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Winter's Last Gasp

Wed, 04 Mar 2015 20:28:12 +0100

As I sit here on my day off listening to the rain fall I know that as the temperature drops we will soon have ice. It’s the time of the year I would like to be out in the yard working on spring time projects, but those will have to wait until another day.

This is winter’s last gasp…one more time to close down churches, schools, ball games, and other activities. One more time to get the propane tank filled to avoid being caught in the cold. One more time to make jokes about people running to Walmart and buying all the bread and milk like we all will be snowed in for a week.

Ah but then come spring. The daffodils stubbornly pushing their way up through the frozen ground brings the promise that the season is upon us. Spring is symbolic of new life in Jesus as the world we know as cold and dead becomes warm and alive. Dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ is vividly painted by the brushes of spring.

But winter still gets its last gasp. Sin often rears its ugly head as we are about to accomplish something good for Christ, Satan tries to get in one last blow—one more jab before he goes down for the count.

As you see things moving forward in your small church, don’t be surprised if something unexpected goes wrong near the end. It’s only winter’s last gasp and will soon be replace by the sweet song of spring.

Is It Good to "Force" People into Duty?

Sun, 13 Jul 2014 19:25:22 +0100

As many of you know our church has moved to our new building recently. For several years we met in a one room facility. Now we have space for other things than just worship, notably for our children.

This blessing brings with it a dilemma…workers to take care of the kids. One night we had several kids show up with no supervision. Who would have a class for them? Would it be the lady who already tended to them on Sunday morning or the one who runs a daycare and works with children ten hours a day five days a week and looks forward to her adult class at church? Those were the only real options.

Either way we were either going to have to put someone on the spot or not minister to the kids. Our Sunday school teacher did the job but it left me wondering: Is it right to “force” people into duty?

Now I know the dear lady who stepped up would say she wasn’t forced…she did it for the Lord and I know that’s true. Still I can think of many times someone has taken on a job because if they didn’t it would go undone. Like the man who taught a Wednesday night class for boys at one church…he didn’t feel led to do it but couldn’t just let the kids go unreached. So he took it on for several years until someone came along who said they felt led to do it.

At one time I would’ve said if no one is impressed of God to take it then it should be left alone until someone does. Problem is that doesn’t always work. You can’t just ignore folks who need ministry now. So what do you do?

I am throwing this question out for my readers. What say you?

Which Andy Griffith Character Best Describes Your Leadership Style?

Fri, 04 Jul 2014 20:08:49 +0100

Something a little light for the holiday.

I love to watch old reruns of The Andy Griffith Show. The goings on in small town Mayberry keep me amused no matter how many times I may have seen an episode. The characters represent a cross section of Americana. Which one are you?

1. Andy. Andy is the star of the show—everything revolves around him. When something goes wrong the folks in the community look to him for answers. He often has good insight into a situation and is able to help everyone resolve it in a way that is works for all. He makes mistakes and doesn’t mind admitting it. He sometimes gets irritated and doesn’t know what to do, but in the end he usually makes the right decision.

2. Barney. Barney is full of energy. He takes his job seriously—sometimes too seriously. His impulsivness sometimes lands him in trouble. He reads a lot about ways to improve his job and tries at times to make what works in a big police station fit his small office. He is bad to speak before he understands the big picture, but he always means well. He has a big heart and with some loving guidance can usually be shown the best way to handle a problem.

3. Aunt Bea. Aunt Bea is the queen of hospitality. If someone is sick or in need she will be the one cooking a meal or whatever may help the physical situation. She would be the person bringing blankets to a family in a disaster while others would be saying “I’ll pray for you." She often has insight and advice for the Andys of this world. Though comfortable in a behind the scenes role, she is more than capable of being in charge.

4. Gomer. Gomer Pyle works at the local gas station. Back in those days these establishments all had mechanics on duty and Gomer had that job. Gomer was socially awkward except when he was in his element. Talk to him while pumping gas or working on an engine and he could go on all day. He was fine at the barber shop and at the court house. But take him on a date and he can't think of much to say. He is very good at what he does--recognized for his mechanical skills. He has a talent (singing) that many are not even aware of that if he would use more could be a blessing to others.

5. Helen. Helen Crump is the local school teacher. She's educated and bright and has a passion for her calling. She angers too easily and is guilty of using her ire to get what she wants. Even though she usually gets her point across and all ends well, she probably could have gotten the same results and caused less stress for herself and everyone else with a calmer approach.

All of these characters have strengths and weaknesses. The key to effective leadership is to build on your strong points and always be aware of the negative. Now how's that for a deep post?

Weeding Out the Church--Handling Tough Members

Fri, 27 Jun 2014 04:42:19 +0100

Recently I’ve been working on my lawn. I live in the country and work on a limited budget. When we moved here my wife and I sowed several patches of bermuda grass and let nature do the rest. But as time passed, weeds also began to grow and so, using a small garden sprayer and over the counter chemicals, I try to kill the weeds for the benefit of the good grass. Here are a few lessons to learn about weeding out the church.

1. The Weeds Come Up Even Though You Didn’t Plant Them. By weeds I am of course referring to people who need discipline in your congregation. These folks come whether you invite them or not. You will have planted perfectly good seed and watched with joy as it came up. And then boom…out of nowhere the trouble makers show up. You can kid yourself all day but rest assured, you WILL deal with this issue sooner or later.

2. Left Unchecked the Weeds Will Hurt the Good Grass. Last year was tight money wise. As a result I skipped my annual spraying and you could tell the difference this season. There were places in my yard that were almost completely taken over by the weeds. Other places that didn’t have hardly any now had some. Many church leaders turn their heads away in hopes that the problems will just disappear. But that just doesn’t happen and if you set idly by the whole congregation will be affected.

3. You Need to Choose the Right Way to Handle the Problem. There is no one right way to handle all situations (sorry about that for you who were reading to find the magic formula). For weeds in our flower beds the best approach is to carefully dig them up with a spade. For my yard a hand held garden sprayer with mild chemicals works. For the big lot next door a tractor with a large spray rig is called for. And for the ditches a powerful chemical that kills just about everything is needed.

The same principle must be applied to dealing with trouble makers—there is no one size fits all method for dealing with them. Of course you should always follow the pattern of Matthew 18:15-17. But beyond that you have decisions to make: do they need a strong word or a mild rebuke? Will digging one at a time work or do you need a more blanket approach?

4. The Word of God is the Tool. No matter how you go about it, the Bible is what you use to correct folks. Whether it be a quick single word (the spade), a broader easy touch (the mild chemicals), or a strong approach (the powerful chemicals),it is God’s word that has the power to change hearts. It would by silly for me to turn on the sprinkler hoping to get rid of my weeds. You are wasting your time using anything but the Bible to tackle church problems.

5. The Good Grass and the Bare Ground Will Also Get Some Treatment. I can’t spray my weeds without spraying the bermuda too. When you address the problems it will also affect the folks you are nurturing in the word. But this is actually good for them and will help them grow stronger over time. And as you spray, some falls on places that are nothing but dirt. Jesus said the seed sometimes falls on hard soil and bears no fruit. You can’t worry about that if you want the good grass cared for.

Dealing with problem folks in the church is never easy. But if you’ll do the work you’ll find the results are worth the effort.

Is Church Size a Sign of God's Blessing?

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 03:54:37 +0100

I recently read a post by a Christian man who said it was incorrect to attribute doing well materially to the blessing of God. The premise was that if having things was a sign of God’s favor then a lack of things would have to be a sign of His disfavor. We thus would be spiritual snobs to imply the good things we have are thanks to God. Just think how bad we would make people feel who have less.

As you can probably tell by now I disagree with the author’s take on things. I absolutely believe everything I have is a gift from the Almighty, and I believe the same is true for everybody else. I believe that I have exactly what God feels I need. Thus the person who has more is not blessed more than me for he has what God feels he needs also.

As is often the case, thinking about that post got me to thinking about how it might apply to churches. Are big churches more blessed than small ones? Are megachurches super blessed? Some would say “well of course they are…it’s obvious.” But I don’t think so at all.

Let’s go back to material things for a minute. Abraham had great possessions and the Bible is clear it was because he was highly favored of God. Solomon on the other hand states that it’s better to have little with righteousness than plenty with wickedness. These two truths show that while God does indeed send worldly riches, the lack of them is also a gift. Now apply this to church size. God sends each church just what they need. If you pastor a small congregation you have no reason to feel like you are lower on the ladder than some big church. That megachurch pastor is not more favored by God than you are just because he leads thousands while you only lead dozens. Your church is unique and if it were large it would not be the same. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reach out and bring as many disciples to Christ as possible. It just means that while you do your work you realize your congregation is a blessing from God just as much as any big church.

5 Reasons to Review Your Small Church Music Service

Thu, 12 Jun 2014 03:27:49 +0100

Very few things can get folks worked up like suggesting a change in their church’s song format. It has been known to cause bitter fights and even church splits. So why take on so volatile a subject? Here are five reasons.

1. Your Music may be too Familiar. Sometimes we overkill a song. We sing it so often that it loses its true meaning. This can happen with new songs as well as old. I remember when our church learned one particular song that became very popular, so much so that we sang it a lot. After awhile it began to lose its power. I recall another church singing one hymn so much that one member told me they never cared to hear it again.

2. Your Music may not be Familiar Enough. Every congregation needs to learn new songs from time to time. But too much of this can be very frustrating to the folks in the pews, no matter how good the presentation by the worship team. Do you want God praised or do you just want your way? Think about it.

3. Your Music Choice may not Fit Your People. I’m not quite sure why this point is so hard for some people to grasp. They think that because a particular song or style of music speaks to them that it should also touch everybody else and they get upset if someone doesn’t care for it. Has it ever occurred to you that the reason there are different formats on the radio is because there are different tastes in music? You must learn your congregation and find the songs that speak to them if you really care about being effective.

4. The Songs may be too Difficult. Several small churches where I have served have used the old “Heavenly Highway Hymnal.” One of the things that makes this book unique is the number of songs with various parts in harmony with syncopated rhythm. I fondly remember singing these as a kid but they get passed over today because they are too hard. The same is true for a lot of contemporary songs…they are so difficult that only the musicians can do them. If you want the people to participate you’ve got to keep it where they can take part.

5. You may be Worshipping Your Music Service Instead of God. I have seen this happen with all different styles. People so taken with the service itself that they lose sight of the God they want to praise. Some folks are hung up on a style. Others care about an order of service (“we’ve always sang three songs and then the offering”). Whatever the case, if you’re not careful you will be worshipping the creature rather than the Creator.

If you see any of these danger signs creeping up you may need to prayerfully consider reviewing your church’s music.

Does Anyone Want to be a Healthy Small Church?

Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:48:15 +0100

Recently Karl Vater, one of the most respected names in small church ministry, was asked to speak at a conference hosted by Rick Warren's mega church: Saddleback. He did a great job and was able to touch a number of people with the need for small churches to be healthy before they grow (or even if they do not grow).

I think this is great! In fact, when I saw that Karl was on the program I just about did cartwheels across the living room! It has been my experience that most people are only interested in how can my small church get bigger, not how can my small church get better?

I am trained in the Church Growth school of philosophy. In fact, I wrote my Th.D. dissertation on a Church Growth subject. I am all for reaching more and more people for Jesus. But I came to realize a long time ago that outreach and numerical growth do not always go hand in hand. I watched as one disheartened pastor after another gave up because their small church did not become a big church.

This gave me the idea for my first attempt at ministering to small church leaders. There was no internet at the time, no blogs etc. You basically communicated by word of mouth, set up a table a gatherings of pastors, etc. to get the word out. People would come by my table, take the literature I had printed up, and talk about how needed this ministry was, and they were glad someone was finally doing it.

Thing was, none of them ever called on me to help, nor did any of their friends. You see, they were not interested in getting better...they wanted to get bigger. To have a speaker on small churches come would be admitting they had no vision, no faith, no belief that they were "just around the corner" from that growth explosion that would make them one of the "big boys."

And sadly, I have not seen much of a change in all these years. After starting back again a few years ago with Small Church Tools, the results are better, but not a lot. There are several very good ministries headed up by such men as Karl, Dave Jacobs and others. And I am glad to say that several books on the subject have done very well. Those are encouraging signs.

But for every blog, book, ministry, etc. that is out there to help small churches be healthy, there are a dozen more for how to grow your small church into a big church, I still watch people try one new program after another hoping to find the "magic" formula to catapult them over the top.

Which brings me back to the question that is the title of this post: does anyone want to be a small healthy church? Are we so consumed with size that we cannot see the value of what we have? In the business world, should every small store owner in America strive to be the next Walmart? Is there something wrong with them if they don't;;;do they lack vision, faith, courage, or belief?

If a church is small because they will not reach out, that is unhealthy. But if a church is healthy but small, should they hang their heads in shame?

Our Sad Society

Sat, 07 Sep 2013 04:09:25 +0100

I don't know what made me think about it. For some reason I started googling some odd terms. Christian nude, Christian porn, Christian swingers...these all had websites promoting their causes.

Really? I mean come on, how in the world are you going to justify such rubbish as being authentic expressions of the teachings of Jesus. The answer is of course that you can't. These, and other so called Christian terms have nothing to do with the Bible or the author thereof.

But these sites say a lot about the state of Christianity in the world today, especially in America. The appetites of man often take precedence over the word of God. Jesus warned about such in the book of Revelation and said that He would throw such into a sick bed and eventually bring death upon them.

Yet the depravity marches on. But there is an answer. The gospel of Jesus Christ is far more powerful than the forces of evil. It is a matter of getting the good news out once again that Jesus saves, that He can take a messed up life and turn it around. Paul Harvey used to report some bad thing in the news and follow it up with something good with the statement "wash your ears out with this."

We need to help Christianity to wash itself out too. And the vehicle to make it happen is the good old gospel of Jesus.

My Book Finally Published

Sat, 07 Sep 2013 04:09:53 +0100

Way back in November of 2011 I told you that I had written a book "Surviving and Thriving in the Small Church." I said that I was working on getting it published. Well a couple of years later the day has finally come.

I tried conventional publishers. They would take my book, look it over, tell me how fine it was, and then let me know they were not going to print it. After a while I just put it aside and moved on to other things.

But lately I got to thinking about it again and checked out self publishing. I decided to go with Kindle--they seemed to be very user friendly for someone with no experience. The process was not hard, and now my book is out there for those who might be interested.

I love the small church ministry. Small Church Tools was born out of my desire to encourage those involved in ministry to congregations that are smaller. My book has the same purpose.

If you decide to get a copy, please let me know what you think. God bless!

Don't Have a Medicare Mentality

Sat, 07 Sep 2013 04:10:12 +0100

Besides my work as a small church pastor I also work in a medical supply store. One thing that has always struck me as odd is a policy Medicare has. It's not worded this way, but what it boils down to is that you can only get worse, not better.

Let me give an example. If your doctor sees you getting a little feeble he can prescribe a cane and medicare will help pay. Later on if you get worse, he can prescribe a walker. If things keep going down he can order a wheelchair. And if things go really bad the doctor can prescribe a hospital bed. Medicare will help with all of these.

But let's say it goes the other way. You start out ill but get progressively better. You are in a hospital bed but can get around now in a wheelchair. You continue to improve and can now get around with a walker. As time goes by you get so much better you only need a cane. Great, right? The thing is, this time Medicare will not help. If they have ever helped pay for a bed, they won't pay on a wheelchair. If they have paid on a wheelchair they won't pay for a walker, and so on.

I know a lot of small church leaders who have this same kind of mindset. In their minds things can get worse, never better. They do not expect to see growth at their church--and they are not disappointed! After all, we are in the end times (this reasoning goes) and the Bible speaks of people falling away, not standing sound doctrine, etc. If you ask them why things are going down at their church but up at others they will say things like "we preach the truth...people can't stand it in this age."

Problem is, a lot of the churches reaching people are Bible based congregations that "preach the truth." What has happened? We have fallen into the wrong mindset. Like Medicare we have decided things can only get worse, never better.

Let's not adopt this defeated attitude. Instead let's look to the Lord of the church to work in our congregations as He sees fit and do all we can to reach this generation for Jesus.