3 Truths about the 21st Century Guest

•The 21st century visitor: 3 Truths About Guests Who Come through Your Door

Pastors and Church Leaders, READ UP:

Our generation has more people who are skeptical and indifferent toward church as well as more people who are really hungry for the truth. 

There was a shoe salesman who went to a small village where no one had shoes. He phoned back and said, "No one here has shoes. No opportunity here." Another shoe salesman went and phoned back, "No one has shoes here. Lot's of opportunities here."

It's all about perspective. America is more like the setting in the book of Acts than ever before. There are more unchurched than we have seen in our Country's history. We have to be aware of our culture and meet our culture where they are at with the Gospel. We have our greatest opportunity ever. 

In order to do this you have know the people who will come in the door of your church each week. 

Here are 3 basic attributes of those who come through your doors: 

1. They are Skeptical: 

•Our generation is skeptical of preachers and churches. They have every right to be too. High profile preachers have been caught in scandals, affairs and embezzlement. Because of these facts people are a little less "trusting" up front. They may have even been hurt by a church or pastor. So, we have to realize that because of these experiences the guest is evaluating every word and action. Don't take it for granted that they just believe you. They don't. Their arms are folded and they are arguing with you the whole time while you are speaking. 

2. They have more Options:

•There are a lot of really great churches in our communities. That's the truth. I know we all feel our church is the best but there are so many great, godly and missional churches in our communities. Most folks under the age of 50 are not looking for their denomination affiliational church. They no longer move to a community looking for the Southern  Baptist, Methodist or Pentecostal Church. So, they usually are looking for a church where they can feel comfortable and grow. So, church shoppers are now the reality of most guests who come in the door. You are one of five they are going to try out. This is even true of the unchurched. We have tons of stories where the totally unchurched mapped out 3-5 churches after research on the internet and they ended up choosing us. They have options. 

 

3. They are Searching: 

•People really want truth this day and time. They are searching for authentic leaders to follow. They also are very informed. Our generation has more access to knowledge than any other generation in history. They can search and find seven different views on a topic  while you are speaking. This means that we must not treat people in our congregation as "idiots." They probably know as much about the Bible as you do. Share the history of the account you are teaching on. Make a bridge between that world and their world. Finally help it help them practically. They have felt needs. They are hurting somewhere. They are searching. Pray each week that God would help you help them find Him in their need. 

The Secret to Understanding Demographics

The Secret to Understanding Demographics

Let's get to the point. Demographics are misleading. I didn't think so four years ago. I had the best demographics for our church plant. I studied them and even memorized certain portions. But it didn't prepare me and truth be known it didn't even help me. Yes. I said that. They were misleading because I was not taught the secret of demographics. 

If you view demographics as just numbers, stats and ratios then you will be misled. 

The culture behind the numbers and stats are more important than the numbers themselves. For instance, you may have "City A" with 40% of the population 20-40 years old. So, you assume that you will mostly reach that group. So you sit in an office and make a plan based on those demographics. After a while you find out why you are not reaching that group. You moved from "City B" and reaching that group is like shooting fish in a barrel. You pop up a church and boom- they come. It's not happening here in "City A." Why? The culture is totally different. 

You need to put culture to your demographics. You can't exegete your culture by numbers on paper. You have to be baptized in that culture. For those pastors and planters who grew up or pastored previously in the city they do ministry in it's much easier. But if you are a church planter or accepting a pastoral assignment in another area then you need the numbers and stats but don't make any assumptions based on your previous culture. 

4 Things to Remember: 

1. All cultures are unique and different. Chicago and Atlanta are metro cities but totally different. Their cultures are very different. Find out what makes the culture unique there. Certain portions of the US have culture pockets. Some pastors work better in their culture pocket. A pastor from NY may not do very well in a Southern rural town just as the country preacher from a rural town may not make it in Seattle. 

2. Don't base your target on demographics alone. 

Get baptized in the culture. I worked for a government agency helping folks who were unemployed get back to work. I saw hundreds per week in South FL. I quickly realized the culture and my estimation of demographics were wrong!

3. Talk to the locals. 

Talk to pastors, natives and pilgrims. When I planted my first church I resisted the wisdom of local pastors. Granted most of them were very negative and cynical but I did not listen. In my most recent endeavor I just sat in onunch meetings and asked questions. Also, listen to the natives. Read responses to online newspaper articles. Find those who have been there for years and ask them questions. Also, talk to Pilgrim's. find out why people are moving to your community.

4. Don't ignore demographics. 

At first glance of this article it may seem that I am downing demographics. Not so. Learn them. Memorize them and adjust accordingly. 

The secret is to know the culture of each people group in the demographic that is represented. This is an ongoing task. Don't think you have it figured out after 3 months or 6 months of being there. You will continue to exegete and excavate that culture that will give you more insigt on the numbers and percentages. So, never recite numbers with out attaching the local culture if every group represented.

Effective Service and Powerful Adversaries

...for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. (1 Corinthians 16:9 NASB)

Paul told the Corinthians that he would stay in Ephesus until after Pentecost (May) because a great door had been open for "effective" service even though there were many or great adversaries. If you read the history of Paul's time in Ephesus you will find that it was VERY difficult. He was in a stadium where everyone was shouting louder than he could talk, "Great is Diana our goddess (paraphrased)." He was beat in Ephesus. This was physically. Even though he seemed to face rejection and physical harm, he stayed. Why? That's the worst church planting or ministry deal ever!

He had "effective" service. Paul was seeing people come to Christ despite them losing everything. Despite the loss, they were in love with following Christ. Everything centered around Diana or Artemas in Ephesus. Your job, your friends and religious upbringing. They lost it ALL. He was seeing "effective" service.

I believe the key to overcoming "adversaries" is seeing "effectiveness." If someone is able to see progress and effectiveness they will be able to withstand adversaries as well.

So, look at this for a moment. Where does your greatest frustration lie? I bet it is not fundamentally in your adversary, but in the lack of effectiveness in accomplishing your mission. Adversaries look bigger and more intimidating when effectiveness of mission is lacking.

Focus on:
What excites and motivates you?
What drains you emotionally?
Why are you discouraged or depressed right now? What is the root cause?
What do you need to see happen in the next 3 months that would bring a "spark" to your organization?
Where will you start hunting for new ideas?

The key to finding effectiveness, if you are stuck, is embracing empirically tested ideas that can help you fulfill your mission. When I survey pastors, and leaders in the church world (that's where I work), their frustration doesn't come from a lack of prayer or Bible Study, but rather ideas that can help them become effective.

I spoke with a friend recently that was excited to help a pastor set up a "tent revival." I am not saying that is bad. Hear me. What I am saying is that we are in the 21st century and that was a great idea 60 years ago. With over 3,000 doors of churches shutting each month, is that the best idea? My point is this: We can't live off ideas from 60 years ago to succeed. No business would do that. Why would people who serve the Living God do that? Effective service is the key. Ask the question, "Is this the BEST way available to us to accomplish our mission or are we regurgitating ideas from the past in an effort to try to be effective?"

Pray that God would help you see the REAL, Kingdom impact you are making now and that He would lead you to the right resources to help you become more effective in your mission. Adversaries look a lot smaller with the effective service happening.

RESOURCE OF THE MONTH: "Right Message, Wrong Method," by Craig Walker of www.UpwardChurch.org

Full if great ideas for church leaders

Lesson from the Oklahoma City Thunder

I was watching the NBA Western Conference Finals and saw some interesting things happen.

There was the young, inexperienced Oklahoma City Thunder and the veteran, Dallas Mavericks playing against each other. One thing that spoke to me was in the final game where OKC had a huge lead and ended up blowing the lead in the 4th quarter. The reason they lost that game and ultimately the series was because they were easily shaken.

They were up by 15 points in the 4th quarter, but when Dallas made a push and things were not going so well, the OKC Thunder reverted to a passive mode of basketball. They stopped attacking. They stopped being aggressive. They started playing not to lose and instead of playing to win.

This is the story of many of us in leadership. If we hit a bad streak and people start acting crazy (pastors, you know what I mean) and things are not going well, we revert to a passive mentality. We lose our edge and aggressiveness. We back down from the vision we have and let our thoughts become dominated with the bad that is happening.

If the OKC Thunder would have realized they had the lead and the upperhand, they probably could have cruised to victory, but instead they moved into a "passive mode."

When you hit the "slump," make sure you re-focus on your vision and calling to the ministry you are at. Make sure you plan some "active" ministry for your ministry and keep moving forward.

Play to win; not to 'not lose.'