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Tuesday, September 15, 2015

(S)hoppers

Just as one applies sunscreen to protect from harmful rays, SMART CHURCHES use a membership class that helps to screen out church (s)hoppers by stating up front the mission, vision, structure, strategies, and membership expectations.

Churches are built and sustained by people who have attached themselves to a dream, vision, strategy, etc., for reaching their community and world. Their personal dream comes to pass because they are under the umbrella of a corporate dream.  (Don't believe me? Ask Joseph.)

Our focus must always be "fresh fish!" (Matthew 28:19-20) 
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

 I'm not interested in building a church with transplants from other churches...been there done that. (Not interested in repeating.)  I'm interested in training the group, I do life with, how to REACH the lost and DISCIPLE those they WIN to Christ.

Not everyone who comes to your church from another church is trouble. Some people come because they "buy in" to the dream of your vision. They see themselves attached to it and want their seed-line exposed to the same philosophy.

But SOME people come because: 

  • They couldn't sustain a healthy existence where they were previously, 
  • Have baggage, 
  • Are trouble makers, 
  • Couldn't or wouldn't be corrected, 
  • They don't know where else to go, 
  • Want a position, 
  • Have a problem with their previous church or pastor...and the list goes on.
Believe me...if they come to your house talking about their woes from another house...it won't be long till they're sitting at someone else's desk talking to THEM about YOU the same way. I have a solution for this... "Keep it moving!"

You can never build with people who aren't sons. 

Sadly, time and time again I see pastors trying to LURE people to come to their church by offering them a position or a promise. Friends...it won't work or last.

Sons are BORN in not HIRED in.

IF an individual doesn't have the heartbeat of the house...they will leave the first time PRESSURE is applied. (In the form of correction, direction, assumption, etc.)

The problem I see in the fish bowl is that we have too many pastors/leaders trying to build their churches/ministries with people that God never said build with.

The bottom line...build with people who have the same heartbeat as you. Anything other than that with throw you and your church into arrhythmia.

I love ALL people and welcome anyone who comes to our church. But honestly, if they are too continue with us it will be because they have BOUGHT INTO THE DREAM, which exceeds the personality of the pastor, and have made it their own. Then and only then will you see longevity and fruitfulness in their tenure.

Focus on the people you have.  Raise them. Train them. Use them.  Everything you need is already in your house. If not, God will SEND you what you need in the right SEASON for the right REASON.  If you try to make it happen in the flesh, you'll end up with TREASON.

When interviewing people, who start attending your church, ask them "why are you here?" Believe me...the response you get from that direct question will tell you everything you need to know.

Use a membership class that helps to screen out church (s)hoppers by stating up front the mission, vision, structure, strategies, and membership expectations.

You can't build with (s)hoppers. Stop trying to.


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