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The Great Recovery – My Thoughts

July 26, 2011 in Church finance, Church generosity, Church giving, Church leadership, Church planting, Church Stewardship with 0 Comments

I was on vacation last week so I did not get to see The Great Recovery launch event live. I watched it this morning and I am blown away. If you thought you had seen Dave Ramsey on fire before, wait till you see him in this event. If you did not see it live, you can view it here: http://www.thegreatrecovery.com/live.

I love the message of The Great Recovery. As I write this post, the politicians in Washington — all sides — are debating how to solve the budget and debt ceiling issues. I watched only briefly last night because I just cannot listen to any more “blah, blah, blah” political posturing from Republican and Democrat alike without proposing a viable solution. I’m just sick of it — all talk, no real action. Dave Ramsey, on the other hand, is proposing a real, workable solution — The Great Recovery. Restoring the hope of the world as embodied in the church. Living lives based on Biblical values as it relates to our finances. Restoring America one life at a time. Having the courage to face our challenges and work our way out not just wish our way out. Putting our hope in God as our provider, not Washington, DC.

I am really grateful God has raised up a courageous, faithful man like Dave Ramsey to speak up and bring us this message. Count me in. It’s that simple.

I am joining The Great Recovery movement. Join me. You’ll be glad you did!

www.TheGreatRecovery.com

Organizations Are The Way They Are…

March 8, 2011 in Church finance, Church generosity, Church giving, Church leadership, Church planting, Church Stewardship with 0 Comments

…because of the way they are.

I have seen it any number of times but it really crystallized for me in the last few days. Organizations, including and especially churches, do not end up the way they are by accident. It happens on purpose. The excellent church continually finds ways to do things better and reach more people. Other churches struggle just to maintain whatever they have and some do not even do that. Why does the excellent organization seem to make the right call almost every time and the mediocre entity seem to seldom make the right call?

The people, theology, thinking and systems all contribute to it. If nothing changes, nothing changes. The entity becomes stale and replicates itself over and over. On the other hand, the excellent entity keeps itself fresh and continually reinvents itself to adapt to changing circumstances. Whatever your church or organization is — for better or for worse — will replicate itself internally until there is a significant change of some kind.

You could peg it all on leadership and, to some extent, that would be true. But leadership alone is not the issue. I could show you churches who have had several leaders in recent years and the result of the church is the same. That begs the question of culture. Yes, that is probably an issue, too, in a number of cases. Culture matters more than vision. Bad culture trumps great vision every time. But there is more.

Churches make choices. Remaining the same is a choice for the most part. Challenging the status quo to effect change for the better is a choice, too. For there to be change, something has to change.

Sometimes, the change that is necessary is “major surgery” of some kind. More often, it is something not so major. Perhaps just a change of perspective for the senior leader or a team of leaders. Conferences are good and can provide a spark. Consultants can provide an additional perspective. But real change is more grass roots than that. You have to see it in action to be persuaded it will really work.

There are any number of ways you could do that, but here is one suggestion.  Find a church that is like what you want your church to become — missional, evangelistic, global missions, community outreach, worship and arts. Whatever it is you want to see change in your church, find a church who does that well and go spend time with them. Better yet, if they are local, arrange to swap places with the senior leader for a couple of days. In other words, you go see what makes their church tick and vice versa. Then sit with each other and share your observations. You’d be surprised how illuminating this can be.

Change does not happen all of a sudden. It takes time. But the decision to change can happen right now. For Christ’s sake, if your church is stuck, find a way to get unstuck. You don’t have to be the way you are. You can effect change.

Organizations are the way they are — because of the way they are.

Should The Jobless Tithe On Unemployment Benefits?

March 2, 2011 in Church finance, Church generosity, Church giving, Church leadership, Church Stewardship with 1 Comment

The Village Green section of Christianity Today magazine which presents answers from leading Christians to pressing questions. CTI asked me to contribute to this question for their March 2011 edition. Here is what I said.

Yes, with generosity!

Perhaps the greatest tragedy of the recent economic meltdown is long-term unemployment, a reality in which many thought they would never find themselves. For the first time, hardworking, well-intentioned individuals are paying their bills with the income they receive from government checks instead of their profession or trade.

During these tough times, it is easy for churchgoing, typically responsible Christians to fall off the radar as they deal with the shame of being unable to provide for themselves or their families. In these times, it is more important than ever that Christians seek out pastors, leaders, and friends who can provide loving community and accountability to be faithful stewards in times of hardship.

Scripture does not speak directly to the topic of tithing on an income that is not your own, so I am reluctant to say firmly, “Yes, give this much.” But the Bible has much to say on the subject of generosity and gratitude.

There are four questions church leaders and others can ask to help someone struggling with tithing on their unemployment benefits.

• Do you see unemployment benefits as part of God’s provision for your life?

• Are you continuing to practice generosity in every area: time, talent, and treasure?

• How does giving a portion of your unemployment benefits differ from giving apportion of your “employed” benefits?

• Would giving a portion of your unemployment benefits demonstrate gratitude that God is providing for you in this season of your life?

Generosity is a condition of the heart. As resources come into the hands of a generous person, he or she can’t help giving them away. It’s second nature. A lifestyle of generosity should not stop when times are hard. If anything, tithing when income is low reinforces gratitude and trust, as it reminds the giver that God can use even the smallest gift to accomplish his will. It also reminds me that I am always dependent on God for my sustenance, whether I have savings in the bank and a regular paycheck or not. This is where Christian community should be most apparent, in encouraging and supporting each other to live out generosity in tough times.

I’m not going to argue that a specific percentage be given, just as I wouldn’t in responding to an employed individual. That is between the individual and God. Living a generous lifestyle is not an obligation but rather an opportunity. It is something I get to do for God’s kingdom, not something I have to do.

As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:7–8, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

GENERIS Expands Leadership Team

February 28, 2011 in Church finance, Church generosity, Church giving, Church Stewardship with 0 Comments

Allen Walworth, co-owner of Generis with Jim Sheppard, is transitioning his share of Generis to Brad Leeper, who becomes President and Principal. Brad joined Generis in 2001 and quickly became adept at working with churches in their generosity and stewardship matters. In his 10 years with the firm, he has established himself as one of the top stewardship and generosity consultants in America. Allen will remain as a consultant working with church and ministry clients and will continue as part of the management team of Generis.

Jim Sheppard, CEO and Principal, said, “I am grateful for Allen’s contribution to Generis. As a result of our three years of partnership, Generis is strongly positioned to continue its momentum and influence in this important Kingdom work. I am delighted Allen will continue to be part of our team. Generis is very fortunate to have someone of Brad’s ability to assume Allen’s position and responsibilities. We have a strong belief in collaborative strength — the power of ‘we.’ The reality is it expands our leadership team and makes us stronger. I look forward to many years of successful partnership with Brad and to working with our expanded leadership team in serving churches and ministry organizations.”

For video message, click here: GENERIS Expands Leadership Team

Staffing Your Church

February 4, 2011 in Church finance, Church leadership with 7 Comments

Selecting and hiring church staff is one of the most crucial decisions a senior leader will ever make. Vanderbloemen Search Group has carved out a niche by specializing in corporate quality executive search for churches. Justin Lathrop founded and heads up HelpStaff.me, a search firm that has shown enormous abilities in searches for positions in the middle of a church org chart like childrens and student pastor searches. Recently, HelpStaff and the Vanderbloemen Search Group united. Their merger has broadened the capabilities of the  Vanderbloemen Search Group so they are now able to help any church fill any position. I recently had a chance to visit with both William and Justin to get their thoughts on what they are seeing in church staffing. Here is our conversation.

1. Is there any particular big trend you are seeing in the way churches are being staffed?

Justin:
We’re seeing lots of new staff positions emerging that haven’t before, particularly among the larger, innovative (and smart) churches we get to work with. My hunch is that their innovations will become much more common in the near future

For instance, several of our clients are now employing a Pastor of Social Media. It’s a step up from simply having person who is good with social media to a person who has pastoral skill and is good online. This position often covers online campuses, like our friend Brandon at LIfeChurch.tv or Nils Smith at Community Bible Church in San Antonio.

William:
Another new staff position we are seeing is a Pastor of Generosity. This is pretty much a Chief Fundraising Officer that has pastoral skill. When Jud Wilhite and the folks at Central Christian asked us to find this position for them, it showed me a new reality: (1) lots of new believers are coming to growing churches, (2) new believers don’t usually give or tithe, (3) dollars are tight everywhere, and (4) the Senior Pastor cannot  ask for money all the time. Smart churches are hiring folks to help close the gap, just like hospitals, charities, and universities have for years. I know you all have been our in front of your sector doing some key thinking about raising generosity and generous cultures. Seems like the idea is catching on.

2. The role of the strong Executive Pastor, a COO type of position, seems to be expanding. What do you see in that area?

William:
Executive Pastors searches make up about 40% of the searches we do, so we are seeing more and more models for the role. The common denominator I see in all the models is an increase in authority, responsibility, and implementation of the vision. Lead/Senior Pastors seem more intent than ever on casting vision, protecting their preaching preparation time, and getting out of the way for a strong XP/COO to get the ball from point “a” to point “b.”

3. What about multi-site? Any particular challenges there?

Justin:
Many Campus Pastor roles don’t involve weekly preaching so the perception is that communication isn’t important. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The ability to communicate is greater than ever before.

Because of this perception, it is difficult for churches to get the right communicator that doesn’t view campus pastoring as a purely administrative role.

William:
The Campus Pastor is a role that is here to stay. As the number of campuses at churches mushroom, staffing the role is more difficult than ever.

Bil Cornelius and I were visiting some time back about innovative ways to staff small campuses in small towns with superior leadership. A whole lot of new models are emerging in response to this crucial need.

4. Looks like there are a lot of Baby Boomer pastors leading mega churches. Are they thinking about succession? That’s a big looming issue, isn’t it?

William:
I think succession is THE looming issue in the Church. It’s also the most common search we lead now.

The fact is, we are all interim pastors. And a whole lot of key churches are going to face pastoral retirement in the next 10 years. You know, retirement is only mentioned once in the Bible. It had to do with requiring the retirement of priests. It’s so natural for a Pastor to love his job and church so much that he doesn’t plan for the day he’s not there. But it will happen. So we are spending loads and loads of time working on this and have been blessed to receive a high measure of corporate training on the matter. Getting to help churches through that process is a rare honor and one we are taking very seriously.

7. I see you announced some big news about a week ago. Tell me about it? What prompted the partnership?

William:
I’ve known Justin for about as long as I’ve been doing search and watched his company grow. He’s a great guy with a real gift. I’ve also noticed that he’s really good at mid-level searches, which were searches we weren’t really focused on. We talked for a while about referring searches to each other and then it dawned on us that it would be better to do this together. So now, we never have to tell a client “we can’t help you.” Whether it’s our traditional Senior and executive level searches or mid-level, we can help staff the Church. And we love getting to do that!

Great stuff, guys. Thanks William (@wvanderbloemen) and Justin (@justinlathrop)! You can find them at www.vanderbloemensearch.com.

Home Field Advantage

October 28, 2010 in Church finance, Church generosity, Church giving, Church Stewardship with 1 Comment

The World Series started this week and there is a lot of talk about who has home field advantage. There is a distinct advantage to playing at home. In fact, the benefit of winning the annual major league baseball All Star game is that your league gets home field advantage. There are 7 games, so one team gets 4 at home and the other team gets 3.

In the world of non-profits, the church has a home field advantage of sorts. The church is the only entity in the not for profit world that has the opportunity to look its people in the eye 52 times a year. Yeah, I know people are more mobile than ever and the definition of a regular attender is now 2 times per month, which is a lot lower than it was 8-10 years ago. But the fact remains, the church sees its people face-to-face more than any other entity in the non-profit world. This is what I call the “home field advantage.”

This advantage has always been important, but it is more critical then ever to developing and growing generosity in the post 2008 era. The effect of the economic meltdown of late 2008 has been to reframe the rules for raising ministry support. Donors are still willing to give, but they are vetting the choices they have for their charitable giving more than ever. Because of the home field advantage, the church has a distinct opportunity to stand out.

The question for church leaders is, what do I do with that advantage? Six things come to mind as important.

  • Build trust: All charitable funding is given in an atmosphere of trust. Leverage the weekend worship experience by building trust in all you do.
  • Cast (and re-cast) vision: People have to be constantly reminded of the vision of ministry of the church. There are three types of reminders — blast (fire hose), soak (garden hose), drip (soaker hose). There is an appropriate time for each. Use the blast sparingly and follow with soak and drip to make sure your people absorb it.
  • Shape culture: You can have great vision, but bad culture will cause problems in implementing it. Culture is never neutral — it is either for you or against you. Make sure you are always shaping culture so it is working for you.
  • Demonstrate impact: More than ever before, in the post 2008 money environment, givers are vetting the choices for their charitable dollars. Impact is like “ROI” — where givers see it, they direct their charitable giving. You have the stories of impact, but they are probably hidden in the numbers. Make sure you pull back the numbers and tell the stories of impact.
  • Enhance relationships: After trust, relationship is one of the most important factors in a giving decision. Build relationships while people are on site at your church. Make sure there are ample “met and greet” type spaces throughout your facility or campus.
  • Highlight good stewardship: Churches that practice good stewardship with the money that is given them earn the respect of givers. Let your people know about key decisions you make to be more effieient in the use of the funds entrusted to your church.

Check yourself against this list. Which of these things are you doing? And not doing?

Don’t ignore the home field advantage. Let it work for you in the post 2008 era of developing and growing support for your church.

The Greatest Obstacle To Living Generously

August 20, 2010 in Church finance, Church generosity, Church giving, Church Stewardship with 0 Comments

We spend a lot of time worrying about stuff we have no control over. The economy is a GREAT example. Too many waste too much time in worry and fear about the future and the future of their money. For those of us who are Christ-followers, there is no precedent for this way of living.

Jesus knew about worry. He speaks about it very specifically, “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?”

From our time in English 101, we know when we read “therefore,” we need to look back to see what it is “there for.” In the previous verse, Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters. You will either hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon.”

When Jesus says “Mammon,” he is talking about money in the strongest possible terms–the false god of riches. When riches become an object of worship and greedy pursuit, mammon becomes a deity, meaning it has the power to be a god. In other words, it has the power to become another altar where we might worship. Nowhere else in Scripture does Jesus describe anything on earth using deistic terminology.

He knew money would be a serious problem for us, so he prescribes the solution: “Stop worrying, I will take care of you.” In reality, it works in reverse. I have to get to the teaching behind the “therefore” before I find the source of the strength to stop worrying. I have to stop trying to worship at two altars. I need to get myself up from that other altar and worship at the one true altar.

It’s easy to understand but very hard to do.

As church leaders, we must remember that the people in the pew are very perceptive. We can’t fool them. They will follow what we do closer than what we say. We can’t expect our people to live beyond the example the church leadership is setting for them.

Is our leadership posture about money perpetuating fear and worry or is it projecting bold confidence in the providence of God?

Fund Your New Church: 6 Questions For Church Planters

April 19, 2010 in Church finance, Church generosity, Church giving, Church planting, Church Stewardship with 0 Comments

As we head to Exponential 2010 this week, I asked Brad Leeper of our GENERIS team to help me take on 6 key questions for church planters as they look to fund their new church plant. Here is our dialogue.

1.    How much money could we possibly need to simply launch a church?

Brad: Depends upon how much leadership want to align the launch with the mission. Financial resources must align with the vision in the context of the community. Otherwise, you as a leader are creating a very steep climb for yourself to most likely not break the 200 barrier.

Jim: Launching a church is more expensive than you think. Raising the initial funding entails a lot more than just the initial gatherings. There are salaries to pay and expenses for weekly services. Many church plants grow quickly and the growth puts a lot of pressure on the church to keep up. It is best to have an upfront strategy that raises not only the launch funding, but also some measure of support over the first 1-2 years.

2.    Are there outside sources besides friends and family to support my church plant?

Jim: Yes. Many church planters find financial support from people other than friends and family. You have to be intentional about finding these people. They probably won’t just land in your lap.

Brad: Financial resources are available from many surprising sources.  It is important to tell your story in a compelling way to these different kinds of potential financial partners so that they are inclined to give to their greatest capacity.  You can raise significant financial resources from more than just your friends.  You will need to do so if want to abundantly fund your new church.  Or even more practically, if you want some level of income while you work to build the church plant.  Having a conversation with a close friend for a $100 investment is much different from the conversation with the person who could invest thousands.   Learn how to have those different conversations that will catapult your new church to abundant funding.

3.    Don’t we just send out letters to our friends?

Brad: This practice is the default standard and what most will do without a formal connection to a church.  The letter strategy will work because people love you.  The letter strategy tends to be minimally effective in the results based on a realistic budget of what it takes to launch a new church. You can learn the number of options for developing financial resources from a number of sources.

Jim: That is one part of a funding strategy, but not the only part. The most strategic gifts will likely come from a relatively few persons with above average capacity. You will need to cultivate the relationships and make the ask in person.

4.    Will we have the money we need when we need it?

Many church planters spend a lot of time worrying about this very question. It is a natural part of our human nature. There is a God-inspired shaping and pruning that takes place as the church plant is launched. The reality is that most church planters have the money they need when they need it, even if it was not the same amount they were originally thinking.

Brad: Most new churches start with some funds, but can run out quickly.  The lack of adequate can be the largest obstacle to launching the new church with passion, excellence, and effectiveness.  Many effective church plants can plan for and have adequate cash flow for the length of time to plan and to launch the church. Perhaps the biggest winner in this process?  Your spouse.  Often, it is the spouse who bears the brunt of inadequate funding creating emotional turmoil and long term baggage from the launch season. The leader is out having all the fun in leadership while the spouse is left with minimal funding to handle the household.  Is the lack of funding worth the unnecessary wear on the marriage?

5.    Can’t I as the Senior Leader delegate the fund raising role to someone else?

Brad: The senior leader sets the tone for the generosity culture of the church from the very beginning of this process.  Understanding your leadership in generosity will make a huge difference in the quality of the new church plant process and will free you emotionally to invest in the actual execution of the ministry plan.  You can delegate the expression of the church core value of generosity.  You cannot delegate the passion and align of financial resources and the new church.

Jim: You could, but that is probably not the wisest choice. Some things should be delegated and some should not. Several factors are important to consider:

  • If it is not a high priority to the Senior Leader, it will probably not be a high priority to everyone else.
  • The launch team and key supporters have to know the Senior Leader is on board with his support.
  • The initial funding effort will set the tone for the generosity culture in the church. Rarely does a leader have a second chance to shape this culture so it is important to get it right on the front end.

6.    How do I ask people to give to my church plant when they already give to another church?

Jim: From the start, the church planter has to be prepared for the reality that not everyone will say yes. It may take a number of asks to get one supporter. The role of the Senior Leader in the church plant is to find enough opportunities to make the ask. Do not worry about the response, just make the ask.

Brad: Raising financial resources is so much more and more fun than asking for funding.  It is a rare privilege when you as a new church leader can align a donor’s vision and passion with the mission and vision of the new church.  There is more money available for new churches than you can imagine.  Learning how to align those funds with the new church vision will make a huge difference in the long-term health and vibrancy of the new church.

You will find a brief video and other resources at the web site we have set up for our time at Exponential 2010: www.FundYourNewChurch.com

Notes From My Keynote Talk At LCI 2010

April 15, 2010 in Church finance, Church generosity, Church giving, Church Stewardship with 0 Comments

Today, I am in San Antonio where I will be speaking to a group of large church pastors in the United Methodist Church. It is an annual gathering called Large Church Initiative 2010 (LCI 2010). Among others, Will Mancini spoke on Tuesday and Reggie McNeal was here on Wednesday. Chances are , they are still recovering from Reggie’s message this morning. If you have ever heard Reggie speak, you know what I am talking about! He challenged pretty much all their assumptions about church in the USA. Nancy Ortberg will wrap up the conference this afternoon.

My words to this group will focus on generosity from the perspective of getting past the (mainly) self-imposed limitations we have placed on our churches. A key point I will make is that, when it comes to funding, we have a tendency to let “just enough be good enough” and, in doing so, we place a limit on the financial generosity of the people of our churches.

My speaking notes are attached below. I’d welcome your comments.

LCI 2010 Keynote Talk 04.15.2010

(Note: I would be remiss if I did not express a word of thanks to my colleague, Ben Stroup. His phrase “pushing the limits of church funding” is compelling. I have borrowed it here for the main thought and have added my own take on the topic. I also borrowed a few of his key points as a wrap up to the message. Thanks, Ben. You are reverse mentoring me!)

First Who, Then What

March 17, 2010 in Church finance with 0 Comments

Is there any decision in the life of a church that is more important than the hiring of key staff? In his book, “Good To Great,” Jim Collins defines the importance of hiring when he says “First Who…Then What.” He defines the importance of having the right person in the right seat on the right bus headed in the right direction. Collins says their research showed that the “who” is so important, it comes before everything else. (Click to watch brief Jim Collins video.)

It is true in great companies. It is also true in churches that do a great job of delivering on their God-given vision of ministry.

Finding the right person is critical. But it is not easy. At its best, the hiring process can be a gamble. Therefore, one of the most important decisions is how to hire the right top level person and, at the same time, mitigate risk.

What would be the best way to do that? Hire an executive search firm.

For church and ministry leaders, the preeminent executive search firm for church leaders is Vanderbloemen Search Group (VSG) — William, Tony, Carlos and Zach. The VSG team is uniquely geared to help churches and large parachurch ministries find the right senior leaders. They have a refined focus on ministry and bring the best practices and excellence of professional search to the church world. All of their team are actively engaged in church leadership work, giving them real time experience in the field. Whether for lead pastor, executive pastor, student pastor or any other key position on top level staff, these guys are top notch.

I have watched as they have worked with some of my clients and other churches. Their professionalism is impressive. The level of confidentially is above reproach. It’s not just having the right person, but also the right fit. Their process will help you reduce the risk of the hiring equation.

First who, then what.

Call ‘em. http://vanderbloemensearch.com

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