Rumblings

There are rumblings. They are the deep, continuous sounds caused by an unsettled energy. They come from below, where the top often finds its disconnect. Sometimes they are brief, and other times, they choose to linger as if there were no choice.

When you sense rumblings, pay attention. From the rumblings come movements that are ready to emerge without prompting. Energy spent drumming up artificial excitement for these movements is not necessary; it is a natural outflow of the people. It is what they want to do. It is their idea. It is their longing.      

Most of the time, we spend energy convincing others to join our movement, embrace our idea. We try to manufacture excitement.  Sometimes, it is best for us to step away from our own thoughts and ideas, and lead the thoughts and ideas of others.  Some of our most effective moments are when we embrace and guide the passion of others.

Keep your ear to the ground. Listen to your people, and uncover opportunities to capitalize on genuine desire. If the desire is strong enough, the unsettled energy will become something far more powerful than a rumble. In that moment, you will be glad you chose to be their guide and lead something that is far greater than yourself.

Scar

Behind every scar lies a story.

For many of us, our scars are reminders of dramatic moments in our lives that involved struggle, fear, and opposition. Like any landmark, they are points of reference placed on our body to let us know that something happened and our bodies will never fully restore to their original state.

We are still here, but we are not the same.

The blemish is a thing of marvel. Much like our physical bodies, our life is often filled with scars, some from the decisions we made, some from the ones we didn’t make.

For those of us who have not lived the perfect life and who bear the marks left by past errors, we understand the importance of those marks. One of the beautiful things about a scar is that it is a demonstration of healing. It represents an old wound from which we are no longer suffering. So when we see these imperfections, we look at them with joy of what was but is no longer.

We may always regret some of our past decisions, but we do not have to regret the person we’ve become because of them. God is in the business of healing. If we are willing, he can take those past mistakes and turn them into something beautiful. History reveals this type of supernatural handiwork over and over.   

Today, allow your wounds, your mistakes to heal. They heal when we decide to step away from our errors and make a change. If you’re lucky, a scar will remain. Use those scars as learning experiences, as markers of personal growth, lessons learned and survived.

Sorry, This Small Group is Sold Out

According to recent research, it may be good to close off some of your church’s small groups to additional participants and advertise these closings.  

Researchers are constantly attempting to understand the reasoning behind human decisions. A recent work on consumers explored the influence of a product being “sold out” on purchase behavior. As church leaders try to convey the importance of small group involvement, the findings of this piece may help leaders better present small group options to congregations. Contextualized through the lens of small groups, the results of the study revealed the following:     

The presence of a “sold out” small group may trigger a desire for another, similar option rather than a decision to hold off joining a small group.

Seeing that a particular small group is full may actually increase the choice rate as opposed to using it as an excuse not to join a group. The key to this happening is the availability of another similar option. If you publicize the closing of a group, be prepared to present simultaneously the alternative.

The presence of a “sold out” small group may create a greater sense of urgency to join another group.

If one is full, the next could fill quickly as well. The closed group may create an immediacy effect and encourage those on the fence to take the next step. Again, it is important to have a similar open group available.      

If individuals are not familiar with the small group concept, the presence of a “sold out” small group may increase the attraction of a similar available group.

We often trust the knowledge of those whom we have never met. Though we have never read a page of the bestseller, we pick it up because so many others have read the book. With so many eyes viewing the work, it must be decent at worst. According to the study, the advertising of a group that is at capacity may have the same effect. This cascading of knowledge may increase the attractiveness of a comparable open group.

Your Church in 30 Seconds or Less

Floor 1.

In sales, the reality of limited time is ever-present. Nobody has an abundance of time to listen to an explanation of your church/organization/mission. If they do have the time, you are probably talking to the wrong person.

For those of us that work in the world of church, the time to tell our story is even more limited. We have all experienced the quick, purposeful shutting down that occurs when we tell individuals about our place of work.

Hence, the elevator pitch.

The elevator pitch is a brief, well-planned, explanation of your church or organization. The term “elevator pitch” originates from the idea that you should be able to understandably explain your church/organization/mission in the time it takes to ride up the elevator.

Here is suggested content for a church leader’s elevator pitch:

1. Your name, position, name of church, and church location: “My name is John Smith, the Adult Pastor at ABC Church located on the corner of 5^th and Green Street.”

2. Something general: “We believe that we are all broken, messed up, and need God to restore us.”

3. Something specific: “We come along side of families to help them become and stay healthy.”

4. Celebratory story relating to the specific: “This week, a couple with three children chose against the divorce they were pursuing.”

5. Invite with service times: “We would love to see you there at our 10:30am service.”

Then, present them with your business card. Some filler will be necessary to appear sane.   

We have the greatest, most critical mission humanity has ever known. Society may not always give us the time to tell our story so when the brief opportunity arises, we must be ready.  

 Floor 2.

Twitter in America

Social media continues to be a hot topic among organizations because of its ability reach large audiences with minimal to no cost. With the ongoing attempt for organizations and researchers to understand this new media, statistics continue to abound.

Regarding the anticipated future use of social media, 67% of Millennials agreed with this statement:

By 2020, members of Generation Y (today’s “digital natives”) will continue to be ambient broadcasters who disclose a great deal of personal information in order to stay connected and take advantage of social, economic, and political opportunities. Even as they mature, have families, and take on more significant responsibilities, their enthusiasm for widespread information sharing will carry forward.

From Pew Research Center www.pewresearch.org

• For American 12 years and older, awareness of Twitter has dramatically increased from 5% in 2008 to 87% in 2010. Facebook’s awareness is 88%.
• Twitter still lags behind Facebook in usage. 7% of Americans (17 million) use Twitter. 41% use Facebook.
• Two-thirds of Twitter users access social media with their cell phone.
• 51% of Twitter users follow companies, brands or products on the various social networks

From Edison Research www.edisonresearch.com

How to Minimize Your Life’s Influence

I often hear about those with a deep desire to increase their life’s influence, for their legacy to ripple into eternity. Here are some suggestions for those who want to do the opposite:

Disengage from God

God is the source of all things eternal. You need to concern yourself with now. The eternal can wait for a time when it actually matters. Because we do not care about that which lasts, we should not be bothered with a lasting God. We all know that God is good for your times of weakness. Fortunately, you are strong. I am assuming you plan to stay that way. Self-reliance is critical. At some point, you may experience an inner emptiness. Do not worry. It happens all of the time to those who choose your route. Use it as a driver. You can always find fulfillment in yourself.

It is hard to disengage from God and continue going to church. Avoid church. It never met your needs anyway. Everyone there seems to care about something that is bigger than themselves. Not good. If you must go, do not join and become involved, only attend. No one will ever know you are there.

Put yourself first

You only have one life. Much time and energy is wasted focusing on others. We give because we expect others to do the same for us. Unfortunately, the effort you put forth is never returned with the same exertion, rendering your investment a loss. In order to get out of this vicious cycle of disappointment, focus on yourself. Your investment in you will never disappoint. You are always worth the effort.

When you focus on yourself, others seem to stop asking of your time. This is good. You do not have time to waste. Anyone who climbs to the top of the mountain quickly becomes aware of the solitude that can occur. Do not let this deter you. Relationships are for those who care about what others will say at their funeral. You will not be around for your legacy anyway.

Find comfort

When did you last purchase a chair because it was uncomfortable? Neither should you pursue anything that would take you out of your element. Do you feel something giving you the desire to step out of your comfort zone? Resist it. The feeling will eventually go and away and sometimes never return. People who go into the unknown, who take leaps of faith, often find themselves falling flat on their faces. Eliminate this pain by playing it safe.

The reward for a life full of risk-reducing activities is the knowledge that you always will be just as you are, nothing more, nothing less. Life becomes fantastically predictable. So, set aside that chair that does not fit you just right. You want the comfortable chair, the one with overstuffed pillows and nice ruffles around the base. Take a seat in it. Now, you have the perfect view to watch life pass you by.

Communicate Success

Prior to the sixteenth century, carrots came in a variety of colors. Across the globe, they were red, purple, yellow, and white. Noticeably absent was the color orange. In 1568, a Dutch revolt against Spain would forever influence the color of carrots. Their monarch, William I, the Prince of Orange, led them through the first part of the revolt that would ultimately lead to their independence. Sometime during the sixteenth century, Dutch farmers decided to honor William I, the Prince of Orange. Utilizing mutant seeds, the farmers were able to grow carrots that exuded national pride. Thus, the orange carrot. Of course, most are completely unaware that they are taking part in honoring the monarch as they bite into the orange vegetable.

Somehow, the story of success was lost.

As leaders, we often neglect our responsibility to communicate stories. We expect others to see somehow what we see, to know what we know. We forget that we have a privileged perch upon which we sit. Most stories of success find their way into our offices. Unfortunately, that is where they often stay.

We cannot expect our members or employees to see the successes if we are not willing to remove their blindfold. When we communicate stories of success, we allow others to join the celebration. As successes come your way, do not contain them, but spread them. If we want others to grasp the underlying successes that make our organizations special, we have to tell the stories. Otherwise, they will not be aware of that which is right in front of them.

They will eat the orange carrot but never understand its story.