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September 30, 2009

Louisiana Baptist Convention: Social Media in Ministry

I was invited by the Louisiana Baptist Convention to come meet with their Cooperative Program and Stewardship staff about using social media as part of their promotion and funding strategy. I also was given the opportunity to share with the entire Convention staff about the basics of social media in ministry.

I choose to restrict my presentation to the "why" and "what" of social media instead of the "how." It's easy to get lost in all the tools available today. I think it's best when someone first understands the assumptions behind social media and why it is the primary platform responsible for the revolution of communication between people and organizations. If you don't understand the reasons behind the tool, you'll never be able to use it strategically.

I wanted to share my presentation with you. I hope it is helpful to you in your work and ministry.

(Note: I'm not an expert in social media. I have wrestled with it enough to have had success and failure and am willing to share my "war stories" with others.)

Posted by bstroup at 7:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 29, 2009

Top 7 technology tools that help me be efficient

We are all very busy people. I have found 7 tools that I'm convinced help me stay on top of things whether I'm in the office or not, whether I'm traveling or not, whether it's the work week or the weekend. If any of these 7 tools went away, I would notice.

1. Google Voice

Why I like this: One number rings multiple phones; transcribed voice mails; archive all messages and phone activity; conference calls on the fly; call recording; listen to voice mails while they occur and jump in if needed; use to send/receive text messages too; customized voice mail messages

2. Tweet Deck

Why I like this: Monitor key words and phrases being used; create groups to better track conversation; auto URL shortener; monitor Facebook and Twitter accounts; does this all on the same screen

3. Blackberry

Why I like this: A computer on the go; I can do just about everything I can do on a laptop with my Blackberry; I can't imagine life without one

4. Google Analytics

Why I like this: Tells me top content based on reader activity; reader analysis; how the reader found my blog (organically, referral, etc.); reveals unknown referral sources; measures one week of activity against the next and allows me to measure any time period to determine what's working and what's not; identifies key words people are using to find the blog; report is e-mailed to me weekly

5. iGoogle

Why I like this: Customized to what I like; gives me a dashboard and easy access to what I generally use (e.g. Google Reader, etc.) on one screen; let's me have a virtual post-it note pad; houses a collection of hyperlinks that make it easy for me to get to different sites

6. Google Apps

Why I like this: If you haven't discovered Google Apps, you will; The integration of gmail, calendar, DOCS, etc. is priceless; Docs is so robust that you should Google it and see it for yourself; Plus, I can access all this from any computer with internet access, no more "network" access needed.

7. Google Alerts

Why I like this: E-mails me at a frequency I design and in a way I determine best the results of key words and phrases that I want to monitor; I find a tremendous amount of information and content this way

Notice that 5 of the top 7 tools I list above are related to Google. They have done a great job at making technology accessible to me as a "regular guy," not a computer genius, and they have developed programs with the intention of making it easier for me to do my job.

What I didn't list were top tools I use to make it efficient for OTHERS to discover more about what I do and determine if I might be able to help them. That's a completely different set of tools. I'll save that list for another post.

Technology - for me at least - is less about adopting the latest options and gadgets as it is about helping me be better and more efficient doing what I do.

How are you using technology to improve your job efficiency?

Posted by bstroup at 7:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 28, 2009

Special Offerings vs. Regular Offerings

Recently found myself in the middle of a conversation about the impact special offerings have on regular giving. The church is not a stranger to special offerings. For those not familiar with the term, a special offering is when an offering is designated for a special cause or event.

Churches take special offerings for many reasons. Some of the most common are evangelists and guest music leaders, big purchases such as purchasing a church bus or steeple, or even a special mission offering designed to fund a unique community initiative.

The conversation I stumbled upon involved two people who believed exactly the opposite. (Ever happen to you?) One said that special offerings negatively affect regular giving while the other contended just they did not.

Now, we could spend time reviewing statistics from general philanthropic research, but I want to draw attention to some common sense principles to keep in mind when considering special offerings in your church:

1. More options are confusing. Many people believe that more options lead to a great potential for satisfaction. The reality is the we are overwhelmed by multiple options. Making a choice between several "good" decisions leads to anxiety and then remorse, fearing we have not chosen the "best" option. (Barry Schwartz discusses this in his book, The Paradox of Choice.) Giving should be a positive experience.

2. Risk revealing a lack of planning in the budget. Capital improvements, large purchases such as buses and steeples, and mission trips or projects should be thought about in advance. Building your operational budget is your time to work through what those planned expenses will be for the coming year. It's important (and fiscally responsible) to make room for those allocations (including the unexpected) in advance. Taking time to plan on the front end will avoid much of the need for "emergency" special offerings throughout the year. (Good planning leads to confidence and trust in church leadership, too.)

3. Consider the community fund approach. Consolidate all your "smaller" special offerings into one large fund that your allow your membership to give to throughout the year. Be sure to explain what the goals and objectives are as well as how the money will be used. This provides a platform to create a habit of consistent, faithful giving over and above regular tithes and offerings while at the same time offering flexibility to fund specific initiatives defined at the beginning of each fiscal year. In short, it keeps things simple. (Be sure to protect the integrity of this fund and not say it will be used for one thing and then use the money in an completely different way.)

Remember, no one "rule" or practice fits every congregation. A church leader should know his membership and the practice of giving within the church well enough to provide a contextualized plan for funding whatever ministry God has called his church to accomplish.

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September 25, 2009

Google's SideWiki will force church leaders to listen

This is the last straw.

Social Media has changed the way individuals engage with organizations and the way organizations engage with individuals. There are still a few organizations who believe that they still control the conversation. Even if you had a hint of hope that this was true ...

GIVE IT UP!
IT'S OVER!
Wave the white flag of surrender!

Google's SideWiki gives anyone ... ANYONE the ability to comment on any Web page and the entire WORLD can read it.

It gets better ....

You CAN'T do ANYTHING to stop it.

This applies to churches too. I wonder what people will write on the SideWiki of your church's home page?

It's over. The only thing for the church/organization to do is ...

L-I-S-T-E-N!

(Not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe we talk too much anyway.)

Posted by bstroup at 9:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 24, 2009

Georgia Baptist Pastor's Conference: 5 steps to funding a sustainable ministry

I'm leading two breakout sessions today for Georgia Baptist Pastor's at the State Convention Office. I thought I'd share with you the PowerPoint presentation I'm using.

I hope you find this helpful!

Posted by bstroup at 8:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 23, 2009

New! from The Change Group #thechangegroup

You absolutely have to check this out.

Casey Graham is someone who believes in empowering the local church to carry out Kingdom-building work.

As a church leader, you know that part of what you do is cool and exciting stuff and part of that means dealing with the "boring" stuff of church ... stuff like financial management and keeping the books. (Remember that class in seminary ... oh yeah ... there ISN'T one!)

(Note: Financial Management is only boring for people NOT like Casey. It FIRES HIM UP to help churches DO MORE with the resources God has given them.)

Casey started The Change Group with a clear focus to help pastors and church leaders STOP worrying about that stuff that distracts them from the stuff that builds churches ... relationships.

TODAY is the national announcement of The Change Group's brand-new, completely outsourced financial management and bookkeeping system. That means you get to do more of what you LOVE to do and less of what you DON'T. (Why not?)

All it's going to take is a few minutes to figure out of this is right for you. So learn more about how this new service can offer you:

• Quarterly CFO Consulting
• Monthly Financial Dashboard
• Weekly Bookkeeping

(Why haven't you clicked through already?)

Really. Do it NOW!

Posted by bstroup at 8:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 22, 2009

Celebrating post #500 ... Thank you ... Thank you ... Thank you

I noticed that today's post is #500 for the Do More Ministry blog. It's been an amazing adventure that has literally catapulted me into the middle of a conversation I intended to simply listen to, not participate in as a co-creator.

I now lead seminars on the subject of sustainable ministry funding and even ended up writing a book about all that we've discussed. This, in addition to, the best part of my job ... getting to work one-on-one with church staff and lay leadership as they craft a strategy and plan for funding the ministry God has called them to accomplish.

I've made many great friends and have been encouraged by all the notes, e-mails, phone calls, and Tweets, this blog has sparked.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you continue to do so. Here's to another 500 posts!

(500 posts since July 2007. Wow! I can't believe it.)

Posted by bstroup at 8:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 21, 2009

The Future of Church Giving

I really appreciated Jason's post this morning, "Musings on the Future of Fundraising." I think he really drives home the point that it's the responsibility of organizational leader (NOT SOMEONE ELSE) to begin planning how the organization will connect and communicate with its core constituency as the means by which we interact with each other is rapidly changing.

There are only two things driving this change:
1. Technology
2. The acceptance of that technology

The rate of change in both catagories is happening so fast it is almost discouraging at time. BUT this is the work we have been given to do. We lead organizations and are responsible for ensuring the organization or cause's effectiveness and sustainabiliity for the present AND the future.

What are you doing TODAY to learn about new technology? What conversations are you and your core leadership staff having TODAY to plan for the shift that is already in motion?

No one knows exactly what this is going to look like when it's all said and done (if there is even a point in which we will be able to declare "said and done"). The difference - for the church at least - is that we can't rest in historical "slowness" of the church to adopt technology. The people in the pew are demanding it.

Are you choking your church's ministry impact because you refuse to learn and adopt new mediums of communication? If you are, then you are paving the way for an under-funded ministry that will be crippled today and perhaps paralyzed very soon.

The future is now. What are YOU doing about it TODAY?

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September 18, 2009

Education for Ministry: Mobilize Your Membership for Ministry

You've never seen offering envelopes like these!

We are launching new collection of offering envelopes called Education for Ministry. The idea is to create a multi-purpose offering envelope that serves as a critical systematic giving tool as well as an educational piece that reinforces core Christian education goals your church is already teaching. We want to partner with you to help you mobilize your membership for ministry to the person in the pew.

More information about this collection will be coming soon. I wanted the Do More Ministry readers to read this first.

1. Cooperative Program "Every Number Has a Story" Series. Available Now!

This series provide a pew strategy to reseed the conversation about the Cooperative Program by quantifying its impact using the Executive Committee's "Every Number Has a Story" Campaign. This is a three year emphasis and clearly communicates the measurable acts of ministry being accomplished through Southern Baptist cooperative missions efforts.

FREE Supplemental Offertory Moments available here.

2. SPLASH Personal Evangelism Series. Available Now!

This series is based on SPLASH by Dr. Ken Hemphill, an innovative evangelism training resource that has sold more than 20k copies over the last year. Dr. Hemphill crafted 52 applications and associated them with 52 key ideas from Scripture or the SPLASH book. This series provides the church the ability to reinforce the concepts and practices surrounding the subject of the how and why we share our faith with others.

(Note: This stand-alone series can be used by the church whether or not the church decides to use the SPLASH study itself.)

3. Personal Money Management Series. Coming Soon!

This series is based on the book "I Was Broke. Now I'm Not." by Joe Sangl which empowers individuals to deal personal debt and develop a biblical view of money. 52 practical suggestions related to personal money management will be associated with 52 Scriptures or key ideas from the book. This book also, like Dr. Hemphill's SPLASH, has a small group study option and has been geared toward churches. This makes it easy for the church to teach good money management habits while at the same time reinforcing the need for Christians to faithfully offer their tithes and offerings to support the ministry of the local church.

4. Read through the Bible Challenge Series. Available Now!

This series provides an offering envelope that outlines a daily reading plan for the church member to follow each week. Each offering envelope will have daily reading suggestions as well as identify a key verse to focus on or memorize. The daily reading will be printed with check boxes. Ideally, the church member will keep this in their Bible as a bookmark, and then will turn in their completed offering envelope during the weekly Worship service. This series will be available in King James Version (KJV) and HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible) formats.

The Education for Ministry Collection represents months of feedback from church leaders looking for creative ways to educate and empower Christians for ministry. Further, it is an attempt to partner with the local church to help accomplish existing Christian educational goals. Each of these series represents an opportunity to provide a renewed emphasis on cooperative missions, personal evangelism, biblical money management, and daily Bible reading.

We hope you find this new collection of offering envelopes helpful as you seek to mobilize your membership for ministry!

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September 17, 2009

4 key elements to include in your year-end appeal letter

If you've made the decision to mail an end of the year appeal, you're not alone. The struggle is less in the decision to do so as it is in deciding the content of that letter. Here are 4 key elements to keep in mind as you sit down to compose what many churches are looking to at the end of 2009 to bridge the gap between operational budget needs and actual giving year to date:

1. Be honest. There is nothing worse in the mind of the person in the pew than when the person in the pulpit refuses to be honest about "what is." If you're behind budget, then you need to be talking about it. Not negatively. Don't tell everyone how bad they are (or worse how disobedient they are). The pulpit you preach from is not a bully pulpit. Rather, honest conversation is liberating and allows you to clearly define where you are now, where you are going, and what it is going to take to get there.

2. Tell them what you want them to do. This is important. I love watching those TV infomercials when they are advertising some new "must have" product that will clean my house in 3 seconds or less. My favorite part is when they come to the end and say something like, "and if you call now, you'll receive 5 more absolutely free." Do you know why they say that? Because it generates action. People, especially those already hooked by the ad and the must-have product, now have an unbelievable reason to not think about it but act. (Note: Action is the goal.)

3. Include specific dates. When you define what you want the person to do, it's also a good idea to include dates. Dates and deadlines motivate us to accomplish the goal. Most people aren't disciplined enough to do this on their own. Make it easy for them to do what you're asking them to do.

4. Make it easy for them to respond. There is a reason why so many different payments methods exist. Every person has their own preference. It's not the church's place to decide the method a person uses to contribute. So when you make your end of the year appeal, be sure to list the different ways such as online giving, include a postage-paid reply envelope in letter, or encourage them to bring it with them Sunday.

The end of the year appeal letter is a very effective way to bridge the gap between budget needs and funding. It's also a way to maximize a giving increase. Keep pressing on through December 31.

People who run marathons say that the real race begins at mile 20. That's what separates those who are prepared and those who aren't. The same is true for churches. Don't loose sight of the goal of reaching a fully funded ministry budget. And whatever you do, don't give up.

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September 16, 2009

Google's Fast Flip and church giving

Google has done it again. Reading the news will NEVER be the same again.

Fast Flip allows me to flip through, not one magazine or newspaper, but hundreds. I can browse by "most viewed," "headlines," etc. And I can actually flip through and see a thumbnail image and title of the article without having to leave the main page UNTIL I see something I want to view.

It struck me how easy it was to access content from HUNDREDS of sources in literally seconds.

Only moments later did it occur to me that this platform and design represents what an electronic version of how people choose the organizations or causes they want to invest their time, talent, and treasures in might look like. Each of these news sources (just like churches) thinks they are superior than the others.

The difference is that I (the reader or the person in the pew) get to choose, not the organization (or church). And what makes me choose one article (one church) over another, one new source (or ministry) over another ... content. The title hints at the substance of the article. And if the substance is less than the title suggests, I simply keep scrolling.

What I really want is great content. Substance that matches my expectations.

When it comes to church giving, the reality is that the people in the pew have a seemingly unlimited number of options to choose from to donate their time, talent, and treasures. What separates one cause or organization from the rest?

Content.

S-U-B-S-T-A-N-C-E!

Does the content or substance of the ministry in which your church invests stand out and inspire people to contribute?

If not, you have some work to do. (And, of course, I'd be happy to help.)

Posted by bstroup at 4:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 15, 2009

People are people. Not an ATM.

People are people.

They are not VENDING MACHINES ... They are not SLOT MACHINES.

If we have the right code, they don't just "do" what WE want them to do.

I'm consistently amazed at the disconnect we have in "church speak" between the words "community" and "giving." We talk A LOT about creating community and fostering an environment where "everyone knows your name."

BUT when it comes to giving, we absolutely LOSE our people skills.

Community stimulates giving.

OK. I'll admit. There are times when people give even when they don't have a clear connection with the organization or cause. BUT in the life of the church we need sustained (a.k.a. faithful) giving in order to fully fund our ministry budgets. That means we need to find the connection between our practice of community and giving within the life of the church.

Church who are successful at ASSIMILATION are also likely to be successful at MAXIMIZING the giving capacity of its membership. People give as an outward sign of an inward commitment. If a person isn't involved, they AREN'T committed. And they probably won't be giving either.

Managing the relationship between each individual member and the church is as important as managing the operational expenses of the organization.

Poor relationship investing = poor (perhaps NO) giving habits
Excellent relationship investing = sustained (perhaps GENEROUS) giving

People are people. Not an ATM. If all you want it an ATM, find a bank ...
And be sure to ask for an EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION.
You'll need it.

If you can't manage relationships, your church won't survive. Period.

Related Posts:
Stewardship and Assimilation are closely linked
Giving and the Church Member Experience, Conclusion
Research connects church giving and attendance

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September 14, 2009

Don't Stop Believin'

It takes guts to lead.

I had the opportunity to talk with someone this morning for about an hour who is asking some tough questions about expanding their ministry beyond what it is today. He is asking questions that will lead to an even greater impact. And he is banking the beginning of his working career on the belief that this is exactly the work God has given him to do.

Ministry leadership is hard. There are a lot of other things you could be doing right now. You could probably be more successful and make more money, but something keeps drawing you back to the work you have been given to do. And even when it seems impossible, the goal still seems possible.

That resolve is what it takes to lead.
That conviction is what you'll need when you sit across from someone and ask them to financially contribute to your ministry.
That stubbornness is what it takes to bring the dream God has given you into reality.

Don't believe others when they tell you it can't be done.
Don't listen to unwarranted criticism and sideline coaching.
And please ... please ... Don't Stop Believin'

Enjoy the song. Yes, it is intentionally "over the top." But we really do need people who believe like a child that IT - whatever "it" is - can be done. After all, Jesus held children in high esteem. Maybe he was onto something.

I'm proud of you!

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September 11, 2009

Watch "Fat Thinking" by @jim_sheppard from #thenines

If you don't know who Jim Sheppard is, you should. He is one of the leading voices on money and ministry today. He leads this really innovative organization called Generis. I have a great deal of respect for Jim. When he speaks, I listen. That's why I wanted you to see his 8 minutes and 16 second presentation called "Fat Thinking."

Close your office door. Take your phone off the hook. Put your cell phone on "off" mode. Turn up your speakers. And take notes. You'll be glad you did.

Transcript:

Hello. My name is Jim Sheppard. I am from Atlanta and I work with the consulting firm, Generis.

It's late afternoon here in my office. Everyone has gone, so I thought I'd get out the Flip and talk about what's on my mind.

My passion is generosity. Specifically, generosity among believers that funds the God-given vision of a ministry. Connected to that, I have a passion for seeing ministry resources utilized effectively.

With that in mind, I'd like to talk about the current reality, financially speaking.

Think back with me to a time about 2 years ago. The DJIA was almost 14,000. And for almost 20 years before that the stock market, with only a couple of brief pauses, had been on an incredible roll starting at around 2,000. Times were good. Money was plenty. For many young church leaders, it would have been hard to remember a time when money was not plentiful.
- The result: Churches roll out all kinds of projects and get them funded
- Did not have to be as discerning

I call that "fat thinking". Just a way of referring to the free wheeling attitudes that seem to prevail when money is plentiful.

Fast forward. The past 12 months in particular have been different. Beginning in September 2008, the economy went on a downhill slide the likes of which many of us have never seen. Most of us were taught that our nest egg would be in two places: our retirement account and our home. In past times of economic chaos, one or the other might have been affected. In this cycle, both have been affected.

The result has been a real paradigm shift for a lot of people, especially our church members.

With this in mind, the tendency is to think there is not any money available for our projects. Not the case. In almost all cases, the money is there, we just have to be more diligent in finding it.

In the fat thinking era, a church could roll out almost any project or initiative and get it funded. In the leaner current environment, our thinking must be much clearer and we must be more discerning if we are to find the funding.

Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google said this in his 2008 Founders Letter: "Nonetheless, I am optimistic about the future, because I believe scarcity breeds clarity: it focuses minds, forcing people to think creatively and rise to the challenge." It's the reason Toyota tries to carry zero inventory - when you're operating without a safety net, you better operate correctly.

You see, here's what happens. Many times, it is hard to say "No" to a seemingly virtuous ministry project or initiative, even when it fits the ministry vision.

But here's what scarcity does for us. It clarifies everything --- our thinking, priorities and identity. In an way that almost nothing else can, it brings us a focus that we would not have as long as we are engaged in fat thinking. Think of it another way. This may be a time of challenge, but more importantly, it is a time of clarification. It can be a good thing for us.

The time will come again when money is plentiful. The ministries that thrive in the lean economic environment will be incredibly well positioned to leverage that time for great success.

Susan Cramm, writing in the Harvard Business Review on April 30 this year said it another way: With the cash crunch, focus is coming back in style. A lot of people are hoping for a future -- both professionally and personally -- that will be, "pared down, more natural, more stable, less full of enervating overstimulation, of what Walker Percy calls the "trivial magic" of modern times." There are many who believe that these "bad times" will bring a kind of satisfying scarcity. That companies (and families) will start focusing on what's most important by stripping the "nice but not necessary" out of their daily existence.

One leader shared recently that he is hoping to use financial constraints to act as a surrogate for strategy to force decisions about what should -- and should not -- be done.

Another leader expressed relief that tight funding had resulted in canceling initiatives that were the "right projects being done in the wrong way."

So here's an important lesson. Use this time of challenge as an opportunity to clarify what is really important about your ministry. Let there be a time of focus that will open up for you and your leaders a new Holy Spirit driven perspective that would cause you to perhaps discontinue some things you are doing in order that you might focus more resources on something that is really important.

Think of it in these terms. In the current environment, to assure full funding of the important things, consider these factors:
- Urgent
Needs to be done ASAP
Significant penalty to momentum if we wait
- Compelling
The case gets your attention.
Wow! We really need that.
- Properly ALIGNED to everything else
Vibrantly connected to the vision & mission of the church

Lastly, consider the cost. Luke 14:28. Luke 14:28 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"

Planning and strategy are not mutually exclusive of your faith and the voice of God in directing your ministry. They walk hand in hand.

I hope this is helpful for you.

Go rock your world and make a difference --- for Christ's sake.

God bless you!

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September 10, 2009

Donor Power Blog (@jeffbrooks) comments on post about offering envelopes

I recently posted about the "cool factor" of offering envelopes. I was honored when Jeff Brooks wrote Why trying to be cool is self-defeating which centered around this particular post. Jeff's Donor Power Blog is one of my "must-reads" and is a well-respected and well-known source of all things related to fund-raising.

Thanks Jeff!

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September 9, 2009

Read this BEFORE you spend another church budget dollar

Your Congregation is More Likely to Exist Ten Years from Now if More Than 30 Percent of Budget is Focused on Programs and missions

Read more.

We tell the people in the pew that how they use their money is indicative of what's important to them. The same is true for churches too. How we, as church leaders, decide to spend our budget dollars reflects what we believe to be the most important Kindgom investments.

Maybe it's time to review our "investment portfolio" to ensure we are yielding the highest eternal dividends.

Posted by bstroup at 10:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 8, 2009

One pastor says "thanks" to those who make it happen

I like to sign up for the e-newsletters from churches who are setting trends and faithfully building the Kingdom. I received an e-mail this morning from one of those churches. It was a personal thank you from the pastor to every volunteer he observed last Sunday morning.

The content made me stand up in my chair and yell "yes, yes, yes!" (OK. Not really.) BUT I did want to share the content of the pastor's "thank you." Perhaps you can use this as a model to do the same.

You should know that the people this thank you is addressed to are ones that are often overlooked and undervalued. They aren't on stage. They typically don't preach. But the service they provide is absolutely essential to facilitating a spiritually transformative experience for every person in attendance.

I would also suggest that those willing to serve in these roles have a strong emotional connection to the church. Thus, they are most likely to give regularly, faithfully, and sacrifically. They are also the most likely to invite others to church and reach out and minister to others during the week.

I am always interested in how many people are involved to make a Sunday worship experience happen. I will not try to recount all of the hours of preparation that goes into every musical presentation and Sunday School lesson, but consider with me....

Long before the sun comes up there are people in the parking lot putting out cones and directional signs. I always hear organ music coming out of the worship center before sunrise reminding me that preparation for worship is not taken lightly. Dozens and dozens of people work the parking lot through traffic direction, golf carts and dozens more man the doors to give people a good "first impression." There are people in the halls to give directions and answer questions. There are people working the various informational kiosks. There is a medical team on duty. There is a security team hard at work. Literally hundreds of people make the three Sunday School hours functional while another small army of volunteers are involved in worship through music, ushering, and the audio-visual technical ministries. It is just a great picture of the body of Christ with each member of the body fulfilling a function.

I am interested to see that so many young boys and girls are getting involved early in serving. I sat in my office Sunday morning and watched a young fellow out my office window who must have been about seven years old help his dad at one of the pedestrian crossings. Every Sunday I have seen young men and young ladies between 10 and 12 years old standing at the doors and greeting people as they enter the building. What a blessing to be taught to serve others at an early age!

This Sunday as you make your way through the church property be sure to thank some of those volunteers for what they do to make it happen. When you go to your Sunday School class take a moment and thank your teacher for the many hours of study and preparation that they put in to teach your Sunday School lesson. When you go into the worship service and an usher hands you a bulletin take a moment to thank them for serving week by week.

We could not do what we do without these dedicated and faithful volunteers. To all our volunteers I say "thank you!"

I'll see you Sunday!

Never forget that the people most likely to contribute financially to your church are also the ones who teach Sunday School, put out cones in the parking lot, direct others at information booths throughout the church, hand out bulletins, and usher people to a seat as quickly as possible. Sunday morning without these people just wouldn't work. And it would cost a fortune to pay an event planning team to accomplish the same tasks.

All you have to do is say thank you. Pretty simple. Rarely done. You should be different and thank others often, ridiculously often. They deserve it, and the rewards you will reap in commitment and service will multiply your ministry capacity while you achieve a fully funded budget and establish a long-term sustainable ministry.

Related Posts:
When was the last time you said "thank you"?
A note of thanks

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September 3, 2009

We interrupt this programming for an important public announcement ...

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September 2, 2009

A note of thanks

I received this e-mail from a church I worked with recently:

"Thank you so much for giving of yourself to help us with our stewardship drive. We were looking at it as if to say, 'Here we go again. Hope we raise enough money. Got any ideas?' Now, after reading your book, proposal, and being with you in person, there is excitement in the air. We are encouraged to go forward in a positive way. Many, many thanks."

First, I'm grateful that I was able to be a catalyst for forward momentum with this group of church leaders. Words fail to describe the energy of this group by end of our time together. I fully expect them to meet and exceed their goals. I think they will realize that passion and excitement add a dimension to a campaign that is sometimes called an "x" factor. It's hard to measure, but you know when it's present and when it's missing.

Second, it reminded me how underutilized a "thank you" can be in affirming the act of giving in the giver. After the ask has been made and the gift given - whether that be time, talent, and/or treasure - the final act should be for the church leader to say "thank you."

This can be done on multiple levels and in multiple ways. Most of the time a phone call, e-mail, or even - dare I suggest such an archaic act - a hand-written note is all that's necessary to acknowledge and affirm those who have freely given of what God has given them.

More than one people-management expert has said, "People perform to the level they are incented to perform to." I believe this is true. I also believe that people perform again and again and again when, in the midst of the reward earned for their efforts, a simple note of thanks is made.

Sustainable funding means not just a one time effort but an ongoing support that fuels and accelerates the ministry of your church. Perhaps the easiest, and arguably the best, fuel to propel the ministry of your church forward is to show gratitude or thanks for all that the people in the pew have done.

Don't forget to offer a note of thanks to God and to those who make it possible for you to have a church to lead.

Posted by bstroup at 2:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 1, 2009

7 questions that reveal if you (and your leadership) are "all in"

I had the opportunity to meet with the staff and lay leadership of a local church today as they were finalizing their strategy for their annual stewardship campaign. One of the most important things that I highlighted and reinforced with everyone present was the importance of the leadership being "all in."

As I looked around the room, I said that now is the time to decide if you believe enough in this church and what your charged with funding to decide if "you're in" or "you're out." That may sound harsh, but the reality is that if those asking others to contribute their time, talents, and treasures to the Kingdom through the ministry of the local church aren't already doing this, then the fire and passion (and credibility) needed to invite others to do the same will be missing.

As many churches embark on their annual stewardship campaign, here are seven tough questions to ask yourself and all church leaders (lay and staff):

1. Do you believe in your gut that God is calling you to do big things to build the Kingdom through the ministry of the church you lead?
2. Can you clearly articulate and quantify the impact you've had in the past and what your project to accomplish moving forward?
3. Are you asking others to give in ways that you aren't presently giving?
4. Are you convinced that the programs and ministries your church invests in are producing measurable results that are expanding and empowering Kingdom growth?
5. If someone were you ask you why they should contribute to the ministry of your church, are you prepared to respond with why the ministry of your church is the best use of their God-given resources? (By the way ... "just because" isn't a good answer.)
6. Are you prepared to ask, in person, others to contribute to your church? (If you don't, someone else ... probably outside the church ... will.)
7. Are you prepared to challenge every leader - lay and staff - to contribute at their maximum capacity? (WARNING: This is going to upset some of you. If you get upset, at least I told you so. If you have leaders who aren't contributing or who are exhibiting signs that they aren't "all in," then it's time for a one-on-one conversation. No leader can inspire others to go places they haven't already been.)

Ask the tough questions now. Otherwise, you risk the integrity of the campaign. Don't think the people in the pew don't know who is "all in" and who isn't.

(Hint: It will be UNBELIEVABLY obvious who is "all in" and who isn't. Those who aren't will object to asking the hard questions.)

Posted by bstroup at 2:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack