12 Witnesses

Geiger is paralleling the shutting down of Starbucks for three hours in the middle of the week - all stores nationwide - to retrain the employees on how to brew great coffee.  They had gotten so diverse that they had forgotten the main thing.  They also have cut out all breakfast sandwiches because they compete with the smell of the coffee.

Does your church look more like yahoo (homepage) which is busy or google (homepage) which is simple and clean.  Is it more distracting with a million things offering the next greatest thing or simplicity that allows you to focus on why you came there.

He reads a letter from the Yahoo CEO in response to a critique from a newpaper.  Simply put, he says that they lack a cohesive vision.  We try to do so much that we do nothing well.  You can search for it.  It’s called the Peanut Butter Manifesto from Yahoo.

Matthew 16:13-19

Peter, you are the petros (little rock) and on this huge rock (petra - assume Christ is the big rock) I will build my church and … our programming is going to be awesome!!!  You see the point.

The church is to be a driving force that would break through the gates of hell, but we aren’t seeing that in North America.

Doing the research in Southern Baptist Church the original parameters for a growing church were to be 10% growth for 3 consecutive years, but there were only 117 churches that fit into that group and it wasn’t enough for a solid sample.  They had to back down the parameters to 5% growth for 3 consecutive years just to get a sample.

The perception was that the churches that were really growing were the ones that were more simple and not those that were trying to do everything.

The research turned out to be outstandingly reliable that the observation was correct.  It was verifiable at the .001 level, which is super accurate.

A Simple Church is a congregation that is designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth.

The keyword is not “simple” but “process.”  You can’t simply eliminate stuff, though.  You have to start with your process and find what you need to begin to reduce.  It is not a model.  You get a simple and clean process.

4 keys to a clear and simple process

Clarity   1 Cor 3:9-11, 14

1.  I am God’s builder. Eph 4:11-12

2.  Building the body of Christ is an Ongoing Process. Col 2:6-7

3.  Our ministry needs a clear ministry blueprint.

4.  I must ensure there is a clear “How”.

5 Essentials

1.  Define your process - a) Determine what kind of disciple you wish to make.  Narrow the list as much as possible. b) Describe your purpose as a process.  (Place your key words in order.)  c) Decide how each weekly program is a part of your process. (If it is not a part of the process, then reduce. It is sideways energy.  Anytime you have stuff in addition to your core process, you are competing with yourself.  When you say yes to the side stuff, you say no to the main stuff.)

2.  Illustrate your process.  The illustration must show progression.

3.  Measure your process.  a) What gets measured gets done. (Measure quarterly not weekly) b) View numbers horizontally and not vertically.  (Vertical numbers are measured through the lens of the program - x in Awanas last year, and y this year.  Horizontally is measured in the process, not the program.  Example:  35% growth in worship and 10% growth in small groups would look like a success in small group growth if measured vertically.  Horizontal measurement reveals that not all the growth in moving through the process.)  c) Measure each stage in your process.

4.  Discuss your process

5.  Increase understanding. a) Articulate corporately b) Share interpresonally c) Live personally (whatever vision you seek to impart - you have to live it.  Be a tour guide and not a travel agent.  Go on the journey with them.)

Movement in a Simple Church 2 Cor 3:14, 17-18

We are not like Moses who hid a faded glory behind a veil, because we never leave the mountain.  God is always with us.  The glory is not decreasing, but increasing.

1.  Only God can transform.

2.  Spiritual transformation moves people to greater levels of commitment.

3.  Our ministry must place people in the pathway of God’s transforming power.

4.  I must design a process that partners with God to move people through the process of spiritual growth.

Five Prescriptions to Remove Congestion

1.  Strategic programming.  a) Begin with your clearly defined process. b) Choose one program for each phase of your process. c) Design each program for the specific aspect of the process.

2. Sequential programming.  a) Order the sequence to reflect your process b) Designate a clear entry point.  c) Identify next level programming

3. Intentional Movement  a) Create short term steps b) Capitalize on relationships c) Consider the “Now what?” d) Connect people to groups

4. Clear next step for new believers  a) New believers are the greatest evangelistic resource - they still know lost people. b) What is our strategy to move new believers?

5.  New members’ class  a) Structure the class curriculum around your process - teach through it b) Ask for a commitment to the simple process

Alignment

1.  Unity reflects the nature of God

2. Unity is attractive

3.  God is passionate for our unity

4.  I must align people around our simple process

*disagreement most often happens over methodology.

5 Essentials to Alignment

1.  Recruit on the process a)look for philosophical alignment, not just theological alignment b) look for a similar ministry approach, not just a similar doctrine

2.  Offer accountability a) Job descriptions should be tied to the simple process b) Individual ministry goals should be aligned to the overall church direction and ministry process

3.  Implement the same process everywhere a) Understanding is increased b) Unity is promoted as silos are eliminated c) Families experience the same process

4.  Unite people around the process  a)Remind people of the process b)highlight contributions to the fulfillment of the process

5.  Align new ministries

Focus

1.  The tools for worship can become the objects of our worship.

2.  God applauds the removal of anything that hinders spiritual transformation.

3.  Programs can become an end in themselves instead of a means to an end.

4.  I must focus our energy, resources, and attention on the process God has given our church.

*Once you have it - stay focused on it.

5 Essentials to Focus

1.  Eliminate non-essential programs.  a) Elimination is a matter of stewardship of money b) Elimination is a matter of stewardship of time

2.  Limit adding programs a) Use existing essential programs for special emphases b) Less is more c) Limit adding programs, not options (multiple worship services)

3.  Reduce special events (competes with the essential) a) Funnel the event into an existing program b) Combine the event with an existing program c) Use the event strategically

4.  Ensure the process is easily communicated

5.  Ensure the process is simple to understand a) Choose simple language b) Be brief

*”I am as proud of the things we have not done as I am of the things we have done.” - Steve Jobs of Apple [Note from Art - Macheads really love that]

Posts with related content

• December 24, 2008 -- Best Story of the Year (0)
• December 18, 2008 -- David Fitch on Missional Orders as Church Planting (2)
• December 8, 2008 -- Partnering with those outside your church (4)
• November 13, 2008 -- Local School Engagement (7)
• November 3, 2008 -- Simply Missional Article from Ed Stetzer and Eric Geiger (0)

Church, Conferences, General Christian, Live Blogging

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