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July Book Recommendations (Video)
If you receive my Church Leader Insights newsletter every month, you already know that I am an avid reader and I love passing along books that I find helpful in the monthly book recommendations section of the CLI newsletter.
This month I’m trying something new by recommending a couple of books via video. Take a look and let me know what you think:
July Book Recommendations:
Money, Greed and God
by Jay W. RichardsSecrets of Power Negotiating
by Roger DawsonP.S. Did you know that you can use this blog to ask me questions about what’s going on in your ministry situation? You can click on the “Ask Nelson” button on the right side of this blog at any time to send me your questions. Keep ‘em coming!
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Q & A – How many Small Groups?
Here’s a recent small groups question that I received. I asked Adam Bishop, Small Groups Pastor at The Journey, to share his answer here:
Q: Hey, our church has decided to move to the semester-based small groups system that you guys use.
It really has us excited about small groups again and we’re trying to get ahead on our planning right now. That’s why I’m writing, because I have a question. Based on the Activate idea of small and large attendance numbers, we’re hoping for about 200 people to sign up for groups.
So, how do I determine how many groups I need each semester?
A: Thanks for your question. Setting your Groups Goal each semester is a responsibility that must be thought through with plenty of prayer and planning!
I want you to know that Kerrick Thomas and I spend time each month in our Small Group Tele-Coaching Network addressing questions like this along with other strategies for implementing and leading the Activate Small Groups System at the local church level.
Our next 8 month network kicks off in November! Just let me know if you are interested and I will send you the link for the application.
In response to your question… Here is the flow that we follow at The Journey:
1) Make sure your Sign Ups Goal surpasses your average Sunday attendance goal.
This is because the number of people who will attend your church over the course of your Small Group Semester will be much larger than the number of people who attend your church on any given Sunday.
You want everyone who comes through the doors during your promotion or sign-up month to sign up for a group.
2) Calculate the range for the number of Groups needed for the semester
We choose 12-15 to calculate the range of how many groups we need because we believe that 12 to 15 people is the ideal size for a Group.
So to your example…
Sign-up Goal: 200
Range of Groups Needed: 13 to 17
Median Goal: 15 Groups
3) Allow 20 sign-ups per Group.
This is vitally important to the health of your Groups. Remember, not everyone who signs up for the group will be able to attend due to changes in schedules and unforeseen circumstances. Allowing 20 sign-ups per group will ensure that 12 to 15 show up each week for the Group.
Allowing 20 sign-ups per group also fits well with your Groups Goal in 3 ways:
· First, it keeps you from committing the cardinal sin of groups which is to never have too few groups!
So if you confirm 13 groups on the low end of your range you will still have enough room to meet your Sign-up Goal of 200.
13 x 20 = 260
· Second, it allows you to be prepared if God moves and brings more people to your church and your groups than you had anticipated
Let’s say you confirm 17 groups on the high end of your range and God moves and brings more people to your church than you had anticipated. Your range has allowed you to be prepared for this!
17 x 20 = 340
· Third, knowing that you are covered on the low end and high end, most of the time the middle number of the range is where you will need to be.
15 x 20 = 300
Rarely does it work out where all of your groups will receive the same sign-ups so with 15 Groups that cover a good range of days and topics your sign-ups should break down evenly anywhere from 15 to 20 sign-ups per group which will allow you to meet your Sign-Ups Goal of 200!
4) Minimum Sign-Ups per Group
Once the semester begins, if a group has less than 5 sign-ups it is best to combine this group with another one. You must exhibit care and encouragement when you do this. If this happens remind the leader that people sign up for location, topic, and day….not the leader. Encourage them so they will want to lead again.
If the Group is between 6-9 sign-ups I will contact the leaders and ask how the group is going. Most of the time the leaders will want to continue and feel that they can get at least 5 more people to join the group through the invites of those who are attending. This usually happens and the group goes well.
We also continue to run sign-ups 2 to 3 weeks into the semester. We will only list the groups online and in our catalog that are lower in sign-ups to help them fill up within the first 2 to 3 weeks of the semester.
Great job with your groups and continue to plan ahead!
Thanks,
Adam
P.S. For more information or to Apply Now for Small Groups Pastor Tele-Coaching, CLICK HERE.
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Sunday Coaching Alumni Highlight
Here is today’s coaching alumni highlight:
Mike Osborne is the Lead Pastor of Journey: A Community of Faith in Florence, Kentucky (near Cincinnati, OH). His coaching experience has been an interesting one (as you’ll hear in his video) and he has really been working hard to implement all that he’s learning.
It’s humbling and rewarding to see all that God is doing in and through Mike and guys like him as a result of the coaching network.
Mike Osborne
Lead Pastor
Journey: A Community of Faith
Florence, KY (Greater Cincinnati Area)
www.JourneyKY.comThere’s less than a month left before my upcoming Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network (it starts August 20)? Have you applied yet?
For more information or to apply now, visit:
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A Man of Value – A Saturday Quote
“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”
– Albert Einstein -
Free Color Laser Printer for your Church?
When The Journey first got started we signed up for a program that offered us a free color laser printer from Xerox – it was a great deal and it really helped us. There was only one catch to the program: we had to buy the ink from them. But we would have had to buy ink anyway!
On top of the free printer itself, they were really on the ball with tech support (included as part of the program). It was a great way for us, even as a young church, to be able to print in-house with good quality (and color).Here’s some info on the program:
Since 1999, Xerox has given away over 10,000 color printers to nonprofit and religious organizations. This free printer program was designed to help ecumenical and nonprofit organizations like yours afford a high-quality, in-house printing solution that produces vivid color materials that get attention and engage church members, donors, volunteers, students and the public. Print your Sunday bulletins, programs, newsletters, prayer cards, sheet music, educational materials, letterhead and more…for less!
If you are selected for the program, you will receive:
- A new Xerox Phaser® 8560/DN business class color printer
- Free 3 year warranty with onsite service and technical phone support
- Free delivery of the printer
- High-quality ink at competitive prices
To see if your church qualifies, complete a no cost, no obligation application at www.FreeColorPrinters.com and enter the referral code 769703
P.S. If you’re a Church Planter looking for free stuff, I’d like to give you more than $75 in resources to help you get started – CLICK HERE.
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Q & A – Servant Evangelism +
Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of today’s post (there’s a reward). Here’s a recent servant evangelism question that I answered for a pastor:
Q: Hey Nelson, we’re doing a bunch of servant evangelism this summer and I know you guys do a lot too. I have a question for you: When you give away bottled water, do you just go to Sam’s Club (or a comparable store) or do you get your church’s logo and website printed on the bottles? If you get your logo printed, etc. what company do you use?
A: Hey, congrats on your commitment to use this summer to plant seeds in your community. Here at The Journey, we’re in the middle of making 1 million servant evangelism touches this year.
As for the water bottles, we purchase them from Sam’s (or wherever we can buy in bulk for wholesale prices). There’s really no need to go to the extra effort of custom printing as people toss the empty bottles in the end anyway.
Instead, we make sure to give out an invite card with each bottle (at least then there’s a chance that they’ll slide the card in a pocket or a purse for later).
In the spirit of today’s Q & A, I want to give you $5.00 OFF of my Reaching Your Community through Servant Evangelism resource.
To receive your $5.00 OFF, CLICK HERE, click “Add to Cart”, and enter and apply the special code SEBLOG when you’re checking out
Keep reading the blog each day for more deals like this.
Thanks!
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Free Church Systems Teleminar on Wednesday
In case you missed it, you have one LAST CHANCE to sign-up for my free Church Systems Teleseminar on Wednesday (the Tuesday one is already sold out at 999 people!). Here’s the info:
Join me for a FREE 75-minute tele-seminar without ever having to leave your office or home! I will teach you all the basics of church systems and how to use them to make your church more effective than ever.
God designed all the parts of the body – both the church body and the physical body – to work together, allowing us to fulfill God’s purposes and plans on this earth. And both of those respective bodies function best through well-developed systems.
This event will fill up, so REGISTER TODAY. Once registered, you will simply call in to participate. This is a great opportunity to train your entire staff with this free tele-seminar.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
1:30PM – 2:45PM Eastern
12:30PM – 1:45PM Central
11:30AM – 12:45PM Mountain
10:30AM – 11:45AM PacificHere’s what you can expect to learn:
- How healthy church systems honor God
- How to distinguish system problems from people problems (and why your people may not be the problem)
- How well designed systems save you stress, time, energy and money
- The 8 systems of a church (and the vital role that each system plays)
- The relationship between good systems and good people (and how to maximize your church’s effectiveness through each)
- How far church systems can take your church (and what systems can’t do)
Space is limited – REGISTER TODAY!
Tele-seminar participants will need a phone with long distance to participate. Long distance charges do apply.
Talk to you on the call,
Nelson
P.S. I’m doing this free seminar, in conjuction with the release of my new Church Systems 2.0 report. You can download it for free at this link.
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Sunday Coaching Alumni Highlight
Enjoy today’s coaching alumni highlight:
John Newland is the Pastor of Fall Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis. He’s a leader in his community and his denomination. More important than that, he’s committed to doing whatever it takes to grow himself and his church to reach as many people as possible for Jesus.
I’m blessed to get to see how God uses guys like John to fulfill His purposes.
John Newland
Senior Pastor
Fall Creek Baptist Church
Indianapolis, IN
www.FallCreekBaptist.comHave you applied yet for my upcoming Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network?
For more information or to apply now, visit:
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Influence – A Saturday Quote
“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.”
– Albert Schweitzer -
Q & A – Buying Our First Building
Q: I recently was a part of one of your Top 3 Growth Barriers events. It was very timely and helpful. I greatly appreciate your investment in us.
We planted our church about six and a half years ago. We run just under 200, but we have been stuck on a seesaw there for a couple of years. We have an opportunity to buy an existing church building from a church that built a new building.
It is more traditional in appearance than we would prefer, but it would double our existing space and give us land to build on in the future for a reasonable price. Do you think it would hurt a church plant to be in a more traditional building?
Also, we have enough money for a 20 percent down payment and are approved for a loan. We don’t have enough money to do all the renovations though. Do you think it is wiser to try and raise that money first or do the deal and raise the rest as we go?
Thank you very much for everything.
A: Thanks for coming out to the Top 3 Growth Barriers event. It was so much fun I’ve decided to do a few more in different parts of the country.
Here’s the big point on buildings (that’s many churches fail to realize until it’s too late):
You will never raise more money for a building
than you will BEFORE you move in.Once you move in, people get comfortable.
That being said, I would raise the money to renovate the inside and do an overhaul of the outside (so it’s not so traditional) BEFORE I move in and complete the renovations before I move in.You are at a good size to do a 3 year capital campaign (which should raise you 2 or 3 times your annual budget). For more on that, see “Money Matters in Church” by Aubrey Malphurs and Steve Stroope.
You have a great opportunity to grow, but take it slow and do it right.
That said, I think my coaching network could be good timing for you. I’ve had a lot of guys tell me that gong in a new building is the best time to be in a network – think and pray about it and check out www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching
If I can be very direct – a building does NOT cause growth and most people do NOT grow when they move in to a new building. Mainly because they are NOT patient enough to do it right and do not have FAITH enough to raise the money ahead of time.
I’m praying that you will have patience and faith!
Your friend,
Nelson
P.S. Have you applied yet for my Tele-Coaching Network for Senior Pastors? You can find more info and download your application at
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Coaching Alumni Highlight
Here’s a special mid-week coaching alumni highlight for you:
Philip Wagner and his wife Holly founded Oasis Christian Center more than 24 years ago with less than 10 people. Today this multicultural, creative congregation numbers over 2,000 regular attenders, and they meet in the historic Oasis Theater in downtown Los Angeles. God’s dream for Oasis is alive and well!
It’s an honor to get to partner with leaders like Philip to expand God’s Kingdom.
Philip Wagner
Lead Pastor
Oasis Christian Center
Los Angeles, CA
www.OasisLA.org/Have you considered applying for my upcoming Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network?
For more information or to apply now, visit:
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FREE Report – Church Systems 2.0 [PDF]
It’s official! Today is the official release of my brand new Church Systems 2.0 Report!I’ve taken the church systems basics that I laid out in the original Church Systems Report and completely revised and expanded it.
The Church Systems 2.0 Report includes diagnostic questions and recommended resources, in addition to proven, practical advice to make your church healthier and more effective than ever.
And best of all, it’s a Free PDF Download!
Simply head over to:
www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/systems2
Fill out the form and we’ll send your FREE REPORT!
P.S. I’m also doing a FREE Church Systems 2.0 Tele-Seminar next Tuesday – for more details and to register, CLICK HERE.
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The Way to Succeed (A Saturday Quote)
“There is only one way to succeed at anything and that is to give everything.”
– Vince Lombardi, American Football Coach -
Impromptu Baptisms?
Here’s a note a got this week from Lon Dean (one my coaching alums from the Albany, NY area):
Nelson,
After attending a coaching network meeting where you talked about spontaneous baptisms, I began doing calls for people to be baptized on the spot.
It’s gotten larger each time. The last baptism we had 8 people signed up but baptized 21!
We’re blessed to have a large baptistery in the sanctuary so we challenge people to invite their friends to the service.This has worked great but Jimmy Britt’s story (from this month’s podcast) has got me thinking we need an outdoor, public baptism also…
I’ll let you know how it works out.
If you haven’t heard this month’s brand new Church Leader Insights podcast – “50 Baptisms in 10 Days” – click here to listen now.
P.S. If you’re ready to grow yourself and your church like never before, now is the time to apply for my upcoming Tele-Coaching Network for Senior Pastors (it starts in August). For more info and to download your application, CLICK HERE.
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New Worship Leader Insights Podcast
Jason Hatley over at Worship Leader Insights, our partner site for Worship Leaders, has a brand new podcast entitled:
Your Worship Team Can Grow … Today!
Click Here to ListenIf your worship leader isn’t on Jason’s list, be sure they sign-up at www.WorshipLeaderInsights.com (or better yet, take a moment and just sign them up yourself).
Nelson
P.S. For more from Jason, check out his brand new resource on “How to Double Your Worship Arts Team” by clicking here.
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LAST DAY – 4th of July Sale!
Church Leader Insights is currently running a HUGE 4th of July Sale!
We are offering dozens of my downloadable resources at ridiculously low prices, including many of our most popular downloads (like The Big Day, Starting a Second Service, and Managing the Stress of Ministry).
In fact, all of our $13.95 downloads are only $7 and all $23.95 downloads are only $10!
TODAY is the final day of this sale (get your order in before midnight).
Here’s the link:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=1&i=57
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Sunday Coaching Alumni Highlight
I’m back for my Sunday Coaching Alumni highlight. It’s a good chance to tell you (if only briefly) about some pastors who are making an impact in their community for Christ.
Chris Bailey and his wife brought a small group of believers together in late 2006 and began dreaming about a new church in the Independence, Missouri, area. The church – The Bridge KC – officially launched in January, 2008, with 170 people. Since then they’ve continued to grow and currently meet in a movie theater.
Best of all, they’re making a difference for the Kingdom in the Kansas City area. Keep up the good work Chris!
Chris Bailey
Senior Pastor
The Bridge KC
Independence, MO
http://thebridgekc.com/Will you consider applying for my upcoming Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network?
For more information or to apply now, visit:
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Common Mistakes Church Planters Make
My friend David Putman had a great post recently on some of the most common mistakes that church planters make. With his permission, here’s a re-print of it:
Common Mistakes Church Planters Make
Research has varied when it comes to the number of churches planted that don’t survive. I have seen reports that suggest failure rates as high as eighty percent and as low as ten percent in some networks. Regardless of what the actually number might be, one failure is too many especially when it’s your church plant. In a recent conversation with one of our church planting residents here are several of the common mistakes we discussed.
Rushing Ahead!
One of the defining moments in my life took place about twelve years ago. I was spending the day with Lyle Schaller. Coming off a recent church plant I couldn’t wait to hear his critic of our church planting methods and processes. I will never forget his comment, “David the problem as I see it is most of you quick start church planter types are driven by calendar when you ought to be driven by milestones.” That one statement turned my little church planting world upside down. What I’ve learned through my own experiences is when you don’t achieve certain critical milestones prior to launch you can end up with a premature church plant with tons of unhealthy systems. When this happens your plant can often stagnate and take years to overcome (more on milestones in upcoming blogs).
Underestimating the Cost!
When it comes to church planting it most often is going to take longer then you think, require more resources then you imagine, and you are going to pay a higher cost then you anticipate. Often as church planters we are guilty of what we often call at churchplanters.com as being intoxicated by vision. When you are intoxicated you fail to listen to others, think clearly, and make good decision.
Not Taking Time Off!
First of all let’s dispel the myth that you can plant a church without paying the price. I can think of nothing that comes with a higher price. Church planting comes with a high price tag. Because of this you have to make taking care of yourself a high priority. Taking regular time off to refuel your emotional, relational, physical, and relational gauges is essential to longevity and impact. For the last nine years I have been part of a church plant that has grown from an idea, to a vision, to a church of 2000. Unfortunately I am just learning to pay attention to my own vitality. Fortunately I have a wife that has been incredibly patience and honest with me. I am yet to find a church planter worth their salt that doesn’t have to work hard at this.
Hanging on too long!
When you give birth to a new church it is your baby. The church you planted begins with a vision God put in your heart. When you first plant everything begins with you. However, there comes a time when you must let go of control and empower others. Church planters that don’t develop the skill of enabling and empowering others seldom grow beyond the core group. You may launch your church. You may reach 50 or 60 people, but you usually end up stuck. If you fall into that category you are likely hanging on to tight and to long. The most effective church planters understand the importance of raising up leaders and building teams.
Not having a coach!
Church planters are the R&D Department of our current missional movement. They understand that we learn our way into the future. As we move forward we assess our failures and successes and we build off of them. Like Churchill we understand the importance of “moving from failure to failure without losing momentum. Church planters surround themselves with other leaders and learners. I was reminded of this when Will Henderson our Australian church planter returned from an ACTS 29 learning experience where they advocated that every church planter needs a minimum of five coaches in their lives. Years ago when Ed Stetzer and I worked together on a major church planting initiative called the Nehemiah Project he conducted some research that indicated that our best church planters were involved in a mentoring relationship with others on a weekly basis. The interesting thing was at the time all of our mentoring programs were set up on a monthly system. Yet those who were leading at a higher level and having greater impact surround themselves with multiple coaches.
Great thoughts David!
P.S. For information on my upcoming Tele-Coaching Network for Senior Pastors, click here.
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Stewardship Seminar Summary
With the current economic landscape, there has been a great deal of interest around the topic of church finances and stewardship in general. I think it’s a prime time for church leaders to clarify and communicate a biblical theology of money and to implement solid biblical principles within our churches.
I got the opportunity to teach The Stewardship Seminar live in Baltimore a couple of months ago and wanted to reprint this article for you today – it contains a nice summary of what I taught:
Southern Baptist Nelson Searcy teaches about stewardship
June 01, 2009
By David Jackson and Shannon Baker
BALTIMORE—Nationally known church planters Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas learned about stewardship the hard way.
“This seminar came about out of desperation,” shared Searcy at a recent seminar he and Thomas taught at White Marsh Church in Baltimore. “We were about to lose our partners. We had to learn fast and apply it right away.”
About 100 attendees from locations as diverse as California, Michigan and Tennessee, attended the two-day conference that focused also on church planting and evangelism.
Nelson, the lead and teaching pastor, and Kerrick Thomas, executive and teaching pastor at The Journey Church in the New York City-metro area, lead a successful Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) church plant that presently meets in five locations with over 1,200 currently in attendance.
Searcy said, “Here’s the deal: it’s impossible to be a fully-developed disciple without being a fully-developed steward. Your heart follows your treasure!”
Searcy and Thomas contend that the goal is to move people into becoming more fully developed stewards, from non-givers to regular-givers to tithers to extravagant givers.
“If people would give just at poverty-level tithing you’d probably double your income for ministry!” said the pastors, outlining three steps to increase giving in the local church.
Educate.
“Teach people to give; this is the first step in moving non-givers into first-time givers,” they said, suggesting that the topic of stewardship should be taught at least four times a year.
“Tie them to felt-needs in life around the calendar and seasons of life,” Thomas suggested. Searcy agreed, noting that adding a system of accountability helps increase giving.
“We report to those who support, so use an envelope and we will let you know about our expenses,” he shared, reminding, “Remember: people give to vision, not to need.”
Thomas explained, “Constantly remind people that the church’s ministry is supported by its members.” Searcy added, “Unchurched people have no idea how your church is funded. We let them know that our ministry opportunities are a result of their giving.”
Offer options.
Searcy suggests churches should give the people different options for giving.
“If you only allow people to give at your services you may be losing as much as 40 percent of your receipts!” he cautioned, sharing more opportunistic ways. For example, create a self-mailing envelope and put it in the bulletin with a business reply permit that doesn’t even need stamps.
“You don’t have to pay for those that aren’t mailed. If you just put the envelope in the bulletin not the pew rack, you will get more, I promise…and besides, [speaking of the traditional offering envelope] they’re too small! No one can put big money in a small envelope.”
The pastors said that another way to encourage giving is to set up a ‘bill pay’ with their own bank or as an ACH as an automated debit option. “This is a great option since you will KNOW what will be coming in every week unless they make a change,” Searcy said.
Otherwise, church members may give online at their website through PayPal or other online payment services.
“Sixty percent of our giving comes in ways OTHER than weekend services!” Searcy and Thomas said. “The point is: if you want to get more first time givers, you must provide more options.”
Follow up with givers.
The Journey Church pastors suggested that churches send thank you notes to first time givers and quarterly giving statements to all givers. They also acknowledge unusual gifts with a special response including a gift and a hand-written note.
Each method communicates to the givers that their gifts are important, as do the following ways:
To gain regular givers: Searcy related what pastor and national speaker, Bob Roberts, once said, “People will rise to the level of commitment you ask. For every 100 people who participate in a giving small group, the church will receive $100,000 a year.”
Searcy said that stewardship should be introduced in the church’s membership class covenant and that the language of the class should answer newcomers’ questions.
“Ask them ‘which way’ they plan to give, not ‘if’ they will give,” he urged.
Likewise, “if people have not given at all in a year, we look at the list together as a staff and ask people to follow up with them; it’s an accountability issue for you as a leader.
To secure tithers: “Tithing shows that God has first place in your life; it’s the first ten percent of your gross income,” shared Thomas.
Searcy added, “This is the first place principle in all areas of life: if you want God to bless you in anything, give Him first place in that area of your life.” Thomas agreed, “It’s not a tithe if it comes last or if it’s leftovers…He comes first.”
They suggest that churches challenge members to consider a four-month “Tithe Challenge” to accept God’s test regarding the tithe (based on Mal. 3:10). They acknowledged, “…unbelievers have no problem with this, but people that come to you from other churches do!”
To develop extravagant givers: Searcy said, “God calls on us to give sacrificially from time to time; this can be the beginning of an extravagant giving lifestyle. People need to be educated that the tithe is the minimum of what God expects. Offerings are above this amount.”
On their website, the Journey Church offers financial tools to help their church members manage their money wisely. Included are a personal financial profile and plan as well as a monthly budget ledger form. Also included are former financial messages preached at The Journey, books about financial management, as well as several articles about how to make financial decisions.
Acknowledging that many churches are beginning to feel the crunch of the current financial recession, Searcy also offers a practical podcast on how to turn this tough time into the church’s finest hour online at www.churchleaderinsights.com.
*This is a reprint. The original article can be found here.
P.S. If you’d like to fill in the blanks in your church’s Stewardship System, invest in the full recording of The Stewardship Seminar.
Archive for July, 2009
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
