So here at Dutch Fork Christian Church we just went through a software implementation for Fellowship One church management software. That was a lot of work, but well worth it. I have used 2 other church management software solutions before this one and I am blown away. I will spare you all the technical details of why I believe it to be better than other solutions out there, but it does everything.
Fellowship One has caused us to really focus on some internal systems that were broken at our church. Having just been to Catalyst 07 a few months ago we all still have Andy Stanley’s message on systems fresh on our mind we are working hard to close some of those system gaps in the areas of guest follow-up and information management. We are by no means done, but we are off to a good start.
What we have immediately noticed was that when the follow-up system was improved people stayed. I bet most of our churches are similar in that there may be a lot of people coming, but people are also leaving. Guests come and go right? Well in our short term focus on follow-up we have noticed more people staying. Guests are coming back over and over again.
We have not changed the sermons or the worship style we have simply implemented a system of follow-up that help fewer people fall through the cracks. I heard Andy Stanley say that sermons don’t change behavior, great worship doesn’t change behavior, systems change behavior. If you are a preacher like I am, that hurts, but it is reality. Our small success in guest retention is simply about follow-up.
Where does you ministry lack good systems? I am working to implement some much needed systems in my student ministry as we have seen significant growth in the last few months. I really believe the the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 has much to say about systems and being prepared for God’s blessing. God will not bless a broken system that will inevitably drop the blessings you are praying for. I want to anticipate God’s blessing and be prepared to harvest the blessing God brings
What leaders need most in their moments of discouragement are others who believe in their vision more than they do.
I know the Sr. leader has to drive the vision, but every leader knows there are days of discouragement. There are always days when the attacks are to much to shoulder alone, when the attacks are personal, and when those who you thought were with you are the ones throwing the stones. That hurt is real. Craig Groeschel and Perry Noble call this playing hurt. They explain that people will hurt you, ministry will hurt you, and most Sr. leaders are always playing hurt. That is just reality.
In those discouraging times Sr. leaders need the other leaders around them to believe in the vision God has given them more than they do. This is exactly what Aaron and Hur did for Moses while the Israelites fought the Amalekites.
Check out Exodus 17:10-13 10 So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. 11 As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. 12 Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. 13 As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.
I want to be that kind of support for my pastor. When he doesn’t believe he has what it takes to do what God has called him to I want to hold up his arms. Sr. leaders need people who in their weakness will hold up their arms and believe in the vision God has given them even when they can not.
