Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Church Leader Insights!

Nelson and Kelley Searcy
Jason Hatley
Kerrick Thomas
Cristina Fowler
Scott Whitaker
James Yawn
Vinny Bove
And all the CLI coaches and trainers

Huge Thanksgiving Sale – All Downloads $12 or less

Today thru Friday, all of my Single Resource downloads are all sale for $12 or less (some are as low as $3!).  This is our way of expressing our gratitude for you and your support of Church Leader Insights!

You’ll have to browse all the categories in the store to find all the hidden gems (or check out all the links in your CLI email today) but here’s the links to a few of the resources that have never been discounted, until now:

Managing the Stress of Ministry – Download for only $12

Church Planting Pitfalls – Download for only $12

The Call of a Worship Leader – Download for only $12

Planning A One Year Preaching Calendar – Download for only $12

Break the 125 Barrier – Download for only $12

Just add the items to your cart – heck, grab them all – and save big.  But hurry, the sale ends Friday when all the leftover turkey has been eaten.

Happy thanksgiving!

Nelson

Free Seminar for Senior Pastors in Miami

My friend and CLI Trainer Bob Franquiz is teaching my very popular “How to Break the Top 3 Growth Barriers” Workshop in Miami on Tuesday, December 9. It’s for Senior Pastors only and its FREE.  I highly encourage you to attend if you are any where within driving distance.  Follow this link for the details:

Free Top 3 Growth Barriers Workshop for Senior Pastors

Nelson

P.S. I’m on vacation this week in the Caribbean somewhere – I scheduled this post before I left.  My posting will be irregular over the next two weeks.

Character and Reputation – A Sunday Quote

Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. – Abraham Lincoln

Two Weeks of Vacation Starts Today

Today Kelley and I are heading out on a 7-day cruise – just the two of us. Her parents have graciously agreed to keep Alexander. After the cruise, we are spending another week of vacation together as a family in Florida.

I’m going to take a semi-vacation from the blog too. I have a few posts scheduled for Thanksgiving week to keep you updated on some cool things that are going on at CLI and then for the week of December 1 I’ve scheduled a series of my favorite quotes.

I’ll see you on Monday, December 8.

Nelson

Church Growth Hero – Carl George

A few months ago, my hard working assistant Cristina buzzed my office and said, “Carl George is on the phone for you.” I cautiously asked, “Is he a member at The Journey?” She said, “Nope, he says you know him and he wants to hear more about your tele-coaching network.”

I picked up the phone and sure enough it was THE Carl George, the church growth guru and strategic thinker. Long story short, he had heard about my books and tele-coaching network and wanted to sit in. I couldn’t believe it – he wanted to learn from me! I was impressed by his ‘always willing to learn’ mentality.

Two weeks ago, I was in San Diego speaking at the National Outreach Conference and I ran into Carl. We had a great time catching up (even though I was a bit intimidated by what he might have to say about my leadership of the tele-coaching network in which he had been participating). He’s truly a hero of mine.

If you don’t know him, here’s his official bio: click here

And here’s the books I recommend you pick up and memorize this month:

HOW TO BREAK GROWTH BARRIERS BY CARL GEORGE

NINE KEYS TO EFFECTIVE SMALL GROUP LEADERSHIP

Carl, you are still the man!

Nelson

Are you a portable church?

Since 2002 we’ve meet in portable locations – nine different locations to be exact. From schools to renovated funeral homes (not recommended) to cinemas to off-broad theaters to concert venues.  I love being portable and I love the benefits of being portable (keeps the entrepreneurial spirit alive, mobilizes more volunteers, keeps you fast and fluid, frees up money for evangelism, etc.).

Recently Bob Franquiz and I sat down and recorded a new resource entitled The Portable Church Challenge. I had hoped to send the CLI family an email about it today and offer it for purchase but there have been some delays in packaging.

But, my delay is your gain – I want to offer you the complete resource as a download at a big savings. But more on that in a minute.

In the new resource, Bob and I discuss

The Portable Church Challenge: 10 Commandments for maximum growth in a portable location is the ideal resource for sustaining growth in a portable facility.

And lead you through:

-    Finding committed servants who take ownership in the church
-    How to cast vision to fund your portable church
-    Learn to keys to hiring gifted staff that thrive in a portable church
-    How to be innovative with the facility you meet in
-    Transforming any environment into a place of worship
-    Understanding what does and doesn’t limit you as a portable church
-    Learning to focus on what matters most
-    And much more!

Building a church is about building people. Don’t let facility keep you from becoming the church God wants you to be!

As I mentioned there is a delay in the CD production but the full 2-hour download with all the supplemental resource is available now.  It will regularly sell for a $67 investment but I want to give it to you as a pre-sale for $20.00 off.  Simply enter this special code: blog112 when you check out. Here’s the link to the download.

The Portable Church Challenge – Complete Resource Download – Save $20.00 – Click Here

Remember, enter this special code before you check out : blog112

This code will expire in one week.

Nelson

Small Group Curriculum (Free Download)

We are working on our groups for Spring 2009 and recently produced the list of approved curriculum/books for group studies.  Since its one of the most frequently requested documents I thought you might want a copy.  You can download it by right clicking the link here:

2009 SPRING APPROVED SMALL GROUP CURRICULUM LISTINGS

I hope you find it helpful!

Nelson

P.S. For complete details on our small groups system check out The Small Groups Intensive by clicking here.  This goes way deeper than the original seminar or the Activate book.

Bad Economy + Bad Decisions = Disaster

I continue to hear of a lot of pastors and church leaders making bad decisions because the economy is bad. If you make bad decisions when the economy is good, you may be able to ride it out with minimal effects.  But if you make bad decisions when the economy is bad, disaster is almost certain.

Before you make any major (or minor) decision at your church based on the potential impact of the troublesome economy can I beg you to listen to my latest podcast? You can listen for free by clicking here:

HOW TO LEAD YOUR CHURCH DURING FINANCIAL CRISIS

Share this podcast with your elders, deacons and key leaders in your church.  You have my permission to rip it to CD or share it in whatever way is most convenient.

I hope this helps!

Nelson

P.S. My thanks to Rick Warren and Gerald Sharon at Saddleback Church/Purpose Driven for featuring this podcast in Rick Warren’s Ministry Toolbox Email

Monday Proflections – November 17, 2008

This is my last week in the office before two weeks of vacation (and a two week blogging break) so its a busy week.  Here’s what’s happening with Church Leader Insights and me this week that may be of interest to you:

Monday – Usual Monday meetings today plus I’ll be following up on the 22 people who were baptized last Friday at our Friday Night Worship Night and Baptism.  Here’s the follow-up process.

Tuesday -  Be sure to check out my latest podcast on How to Lead Your Church During A Financial Crisis.  You’ll want to rip this one and give it to all your church leaders. Bad decisions + Bad Financial Times = Disaster!

Wednesday – I’ll be in Tampa for my Live Coaching Network.  I’m currently accepting applications for my next ‘in person’ networks in NYC and Tampa.  Click here for more info. Don’t let the economy fool you, now more than ever you need a network.  See my podcast above.

Thursday – Bob Franquiz and I are leading the brand new and completely revised Activate Seminar on Small Groups in Tampa, FL.  There’s still a few spots available although I hear we are competing with a TBN Luncheon – this should be a test of priority for some guys!

Friday -  Tele-Coaching Q & A call in today and my last day before vacation.  I’m sure it will be a productive day – the last day before vacation always is!

Saturday – Kelley and I depart for a seven day cruise to the Caribbean.  No computer, no cell phone, no kids!

Make it a great week!

Nelson

Do You Have Clearly Defined Goals? A Saturday Quote

“In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it.” – Robert Heinlein

Q & A: How Do I Search this Blog

Here’s a frequently asked question about searching our blog:

Is there a search box somewhere on the churchleaderinsights.com website? I wanted to try to search for a blog article to see if you’ve written on a particular subject, but couldn’t find one. Is there anyway to do that?

We have a product search function in our store and we archive the blog posts by subjects but right now there’s no official search function for the blog or the site (I should check our web guy about adding one in – I wonder if word press allows that?  But I digress) but there is a way:

Go to www.google.com

enter this in the search box:

site:www.churchleaderinsights.com your search keywords here

This works with the CLI site or any other Web site you want to search.  Pretty cool, huh?

Thanks for your question and I’m glad you find the blog so helpful that you want to search it!

Nelson

P.S. Got a question for us?  Use the Ask Nelson button on the right.

Q & A: Small Groups and Accountability

Here’s a frequently asked question about semester-based small groups:

If groups operate on a semester system and everyone rotates groups, how do you manage accountability?

Kerrick Thomas, co-author of Activate: An Entirely New Approach to Small Groups and Executive Pastor at The Journey, answers the question:

Thank you for your question about “accountability” in a semester-based small group system.  I’ll do my best to answer concisely.

First of all – accountability is provided in the small groups during the 10-12 week semester.  Each individual signs a small group covenant, commits to attend the group, serve, give, attend on Sunday and keep up with the reading during that time.  And the members of the group help them be accountable for those important spiritual disciplines during that time.

There are more people being held accountable through a semester-based small group system that has over 100% of the average Sunday attendance signed up than in a long-term small group system that only has 30% of the Sunday attendance involved.

And the goal is that personal accountability for issues that are more personal will develop naturally through longer term relationships that develop within the group and then carry on afterwards.

But secondly – as far as long-term accountability for members – church membership provides that accountability structure for us.  Members sign a Membership Covenant and we hold them accountable for standards of membership (giving, serving, being in a small group, attending, living a godly life-style (as much as we can know).

So – I would say that having a Membership Class, a Membership Covenant and holding members accountable for the commitments they make serves as a strong primary accountability structure.

I hope that helps answer your question!

Kerrick

P.S. To go ‘in depth’ on semester based small groups, check out the Small Groups Intensive that Nelson and I – its goes into every aspect of the system.  Simply click here.

Q & A: How Does a Church Plant Obtain 501(c)3 Status

Here’s a frequently asked question we receive from church planters:

Do you have any resources available on applying for 501(c) 3 status. when to, how to, etc.?  I would like donations to our church plant and tithes to be tax deductable.

Scott Whitaker, Director of Training and Events for CLI answers:

You have a great question.  We encourage church planters to file for 501(c)3 status.  It assists with credibility and confidence in having tax deductible status.  Here is the link from the IRS website http://www.irs.gov/publications/p557.  You will find the instructions and answers to any other related question on their site.
Don’t feel overwhelmed by the process.  You may check with a CPA, non-profit lawyer, or a denomination (if you’re affiliated with one) on having them file it for you.  It can be done yourself, but it may be better for you to pay someone else depending on your church plant resources.  We highly recommend these guys: http://www.churchlawgroup.com/

Thanks Scott!  Hope that helps.

Nelson

P.S. If you are a Church Planter, we have over $75 in resources to give you, just click here.

Q & A: How to respond to the financial crisis?

The most frequently asked question I’ve received over the last two months is:

How am I to lead my church during this financial crisis?  How do I prepare?  What do I need to do and not do?

To listen to my answer to this question, check out my latest podcast:

HOW TO LEAD YOUR CHURCH DURING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
(Download the free MP3, Listen online or subscribe via iTunes)

I promise this podcast will leave you with HOPE!

Enjoy!

Nelson

P.S. If you have questions, simply use the Ask Nelson button on the right.

Monday Proflections – November 10, 2008

Here’s what’s happening with Church Leader Insights and me this week that may be of interest to you:

Monday – I’m in Lakeland, Florida today speaking at the Florida Baptist Convention Pastors Conference.  My sermon is based on the wise farmer in Mark 4:3-20.

Tuesday -  Watch your email today for the Church Leader Insights newsletter today.  I share seven articles and two book recommendations that will help your church.  I’m very excited about this months issue!   If you aren’t a subscriber to the newsletter, use the sign-up box on the right.

Wednesday – My normal Sabbath.  I proflect that I’ll be watching Madascar 2 with Alexander – ha!

Thursday – Lots of planning meetings today at The Journey.  We’ll be working on our January 2009 series and our One in  a Milion Christmas Offering.  I also will be leading my Tele-Coaching Network today at 1:00pm.

Friday -  Our big Friday Night Baptism and Worship Concert is tonight.  I love baptisms!

Saturday – Journey is hosting a booth at ActorFest today as part of our servant evangelism outreach and commitment to serve artists in our city.

Make it a great week!

Nelson

Keep it Simple (A Sunday Quote)

“Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.”
– Albert Einstein, Theoretical Physicist

Church Pitfalls (Part 5)

Bob Franquiz, Guest Blogger:

Church Pitfalls (Part 4)

Bob Franquiz, Guest Blogger:

#4 – I was trying to be someone else – Here’s what I didn’t realize when I first started in ministry, that Jesus didn’t save us to clone us. God created you to be you. When we started our church, I was 26 years old, and I was desperate to know how a Senior Pastor acted. So I did what I knew: I wore a tie every Sunday, I taught the way I was taught to, and I said “Praise the Lord” and “God bless you” in all the right spots.

What was the result? I was miserable. I hate wearing ties. I had different ideas about teaching and communicating than my instructors and all the Christianeze was about to make me puke.

So I decided to be myself. I put away the ties. I started communicating in a way that was suited to my gifts and I started talking like a normal person. In the end, I was much happier and the joy of ministry came back when I decided to be me.

If you’re interested is hearing about some other Church Planting Pitfalls, check out this resource Nelson Searcy and I did on the subject. If you’re a church planter interested in coaching, click here to be part of my new tele-coaching network exclusively for church planters! I have a couple of spots left.

Church Pitfalls (Part 3)

Bob Franquiz, Guest Blogger:

#3 – I had a hard time saying “no” – When we stated Calvary Fellowship, the last thing I wanted to do was say no when someone asked me something. What resulted was getting roped into commitments I didn’t want to be part of, agreeing to start ministries I didn’t feel called to, and allow people into positions of influence that had no business being there. The result: chaos.

If you’re a leader, “No” is your best friend. “No” means you’re clear about what you’re called to do and what you aren’t called to do. “No” means you’d rather please God than people. “No” means you’re confident in who God has called you to be. “No” means you’re willing to upset a few for the sake of reaching many. I encourage you to passionate about what you say yes to, and say “no” to everything else.
If you’re interested is hearing about some other Church Planting Pitfalls, check out this resource Nelson Searcy and I did on the subject. If you’re a church planter interested in coaching, click here to be part of my new tele-coaching network exclusively for church planters! I have a couple of spots left.