From Amazon.com:

Julien Smith has delivered a surprise, a confrontation, a book that will push you, scare you and possibly stick with you for years to come. 

The idea is simple: your flinch mechanism can save your life. It shortcircuits the conscious mind and allows you to pull back and avoid danger faster than you can even imagine it’s there. 

But what if danger is exactly what you need? 

What if facing the flinch is the one best way to get what you want? 

Here’s a chance to read the book everyone will be talking about, before they do. 

What are you afraid of? Here’s how to find out.

PURSUING CHRIST.CREATING ART. from Floodgate Creative on Vimeo.

If you in any way remotely consider yourself an artist [and the truth is, all of us are artists in some form or fashion], you owe it to yourself to pick this book up because there are some great insights and hard truths you need to hear about yourself and your art.

I don’t think that the world needs any more “Christian” artists, I think the world needs artists who are Christians. People who, regardless of their muse, give their lives to create things that give a hopeful glimpse of what’s possible and point to what’s unseen in the world around us and inside of us.

From the very early pages of the book, Gary is candid about his life and experiences as a creative arts pastor. Speaking from the wisdom of his years of experience, he’s assembled a collection of short essays on topics including: purpose, identity, pursuit, authority, blocks, creativity, church, and leadership.

One of the first bold statements that Gary makes in the book that really sets the tone for the remainder of what he shares is this:

“We don’t create art for God. He doesn’t need it. We create art in response to God. Because the world needs it.”

That’s a new way of thinking about it, huh?

The entire time I was reading this book I kept thinking to myself, “Man, I wish I would have had this book 5 years ago.”

Gary speaks a language that anyone who has been engaged in the artistic process in the life of a church can understand and relate to. He empathizes with our struggles and lovingly rebukes us of some of the ways we put ourselves at the center of what we do instead of focusing on what God wants to do through us and our art.

As a young leader, it’s very easy to slip into the trap of listening to the same voices, especially the voices of our peers, and we do ourselves a great disservice by not hearing the voice of wisdom that comes from those who have gone before us. Gary serves as a pastoral voice to church creatives and young leaders, offering sound advice and wisdom gleaned through experience. He speaks humbly, candidly and honestly about the challenges and great opportunities we have to steward with our creativity.

Whether you are using your artistic gifts inside the church or in the public square, as believers we all share the common calling of creating art that points people to our creator. In this book, Gary explores the space between our faith and creativity and challenges us to live authentically and honestly as we pursue our creative endeavors.

I related to so many of the things Gary shared in this book and even winced a few times as he said some hard truths about the dark side of being a creative. I saw myself and my journey all over the pages of this book, and as I said earlier, would have probably saved myself a lot of heartache and learning lessons the hard way if I would have had read it years ago.

Whether you are long into your journey or  just beginning, this book is a must-read for any  creative. I am grateful that Gary created this bit of art and poured himself into this project for the rest of us. It’s truly a gift and a book I know I will come back to many times in the years to come.

And, having had the chance to connect with Gary offline, I can tell you that he’s the real deal and is someone that I’m grateful to have speaking into my life as I continue to pursue Christ and create art.

The world desperately needs what God has put inside of you. However it will be expressed, with words or images, pixels or in brushstrokes, we owe it to God and to those who we serve to be the best artisans and creatives and to humbly give our art as a gift that points people back to our Creator.

This book will help give you perspective about your calling as an artist and creative, and will encourage and challenge you to do work that will show the world the beauty of Christ.

I love this book so much I’m going to give 5 copies away. Drop your answer to this question in the comment section below and I’ll randomly pick 5 of you to get a free copy of the book!

What is the biggest challenge you face in your creative process?

Only a few pages deep into the book, Isaacson shares about Steve’s views on Christianity. His parents raised him going to a Lutheran church but after asking pastor why God would knowingly allow suffering to happen he decided to never return to church.

He told Issacson that he believed religion was at its best when it was emphasized in spiritual experiences rather than received dogma. Steve went on to say…

“The juice goes out of Christianity when it becomes too based on faith rather than on living like Jesus or seeing the world as Jesus saw it.”  

What are your thoughts on that statement?

It echoes the words of Gandhi, “I like your Jesus but not your Christians.”

Yes, as believers, we would say faith and works go hand-in-hand, but unfortunately, Steve only saw the faith side of things.

Just something to think about… what if we actually acted Christian? What if our lives and how we lived in this world spoke louder than our words?

Actions speak louder to the world around us.

What is your life speaking?

We’ve got some work to do.

One of the first things we learn about God, other than the fact that He’s timeless, is that He’s creative. We only need to look at the world around us and see His creativity. God’s creation reflects His greatness and creativity. His glory is seen all around us.

Creativity matters and I believe that the Church should be one of the most creative places on the planet. Why? Because we serve the God who is creative. The Church should be capturing people’s hearts, minds, and imaginations with the greatness of who God is in creative, innovative ways. Not for the sake of being trendy but for the sake of helping people see, hear, feel, and experience the message of the Gospel and to be captured by the beauty of Christ.

There’s many other people who share that same conviction who are leading churches and teams of artists and creative-types that are truly doing some remarkable things that have unique insights and ideas to share.

I was honored when the team at Clark invited me to be a part of their Creative Matters e-book project and starting today you can download a copy for FREE.

Creative Matters is a call to arms for all of us who endeavor to create beautiful, transcendent and transformational experiences in and around the Church. It’s a field guide of sorts…written by Creatives for Creatives… for those who work in the trenches of the “Create-On-Demand” challenges that every weekend brings. It’s a fresh perspective on the process, people, and purpose surrounding Creativity. It’s an invitation to live and work in a way that is both inspired and inspiring. And it’s the kind of kick-in-the-pants that we all need and will come back to again and again.

Creative Matters is a field guide of sorts for the role of creativity in the Church. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative, there’s a lot of wisdom and insight shared in this book from some truly remarkable, gifted, and talented individuals that love God and love the Church.

Included in the book are entries from:

• CJ Alvarado
• Daniel Bashta
• Stephen Brewster
• Amena Brown
• Rick Calcutt
• Barton Damer
• Andrea Gardner
• Lisa Gungor
• Todd Henry
• Blaine Hogan
• Jeremy Jernigan
• Josh Loveless
• Cole NeSmith
• Stephen Proctor
• Tim Schraeder, hey that’s me!
• Jarrett Stevens
• Promise Tangeman
• Carlos Whittaker

So do yourself a favor and download this great ebook today… learn, be inspired, and CREATE! It matters!

–

The single greatest danger a Christian faces when reading the Bible isn’t always unbelief. It’s often nostalgia. Most Christians believe that God did the miraculous, and did it through incredible men and women of God. But that was for the special people whom God had infused with special DNA that they don’t have. Sadly most Christians wonder at the past deeds of God without realizing that God desires to do the same kinds of wonders through them today.

In Sun Stand Still, I aim to eradicate that mindset. I aim to let people in on a secret that should never have become a secret: there is no inherent difference between us and the great heroes of faith in the Bible. None. And that holds true whether we’re talking about Joshua, Moses, or the apostle Paul.

There’s a verse in the New Testament that every Christian should commit to memory besides John 3:16, and that’s James 5:17:

“Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.”

Doesn’t exactly have the same obvious power of “For God so loved the world…” But it’s incredibly powerful when you consider who Elijah was. This was the man who prayed that it wouldn’t rain and it didn’t for three and a half years. And then prayed it would and it did. This is the man who called down fire on the prophets of Baal. And raised a widow’s son from the dead.

What’s sad is that most of us focus on the second part of this verse. We’re stunned by the superior power of Elijah’s prayer life. We’d love to have an ounce of his power flowing in our prayer lives. But we don’t have to wish. That’s the whole point of this passage. We are just like Elijah.

Think about it: Elijah had access to an all-powerful God who could stop the rain. We have access to an all-powerful God who can stop the rain. The only difference is that Elijah had the audacity to pray prayers that lived up to God’s character, God’s heart, God’s resources, God’s will, and God’s abilities.

In Sun Stand Still I call this praying like a juggernaut, which simply means to pray prayers worthy of the God we’re praying to. After all, we’re praying to a God whose capability always exceeds our audacity. You don’t have to worry about ever putting God in an awkward or embarrassing position. You’re not going to back him into a corner. You won’t ever challenge him to do something beyond his aptitude.

Prayer is the arena where our faith meets God’s abilities. And there is never going to be a moment when the audacity of our faith surpasses God’s capacity to respond. The great heroes of faith knew this. And they prayed in light of it. That’s what made them stand out in their generation. And it’s what will make you stand out in yours…if you embrace the truth that God is ready and willing to use you just as he used them to accomplish incredible things for his glory.

–

Great and inspiring words from Steven. Be sure to pre-order your copy of Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible and visit www.sunstandstill.org to learn more!

Church communications is an odd field since there’s a mix of skill sets involved… people skills are necessary, design skillz help, ninja skills are always a plus, organizational skills are a must… so this list is a mix of everything.

It was hard to narrow it down to a list of Top 10, but I think I managed… without any further blabber here’s my list of Top 10 Reads for Church Communications Directors [in no particular order]:

A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink
I’ve read A Whole New Mind book three times…it’s that good. This book provides a solid look at the difference between right and left brained thinking, or comparing the age of Gutenberg to the Google world we live in today. Pink  introduces the six senses [design, story, empathy, symphony, play, and meaning] and how right brained thinkers are using them to bring in the Conceptual Age we’re a part of. Fascinating stuff.

Less Clutter. Less Noise. by Kem Meyer
If church communications had a Bible this would be it. Kem condenses some of the best content from her blog and learnings from managing communications in a corporate arena and the church in this easy-to-read manual that will be a lifesaver. It’s written in short bite-sized sections that make it great to turn to from time to time or to review with your staff members or team. This is one of the best church communications books that’s out there. [Full Review Here]

REWORK
by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
I’ve blogged too much about this book already, but it will challenge the way you think about work and give you some good food for thought as you consider your approach to work. You can read my litany of posts on REWORK here. I’ve given away about six copies of this book already!

Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky
If you suffer from idea overload, this quick read will help you get your butt into gear and give you practical tips on how to put action and organization into your ideas. Belsky also challenges us to work with the forces of community around us by collaborating… not always the easiest thing to do. If you have many ideas tucked away, this book will challenge you to make them happen. It can be a bit of a commercial for Action Method, but I promise it’s worth your time. [Full Review Here]

Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps
Shane Hipps gives a bit of a contrarian view of the impact of media in the church. If anything it will give you some good food for thought and challenge you to consider the mediums you use to communicate your message.  While I might not agree with everything he has to say, it’s still a great read.

You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader by Mark Sanborn
The title [no pun intended] says it all. Most church communications people sit low on the totem pole of the church staff hierarchy.  It can be frustrating to navigate the awkward limbo most of us live in on a daily basis. While we might think we need to make it to the top to make a difference, this book will challenge you to act like a leader and make a difference where you are. There’s some great tips and take-aways from this quick read.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
I read this book for the first time last year and was sad I hadn’t found it sooner. For the creative, artistic types out there, this book is for you. This book talks about one of the greatest battles we will face, the battle against Resistance… and ultimately, against ourselves. It’s a call to move beyond yourself and into who you were made to be… a creator, an artist.

The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier
The quintessential book on branding will give you a crash course on Branding 101 and remind you that your brand isn’t your logo but the feeling you give to people when they interact with your brand/church. It’s a simple read that will give you some excellent take-aways and things to think about as you focus on your church’s brand.

All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin
All of Seth Godin’s books should be required reading but having to pick just one as it relates to church communications, I’d have to say this is the winner. This book challenges us to rediscover the art of storytelling and reminds us of the immense value of being authentic. Fav line from the book: “Stories make it easier to understand the world. Stories are the only way we know to spread an idea. Marketers didn’t invent storytelling. They just perfected it.”

Switch by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Change is four-letter word in most churches. As a communications director, more times than not, you’re going to have to lead people through change as you innovate and create new ways of communicating your message. Change can be difficult, and sometimes painful, but in the latest book from the Heath Brothers , the offer some great insights on change and share how you can lead change when it’s hard.

Runners Up…

Church Unique by Will Mancini
Branding Faith by Phil Cooke
Tribes by Seth Godin
Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin
The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath
Drive by Daniel Pink
The INDEX Books
Socialnomics by Eric Qualman
Culture Making by Andy Crouch
The Divine Commodity by Skye Jethani

Your Thoughts…

• Agree/Disagree with any of my choices?
• What books would you add to the list?
• What books have impacted the way you do your job in church communications?

Be it the Jolie-Pitts, Madonna or more recently, Sandra Bullock, Tinsletown has given adoption a major platform. And in Christendom, Christian families like the Chapmans, Whittakers and Powells have shared what a profound impact adopting children has made in the life of their families.

Adoption isn’t just trendy, though… it’s something that’s close to the heart of God and all Christians are called to care for orphans. All throughout the Scripture we read accounts of God’s command for His people to care for the orphans…

You are the helper of the fatherless. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.

Psalms 10:14,17-18

And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

Matthew 18:5

And, adoption is a beautiful picture of the Gospel. It’s what God did for all of us through Christ… He adopted us into His family.

I’m adopted.

It’s a looong story that could make a short novel, but I was part of an open adoption where both sets of parents knew each other and agreed adoption was the best route for me . There was one small hitch… both families were a part of the same groups of friends and we all lived in the same small town. So… long story short… I met my biological family when I was nine years old and have had a relationship with them ever since.

To me, it was a lovingly selfless act on both ends… of my biological parents to recognize that I needed to be with another family, for my adoptive parents to make room in their hearts and lives for me… and for both sets to take the risk in allowing me to have 2 families.

The entire experience wasn’t without its hard seasons… highs and lows, good and bad… but in the end, I’m thankful for how it all played out and for the huge blessing I’ve had to be a part of two families who have shown me God’s love and grace in an incredibly tangible way.

The legacy of adoption in my family didn’t end with me… my brother and his wife decided there were plenty of children in the world who needed children so instead of having their own, they have adopted three gorgeous children from China. Seeing them engage in the process of adoption was a beautiful thing. And their kids … amazing. I can’t imagine my life or our family without them.

So, to say adoption is close to my heart would be an understatement.

Addition by Adoption

My friend Kevin and his family recently adopted a beautiful boy from Ethiopia named Milo.

Some adoptive familes blog about their experience adopting [my brother and his wife did], but Kevin and his wife took a unique approach: they tweeted… and now their tweets are a book that’s available starting today on Amazon… Addition by Adoption… Kids, Causes & 140 Characters.

Addition by Adoption chronicles the Hendricks’ journey to and from Ethiopia in 140-character sound bytes. It’s a candid, touching story that is a must-read for anyone who wants a front row seat to the incredible thing that happens when a family chooses to bring an adopted child into their life. As an adopted child, I’ve always wondered what went through my parent’s minds and what the experience was like for them…  this book sheds light on that and is a gift to adoptive families or anyone interested in exploring adoption.

It’s only $9.99 on Amazon and will benefit a great cause… a portion of the proceeds from the book will go to charity:water to build a clean water well in Milo’s home country of Ethiopia. So just do the right thing and get a copy. You’ll be glad you did.

Read more about Addition by Adoption here.

What About You?

Have you been adopted? What’s your experience been like?

Have you been jaded by the trendiness of adoption in the celebrity spotlight?

If you’re considering adoption, what’s holding you back?

We all have ideas, but, as Thomas Edison famously said,

“Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.”

This past week at Q, where the tagline is “ideas that matter” I heard some of the best and brightest share important ideas that will be crucial for the future of the Church. But there’s one small hitch… despite all of the great one-liners and challenging ideas presented, none of it will really matter unless we actually do something.

In his new book Making Ideas Happen, Scott Belsky, CEO of Behance, argues that ideas are worthless if you can’t make them happen and offers this simple equation…

Making Ideas Happen =  The Idea + Organization and Execution + Forces of Community + Leadership Capability

The Idea

The era upon us is filled with problems and opportunities that require fresh innovation like never before. We need to conceive new ideas to address the problems and opportunities that surround us – and we need to defy the odds and make these ideas happen.

Ideas are in no short supply. In fact, I think most of us are plagued with too many of them! The process of innovating and creating is birthed with a single idea… a new way of doing something or a better way to do something else.

In today’s Church, we need new ideas and insights to better reach and impact our communities with the Gospel. However plentiful our ideas may be, unless we act on them we’ll still keep doing what we’ve always done and fail to innovate new ways to make a difference in people’s lives.

Organization & Execution

Creative professionals – defined as those who generate (and sometimes execute) ideas for a living – constitute what is most likely the most disorganized community on the planet. But these same individuals are ultimately responsible for the design, entertainment, literature, and new businesses that bring meaning to our lives.

If you’re at all a creative-type, like me, you probably live your life with a certain degree of chaos and disorganization. We somehow equate clutter with creativity, but this book slapped me the face to bring order to the chaos.

It’s only when you are organized that you are fully prepared to effectively execute.

Forces of Community

Ideas don’t happen in isolation.

We need one another and must take advantage of the forces of community around us.

At Q last week, Charles Lee challenged us with the idea of what it means to collaborate in community.

There’s a certain element of risk and fear in sharing your ideas with others, but it’s the crucial element that will cause your ideas to gain traction.  Sharing you idea with others will help you see your blind spots, provide accountability, and ultimately free you to make your idea happen.

If you’re in church communications, the Church Marketing Lab can provide an excellent way for you to get input and advice from other church communications people. Or, Behance offers the Behance Network, same idea, just a broader audience.

Leadership Capability

The quality and scalability of your creative endeavors rely on your capacity to lead. Your ideas will thrive only if you manage them as a leader rather than an independent creative visionary. Leadership capacity is what makes the pursuit of an idea sustainable, scalable, and ultimately successful.

In the book, Scott Belsky offers practical tips on how to effectively lead teams and insight on how to manage the most challenging person to manage… yourself. Whether you’re working with a large team or working for yourself, the ability to lead is an indispensable commodity in the creative world. And, one of the the more challenging areas is the practice of self-leadership. Some of the greatest hindrances we face on the road to making our ideas happen lie within us.

Bottom Line: Your Ideas Matter

“It is not naïve or a cliché to say that the creative mind holds the answers to all of the world’s problems. It is merely a fact. And so, you should balance your desire to use your creativity with a sense of responsibility. Please take yourself and your creative pursuits seriously. Your ideas must be treated with respect because their importance truly does extend beyond your own interests. Every living person benefits from a world that is enriched with ideas made whole – ideas that are made to happen through your passion, commitment, self-awareness, and informed pursuit.”

– Scott Belsky

Who This Book is For

YOU.

I love this book and think it’s an essential read for any creative, church communications director, or anyone that has many ideas but is unsure of where to start. It addresses obstacles that stand between vision and reality and will challenge you to action.

[Sidenote: It does serve as an informercial for Behance’s Action Method, but the content is useful regardless of the sales pitch.]

I’m Making My Idea Happen

I read Making Ideas Happen two weeks ago and decided it was time to make an idea I’ve had that will change the way we communicate at Park happen. I’ve written out the action steps to make it happen, assembled a team, and we are in the process of making the idea happen. It’s going to launch in early June…I can’t wait to share it with you!

Make Your Idea Happen

Liking what you’re hearing? Download an excerpt here, pick your copy on Amazon or be one of the lucky ones to get a free copy from me!

I’ll be giving a copy of Making Ideas Happen away on Friday… here’s how to enter:

1. Tweet This: I just entered to win a copy of “Making Ideas Happen” by @scottbelsky.  Comment here and RT to enter – http://bit.ly/apZ8De
2. Comment Below: With your Twitter handle [so I can verify you did step 1] and share the biggest obstacle that stands in the way of making your idea happen.
3. Check back Friday at Noon CST: I’ll randomly choose one person to win!

If you haven’t been convinced to get a copy by now, you are just plan ignorant.

So since I’m a ‘church communications guy’ I thought I’d devote my last post some thoughts on REWORK-ing Church Communications.

Stop Being a Communicator, Start Being a Curator

What makes a museum great is the stuff that’s not on the walls. Someone says no. A curator is involved, making conscious decisions about what should stay and what should go. It’s an editing process. There’s a lot more stuff off the walls than on the walls. It’s the stuff you leave out that matters. So constantly look for things to remove, simplify, and streamline. Be a curator. Stick to what’s truly essential. Pare things down until you’re left with only the most important stuff. Then do it again.

This pretty much echoes my hero Kem Meyer’s mantra “Less Clutter, Less Noise.” If you haven’t picked up you copy of her book, get it when you order REWORK. It should be required reading for any church communications person.  PS, have you noticed the similarities between the cover of her book and REWORK? Great minds think alike.

Stop Sounding So Profeshional.

Sound like you.  Language is often your first impression – why start it off with a lie? Don’t be afraid to be you. That applies to language you use everywhere – talk to customers the way you’d talk to friends.

We’re a church for Pete’s sake! While we should have proper grammar and sound somewhat intelligent, we shouldn’t come across as being polished and sterile. Your church has a distinct personality and a unique style… let that come across in all of your communications. Toss your copy of the AP Stylebook and discover your own voice. [I intentionally misspelled professional.]

Marketing isn’t a line in your budget.

“Marketing isn’t just a few individual events. It’s the sum total of everything you do.”

Marketing isn’t what we do to get people to come to our Easter and Christmas services. Marketing is everything we do… from print, web, email, social media to individual encounters people have with our churches. It’s not something you control but it’s something you can influence. What is what you’re doing saying about you? What needs to change?

Forget writing Press Releases.

“If you want to get someone’s attention, it’s silly to do exactly the same thing as everyone else. Do something meaningful. Be remarkable. Stand out. Be unforgettable. That’s how you’ll get the best coverage.”

Last year we put on the Cultivate Conference. Over 400 people came from around the country for a day to talk about the web, social media, and communications and how they impact the Church. The event got coverage in the Chicago Tribune and NBC Chicago. And you know what? We didn’t send a single press release.

Say No by Default

“Use the power of no to get your priorities straight. You rarely regret saying no. But you often wind up regretting saying yes. People avoid saying no because confrontation makes them uncomfortable. But the alternative is even worse. You drag things out, make things complicated, and work on ideas you don’t believe in.”

We get asked to do a lot. Too much in fact, because “it’s all for the Lord.” Some of you may not have the freedom to say no as much as you want to, but as someone who is guilty of saying yes too frequently, I’ll testify that the consequences of saying no far outweigh committing to something you didn’t want to do in the first place. I think one work around to saying no is by offering options. Don’t tell people what you can’t do, but put the ball back in their court by telling them what you can do instead. [That's a nicer way of saying, "your idea is stupid."]

Good Enough is Fine

“When good enough gets the job done, go for it. It’s way better than wasting resources or, even worse, doing nothing because you can’t afford the complex solution. And remember, you can usually turn good enough into great later.

My friend Shawn Wood has written a lot about “good enough” and is wrestling with excellence and what that means in the church space.

We’ll never be perfect so stop straining to get everything just right. Good enough is fine. I think half of the things we obsess over are things no one would even notice. That’s not an excuse to get lazy but it’s freedom from worrying about being perfect. In the grand scheme of things a font or a Pantone color isn’t going to mean life or death, so stop killing yourself trying to get it just right. Most of the time our desire to be perfect comes out of selfish ambition or pride anyway. Yes God is a God of excellence… but He’s God, we’re not.

Don’t Commit the Sin of Copy + Paste

The problem [with copying] is it skips understanding – and understanding is how you grow. You just repurpose the last layer instead of understanding the all the layers underneath. So much of the work an original creator puts into something is invisible. Be influenced, but don’t steal.

The cardinal sin of church communications is our use of copy + paste. I’m not going to do the original vs recycled argument, but will say this much: STOP IT!  Churches are notorious for copying. For some reason we  feel we have permission and entitlement to copy, steal or imitate what’s not ours. Open source is great, learning from others is invaluable, but every church has a unique audience and importing what worked somewhere else might not translate in your context. You learn the most by doing things yourself. And, God is the author of creativity [Genesis 1:1], maybe if we spend some time with Him some if it can rub off on us.

Closing Thought…

Communicating for the church is a big deal, especially in today’s hyper-connected world. We have the greatest message that’s out there, and all too often we do a pretty poor job of communicating it. I hope  we can REWORK the way we work and communicate so the greatest message that’s out there can be heard with clarity… that people might get connected to our church communities and ultimately, to Christ.

“God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16, The Message

This post was inspired by reading REWORK by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson of 37signals. It’s an important book that I think should be required reading for any next generation church leader.

I’m giving away one more signed copy…? Here’s how to win…

1. Tweet This: I just entered to win a signed copy of REWORK! Comment here and RT to enter: http://bit.ly/detxNp.
2. Comment Below: With your Twitter handle [so I can verify you did step 1] and share something you’ve been challenged to REWORK in your church communications.
3. Check back at 5 PM CST Friday: I’ll randomly choose someone to win!

Congrats to @TonjaC… you snagged the last copy of REWORK!

Before I continue, let me say this: I love what I do. Every single day [except meeting days] I’m excited to be a part of the life of the Church. It’s an immense privilege to be able to do what I do and I wouldn’t trade it for anything…  well, most of the time.

With that… here’s 10 Things That Drive Me Crazy About Working for a Church

1. We are really good at burning people out.

For some reason we feel like working long hours against ridiculous timelines and neglecting our personal lives, health, or families is a good idea… as long as it’s for God.

Not so much.

The average church employee stays at a church for about 2 years before they peace out.

“It doesn’t pay to be a workaholic. Instead of getting more done and being on top of your game, you actually start a chain reaction that results in decreased productivity, poor morale, and lazy decisions. And don’t forget the inevitable crash that’ll hit you soon enough.”

We all need to learn one simple word: NO. Even though something may be for a great cause, it’s not worth losing your soul to make it happen.

2. We focus way too much on what we don’t have.

One of the most common complaints I hear from church staff members has something to do with what they don’t have.

In the Gospel account of the feeding of the 5,000 all they had to start with was 5 loves and 2 fish, but in the end, there was more than enough.

“Constraints are advantages in disguise. Limited resources force you to make do with what you’ve got. There’s no room for waste. And that forces you to be creative.”

Celebrate simplicity. Remember God can take nothing and make it into something.

3. We are afraid of change.

I guarantee we’ve all been a meeting where the phrase, “well we heard people say _____________ about _____________….”

Fill in the blanks… the music was too loud, they didn’t like that message, they don’t like this, they don’t like that…

These conversations usually center on a sensitive topic in the church: change.

And how do we respond? We quickly turn down the volume, change our minds, or reverse a decision.

“Sometimes you need to go ahead with a decision you believe in, even if it’s unpopular… remember negative reactions are almost always louder and more passionate than positive ones… so when people complain… let them know you’re listening. Show them you’re aware of what they’re saying. But explain that you’re going to let it go for awhile and see what happens.”

Give change time and be more concerned with what the voice of God is saying to you and let that influence you more than the voices of other people.

4. We use “let me pray about it” as an excuse to get out of making decisions.

I absolutely believe it’s important to pray about major decisions that impact the life of the Church – we shouldn’t move unless we feel God leading us. But all too often we use the “let me pray about that” card to delay simple decisions.

“Whenever you can, swap “Let’s [pray] about it” for “Let’s decide on it.” Commit to making decisions. You’re as likely to make a great call today as you are tomorrow. Don’t make things worse by overanalyzing and delaying before you even get going.”

Pray about what’s important but don’t sweat the small stuff… just make the call and ask for forgiveness later if need be.

5. We LOVE meetings.

For some reason we love meetings. Planning meetings, prayer meetings, planning meetings for prayer meetings. I feel like we have entirely too many and lose valuable time we could be devoting to things that matter. 

“Meetings are toxic. If it only takes seven minutes to meet a meeting’s goal, then that’s all the time you should spend. Don’t stretch seven into thirty. Think about the time you’re actually losing and ask yourself if it’s really worth it.”

What’s one meeting you could condense or remove from your schedule? DO IT!

6. We try to do way too much.

Most churches are hyperactive and never sleep. We thrive on activity. The whole “less is more” thing hasn’t sunk in yet.

What if we focused on doing a few things REALLY well l instead of doing a million things half-aced? << that’s my PG version

“Cut your ambition in half. Lots of things get better as they get shorter. Getting to great starts by cutting out stuff that’s merely good.”

What are some good things you’re doing that could be sacrificed for great things that will make a greater impact?

7. We try to be something we’re not.

If I see one more 40somethings pastor dressed in Abercrombie so help me…

Ok, but for real… not just pastors but churches in general tend to have a problem of trying to be something they’re not.

“Don’t be afraid to show your flaws. Imperfections are real and people respond to real. There’s a beauty to imperfection. So talk like you really talk. Reveal things that others are unwilling to discuss. Be upfront about your shortcomings. It’s OK if it’s not perfect. You might not seem professional, but you will seem a lot more genuine.”

BE YOU!

8. We spend too much time looking at other churches.

We spend way too much time looking at what other churches are doing, be it a church across the country or the church across town. It’s great to watch and learn from others’ successes, but if you look at other churches as you competition your focus is waaaay off.

“Focus on competitors too much and you will wind up diluting your own vision. Your chances of coming up with something fresh go way down when you keep feeding your brain other people’s ideas. You become reactionary instead of visionary.”

Your church has a unique and specific role it’s meant to play in the life of your community. If your church ceased to exist, what would people miss? Whatever that is should be where you focus your time and energy.

9. We worry about people leaving.

We’re quick to cater to the needs [or demands] of people who have been around for a while instead of focusing the needs of people who are new.

We should spend more time figuring out how to create a wider front door instead of focusing on how we can “close the back door”… even if that means losing people who give us a lot of money [there, I said it].

“Scaring away new [people] is worse than losing old [ones]. Make sure you make it easy for [new] people to get on board. That’s where your continued growth potential lies. People and situations change. You can’t be everything to everyone. [Churches] need to be true to a type of [person] than a specific [person] with changing needs.”

10. We don’t feel trusted.

For whatever reason churches tend thrive in a weird culture of mistrust. It’s not or conducive to a positive working environment. Some churches have crazy rules, policies and procedures that create layers of red tape that, while probably well-intentioned, communicate a lack of trust.

“When you treat people like children, you get children’s work. Yet that’s exactly how a lot of companies treat their employees. When everything constantly needs approval, you create a culture of nonthinkers. You create a boss-versus-worker relationship that screams, ‘I don’t trust you.’”

This is one I don’t have a quick answer to but know it’s something I’ve experienced and something I hear about consistently from others who are in the trenches. BUT, I will say working in a church that has a trusting environment, I’ve never felt so empowered to do my job and that has fueled my productivity exponentially.

Final Thoughts…

Church work is tricky but I will say the blessings have far outweighed the frustrations.

The challenge of being on staff at a church lies in the fact that we don’t have the option to leave our work at the end of the day.  Our work is deeply connected to what we believe and to our faith community. It’s easy to get passionate about what we do because we do is attached to something that’s incredibly personal to us.  We’ve got to learn the discipline of drawing boundaries.

While the Church has endured throughout the ages, each generation has had its unique challenges and opportunities. I believe the challenge and opportunity facing next generation leaders lies in how we manage and steward the resources we’ve been blessed with.

We’ve never been more resourced than we are today… which is why things like REWORK are important for us to latch on to. We don’t need to change what we do [connecting people to Christ], we need to change how we work.

My prayer is that we can REWORK and do the work God has called us to do, not simply by applying business ideas, but by seeking God, being led by His Spirit and serving the Church with excellence and humility.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart…” – Colossians 3:23

This post was inspired by reading REWORK by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson of 37signals. It’s an important book that I think should be required reading for any next generation church leader.

I’m giving away three signed copies this week… Here’s how to win…

1. Tweet This: I just entered to win a signed copy of REWORK! Comment here and RT to enter: http://bit.ly/9DX3eD
2. Comment Below: With your Twitter handle [so I can verify you did step 1] and share something that frustrates you about the way the Church works.
3. Check back at 5 PM CST Thursday: I’ll randomly choose someone to win!

Congrats to @DaveSandell, you’re the winner!