Had a great conversation the other day with a fellow church planter and we were discussing the benefits of advanced planning. I wanted to record some of those benefits to encourage you to plan ahead: When you plan ahead it will help you not to fall behind. Proverbs 21:5 says, "Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind." (The Message) Planning ahead allows time for the implementation of your ideas. Planning ahead allows you to slow cook whatever … [Read more...]
How to Get Bigger
Don't focus on getting bigger. Focus on getting better. If you focus on getting better, you'll get bigger. Here's four questions we constantly ask ourselves at New Day about everything we do: What went right? What went wrong? What was missing? What was confusing? We ask this after each Sunday and after every special event (i.e. after a baby dedication, a water baptism, a volunteer appreciation dinner, etc). It's by asking these questions that you figure out how to do it better next … [Read more...]
Know Your Numbers
I once read a book called The Walmart Way by Don Soderquist. In this book I learned how Sam Walton lived by this saying: Know your numbers! He would carefully track any key metrics that might help him improve his business. Well Proverbs 27:23 basically says the same thing: Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds." Someone once taught me "You cannot manage what you do not measure." I think that's some good advice and I live by it. In 2012 we water … [Read more...]
Preparing Your Annual Report Part 2
Once you understand the purpose of your board (see Preparing Your Annual Report Part 1) you're now ready to begin creating a report. Since the first purpose of the board is to guard the mission I like to begin a board meeting by reporting on the mission (after I open in prayer and give an overview of the meeting). Jesus told us to make disciples, baptize them and then teach them (Matthew 28:19-20). So we're to make, mark and mature disciples. Making disciples is all about helping people get … [Read more...]
Preparing Your Annual Report Part 1
One task of the lead pastor is to prepare an annual report for the board of directors. In this post I hope to help you prepare for that task. A good annual report begins with a rock solid understanding of the purpose of your board. A board exists to guard three things: The mission The money The message The board is there to make sure the lead pastor is leading the church in fulfilling Jesus' Great Commission (for that's the mission of every church). The board is there to make sure the lead … [Read more...]
Setting Goals
The value Some people are really down on setting goals. To some people goals are simply things they will later feel bad about next year for not achieving. But I believe setting goals is a wonderful thing to do. While I love it when I 100% hit a goal, I don't set goals or like goals because they help me do everything I want to do 100%. I like setting goals because by setting a goal, I do better than I would have without setting a goal. For example: By aiming for a weekly date night I might … [Read more...]
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