Category: Church Chat

Stuck in the Mud

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As a boy growing up in Eastern Kentucky, my brother and I often rode bicycles and motorcycles in the mountains. Occasionally, we would get bogged down in a muddy area and get stuck. Regardless of what we seemed to do, we weren’t going anywhere. At that point, we had to try something different in order to get unstuck. Sometimes a simple push would do the job, but one time we had to hook a rope to my motorcycle and pull it out with a truck. The goal was always to get unstuck, so we could keep using the bicycles and motorcycles for their intended purpose–speeding along the trails.

Studies indicate that 65% of churches in Kentucky and 75% nationwide are “stuck” (plateaued) or “sinking” (declining). Not surprisingly, 55,000 churches will closed their doors between 2005-2020.

Churches that are “stuck in the mud” usually do not have a plan of ministry while those that have “traction” do! Here are some questions that will help as you think about a ministry plan.

5 Questions to Ask if Your Church is Stuck

1.  Does your church have a ministry plan? You know the saying, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail!” Also, “if you aim at nothing, you’re probably going to hit it.” A ministry plan does not have to be elaborate or complicated, but a Biblical plan that can be understood and followed can be the KEY to moving a church forward.

2.  Does your plan have a leader? The senior or lead pastor is the key person in developing and communicating the ministry plan. He is not the only person who is important to the process, but he is vital for success. John C. Maxwell says that anyone can steer the boat, but it takes a leader to chart the course.”

3.  Does the staff know the plan? Many church staffs are working hard, but they’re not working together–not working in the same direction. To move a church forward, the staff must be moving in the same direction. The staff must plan the work and work the plan–the same plan!

4.  Do the members know the plan? It is common for the ministry plan to be lost between the staff and the pew. The plan must be communicated over and over, again and again.

5.  Does the plan shape our decisions and ministries? Sometimes the most difficult question is not what do we do, it is what do we no longer do? “Churches tend to function day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month, and year-to-year doing pretty much the same things. They assume that existing ministries continue to be sufficient for today’s needs and tomorrow’s opportunities” (Gary L. McIntosh). Being busy is not enough! We must not just do good things; we must do God’s things, i.e., the ministries to which God has called us!

Let me know if we can help you in any way as you strive to get your church unstuck!  You can reach me by email or at (502) 489-3571 or toll-free at (866) 489-3571.

5 Ways to Follow-up

Posted in Assimilation, Church Chat, Church Consulting, Church RevitalizationLeave a comment

The KEY to all guest follow-up at church is to obtain the contact information of the guest, but what do we do with the information the following week? Here are a few suggestions that I have practiced during the years.

5 Ways to Follow-up with Guest Contact Information

1. Send a personalized email (Monday). Send an email on Monday just after lunch. Make sure to personalize the email as much as possible by using the name of the guest throughout and by mentioning something you talked about if you met in person at the service. Jot down a quick note after talking to a guest at the weekend service, so you can remember it in the Monday email.

2. Send a handwritten note with a gift (Wednesday). Write a brief note and mail it on Wednesday, so the guest will receive it on Thursday or Friday. Include a $5.00 gift card from your local ice cream shop as a special treat. There is something special about receiving a handwritten note since very few people write them in today’s fast-paced world.

3. Invite them to attend again. Make sure that you personally invite them to attend again the following weekend or a weekend in the near future. Do that in both the email and the personalized note. Say something like “John, again, I’m so glad you attended this past weekend and I want to personally invite you attend again real soon.”

4. Make a personal visit. Depending on the culture, a personal visit can be a good practice. Make it a doorstep visit and drop off a nice church information packet. As always, be sure to invite them to attend again real soon.

5. Remember their name next time they attend. This is hard work, but it can be accomplished with good organization. Make a list of the guests who shared their contact information along with the weekend they attended. Carry this on your phone or in your Bible. Look over the list often and memorize as many of the names as possible. Utilize the list when needed without letting the guest know that you are doing so.

For more posts on similar topics, also see:

Six Keys to Obtaining Guest Information

Churches and Car Dealerships

4 Things That Should Happen In the First 7 Minutes

7 Minutes and Counting

5 Keys to Begin Making Disciples

Posted in Church Chat, Discipleship1 Comment

Have you ever discipled someone one-on-one?  1-2-1 discipleship is arguably the most effective discipleship method.  If you are interested in this approach, here are 5 things to consider as you get started:

  1. Pray that God will lead you to the person He wants you to disciple.  I cannot overemphasize the importance of prayer in this whole process, so focus the process toward prayer from the very beginning.  God will match you with the person He wants you to disciple.
  2. Start by being a friend with that person (man to man, woman to woman).   By nature, this method works through relationships.  If God leads you to a person with whom you do not have an established relationship, take time to build a friendship before proceeding.  Don’t rush this step! For obvious reasons, this method works best man to man or woman to woman.
  3. Read a book together.  One great way to add structure to this approach is by reading a book together.  You can choose a book of the Bible or a good Christian book to read and discuss.
  4. Suggest classes at church.  When helpful discipleship classes are offered at church, encourage your friend to attend.  Better yet, attend a class or conference together and discuss the material during your 1-2-1 meetings.
  5. Model Christ to them in real life.  Involve your friend in your life and model Christ in your day-to-day living.

Prayer: “God, stir our hearts and help us to get real about your command to make disciples!  Lord, teach us that we cannot personally disciple everyone, but we can disciple someone.  Lead us to that person and give us the courage to get started for Your glory.”

For more posts on this topic, also see:

5 Reasons to Disciple One-On-One

The Skinny on Spiritual Growth

Grow Up

Make A List

Churches & Car Dealerships

Posted in Assimilation, Church Chat, Church Revitalization, Evangelism, Funny, Ministry, Preaching, Worship1 Comment

Car Salesman

Is there anything in life more frustrating than buying a car? Last week my wife and I attempted to replace one of our vehicles. It seems that every time I step on a car lot it tests my Christianity–that day was no exception. At one point during the “trial,” while the manager was making a dramatic last-ditch effort to make a sale, I wanted to ask “do I have the word stupid tattooed on my forehead or something?” I kept my cool, but I sent him back to his secret manager’s lair without a sale.

Don’t misunderstand, I realize dealerships are in the business to make money and salesmen are just trying to earn a living. I don’t fault them for that, but the truth is, buying a car is about as much fun as having your fingernails pulled out with a pair of needle-nosed plyers. Through the years, I have owned various brands: Chevrolet, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda, but my experience was usually the same. I believe both car dealerships and churches might benefit from some of the things I wanted to say to the dealership that day:

  • I’m not the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. Believe it or not, I actually have a brain. I’ve done some reading and research in my life. I can think, evaluate, and make decisions. Don’t talk down to me.
  • Give me some space. Sometimes I like to window-shop a little before being bombarded with the “sales pitch.” I expect a “sales pitch” and I’m ok with that, but just give me some space first. Let me just “kick the tires” for a while. If I really like them, I will buy them from you and a car to go with them!
  • Be honest with me. We all know the stereotype that car salesmen are dishonest. In many cases, they probably earned that reputation. The church is sometimes viewed the same way, so honesty is paramount to me.
  • Don’t play games and don’t play me. There’s nothing I hate much more than “being played.” Almost everyone I know feels the same way. Car dealerships, churches, salesmen, and preachers should be transparent and genuine.
  • Give me the facts and give them to me fast. How long can it possibly take to calculate the value of my trade-in? I looked up the Kelly Blue Book price on the internet in 5 minutes before I left the house! Don’t go on and on–it won’t change the facts. Give me the facts and I’ll make a decision.
  • Sell, but don’t oversell. I came expecting a sell, but don’t go overboard or you will turn me off for sure.

Boy oh boy…..I feel so much better now that I got that off my chest. Thanks for allowing me to vent. Let me end with this question, “how often does an unchurched person want to make these same statements to us after he visits one of our churches?”

Biblical Marriage Resources

Posted in Church Chat, Church Consulting, Discipleship, Ministry, PreachingLeave a comment

RingOne of the more challenging issues facing Southern Baptists today is same-sex marriage. Churches need to protect themselves legally while showing proper Biblical grace toward the LGBT community. Read Dr. Chitwood’s response to the recent Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in America.

To assist churches, we have created a marriage resource page on our Kentucky Baptist Convention website that includes the following:

  • Videos from Protecting Biblical Marriage conference held May 22, 2014
  • Sample Marriage/Wedding policies and guidelines
  • Sample Facility Use policies
  • Videos by Richard Nelson, executive director of the Commonwealth Policy Center

If you have any questions, please email me at steve.rice@kybaptist.org or give me a call at (502) 489-3571.  Also, as you develop resources, please send them to me so we can share them with others.