WHAT IF?

Let’s say that we are going to redevelop the church campus from head to toe.  Let’s say that you are on the committee to plan that.  In our Presbyterian system most rank and file members of the committee say, “We’ll simply recommend something to the session and the final responsibility will be theirs.”  But what if we said going into it, to that committee making the plan, “and we will do what you say.”  Period.  The church will do what you say.  We’re not going to put it to a vote.  We will do what you say.

My question is how do the dynamics of work in the committee change because of the responsibility bequeathed?  That this isn’t going to be about study alone, about hypotheticals, about recommendations where someone else has the real authority and responsibility?  This is about real action, results people will live with.  Let’s also put the committee members’ names on a plaque on the property when it is all said and done. 

If you’re like me, you can already feel a seriousness enter the equation.  We might imagine a few people saying,  “This isn’t for me,” and resigning.  It might protract decision making if the people involved fear being criticized by the church members for the final decision.  They might look for a fail-proof decision.  (This reminds me of two important maxims .  If a job is not worth doing, it is not worth doing right.  And, If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing not right.  The second is for the perfectionists of the world who don’t act because they are in pursuit of perfection.  Ten decisions at 80% good equals 800 points, let’s say.  One decision at 99%, knowing that we will never make 100%, equals 99 points.  And both took the same amount of time.  800 points to 99.) 

We can take some pain out of the process if we assure the committee members of our up front decision to support their decision. 

I submit that authority and responsibility and action combine for the best learning and best decisions.  Try it with your kids – we have $500 and 5 days for vacation.  We will do what you research and then decide.  Let’s have a decision in two weeks.  Try it with your employees.  Try it with your students.  Try it with your church committees.  

Leapfrog

I promised last week to tell how Peachtree Presbyterian at least used to leapfrog the get-a-person-to-keep-coming-and-feel-a-part process.  Before doing so, however, note that the point isn't just to get members.  Because you can have an uninvested member.  Would you rather have an invested person who isn't technically a member?  Too often we get hyped up about categories and nomenclature and overlook the organic reality.  I'd rather have someone who actually belongs rather than only technically belongs.

Peachtree, the largest PCUSA congregation, is quick draw McGraw.  They would invite everyone new at that service to meet immediately following the service.  They would there have coffee and treats and welcome from significant members of the staff and congregation.  There would be a moment of "here's our heartbeat" communication and then there would be one on one or one on couple visits.

Let's say I am the Peachtree person visitng with you the visitor.  I have a form.  I find out your address, email, and people you know at the church.  I'd then tell you a little bit about our Sunday School classes (like the 20's & 30's class) and our hands-on ministries (like the every Saturday morning Habitat crew).  With a menu of options I would then ask, "If you were to try one of these, which would you maybe give a shot?"  With that answer I would hope that you actually would give that one a shot.  Why not?  Just take a peak?  See if it works for you?  The visit wraps up.

The visitor gets the standard welcome letter.  Some places will deploy emissaries with fresh baked bread put into a bag that has the church's name on it.  The bag has handles so that if the person is not home you can leave the bag on the door knob.  In it is a note saying, "We loved having you at our church today.  Please come back."

But key beyond the above is that I would contact the teacher for the 20's & 30's class and the leader of the Saturday morning Habitat crew, if that is what the visitor had said they might be interested in, and I would tell them that visitor Joe Smith had indicated he might be interested.  Those leaders would get Joe's info and personally invite them.  "Hi, Joe.  I'm head of the 20's & 30's class.  I understand you might be interested and I would very much like you to come.  I'd love to meet you.  This is where we are in the building."

If the person registered in the sanctuary or a Sunday School class as a first time visitor but did not come to the after church time where "the visits" transpire, that person would be specifically called and invited to the time the following week.  This time was set up before the main worship service.  They would get the interview if they came and the process would be set in motion.

One more thing ... all who came to the coffee and refreshment and meet the pastor and the interview time before the worship servie would be asked if they would like to join the church.  Like right now.  We can do this now.  Why not?  There's a 30-day shipping free refund type of thing added.  Then they would swear them in and introduce them at the beginning of that next service!

Some will say that that is setting the bar very low for membership, that it should require some orientation.  Their point, and not a bad one, is that once we have their name and info and initial commitment, we have been given a pathway for orienting them.  We can legitimately send them membership materials.  We can legitimately send them a pledge card.  We can legitimately call on them to help with this event.  And all of that will be on the job training!  Why wait around and hope a visitor come around enough to eventually sign up for an orientation?

Is there attrition this way?  Yes.  But no more attrition than a more passive way.  Is there "membership gain"?  Yes, a lot more than the passive way.

What's in a Name?

I saw a best seller title the other day.  It was, “The ONE Thing.”  Subtitle:  What Successful People Do.  Those cover words get you thinking, don’t they?  What do successful people do?  If you had to boil down your opinion about what makes for success, what one thing would you point out?  

We all probably want a few one things.  How do you make it just one??  I suspect that is part of the book’s message, that successful people do get one goal or one principle to shine, do get from the many goods to the one best.  

After a Sunday School class the other day I walked out thinking that the one thing that can help churches, and individuals for that matter, has to do with names.  In churches, we look at health.  Typically, healthy organisms grow.  Even when we have physically matured we would describe health as growing mentally or relationally or spiritually.

For churches to grow they need an inner dynamic.  Something of genuine value and meaning is going on for the people there.  Not pretend value.  Not obligatory attendance.  Not rote habit.  Something really valuable.  It doesn’t have to be humongously valuable but it does have to be valuable.  

But they also need an outer dynamic.  Others need to be coming.  A store may be successful for its ten customers and that can be all the success that is needed if those ten sustain the store and the store sustains them.  Eventually, those ten will die and the store will end its successful life unless there are replacement customers.

New customers bring new ideas, new hearts, new hands.  And, get this, there is no straight sequence of we get an inner dynamic going and then we get new customers.  That is partially true but not completely.  New people bring a new inner dynamic and a new inner dynamic brings new people.  Or how do you get a new inner dynamic?  Get new people.  Play the dynamics as both and simultaneously, not as a sequence of first inner development and then outer recruitment.  

Okay, way back to the beginning of this article.  Once people come to a church a first time we have to figure out how to get them back a second time.  Most churches focus on this area but if you don’t focus on getting first time guests, you don’t have anybody to work all the welcome strategies on!  Anyway, if a person comes back a second time, the most powerful -- the one thing -- I think that will bring them back a third time is people knowing their name.  How are you with names?  

Listen when they tell you their name.  Really listen … for that!  Say their name out loud in the conversation with them several times.  Find a silly image or rhyme link to help you remember their name.  When you sit down in the pew write their name on your bulletin.  Save your bulletin and get it out before going to church next week.  

Next week -- how Peachtree leapfrogs the member process.

The Power of Recruiting

Presbyterian missionary expert, Ralph Winter, once asked, “What’s the quickest way to put out a barn on fire – to grab a bucket and run to the lake with it or to grab a hundred people, tell them to get a bucket and run for water?”  We hear about the power of compound interest.  Do we know about the power of recruiting? 

Let’s say our church could use money to carry out God’s mission in this area.  We could all reach deeper into our wallets.  What if you brought five people to church in the course of one year and everyone else in the congregation did the same?  Our 100 worshippers would bring 500 people.  That would be 500 more wallets opening!

We all give to the church not only in money but in time.  I recently asked our session about how much time they gave to choir practice, committee work, Sunday School class preparation, and the like.  Answer:  5 hours per week.

Then I asked how much of that time was directly related to recruiting people to Cocoa Presbyterian.  If you stood on one foot just right, you could say 10%.  But really the answer is more like 0%. 

It would be nice if we did 50% institutional maintenance and internal workings and 50% on outward recruitment and evangelism.  It is unlikely, however, for lots of reasons.  Spending 15 minutes a week though is do-able.  Sure, it is micro compared to a few hours.  But if each member put in 15 minutes a week (actual time), that’d be great.  If some of those efforts paid off, and eventually they would, we would have more wallets opening and more hands on deck.