Here are the top ten reasons LifeWay Research found why people switch churches:

If you have people that are no longer attending your church, here are some potential reasons why:
1. The church was not helping me to develop spiritually. (28%)
2. I did not feel engaged or involved in meaningful church work (20%)
3. Church members were judgmental of others (18%)
4. pastor was not a good preacher (16%)
5. Too many changes (16%)
6. Members seemed hypocritical (15%)
7. Church didn’t seem to be a place where God was at work (14%)
8. Church was run by a clique that discouraged involvement (14%)
9. Pastor was judgmental of others (14%)
10. Pastor seemed hypocritical (13%)

Take a Page From Successful Businesses – Learn From Your “Mistakes”

First of all, realize that you can’t please everybody. But one thing we can do when people leave the church is to find out why. If you can find out why, without applying pressure for the person to stay, you can leave the door open for them to return while gaining insights that might stop a mass exodus. So here are some tips.

1. Do them over the phone or via a form. You are looking for brutal honesty, and people will be more bold if its not eyeball to eyeball. The downside of a form is there is no tone of voice. If you do it over the phone, keep it brief and don’t judge. Make a concerted effort to LISTEN.

2. Don’t Be defensive or judgemental. You’ll only reinforce their reasons for leaving.

3. Pray for them and ask God to bless them on their journey.

Keep in mind that in most cases, people just leave. They vote with their feet in restaurants, retail stores, etc. They are asked if everything we OK, and they reply that things were “fine” and then never come back. If you can get someone to open up, do NOT interrupt them. Listen, and take notes. Take lots and lots of notes. This would be the thing to consider as well before conducting exit interviews. Have people in place with the authority to address any changes that need to be made. There is nothing worse then having someone complain, and then do nothing with that information.

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Top 10 Reasons People Leave Your Church is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

Last night there was a report on Nightline about an Eagle scout who got addicted to porn. He started at age 12. The report is shocking.

I did a report on this myself at Two Things The Church is Ignoring Part II: Porn

There are some great resources to hold people accountable like Covenant Eyes software that reports every website you visit to your accountability partner. They also have filters that can help keep porn away from you.

If you use the code “podcast” you can get your first month free (and it’s less than $10 a month). They have tools for your PC, iPad, Iphone, etc. This is an epidemic people, and the church needs to stop putting its head in the sand. As a geek I asked all the questions to see if this could really “Stop” someone from looking at things they shouldn’t, and it does (so using the “private” surfing hide your habits). It’s a great tool to help keep ou on track. You can have reports on the sites you visited sent to your spouse, your friend, a church leader. If you disable the software, you can’t surf the Internet. Check it out at covenanteyes.com and use the code “Podcast” for your first month.

Is Your Church Addressing the Porn Epidemic? is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

I love this video. It moves me, so I thought I’d share. Enjoy.

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Jesus Blood Never Fails Me is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

The latest edition of outreach Magazine is focusing on Technology. You can buy just that issue or subscribe at amazon.com Here are some of the items included:

The books and media influencing how we reach our community and the world. The 9th annual celebration of the best books and curricula in evangelism, apologetics, leadership, culture, missional church, missional living, pass-along, small group curricula, cross-cultural, compassion and justice, biography, children’s outreach and youth outreach.

A NON-GEEK’S GUIDE TO TECHNOLOGY AND THE CHURCH

What you need to know and how to get it done: Practical ideas and tips for more effective outreach using the Web, social media, mobile technology, apps and software, video, audio and more.

THE OUTREACH INTERVIEW: BOBBY GRUENEWALD

From YouVersion to online worship: the LifeChurch.tv pastor and innovation leader talks about technology, opportunity, ministry … and a journey of faith

Each issue of Outreach is designed to bring you the ideas, innovations and resources that will help you reach your community and change the world

Check it out this issue at Amazon.com or purchase a subscription and receive 6 issues in one year.

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Technology and the Church – A Non Geeks Guide is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

Outreach Magazine has a great article by Nathan Rice that talks about small church strategies. I thought I would share these, and chime in with my own opinion as well.

- – - – - – -

Nathan Rice, blogger and small church attendee, with comments from Perry Noble and Steven Furtick

There are countless numbers of websites and blogs out there dedicated to helping churches realize the potential of developing a strategy for effective ministry. Unfortunately, there is a curious shortage of strategies that can be easily implemented by a small church with limited resources.

I can proudly say that I’ve been a member of the smallest of churches and visited the largest of churches in my area. There is indeed a sharp distinction between the two, and for good reason. Larger churches have the added luxury of expendable cash and lots of willing volunteers. While this may not always be the case, it certainly is most of the time.

The problem lies in the smaller church’s ability to effectively minister to its congregation. Perhaps the pastor has to work another job because of the lack of funds, rendering him unable to adequately prepare, or perhaps the lack of members makes for a lousy, boring and dull music service. The problem is still the same. As a member of a church like that, you take it upon yourself to search for strategies to help your situation. Unfortunately, all you find is big church people, giving out big church strategies, to help the big church get bigger. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it certainly doesn’t help you much.

That’s why I wanted to write this post. This post is for smaller churches looking to find a way to help your church be more effective in its ability to minister. A worthy goal indeed. So without any more rambling from me, here are 10 strategies for small churches:

1. Develop a strategy to minister to both current members and potential members.
One way to guarantee that your small church stays small is to only think about, minister to, pray for or pay attention to your current members. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting you ignore them, but you have to look beyond the needs of just the people in the building and start looking at the community.

Dave’s Comments: Wayne Gretzgy was one of the best (if not THE best) hockey player. When asked how he became so good he said, “Most people skate toward the puck, I skated to where the puck was going to be.”

2. Get a website.
Hear me out. Some of you may think that this is a big church strategy, but it’s not. Web hosts are cheap, and most churches can afford them. The design part can be a little tricky, but there are many Web people out there who would be more than willing to help out. Here’s the key though: You have to use the website. Pastors, use the website as a way to connect to those potential members. I’m sick and tired of seeing pastors be lethargic concerning technology. You need to be the one who pushes the idea. You need to be the one who encourages your people to visit the site. You need to be the one who organizes programs to promote and utilize the website. If you don’t do it, who will?

Dave’s comments: You can get a website for $9 a month for the website and $12 a year for your domain name. If you don’t have a website I can set it up for free. I make a commission on the sale of the hosting that pays for my time to set it up.  Contact me.

3. Think smaller—as in height.
The kids are the single most important part of your ministry. Spend a lot of time, money and effort on having a good children’s program. Make church a place they want to be every week. If that means asking Betty, the lady who has been teaching children’s church for the last 30 years, to step aside, so be it. You have a responsibility to those kids to give them a good foundation. Ever wonder why you have 15 4- to 12-year-olds, but only have three teenagers in your church, and absolutely no 18- to 30-year-olds? Somewhere along the line, they got bored with church. Use the core group you have now to develop a good group for the future. Trust me, if the kids like church, the parents won’t have any choice but to bring them. And for heaven’s sake, don’t make the kids sit through the regular service. Give them something that they will enjoy, and let the grown-ups worship in peace!

Dave’s Comments: Think of the sotry of Moses where he had to hold his arms up to ensure the younger people would be victorious in a fight. It took the older and younger people working together to succeed. (Exodus 17:12)

4. Be willing to make the tough decisions.
If that means canceling the Wednesday night service because only a handful of people are coming, grow a spine and do it. If that means standing up to “that family” who tries to run the church, be a man and do it. People will follow leadership (more on that later).

Dave’s Comments: My grandmother lived to be in her 90s. She was born in 1899 and in her lifetime she saw technology go form horse and buggy to the space shuttle. My point is the delivery of people changed, but the concept of getting from one point to another did not. The gospel message will not change, but how its delivered will. We spoke about this on one of the early episodes of this podcast.

5. Utilize your strongest assets.
Every church has someone that has a talent. Maybe your church has a great singer, or a good financial manager, or a great pianist, or a computer geek, or a great manager. Whoever they are and whatever they can do, take advantage of it. Find out who has a passion to serve and what their talents are, and develop a relationship with them. Call them into your office and share your vision with them, instill your passion in them, and demonstrate your leadership to them. People naturally respond to passion, vision and leadership, and when goals are clearly laid out, talented people with passion usually respond in a big way.

Dave’s Comments: Growing up I watched Earl Campbell play for the Houston Oilers. He was an awesome running back, and he got the ball A LOT. Today he can barely walk. My point is, you want to get the talented passionate people involved. However, be careful to not put too many things on their plate. This can lead to them resenting worship, and eventually leaving the church. You basically “burn them out.”

6. Use media to compensate for lack of resources.
If you don’t have the greatest singers in the world, use things like videos and soundtracks to open up the service or play during the offering. We did this for the Christmas Eve service at my dad’s church, and it worked wonderfully. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about this, so be careful. If you don’t have a video projector, just use your P.A. system. The effect won’t be quite as dramatic, but it will still work.

Dave’s Comments: Again, put your best foot forward. The old, “It’s perfect by the time it gets to God’s ears” is often used to “mail in” your worship. I undertand that concept. I also know if you read the old testament that when God was giving directions on how to build the temple, he is obviously into details, and enjoys a good presentation that is pleasing to the eye.

7. Teamwork.
Pull together a team from your members and brainstorm. What are you planning on preaching next week? Run it by them to see if they have some good ideas to add. Let them give you creative ideas to help the message be clearly transmitted. Give them copies of your notes and give them a couple of days to critique it. Using a variety of minds to develop a service will help your church communicate more clearly.

Dave’s Comments: Try to have a wide variety of people on your team. Don’t just assemble of bunch of “yes” people who think all of your ideas are awesome.

8. Put it on a screen and/or put it in my hand.
Give me something that I can take home and continue to digest through the week. Put the summary and notes (with blanks to fill in) in the handout to encourage involvement during the message. Use perforated cards on the bulletin that can be torn out and given to friends as an invitation to upcoming services.

Dave’s Comments: I’m not sure why when people attend school, or a meeting, they bring a pad and pencil to take notes. Yet in church they receive life changing content, and don’t take a single note. People called Jesus “Teacher.” There is nothing wrong with exchanging the word “Sermon” for “Teaching.” Would you rather be taught to, or preached at?

9. Themed Message series.
I visited Marathon Church here in the upstate probably over a year ago, and I still remember the message. Why? Because the stage was creatively decorated and the pastor came out dressed as a police officer. Like it or not, themed sermons help the audience retain information. You do want them to learn something from your service, don’t you?

Dave’s Comments: As a person who has lead classes on Customer Service you would be amazed at how a very small bit of effort can make you stand out. I once told a person I would call them back in six weeks. When I called in six weeks they were amazed. All I did was do what I said I was going to do. How can you stand out? I once did a teaching on how Christians should stand out from the crowd. Our lifestyle should make us stand out from the rest of the world. I stated that we shouldn’t be afraid to look silly, or different. To accent my point when I would get done with a page of my notes, I wadded it up and tossed it into the congregation. People remember that sermon.

10. Have lunch with pastors and church planters.
Let some of their passion and vision rub off on you. Unfortunately, many pastors treat the ministry as a competition with the pastor down the road. It’s not. Realize that we all have “special teams” that we are coaching, but we still work for the same “Head Coach.” Swallow your pride and pick up the phone. You’ll be glad you did.

Dave’s Comments: Amen. I believe one of the reason this podcast has not received feedback from the listeners is people don’t want to give away their “best” ideas. WE forget we are all on the same team.

BONUS #1:
Perry Noble [senior pastor of Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, N.C., wrote the following in response to my email:

“Illustration: Have you ever been dressed to the nines for a wedding and had to stop along the way at a gas station? Feels pretty silly to be dressed so nice pumping gas. And it almost feels like you need to explain to everyone: ‘I’m going to a wedding …’ whether they ask or not.

“But when you get to where you’re going, you’ll look great. You’ll fit right in.

“Church growth is like this. It feels silly sometimes to build structures and systems that accommodate more people than you’re currently serving. But you must. In fact, my mentors have told me to structure Elevation like we have twice as many people as we currently do.”

Read the rest of “Dress for the Wedding, Not the Gas Station” over at Steven’s blog.

Well, I hope that’s helpful to all the smaller churches out there. What are you waiting for?

Nathan Rice lives in the Southeast, works in the field of information technology, is a Christian and blogs on a variety of topics.

Small Church Strategies in a Big Church World is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

Today we have a guest, and not just any guest! Jimmy Pena is the founder of Prayfit and has worked with people like Mario Lopez, LL Cool J, and Tyler Perry to create National Best Selling Books and DVDs. Today we talk about his new DVD called Prayfit: 33-Day Total Body Challenge its a great DVD that has you focusing on delivering your personal best for 33 Days for 33 minutes. Each workout contains challenges that last for 33 seconds. It will make you sweat.

PrayFit 33-Day Total Body Challenge utilizes the Christian faith to inspire those with weight loss goals and is a complete workout and motivational system designed to burn calories, build lean muscle and bolster your faith, helping to reshape your entire body in 33 minutes a day for 33 days.  Ideal for any fitness level, the workout includes a highly efficient 33-minute workout that combines cardio, strength and core moves for total body results in a limited amount of time, requiring no extra equipment.  The program works because it demands progression and challenges you to give your best effort. The key is to do more today than you did yesterday.  As Jimmy says, “Yesterday’s best is today’s quest.”  To encourage you to stay the course, Jimmy includes faith-based motivation throughout the workout and created weekly “PrayFit Minute” devotionals to inspire you to improve your life by honoring the one who made you.

We also talk about his book Prayfit: Your Guide to A Healthy Body and A Stronger Faith in 28 Days which churches are now using in combination with the DVD to create study groups, and bring the talk of taking care of the gift that is your body back into the church.

We answer questions such as “If I’m doing both, should I do cardio or strength training first?”

For daily inspiration, forums, nutrition, newsletters, swag, as well as videos check out www.prayfit.com

Download the DVD  in iTunes

In Jesus Name We Train – Jimmy Pena from PrayFit is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

According the book, “Get Healthy for Heaven’s Sake, “According to a recent study, Christians are more obese than non-Christians, and Baptists are in the lead. Morrone, Lisa (2011-04-01). Get Healthy, for Heaven’s Sake (p. 63). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.  Instead of singing they will know we are Christians by our Love, it will be they will know we are Christians by our love of FOOD. With everyone jumping on the “New Year’s Resolution” why not steer your church into a fitness awareness program. There are plenty of tools to help.

I just watched the DVD called Prayfit: 33-Day Total Body Challenge. This goes along with a few books inculding: Prayfit: Your Guide to A Healthy Body and A Stronger Faith in 28 Days and Prayfit FamilyThis is the mastermind of Jimmy Pena. At PrayFit, they believe that the Lord has mandated a dedication to our health. In a nation gone mad with super-sized meal deals, even the most devout believers tend to over-indulge, as evidenced by the church’s ever-widening collective waistline. It’s not just detrimental to your wardrobe – each passing day of inactivity or nutritional indiscretion is a missed opportunity at living a longer, healthier, more fruitful life.

Another great plan comes form Amy and Phil Parham (You might remember them from the biggest loser). Their book is The 90-Day Fitness Challenge there is alss a The 90-Day Fitness Challenge DVD. Phil and Amy Parham lost over 256 pounds on NBC’s Biggest Loser television show’s sixth season in 2008. It was a dark time in the life of this couple whose autistic son Rhett’s special needs kept them on high alert 24/7 and Phil’s mortgage broker business had failed a few years earlier. The couple discusses how they coped with these life stresses…by eating. Their story of disappointment and defeat could be told by any number of families across the United States, but their courage and resilience at overcoming these hefty challenges is remarkably and singularly inspiring.

If you want to have a book club I HIGHLY  recommend the book Get Healthy, for Heaven’s Sake: 7 Steps to Living Strong, Loving God, and Serving Others

Overweight, slouched, deconditioned, and very tired. This describes millions of American Christians—men and women who are frustrated in their desire to serve God and their families because their bodies and minds simply aren’t up to the task.

Health author Lisa Morrone gives readers an overall life plan for restoring their energy and ability and staying strong in their usefulness throughout their life span. Not a short-term repair job—not a rigid, inflexible plan—this resource lays out balanced, practical advice in seven areas

Another book you may want to check out is Reshaping It All: Motivation for Physical and Spiritual Fitness Candace Cameron Bure first became known to millions as a co-star on the hit ABC television series Full House. Today, like her brother Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains, Fireproof), she is the rare Hollywood actor who is outspoken about her Christian faith and how it helps overcome certain obstacles.

Bure’s healthy lifestyle has been featured in US Weekly and People magazines as well as national talk shows including The View and NBC’s Today. In Reshaping It All, she continues the story, inspiring women to embrace a healthier lifestyle by moving faith to the forefront, making wise choices, and finding their worth in the eyes of God. Candace shares a candid account of her struggle with food and ultimately her healthy outlook on weight despite the toothpick-thin expectations of Hollywood.

More than a testimony, here is a motivational tool that will put readers on the right track and keep them there. In addition to practical advice, Candace offers a biblical perspective on appetite and self control that provides encouragement to women, guiding them toward freedom.

Includes 16-page black and white photo insert

One popular book I see a lot is The Maker’s Diet: The 40-day health experience that will change your life forever, which has additional resources tied to it that include: ,The Maker’s Diet for Weight Loss: 16-week strategy for burning fat, cleansing toxins, and living a healthier life!, Makers Diet Shopper’s Guide: Meal plans for 40 days – Shopping lists – Recipes,,Makers Diet Daily Reminders: Here are 365 daily reminders to encourage you to live in better health for the rest of your life. and Maker’s Diet Audio Experience

Set to chart-topping inspirational gospel music, these workouts combine the power of your faith with your desire to lose weight and get fit. It’s a party with a purpose, and you’re invited.

Each Body Gospel begins with a prayer, then gets you moving to joyful gospel music. This comprehensive at-home program combines faith, fitness, and nutrition to enhance your faith and transform your health. Soon, you’ll see and feel inspiring results. It inlucdes 6 DVDs including:

Body Revival:
This calorie-blasting cardio workout lifts your spirit, slims your body, and leaves you feeling energized all day long.

Core Revelation:
Lose those love handles and define your abs while slimming and trimming your thighs and backside.
Stretch in the Spirit:
Increase your flexibility, reduce stress, and breathe new life into your healthy temple

Power & Praise:
An interval-training workout with Donna’s specially designed resistance bands to help tone and define your muscles while you burn fat.

Gospel Glory:
An advanced body-slimming cardio workout to help shrink your hips and thighs, and flatten your tummy

Strength & Spirit:
Alternates between strength and cardio training for maximum fat and calorie burning. Sculpt and tone your body from head to toe.

It also includes a nutritional guide, strength bands, and online tools, t-shirts and more
Just 2 monthly payments of $39.95. Plus… a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee. More information

If you are looking to make it a competition check out these sites:

Weight Loss Wars

Earndit.com (You need something electronic like a Fitbit to track your changes).

Logical Weight Loss “Biggest Loser” Spreadhseet.

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Christians Are Fatter Than Non- Church Goers is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

A new Viral Video is going around that could lead to some good discussion with your youth.

Have you heard about Ben Breedlove? Breedlove created the popular OurAdvice4You channel on YouTube in November 2010. He would give out relationship advice to his viewers and interview family members and friends. On May 23, 2011, he launched his second channel, BreedloveTV, a companion channel to his first, where he would answer questions about dating, relationships and advice.

As of 29 December 2011 OurAdvice4You has a total of 38 videos, and nearly 60,000 subscribers, and BreedloveTV has 17 videos and almost 20,000 subscribers.

A third channel was created by Breedlove on December 18, 2011, entitled TotalRandomness512. This channel is the host of the two-part video, “This is my story“, which has since become viral.

If you haven’t wathced thses videos, they are touching. Sadly Ben died on Christmas 2011 a week after his last video.

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

This is My Story Ben Breedlove is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

Today I talk about YouVersion a free bible app, that does so much more.

Here is what the event for this podcast looks like:

Free Christian Book

We also listen to a snippet of Organic Outreach for Ordinary People: Sharing Good News Naturally. Here is the description from Amazon.com

“Fulfill One of Your Deepest Longings Every follower of Jesus has a sincere desire to share God’s love with others. We want to tell friends and family about who Jesus is, what he means to us, and all he has done for them. Deep in our hearts we have a burning passion to pass on the good news we have received. But, where do we start? We want to share our faith, but we don’t want it to feel awkward, uncomfortable, or unnatural … for them or for us! Organic Outreach for Ordinary People will help you shape a personal approach to passing on the good news of Jesus in natural ways. This is not a system or a program. It’s a collection of biblical practices that you can incorporate into your life starting today. You can begin right where God has placed you. You can share the love and message of Jesus in a way that fits exactly how God has wired you. In this practical and easy-to-read book, Kevin Harney offers the tools needed to reach out with God’s love in organic ways. In these pages you will discover that sharing the good news of Jesus can be as natural as talking about your favorite sports team or telling a friend about a wonderful new restaurant. On the golf course, over coffee, while taking a walk—anywhere and everywhere—become a bearer of grace. Share the amazing love of God. Tell the life-changing story of Jesus. Discover ordinary ways to communicate God’s love and the message of salvation—naturally.”

You can get this audio book (read by the Author) for free by going to audibletrial.com/dave

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Make Your Church Service Interactive is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

Today I comment on an article from Outrreach Magazine where they polled 100 Pastors.

They talk about creating leaders.

Talk about when to talk about Politics.

Favorite Words of Advice.

If I Could Do One Thing Differently is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

Its Fall and as I sit in the stands of my local football game (My Step Son is in the Band) freezing I would LOVE if someone offered to buy me a hot chocolate. You could so this, and then hand the warm cup to the person with a small pamphlet for their church. Your actions would stand out, and the person should be thinking, “What’s up with this person?” The answer shuold be obvious: I’m a Christian. Here are some other fall activities:

1. Send teams of four to rake leaves.

2. Get some ladders and clean the gutters. Its a lot of work, but deeply apprecaited.

Branded: Sharing Jesus with a Consumer Culture

The church spends $1.5 million for every one new follower of Jesus. Apple sells 26 iPads every minute. What is it that makes Apple so exciting and Jesus so boring? What is it that compels someone to bring their iPod everywhere and their Bible nowhere? In a word: marketing. Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy salespeople – people who are intimidated and embarrassed by the word “evangelism” and who show more enthusiasm for their gadgets than their God. What would life look like if we could market our faith like Nike and Apple market their products – sharing relationally, from person to person?

Using examples from these and other successful companies, author Tim Sinclair challenges Christians to throw out their casual attitudes toward faith and sign on for a marketing campaign for the Savior.

Written with the wit and wisdom of an experienced marketer, Branded peels away the feelings of fear and explains how to share faith in ways that are honest, authentic, and, most importantly, effective

Fall Connections and Branded: Sharing Jesus with a Consumer Culture is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

Today we review an article from Outreach magazine. They discuss how the Churches that are growing are:

1. Building Leaders

2. Going into the Community

3. Leading by Example

4. Understanding their congregations.

This comes from the Outreach Magazine Special issue “100 Largest and Fastest-Growing Churches in America.”

Grow a Church of Any Size is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Big Churches Getting Bigger – Free eBook is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

I was unaware that May 15th is Internet Evangelsim Day. In honor of this day, a bunch of ebooks (and some for Kindle) are availabel for download. Some are available Month, and some are only available on May 15th (so mark your calendar). You can find them at http://www.internetevangelismday.com/free-christian-ebook-downloads.php

Free Evangelism eBooks is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

A new report from the barna group is out talking about “What Americans Believe About Universalism and Pluralism” it shows how many people think that “We’re all ok, and we are all saved.” The part of the report that shocked me was the Christian Persepctives. Here they are:

“Christians’ Perspectives
When looking at the Christian community, born again Christians were more likely to be interested in sharing their faith with others as well as more likely than average to say they desire active, healthy relationships with people of other faiths. [Born again Christians are defined by Barna Group as those who have made a commitment to Jesus Christ and who believe they are going to heaven because of their confession of sins and accepted Christ as their savior. It is not based upon self-identifying with the label “born again.”]

Nevertheless, despite their own personal faith convictions, many born again Christians embrace certain aspects of universalist thought. One-quarter of born again Christians said that all people are eventually saved or accepted by God (25%) and that it doesn’t matter what religious faith you follow because they all teach the same lessons (26%). An even larger percentage of born again Christians (40%) indicated that they believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God.”

To this I have one response:

John 14:6  ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

There isn’t a lot of room for interpretation there…

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Christian Confusion is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

I found a great article from Outreach magazine. That has a list of items you shold be doing to make sure Easter does not sneak up on you.

Encourage Invitation

•Step 1 – Ask church members to pray for 5 people to invite on Easter Sunday.
•Step 2 – Equip them with printed invitations and set up a Facebook event page so that they can easily pass-along the invite.
•Step 3 – After service, provide an element of fun. Host an after gathering—a church picnic, coffeehouse, or meet and greet.

Get the Word Out

•Door to Door: Walk the neighborhood with door hangers, or send a last-minute postcard to your target demographic.
•Banners & Signs: Hang a banner on church property or businesses around town. Provide yard signs to members.
•Media: Approach your local radio station, newspaper or news station with a press release for Easter events.
•Internet: Take out Facebook ads, create a Facebook event page, and post comments regarding Easter services to your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Take out a free ad on Craigslist. Try free Google Advertising.

Crash Someone Else’s Party

•Local Easter Festivities: If your city or mother’s club is hosting a big Easter egg hunt or parade, ask how your church might help. Host a booth, pass out Easter baskets and invites, or help stuff plastic eggs for the kids.
•Another church’s special event. Partner up with another area church already planning an event or gathering outdoors.

Clean House

•Church Building & Grounds: Provide a hospitable welcome. Clear debris, spring clean, and provide a welcoming and updated atmosphere.
•Church Website: Assess your website for design and functionality, and provide Easter specific information. Make sure you are listed on Google when someone searches for “church” alongside your city name.
•Accessibility: Provide easy parking for visitors, and directional signage.
•Information: Ensure your info center is current and relevant for visitors.

Not-So Random Acts of Kindness

•Photo Opp: Snap photos at the local Easter event. Provide free CDs to each family of the images, or pass out invites and cards indicating where people can view or purchase photos (try Shutterfly.com, SnapFish.com, Flickr.com, or a similar photo sharing service).
•Easter Basket Craft: Bring plain Easter baskets to a nearby retirement home, and spend time decorating them with the residents.
•Neighborhood Seder: Encourage members to host neighborhood Seder dinners, inviting unsaved neighbors and explaining the traditions behind the meal.
•Spring Cleaning: Enlist the youth group to clean yard debris, do odd-jobs, and plant gardens for shut-ins or families in need.
•Adopt an Easter Basket: Ask members to each donate a filled basket, and coordinate with a family shelter, school or food bank for distribution to families in need.
•Basket Invites: Suggest that members assemble custom Easter baskets for friends as an Easter invitation. Baskets might include a Bible, music CD, candy, gift cards, book, an invitation to Easter services, and other thoughtful items.

Comeback Events

•An Intriguing Series: Follow up Easter with a testimony series or other interesting sermon series.
•A Special Event: Host a family-fun park day, concert, beach bonfire, or buy out a day at the pool or bowling alley in the weeks following Easter.
•Ministry Events: Ask ministries to each plan a special event in the following month. Include them in Easter announcements.
•Open House & Orientation: Cast the vision for your church and various ministries, and provide an introduction to the faith.
•A Newcomers Class: Start a Bible study for new believers.
What is your church planning for Easter Sunday?

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Easter Service Checklist is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

We have a special deal for the Grow Your Church Show listening audience. You can receive one free audio book and a 14 day trial from Audible. There are over 1008 titles in the Religious and inspirational category alone (over 85,000 titles on the whole site).

You could sign up for your free trial any choose titles such as

Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God

Master Plan of Evangelism

Prophetic Fishing: Evangelism in the Power of the Spirit

More Than a Carpenter Today

Conquer Your Fear, Share Your Faith: Evangelism Made Easy

Just Walk Across the Room: Simple Steps for Pointing People to Faith

“I Can” Evangelism: Taking the “I Can’t” Out of Sharing Your Faith

Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary

as well as titles such as “Just as I am” The autobiography of Billy Graham

Audible not only works on your computer, but it also works on your iphone or android app.

For more information go to www.audibletrial.com/dave

-Dave Jackson
Host
Grow Your Church Show

Free Christian Audio Book is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

You want to have a full church on Easter. You hope the “Chreasters” can make it this year. Well Easter is four weeks away (if not less) and in theory you should’ve already made plans, had posters printed, and be promoting your plan starting last Sunday. If you’re stuck, or have no budget, here is an idea.

Instead of thinking about getting hundreds of people into the church (which can be overwhelming), why not get your congregation to focus on one person per member. You can blow this up as big as you want, but the thought is the same. Don’t go for the grand slam, go for the base hit. Go for one.

Here are some ways to help promote this idea:

Have bracelets made (they are all the rave ya know) with the phrase ONE on them. Wearing these will remind people to ask their friends and family, and may be an ice breaker (What’s the bracelt about?).

Have a card made, or use a sheet of paper for people to fill our their one name and have them brind it forward at the end of the service. Have the pastor pray over the names, and continue each week to pray over the names. have the members keep a copy of the paper so they can remind themselves to PRAY for this ONE person.

Scripture: Luke 10:2
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Remind them that just hoping people will show up is not enough. A farmer does not plant seeds and then HOPE that the crops end up in the storage silohs. He has to go HARVEST the crops. It’s time to harvest the lost. They need christ more than ever.

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Getting People Into Church on Easter is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

[amazonify]0310245907[/amazonify]Here is another book that may help you to get inside the mind of the people you are trying to reach. Here is what one reviewer said at amazon.com

Everyone who takes the Christian faith seriously should read this book and be prepared to do some sober reflection. Whether a pastor, youth worker, elder, deacon, lay leader, or church member – those who take Dan Kimball’s book to heart may very well need to make some significant changes in their approach to outreach and evangelism.

In They Like Jesus But Not The Church, Dan Kimball first points out the convicting and humbling truth that the longer one is a Christian, the less likely one is to have significant friendships with those who are not Christian. Instead, most Christians today find their lives consumed with church-related activities – and those whose primary jobs are ministry-related are often the worst offenders. How can anyone know what the needs of the unchurched are unless they are involved in trusting relationships with them?

The church in America has become nearly irrelevant to most 20- and 30-somethings. Yet those who follow Jesus rarely venture outside our cozy Christian comfort zones to learn why. Unless individual Christians are actively engaged in open and trusting relationships with non-Christians (without a conversion agenda), the life-changing gospel message won’t effectively be spread merely by changing our worship service structure, format, or atmosphere. Furthermore, most Christians tend to compound the problem by generally taking one of two approaches to evangelism: either we see every non-Christian as a potential target, and if we spend any time with them at all the goal is to “seal the deal;” or we isolate our faith from our everyday lives and generally avoid faith- or church-related conversations with anyone other than our church friends.

One of the biggest strengths of this book are the voices of many people (most in their 20s and 30s) with whom Dan Kimball has spent hours in conversation. He has developed trusting relationships and most importantly has really listened to where they’re coming from when they talk about Jesus, the church, and Christians. Dan’s goal was not to convert them, but to hear them. And likely, in doing so, he began to remove some of the stereotypes about Christians and the church that they might have held.

It is surprising and refreshing to learn of the positive and often even accurate views many people outside the church have about Jesus. In general, they deeply respect him and his teachings. But they see the church as very un-Christlike, and the church must not ignore their perceptions and feelings. Whether or not their ideas about the church being homophobic, male-dominated, judgmental and negative, or having a political agenda are true of all churches or any single church, the reality is that these perceptions are a significant barrier to trust in the church and acceptance of Christianity.

Dan does not compromise his orthodox beliefs as he interacts and engages with the people and the issues, and neither does he advocate that any church or individual compromise. But he is willing to ask difficult questions – questions that any serious Christian should consider. At the end of each chapter are excellent discussion questions which challenge and provoke thought about specific issues, about the reader’s own attitudes and perceptions, and about ways the reader might take action.

This book has deeply challenged me, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about our great commission to make disciples out of all nations. They Like Jesus But Not The Church is a reminder to me that God is indeed working in the world, and that I am called to be in relationship with people at all points in their journey of faith, doing what I can to help point the way to Jesus, yet trusting that each person is ultimately in God’s hands.

 Powered by Max Banner Ads 

They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations is a post from: Grow Your Church Show

[amazonify]082543324X:left[/amazonify]

Author Randy Newman suggests that we engage people around us in the way Jesus often did- by asking questions, even answering questions with questions. By using dialogue in this rabbinic style, we can engage people in such a way as to get them to think about their beliefs. Furthermore, and maybe more importantly, by doing so we can engage their hearts because a person’s acceptance of the gospel is not solely based on their ability to reason. Questions can get people who have never considered why they believe some things to be true to honestly think about them. Asking questioning can tear down strongholds of false views and build plausibility for the gospel. Examples of this kind of questioning dialogue, often from real conversations, are sprinkled throughout this book.

Of course, not all questions are genuine, or even questions at all, but rather attacks. Newman is aware this. Sometimes the best response is not to answer the attack but to ask a question. Even simple questions like “really?” and “so?” can turn a conversation around. It levels the playing field and opens the path for further serious discussion.

While remaining accessible, the book gives insight on how to respond to weighty questions such as “Why does God allow evil?”, “Why are Christians so homophobic?”, and “If Jesus is so great, why are some of his followers such jerks?” There aren’t easy answers to all the questions. Sometimes there are no answers but the point of this book is not to tell you what to think, but rather to give perspective on how to think about various issues and how to relate to people. We don’t have all the answers and shouldn’t pretend like we do. Rather, it is more important that we honestly and wisely interact with people while pointing to the hope we have.

The intended audience is those who have a strong grasp of the gospel and a desire to declare it to others. Unlike declaring and defending the gospel that serve as a foundation, questioning evangelism doesn’t always strive to give solid answers. Sometimes were not after answers; sometimes were after compassion. Questioning Evangelism is a book on evangelism that isn’t wooden and recognizes that we are mind, body, heart, and soul-questions and all. Not only that, but it is also quite enjoyable to read with plentiful anecdotes and points to ponder. Who would have thought?

Questioning Evangelism is a post from: Grow Your Church Show