are always humbling, but the best part of all this is knowing that so many of you are being blessed by the book and that God is honoring our efforts to expand His Kingdom.
Keep up the good work you’re doing and Thank You again for being a part of the Church Leader Insights family.
P.S. If you haven’t yet read Ignite, click here to grab your copy.
P.P.S. If you have read Ignite and have a testimony about how it’s been of help to your church, please click the “Ask Nelson” button on the right side of this blog and share your story.
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Count What Counts – CLI Newsletter Rewind
One of the best parts of being a member of the “Church Leader Insights Family” is that each month you receive the CLI Newsletter, packed with the best church leadership content I can find.
Here’s an article from Steven Furtick that was included in this month’s newsletter (in case you missed it):
“Here’s the distinction: it’s good to be concerned with numbers. But we’ve got to be concerned about the right numbers…for the right reasons. We’ve got to make sure we’re measuring ministry numbers to measure our effectiveness and enlarge the Kingdom of God…not simply to placate our ego…I want to count what counts. It matters to me how many people show up for a worship experience. But it also matters to me how many of those same people are plugged into community and embracing Christ-centered generosity. It matters to me how much money we take in. But it also matters to me…” Read the full article here…
The Church Leader Insights Newsletter is designed to bring the best and latest thinking on Church Growth, Evangelism, Leadership and Church Planting directly to your inbox every month!
If you’re not already subscribed, you can click this link to sign up right now.
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The Fusion Webinar is Tomorrow – Are You In?
Just a quick reminder that The Fusion Webinar is TOMORROW at 1:00 PM Eastern Time.
Space is limited by our webinar provider for this webinar, but we do have a few spots still available – however, you need to Register Now.
If you can make the time to join me for this webinar, you’ll learn the principles you need to turn your Easter first-time guests into second-time guests and ultimately into fully committed members of your church.
In addition, just for being a part of the webinar you’re going to receive more than $125.00 in Bonus Resources (that’s more than three times your “per church” registration investment).
I am pumped about this webinar because I love hearing all the stories about how God uses the Fusion principles to help churches keep more guests!
So, will you join me?
Here’s the link for more info and to register now:
The Fusion Webinar – Tuesday, March 16
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Eastern)
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm (Central)
11:00 am – 1:00 pm (Mountain)
10:00 am – 12:00 pm (Pacific) -
Lost Time – A Saturday Quote
“Lost time is never found again.”
– Benjamin Franklin, inventorP.S. To learn 34 proven principles to minimizing your “lost time,” check out Time Management for Busy Pastors.
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Ready to Help Thousands of Churches around North America and Beyond? Two Positions Available
I often share with my coaching participants that when it comes to staffing, I try to “always be recruiting.” That’s because I believe in finding the best possible people to be a part of any team I’m leading.
So I thought I’d take a moment today to ask you a couple of questions:
Are you a self-starting and Kingdom-minded person who has an affinity for hard work?
Do you want to be a part of an exciting team that is impacting pastors and church leaders across the U.S. and Internationally?
If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, you may be interested in one of the following positions with Church Leader Insights:
POSITIONS AVAILABLE:
1) EVENTS MARKETING DIRECTOR (Full-Time)
Are you up for the challenge of helping us multiply the Church Leader Insights training events ministry?Each year, CLI trains hundreds of pastors and church leaders across the United States. We’re looking for just the right go-getter to be responsible for coordinating and marketing all CLI events.
Must have first-hand experience coordinating first class events from the planning stage through completion. Travel is required. Direct Marketing background is a must. Salary is commission based.
2) WEB EDITOR DESIGNER (Part-Time to Full-Time)
Do you have the technical abilities to maintain and upgrade an ever-expanding ministry web presence?We are currently looking for someone with experience in HTML and Web Content Management to help with various CLI projects. Graphic design, audio and video editing skills preferred. Competency in HTML, CSS, PHP, Dreaweaver CS4 or equivalent, JavaScript, Flash, ASP and willingness to learn Infusionsoft.com is a must.
If you are aggressive and would like to join our Kingdom impacting team, send a cover letter outlining why you are interested and what you can bring to the position.
Attach a resume or work history. Resumes received without cover letters will not be considered. Ministry or church experience preferred for both positions.
Email info@churchleaderinsights.com
P.S. We’re only going to consider serious prospects. If you can’t put the time and energy into your cover letter and resume, that’s a pretty clear indicator to me that you’re not a good fit for these openings.
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How Healthy Church Systems Help You Persevere through Tough Situations
Unless this is your very first time reading this blog, you probably know that I’m a firm believer in the power of systems for the health and growth of your church.
In fact , over the years I’ve gained something of a reputation as “the Church Systems guy.” You can download a Free Copy of my “Healthy Systems, Healthy Church” E-Book by clicking here.
One of the biggest reasons for developing your church’s systems is because, well, life happens.
Bad weather shows up at just the wrong time, unexpected circumstances throw off your schedule and unfortunately loved ones pass away. Healthy systems allow your church to keep moving forward through even the toughest situations.
Here’s a recent email that I received from Maceo Smedley, a Tele-Coaching Participant and the Pastor of Promise Church in Houston, TX and he gave me permission to share with you.
He tells how his church’s systems and preparation allowed God to do some amazing things in spite of what could have been a devastating time, personally:
Nelson,
I wasn’t going to say anything until I heard the prayer for the Pastor whose staff member lost his wife. Just a little over a week ago my father passed away on January 19, at the age of 58. He had been in ICU for two week and could never bounce back from his bout with pneumonia.
He was a dedicated member of our church. His responsibility was putting out our signs every Saturday morning. Every time someone would join our church due to seeing those signs, I would call him and tell him what a great job he was doing for the Kingdom of God. I prayed along with my congregation every morning that God would heal him, so they too where devastated by this loss.
Because he was a former educator whose heart went out to troubled youth, his funeral was jam packed. It gave me joy to see the many people who wanted to come and say “thank you.” Here is the catch to the story. His funeral was on Saturday, January 23rd, and we had a big day scheduled for Sunday, January 24th.
Because of your willingness to return what you’ve learned, we had our biggest “Big Day” yet with over 150 in attendance which is more than double our average attendance. Because of the preaching calendar, I was also able to preach one of my best sermons yet instead of trying to figure out what to say while fighting back tears after losing my dad.
We raised more money that Sunday than ever before with one donor giving a third of our Christmas Offering. Most of all several people came to either give their lives to Christ for the first time or to rededicate their lives. Thank you so much for unknowingly helping me and my church get through this tough time while we did our best to make the devil mad.
Thank you for your prayers,
Pastor Maceo Smedley
The Promise Church
Houston, TXWe continue to lift up you and your family Maceo – and praise God for all the great things that are going on in your church!
P.S. If you are new to Church Leader Insights or just looking for a refresher when it comes to your church’s systems, Download my “Healthy Systems, Healthy Church” E-Book for FREE ($23.95 Value) by clicking here.
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Communicating Your Big Day Evangelism Strategy to Your Church (Free Download)
A number of you have already let me know how my new book Ignite has helped you and your church.That’s always encouraging to me, so keep ‘em coming! Feel free to use the “Ask Nelson” button on the right side of this blog to send me your story.
One such email that I recently received from Clark Frailey, member of the CLI family and Pastor of Coffee Creek Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma.
He took what he learned from Ignite and created a PDF Whitepaper to share with his Leadership Team, then he gave me permission to share that document with you here.
This document takes the Big Day principles from Ignite and applies them to their church’s four Big Days. It’s a great example of one way to create excitement and buy-in in your leadership team.
Download your copy here:
Coffee Creek 2010 Big Days Strategy (PDF)Thanks so much for your feedback Clark and especially for sharing your hard work with us! Keep up the good work!
P.S. To learn even more about developing a local church strategy for each of your church’s systems, including Evangelism, check out The Strategy Seminar.
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Maximize Easter – Sample Invite Tools from The Journey
Thanks so much to all of you who joined me last week for the Maximizing Easter 2010 Webinars!I mentioned that I’d share some sample invitation tools that we have used at The Journey, so here they are (right-click and choose “Save As…” to download now):
2009 Samples:
- Easter Mailer #1 – Front (PDF)
- Easter Mailer #1 – Back (PDF)
- Easter Mailer #2 – Front (JPG)
- Easter Mailer #2 – Back (JPG)
- Easter Tent Fold Card – Outside (PDF)
- Easter Tent Fold Card – Inside (PDF)
2010 Samples:
P.S. For more information on how to make the most of Easter (and ALL of your church’s Big Days), check out The Ignite Seminar.
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Register Today – The Fusion Webinar (March 16)
You’re invited to join me on Tuesday, March 16, from 1:00pm – 3:00pm Eastern time for The Fusion Webinar.
This two hour webinar is all about helping you become the best possible steward of the guests that God sends your way.
Best of all, you (and your entire Assimilation team if possible) can join me for this training without ever leaving your office or home! You just need a phone and a computer with internet access to participate.
To help you make it worth your while, I’m giving you some of my most helpful assimilation resources as bonuses (worth far more than your $39 registration fee) just for signing up!
You’ll learn:
- Principles to help you create an inviting environment for first-time guests
- How to ”wow” first-time guests into wanting to come back
- The Journey Church’s ”Assimilation System,” used to follow up with the 30+ first-time guests who attend the service each week
- How to turn first-time guests into second-time guests
- How to turn second-time guests into regular attenders and then fully-engaged members
- How to drastically increase the number of guests who give you their contact information
- How to use a Connection Card (Including what to put on it – and what not to put on it)
- How to get people to turn in a Connection Card
- Plus much more!
P.S. To learn more or to register now for The Fusion Webinar on March 16th, CLICK HERE.
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Field-Tested Advice for Church Planters
I’m always on the lookout for solid church planting wisdom to include in the Church Leader Insights Newsletter (click here for your free subscription).
I recently read just such an article from Jimmy Britt, a friend and coaching alumni. Jimmy is the Founding and Lead Pastor of Rocky River Community Church in North Carolina and he gave me permission to re-print this article for you, so enjoy!
I was thinking today that I have not written anything in a while to the church planters who read my blog. I’m in the mood so let me just give you some stuff rapid fire style. ☺ BTW, I think this is pretty good info for church goers everywhere.
- If you can’t raise money, go do something else. You are not a church planter if you can’t raise money. Seriously. You can be on a church planting team – you may even make a great Executive Pastor, but if you can’t raise money you are NOT a church planter. I know some of you are thinking that sounds too harsh so let me tell you why this is true. If you can’t raise money it means that you can’t talk to people, sell your vision (you can’t sell what you don’t have), or people just don’t feel confident enough in you to give you their money.
Note: You need at least one or two guys (or gals) in your church that you can go to and ask for money when you really need it. God has blessed me with a couple of men who will help me when I need it. They are not “money bags.” They just have some resources and are willing to help when we’re really in need, or just have a great opportunity and no cash. These folks are as valuable to you as your worship pastor. If you don’t have these folks who can have your back financially, you should question your call as a planter. I am FULLY convinced that God puts these people in your life. Everyone doesn’t agree with me on this, but they aren’t church planters either (they just teach it in seminary). ☺
- The latest, greatest technology is NOT the most important thing about your new church plant. Seriously, I’ve gotten some great deals on projectors and other great stuff from the coolest church plants that didn’t make it.
- Effective is better than cool any day of the week.
- Everything in “traditionally modeled churches” is not all bad. Know why you do what you do.
- People want to know what is in the Bible. It’s the Bible they need. Help people understand it and apply it to their life and they will beat a path to your door. They will find you!
- If you’re lazy, go to seminary, don’t plant a church. Planting a church is NOT for lazy people.
- If your wife thinks that you and her got married just to sit on the couch and snuggle every night after dinner until time to go to bed, find something else to do. A church planting couple has to understand that they were married for the mission. You two are partners in the Kingdom first and if she doesn’t get that then your life is going to be miserable.
I’m not saying your wife is bad. I’m really not. I’m just saying that your church plant has to be her church plant too. She doesn’t have to be the pastor, but she’s got to be called to the church plant. And if she’s not, she will not give you the “kitchen pass” you need to get the flywheel of your church going. PLANTING A CHURCH IS NOT A 9-5 JOB!
- You have to know “who you are” and “Who’s you are” and “where” you intend to lead your church. There are a number of reasons why these things are important, but chief among them is this. People are going to come and go. You love to watch them come, and they rip your heart out when they leave. Well, most of them that is. You need to let some people go and if you don’t know that now, just wait. You may call them “your” people now, but one day you’ll be ready to give some of them back to God. ☺
Anyway, if you don’t know who you are, some people will do everything they can to make you into what they want you to be. If you don’t know “Who’s you are,” there will always be someone around to try and make you “theirs.” And if you don’t know where you’re headed, someone else will take the lead.
- The people you start with are not the people you’ll end up with. They won’t stay. I don’t care how much they love you right now; eventually they will realize that the church plant is not what they thought it would be. And slowly, they will remember back to the good ol’ days when they could just “go” to church, back when no one depended on them or needed them. There will be all kinds of reasons why people will leave (some of them are your fault), just trust me when I say that the people you start with will not be with you at your first year anniversary.
NOTE: December is a hard time for a lot of church planters. Here’s why. The people on your launch team probably came from another church. At Christmas time they forget about the reasons they wanted to leaver their former church and help you start a new church. Why? Because they get home sick for children’s pageants and Christmas carols. People walk away in December.
- Do the ministry (serve people) because it is the right thing to do – it is what God has called you to do, not because you’re trying to create loyalty. Some of the folks you do the most for will be the ones who will walk away from you. Yep, after ten years it still hurts me. It will hurt you. But it is something you have to get used to.
- Build disciples. Build disciples. Build disciples. If you’ll do this even half-butted, it will payoff BIG TIME. These are the folks who will help you grow a church because they will reach other people. They will also be the people who you can count on when things get tough. And things WILL get tough!
- LOVE PEOPLE! Do life with people and enjoy them. Let them enjoy you. Don’t try and create a “safe” distance between you and your people. There’s no such thing. If there is, you’re not doing your job.
- Being a jackass is not a requirement for being a good planter/pastor. You only have to look at Rick Warren to know that. He’s absolutely one of the most inviting, hospitable, personable guys I’ve ever known. He’s also planted a pretty successful church – Saddleback Church.
- Youth Pastors who start a new church just because they’re pissed-off at their senior pastor are usually terrible church planters. It’s not as easy sitting in the front seat as you might think.
- When you are putting together a team of people to help you lead the church, remember that chemistry matters. The guy with the most talent may not be the best hire. Let me say that again. THE GUY WITH THE MOST TALENT IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST HIRE!
- Get you “some” mentors. Yes, I mean more than one. And choose guys who have been there and done that, usually NOT a seminary professor or a kid straight out of college or seminary. Why? Because they think they know everything!
- Remember that you have the greatest, coolest, most rewarding job on the planet! Don’t take it for granted.
Thanks for the great advice Jimmy!
P.S. If you’re pursuing God’s call to plant a church, check out The Launch Conference on CD.
Church Leader Insights is a bi-weekly publication sent via email that focuses on effective leadership, church growth, church planting evangelism and much more.
My Books
Ignite: How to Spark Immediate Growth in Your Church
Activate: An Entirely New Approach to Small Groups
