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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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.

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

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