Catalyst is Over

Catalyst is OVER and it was an AWESOME time.

Make sure to check out the Catalyst Live Blogging Site for recaps of all the speakers.

[Click on photo to enlarge it.]

A Blessing

May today be all you need it to be!

May the peace of God and the freshness of the Holy Spirit rest in your thoughts, rule in your dreams tonight, and conquer all your fears.

May God manifest himself today in ways you have never experienced.

May your joys be fulfilled, your dreams be closer, and your prayers be answered.

I pray that faith enters a new height for you; I pray that your territory is enlarged. I pray for peace, healing, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, true and undying love for God.

You Are Voting For Him?

The general election in the U.S. is just around the corner and it's clear we'll continue to be inundated with campaign advertisements about the many candidates and ballot issues until Election Day -- but are you ready to cast your ballot?

Voting is both a right and a privilege -- the basic form of involvement in our democratic system of government, as well as our duty as Christians. When we vote, we help determine who will lead our nation, make our laws and protect our liberties, as well as directly decide on numerous ballot issues.

With this weighty responsibility, it is absolutely critical that we exercise our right to vote this election year -- as well as understand where our candidates stand on the issues that matter to values voters.

There are links on the right column of this Blog for the Democrate and Republician Platforms. Read both Platforms, then vote your Christian conscience. Cast an informed vote. Do your research. Don't just go by what you've heard.

Also, you may visit the CitizenLink® Election Central Web site, where you'll find information to help you choose the candidates who best line up with your beliefs, convictions and values. You may even want to print the information and take it with you to your polling place. This is perfectly legal and may save you time as you cast your ballot.

On November 4th, don't forget to vote your values!

P.S. Please forward this to your family and friends to remind them to vote on Election Day as well.

How will this economy affect local churches?

Times are tough. You need go no further than the front page of your favorite news site to see that.

So what's a church to do?

You might be thinking, "I'm not a church planter! We've been around for forever!" Well, money is tight, so maybe it's time to act like you just started with your church.

Here are a few ideas to keep your ship going straight as the financial waters stir:

1. Just because you do it now doesn't mean you have to keep doing it. Sure, you've been printing bulletins every single week since forever. And you've always bought coffee for 2,000 people (just to be safe) when your attendance is 500. But just because you offer an event, service or product doesn't mean you have to keep offering it. Re-evaluate where your money is going and your return on investment.

2. Go digital. If you can offer it online, do it. There are no printing costs and no materials costs. Obviously, you can't do everything online, but this might be the time to push your church a little harder to embrace technologies that are closer to free. And the things you've been giving away free, you might not be able to do anymore. Think fresh about your costs and price structure. Is it really essential you offer that resource for free instead of at minimal cost? Do you even need to offer it?

3. Think outside of the tithing box. Some Americans are giving up their house to keep tithing. But let's be honest, 5% of adults tithe, and a small percentage of those would give up their house before their tithe. So you're going to need to find new revenue streams. Selling resources and innovative fundraisers are just the tip of the iceberg.

4. Communicate, communicate, communicate. So many people think the church is all about money. Let people know the sacrifices your staff is making, and remind them that you aren't doing this to get rich. Make your financial information available and accessible, and be honest with everyone about funding your mission.

Church should be as cheap as possible without feeling cheap. The organizations who strike the perfect balance will be able to weather the current financial woes.

[from Church Marketing Sucks by Joshua Cody]

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and candlelight vigils are being held throughout the month to remember victims of domestic abuse.

For the last two decades, October has marked a time when people in the nation come together in the fight to end a tragedy that spans every culture, profession (including clergy), race and ethnicity and is happening daily whether in the form of sexual, emotional or physical abuse.

It's time to talk about it from the pulpit and the pew.

Counseling can help. A therapist will educate men and women concerning actions and behaviour modification.

READ MORE

What People Mean

One of the things I’ve learned from the past 30 years of ministry is that sometimes what people say isn’t what they really mean. Things like:

What They Say: “I’m looking for a church that preaches the Word!”
What They Mean: “I’m looking for a church that preaches MY view of the Word. I think the BLANK translation should be used … I think BLANK should be talked about a lot while BLANK should be ignored. And if you ever stop preaching my view of the Word I will leave and tell others that you don’t preach the Word!”

What They Say: “Lot’s of people have been coming to me and saying they don’t like is …”
What They Mean: “I basically only have three friends…and all of them think exactly like me. The other night we were enjoying a time of self righteousness because, after all, we are right about everything … and were also slandering you (in the form of prayer requests) and thought it would be wise to approach you with our pet peeve. We’ve actually talked to no one else about this but said “lots” because we wanted to validate our dysfunction.”

What They Say: “I’m leaving the church.”
What They Mean: “Beg me to stay. If you will just ask me I will share with you several ways you can compromise God’s vision that He’s given you, thus becoming nothing more than a people pleasing pastor who is more interested in popularity than obedience. If you don’t bow to my demands I will remind you that I tithe and that the church needs my money, reducing you to a mere preaching whore … one who is paid for a service for the pleasure of another person.”

What They Say: “I want a church that is more focused on discipleship.”
What They Mean: “I want a church where everyone knows me and how important I am! I don’t want to reach people who are different from me, be it economic class or race or even musical preference. I already know WAY more than you do … but I somehow equate spirituality with knowledge rather than application and I rather enjoy feeling intellectually superior to those who don’t know as much as me.”

What They Say: “Don’t take this personally … but …”
What They Mean: “I am about to lower the BOOM on you … but you can’t get angry because I told you not to take it personally. Even though you have dedicated your life to this and pretty much invest every ounce of energy you have to this cause … and I think about it once or twice a week … you need to receive my attacks, even when they are personal … and you cannot retaliate because, remember, it’s not personal.”

[From Perry Nobles Blog via forwardleadership.org by Jason Isaacs]

Andy Stanley on Leadership

Andy launched Catalyst 2008 with a great talk on leadership. Quotable…

• We want our leaders to have consistency between what they say and what they do.
• At the end of the day, everyone is a volunteer. They can quit at any time.
• Authenticity is a powerful leadership dynamic.
• Nehemiah got mad and asked the leaders to stop over-charging the people. They immediately complied. Why? Because for 12 years, Nehemiah had been living an authentic life in front of them. He had moral authority.
• As leaders, we must be the men and women who never carry into the future the hurt of the past.
• Perhaps the boldest leadership move you could make is to get on your knees and let go of your hurts.
• Men: If your wife feels like your church is your mistress, you are part of the problem you are trying to solve.
• If your kids feel neglected because of your time at the church, you are part of the problem you are trying to solve.

[from LeadingSmart by Tim Stevens]

New KidPak CD Released

Shaun McKinley has anounced that Free Chapel (Pastor Jentezen Franklin) has released a new kids CD.

Shaun, Stephanie, and Reagan traveled to Gainesville, Georgia to celebrate the cd release of “Sun Shining Bright,” a worship CD by the children’s ministry at Free Chapel. Stephanie’s brother, Tony, is the leader of this amazing group.

Shaun writes:

"Last night I had what has to be among my top three experiences in Children’s Ministries. I was able to go to the release party for the KidPak worship CD “Sun Shining Bright” at Free Chapel in Gainesville. Tony, the band, and dance team of over a dozen kid, led those kids directly to God’s throne. The kids responded to the worship call, and stayed focused for the one-and-a-half hour worship concert. It was truly awesome!

"If you ever get the chance to visit this ministry, I highly recommend it. I was intrigued, the ministry operates a little unlike some of the larger churches I have visited. Seems to be a little less restricted, but works! I want to go back soon to experience an entire children’s worship service."

[http://www.twomckinleys.com/]
[http://www.freechapel.org/kidpak/band.aspx]

Gold Nuggets From Catalyst

Building A Great Church

Jim Collins is the author of Good to Great and Built to Last, and spoke to the Catalyst crowd of 12,400 leaders on Thursday morning. Here are a few golden nuggets:

· Not all time in life is equal.
· Good is the enemy of great.
· Greatness is not a function of your circumstances; or good luck; it is a function of a choice.
· Within every organization or company that is great…you will find a culture of discipline.
· Most overnight successes are really about twenty years in the making.
· It took 7 years for Sam Walton to open his 2nd store. It took Starbucks 13 years before they had 5 stores.
· How do the great typically fall? It’s not through complacency. It is typically over-reaching that derails great organizations. Going too far, too fast.
· A great organization is more likely to die of indigestion of too many opportunities rather than starvation of not enough opportunities.
· #1 sign of over-reaching and the start of decline: When you grow beyond your ability to have the right people in the right seats on the bus.
· It is the undisciplined pursuit of more that will kill an organization.
· We need to spend more time on who and less on what. If you have the right who, they will figure out the right what.
· The people who do well in difficult, unpredictable situations are never any better at predicting the future than anyone else.
· We are in turbulent times. The years 1945-2000 were an anomaly. The convergence of stability and prosperity. It is unlikely we’ll see this again in our lifetimes.
· The greatest CEO’s from the greatest companies in history had one distinctive characteristic that separate them from other leaders. The trait is humility.

[from LeadingSmart by Tim Stevens]

Insight Into Today's Pastor

I moderated the listening process for a number of pastors from all faiths last night. The pastors responded pretty much the way the community at large responds: appreciation for the values of the community, commitment for education, role of the churches in community life, ethnic diversity. These were countered by concerns for limited educational funding, the disintegration of families, the rise in gangs and drug use, challenges associated with population growth, etc.

I concluded the discussion with a set of questions on what is unique about ministry, culminating in a discussion of personal needs as ministers. The central response might surprise many people, including pastors. These pastors said their greatest need was for a friend, someone to talk with.

A few years ago the Pew Foundation did a multi-denominational survey of pastors and found pastors within all faiths have a strong desire for friendship. They feel isolated from mutual human contact, relationships of shared concern and open and honest dialog. The Church of God Theological Seminary duplicated the extensive Pew pastor’s survey with the same results. Our pastors feel they need a friend, someone with whom they can be real and just talk.

My own suspicion is that American pastors are carrying the burden of the declining influence of Christianity on American society. Congregations are stressed to their limits to maintain buildings and programs and project an image of relevance and success. An unhealthy professionalism has infected ministers. Pastors have voluntarily been molded into the role of CEO’s and are finding it lonely at the top. The gulf between the clergy and the congregant is widening, and competition between churches further isolates the pastor.

How can we nurture healthy congregations if pastors feel isolated from church members and from each other? Jesus prayed “that they may be one.” Let us pray that our pastors and congregations find their way back into authentic Christian fellowship.

[Jackie Johns]

A Ministry to Refugees in the Country of Georgia

Missionary John Doroshuk reports that Rusa has been in Cerovaniwhich, 20 kl from Tbilisi. They visited the place where new housing is being built for refugees from the Ckhinvali region.

The government is assisting for these people before winter sets in, to move them from tents to houses. However, the people do not have furnishings nor appliances. The ministry provided some small furniture -- tables, chairs, and beds.

Also, they visited a tent-town in Gori and distributed towels, sheets, pillows and other necessities. People are in mush distress. They are cold. They cannot send their children to school. And when the ministry brought them gifts, they took them quickly.

Additional needs were documented. Mostly they need cloth and hygiene supplied. All of them have physiological problems.

Thank you to everyone who has helped. If you feel impressed to help in some way, contact missionary John Doroshuk at mincoordinator@attglobal.net.

What Is The Best Method of Growing Your Church?

As far as I know, there isn't just one method that will make a church grow. Church growth is primarily a result of church health.

Another huge factor is your demographics. It is easier to grow churches in dense areas of population verses in areas with less people.

One of the best books ever written on church growth was The Purpose Driven Church by Pastor Rick Warren. It deals with all of the basic principles for growing a church. Here is a short summary of the book:

- First, you must turn your community into a crowd.
- Secondly, you must turn that crowd into a congregation. (Get them to visit a worship service.)
- Thirdly, turn the congregation into a committed group.
- And finally, turn the committed into a core group of volunteers and leaders.

On a different note, probably the two key departments in your church that effect growth is your music ministry and your children's ministry. Focus on both of these ministries for highest returns on your visitors.

Brian Cutshall has a seminar on DVD called "Structuring Your Church for Growth," that will give you more in depth details on this subject.

Here is the link in case you are interested: Structuring You Church for Growth

Cherokee Legend

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally , after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Top 10 Ideas for Clergy Appreciation Month

Clueless! That’s how many churches feel as they contemplate how to express gratitude to their cherished leaders for Minister Appreciation Day each October.

To the rescue! Diana Davis, author of Fresh Ideas: 1,000 Ways to Grow a Thriving and Energetic Church, offers her top ten suggestions.

Fresh Ideas

10. Lots of letters - On Sunday before Pastor Appreciation Day, distribute stamped envelopes addressed to the pastor. An instruction note invites each church member to write and mail a personal note of encouragement and appreciation to the pastor this week.
9. Award T-Shirt - Special order a “Best Pastor in _______” t-shirt,cap, or plaque, and present it with flourish.
8. Original Art - Laminate bookmarks created by the children in your church, featuring their art and signatures. Allow kids to present the bookmarks to the pastor personally.
7. Church in a frame - Prepare a beautifully framed photo or painting of the church building. Even better: take a group photo of church members in front of the building. Use extra wide matting and ask every church member to sign the mat before adding glass.
6. Very merry commentary - Purchase a full set of Bible commentaries. Allow various groups, such as Bible classes, committees or church organizations, to present one book of the set, individually wrapped with their personal notes of appreciation on the inside pages. You may consider buying individual copies of the Holman Old Testament Commentary the 12-Volume boxed set of Holman New Testament Commentary.
5. PowerPoint Presentation - Create a PowerPoint presentation of slides of the pastor(s) in action as a minister during this past year. Choreograph it to music, such as “Thank You for Giving to the Lord.” Play it as a pre-service video.
4. Public Thanks - Take out a full-page ad in your local newspaper, featuring a photo of your pastor and a declaration of your church's love and appreciation. Even better: Add every member’s signature on the ad.
3. While You Were Out - Do a surprise office makeover, with the pastor's wife's input, of course. Hanover Baptist Church in Indiana surprised their pastor with a new home office while he was out of town, complete with paint, décor, furniture, and computer.
2. Million M&Ms - Think of one small thing your pastor enjoys--M&Ms, fishing lures, coffee, etc. Ask each member to bring that item on Sunday, i.e. one bag, any size, of M&Ms. Supply extras for guests or forgetful members.
1. Thirty days of Appreciation - Use an October calendar to schedule volunteers for a month-long schedule of surprise treats. Each day of the month, the pastor will receive a surprise token of appreciation from a church member, committee or group within the church. The tributes will vary widely—a balloon delivery, a shoe shine, an apple pie, a gift. After a whole month of pleasant surprises, won't your pastor feel appreciated? And won’t God be honored by your acts of love for his servant? Don’t forget to include a sincere note with specific reasons you appreciate the minister’s spiritual leadership, dedication, time and commitment.

Honor God by honoring His servants, with a thoughtful, personalized encouragement that fits your unique church and pastor.

[By Diana Davis]

Clergy Appreciation Month is dedicated to uplifting and encouraging our nation's spiritual leaders

Pastors and their families face incredible pressures. They often feel overwhelmed by unrealistic expectations and demands and frequently battle burnout. So, while prayer support is important throughout the year, Clergy Appreciation Month is dedicated to uplifting and encouraging our nation's spiritual leaders.

The Rev. H.B. London, vice president of pastoral ministries at Focus on the Family — and cousin to Dr. James Dobson — was interviewed recently by CitizenLink about Clergy Appreciation Month and the importance of honoring your pastor.

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