Leadership Network Blog

Give it Away

Chris Willard — 2013-06-18T07:11+00:00

What would happen if your church gave away the entire offering from Easter Sunday? Tim Niekerk, senior pastor of Salem Ministries, shares an amazing story of generosity inspired by being a part of the Leadership Network Generous Churches Leadership Community. Watch this video to hear how God is working through the church's generosity. To learn more about developing your own church's generosity, check out the Generosity Ministry InnovationLab, launching this October.

Give It Away for Generous Church from Stephen Wagner on Vimeo.

Author: Chris Willard

Topics: Generous Churches Learnings

Measuring Progress: Multisite Central Support InnovationLabs

Tim Nations — 2013-06-13T18:00+00:00

Over the past several weeks, we’ve conducted two online meetings as part of our Multisite Central Support InnovationLabs. These online meetings mark the halfway point of each one-year InnovationLab, and serve as a time to celebrate each team’s progress, raise questions for the coming months, and bring in additional content to address shared opportunities and obstacles.

Frequent Topics of Conversation
In my conversations with multisite churches that are moving or plan to move beyond four locations, questions seem to gravitate toward a few key topics, including:

Staffing [Ex: How do we staff for growth at our campuses, as well as for future campus expansion (without over-staffing)? How do you help staff make a healthy transition from campus-specific to central roles?]
Finances [Ex: How do you share the costs for central services across all campuses, taking into account the differences between campuses?]
Programming [Ex: How do you determine what ministries and programs are shared (centralized) and what are campus-specific? And (related to the above questions), how do you set priorities for budgeting and staffing for each across all campuses?]

These popular talking points were critical for these eleven churches as well. In addition, teams find it extremely valuable when they can spend time with other leaders who are a little farther down the road. It gives them a chance to ask practical questions about things they see coming, and learn to ask questions about the things they can't see.

Making Progress
All of the teams involved in our latest online meeting have made great progress since the group launched six months ago. Some of the common areas of learning mentioned include:

Making the shift in organizational thinking from a church ‘with’ multiple sites to a church ‘of’ multiple sites.
The development of a Central Team to service all locations.
The establishment of new decision-making processes to fit the new structure.
The identification of proper metrics for a healthy, growing multisite church.

Some churches have added additional campuses in that time, providing a real proving ground for new teams, systems and structures.

Next Steps for Continued Growth
As these teams began planning for the next six months, they were asked to identify some key decisions that needed to be made to ensure the ongoing success of their multisite strategies. Answers varied from pending changes in church polity to campus space issues. However, three shared ‘next steps’ emerged:

Focus on staffing: hiring, culture development, and office philosophies/logistics.
Leadership Development: training and ongoing development of new and current leaders across all campuses.
Resource Allocation: managing human and capital resources for initiatives and future campuses.

I'm looking forward to our fall gathering in Dallas to see the overall progress each church has made, and to see them launch into bold, new plans for the future!

Ready to Take Your Multisite Strategy to the Next Level?
Leadership Network continues to bring together multisite churches each year to help teams accelerate learning and multiply impact. Whether you’re preparing to launch your first campus or planning to move beyond ten locations, we have a group for you. To help you find the right fit for your team, send me an email at tim.nations@leadnet.org.

Author: Tim Nations

Topics: Learnings

Your Summer Reading List

Stephanie Jackson — 2013-06-13T13:55+00:00

Summer. The kids are out of school, the sun is warm, and that favorite vacation spot is calling. Whether you're going to the beach or the mountains, or just having a staycation at home this summer, you'll want to be sure to pack a few good books. Why not add a few leadership books to your list? Here are a few recommendations if you are ...

- a woman in a leadership position of any level, Just Lead! A No Whining, No Complaining, No Nonsense Practical Guide for Women Leaders by Sherry Surratt and Jenni Catron is a must read. Just Lead! provides practical leadership help for women to develop skills to lead themselves and others with the character, confidence and authenticity of a godly woman. The book shows us how to handle criticism, face indecision, and grapple with the loneliness that often comes with being in charge. It also offers sage advice on respecting gender differences, overcoming communication barriers, leading other women, and developing a balanced team. As two experienced leaders who have served in a number of capacities in churches and organizations, Sherry and Jenni not only explore the barriers that keep women from assuming a leadership role but also provide practical reality checks on what women can do to become effective leaders.

- searching for new ways to be missional, Prodigal Christianity: 10 Signposts into the Missional Frontier by David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw offers a down-to-earth, accessible, and yet provocative understanding of God's mission of redemption in the world. Prodigal Christianity asks the questions that point to the issues troubling church leaders in the newly secularized post-Christendom cultures of North America. How is God revealed? What is the gospel? Where is the kingdom of God? And, most importantly, how do we live these realities amidst the sexualities, pluralism, and injustices of our time? Prodigal Christianity moves us beyond Christian-culture-bound ways of being Christian to living radically as Jesus's people present in the world

- feeling called to developing stronger disciples, Insourcing: Bringing Discipleship Back to the Local Church by Randy Pope will help you reach your goal. Many pastors and leaders are slowly awakening to the reality that current models of ministry just aren't working the way they had hoped they would. Randy's journey as a pastor will encourage you and invite you to consider the effectiveness and fruitfulness of your own church's discipleship efforts. Twenty-five years ago, the leaders of Perimeter Church took serious stock of their own spiritual development and realized all of them had benefitted from a personal discipleship relationship that had helped them grow in their faith and discover where God was calling them to service. As a church, they decided to make personal discipleship their do-or-die aim: applying one person's real life to another's to accomplish something far bigger than that single life. This book tells their story.

- wanting to infuse organic church principles into a conventional church setting, read Church Transfusion: Changing Your Church Organically - From the Inside Out by Neil Cole and Phil Helfer. This book challenges churches to transfuse themselves with the life-giving qualities and energy of the organic church movement. Neil Cole (the foremost expert on organic church) teams up with his co-founder of Church Multiplication Associates, Phil Helfer, to revisit the themes from Cole’s previous books. They show conventional church leaders how to use organic principles to heal their DNA and transfuse themselves with an entirely new energy, vision, and a more missional approach to what they are and what they do.

- seeking to reconcile racial tensions while maintaining cultural heritage, The Post-Black and Post-White Church: Becoming the Beloved Community in a Multi-Ethnic World by Efrem Smith provides a blueprint for missional, multiethnic Christian community. Most books on racial reconciliation or multiethnic ministry center on the theological foundations, history, or social problem aspects of the topic. The Post-Black and Post-White Church offers a practical, hands-on blueprint for developing and sustaining a multiethnic and Christ-centered community. This book connects theology and practical ministry models for wrestling with what it means to be church in an ever-increasingly multiethnic world that is polarized by class, politics, and race. The book embraces Jesus as one who was both Jewish and multiethnic and focuses on a theology of reconciled, multiethnic, and missional leadership.

Author: Stephanie Jackson

Topics: Books

Permission Granted: Churches Giving Marketplace Leaders the Green Light for Kingdom Impact

Warren Bird — 2013-06-12T18:41+00:00

Pioneering churches have discovered two factors that can help them move more marketplace leaders toward Kingdom impact

1) Marketplace leaders want to change the world—we must give them captivating opportunities to pursue.

2) Marketplace leaders are carrying God-sized visions in their hearts—unearth them.

Leadership Network’s concept paper, Permission Granted: Churches Giving Marketplace Leaders the Green Light for Kingdom Impact, previously published by Andy Williams and Dennis Welch explores this important topic.

Here are some great quotes from the paper:

“If somebody walks in with a great idea for a new ministry, we tell them, ‘that’s a good idea’. Go for it.”

“We’re finding out the best thing we can do for our marketplace leaders who want to do ministry is help get the right resources in their hands… and stay out of the way.”

“We believe it’s time for churches to put a stake down in their communities and beyond, we want to help business leaders perform those good works God had in mind all along.”

“We think the church historically has not cast a compelling vision, and that’s why it has had trouble finding marketplace leaders who will help.”

“We are challenging successful marketplace leaders to figure out a way to do what they already do, and bring their substantial gifts and talents to bear in the church and in the community.”

To see the entire library of Leadership Network’s papers, podcasts, and videos go to

http://leadnet.org/resources.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Learnings

New Global Connections Leadership Community Forming in March 2014

Eric Swanson — 2013-06-10T19:36+00:00

Global Connections Leadership Community (GXLC) from Jeff Swanson on Vimeo.

Leadership Network is pleased to announce the launching of the 5th Global Connections Leadership Community (GXLC) that will convene for the first gathering in Dallas in March of 2014.

The Global Connections Leadership Community (GXLC) focuses on breakthrough ideas to increase missional effectiveness on both the going and receiving sides of missions in view of new global realities of mutuality, partnering, cities, business as mission, when helping hurts, etc. This GXLC is NOT ABOUT getting everyone in your church to go on a short-term mission trip. It IS ABOUT increasing the missional effectiveness of your global ministry. We are not looking for incremental improvement or tweaking what you already do; we are looking for innovations that can be diffused throughout the greater missional church. At each of our four gatherings our meeting space becomes (in Steven Johnson’s words) “a dating service for ideas” where we transform ideas to innovations to impact.

The ultimate goal and outcome of this Leadership Community is to accelerate the learning, knowledge and application of innovative approaches to global missions. We serve your vision, goals, and objectives. However, specific outcomes may include the following:

A significant increase in number of people engaged in global missions
A significant increase in results per dollar spent
A significant increase in the number of people served / reached through global missions
Development of collaborative relationships with innovative church leaders
Increased growth of those who go—both short-term and long term
Development of new missional, approaches, and resources that serve the “broader church.”

The gathering dates for this Leadership Community are:

Meeting 1: March 5-7, 2014
Meeting 2: September 17 - 20, 2014
Meeting 3: Feb 25 - 27, 2015
Meeting 4: Sep 9 - 11, 2015

If you find yourself thinking about increasing the effectiveness of your global engagement, contact bonnie.randle@leadnet.org for more information.

Author: Eric Swanson

Topics: Global Connection Learnings

Church Using Free Google Ads to Transform Internet Campus

Warren Bird — 2013-06-05T20:12+00:00

Many churches try to use internet campuses to reach a wider audience, but some, like Westside Family Church in Lenexa, KS, found that they were only reaching those from their existing offline campuses. By taking advantage of Google AdWords, Westside Family Church has been able to connect with people all over the world and minister to increasing numbers of non-Christians.

Leadership Network’s article, Church Using Free Google Ads to Transform Internet Campus, previously published in Advance explores this important topic.

Here are some great quotes from the article:

“We wanted our online church to have international reach, but it wasn’t materializing. We couldn’t get enough critical mass outside of our area to make it relevant.”

“We would love to see church online be a catalyst for communities of churches to be birthed and planted all over the world.”

“Before we launched Google AdWords, most of the people we were reaching were within reach of our offline campuses, and people were using the online campus to attend services when they had a soccer game or sick kids or whatever.”

“We would rather be face to face, but I’m not going to let that inability keep me from ministering to people today.”

“At the end of the day, we all live offline and online every day. So we’re using the tools we have to connect people to people and plant more churches all around the world.”

To see the entire library of Leadership Network’s papers, podcasts, and videos go to

http://leadnet.org/resources.

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To learn about a Leadership Network peer group of several churches seeking to explore “what’s next” in the digital landscape to more effectively achieve your Kingdom mission, check out the Beyond Digital Leadership Community webpage. (Tim Nations, Director)

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Learnings

Author Insights with Steve Saccone

Greg Ligon — 2013-06-05T11:00+00:00

Steve Saccone, is the author of several books including one he published with Leadership Network called, Relational Intellegence. His work can also be found on Leadia.tv, as an author for the Leadia Experience called, "Communal Morphing" which helps leaders maximize their time and draw on the strengths of those around them. Steve is the Director of Leadership Development and a Teaching Pastor at the Highway Community in the San Francisco Bay Area. He previously served at Mosaic Los Angeles for 8 years and he also leads an online training program for young and emerging ministry leaders.

If someone came to you and said they were thinking of writing a book, what advice would you give them?

"Before you endeavor to write, know what question (or set of questions) you are addressing. Great books are a response to real issues and real questions that people are wrestling with. In other words, know what need you are speaking to and why what you have to say about that need or issue REALLY matters?"

Name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Why and how did this person impact your life?

"The entire trajectory of my life has been significantly altered by a few key mentors in my life. Marty believed in me more than I believed in myself. He gave me opportunities that were bigger than my own capacity. Sheryl met with me twice a month for 3 years as she guided me through emotional, relational, and spiritual brokenness - and motivated me to pursue God and healthy community to experience healing and wholeness. Erwin inspired me to care relentlessly about participating in the mission of God and to call others towards that way of living. Nancy challenged me to face conflict head on... with honesty, respect, humility, and boldness."

Explain the impact, if any, that technology (including social media, the Internet, digital publishing, etc) has made on your organization or you personally?

"It reminds me of 2 things that impact how I live and follow Christ:

That people long to be connected and inspired. So ultimately, the way we use technological mediums must be rooted in serving and helping people.

It also reminds me that we live in a world whose momentum moves us towards being self-centered, which is why we all must recalibrate at times, remembering that social media, technology, etc. ought NOT be rooted in promotion of self."

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an author?

"I WRITE as an art form AND spiritual exercise. For me, this helps me clarify what God is really saying to me and doing in me. Most of my writing never gets read by anyone else but serves as a prayer of sorts between God and me. As an art form, I carry this question with me: how can I write about what God is teaching me that might be able to help, inspire, or sharpen people?"

When you hear from your readers, what do you want to know?

"How do I distill what they are learning, through what they are reading, into a few key next steps? And how do they know how to do the small things and the right things to begin to bring change?"

******************

To learn more about Steve Saccone follow him on Twitter and/or visit his website.

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Leadership Development Books Learnings

Church Makes a Community Splash, Literally

Warren Bird — 2013-06-04T19:02+00:00

Multisite JumpStart: Group 3 Forming!

Josh Whitehead — 2013-05-30T00:54+00:00

If you are a leader in a church looking to launch your first multisite campus in the next 6-12 months, Leadership Network is preparing its third Multisite JumpStart InnovationLab this fall. The lab begins September 19-20, when teams from 6 churches will spend one year together learning from each other as well as thought leaders in the area of multisite. You'll leave the first meeting with a 6-month launch plan - moving from thinking about multisite to solidifying your churches roadmap for success!

To learn more about this lab, please visit the Multisite Jumpstart webage. We are currently accepting applications and scheduling interviews for this group.

Author: Josh Whitehead

Topics: Church Planting Multi-Site Churches Rapid Growth Learnings

Engaging Sexuality in the Church, Prodigal Christianity

Leadership Network — 2013-05-29T23:25+00:00

In this short video, coauthors Geoff Holsclaw and David Fitch share powerful messages about their favorite chapters in the book, Prodigal Christianity. Hear what they have to say.

To order your copy of Prodigal Christianity visit leadnet.org/bookstore

Author: Leadership Network

Topics: Books

Church Capitalizing on Public Funds to Fuel Ministries

Warren Bird — 2013-05-29T14:51+00:00

Churches are often looking for ways to serve their communities through various not-for-profit ventures. Successful collaborations rely upon strong business models, building trust with the local community, and understanding client’s needs. The New England Dream Center has been able to do just that while serving the church, the community, and reconciling people back to God.

Leadership Network’s article, Church Capitalizing on Public Funds to Fuel Ministries, previously published in Advance , explores this important topic.

Here are some great quotes from the article:

“It has taken years to strip away some of the prejudice we initially received in the city because we are motivated by our faith.”

“Sometimes, churches become a mall of social services that seem disjointed from the church's culture and central mission.”

“We are trusted now because we’ve proven our good motives and intent: to love people to life, and not in a coercive way.”

“When being a social service provider or providing a social entrepreneur product or service, the goal is to provide the best so that people want to participate or purchase your service because it is the best, not just because it is faith-based.”

“Make your social service programs and endeavors the best, so they are known for quality and love, thereby being a witness to the God we serve.”

To see the entire library of Leadership Network’s papers, podcasts, and videos go to

http://leadnet.org/resources.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Learnings

Author Insights with Bruce B. Miller

Greg Ligon — 2013-05-29T11:26+00:00

I have the pleasure of introducing you to, Bruce B. Miller, who is the founding pastor of Christ Fellowship, based out of McKinney, Texas. He taught systematic theology at Dallas Theological Seminary for four years and he also founded the Center for Church Based Training. Bruce most recently authored the book; Your Church in Rhythm, a Leadership Network publication published by Jossey-Bass and released in February 2011. As you'll see, Bruce draws from his wealth of experiences, giving us some thought provoking answers to this week's Q&A.

If someone came to you and said they were thinking of writing a book, what advice would you give them?

"Seriously count the cost. Ask yourself if you really believe this is a calling, stewardship from God, that you must do. If so, start small. Try writing an article or a chapter. Get feedback from a circle of readers before going wider."

Name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Why and how did this person impact your life?

"Gene Getz has had a profound impact on me. It happened over a long period of time as he invited me to share ministry with him. Most commonly he included me in decisions; even as a much younger man, he sought my advice on matters from drafting a sensitive letter to re-structuring someone's job. We also played racquetball together weekly for about 15 years. That informal time to talk before and after was invaluable. I find that years later I quote him, refer to his example or follow his model without even thinking about it. His child-like curiosity for finding truth in God's Word into his later years inspires me to stay fresh and vigorous for Jesus."

Explain the impact, if any, that technology (including social media, the Internet, digital publishing, etc) has made on your organization or you personally?

"Our Church has fully embraced Facebook, but we are not really a Twitter church. Recently we have introduced myworshipguide.com, a digital worship guide/bulletin/program that many are using Sunday morning during services. Digital publishing of a weekly study guide and a quarterly newsletter has reduced our print costs. Some people are watching our streaming on-line services on the Internet rather than coming to church which we see as less than desirable, but we are reaching many more than we would otherwise."

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an author?

"To grow as an author I aim to read good writing and study it. Recently I've been listening to a "Great Courses" lecture series on writing good sentences, pretty amazing and fundamental. Also I write all the time: journals, sermons, and more."

When you hear from your readers, what do they want to know?

"How did I come up with the ideas and what am I doing with them."

**************************************

To learn more about Bruce B. Miller you can follow him on Twitter and/or visit his website.

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Leadership Development Learnings

Increasing Bandwidth for Missional Church

Reggie McNeal — 2013-05-24T16:57+00:00

All movements start out with deconstruction. Eventually they make some peace with the past and present, incorporating elements of what has gone before into the new world order.

The missional church conversation is a good example. For about a decade most of the talk was deconstructionist--what's wrong with the church, "death to the institution," etc. I contributed to that conversation.

But I have been privileged also to be part of the maturing conversation. "As a case in point, consider the trajectory of discussion around "attractional vs. incarnational"--that was the deconstructionist phase. "Attractional and incarnational" is now the prevailing mood--a shift in sentiment that expresses the maturation of an idea.

Our clients at Leadership Network, unsurprisingly, are leading the way.

Here's an example of what I mean. In the past month we have hosted two Missional Renaissance Leadership Communities. One has been focused on declaring "epic wins" for their community engagement, with some pretty spectacular results. City Church in San Antonio raised nearly a quarter million pounds of food on Easter Sunday. They are well on their way of having the faith community raise a million pounds next Easter. Cedar Creek church in Toledo OH has declared war on illiteracy in northwest Ohio, while TarrantNet (a consortium of 150-plus congregations in Fort Worth) have trained and deployed over 500 reading coaches into the FWISD, with their goal of having every first grader reading at a first grade level.

These are congregations and networks of congregations engaging thousands of people doing things that can only be accomplished with the synergy of large groups. Attractional models incarnating the love of Jesus in very tangible ways.

A second leadership community targets the development and deployment of missional communities as part of the partcipants' missional strategies. These missional communities are small groups of people who can get into the cracks and crevices of our culture, matching the life rhythms of people who are not susceptible to being congregationalized. Some target the down and out; others move into the gated communities of the up and out. The goal is to be church where people live, work, play, and do life. These are incarnational church expressions unaccompanied by expectations that people adopt attractional church for their spiritual pathway of development. This is a new development in the Western church. Incarnational expressions championed by attractional faith centers.

People often ask me about the future of the church and to describe the church of the future. My reply sometimes consternates them, but it is the only one I can offer with confidence. It is going to look like a bunch of things. We will continue to have big box stores and small boutiques. We will have community networks and internet campuses. Historical congregations will soldier on while some expressions come together for a particular season and reason.

Attractional and incarnational.

Author: Reggie McNeal

Topics: Learnings

It Matters Who You Hang Out With

Warren Bird — 2013-05-23T14:00+00:00

Some pastors never hang out with peers. Other pastors are very intentional in making time to meet regularly with other pastors. Research says that there is a wide difference between the two.

According to a three year study of pastoral leader participation in peer groups initiated by the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) Initiative of the Lilly Endowment, Inc., congregations with Pastors who are regularly involved in a peer group 1) are more likely to promote a "culture of involvement" that actively assimilates newcomers and involves members in leadership, 2) have more active youth programs and activities, and 3) are more involved in community service and positive community change.

Interestingly, peer group involvement was also found to be a positive factor in healthy church growth. In one part of the study that focused on "what congregational and peer group factors predict growth" in the church, one of the six factors that emerged was "a pastoral leader with a history of peer group involvement."

The surveys also found that specific types of peer groups were most desirable for certain demographics and outcomes. Younger pastors tended to seek out a peer group because they were feeling "stuck" in ministry, but ended up staying in peer groups long-term in order to "recharge their spiritual batteries." They benefited from a peer group that focused on the relational and spiritual, and had a flexible structure. Older pastors stayed with groups that employed "intellectual challenge as a vehicle for ministry improvement" and benefited from a denominationally-diverse context.

So what makes a successful peer group? Key factors that led to a renewal of ministry were a balance of relational, spiritual, and instrumental interests and practices. Across the board, must-haves for any positive peer group were quality leadership and strong group cohesion.

Invitation to Join OUR Peer Groups

Leadership Network help meet this need for peer cohorts through what we call Leadership Communities. Our unique Life Stage Leadership Communities create relational peer networks of senior pastors who share similar ministry challenges and desire connections to other pastors serving in similar ministry stages. We offer opportunities for Next Gen Pastors (ages 25-45) and for Senior Pastor 2 (veteran Senior Pastors age 45+). You can learn more about them here or by contacting linda.stanley@leadnet.org (about next gen pastors) or wayne.smith@leadnet.org (veteran senior pastors).

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Learnings

Models of Missional Engagement in Europe

Warren Bird — 2013-05-22T15:52+00:00

From ‘pancake church’ and power evangelism, Alpha and all-night mission events, Christians are using a variety of ways to bring the Good News of Christ to the diverse cultures of Europe. This concept paper gives examples of the creative attractional, engaged, incarnational and kingdom-transformational methods used in missional engagement by churches involved in the ECPN learning communities.

Leadership Network’s concept paper, Models of Missional Engagement in Europe , published in 2008 by Joann Appleton explores this important topic.

Here are some great quotes from the paper:

“As a continent, Europe can be described as pre‐secular, secular and post‐secular.”

“When you are very good at attraction, the question comes ‘what is next, what hasn’t been there, what’s new’ and then there is no end in sight.”

“The person of peace is someone who is open to hearing the Good News, and who likes to spend time with you building a friendship.”

“The older generation is ‘burned out by communism and broken by poverty’”

“Their heart was to be Jesus in the community and bring the gospel to these people.”

“They are focused on the toughest neighborhoods where there is poor education, poor health, high crime and drug abuse.”

“Our ultimate goal is to bring the church out to them and start a new church.”

To see the entire library of Leadership Network’s papers, podcasts, and videos go to http://leadnet.org/resources.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Learnings

Author Insights with Mel Lawrenz

Greg Ligon — 2013-05-22T11:24+00:00

This week meet, Mel Lawrenz who trains an international network of Christian leaders, ministry pioneers, and thought-leaders. He is the author of thirteen books, most recently Spiritual Influence: the Hidden Power Behind Leadership (Zondervan, 2012), and Whole Church: Leading from Fragmentation to Engagement (Jossey-Bass/Leadership Network, 2009). He has a Ph.D. in the history of Christian thought (Marquette University) and is on the adjunct faculty of Trinity International University.

If someone came to you and said they were thinking of writing a book, what advice would you give them?

"If you think you have it in you to write a book, explore that possibility. But first, have you been writing and distributing shorter pieces? You are not ready to write a book unless you have been writing articles and publishing them or at least distributing them on the Internet. You need three things to write a book: the ability to write, an audience that is interested in your ideas, and some really good ideas. If that is where you are today, then start writing, but also do a lot of learning about the publishing industry."

Name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Why and how did this person impact your life?

"Stuart Briscoe with whom I worked as a pastor for 20 years before succeeding him as senior pastor at Elmbrook Church. Stuart influenced me by his personal integrity, his commitment to the gospel, his values of grace and truth, and his good humor. More important than all the mutual projects we worked on together, are the many conversations over many years, exchanging ideas and learning together."

Explain the impact, if any, that technology (including social media, the Internet, digital publishing, etc) has made on your organization or you personally?

"Huge. Thirteen years ago I started writing weekly pieces and distributing them via an opt-in email list. This has kept me thinking, interacting with others, and learning what is important to people. In the last few years we have developed all the other social media platforms. All the books I have written in the past thirteen years have been tested as online pieces."

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an author?

"Networking widely. Regular reading. Keeping writing. Learning from writing and publishing experts by subscribing to their blogs or emails."

When you hear from your readers, what do they want to know?

"The vast majority of people who buy non-fiction books are asking one question: "how?" Frankly, I wish it were otherwise. I think we need to read as much that gets at the "why" of things before we ask the "how" questions. But I know I'm in the minority on this point. I at least try to sneak in ideas about "why" while I'm writing about "how."

**************************************

Here's what Mark Buchanan, Author of "Your Church is Too Safe", had to say about Mel's book, "Whole Church":

"I love rare finds: vintage motorcycles, old maps, abalone shells, unbroken. And this book. Why rare? Mel's depth and breadth. This man knows church. He brings to the task the best of theology, organizational theory, and just good old-fashioned life-in-the-trench experience. And one thing more: simple, workable, practical wisdom that you can put into play 5 minutes after reading a chapter. If you're looking for something more than the latest, "I'm brilliant, and you can be too" book on leadership - if you're looking for something as practical as a manual on small engine repair, as readable as a novel, and as insightful as an old man of the tribe - you're holding it. Lucky you, landing on such a rare find."

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Leadership Development Learnings

An interview with Brad Lomenick from Catalyst

Todd Rhoades — 2013-05-22T03:14+00:00

Brad Lomenick is a good friend and a great leader. I’m so excited about his new book, The Catalyst Leader. Recently, I got the opportunity to ask Brad some questions about leadership and his new book:

Todd: What is the Catalyst Leader about?

Brad: The Catalyst Leader lays out the eight essentials for becoming a change maker. The traits that I believe one must develop in order to become a change maker, and ultimately a Catalyst Leader. I hope this book will provide practical leadership answers for a new generation of aspiring leaders who are looking for answers and solutions, and not just leadership theory. It’s a practical guide for leading now, and leading well, serving as a leadership handbook for the next generation of leaders in our country. The book presents the key essentials that I believe will define our generation’s ability to influence over the next 20-25 years, laying out what it means to be a Catalyst in this generation. The Catalyst Leader is packed with a combination of candid interviews with thought leaders, research with the core leadership community, and overall leadership best practices. A rising generation of leaders need to be equipped for the task of leadership.

Todd: Why did you write The Catalyst Leader?

Brad: I wrote this book primarily for 3 reasons. First, while leading the largest leadership movement that gathers young career aged Christian leaders in America, I noticed that many of these young leaders desired to lead right now, but they didn’t know how to ultimately lead well. We have a generation of “called but not yet equipped leaders.” Leaders who are passionate about making a difference and having influence now. Called leaders who want to change the world, a generation ready to action, ready to influence and ready to lead, but not yet equipped for the task. They need the tools, the roadmap, the guide for leading well and getting that done. So many of my peers at 25, 30, 35, 40 years of age are flaming out and need a resource to help them finish well.

Second, I noticed that the leaders who were leading well shared several common traits and characteristics. What I’m calling the eight essentials. The book lays out those 8 essential characteristics for becoming a change maker, and ultimately a Catalyst Leader.

Third, we’ve been handed the reins to lead. I just turned 40, and I believe it’s my generations turn and time to stand up, take the reins, and lead. We are now in the drivers seat, and it’s up to us. The called but not equipped generation. I want to see leaders, my peers, finish well. Too many leaders are crashing early and often right now. Just like me, tons of leaders in their 20’s and 30’s are facing great opportunities that they feel a deep calling and passion for, and willing to take on, but not altogether equipped to handle. These peers of mine need a roadmap, a guide, a handbook for leading well and tools for the journey forward. Our generation needs a roadmap for leading well. Some of my best friends currently sit atop great organizations but are failing to shepherd their teams and lead these entities well. I’ve begun to see a disappointing pattern among young leaders. They achieve liftoff with a rocket start but quickly fizzle out. With each instance of short lived success, I grow further convinced that we need to nurture leaders who will not just lead now, but also lead well. Ultimately, I’m writing a book that I wish would have been available to me 20 years ago when I was first starting my career and vocation life.

Todd: What is the connection between the book and the actual Catalyst Conferences?

Brad: I have been leading the Catalyst organization for over 10 years, and The Catalyst Leader book is really a result of the lessons we’ve learned in leading the Catalyst leadership movement. After 13 years of gathering hundreds of thousands of Christian leaders, we decided to create a brand new resource to help every leader, at every level. The book project provides a deeper dive into the eight essentials we believe are imperative to becoming a Catalyst Leader. Providing a glimpse at the very heart and soul of Catalyst and what we believe is essential to being a change maker. This is not just my leadership story. It’s a leadership story reflective of the Catalyst movement. This is our leadership story. It’s your leadership story.

Todd: What can leaders expect from the book?

Brad: The Catalyst Leader provides practical help for all leaders at any stage of their leadership journey, ultimately defining what it means to be a Catalyst in this generation, and inspiring us all to be true change makers wherever we lead. I believe the book is defining, practical, inspiring, and timely. The book provides perspective and practical application that leaders can put into practice immediately in their leadership today. I hope the book is both a kick in the pants, a bunch in the gut, and a pat on the back. Both challenging and encouraging.

I think you’ll really enjoy the book… and I think it will help you in your own leadership. I hope you’ll consider purchasing a copy right here (and it’s 41% off!)

Author: Todd Rhoades

Topics: Learnings

Multisite Artist Develpment: Group 2 Forming!

Tim Nations — 2013-05-20T15:29+00:00

If you are a leader in a multiste church and are looking for ways to create a more comprehensive model for developing worship and creative artists across all campuses, Leadership Network is launching its second Multisite Artist Development InnovationLab this fall! Beginning October 17-18, Worship and Creative Arts teams from 6 churches will spend one year together learning from one another, as well as thought leaders in this area of ministry, in order to move from ideas to implementation, to impact!

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the Multisite Artist Development InnovationLab webiste. We are currently accepting applications and scheduling interviews for this group. We'd love to talk with you!

Author: Tim Nations

Topics: Learnings

Latino Led Outreach… In English

Warren Bird — 2013-05-17T18:59+00:00

After a lucrative 10-year Wall Street career in investment management, native New Yorker Joshua Rodriguez resigned in 1991 to enter ministry full-time. Today, along with his wife Paula, he leads a thriving bilingual church just outside New York City: CitylineChurch / La Iglesia de Cityline of Jersey City, NJ.

“We’ve run out of room” is Pastor Joshua’s current challenge. The converted warehouse they use, where the maximum capacity seating of 600, is full at the "prime" hour of 11:30 a.m. For holiday services, the church sadly has to turn people away. The church currently offers three Sunday morning services:

11:30 in English, drawing 600 including children, about 75% Hispanic/Latino
9:30 in Spanish, drawing 450 including children
8:00 in English, drawing 80 adults, mostly professionals, about 75% Hispanic/Latino

Joshua and Paula’s initial calling was to replant an indigenous Hispanic ministry of 17 members. Four years later they started an English ministry. Two years after that Cityline relocated to their current 12,000 square foot facility. They came to a drug-infested, crime-ridden neighborhood, and have been an active part (politically and otherwise) in making the neighborhood better. One of their first steps was to buy a home in the immediate area.

“Very few Hispanic churches are doing English ministry,” Joshua observes. He estimates that there are 200,000 Hispanics/Latinos in the three adjoining towns closest to the church. About half being second generation who prefer English. “There are maybe 50 Latino-led storefront churches, all in Spanish only. Our intent is not to compete but to provide a service that few others seem to be offering.”

As a result, the church has become a hub of transformation, both for individuals and for the community as a whole. “We’re trying to live what we teach – empowering the next generation,” he says. This includes creative approaches to evangelism. “People may not come to church to worship, but they will show up for a debate on the arts,” he offers as an example. At one recent non-religious concert aimed at bringing in the community, 65 people came to the Lord in response to the invitation to receive Christ offered at the conclusion.

As the church looks for a second site or other options to solve its need to make space for more people, the focus remains on seeing the entire community continue to transform as the Gospel changes individual lives. “The question I ask other pastors is how much time, money, and talent are you willing to invest in this next generation?” Joshua says, “I’m willing to give it my all.”

Are You a Second Gen Pastor Too?

Pastor Joshua will be one of the participants in Leadership Network’s upcoming Large Church Hispanic Pastors Forum on October 9 in Chicago. If you also are a Hispanic/Latino pastor leading a large church that’s reaching primarily a second generation population (or know of someone), please see http://www.leadnet.org/hispanic and let us know of your interest.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Learnings

Did You Miss the Webinar? Watch the Replay!

Tim Nations — 2013-05-17T17:56+00:00

On Thursday, Leadership Network hosted the "Top 3 Tech Trends Impacting the Church" webinar as part of the Beyond Digital Initiative. We brought together panelists from Google, Monk Development, SocialMediaChurch.net and Menlo Park Presbyterian Church to discuss three big trends that are impacting our culture, our churches, and providing new opportunities and obstacles for Kingdom leaders. If you missed the live broadcast, don't worry. We've got your covered. The recording is now available to watch and share. Check it out:

If you would like more information regarding the Beyond Digital Initiative, you can read through this overview or complete the form below. Our first Leadership Community will be forming this fall. If you are leading a large church that places a high strategic value on the use of technology to engage, develop, and deploy people for the Kingdom, visit the Beyond Digital Leadership Community Website or request more information below.

Download the Webinar Slides Here

Author: Tim Nations

Topics: Learnings

Tackle the bigs things in leadership, Just Lead!

Leadership Network — 2013-05-16T23:25+00:00

In this short video, coauthors Jenni Catron and Sherry Surratt share about their new book Just Lead!.

To order your copy of Just Lead! A No Whining, No Complaining, No Nonense Practical Guide for Women Leaders in the Church visit leadnet.org/bookstore.

Author: Leadership Network

Topics: Books

What Is Your Biggest Kingdom Challenge? | Code for the Kingdom Survey

Tim Nations — 2013-05-15T18:29+00:00

As part of the Beyond Digital Initiative launching this year, Leadership Network is hosting the Code for the Kingdom hackathon series at some of the most prolific tech development centers of our country to discover new tools and strategies to address the challenges confronting our society, our churches, and our spiritual lives. Our goal is to bring together some of the top coders and developers in the country to collaborate on designing tech solutions to real life Kingdom challenges. The first event, hosted in partnership with Carpenter's Lab and Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, is scheduled for June 28-30 in Silicon Valley. For this event, we have secured over 100 top technologists from companies such as Google, Twitter, Facebook, Apple, LinkedIn, and eBay to dream about and drive toward new tools to accelerate the mission of the church in our digital culture.

As a valued leader in the church, we want your input as we develop compelling challenges for our first event. Think about it: If you had unlimited access to over 100 of the most talented coders and developers in the country, what Kingdom challenge would you ask them to address? To participate, fill out the brief form below. In the next few weeks, we'll let you know which challenges will be chosen for the June hackathon.

Want some help on crafting a compelling Kingdom challenge? Download the document below:

Author: Tim Nations

Topics: Learnings

Growing A Recovery Ministry

Warren Bird — 2013-05-15T18:06+00:00

Successful recovery ministries maintain reliance upon Christ and divine guidance as central to their continuation. Prayer – by the leadership, over the ministry and at every gathering – is the answer these churches give most often when asked how they developed. This paper shares the stories of several churches and ministries who have successfully gone through the process of growing a recovery ministry. Belief in the healing power of Christ, and seeing the fruits of His healing in changed lives is the end goal for recovery ministries.

Leadership Network’s concept paper, Growing A Recovery Ministry: Contex-Sensitive Innovations and Christ- Centeredness Define Successful Programs , published in 2007 by Meagan Taylor explores this important topic.

Here are some great quotes from the paper:

“GOD HAS A WAY OF PUTTING THE MOST PRECIOUS STUFF IN SURPRISING PLACES—LIKE DRUNKS IN A TANK OR JESUS IN A MANGER.”

“A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO GO THROUGH THE SMALL END OF THE FUNNEL...SO WE INVERTEDTHE FUNNEL.”

“IF YOU’RE REACHING THE UNCHURCHED, THEN YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR MINISTRY LOOK AS MUCH UNLIKE CHURCH AS POSSIBLE.”

“THE BEST ROOMS IN THE CHURCH ARE RESERVED FOR GROUPS, TO PRESENT RECOVERY AS A ‘FRONT DOOR’ MINISTRY.”

“WE TRY TO MAKE RECOVERY RELEVANT AND PRACTICAL BY SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE THE CULTURE SPEAKS.YOUR BEST LEADERS WILL NOT BE WELL-MEANING CODEPENDENTS. YOUR BEST LEADERS WILL BE THE ONES IN YOUR GROUPS RIGHT NOW.”

For more in depth information on the subject you can also read “Bridges to Grace: Innovative Approaches to Recovery Ministry” by Liz Swanson and Teresa McBean. Liz Swanson was also the editorial advisor for the concept paper.

To see the entire library of Leadership Network’s papers, podcasts, and videos go to http://leadnet.org/resources.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Learnings

Author Insights with Dr. Sam Chand

Greg Ligon — 2013-05-15T11:17+00:00

Welcome to our first installment of our weekly post, "Author Insights". I recently had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Samuel Chand who serves Pastors, ministries and businesses as a Leadership Architect and Change Strategist. He consults, mentors and coaches some of the largest church Pastors, speaks regularly at leadership conferences, churches, corporations, Leadership Roundtables, Minister's Conferences, seminars and other leadership development opportunities. Dr. Chand's unique perspective and skill set makes for an interesting interview, and I believe it's one that we all can learn something from.

If someone came to you and said they were thinking of writing a book, what advice would you give them?

"While the book idea usually starts in your head it has to descend to your heart. You must feel your message. There has to be more than a cerebral connection there has to be an emotional aspect to it. Instead of trying to “write”, make an outline, sit down with a friend and have a conversation about what’s in your head and heart. Let your friend pull it out of you asking questions and even pushing back. Record the conversation. Have it transcribed. You’re already 70% there because instead staring at a blank screen now you have traction and can get a jump start on the book. Most of us are oral communicators and writing is an adapted skill. Work from your strength—articulate, record, transcribe and improve. I can help at http://www.samchand.com."

Name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Why and how did this person impact your life?

"My first Pastor in the US, Dr. Tom Grinder impacted my life the most by giving me opportunities to serve as a leader. While a student in Bible college he invited me to serve as a “song-leader” (yes, in the early 70’s there were no “worship leaders”), choir director, nursing home, jail and bus ministries, recommending me to my first church as Senior Pastor and nominated me to be President of Beulah Heights University in Atlanta. He gave me the greatest gift—he believed in me, took risks on me and elevated me to places I didn’t know I could attain."

Explain the impact, if any, that technology (including social media, the Internet, digital publishing, etc) has made on your organization or you personally?

"Social media has allowed me to connect internationally."

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an author?

"I read voraciously. I read widely. I keep good notes. I have files on my desk and computer at all times on two or three books I work on concurrently."

When you hear from your readers, what do they want to know?

"I want to know, “Did it make sense?”; “Can you use it—can you teach it?”; “Why would you recommend it to anyone?”

****************************

If you want to learn more about Dr. Sam Chand you can follow him on Twitter or visit his website.

Author: Greg Ligon

Topics: Leadership Development Books Learnings

Multisite Must-Read List

Warren Bird — 2013-05-14T13:43+00:00

As a mulitsite church leader, what books should I be reading?

My good friend Jim Tomberlin, co-author of Better Together (a book about healthy church mergers, 1 in 3 of which involves a multisite), and I are asked this question all the time. We pooled our thoughts and came up with these top recommendations:

Books every multisite church leader should read:

1. The Multi-Site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many Location is the standard text on the multisite church from Greg Ligon, Geoff Surratt and Warren Bird.

2. A Multi-Site Church Roadtrip: Exploring the New Norma l is the sequel to The Multi-Site Church Revolution that takes you on a tour of 14 multisite churches across America to see how they’re handling the opportunities and challenges of multisiting.

3. Multi-Site Churches: Guidance for the Movement’s Next Generation. Scott McConnell shares common practices and mistakes to avoid and first-person advice and anecdotes from leading multisite church pastors.

4. 125 Tips for MultiSite Churches and Those Who Want To Be. Succinct and practical tips organized around the key components of multisiting by Jim Tomberlin

5. Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work by Jim Tomberlin & Warren Bird. One out of three multisite campuses are the result of a merger and the majority of churches in America are stuck, struggling or sinking. This is the only book written on how to have a successful, mission-driven church merger.

6. The Big Idea: Aligning the Ministries of Your Church through Creative Collaboration by Dave Ferguson, Eric Bramlett and Jon Ferguson. The key to multisiting is consistency across all campuses and ministries. This book is especially helpful for multisite churches using the live, in-person sermon delivery strategy.

7. Micropolitan Church: Doing Mega-Ministry in America’s Small Towns by Jerry Harris and Transforming Church in Rural America: Breaking All the Rurals by Shannon O’Dell demonstrate that churches can become successful and effective multisiting megachurches in the rural back roads and small towns of America.

8. Exponential: How You and Your Friends Can Start a Missional Church Movement . Dave and Jon Ferguson share how to become a reproducing multisiting church that creates networks that become movements.

Books that will help you be a more effective multisite church:

1. Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture, and Create Movement by Will Mancini. The key to effective church impact is having clarity on what God has called your church to be and then do. Mancini’s award winning book helps church leaders unlock their church’s unique DNA and unleash their congregation’s one-of-a-kind potential.

2. Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger. The new mantra for church work today is “less is more.” This book will help you rethink how your church can become more effective by being simpler in programs and structure. The more simple your church is, the easier it will be to reproduce in multiple locations.

3. Cracking Your Church’s Culture Code: Seven Keys to Unleashing Vision and Inspiration by Sam Chand. “Culture trumps everything.” If your church is denominational or older than ten years—don’t start multisiting till you have read this book!

4. Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend . Andy Stanley shares his philosophy that has made North Point Church one of the most influential and successful multisite churches in America.

5. Sticky Teams: Keeping Your Leadership Team and Staff on the Same Page by Larry Osborne. This is the most helpful and practical book on how to work with your church board and staff team from a seasoned and successful practitioner and the “grandfather of video venues.”

6. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni. Learn how to lead your team in a healthy way and you can change the world and your neighborhood.

7. To Transform a City: Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City by Eric Swanson & Sam Williams. Multisite churches can and are playing a key role in creating city-wide collaborative church networks. They are partnering with non-profit organizations and marketplace leaders to better serve and impact their cities together. This book lays the foundation for the growing city transformation movement that is occurring across North America.

8. Beyond Megachurch Myths: What We Can Learn from America’s Largest Churches by Scott Thumma & Dave Travis. Like it or not, good or bad—megachurches are the pacesetters. The authors expose the myths and unpack the lessons to be gained from the megachurches of America.

9. What’s Next: A Look Over the Next Hill for Innovative Churches and Their Leaders by Dave Travis. One of the foremost observers of the Church in America gives us his informed prognostications about what is ahead in the second decade of the 21st century.

What books would you add to the list?

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Books

Working on the Parts Helps the Whole

Dave Travis — 2013-05-10T12:30+00:00

The title phrase here is one I hear a lot from our clients after one of our Leadership Community Gatherings. And it has proven true whether they are one of our Life Stage groups just for Lead Pastors or for one of our team gatherings.

A few of our Leadership Communities focus on the Whole of the local congregation being served. Our new What’s Next? Community is definitely one of those. (more information here)

And our Life Stage Communities like Next Generation and Senior Pastor 2 focus on both the personal and organizational leadership issues that impact the whole of the congregation. (see here)

But many more of our topics drill down into vital ministries that enable many other things to happen within the congregation. So, for examples, our Leadership Development Leadership Community (link ) works with a team to focus the efforts of all the Leadership Development processes within your congregation.

Or, our new Beyond Digital Leadership Community is focused on the themes relating to how the “everything that can be digitized will be” as well as the counter forces that the church must address that keep relational authenticity and integrity intact. (see here)

While both of these examples address “parts” of the ministry of your church, the impact is spread amongst all the congregation’s ministries.

Secondly, our team based processes teach teams a new way of working. We have heard and seen this many times with the churches involved in our communities. The teams that come “get infected with the virus” of collaborative planning and learning, visual maps, cross discipline thinking and imagining and tell us how they have applied that not only to the focused area at hand with their Leadership Community project but across the board in their church.

We often see versions of our planning templates applied to other areas of ministry when we visit the churches prominently posted on a team’s work area. They describe how they now conduct all staff meetings using our Fast Fire principles to get at information and resource sharing quickly and compactly. They use some of the technology tools we use in our space to quickly get everyone on their team up to speed.

I share all of this because our processes are designed to work on PARTS and WHOLES.

I will let you in on a key secret though.

Those church teams that come with their Lead Pastor(s) tend to:
a. Make more progress and
b. Apply our tools widely across their church

This results in many areas of the church’s ministry being accelerated for the future.

So click onto our pages now to see some of the upcoming Leadership Communities and InnovationLabs we have launching soon. We welcome your interest as we help you envision, dream, plan and execute great ideas to get them to implementation and impact.
More info here and here.

Author: Dave Travis

Topics: Learnings

Guess Who’s Coming to the Webinar? (Infographic)

Tim Nations — 2013-05-09T21:17+00:00

Leadership Network is hosting a webinar on Thursday, May 16th entitled "Top Three Tech Trends Impacting the Church". This webinar is a part of our Beyond Digital Initiative, an effort to help church leaders accelerate their learning and multiply their impact through the development and use of digital tools. We have put together a panel of thought leaders from organizations including Google, MonkDev, Social Media Church, and Menlo Park Presbyterian Church to discuss the impact of these trends on our culture, and what opportunities and obstacles they present for the church. The following infographic gives you a snapshot of the churches that have registered so far.

If you haven't registered for the webinar, click on the banner below to join the conversation!

Author: Tim Nations

Topics: Learnings

Multisite Questions: Content Delivery

Josh Whitehead — 2013-05-09T20:14+00:00

One of the common questions that multisite churches ask today is about the content delivery of the weekly messages. Even churches that plan to use a teaching team at times want to replay a message from the Senior/Lead Pastor to all of the churches campuses. It continues to be one of the most challenging areas for churches planning to launch a new location - particularly those using video for the weekend message.

The complexity of the situation can be overwhelming for churches on the journey - particularly those without a full-time technical staff position. So, before we explore some delivery options, let’s consider two thoughts. First, keep it simple and easily reproducible. Second, consider providing the video in multiple formats in case your primary delivery method fails.

Here are some options that you should consider:

Hard Drive Delivery: Many churches use types of hard drives to deliver the message content. These devices can range from the Ki Pro HD/SD recorder and player to the Panasonic AG-HMR10 Handheld AVCCAM HD recorder and player. Each device provides unique opportunities for delivering content, with the Panasonic using the compact SD Card for simple transport.

Internet Delivery: Other churches are using the internet for delivering content. DVR services from platforms provided by 316 Networks or Haivision’s KulaByte technology. Each normally offer broadcast quality internet video that is stored in the “cloud” for use at multiple locations at any time. If you have a reliable internet connection, it’s definitely a format worth considering.

Satellite Delivery: Churches like LifeChurch.tv are using satellite technology. Bobby Gruenewald posted a couple of great blog posts a few years ago on using Satellite for delivering content. Those posts can be found HERE and HERE.

No matter what you decide for content delivery, remember that there is likely not a perfect solution. However, there is a best solution for your church depending on how your ministry is staffed and what technology you have invested in.

What if I need other help launching a site?
Leadership Network is currently launching a new Multisite JumpStart group in September. If you are looking to launch your first location in the next 6-12 months, this lab may be perfect for you. You can apply by filling out the online application HERE.

Author: Josh Whitehead

Topics: Multi-Site Churches Learnings

“So you help churches grow?” Not exactly

Dave Travis — 2013-05-09T13:00+00:00

This is a follow up to my last post found here.

As I said we tend to work with growing churches. And God is the ultimate cause of all growth I think.

And the churches with which we work tend to be faithful, diligent and applied to the task God has given them and those churches generally prosper.

Our work tries to help churches be and do the same things that Jesus did while here on earth. There are some new methods that fit our context and culture but the same patterns are there.

But while our work happens through working with local congregations our mission and cause is actually much bigger. So while the churches engaged with us benefit greatly themselves in being a part of our processes, our vision is actually bigger and more global.

As I wrote earlier our vision is to see The Church flourish, Communities thrive and the Whole Land to prosper.

I can break that down later for you.

But we do that by “Fostering innovative movements that activate The Church to greater impact.” That’s not an official statement but just the way I explain it to outsiders.

So while we work with individual congregations in our programs, our ultimate cause is to help influence the whole social ecology of The Church to greater impact.

So while the churches with which we do direct work prosper and grow, we then take what is being learned and how those are doing it and share with the whole.

As I like to say: “We share their stories to inform, encourage and inspire others to do likewise.”

We share those stories in Leadership Network Advance (you can subscribe here), our free concept tools on this web site, the books we publish with our partners (over a million books sold), our Leadia tools, our podcasts, our Flipboard magazine and our online conferences.

So, for example, on May 14th we have our Church Innovate Conference.
You can watch it for FREE that day.
It will have teams presenting on the issues of Multisite, Generosity and Leadership Development.
Those teams have been through our processes and are sharing what they learned and are still learning about those innovations.

So there are at least two parts of our work.

We work with churches and help them to greater local impact through their efforts.

And then we share what those churches do so others can benefit.

Now some of you will never get to be in one of our Leadership Communities or InnovationLabs but you can still benefit by reading, listening and watching our resources targeted for you.

Author: Dave Travis

Topics: Learnings

Diverse DNA - Varying Factors In Church Cultures Lead To Rapid Growth

Warren Bird — 2013-05-08T20:16+00:00

Pastors and church staff in rapidly growing churches experience a unique set of challenges. How they deal with those challenges will shape future growth and church health.

Leaders of rapidly growing congregations pinpoint different factors built into the DNA of their churches that allow for such accelerated growth rates, according to Chris Willard, director of the Rapid Growth Leadership Communities at Leadership Network. “There is something different about the cultures of churches that grow rapidly,” Willard says. “They have put things in place that allow for this type of growth, and they are good at identifying what hampers rapid growth.”

Leadership Network’s concept paper, Diverse DNA , Varying Factors In Church Cultures Lead To Rapid Growth , published in 2010 by Andy Williams explores this important topic.

Here are some great quotes from the paper:

“There is something different about the cultures of churches that grow rapidly, They have put things in place that allow for this type of growth, and they are good at identifying what hampers rapid growth.”

“Preaching Grace And Telling The Truth” Fuels Growth For One Church.

“Each staff member needs to feel some of the same pressure that lead pastors experience for numerical growth, development and use of financial resources.”

“Honor The Past, Navigate The Future…And Be Patient.”

To see the entire library of Leadership Network’s papers, podcasts, and videos go to http://leadnet.org/resources.

Author: Warren Bird

Topics: Learnings