A Pastor’s Passion for Small Groups

01Dec09

The senior pastor's love for small groups is the biggest factor in predicting their success.

There are many different approaches to church growth, some more affective than others.  Here at South Hills, we have a simple three point approach which is to  1.invite people to one of our weekend services,  2.promote small groups, and 3.encourage  involvement through serving.  We have found that the more connected someone feels, the more likely that person will continue to attend our church and/or church in general.  For that reason I frequently, enthusiastically promote small groups in our weekend services and other venues. The following article excerpt by Josh Hunt, www.joshhunt.com has some great insight to the importance of small groups.

Sticky Church
Rick Warren taught us that to grow a church, you need to think about five concentric circles:

• COMMUNITY Those living around your church who never or occasionally attend.

• CROWD Those who attend your church regularly but are not members.

• CONGREGATION Those who are committed to both Christ and membership in your church family.

• COMMITTED Those members who are serious about growing to spiritual maturity.

• CORE Those members who actively serve in ministry and mission in your church.

The idea of disciplemaking and church growth is to move people ever closer to the center.

What Larry Osborne adds to the conversation is this: it is a whole lot easier to grow a church by concentrating on the inner rings– moving the crowd to the congregation and so forth, than it is to concentrate on the outer ring — moving the community into the crowd.
Much church growth thinking concentrates on the opposite — how to attract a crowd. I think Larry Osborne is right in saying that the fastest path to growth is to concentrate on the inner rings.
This seems to be the way Jesus operated. He concentrated on the few more than the masses. This was Robert Coleman’s theme in the classic work, The Master Plan of Evangelism.  While not ignoring the masses, Jesus seemed to concentrate his energy on the few. As time went along and the cross grew closer, he seemed to concentrate more and more of his energy on the few.
My own research corroborates this approach. I did a survey where I asked four questions to five hundred churches:

How many attend?
How many attended a year ago?
How many visitors do you have?
How many join?

I discovered there was very little difference between growing churches and non-growing churches in terms of their how many visitors they had (calculated as a percentage of worship attendance). There was a huge difference in terms of how many stuck around. They big difference was in what I called the “Velcro factor,” not the “magnet factor.” This is the theme of Larry’s Osborne’s book, Sticky Church.

How to Make a Church Sticky
Here is my answer: invite every member and every prospect to every fellowship every month. Have a party once a month and make sure every member gets invited. If we can get them to the party you would not be able to keep them from class.
Here is Larry Osborne’s answer: sermon-based small groups.
Larry spends five chapters discussing how small groups change everything. People grow in small groups. Small groups need to be right-sized. Small groups dispel the Holy Man myth. Small groups dispel the Holy Place myth. And so forth.

The last half of the book is why sermon-based small groups make a church sticky.
At this point, I am feeling a little stupid. I read the book twice, then skimmed it to find the answer to this question: WHY? Why are sermon-based groups better than other kind of groups at getting visitors to stick around?

Here is my take: sermon-based groups are no better or worse than other types of groups. The key variable is the Senior-pastor cheer-leading the groups.
Imagine two churches. One has a Senior pastor who is a real cheerleader of groups. He regularly attends a group and regularly tells stories about his group from the pulpit. These could be home groups or Sunday School style groups, open or closed groups, any type of groups. They key thing is, the pastor is a huge fan of groups.
Down the street we have a church that follows the sticky church model to the tee. They attend the conference. The staff all read the book. They attempt to implement the plan as carefully as they can. But, they can’t get the pastor really on board. He does a little push at first, but then he looses interest. His interest is the worship service. Groups are not that important to him.
Which church do you think will have the best groups?
Groups don’t work at North Coast because they are sermon-based. They work because the Senior pastor cheerleads them.
That is not to say that sermon based groups are a bad idea. They are not. But, they are not the silver bullet. The senior pastor’s love for groups is the single biggest factor in predicting the success of groups at any church–not the details of the model. Pick a model, any model: old fashioned Sunday School, Cho’s small groups, Carl George’s meta groups, Northpoint’s (Andy Stanley) closed group model, neighborhood groups, or any other–and get the pastor thoroughly excited about it and I will show you a model that is working.

One closing thought, small groups are an important source of connection and growth for the people of your church, and it is highly valuable for them to here this from the pastor who leads them.

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“Encourage every member to join a small group. Not only do they help people connect with one another, they also allow your church to maintain a ’small church’ feeling of fellowship as it grows. Small groups can provide the personal care and attention every member deserves no matter how big the church becomes.”                                                                                                                                          – Rick Warren

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Thanksgiving and the Joy of Living

26Nov09

Live Daily With a Heart of Gratitude

In 1921 Pilgrims and members from the Wampanoag tribe came together to give thanks.  They were thankful for a good harvest, they were thankful for the freedom to worship God as they chose, and after such a difficult journey, they were thankful for each day that was given to them. A while back I was reminded of this in my own life, and I wrote about it in the book In Search of Higher Ground…

My  good  friend Wes Beavis once said to me, “Chris,remember that the path you are on is a marathon not a sprint, it is a journey not a destination.” He was encouraging  me  at  a  time in my life where I was so  focused on tomorrow that I was not enjoying today. I must admit that I fall into this trap quite often. I will find myself so focused on the future, and as soon as the future becomes the present, I focus on the future again. It is a trap that robs me of the joy of life.  I must constantly be reminded by those  closest to me to keep reaching forward in the race, but don’t forget to enjoy it.

Remember, that although we want to obtain our goals to see our dreams become reality and to be known as a Higher  Ground climber, we must never become so busy with our futures that we forget the present. There are marriages that need to be nurtured and children who desperately need our attention. There are friendships that need to be cultivated, love that needs to grow, and joy that needs to blossom. Our Creator did not make us to be so over burdened by life that it robs us of the joy of living.

I am thankful for my wife and two children, who have a perfect way of lifting me to Higher Ground while keeping my feet on Solid Ground. My wife wants me to succeed, but never allows me to forget what really matters in life. She helps me remember what I always say to others,”No one on their death bed wishes they had spent more time at the office.”  Let me encourage you to keep reaching for Higher Ground, but never forget to water your own ground – the ground you call home, family, and friends. Water them with your love and affection, and your journey to the top will never lack the joy your life was meant to have.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Until Next Time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.
- Edward Sandford Martin

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Tags: enjoy life, gratitude, joy, Personal Growth, personal relationships, thanksgiving

A Realistic View of Influence

23Nov09

The number of your "Followers" is not a true reflection of influence.

One of the many qualities of a good leader is having a realistic view of your influence. You should assess how much influence you truly have verses how much you think you have.  You should also be aware of your God given gifts, and know that it is not always the person on stage every week that has the greatest influence.  The following is an article from Dan Reiland (one of our Celera Group coaches) regarding true influence.

“Gaining and Losing Influence Part 2″

by Dan Reiland
Do you Twitter? If yes, you can follow me @DanReiland. If you don’t Twitter, you may want to check it out and give it a try. www.twitter.com If Twitter is new to you, let me tell you about it. It’s a social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and receive messages of up to 140 characters known as Tweets. Most Twitter enthusiasts do this with their cell phone, but you can also use your computer. You set up your own profile page and blast away. Some who twitter annoy the tar out of others by tweeting 30 – 40 – 50 times a day. Get a life! But most just send a few blasts a day and its great. I’ve received some great quotes, book recommendations, news updates, websites, blogs, in the moment pictures, and of course fun factoids from my friends on what they are doing in the moment that day.

Now this is where it really gets fun. Your subscribers are known as followers. Yes, followers! And it’s easy to get addicted to increasing the number of people who follow you. But let’s be clear on something, just because you have an increasing number of followers on Twitter, that doesn’t mean your influence is on the rise as a leader! I hope you are smiling with me, I’m having some fun here. But I do want to make a point. You may be an influential person. That can gain you a large following on Twitter, but let’s stay solidly connected to the idea of real influence with people who know you, and you lead them in your local church!

Again, I think Twitter is fun and can be very useful. On most days, I post a few Tweets, hopefully some add value to you and others are just for fun. But there are things in life like Twitter that can give a false indication of your real influence. For example, when people stand in line after church to shake your hand, and tell you how great the sermon was, that might not be a true indicator of your real influence! Or, in contrast, you may have a board member stirring up trouble for you and that too is not an accurate picture of your true level of influence in the church. As a leader you are responsible not only to understand the level of your influence but why you are gaining or losing it.

In Part 1, I dealt with losing influence. In this article I want to offer some thoughts on gaining influence. It’s difficult to surpass the insightful and practical teaching of John Maxwell in one of his classic lessons on leadership called “The Five Levels of Leadership.” It progressively shows what larger influence looks like and why your influence increases. I’ll list them here for a quick review.

Level 1 Position People follow you because of your rights.
Level 2 Permission People follow you because of your relationships.
Level 3 Production People follow you because of your results.
Level 4 People Development People follow you because of your reproduction.
Level 5 Personhood People follow you because out of respect.

In Positional Leadership people follow you because they have to. In Permission Leadership, people follow you because they want to. In Production Leadership people follow you because of what you have done for the organization. In Leadership that Develops People they follow you because of what you have done for them. And in Personhood Leadership, people follow you because of who you are and what you represent.

That’s a brief review of John Maxwell’s teaching. If you’ve never studied it, you may want to get a copy of his book, Developing the Leader Within You. It’s a great book.

It’s difficult to improve on the five levels as a framework for assessing and increasing influence, so I’d like to take the five levels and deliver similar ideas with a slightly different twist. I’ve gained so much from John’s leadership, I’d love to make a contribution by passion these thoughts on to you.

• Who you are

Leadership always begins and ends with you who are. I mean just you, at the core, undressed from all the world’s cloaks, titles and trappings. On the outside you may receive a title, but your character will determine if you earn the title and use it well. If you are weak in discipline you will soon surrender your title to someone who really wants it. Your motives will determine how long you last in leadership. I doubt that you lead out of a need for popularity or power. But you may lead from insecurity, a need to please, or perhaps a need to control. When you relax in a self-aware, self-loving, and self-disciplined life, the “who you are” that God made you is exactly as it should be. This will allow you to get out of your own way, and the person God created you to be will blossom into the leader you need to be and your influence will naturally begin to rise.

• Your relationships with other people

In the local church environment we all know that relationship rules. If you don’t pay attention to relationships you won’t lead large or long. Volumes are written on getting along with people, but none of it is rocket science. The list goes like this: “Listen, smile, know people’s names, see life through their eyes, give more than you take;” you could easily write the list yourself. These things are true and important, but they all wrap into the big idea of whether or not you really care and if you are willing to put others before yourself. Honestly, that’s tough. It’s not tough for an hour or a week, but year after year after year can wear on you. It’s easy to start resenting everyone taking, until you remember that’s what you signed up for. Here’s the key insight, people aren’t so much taking as you are giving. That perspective matters because it’s your choice. You chose to be a leader. Give freely for the best interests of others and people will want to follow you, and your influence will increase.

• What you accomplish

This is easier to discuss and measure than the first two, but certainly not easier to achieve on a consistent basis. You can be a good person, and have great relationships, but at some point you have to get something done. Leaders make things happen and what you make happen matters. What does the church need? What is the vision? What are your responsibilities? What are your strengths? What are the available resources? What does God say? The convergence of the answers to these questions is not so much like a treasure map that you just figured out, but more like a divine appointment in the process of your ongoing leadership journey. Your journey is made up of dozens, hundreds, literally thousands of these divine appointments where your efforts align with God’s power. That is the process of getting things done that matter. When you go after progress like that your influence begins to grow like crazy. No excuses, just progress.

• How you invest in others

You can’t leave any of the five points out, and since they are in sequence it’s not smart to rank them, but for me, this is where the process really comes alive. When I invest in the development of other people – other leaders, it all begins to make sense. It’s a reciprocal process, it’s full circle, not one direction. We don’t become good leaders for the sake of becoming a good leader. We become good leaders so we can help others become good leaders and together we build a church that is faithful to God’s purpose. When you know what it takes to lead, it’s all but a miracle to see someone come to Christ, mature in their faith, choose to give themselves away and lead for other than their own gain. That is radical, period! When you invest yourself into others in such a way that helps them rise up and effectively lead for life-change, the influence you are given is huge. This is not rock-star influence, its influence that is gained in the trenches helping people become “bigger, better, and stronger” people.

• Who you are

We’re back to where we started, who you are. When I was a young leader I thought it was all about the people discovering who you are as a leader and deciding if they will follow. I now think it’s more about the leader discovering who they are as a person and leaning into that Divine design. Not in a narcissistic way, but in the way of a servant learning how to give. When you fight God’s intended purpose you waste so much time. I see church leaders who want to be on a stage and speak and God wants them to sit with a small group and teach. I see others who want to lead a staff and God wants them to organize plans in relative obscurity. I know that is over-simplified, but what I’m trying to say is that being yourself is the most freeing experience you can imagine and there is no end to what God can do in you and through you. People have such profound respect for leaders like that because, frankly, it’s just not that easy. The pressures of long term successful leadership are tough and leaders often throw in the towel in one way or another. So hang tough. Keep leading. Be yourself and don’t lose heart.

Until next time,

Chris Sonken

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.
- Ken Blanchard

• The Pastor’s Coach is written by Dr. Dan Reiland and is available via e-mail on a free subscription basis. You can subscribe by going to www.injoy.com/newsletters/aboutnews/

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Tags: church growth, Habits, influence, Leadership, Personal Growth, Techniques of effective leaders

What is Higher Ground?

22Nov09

The view is better from the top

What is Higher Ground? It is anything good and positive that you desire for your life. It may mean financial freedom, early retirement or the ownership of personal property. It could mean the beginning of a business, that up to this point, has only been a dream. Higher Ground may be the corporate ladder that is waiting for you to climb, the book that is waiting to be written, the idea that is waiting to become reality. It could mean a better way of life, a healthier marriage or successful parenting. It may be freedom from an addiction or an overcoming of a past hurt that continues to damage the future. Simply put, Higher Ground is the place where you live out your dreams. Higher Ground is different for everyone…its path is different, the obstacles vary, and the surroundings rarely look the same. Although it varies in size, shape and color, what it takes to get to Higher Ground is most often the same. Dreams, goals, taking risks, letting go of fear and insecurity, good character and mental attitude, the right motives, and accountability, are all things you must place in your backpack as you journey up the mountain to this place called Higher Ground.

Many years ago, I was invited to go on a long backpacking trip. Those who know me well, know that I am not much of an outdoors person. My idea of the outdoors is lying by the pool at the Marriott. To be a part of this backpacking trip, I was told I would have to attend an orientation meeting in which we would receive instruction on what to bring and how to prepare. Beyond my better judgment, I attended this meeting and received the information. The guide for the trip had divided up the list of who would bring what. Each person was assigned various tasks and duties to help make the trip a success. I purchased 21 of my assigned items, and in a few short days I found myself on a week long backpacking trip that I will never forget. We drove all night to the mountain we were to climb, until finally we arrived. With very little sleep we began to climb the mountain. For the next 8 hours all we did was climb. The guide and the few who had been on a trip like this were doing fine. Myself and the others who had never been on a backpacking adventure felt like we were dying. After hours of climbing and complaining we finally arrived at a sight where we unpacked, got cleaned up, and had an opportunity to eat. Even though it wasn’t very comfortable, we slept like babies through the night. The next morning however, the guide woke us up and told us it was time to pack up and continue the climb up the mountain! I honestly thought that we had arrived the day before, that we were not going to climb anymore. I tried to reason with the guide, I asked him what is the difference between staying here and climbing higher? The trees look the same, the ground looks the same, what could possibly be different by climbing the mountain any higher? After much pleading, complaining, whining, and anything else I could do to change his mind, we moved on. We continued to climb all day until we arrived at our final destination, just about sunset. I was so tired that after eating and getting cleaned up, I went immediately to sleep. The next morning I awoke and realized that we were at the top of the mountain.The guide was absolutely right. The trees looked different, the air was cleaner, the surroundings only something I had seen on a postcard.

I realized something that morning that I will never forget, that the view is always better at the top of the mountain. Somehow you forget all the work that it took to get you there, when you finally arrive at Higher Ground! The first characteristic to reaching Higher Ground is found in this story of my mountain top experience. You see, the difference between me and the guide, was that he had been to the top and I had not. He had a picture in his mind of what it looked like and I had never seen it. The mountain top was a place he loved, a passion he had, a dream that so captured his thoughts, that fatigue would not and could not stand in the way. You see, that’s the power of a dream. It becomes your compass, your passion, your love, your guide and your thoughts. Dreams become a sense of purpose and direction for where your life is headed. Without a dream, life becomes something to be endured, not enjoyed. Life becomes something where we get by, but not ahead. The first step towards Higher Ground is knowing your dream and being committed to it.

Exerpt from: “In Search of Higher Ground”

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you.”

- Tom Bradley

Filed under: Leadership, Personal Growth, choices, dreams, vision   |  2 Comments
Tags: choices, dream big, goals, motivation, Personal Growth, Planning for success

What Great Leaders Do

17Nov09

Scuba instructors teach each student the same basic lessons.

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to scuba dive for the first time.  I must say that it was quit an adventure.  Something I will never forget.  I attended a 90 minute orientation in which they taught us to breathing techniques and other safety precautions to help us during our diving experience.  After our orientation we headed into the ocean and it was incredible.  After our experience was over I walked by another small group of people who were receiving their orientation for the first time and listened for a moment as they listened intently to their guide.

I noticed that the techniques that they were being taught were exactly the same as what I had received.  What was successful for one group was obviously successful for the next.  I thought to myself, “that is the way it is with leadership.”  The techniques for great leaders are often the same. What great leaders do at one location will be often the same at another.  Success techniques simply don’t change too much for different leaders.

I have listed below some of the techniques that I have seen leaders use.  These techniques will work if you give them a chance.  Here are a few that will help you:

Make others feel important
If your goals and decisions are self-centered, followers will lose their enthusiasm quickly.  Emphasize their strengths and contributions not your own.

Promote vision
Followers need a clear idea of where you’re leading them and they need to understand why that goal is valuable to them.  Your job as a leader is to provide that vision.

Follow the Golden Rule
Treat your followers the way you enjoy being treated.  An abusive leader attracts few loyal followers.

Admit your mistakes
If people suspect that you’re covering up your own errors, they’ll hide their mistakes too and you’ll lack valuable information for making decisions.

Stay close to the action
You need to be visible to the members of your organization.  Talk to people, visit other offices and work sites, ask questions and observe how business is being handled.  Often you will gain new insights into your work and find new opportunities for motivating your followers.

Practice these techniques in your work environment and like the instructions I received for my scuba diving experience…they will lead you to success!

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE FOR THE DAY:

The men who succeed are the efficient few.  They are the
few who have the ambition and willpower to develop themselves.
- Herbert N.  Casson

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Tags: Communication, consistency, Effective Leader, Habits, Human Relations, Leadership, recognition, team building, Techniques of effective leaders, Unlock Potential

Connecting to Your Church through Social Media

14Nov09

Facebook and Other Social Networking Tools are Great Resources.

In today’s world we have so many amazing technologies at our fingertips to help in growing our churches and staying connected to those already attending our church.  My church (South Hills), Celera Group, and myself are all staying connected with people via Twitter, and Facebook. There are other great ways to get and stay connected such as Yahoo groups and blogs. Following is an article written by Bob Mayfield called “Facebook and Sunday School” found at http://bobmayfield.typepad.com The principles here can easily be applied to a small group scenario or even to your church as a whole.

Facebook and Sunday School

Years ago, Bible study leaders discovered a new way to connect with the people in their class… the telephone! Yes, Bible study leaders discovered that they could call every single person in their class in about one evening if they wanted to. They might receive a prayer request from a group member, and then call the rest of their group to share the request. A teacher could contact absentees to see how they were doing. The telephone became a vital part of Sunday School ministry.
Today, another powerful method of communication exists. The tool is the internet and one of the fastest growing ways to contact others and stay in contact is through a social network, specifically Facebook. I am going to take few moments and encourage you to seriously consider using this tool to connect the people in your class. We will also look at some practical ways to use Facebook in your group’s ministry.
How can Facebook help your class or small group? First, it provides a central point where people can go for information. Have a fellowship this Friday and a class member has forgotten what time it starts? Go to your group’s Facebook page and look it up. A Facebook page can be a great place just to put information about your group.
Use Facebook to help you teach the Bible. Do you want your group to do some study or some work before this week’s lesson? Put your questions or requests on your group’s Facebook profile. Perhaps you want the group to follow-up on this week’s study. You can post follow-up assignments on Facebook. You can post some preview information about the week’s study so that your group will be better prepared. Bible memory verses can be shared with your group too.
Post discussion questions on Facebook. You might want to generate some discussion about a particular topic. Post the question and then let your class members interact with it during the week. The people in your group will not only interact with your question, they will also interact with each other’s responses.
Post prayer requests. Using some reasonable restraints, you can post some prayer requests and also answered requests on Facebook. A class member who has been unemployed has found a job. He can put that answered prayer on the group’s profile himself! A parent of another member that the class has been praying for made a profession of faith in Christ! That member can share this great news and answered prayer with the entire group with just one post.
Email everyone in the class at once. A feature of Facebook is the ability to email all of your members with one simple email. Reminders about the upcoming class breakfast before Sunday School can be sent, as well as other needs or reminders. The emails you send are not part of your group’s public profile, so non-group members cannot see them.
Write on your wall or in your group’s discussion box some encouraging notes, meaningful Bible verses, etc.
You can choose if you want your group to be open, public, or closed. Which you choose is determined by how you want to use Facebook. An open group let’s anyone post on the discussion board. A public group lets others view the group’s posts, but only members can write a post. A closed or private group means that only group members can view or write on the group’s profile. If you want to use Facebook as an evangelism tool, obviously the private option is not the best.
Facebook is not perfect, but neither is the telephone. Facebook can be a powerful tool to help you quickly communicate with your group and also provide a way for them to network with each other. By the way, although Facebook is heavily used by young adults, research is showing that the largest growing segment of users on Facebook is women, ages 55-65!
An essential thing for you to remember: if you really want to use Facebook to help network your group, then you must make posts on it frequently and often. The more you use it and refer your group members to Facebook, the more valuable it will become.
A great e-book that you can download for free is: Facebook for Pastors. Yes, it is written to pastors but you can peruse this e-book and learn how Facebook works and also some practical ideas about how to use it.

Until Next Time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“The best ideas are common property.”
- Seneca (5 BC – 65 AD)

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Tags: be resourceful, church growth, community, creative thinking, facebook, small groupd, Social networks, Sunday school, Techniques of effective leaders, Time Management, Unlock Potential

Becoming a “Master Communicator” With Your Team

09Nov09

Make sure that you are having enough face time with your team members.

Studies show that one of the top reasons for divorce among couples in America is poor communication.  This problem with communication is that it not only creates problems in marriages, but it creates problems in the workforce as well.  Learning to communicate with your team sounds easy in theory but is much more difficult for leaders to accomplish than most would think.

It is important for you, regardless of the kind of team you lead or the size of team you lead, that you lead that team from a point of strong, clear and healthy communication.  Here are some ways you can become a “Master Communicator” to the team you lead:

1)  Don’t try to sound “managerial”
You may have some preconceived notion of how a manager should talk, but confident leaders don’t adopt jargon to impress staff and team.   Our message can often get lost in our attempts to sound managerial or knowledgeable.  Be yourself, don’t be a carbon copy of someone else’s idea of what a strong leader sounds like.

2)  Talk with – rather than at – people
People in positions of power often make the mistake of talking “at” others in a direct, abrasive manner.  Telling your team members what you know and displaying your experiences, while forgetting to listen to the opinions of others could cost you leadership credibility.  Stay clear of the “I know this and you don’t” tone.  It is an out of date dictatorship style that will never persuade your team member to loyalty or longevity.

3)  Speak without judging
There are times when the hammer needs to drop and you need to drop it, but the majority of the time you must learn to be more persuasive than abrasive.  You can accomplish this by learning to speak to someone without judging them.  This critical approach will move your team closer to you rather than, pushing them farther away from you.

4)  Don’t disguise direct order as suggestions
Don’t say “This is only a suggestion,” when you mean, “Do it this way or else.”  You will only confuse the team member.  They’ll quickly conclude that they receive more credit when they use your ideas than when they rely on their own.  I am not suggesting for you to be a dictator but when you feel that you need to be direct…be direct.

5)  Limit e-mail
Although technology can make us more efficient, it can also make your team feel less connected to you.  Corresponding primarily through email has a tendency to alienate the needed face to face moments that build the relationships among your team.  I am not saying not to use e-mail, it is a great tool, just evaluate yourself and make sure that you are having enough face time with your team members.

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE FOR THE DAY:

“If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths
rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.”
John D. Rockefeller

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Tags: Communication, Effective Leader, Human Relations, Leadership, motivation, personal relationships, respect, team building, Techniques of effective leaders

Connecting with Visitors

06Nov09

Follow Through is Key in Connecting with Visitors

Statistics show that the majority (91% on average) of the first time visitors to your church will never return. There are many reasons for this…

• not feeling welcome
• uninteresting services
• child care issues

One main reason is simply lack of follow through on our part.  I recently came accross this article at www.churchgrowthideas.com …

Does Your Church Use Welcome or Visitor Cards?

September 24, 2009 by Bill · 1 Comment
Filed under: Uncategorized

Does your church use welcome cards or visitor cards for people new to your church? They can be a key tool to help you connect with new people in your church.

I have attended many different churches over the years and have found that not all churches use welcome cards or visitor cards. By welcome and visitor cards I mean the cards that allow a visitor to fill in their details if they want to know more, or if they want to be contacted.

The most basic of these cards, which are also the least imposing, ask for the visitors name, phone number and more recently e-mail address. Some of the more detailed cards can also ask for prayer requests, what information the person is interested in, marital / family status, address and more. My personal preference is a card that sits sort of in the middle, with all the details on the basic card, plus a section for prayer requests and possibly asking what sort of information the person wants to know. The additional information can always be found out later.

I reckon that a lot of the time the person who fills out a card is not a new visitor. They are often a person who has attended the church a few time, and now is ready to learn more and want to engage more with the church. Well, at least that’s how I have always used them.

Follow Up is Key

One of the keys to making the best use of your welcome and visitor cards is to follow up with the people who fill them out. If you don’t follow up on them then the cards are really not even worth the paper they are printed on…

A few months ago I attended a church with some friends. I filled in the visitor sheet because I wanted to learn more and they had the option to join the pastor for a pizza lunch. I had been following the pastor’s blog for a while and thought I would be really interested in learning more about the church and the pastor.

Unfortunately there was never any follow up from that church. I had to wonder if the lack of follow up happened often and how many people were never able to connect at that church and went searching elsewhere.

The visitor card or welcome card can be a key tool that you use to connect with people new to your church. If used incorrectly though it can isolate and actually push people away.

So, ask yourself this, “how well are we following up with visitors?”

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“When you get right down to the root of the meaning of the word “succeed,” you find that it simply means to follow through.”

- F.W. Nichol

Filed under: Communication, Developing Healthy Churches, Leadership, Team, church growth, weekend services   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: church attendence, church growth, Communication, follow through, Habits, Human Relations, Planning for success, Strengths, take action, visitors

Creating a Pleasant Work Environment

04Nov09

Happy People are Productive People

Disneyland has a slogan “The happiest place on earth.”  Wouldn’t that be a great slogan for your team or company – that your place of work is the “happiest place on earth?”  What do you think your fellow team members or staff feels about the work environment that has been created?  Would they describe the climate of your company as the “happiest place on earth?”

Happy people are productive people.  If you want to your people to be productive, creative, loyal, hard working and full of life and energy, then it is essential to create the healthiest, happiest environment possible.  People work better under the right conditions.  You win, your staff wins, and your customers win…everyone wins!

Here are a few tips to help you create “The happiest place on earth:”

• Be less inclined to give advice and more inclined to take it.
Create an environment that is receptive to advise from others, rather then so quick to give it out.  By doing this you will develop individuals who desire to grow and value the voice of others.

• Identify great qualities in others.
This can be difficult especially with those who are difficult to get along with, but you can do it.  Find the unique qualities with those in your circle.  Applaud those qualities privately and publicly.  Create an environment where people seek the best not the worst.

• Go out of your way to show appreciation.
Be gracious with your words.  Say things like:  “thank you,” “good job,” “I appreciate all you do,” “you make this a great place to work,” and “we couldn’t do it without you.”  Think about it for a moment – words shape lives, add value to people, set the tone and, the greatest thing of all, words are free!

• Promise only what you can deliver
The environment must be one of trust and mutual respect.  This kind of environment is difficult to create if you have people that don’t deliver on their promises.  Be a person of your word… someone that others can count on.

• Have fun
Do something out of the ordinary and have fun.  Shut down the office and take everyone bowling or miniature golfing.  Take everyone out for an afternoon ice cream or to a movie.  Do something fun and out of the ordinary 2-3 times a year and your people will begin to notice the difference.

If you want to create an environment of productivity and creativity, then you will need to make your place of work “the happiest place on earth.”  Enjoy, get creative and think outside of the box.  I promise that if you work hard at making a happy place, your staff will work even harder for you.

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
- George Bernard Shaw

Filed under: Communication, Leadership, Relationships, Team, choices, recognition   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Effective Leader, good work environment, Leadership, motivation, recognition, team building, Unlock Potential

Pitfalls to Avoid When Hiring

30Oct09

Take the time to hire the right person

I remember a time in my organization where we were looking to add to our staff.  After reviewing many applicants we narrowed the field down to three.  After more contemplation and grueling interviews, we made an offer to what we “thought” was our best choice.  He accepted the position and we began moving forward.  He seemed to everyone on the executive team as the person that would add the greatest value to our organization and he seemed to be a fit for all of us.  WOW…where we wrong.

This individual wasn’t a fit at all.  The value I hoped that he would add just wasn’t there.  If I could do it all over again I would not hire that individual and I would have saved us money and time and even some hurt feelings.  One of the greatest decisions a leader must make is hiring the right person.  I have heard it said that “people are always the problem and they are always the solution.”  If you want to move forward with your organization and you want to go to the top, it will be strongly dependent on the people you hire.

Here are some pitfalls to avoid in your hiring process:

Don’t hire out of desperation
Often we put the word out, go through the interviewing process and find that there isn’t much out there.  So we are left to settle for the lesser of two evils.  We end up throwing good judgment out the window and make a hire in desperation to fill the need.  This move will, in the end, cost you more than if you had waited.  Be careful not to make this fatal mistake.

Don’t ignore your personal feelings or gut reaction
If you don’t like a candidate in the initial interview – when the person should be at their best – chances are you won’t like the person later.  I am not saying everything rises and falls on your first meeting, but don’t be afraid to go with your intuition.

Don’t hire someone who has the ability but lacks the people skills
I always say that you can teach someone to run a computer or to organize an event, but it is very difficult to teach someone people skills.  I would rather have someone who needs a few weeks of training to get caught up, but is great with people, than someone who is technically advanced but socially unfit.  Be careful not to let your good judgment be blinded by someone’s great ability.  Their inability to connect with others may cost you more then they can achieve.

Don’t be vague
When you hire someone don’t be in such a hurry that you become vague about their roles and responsibilities.  It is important that they know exactly what they are getting into and what is expected of them.  If you are not clear about your expectations then you will be setting the relationship up for frustration.  Be clear, put it in writing and hold them accountable to it.

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

“You can buy a man’s time; you can even buy his physical presence at a given place, but you cannot buy enthusiasm…you cannot buy loyalty…you cannot buy devotion of hearts, minds or souls.”
Charles Frances

Filed under: Leadership, Team, choices   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: hiring, Human Relations, Leadership, loyalty, staff, team player, teram