Last Call – Coaching Starts Tomorrow!

Well, you’ve probably heard me talking about it for a while now, but my new Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching  Network begins TOMORROW and I have just a few spots available!

I shared in this post a couple of weeks ago my frustration with the negativity and pessimism that is running rampant right now in many church leadership circles.

I really believe that now is the best time to reach more people and grow your church!

This network gives me the opportunity to come alongside of you and partner together in a coaching relationship for the next 12 months to help you grow your leadership and your church.

So Pastor, my question for you is this: What are you going to do over the next year that will take you through a proven process to grow as a leader and to lead your church to greater effectiveness?

Growing churches are led by growing leaders!

If you’ve been waiting to apply for some reason, today is the day!

The first call is tomorrow and if you’re serious about maximizing your leadership and ministry I’d love for you to join me.

Download and submit your application now:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching

You’ve Been Lied To…

Do you know what?

I’m sick and tired of hearing everyone tell me why right now is such a bad season for the local church . . . whether its the constant news about the economy or the uncertain mood of our nation or you name it.

Everybody seems to be telling us pastors that we should just ‘hunker down’ and ‘hold steady’ or ‘wait it out’ until the economy turns around, the weather gets better or . . .well, you get the picture.

But you’ve been lied to!  They are wrong!

NOW is the BEST time to grow your church!  And I’ll tell you why.

People are MOST LIKELY to attend church and turn to God when:

1-    They are under tension
2-    They are in transition
3-    They are in trouble

And right now there’s a ton of each going around.  Everywhere you turn there’s trouble, transition and tension  . . . and (between you and me) that excites me!

Because I know that right now people are more open to God then they’ve ever been in my lifetime.

That’s why I will say it again: NOW is the BEST time to grow your church.

Now is the best time to reach new people.

Now is the best time to be aggressive about evangelism and assimilation.

Now is the best time to challenge yourself and your people to step it up.

Now is our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see our churches impact our cities and communities like never before.

I heard one pundit say, “Never waste a crisis!”  I don’t want you to waste this time of crisis either by listening to the lies of the slow-growth/no-growth mentality coming from certain areas of the ministry world.  They are wrong!

I mean, think about . . . almost all of the churches that we look up to today as model churches (I’ll resist mentioning their names since we all look up to different ones and come from different denominations and backgrounds. .  . But you know who they are) are churches that chose to THRIVE not shirk back during the last economic recession.

One highly influential church that I am intimately familiar with was birthed during the last great recession of the early 1980s . . . and today, thousands around the world are being impacted.  I can’t prove it but I can only imagine that the pastor of this church heard the no-growth/slow-growth pundits of his day saying it ‘can’t be done in 1980′ so just ‘wait it out.’  Thank God he didn’t listen!

I hope you won’t listen either!

So, let me ask: what could you do over the next six to twelve months to give your church the best opportunity to capitalize on the tension, trouble and transition that we are facing?

To say it another way, what are you going to do over the next 6 to 12 months to grow your church?

Are you going to buy into the lies of those who say, “wait – not now – this too will pass”?

OR

Will you step up to the call that God has placed on your life and say, “Here I stand . . . everyone else may slack up and shut up and back up but I’m going to step up and reach up and (dare I say it) grow up and be the Pastor God called me to be.”

Will you say, ” Whether the economy is on an up turn, a down turn or a u-turn, I’m going to reach out to the lost people in my community and do everything I can in the power of God and His Spirit to keep them from perishing!” (See 2 Peter 3:9)

That’s what I’m doing and that’s what I’m challenging you to do.

In fact, I’m going one BIG step further . . .

I’m looking to PERSONALLY INVEST my time, talent and God-given ministry insights to come along side of Pastors (like you) with this mentality.

Here’s how committed I am . . . .I’m going to do all I can to not only be the pastor that God has called me to be here in New York City but to also be the ‘COACH’ God has called me to be to other pastors.

In just a few short weeks, I’m starting a new Coaching Network for kingdom-minded, church-loving, evangelistically-passionate pastors.

And if this is you, then I want you to consider applying.

I’m not looking for complacent, weak-in-the-knees, mealy-mouthed ministers who are looking to ride it all out until the next boom time.

I’m looking for passionate, God-called, Spirit-driven pastors who are ready to see their church (and themselves) go to the next level.

Here’s what I know . . . now is NOT the time for average!

Now is NOT the time for average leaders, doing average things in average ways.

Now is NOT the time to do what we did last year and “hope” for different results.

Now is NOT the time to stick our seminary-trained heads in the sand and expect that the devil is strapped for cash and won’t bother us until things turn around.

Now IS the TIME FOR ACTION.

Now IS the time to accept new challenges . . .

. . . to break out of the confining box of what we’ve always done

. . . to invest my time and resources in the handful of opportunities that can significantly impact the growth and Kingdom-reach of my church.

Are you READY for the challenge?   Is NOW your time?

If so, then please follow this link to learn about my NEW Tele-Coaching Network for Senior Pastors that begins on Thursday, February 18.

Follow this link (or keep reading for even more):

http://www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching

Since 2004, I’ve personally coached over 600 pastors (you can read some of their testimonies below) and I’ve probably talked to 600 more who drug their feet or shook their head and refused to join or even apply for one of my networks because of one lame brained excuse or another.

Believe me, I’ve heard it all:

I would join your coaching network IF . . .

If it was on a different day . . .

If it didn’t require a 12 month commitment . . .

If it was at a different time . . .

If it was in my town . . .

If it wasn’t a long distance call . . .

If it was half the investment price . . .

If you offered me a scholarship . . .

If the application was online . . .

If things were better between me and my elders/deacons/staff/wife or dog!

If . . .If . . .If . . . NOW is not the time for if’s!  Now is the time for action.

Trust me, you’ll thank me later for being so hard on you.

The fact is, the average Pastor who completes my network sees 30% growth in their church within a year after completing the network.  Many see MUCH MORE!

What could God do in you and your church over the next year if you just had the faith to step out, stand out and fill out your application?

Keep reading the FAQ below for more details or you can download your application right now at this link:

http://www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching

Yes, I’m fired up as you can tell from this email.  I’m fired up about those who lie to us and try to hinder the work of God and I’m fired up about the incredible potential of the local church and I’m fired up about this new Tele-Coaching Network.

But mainly, I’m fired up because I know what God can do in our churches over this next year!  Join me on this ride, won’t you?

I look forward to reviewing your coaching application and I apologize in advance if I can’t fit you in because you waited too long to act or if your application doesn’t prove to me that you really want to be a part of this ministry-changing, Kingdom impacting and leadership-defining network.

Your friend (and truth-telling-renegade-pastor),

Nelson

P.S. I know that some of you are like me and you want to read all the details.  Well, at the link below you can find the answers to Frequently Asked Questions, testimonial videos, and much more.  Read it closely but don’t wait too long to apply.

http://www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching

Coaching for Bi-Vocational Pastors

Just about any time I invite people to be a part of an upcoming Tele-Coaching Network for Senior Pastors (like the one that begins on February 18), I get requests from Bi-Vocational Pastors to do “bi-vocational pastors coaching.”

I have a huge heart for bi-vocational pastors in part because I can identify with the unique challenges you’re dealing with.  I was bi-vocational for the first few years of planting The Journey.

So today, I want to share some good news and bad news about Coaching for Bi-Vocational Pastors.

The bad news, unfortunately, is that we’ve looked at the logistics and the possibilities of trying to do an evening network, and it’s unlikely that I’ll be able to offer anything like that anytime soon.

However, the good news is that the very nature of my Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network makes it “bivo-friendly.” In fact, I have a lot of bi-vocational guys in my current network.

Most of them are able to carve out 2 hours a month from their job to join in on the call (especially considering that you know the dates and times months in advance).

Also, even if you can’t join me for all of the calls, you still receive an MP3 recording of each session.  In effect, you’ll build a library of coaching audio that you can listen to over and over.

If you’re a bi-vocational pastor who’s committed to growing personally and leading your church to grow, I strongly encourage you to consider applying for this upcoming February network.

I’ve heard time and time again from current participants that the investment, time, and energy it takes to participate is more than worth it for the impact the network has on them and their churches.

PS – You can see and hear what some recent coaching participants had to say about their coaching experience here (you can download your application here):

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/telecoaching/

What Changes Are Holding You Back?

I often hear from church leaders who are just one or two small changes away from seeing big results in one area or another of their church.

It may be sending handwritten notes to first time guests (assimilation), planning their preaching calendar (worship planning) or printing custom offering envelopes and putting them in each week’s program (stewardship) but whatever the reason, the pastor is hesitant to make the change.

I like to say that some of the smallest tweaks to your systems can bring tremendous peaks in terms of your church’s effectiveness.

Here’s an email I received recently from one of my Coaching participants:

Nelson,

I’ve heard you say that other coaching participants have told you that this network is like drinking from a fire hydrant and it truly is….

More than that, I am realizing how many areas of the church that I’ve been neglecting from a leadership standpoint.  This network has been an eye-opener as to how much I really don’t know.

One specific area I wanted to let you know about – I had reservations about making the changes you recommended when it comes to offering envelopes.

I wasn’t sure  – because of the added cost of printing – whether or not to print custom envelopes and put the envelopes in the bulletin each week, but we bit the bullet and went for it anyway.

That one idea has paid for itself and then some!

The two biggest stewardship changes that we’ve made is collecting the offering at the end of each service and putting the offering envelopes in the program… small changes but huge results!!

Thanks for all that your team does – it is appreciated!

What changes are you holding off on right now that have the potential to increase your church’s Kingdom impact?

One of the reasons my Coaching Networks have been so effective is that it provides Pastors with proven systems knowledge AND the accountability (the nudge) to put that knowledge into practice.

We’re only one month away from my next Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network (it begins on February 18) and it may be a good fit for you.

For more information and to download your application, go to:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching

Executive Pastor Webinar – Did You Miss It?

Kerrick Thomas (our Executive Pastor at The Journey) really did a great job on the webinar he led last week called The Top 3 Skills Every Executive Pastor Must Master.

There was a high turnout (over 300 Executive Pastors participated), and the early feedback has been very positive.

Just in case you missed it (or you were on the call but want to listen again), Kerrick set up a webpage where you can listen to the audio from his webinar at:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/xpreplay

Also, on the listening page you’ll find links to the resources that Kerrick mentions in the webinar AND a very special deal on one of our most comprehensive resources (for a limited time only).

P.S. Kerrick is beginning a BRAND NEW Executive Pastor Tele-Coaching Network on January 21.  You can find more information and download your application by clicking here.

Last Chance to Join the Worship Pastor Tele-Coaching Network

If you have been waiting to sign-up your Worship Pastor for the final Worship Pastor Tele-Coaching Network of 2009, then now is the time. The new Worship Pastor Tele-Coaching network, lead by my Worship Pastor, Jason Hatley, begins next Friday, September 11.

Why have your Worship Pastor join this network?

Imagine for a moment, what if …

• Your worship team could double over the 10 months and so could your Worship Pastor’s level of effectiveness?
• Your Worship Pastor could develop personal leadership growth habits to help him/her lead the ministry and volunteer team at an optimum level?
• You could achieve greater clarity and a stronger working relationship with your Worship Pastor?
• Your Worship Pastor were able to work with you to plan your services months in advance, and create more impactful services than ever before, while reducing the stress of Sunday?
• Your Worship Pastor could reduce your stress by taking greater ownership and building a thriving worship ministry?

These are the results that over 75 pastors have seen in their worship pastors in the last three years as a direct result of Jason’s Tele-Coaching network. Listen to what Lead Pastor, Marty Martin has said…

“Our worship arts pastor participated in Jason’s coaching network and for the first time, we really ‘get’ each other. We work so well together because we both are on the same page. As a result we were able to plan out the entire year’s preaching calendar. Everything is much easier!”

Jason told me this morning that he only has a small handful of spots left in the network.

Download the application and return it today.

I’m So Pumped!

I am so pumped up that this is the week that my new Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network starts (on Thursday).

I know that I’ve been talking a lot about this network and inviting you to apply, but here are 3 quick reasons why I am so pumped:

• I am a firm believer in the concept of “Learn and Return.” In other words, as I learn something I’m responsible to return it to God’s Kingdom for others to use it.  This network gives me an awesome forum to do just that.
• I have been reading and preparing for this network like never before. In anticipation of this tele-coaching network I’ve been learning so much that I can’t wait to share with the group.
• I am addicted to the Kingdom results that come from these networks. In coaching over 400 pastors in the last few years, I have a unique and overwhelming opportunity to see how God is working all over the country (and around the world for that matter) through the leaders I get to coach.

I hope you’ll join me in praying for these coaching participants and alumni, the entire CLI family (that includes you) and the Kingdom as a whole, that God will use us all like never before to impact the world for Christ this fall!

P.S. There is still time to apply for this Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network if you act fast.  Download your application here: www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching

Coaching Alumni Highlight

This is it – my new Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network begins this Thursday (August 20) and I hope you are going to be a part of it.  With that in mind, here’s today’s coaching alumni highlight:

Terry Friesen was the Founding and Senior Pastor of Marsh Creek Church near Philadelphia, PA.  He recently accepted the call as Senior Pastor at the Palmyra Brethren in Christ Church in central Pennsylvania.  Based on his track record, I’m excited to see how God is going to use Terry to lead Palmyra to the next level.

Keep up the good work, Terry!

Terry Friesen
Senior Pastor
Palmyra Brethren in Christ Church
Palmyra, PA
www.palmyrabic.org

My Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network begins on Thursday and there may still be a spot left for you if you Apply Now! Here’s the link to download your application:

www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching

Coaching Alumni Highlight

Here’s a fellow laborer and coaching alum right here in New York City:

Tyrone Stevenson was born and raised in Brooklyn.  After a successful stints in the Navy and the banking industry, Tyrone answered God’s call to ministry.  He has been at Hope Christian Center since 2001 and has led the church to a revitalized and renewed focus on reaching the lost with the Gospel.

It’s great to work with leaders like Tyrone to reach the people of this city for Christ!

Tyrone Stevenson
Pastor
Hope Christian Center
Brooklyn, NY
www.HopeChristianCenter-NYC.org

Still not sure about applying for my next Tele-Coaching Network?  We’re only 10 days away — it starts August 20.

If you still have questions, check out the Tele-Coaching Q & A video I shared last week HERE.

For more info and to Apply Now, CLICK HERE.

Coaching Alumni Highlight

Here’s another of my coaching alums that’s really doing some great Kingdom work:

Terry Drost is the Senior Pastor of Peckville Assembly of God in Peckville, Pennsylvania. His family has a long history of leadership in that church and Terry has been on staff since the mid-90’s. Since stepping into the Senior Pastor role in 2005, he has led the church to growth and expansion, renewing God’s vision for their community.

Keep reaching the people of the Mid-Valley for Christ, Terry!

Terry Drost
Senior Pastor
Peckville Assembly of God
Blakely, PA
www.PeckvilleAG.org

Still not sure about applying for my next Tele-Coaching Network?

We’re only about 10 days away — it starts August 20!  If you still have questions, check out the Tele-Coaching Q & A video I shared earlier this week HERE.

For more info and to Apply Now, CLICK HERE.

Tele-Coaching Q & A [video]

I know you’ve heard me say this already, but I’m so pumped about my upcoming Tele-Coaching Network for Senior Pastors!  And judging by the amount of email and phone traffic, many of you are excited about it as well.

Through all that feedback, there have been a number of common questions about the network.  With that in mind, I grabbed the video camera and recorded this brief video answering the Top 10 questions you have asked about the tele-coaching network:

Hurry, network starts Aug 20 – send over your application today!

For more information and to Apply Now, visit:
www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com/telecoaching

Check out this article…

I read a great article last week over at Church Multiplication Network. Here’s a re-print for you:

Even Tiger Woods Has a Coach

by Dave McNaughton

I have enjoyed sports for as long as I can remember. While playing football and baseball I had dozens of coaches. Many of them were colorful characters and had equally colorful vocabularies. Most of my athletic coaching conversations cannot be blogged about on the CMN site due to vocabulary sensibilities of some, but I will say that some of the conversations were actually quite motivational. Fortunately, I can tell you about one of the most important coaching conversations that I had with John Goodner, one of my high school football coaches. Coach Goodner was an excellent high school coach that ultimately went on to be a very successful college coach in the Big 12. He was a straight to the point, no frills kind of a guy. He believed that talk was cheap and hard work was the key to winning – not some pep talk. He did not try to be a motivational speaker. Ironically, a very simple comment of Coach John Goodner has stayed with me for my entire adult life. Commenting on the off-season workouts, he said, “If you are not moving forward, you are actually moving backwards”.

Coach Goodner was trying to impress upon the team the importance of working hard and getting better as a team. It is a concept that has never left me. He would say, “we cannot control how much ability that we have, but we can control what we will do with the talent that we have been given. We cannot control the talent level of our competition but we can outwork them.”

I am not sure if Coach Goodner knew that his philosophy of continual improvement was the foundational philosophy for Toyota. The principle of continual progress, known as Kaizen, is a daily activity that goes beyond simple productivity improvement to creating a culture of collaborative effort; a culture that values making changes, monitoring results, then adjusting as opposed to a top down command-and-control process. Large scale pre-planning and extensive project scheduling is replaced by smaller experiments, which can be adapted more quickly as new improvements are developed. All that I know for sure is that principle is true and it works.

Both scenarios have several points of commonality; taking personal responsibility for becoming better, not being satisfied with the status quo and accountability to the team. They both have coaches.

How can I move forward in my life? Coaching.

Coaching is a structured relationship designed to help the person being coached to move forward, to reach the goals that they have set, and to reach their potential. With all the things that are remarkable about Tiger Woods, probably the most remarkable is the fact that he has a coach. The coach may change from time to time but he always has one. Why do you think Tiger Woods has a coach? Tiger Woods is taking constructive feedback from a golfer he could undoubtedly beat with some regularity were he to compete against him. Imagine what it must be like to not only be the very best in the world at what you do, but to be humble enough to admit that you can get better, that you don’t know it all.

How about you? Are you moving forward or backward?

Is it time for a coach? Only if you want to move forward!

P.S. If you hurry, you can still apply for my upcoming Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network (click here). It starts on August 20.

Not a Senior Pastor? You can find other coaching opportunities HERE.

Coaching Alumni Highlight

Today’s coaching highlight is Rob Huffman. Rob is the founding and Senior Pastor of Clearview Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.

He’s a former youth pastor and evangelist who has spoken throughout North America and abroad.  These days, he is an enthusiastic and committed church planter.

One of the best things about the coaching experience from my point of view is getting to observe the personal and church growth that takes place in and through guys like Rob during and after the networks.

Keep up the good work Rob (and don’t neglect the Sabbath)!

Rob Huffman
Lead Pastor
Clearview Church
Chesapeake, VA
www.ClearviewChurch.info

Hurry – You have less than 3 weeks left to apply for my next Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network (it starts August 20).

For more information or to apply now, visit:

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/telecoaching

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.com

There’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:

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/telecoaching

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.com

Have you applied yet for my upcoming Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network?

For more information or to apply now, visit:

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/telecoaching

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:

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/telecoaching

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:

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/telecoaching

Sunday Coaching Alumni Highlight

It’s Sunday, so it’s time for me to tell you about another one of my recent coaching alumni.

This week’s highlight is Heath Davis.  Heath is the founding pastor of Pinnacle Church in North Carolina and a former Marine (so don’t mess with him).  After meeting in rented facilities up until now, Heath is leading his church through their first building campaign.

Keep working to reach the people of western NC for Christ, Heath!

Heath Davis
Lead Pastor
Pinnacle Church
Canton, NC
http://www.mypinnaclechurch.com

Won’t you consider applying for my upcoming Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network?

For more information or to apply now, visit:

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/telecoaching

Sunday Coaching Alumni Highlight

It’s Sunday, so I get to share another one of my recent coaching alumni with you.

David Kim pastors another church right here in Metro New York.  It’s exciting to be able to partner with guys like David to maximize the Kingdom impact throughout our city and beyond.  Keep up the good work David!

David Kim
Lead Pastor
Promise International Fellowship
Queens, NY
http://www.pifny.org/

Will you consider applying for my upcoming Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network?

For more information or to apply now, visit:

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/telecoaching

Sunday Coaching Alumni Highlight

I have begun sharing some of my recent coaching alumni each Sunday, and today’s highlight is from just outside of Philadelphia, PA.

Craig is an example of a pastor with an eye toward the “long view.”  He has been at his church for over 30 years, from two dozen attendees to over 3,000 – Keep up the good work!

Craig Bishop
Senior Pastor
Branch Creek Community Church
Harleysville, PA
http://www.branchcreek.org/

Will you consider applying for my upcoming Senior Pastor Tele-Coaching Network?

For more information or to apply now, visit:

http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/telecoaching