Another nugget from Seth

Here's another nugget of wisdom from Seth. One of the things I love about marketing is how much what is being said and done in the business world, applies directly to churches. What box does your church fit into? Are you trying to be like George, or do you stand out like Danny? Things that are different get remembered. In the world of marketing, different often leads to remarkable.

Does this hit home?

Here's a link to a great post on "church health" by a friend of mine.

Church Metrics

How does a church measure health? Usually, a church is running some sort of software program that allows them to get reports on attendance, visitors, finances, etc. But church health runs much deeper than that. Things like community involvement, church involvement, active evangelism, consistent time in the word, consistent time in prayer, consistent giving. All these traits are characteristics of a "spiritually healthy" person. Get enough of these people in your church and you could deem your church "spiritually healthy".

The problem is in measurement. How can we know these things. What sort of surveys are available? I do know that Saddleback has come up with a survey that measures "health" in an individual based upon dozens of criteria. What would be really interesting is to have a way to get all of that information into a report that gave you the "big" picture of the church. You could see strengths, weaknesses, trends, etc. You could move the data around as you like and gain all sorts of insights.

I think the bottom line is metrics. You can't manage what you don't measure and if you aren't measuring, then you're blind to what's really going on.

Does this happen to you?

Here's some great insight by Seth Godin about the tyranny of the urgent and how to manage it effectively. This is applicable every bit as much in churches as it is in businesses.
Enjoy.

Thinking it Through

I have a problem. I stay in my head too much. I try to rationalize things to a level that takes away any possibility of something other than what was experienced. My life in Christianity has been filled with these moments. Places where I had the possibility to experience or sense something outside myself. Something bigger than myself. Something divine. But my mind goes to work. I think about it, ponder the possibilities, look at my experience through the lens of Immanuel Kant, and then disregard it.

For a long time I thought if I could study enough, think hard enough, and ask the right questions, I could know God. That was the box I put Him in. The box of my mind. If I couldn't fathom it, it couldn't be real.

Does this seem foreign to any of you? Can anyone relate with this?

This was my process that lasted for years and years, and drove me into agnosticism. It's a dangerous trap because everything I studied was for a "greater cause". I was studying theology, philosophy, and losing touch with reality.

I realized that Kant's intentions were good. He wanted to put religion, God, faith, into a category of the unknowable, in order to make room for faith. That was the part that was missing. Faith. I had to trust that even though I may not understand why things happened, I needed to trust that God's intentions were actually "good". (thank you C.S. Lewis) This was a hard pill for me to swallow. But it has been life changing for me.

A good friend said "Phil, you stay in the intellectual world so you don't have to get involved in the real world." Ouch... that one stung a little bit. But he was right. It was my crutch to avoid accountability and involvement.

What excuses do you make for not getting involved in helping people and changing lives? I've shared mine... it's your turn.

Healthy Conflict

I find it interesting the lengths people go to avoid conflict. As someone who has fought through insecurity, I've noticed just how many people there are that suffer from the the same thing. It seems as if most people are obsessed with how others view them. By obsessed I mean it controls most, if not all, of the decisions they make. Car companies are catching on to this. That's why you have commercials about how a car makes a "statement". The fashion industry has been doing this for years. Not only what type of clothes you wear but also the fabric softener you use all somehow say something about who you are. We have become defined by perceptions of people who make money off our insecurities.

I mention this because I've noticed the same trend in churches. Not only do they use similar tactics in marketing themselves to the communities around them, but also in the area of conflict avoidance. Too often churches are afraid of conflict.

"Why should we embrace conflict?" you may ask. Several reasons and thoughts prevail about this, however the most glaring is that healthy conflict leads to growth. Notice I said "healthy" conflict. Not all conflict is good, and it seems as though most churches tend to focus on the unhealthy type of conflict. The conflict that divides and splits churches and families. In fear, they try to avoid conflict as a whole.

This is problematic because one thing that any pastor will tell you is that conflict is unavoidable. It's not a matter of if, but when. Without stealing my friend's thunder about this topic, I wanted to start the dialogue concerning conflict. Should churches be a place where a healthy environment is created to help process and resolve conflict? Or should many of them continue to avoid it at all costs until they are forced to deal with conflict as a last resort? If environments should be created that help process and resolve healthy conflict... what would that look like?

For more of these questions and answers, I'll post the link to a blog on this subject matter in the near future. For now, please share your thoughts.

A Couple of Resources for You

I wanted to make sure to post some links to resources for anyone who wants to see a different side of Christianity than what is portrayed on T.V. or in the media. Those of us with conservative roots might find these things a bit "edgy". While I have a lot to say about Christianity and a great deal of experience living in and/or despising the "culture" of it all, I am by no means the expert. Please spend some time looking into these things. Each one is a powerful voice for change in "our" culture, defined as this country and this world, not defined as those who agree with us, or live the way we do. These are just a few of the culture changers:

A voice for positive change

Reading this book felt like he was channeling me

A reality check for Churches

Earning the right to speak to someone's spiritual need by providing for their basic needs.

The new north american mission field

A much needed ministry to a group that is largely unknown, forgotten, or ignored

Each of these movements and ministries speak to my heart. Please share with us the movements and ministries that speak to you. If you don't know of any, maybe it's time to start looking outside your normal (paradigm).

The Journey To Agnosticism and Back

We all have a story. Each one of us looks at life through a particular lens that is unique to them. My story may or may not be too different from yours.

I feel like God has taken me through a unique path and given me a perspective on faith and Christianity that is not what I'd call traditional. On the right hand side of this blog you'll see the "about me" section. It explains that I grew up in a household that was a strong Christian home, but I left the faith later in life... only to come back to the faith of my upbringing. This may sound like a strange series of events to some of you but rest assured, it isn't all for naught.

I don't want to bore you all with the details of my childhood or the particulars of what has happened to get me to where I am. Just know that I was raised in a wonderful family, but my personal faith growing up was inconsistent at best. In college, I had a "re-awakening" which I claim as the time of my true Salvation, but I became lost in the world of intellectualism. This led to me becoming an "agnostic" (not sure if there is, or isn't a God) for 4 years, only to come back around to Christianity.

The good news: I've seen Christianity from both sides of the fence.

The bad news: I've seen Christianity from both sides of the fence.

I've recently read a fantastic book on the perceptions of "non-christians" and how bad the image of Christianity has gotten with a younger segment of the population. Unfortunately, the book's findings echo many of my opinions of Christianity in America. I encourage every one of you to pick up a copy of this book. It's eye opening and gives incredible insight into the minds of the youth in this country. More on this later.

What's your story? Have you shared it lately?

Welcome All (Or one)

This is the inaugural post. Now I'll admit that for the last several years I looked at the blogosphere as just an exercise in narcissism, but in the last few months I've received some incredibly valuable information through this medium.

I'm really not sure where to begin other than saying welcome. I look forward to your feedback and I'm excited to share my journey with all of you.

I'll leave my journey for another post. This was just me "getting out of the gate".