Category Archives: Uncategorized

Posted on

A Pastor’s Most Strategic Day of the Week

What is the most strategic day of your week?  Do you have one?  Do you know why it is the most strategic?  What is the most important thing you do on that day?  Church administrative work?  Sermon preparation?  Rest?  Preventing burnout?  Family time?

As a pastor, I doubt that your most strategic day is Sunday.  Sunday might be the most urgent, or the most crucial, but I doubt it is the most strategic.

My most strategic day is Tuesday.  Here’s why:

1. On my most strategic day, I block out time for Quadrant 2 activities.

If you haven’t read my post on Urgent Vs. Important, you should check it out so you’ll know what I mean by Quadrant 2.  The short version is this: Quadrant 1 is doing important things in crisis.  Quadrant 2 is doing important things in a planned way.

2. On my most strategic day, I prep for sermons.

You only have so much creative energy for one day.  Think of it as a reservoir that fills slowly, and empties more quickly.  So on Tuesday, sermon prep is where I place my creative energies.  I create space in my life.  I use this space to think and plan.

The reason Tuesday is strategic is because it keeps one of my core tasks (sermon prep) from becoming a crisis task.  Tuesday prep keeps me from getting to Saturday or Sunday and having to go into full “Sermon Prep Crisis Mode.”  In crisis mode, you may be productive, but you will not be as creative or as thorough.

3. On my most strategic day, I accept few interruptions.

You have to take responsibility for interruptions that you allow.  I know, some cannot be helped.  But many can be prevented. There are ways to avoid being interrupted, even if it means a “Do Not Disturb” sign, and putting your phone on silent or airplane mode.

Don’t get me wrong, you can’t be completely inaccessible.  But if you don’t have any time that you’re not accessible, I can guarantee you that you’re not as strategic and productive as you should be!

If you can’t bring yourself to not answer the phone, then bring yourself to turn off the possibility of people calling you.  The world will not end.

4. On my most strategic day, I leave the office.

This is one way I reject interruptions.  People know where to find me when I’m in the office.  Sometimes, like Jesus, I need to not be found!  (See Mark 1:37)  But there’s another reason that I leave the office:

I sometimes find it hard to focus there.

Confession time: My office is – messy.  (I have improved, and I hope to completely conquer this in the next year or so.)  But like me, you may have to leave the office to get some kinds of high-value work accomplished.

Clutter physically can result in clutter mentally, and doesn’t lend itself to clear, uninterrupted thinking.  Research says when your focus is broken, it takes you a period of time to get back into flow, to producing as efficiently as you were before.  So, when I’m in the office, and my eyes stray to the left and see the pile of paperwork I’ve GOT to work through, it is frustrating and demotivating.

So I leave.  Some very productive people recommend using the same place each time, but currently I don’t.  Currently, I go to:

  • The library, and use one of the study tables in the back.
  • Starbucks (or Cafe Bella)
  • Jack In the Box (iced mocha… mmm)

There is something about these places, since I’ve been so many times, that tends to put me “in the groove” where I can get more done.  It’s a small mental trigger, but it can be an effective one.

What’s your most strategic day?  Why that one?  What kinds of things do you do?  Share your secrets in the comments below.

Posted on

Pastor, Here’s Why You Can’t Quit

If the stats are right, several pastors reading this are burned out and thinking of quitting… or at least wishing it could happen. The old joke about “writing your resignation letter every Monday” has a grain of truth. You’re burned out. Used up. Frustrated. In conflict. Spiritually drained. Unappreciated.

I don’t know if you’re one of those. I hope not. But odds are, someone reading this said under your breath, “That’s me.”

For the next few minutes, I’m talking to you.

For just the next few minutes, you are a boxer. The bell has rung, ending the round — just in time. Literally, saved by the bell. You stagger back to the corner, battered and bleeding. Collapsing onto the stool, you say, “I’m done. I can’t do it. I’ve got to quit.” A quick swipe of the towel, and I’m down in your face. Through clenched teeth, in a low growl, here’s what I’ve got to say:

“Jesus called you to suffer this.”

Not all pastors are called to blowout success. I don’t know the “Why of heaven” on this. But you know in your gut it’s true — there are too many godly & gifted men through history who didn’t see big numbers. If you see this as the calling of God to face the attack of the enemy, it makes a difference.

“This will not last forever.”

Don’t quit because of a season! You can outlast that critic. Those children will not always be so small. God will answer prayer. Someone will be changed. You will not always feel this alone. Your spouse will not always be sick.

“This is where you prove your grit.”

You must — you MUST. Watch this video.

 

“Jesus is worth this.”

I know you’re doubting it will ever be any different, and thinking that you have no more strength. But remember your brothers & sisters in Moslem countries. Remember those have lost eyes, hands, jobs… those who have been tied to stakes and flogged.

They found that Christ was worth the pain.  They found that He satisfies here on Earth, and they proved his supreme worth by what they suffered.  And when we arrive in heaven, whatever pain you’re experiencing will only produce greater glory when you’re in His All-Satisfying Presence.

“This is the price of Christian leadership.”

1 Corinthians 4:9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men.
10 We are fools for Christ… We are weak… we are dishonored!
11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. (NIV)

This is not new!  You think you’re better than Paul?  Or Stephen?  Or Jesus?

Get your head up. No, look up here. Look me in the eye.

Grit your teeth and say it: I will not quit.

No, don’t you mumble and drop your eyes. LOOK AT ME.

Say it.

SAY IT.

I WILL NOT QUIT.

I. WILL. NOT. QUIT.

Now, call a preacher friend or mentor and tell them you’re not going to quit. Email me and tell me you need prayer, but you’re not going to quit. I will stop and pray for you as soon as I get the email. We are in this thing together. We need you. No more men running for the safety of the rear lines while the shells of the enemy scream overhead!

Now, type I WILL NOT QUIT in the Comments below.

Then, go read this post about action steps you can take if you’re burned out and discouraged as a pastor!

Posted on

Leadership Lessons from the Rise of Donald Trump

His hair is legendary.  He has an ego the size of the Grand Canyon.  He might possibly be the next President of the United States.  He’s definitely making waves.  His name is Donald J. Trump, and the enormity of his wealth is only surpassed by the Trumposity of his personality.

Let me start by saying this is no endorsement.  I didn’t vote for him, and frankly, find the thought rather disgusting.  But whatever you think of him politically, his candidacy has generated more buzz and traction than anything in recent memory.  There is a long list of pundits and bloggers who are astounded at his ability to transcend accepted political wisdom.

I’m not getting political in this post.  I’m not going to talk about how to stop him, or talk about his faults & failings.  I have only one question.

Why?  

Clearly, he’s tapped into something.  Why?

What’s he doing, and what can we learn from it?

No doubt, the analysts will argue about it for years.  But here’s my list.

Note: These observations are amoral.  A case could be made that the following things are what dictators or fascists do as well.  But for this post, I’m concerned ONLY with the leadership observations, not the morality of their uses.

Posted on

How to Not Waste Your Christmas Crowd

Every pastor knows that Easter and Christmas are two Sundays that are most likely to attract the unchurched and the de-churched to attend. You probably have given thought to your Christmas or Advent services already, since we’re just a few weeks away.

Between now and Christmas, you’ll probably

  • brainstorm ideas
  • decorate the Sanctuary
  • rehearse special music or programs
  • recruit prayer warriors
  • pray God does something great

But have you built systems to capture what God does?  Or will your guests who walk through your door that Sunday… walk back out until next Christmas?  What can you do to keep from wasting the big day?  Here are four ideas you need to think about in advance:

1. Capture their information.

As I’ve written before, one of the biggest regrets I have about some of my early outreach efforts, was that I didn’t know the power of harvesting information.  Without the ability to continue the conversation, those one-time guests… slip through your fingers.  One of the best ways to show concern and care is to get someone’s info and keep the conversation going.  When you get someone’s info, you’re practicing what Seth Godin calls Permission Marketing.  It’s the permission to continue the conversation, to build trust.  Whether it’s a pastoral visit, a text, a phone call, or a personal note, you’re working on the relationship.

And if you’re going to keep working on it, the core of a guest follow-up strategy is your connection card.

Connection Card front 2013 FINAL

If you want an editable copy of this, email me at darrell@newstartdiscipleship.com, and I’ll send you a Canva link. 🙂 

2. Give them something to come back for.

I know that God has to draw them to Jesus… but He may want to use your plan to do it!  So plan to give them every reason to come back!

  • Start a new series after the New Year.  Announce it on Christmas.
  • Have promotional materials available for that next series.
  • Schedule a church dinner for the launch week (If you’re a small church pastor.)
  • Do a 30-day Church Attendance Challenge.

This is going to take pre-planning.  Look over the graphic designs (paid and free) on CreationSwap.com.  Get someone to design a postcard or series graphic for you on Fiverr.  Get it printed up in advance with GotPrint.com or VistaPrint.com.

3. Follow up on them intentionally.

What kind of contact do you have with your 1st time guests through the week after they visit?  For many churches, the basic plan is, “Give them a generic pencil, and tell them we hope they come back soon.”

You’re going to need a more intentional, on-purpose plan.  

And what if they pray for salvation? You need a discipleship pathway that’s ready-to-go. 

In fact, I’d recommend checking out the free discipleship tools from NewStart Discipleship. If you’re not sure how to go about disciple-making, you can get some free discipleship training here, or you can download my 35 page free guide by dropping your email right here:

Download How to Build a Clear Discipleship Pathway FREE

    I HATE spam. I’ll never share your email! Unsubscribe at any time.

    4. Have something ready for those who decide to follow Jesus.

    This is something I used to do badly. But not these days. I’ve gotten way more intentional about being ready for new Christians.

    Think about giving them:

    It doesn’t have to be perfect.  But you should have a plan!

    If you want to download my secret tool for giving to a brand-new believer, drop your email here and I’ll send it over for free: 

    Get my SECRET TOOL for brand new believers!

      I HATE spam. I’ll never share your email! Unsubscribe at any time.

      Posted on

      The Simplest Strategic Planning Process for Your Church

      Some fancy terms that get thrown around in the world seem complicated — but really are more simple than you might think at first.  One is “strategic planning.”  It can sound scary.  It leads to lots of questions:

      • What if I don’t have any strategy?
      • What if our plan doesn’t work?
      • How do we know what is best to do?
      • What if we don’t have a mission?
      • How detailed are we supposed to go?

      Entire books have been written on this subject.  And they’re great.  But I’m guessing most pastors on this list don’t feel that they have time to read an entire book on strategic planning… and don’t feel like you have the time to do a “deep dive” into a process even if you did.  One strategic planning resource says “… a good rule of thumb is to plan on spending 3-4 months developing a complete strategic plan.”

      That might be nice in their world, but mine is too full of pre-marital counseling, training greeter volunteers, and preaching 3X per week.

      But what if it doesn’t have to be scary for your first experience?  What if your first try could be rather simple, be accomplished in a few hours, and then you could learn and build on it the next time?

      That’s what this post is about.

      Strategic planning is basically 3 things:

      1. Recognizing and recommitting to your mission, vision and values.
      2. Creating a set of goals & actions you believe will help you fulfill the mission & vision.
      3. Creating measurements that will help you figure out whether you accomplished it.

      So here’s the simplest process I’ve ever seen, just to get you started for 2016.

      Step 1: Gather a few influencers, and lay out an agenda. (15 minutes)

      Get the right people in the room.  You want

      • people with influence
      • people with ideas
      • people whose influence you want to grow.
      • people who are “yes, and…” people, not “yes, but…” people.

      Step 2: Review your mission & vision. (15 minutes)

      For the purpose of this post, I’ll assume you have a mission and vision.

      Mission is why you exist.

      Vision is what you will become, or the impact you will make.

      Our mission: To help people Love God, Love Others, & Serve the World.

      Our vision: By the year 2020, we will:

      • Grow to a total attendance of 1,000 at all sites.
      • See 500 people filled with the Spirit.
      • See 500 people in community groups.
      • Plant 5 churches in US cities.
      • Help plant 5 churches in other countries.
      • Help equip and support 10 international pastors.

      Write your versions of mission and vision on a piece of posterboard, and post them visibly in the room where you’re meeting.  Ask them to rate their commitment to it, or if they think it should be changed.  Then pray over it and continue.

      Step 3: Do a SWOT analysis. (1 hour)

      SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats.

      Strengths & Weaknesses are internal (in your control)

      • – What do we do well?
      • – What do we not do well?

      Opportunities & Threats are external (not in your control).

      • – What could really boost us if we took advantage of it? What’s going on in our location we should be involved in? What needs exist around us that we could meet?
      • – What could really hit us if we don’t watch out? What has the potential to limit our growth? What’s going on in our location that’s not good for us?

      Don’t try to solve problems yet!  Just identify them and move on.  Just recognizing them will help you be clear as you go through the next few steps.

      Step 4: Split up your mission.  (5 minutes)

      In our example, it would be:

      • – Love God (worship & discipleship)
      • – Love Others (fellowship)
      • – Serve the World (ministry & outreach)

      Step 5: Brainstorm lists of ideas for each area. (1 hour)

      As fast as you can, list as many ideas as you can.  This is not the time to evaluate or judge, just write ideas.  Go until you have anywhere from 10-30 ideas for each area.

      In the previous example, if it’s “Serve the World,” you might have 20 ideas:

      • * start a food pantry
      • * advertise on Facebook or with Google
      • * do street preaching
      • * prayer station ministry
      • * do an evangelism class
      • * teach people to invite others
      • * create better church invitation materials
      • * plan big outreach days like Friend Day
      • * invite a high-powered evangelist
      • * plan more outreach-oriented sermons
      • * go door-to-door calling
      • * do a prayer walk in the neighborhood
      • * Improve the church sign
      • * kindness outreach at the local skate park
      • * We Care Ministry

      Step 6: Organize ideas into groups. (1 hour)

      Some of the ideas you brainstormed will naturally group together.  List them together in boxes on your whiteboard.  Usually, you will see 3-4 groups begin to emerge.  For instance, in the above list you might group them into:

      • Marketing (church sign, materials, Facebook, door-to-door)
      • Training (evangelism class, inviting training)
      • Good Works (We Care, kindness outreach, food pantry)
      • Events (Friend Day, outreach sermons, invite evangelist)

      You’ll want to phrase them as sentences, such as “Execute a church Marketing Plan” or “Provide quality training to our congregation.”  Any ideas that are by themselves and don’t fit into these groups, you can set aside for now.

      Step 7: Trim your ideas into a list of GOALS. (1 hour)

      Decide which ideas under each group are achievable & worth your time and money.

      These ideas you commit to will become your GOALS.

      Step 8: Under each GOAL, write out 5-10 ACTIONS you can take. (1 hour)

      These ACTION STEPS should be phrased as completely as possible, in SMART Language.  That stands for:

      • * Specific
      • * Measureable
      • * Action-oriented
      • * Realistic
      • * Time-based (deadline)

      “Improve church materials ASAP” will not cut it.  “Dan will submit design for a new church invitation materials by April 9th” is far better.

      Step 9: Ask influencers to team up and adopt one of the GOALS to champion.

      Teaming up builds in accountability & assures more gets done.  Adopting a goal builds in ownership and increases buy-in.

      Step 10: Print copies for everyone, ask them to highlight ACTIONS they’re responsible for.

      This is why step 8 is so important.  Action steps are necessary to make sure people know EXACTLY what needs to be done, and when it will be expected.

      Step 11: Schedule your next follow-up meeting in 30 days to measure where you stand, and see what’s next.

      For a bonus, text people at the 15 day mark and tell them you’re praying for them, and ask how it’s going.  If you use Mighty Text, you can schedule this text early, of course — from your computer.

      There you go.  Now, share this article with 3-4 people in your church and tell them, “I’d like you to be in the room when this happens!”

      Posted on

      Always Learning: What I Learned About Church From Walmart

      In John Maxwell’s book How Successful People Think, the story is told of Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, when the store chain was just taking off.  Sam took a couple of his colleagues, regional store managers to visit some of the competition in Huntsville, AL.  Don Soderquist (later, CEO of Walmart) related the story:

      “We went into one [store], and I have to tell you that it was the worst store I’ve ever seen in my life. It was terrible. There were no customers. There was no help on the floor. The aisles were cluttered with merchandise, empty shelves, dirty, it was absolutely terrible. He [Walton] walked one way and I’d walk the other way and we’d kinda meet out on the sidewalk. He said “What’d you think, Don?”

      I said, “Sam, that is the absolutely worst store I’ve ever seen in my life. I mean, did you see the aisles?”

      He said, “Don, did you see the pantyhose rack?”

      Posted on

      Can We Stop Talking About Technology Like It’s An Enemy?

      One of the questions I get asked frequently is about technology… about what tools I’m using, what new things I’m trying.  This week, I’m launching my first e-book: “The Top 9 Tech Tools and Apps I’m Using to Get More Done!”  In it, I share my favorite tools, and how I’m using each one.

      Before you download and read it, a few words on the role of technology in your life:

      Technology is not a savior or an enemy.  It’s a magnifier.

      It’s kind of popular to talk about tech as a savior (“This app is the greatest thing ever…”) or enemy (“it will make you ADHD and you’ll forget how to talk.”)  But the truth is that it’s neither.  The iPhone, the laptop… they didn’t cause your issues.  They are only “magnifiers.”  They simply magnify your strengths or weaknesses.

      If you were easily distracted, not disciplined, lustful & have little self-control:

      • …just wait until you meet Facebook & Youtube!  Your problem is about to be magnified.
      • …just wait until you meet the 12% of the internet that is porn.
      • …wait until you have a video game permanently implanted in your life.

      On the other hand, if you are growing in focus, discipline, spiritual desire and maturity:

      • …just wait until you have an audio & text version of the Bible permanently implanted in your life!
      • …just wait until you have tools that let you capture great ideas.
      • …just wait until you have tools that allow you to keep commitments, track time, and manage details.

      In other words:

      …wait until you see what happens when you meet the tools & apps I talk about in this e-book!

      • Evernote
      • MightyText
      • Todoist
      • SmartReceipts
      • If This, Then That
      • Google Drive
      • Google Calendar (& Business Calendar)
      • Morning Routine Alarm Clock
      • StayFocusd Chrome Extension

      And every one is free!  Or at least they all have a free level or option.

      So cut out the dramatic language about technology, and just go get busy magnifying what you do best.  If you like the ebook, share this post with someone who might find that it can take their productivity up a notch!

      Get the Free E-book!

      * indicates required


      Posted on

      Keeping Sunday Nights From Being a Drag

      “I am so frustrated with my Sunday night service!” the pastor wrote in a message to me.  “It’s like 30% of the attendance of my Sunday morning worship service — even every time I pray about it I feel frustrated & discouraged!”  What to say to that guy?

      First: Don’t freak out.  Don’t live and die by the attendance measure.  Think leadership, not outreach.  And, decide what your Sunday PM service is about.  (Read my last post on Sunday night services for more on that.)

      OK, I’m not saying I’ve got this down.  (Who knows, maybe some of my people secretly think it’s a drag!?)  But since we’re all in this together, let me throw out some ideas for keeping Sunday night from being a bore:

      1. Bring some variety in worship.

      Posted on

      Books I Am Most Excited to Read This Year

      Want to read more books in 2016?  Here’s a little tip from Michael Hyatt — Don’t feel pressure to finish: “Here’s publishing’s dirty little secret: most books are not worth finishing. Most books could be cut in half and you wouldn’t miss a thing. The key is to read as long as you are interested and then stop.”

      Several books last year I read, but didn’t finish — on purpose.  But there are some books that I want to finish.  Here are a few books I started and want to finish this year:

      Posted on

      5 Reasons You Should Plan Sermons In Advance

      There’s a running joke among preachers, where sermons are referred to as “Saturday Night Specials.”  It’s one of those jokes with an element of truth.  Every small church pastor knows the feeling of a busy week of ministry, outside jobs, counseling, maintenance — and an emergency crash sermon prep session on Saturday night.  (Or Sunday morning!)

      I know the stress & pain in that.  Recently, I’ve had to a few times, with our 6th baby arriving in September.

      But for some, it’s a distressing, stress-filled, regular occurrence.

      Often, it’s just a function of life.  But for some guys, it goes deeper — down to a fundamental doubt about whether it’s really a good thing to prep sermons in advance.

      Here are 5 reasons why you should plan your sermons in advance: