Should We Try To Make Our Churches Cool?

The concept of church is thousands of years old, yet we’re still understanding, debating and re-forming what we believe church should look like. We all grew up with different experiences of church. Some of us grew up in small, family-oriented community churches, while others of us didn’t grow up in church at all. For some of us, church was the kind of thing you had to dress up for, while others of us only attended on Christmas and maybe Easter.

For many of us, church is a topic of great debate, great frustration or even great pain. Many of us haven’t connected with the kinds of churches we’ve experienced, or we don’t agree with how we’ve seen church done. And so, in response, some of us have disconnected completely, deciding church just isn’t for us. Still others have decided to do things differently.

A result of this church frustration is what I am calling “cool churches.” More than ever, churches are striving to be culturally relevant, attracting church-goers with their décor, their cool music and even their coffee. Churches are more creative than ever before, striving to be places people want to be in, adapting to fit what they think people want. But is this a good thing?

I see pros and cons on both sides, but I want to hear what you think. Do we need our churches to be cool?

Benefits:

1) Diversity is a good thing. Something we sometimes miss in thinking about the diversity between churches is that our churches could, and maybe should, be as diverse as the people who attend them. A group of artists will hear and respond to the gospel in a different way than businessmen in Manhattan would. Although we’re all speaking the language of the gospel, why not allow room to speak in different dialects?

2) How else could we attract new people? One-size-fits-all churches can be a major deterrent when the size doesn’t, in fact, fit all. If we want to attract a different kind of person to our churches, we need to be different too.

3) It’s important to stay in the conversation. I often hear that churches are out of touch. Many churches skate around pressing issues, preferring to do things the way they’ve always been done. But in order to stay relevant, to continue to have a voice that people listen to, we have to be willing to adapt and keep up.

Drawbacks:

1) We may lose our focus. One legitimate question we should be asking ourselves as we’re revamping our churches to try to be cooler is this: Are we losing our focus? Where are we putting our money? Where are we finding our identity? What takes most of our time? Demonstrating our church’s personality through décor and the service is a great thing, but it should never trump our focus on the gospel.

2) We might get lost in what people want, rather than what Jesus wants. Are people craving the same things from their churches they’d look for in an apartment building or a restaurant? Is this what’s actually important to the people looking for a place to belong? That’s a question with many answers, but one to think about as we’re making decisions.

3) We run the risk of sacrificing truth. Something “cool” churches seem to value more than more traditional churches is a feeling of acceptance for everyone. Jesus modeled nothing less. But one question we should consider as we’re setting the tone for our churches is this: As we’re striving to create a place where everyone feels comfortable, are we ignoring the truths Jesus taught us in the process?

Jesus’ truth isn’t always comfortable. In fact, it rarely is. As we’re creating a welcoming environment, we need to make sure we’re not ignoring an uncomfortable yet important truth. In this sense, welcoming and comfortable aren’t synonymous.

Can we find middle ground? I think so. There are pros to doing church in a new way, to revisiting what Jesus said church should be. But there’s also wisdom in focusing on what’s most important instead of trying to appeal to everyone or make everyone happy. What are your thoughts on the subject? Should we be trying to make our churches cool? 

Are We In Danger Of Worshipping Worship?

     The question needs to be asked:  Are we in danger of worshipping worship?  The mood.  The atmosphere.  The melody.  The crowd.  The emotion.  Your favorite worship leader or your favorite speaker.  The band.  The performance.  The feeling.  Are we being moved by the right things?  Are our hearts aimed in the proper direction?
     The problem with our worship culture is that we equate worship with an experience, a moment.  We end up loving worship more than we love God.  We end up talking about worship more than we talk about God.  Our culture has made worship an end in itself, rather than what it should be--a way of life with Jesus at the center.
     But when life is chaotic, what do you turn to?  When crisis hits your life, what worship songs are you singing?  I'm not advocating we create boring, terrible music or rid our services of emotion.  I'm issuing a caution--a warning to guard our hearts from loving worship more than we love God.
     With good intent, many of us are running around focusing on anything and everything but God Himself.  It's as if Jesus is enthroned before our eyes, but we're taking Instagram shots of the throne itself.  We're more enamored by the gifts and talents of God's people than we are by the Creator of all things.  If we took away the music, the songs and the artists, would we have anything to say to God?
     If you were alone in a room with Jesus Christ, what would well up from the depths of your heart?  What would you say or feel?  How would you respond?  Can you talk about worship music for hours but have nothing to say about who God is in your life and what He is doing?  Do you know all there is to know about the latest worship album but are barren when it comes to knowing Scripture?
   My intentions are not to guilt anyone.  I want you to know God.  I want you to have a history of seeing God move and seeing His promises at work in your day to day life.  I don't want you to only look back to the glory days of your faith.  I want each day to bring new perspectives, adventures, divine appointments and experiences that show the reality of God to the world.  That's why the biblical understanding of worship needs to be kept paramount in our minds.
     Being impressed by talented people and feeling good through the duration of their performances is not enough.  The true worshipper will enjoy that and encourage that, but will also see through it to the Giver of all gifts.  The true worshipper learns to sing through the storm and cry out through the confusion of life.  The true worshipper knows how to scour the Scriptures for daily bread. The true worshipper knows how to pray and seek the heart of God.  They aren't just moved by powerful music, true worshippers are moved by the weight of God's glory.  They are hushed by the magnitude of His presence. 
     It's not that great art is wrong or unnecessary.  On the contrary, I'm a musician with a love for the art of playing music.  I do understand, however, the worshipper of God knows how to use it.  It's never an end in itself but a gateway to seeing more of the glory and perfection of God.

The Power Of Partnership

Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. — Phil 1:4-5

Partnership is the ability to accomplish more together than apart. It recognizes that a team is stronger than a lone individual. A group committed to each other will help the struggling and the fallen.

At Compass Worship Center, our members are known as partners because the success of kingdom work hinges on partnership rather than membership. 

Mother Teresa said, "You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together, we can do great things." An anonymous author wrote, "It is better to have one person working with you, than three working for you." Andrew Carnegie confessed, "I owe whatever success I have attained, by and large, to my ability to surround myself with people who are smarter than I am." John Wooden, perhaps the greatest basketball coach of all time, reminded his team, "The man who puts the ball through the hoop has ten hands."

Call it whatever you want--teamwork, association, synergy--partnership is the remarkable ability of two or more people working together to accomplish more than what each could do alone.
This truth is a fit reminder to God's people that when we are working together in harmony, the talents and gifts of the body minimize the weaknesses and shortcomings of the body, thereby making a stronger unit. Just as a baseball team needs nine players on the field or the game is forfeited, the local church needs everyone participating, or the strength of the body is weakened and the advancement of the gospel is threatened. If you took away one musician from an orchestra, the symphony would be incomplete. So, too, if one member of the family of God is missing, the church is incomplete.

We need each other.  You need someone, and someone needs you.

How To Engage Ministry Volunteers

Does it seem like there’s more ministry work to do than people do it? Do you have trouble recruiting good volunteers to contribute to your ministry’s work, or sadly watch good volunteers quit when you still need their help?

It’s possible to get good volunteers to serve faithfully in your ministry if you engage them in ways that will motivate them to give their best effort. Here’s how you can engage your ministry’s volunteers:

Start with prayer. Make prayer your first response whenever you encounter any kind of crisis or special need for God’s guidance, such as opposition or open doors. Ask God to give you and your ministry’s volunteers the strength, comfort, and wisdom to deal with whatever happens with the ministry. Let your volunteers know that you’re praying for them regularly.

Give families opportunities to serve together. When volunteers serve alongside their spouses, children, siblings, or other family members, they may enjoy serving more and be more likely to stick with regular service. Create opportunities for families to serve together at events such as evening vacation Bible school, on local community service projects, or on family mission trips. Recruit family members of existing workers to contribute to the ministry’s work.

Keep your volunteers focused on the right issues. Counteract distractions that can weaken the quality of your volunteers’ work by helping them focus on what kindles their passion and motivates them to give their best effort to their work. Also, whenever you want to lead them in a certain direction on a particular issue, focus on one issue at a time, such as the importance of being on time or the need to see the big picture of how their volunteer work impacts others. Shepherd them through the changes you’d like to see them make by heading in that same direction yourself and lovingly calling them to follow you rather than trying to drive them harshly. Help your volunteers remember key concepts you’re trying to communicate to them by reviewing, reminding, and repeating.

Help your volunteers find personal meaning in their work. If your volunteers find personal meaning in their ministry work, they’ll be less likely to quit than if they didn’t find their work personally meaningful. Get to know your volunteers’ personalities and passions, and try to place them in ministry positions where they’re best able to connect with people to make a positive impact and feel fulfilled. As often as possible, include your volunteers in the thrill of leading people to relationships with Christ. Talk with your volunteers about how they can grow spiritually from their service experiences, and give them opportunities to do so. Express your heartfelt appreciation to your volunteers often, through whatever ways would be most meaningful to them, from giving them gifts and to writing them thank you notes.

Equip your volunteers for their work. Give your volunteers the support they need to do an excellent job. Establish a clear chain of command and follow-up policy, unified strategies for all ministry workers, clear rules for volunteers and all the people they serve, and an organized structure that helps volunteers understand what to do and when to do it. Train your volunteers to develop all the different types of skills they need to work effectively in your ministry, such as teaching skills and technical skills. Come up with incentives to motivate your volunteers to work hard, such as encouraging words, gifts, or awards.

Equip your volunteers for spiritual warfare. Ask God to deliver your volunteers from evil forces that may be trying to undermine their ministry work. Encourage your volunteers to read the Bible often and absorb its truths into their souls. Set a good example of holy living for them by making daily decisions that reflect the love and integrity that God wants you to have. Help volunteers resolve conflicts and develop peaceful relationships with each other. Urge your volunteers to have faith in God to empower them to minister to people successfully, rather than relying on their own efforts apart from Him. Help volunteers deal with the frustrations of their ministry work by looking at challenges from an eternal perspective.

Connect your volunteers to God’s vision and other people. Your volunteers are likely to remain faithful to their ministry work if they feel closely connected to God’s vision for the ministry, to the people they serve, and to their fellow volunteers. So give your volunteers plenty of opportunities to interact with each other so they can develop camaraderie that will help them work well as a team toward the common goal of fulfilling God’s purposes for the ministry. Encourage volunteers to pray for each other and help each other succeed at their tasks. Schedule some joint outings and regular training and prayer sessions for your volunteers.

Practice what you preach. Ask God to help you successfully serve as a good role model for your volunteers of personal holiness and devoted service. Do your best to obey God in all areas of your life. When you fail, be open and honest about your failures. Let your volunteers see that you’re a real person, just like them, struggling with vulnerabilities, grief, and uncertainties. Be most concerned not about what your volunteers think of you, but about what they think about Christ as they watch how well you represent Him. Be humble, reminding yourself daily that you’re one of Christ’s ambassadors who should serve Him as well as you can. Make a habit of confessing and repenting of your sins so you can keep growing closer to Christ.

7 Things I Want My Kids To Know About Me

1. That I love God

I want my kids to know that I believe in a God who created the Universe and created me to know him. The way that I live, the decisions that I make, the way that I spend money, and the way that we interact with our neighbors all flow from my relationship with God.

2. That I love their mom

Jacque and I celebrated 26 years of marriage this year.  For the sixteen years that we have had children, my kids have seen me love and prioritize my wife. I want my kids to see me put their mom before myself. I want them to see the committed, love relationship that exists between us. I want them to see us be affectionate with each other.

3. That I love them

Daily, I tell my kids that I love them and I work hard to show them that I love them. When correcting my kids, I labor to make sure that they feel and experience love from me. I want Tori to feel loved by me and to not look for inappropriate love from another man. I want Ian to know that I love him and value him.

4. That I work hard

God created us to work. My kids would love for me to hang with them all day every day. I do spend a lot of time with them, but they also see me work. In parenting them, I continually explain to them the value of hard work.

5. That I care about other people

The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. As a family, we prioritize showing love to other people. I want my kids to see me model this.  We strive to know and care about our neighbors, we look to build and grow friendships, we are committed to love our extended family members.

6. That I tell the truth

I am constantly telling my kids to tell the truth. Telling the truth is sometimes difficult. I work hard to model truth-telling for my kids, teach them the importance of keeping their word, and commit to model speaking the truth in love.

7. That I apologize when I am wrong

Being wrong is hard, but I am an expert at it. I have apologized to my kids many times when I was wrong.  I have apologized to their mom in front of them when I was wrong.  In doing this I explain the importance of taking responsibility for your actions.

Drop Anchor and Fish

When you speak to a person about their ministry and their conversation is punctuated with quotes and references from people who are not in your city, not ministering in your context, not at your church and among your people, and most importantly, not you, then you know you have a problem.

While principles of ministry are useful, ministry is done in context. And at the end of the day, a pastor has to prayerfully decide what ministry will look like for them and then drop anchor and fish. Otherwise, valuable time will be lost puttering all over the lake looking for the best place to fish. And the truth is God blesses faithfulness and commitment more than he blesses the latest strategy.

I've always said that a quality in successful ministry is “sticktoitiveness.” Obviously, there’s a squiggly red line under that word in your editor, but I think you get the meaning. Choose the best ministry paradigm given the context you are in and then stick to it. Success is built over time, not overnight.

5 Church Change Killers

The very fact that we’re leaders means we have to chart the course and make bold steps toward the destiny God has designed for us.

The problem is … it doesn’t always work. Change is a scary proposition for most people, and so it’s not always received with the enthusiasm we envision.

Here are some reasons why change is so hard for churches, and a few things we can do to make it easier:

1. Unbridled Tradition.

Tradition is great—it’s one of the things all of us look forward to in our lives. Vacation traditions, family traditions, holiday traditions. No matter what your personality, you find comfort and meaning in the few things that don’t change in your life. Everybody does.

The problem with tradition in churches is when programs and practices become an end in themselves rather than a means to an end.

If the Great Commission and the Great Commandment are our marching orders, and our goal is to reach and grow people, then our focus has to be on the mission, not on the means.

Question: Are there traditions, programs, silos or sacred cows holding your church back from impact?  

If so, are you willing to shift the emphasis to the mission and off of the means?

2. Dysfunctional Structure.

Just like our physical bodies need a structure (skeleton), so our churches need structure. Structures are the people and processes you use and the way you organize them.

The best structures for creating positive change are the ones where decisions can be made quickly, trust is built through flowing communication and authority comes with responsibility.

Whenever there’s frustration on your team, it’s wise to ask whether the structure is creating problems. Fixing structural problems is one of the quickest ways to gain momentum and raise morale.

How’s your structure?

3. Unresolved Conflict.

Jesus made it clear that unity in the Body of Christ is a non-negotiable. It’s intended to be the hallmark of Christianity in the world.

The truth is, teams with unresolved conflict cannot make significant progress until the problems are addressed and the conflicts are dealt with in a healthy way.

4. Lack of Faith.  

Years ago, Rick Warren did a study on the 100 fastest growing churches in America. He was looking for the common leadership characteristics in the leaders of these effective churches.

What he discovered is each leader was a very unique, with the exception of one quality: great faith.

Both the task and the challenges of church leadership are outrageous, and they require a leader who has the faith to believe God will prevail.
What are you believing about yourself and your church?

5. Fuzzy Vision.

Nelson Searcy says, “people say no to what’s confusing.”

If the vision for our churches is foggy, the buy-in will be minimal. What people are looking for in life is a purpose, a clear and burning opportunity to connect their lives with something greater and more enduring. And when a leader clarifies a clear and compelling vision and asks people to sign on, they do.

Personally, this is the most difficult part of leadership for me, but it’s also where I see the greatest payoffs for the work I put in.

A good vision answers the question, “What will it be like when we get there?”