Why real men (and women) run away

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]In almost every village and town in Italy you will find an ancient tower. Some are quite ornate like the bell tower next to the duomo in Florence, some are beautiful but flawed like the leaning tower of Pisa, most are plain like the one pictured above in San Gimignano. Many have bells or clocks, but those were usually later additions. Almost all of the towers were originally built to defend the village or the family who built the tower. 

Approaching enemies could be seen from many miles around by the watchman posted at the top of the tower. When he spotted an enemy he would sound an alarm and the people would run into the tower. Once everyone was inside they would bar the door and climb to a higher level. Often they would set fire to the stairs behind them to prevent the enemy from following. High up on many towers you will see a very short and narrow door. The dimensions of the door were essential to the effectiveness of the tower. An enemy trying to breach the tower with a ladder would be unable to fit through the door wearing his armor, and it is fairly easy to ward off unarmed knights trying to crawl through a hole single file. It is also not difficult to to defend a tower by raining down arrows and boiling oil through narrow slits on all sides. Most often the enemy would finally give up, and the inhabitants would climb down a ladder they had stored inside and go on with their daily lives. The tower was a crude but very effective means of defense, which is why villages continued to build them for hundreds of years.

This is the kind of tower Solomon is referring to in Proverbs 18:10:

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”

I think of this imagery often when I am struggling with life. When I am battling fear, or anxiety or depression I visualize myself running into God’s strong tower. Inside the tower I do not have to fight, I do not have to be strong, and I do not have to fear the enemy. The tower is my defense. If the enemy tries to come in he will have to enter with no weapons and no armor; he cannot no defeat me when I’m in the tower. 

I don’t know what you are up against today. Maybe, like me, you got some news that has you concerned. Maybe you feel alone, afraid or anxious. Maybe you feel like you can’t face what tomorrow might bring. Would you like to join me in the tower? You’ll have to leave your armor, your weapons, and your shield behind, but its ok, we’re all defenseless in here. We can’t live in the tower forever, but just for today we can rest in the knowledge that we are safe in the strong tower of the Lord.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

58 Things I’ve Learned in 58 Years

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Yesterday marked my 58th solar lap so I thought I’d update my sort of annual list of things I’ve learned so far. This time, however, I started from scratch so a lot of the list is new. Some is repeated because, honestly, I can’t remember what I wrote before. Without further ado (whatever that is) here are 58 things I’ve learned in 58 years:

  1. Faith is less about what God does and more about who God is.
  2. Buying new cars on payments is a sure way to get stuck in debt.
  3. There is no way to understand the world without seeing the world.
  4. Kansas doesn’t get better with time.
  5. Life without a local church seems impossible.
  6. Sometimes faith is not not believing in God.
  7. For the most part people are doing the best they can under the circumstances.
  8. Glancing back is helpful, staring into the abyss is not.
  9. Quitting golf is not that hard and carries few regrets.
  10. Matching socks are in the eye of the beholder.
  11. Experiences last longer than things.
  12. Trying to run alongside a car going 70 mph is a really poor decision.
  13. The best things in life may be free, but its hard to beat a really good Italian meal.
  14. A tickle fight with a grandchild erases most of life’s worries.
  15. Soul mates are cultivated not discovered.
  16. The Road to Hana may not be the most dangerous road in the world, but it will keep your attention.
  17. Not being able to dance is a poor excuse not to dance.
  18. The best music was, is and will always be 70s light rock.
  19. Age wears the sharp edges off theology.
  20. Evil is more prevalent in complacency than action.
  21. There is more than one Hyatt Place hotel near the convention center in Gwinnett, Georgia.
  22. It doesn’t matter that something is extremely rare when it happens to a family member.
  23. Hawaiian Shave Ice and snow cones are not the same thing.
  24. A well-timed text from a close friend is an incredible gift.
  25. Incessant barking from the dog next door can lead to justifiable homicide. (I hope)
  26. The best gelato in the world is from Gelateria Dondoli in San Gimignano, Italy.
  27. A hand-drawn birthday card from a grandchild is the best gift possible.
  28. Love letters are much more persuasive than lectures.
  29. More discipleship happens in a hospital waiting room than a classroom.
  30. Believing God loves you even though he doesn’t do what you desperately want him to do is faith.
  31. Diet Coke, though deadly, is delightful in the morning.
  32. Dancing to James Taylor’s “How Sweet It Is” with your daughter at her wedding is worth whatever it takes to get to that moment.
  33. Almost no one is out to get you; they just don’t have the time.
  34. As you get older, things become less important than time.
  35. God uses some pretty whacky people.
  36. See everything you can as soon as you can; you never know when Notre Dame might burn down.
  37. Parenting doesn’t have a finish line. It doesn’t even have a halftime.
  38. The most beautiful chapel in the world is Sainte-Chapelle.
  39. Seven year olds tell great stories; not necessarily rooted in facts, but full of imaginative details.
  40. 85 year olds tell similar stories to seven your olds.
  41. The opening montage of “Up” is the saddest scene in any movie.
  42. You never get over missing your mom.
  43. Holding onto bitterness is the most toxic and wasteful thing you can do.
  44. A 1982 Cadillac Sedan DeVille will not float
  45. Climbing mountains is best left to people who don’t require oxygen to breathe.
  46. Kids turn out ok even if you feed them Dr Pepper and fried cherry pies for breakfast.
  47. Following your heart is a great for a graduation speech but lousy career advice.
  48. Heaven may be full of people I don’t particularly like.
  49. Getting lost in Tuscany is a great way to find amazing pizza.
  50. No matter where you move your childhood team will always be your team.
  51. Buying cars sight unseen off eBay is not a great idea.
  52. My parents didn’t know what they were doing, just like me.
  53. God is most present in the scariest moments.
  54. The hokey pokey isn’t really what its all about.
  55. Having more years behind than ahead brings priorities into focus.
  56. Moose are better observed from a distance.
  57. You can’t do everything you set your mind to. (i.e. NBA)
  58. As much as I’d like a do-over on many things, moving forward is more productive than looking back.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Beth Moore: Please don’t go home

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]One night almost ninety years ago two ladies stepped onto an improvised stage in a wheat field in western Oklahoma and began to preach the Gospel. They had never heard of John MacArthur or Beth Moore; they simply knew that their lives had been changed by the Good News, and they wanted to share what they had found. At the end of the sermon that night they invited anyone who wanted to follow Jesus to raise a hand. Laying in the backseat of a car parked near the tent, too weak to sit in the revival service, my grandmother lifted her hand in the dark, taking her first step toward Jesus. Soon my grandfather followed her lead, and then their children and their grandchildren joined her on the journey back to God. When my granddaughter stepped across the line of faith recently she became part of the fifth generation of my family to become Christ followers since those two lady preachers refused to “go home”.

My faith journey is shaped by women who didn’t “go home”. My grandmother, an ordained pastor, taught the adult Sunday school class in every church my grandfather pastored. My mom became my Sunday school teacher when all the other teachers gave up trying to teach me and my friends. My wife is an ordained pastor and tremendous teacher. My mother-in-law taught for decades in her home church. I’ve learned leadership from Nancy Beach and Nancy Ortberg. I’ve been inspired by Christine Caine and Jo Saxton. I am honored to call younger leaders like Kadi Cole and Jenny Catron my friends. 

One of the most impressive teachers I’ve had the honor to meet is Beth Moore. When Sherry was leading MOPS International Beth spoke at one of the conferences. Unlike other speakers, her only demand was that she be able to spend a few minutes praying with Sherry before. Her graciousness and humility were amazing, and her speaking that evening was powerful and convicting. She is one of the best Bible teachers I’ve ever heard.

With my background it isn’t surprising that John MacArthur’s recent attack on Beth Moore and all women who preach was repugnant. His arrogance and lack of grace stand in stark contrast to the women who’ve spoken into my life. It is not, however, MacArthur’s tone but rather his message that causes the most damage. From Jesus’ day to today woman are told from an early age they are less than. Only men can preach, only men can lead, only men can be mentored by men. If a man rises to the top he’s a leader, if a woman follows the same path she is grabbing for power. Men lead, women follow. And if they don’t like it they should shut their mouths and go home.

This is not what we see in Jesus. He elevated women, he respected women, he taught women one-on-one. Jesus encouraged the women who followed and supported his ministry at a time when Rabbis would not even look at women. Jesus refused to treat women as less than.

Paul also placed great value on women as leaders. He sought out women when he entered a new town. He tore down the distinctions between Jews and Gentiles, slave and owner, male and female. He listed multiple women as influential and significant leaders in the early church. And in a passage in his first letter to Timothy he said that men should lift their hands when they pray (without getting into fights), and woman shouldn’t braid their hair, wear gold or pearls, or buy expensive clothes. And he said he didn’t permit women to preach. 

Somehow we’ve decided that its ok to ignore Paul’s other instructions in this passage, its ok for men to pray without lifting their hands (or covering their heads), its ok to get angry and quarrel, and its ok for woman to wear nice clothes and jewelry. The one thing we’ve taken as a theological cornerstone is Paul’s single admonition, repeated nowhere else in scripture, that women not preach. Standing on this single verse men like John MacArthur find it ok to ridicule woman like Beth Moore, and to say to all the girls and woman with the gift of teaching, “Go home”. 

I am thankful that those two woman who preached the Gospel to my grandmother did not go home. I am thankful for the many, many women who’ve impacted my life since then did not go home. And I am praying, in spite of men like John MacArthur, the young women who are coming behind will not go home. We need the voices of all the church, male and female, to lead sinners like me home.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Critics: You can’t live with them, you can’t shoot them (Can you?)

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]You can spot them coming from across the lobby. Something happened at church and they are not pleased. It was too hot, too loud, too long, too shallow or too “not they way they did it at my last church.” And you know they are the tip of the iceberg. On Monday morning the signed and anonymous comments will be piled in a neat stack on your desk. A cornucopia of advice on everything from how to preach to how to dress to how to raise your kids. How do you answer the onslaught of unsolicited advice? How do you deal with the criticism?

First, let me point out the obvious; everyone gets criticized. 

  • The Eiffel Tower has 13 one star reviews on Yelp
  • Eleven sportswriters didn’t vote for Babe Ruth to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
  • Jesus, the perfect Son of God, was criticized for the way he ate, drank, healed and washed up before dinner 

If you lead, preach or show your face in public you will have critics. Critics are like sunburns on vacations, no one likes them but everyone has to deal with them. 

So how do you deal with critics in a healthy way? Here’s what I’ve learned in over 35 years of being publicly and privately flogged…

Consider the source

When I was one of the main communicators at Seacoast Church I had three men who consistently offered criticism (positive and negative) of my sermons. One was a brilliant thinker and theologian, another was steeped in history and missiology while the third taught public speaking to large corporations. As hard as it was to hear, whenever one of these men had a word of criticism, I wanted to hear it. Their goal was always to make me better.

On the other hand there were a few whackos who also felt the need to share their opinion, no matter how baseless or ill-informed. These were the people I tried to avoid in the lobby lest I get pinned in a corner with no escape and no answers.

Always consider the source of criticism. If they are critiquing your speaking, do they understand the intended audience? Do they understand the theological point you were making? Are they coming from a viewpoint or world view that overly colors their comments? Often harsh criticism comes from someone who has been hurt, rejected or overlooked. It is important to understand their context. 

You can’t consider the source if criticism is given anonymously. I highly recommend ignoring anonymous comments. The best policy is to let the congregation know you don’t read anonymous comments, and then make sure all unsigned criticism is deleted or shredded. You can’t consider the source and you can’t respond to Mr Anonymous, so you should delete him from your database.

Weigh the evidence

Someone said, “If one person calls you a horse’s butt ignore it. If two people call you a horse’s butt consider it. If three people call you a horse’s butt, buy a saddle.” With any criticism it is important to consider what may be true. Solomon put it this way:

‘If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding. Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.’

Proverbs 15:31-33 (NLT)

If you are unsure whether criticism is valid ask a friend you can trust. (Not your spouse, that just puts them in a really tough spot) If you open the door by asking questions, however, be prepared to hear honest feedback. Remember, your friend is only trying to help.

Respond appropriately

All criticism deserves a response, but not all criticism deserves the same level of response. I once worked with a leader who asked that everyone on staff respond to criticism with a face-to-face meeting. While well-intentioned, this policy simply encouraged more and more criticism, and often gave weight to otherwise unfounded complaints. 

I recommend three possible responses:

  • Email: Thank you for your input, I’ll prayerfully consider your thoughts

Translation: I don’t think there’s any substance to your complaint, but I’m willing to think about it

  • Phone call: Thank you for your input, let me share some information that might shed more light on the situation

Translation: I see how it seems from your viewpoint, let me share a different perspective

  • Face-to-face: Thank you for your input. Can we schedule a meeting to explore this topic together?

Translation: There is either validity or weight to your opinion, we need to talk through this situation

Empty the trash

Once you have considered the source, weighed the evidence and responded to the critic, its time to move on. Shred the comment card, delete the email and put the conversation out of your mind. Discouragement is Satan’s weapon of choice against pastors, and criticism is his delivery system. You were chosen, called and place by God. You make mistakes, you misunderstand theology, and you occasionally say things you shouldn’t say. But you are God’s weapon of choice in the battle, and the critics don’t have a say in the outcome. Get better if needed, but don’t let the critics drag you down. To paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt said, “Its not the critic who counts. Its you. You’re the one standing up, taking the risk, putting yourself out there.”

[bctt tweet=”Discouragement is Satan’s weapon of choice against pastors, and criticism is his delivery system.” username=”geoffsurratt”]

Remember Babe Ruth had a lifetime batting average of .342, hit 714 home runs, and won almost 100 games as a pitcher, but the critics of his day said he wasn’t Hall of Fame material.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Stop counting attendance and start counting care

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]For the past 30 years the primary indicator of health in churches is weekend attendance. We know that “healthy things grow”, so obviously the faster our church grows the healthier it is. We celebrate the largest and fastest growing churches as the models we all want to emulate. When a new church plant explodes in growth we crowd around the pastor to learn his secrets. 

The challenge is that healthy things aren’t the only things that grow. Weeds grow faster than healthy plants, and cancer cells kill the body by growing faster than other, healthier cells. By focusing on numerical growth in the church we may inadvertently feed the very thing that could choke out true health. 

Another challenge with tracking attendance is it doesn’t always measure what we think it does. I remember talking to another pastor in our community a few years ago. He was excited about the sudden growth he’d seen over the past few months. I wanted to be excited for him, but the church I served had recently gone through a moral failure by a key leader, and our attendance was shrinking at the exact time his was growing. Attendance growth isn’t always as it appears.

Finally, measuring weekend attendance is becoming irrelevant. In a culture of online church, sermon podcasts and declining frequency of attendance even among committed members, the number of people sitting in pews or stack chairs from week to week no longer reflects the true size of a congregation. We need to move beyond butts in seats as a primary measure of the health of a congregation.

So what should we measure? The go to answers are baptisms, giving and small group participation. There is nothing wrong with measuring these areas, but it is still incomplete. To truly understand how healthy we are as a church we have to know how we are caring for the three circles of people we are called to shepherd; our neighbors, our followers and our disciples.

Neighbors

Key word: Compassion
Key questions: Who are our neighbors and how are we easing their pain?

A neighbor is anyone who comes into contact with your church. Neighbors live next door to the church and next door to people who attend your church. Neighbors are the school and city officials who interact with your congregation. Your neighbors are the people who serve your members in restaurants, stores and entertainment venues. Your neighbors may never walk into your church, but they are still your responsibility. 

In the story of the Good Samaritan Jesus not only broadens the definition of a neighbor, he shows how to treat our neighbors with compassion. Unlike the religious leaders in the story, the Samaritan has compassion for his neighbor. He bandages his wounds and provides for his needs. He isn’t concerned about where the injured man attends synagogue; he is a neighbor so he cares for him. A major component of the mission of our church is to discover where our neighbors are hurting and how we can help.

A healthy church cares for their neighbors both corporately and personally. When there is a crisis in the community a healthy church is the first to step in to help, and when there is a need in a neighborhood healthy church members are the ones who stand in the gap. Measuring health begins with tracking how compassionately we care for our neighbors. How are we easing their pain?

Followers

Key word: Provision
Key questions: Who are our followers and how are providing for their needs?

A follower is anyone who considers your church their church. This is tricky, because there are a lot of people who claim your church whom you’ve never met. They may attend only on Christmas and Easter, they may drop in a few times a year, or they may just watch online, but a follower would consider your church the place to:

  • Get married
  • Have a family member’s funeral
  • Be baptized
  • Dedicate their baby

Regardless how deep their connection, if they consider your church their church they are a follower and you have responsibility for them. 

We see Jesus’ provision for followers in the story of feeding of the 5000 when he says to Phillip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” (John 6:5) I imagine the disciples thought, “Why are they our problem? They are adults, let them figure it out for themselves. Besides, it would take a miracle to take care for all these people.” Jesus believed, however, that He and the disciples should care even for casual followers. 

The bigger your church grows the more followers you attract. Conservatively your church has twice as many followers as average weekend attenders. A church of 300 on Sunday has 600 followers, a church of 3000 has 6,000 followers, and a church of 30,000 on a weekend carries the weight of 60,000 people. That is larger than the town I live in. We love to attract huge crowds, but if we are faithful to Jesus’ example we have to also provide for the needs of the ever growing circle of followers. 

Disciples

Key word: Direction
Who are our disciples and how are we helping them grow?

A disciple in this context is anyone committed to the vision, values and mission of your church. It includes the staff, leaders and elders, as well as the committed attenders who support and love your church. You are responsible to do everything possible to ensure the disciples are growing in their faith and reflecting the model of Christ.

The growth of His disciples was Jesus’ primary mission while he was on earth. He taught them, challenged then and rebuked them, all with the goal of seeing them grow in their understanding of him and their commitment to the Kingdom. When he knew his time grew short and the cross loomed ahead, he withdrew with his disciples for one last time. He washed their feet, he fed them, and he taught them the core value of love. As he faced the cross his attention was on the 12 men who would soon abandon him. His commitment to the disciples wasn’t based on how much they gave, led or served; it was based solely on his love and care for them.

This is the commitment we are called to as leaders in the church. We are never told we will give an account for the number of people we can convince to sit in an auditorium on a Sunday and listen to us talk and sing. We will, however, be held accountable for the disciples who follow us as we follow Christ. How are we loving them and helping them grow?

The Shift

Before Online Church, traveling youth sports teams, and the ability to work from anywhere, weekend attendance was a decent indicator of the effectiveness of a church. Today weekend attendance is nothing more than a popularity contest. The “winner” is the church with the best band, coolest website and best speaker. Churches grow to thousands overnight and we all want to know the secret to their phenomenal growth. 

The bigger question is how are caring for the flock God has entrusted to us? How can we measure the impact we are having on the hurts in the lives of our neighbors? How can we discover the true needs of the followers of our church and how can we know we are meeting those needs? How can we make sure that the disciples around us are growing more like Christ?

When we are faithful with the people God gives us, our neighbors, followers and disciples, He can trust us with more. Our job is to plant and water, it is God’s job to make it grow. What if over the next 20 years we become as intentional on measuring and improving how we are care for people as we’ve been on filling buildings for the past 20 years? Can you imagine the harvest?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The end of multisite is near (sort of)

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Its been almost 20 years since the idea of being one church in multiple locations hit my radar. Churches like Community Christian in Chicago, North Coast in San Diego and North Point in Atlanta were pioneering the idea of adding sites instead of seats, and we jumped on the bandwagon. In the ensuing years multisite has exploded across America and around the world. By last count almost 10% of all Protestants in America attends a multisite church every Sunday. 50 of the churches on Outreach Magazine’s Top 100 Largest Churches list are multisite, and 9 out of 10 on their Fastest Growing Churches list have multiple locations. (The only exception is Orchard Church in Brighton, Colorado, and they are adding a second location in the coming months.) When we wrote the Multisite Church Revolution in 2006 we had no idea how prophetic the title would prove to be.

But now there are rumblings of the demise of the multisite model. High profile churches like Tim Keller’s Redeemer Presbyterian and Matt Chandler’s Village Church are spinning off their locations as autonomous congregations, and other churches are closing offsite campuses. Yesterday one of the early adopters of multisite, Dr. James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, posted an article explaining why they are closing their satellite locations and consolidating everything back to their 80 acre campus in the suburbs. Is this the beginning of the end of the multisite fad?

While this is obviously the end of multisite for Mecklenburg, I don’t think it is a harbinger of things to come. While Dr. White is writing to his own context, he does hint that their reasons for closing sites can be extrapolated into other contexts. Let me explain why I don’t agree with his conclusions based on four of the premises he outlines.

It’s dated

Dr. White says that the multisite approach is nearly two decades old, and therefore is no longer new or cutting edge. He lumps multisite in with visitation and bus ministry as strategies that were once effective, but no longer valid.

Multisite isn’t a 20 year phenomenon; the roots of being one church in multiple locations go back to the New Testament. The churches at Corinth, Ephesus and Philippi likely met in multiple houses throughout the city, but Paul addresses them as one church. The first example of a multisite church in America that I am aware of began meeting in two locations in Charleston, South Carolina around 1800. It could be argued that the roots of Methodism are a form of multisite. Its certainly not a new idea.

Neither is multisite primarily a strategy for growth like bus ministry or visitation; it is a response to a challenge. How do we effectively reach and disciple the most people with limited resources? I would put multisite in the category of air conditioning, sound amplification and video projectors; each addresses a specific challenge in ministering to a larger congregation in a modern context. Although each is “dated”, I don’t see any of these going away soon.

It’s a physical approach in a digital world

Dr. White says,

“The multi-site approach is a physical approach in a digital world. Even worse, a physical response to a digital demand…We are finding that when someone is invited by a friend, instead of attending a physical campus, people first visit our website or some other online venture, and then – as a secondary step – attend one of our internet campus services. Our attenders even intuitively recommend that process. In fact, our internet campus is now our fastest-growing and second-largest collective venue.”

I agree that a church’s online presence is the new front door, but I don’t follow the logic that precludes physical locations. The church isn’t Barnes and Noble competing with Amazon. The first few steps for someone coming to faith may very well be online, but for almost all the faith journey leads to connection to a gathering of believers in a physical location. If we follow Dr. White’s logic to the end I assume Mecklenburg will be closing their remaining physical location soon.

The 20 minute rule is obsolete

The “20 minute rule” Dr. White refers to is the idea that people will not drive more than 20 minutes to connect with a church. His conclusion is that the digital presence of a church makes this rule obsolete because no one has to drive at all to visit.

While this is true for the first exposure to a church, it is still very challenging for people to connect deeply with a church that is more than 20 minutes from home. A church can certainly attract people who live further away, but unless the goal is for people to only attend online, this barrier still exists for many.

Is the end?

Toward the end of the article Dr. White says,

“There are other reasons churches might consider following our course, not the least of which are those outlined in a recent article you can read HERE on the challenges the multi-site approach presents for leadership, pastoral oversight, moral train wrecks and more.”

He doesn’t elaborate on how returning to a single location will solve these issues. Many single site churches struggle with leadership, oversight and moral train wrecks.

While Dr. White explains clearly the reasoning behind the decision at Mecklenburg to end multisite, I just don’t think his logic applies beyond his church.

At the end of the day here’s what I believe about multisite:

  • It isn’t for every church, or even most churches
  • No two multisite churches are the same
  • Multisite will continue to evolve and morph
  • Unhealthy leaders produce unhealthy churches regardless of how many locations they have
  • Multisite is a strategy for Kingdom growth
  • Multisite isn’t going away

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Why your church needs to be thinking 100 years down the road

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Recently I heard the founder of Patagonia, Yvon Choulnard, describe a very difficult season in the early days of the company when growth outpaced revenue and they had to lay off some of the workers. This was incredibly difficult fo Choulnard because he tried to treat his employees like family. The turning point came when he asked this question:

“How would decisions change if we were thinking about our company 100 years from now?

That is not a question American marketplace or church leaders ask very often. We focus on how we can grow quickly, how we can address today’s problems today. Sometimes we’ll try to look five or ten years down the road, but we’re quickly back to the urgency of growth today. There is no Outreach Magazine Top 100 Slowest Growing Churches list.

Greg McKeown, the author of Essentialism, sees great value in a 100 year viewpoint,

“This kind of tremendously long-term vision starts to help us to discern between the absolutely essential things and the total, trivial many. With that perspective, you can start to see that most of what we are consumed with and even worried about are things that won’t even matter five years from now.”

What would happen if we did take the extreme long view in churches? If we thought more about the impact of our decisions in 100 years rather than focusing almost exclusively on what’s right in front of? 

How would a 100 year viewpoint impact church staffing?

The amount of turnover right now in churches is overwhelming. Every week I hear from a pastor looking for their next staff member. They don’t have time to develop anyone from within, they have a hole they need to plug as soon as possible. Who do I know who would do an amazing job? 

If we were looking 100 years down the road I think we would see how important it is to grow leaders from within rather than constantly trying to pick fruit off of other people’s trees. Once we’ve picked all the trees around us clean, we will still have holes with no one to fill them. With a long view, however, we would see that children’s ministry may not be great tomorrow or next week, but with the right coaching and encouragement we could likely develop great leaders over the next 10 years. 

How would a 100 year viewpoint impact building decisions?

Church buildings are often made built on the need of the hour. We need children’s space. We need auditorium space. We need a student building with all the bells and whistles. We never think about what might be useful in 20 years, or 50 years. With a longer horizon we might not be in such a hurry to spend millions of dollars to build what we need right now. On the converse we might not be so quick to saddle the next generation with massive debt to solve this generation’s challenges.

How would a 100 year viewpoint impact local outreach?

What if we had a bifocal vision for outreach? We continue to help our community now, but we are also planting seeds that will potentially change our community in 20 years. How could we invest in Kindergartners in a way that will make an impact when they are Seniors?

In the same podcast Patagonia founder Chouland said this, “The faster a business grows, the faster it dies. We decided on a growth program so that we would be around 100 years from now.” What would happen if we stopped pursing growth for the sake of growth? What would change in your church focused on a 100 years from now?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Karaoke Worship, Cold Turkeys and Flop Sweat

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]The Sunday before Thanksgiving, 1993, I had the brilliant idea to have a turkey potluck at the small church we were pastoring outside of Houston. The church would provide the turkey and the congregation would bring the side dishes and desserts. We encouraged everyone to bring their friends, it would be a great outreach opportunity in our little community. Everything was going great that Sunday; people had invited their neighbors and there was a lot of anticipation as the service started. And then the electricity went out. Now not only did we have no way to warm the turkey and side dishes, we had no music for worship; our “band” at this point in the church was on cassette tape. The only thing we could come up with was a battery powered “boom box” which I held on over my head while sitting on the front row. (A lot like John Cusack in “Say Anything” minus the cool overcoat).

Humiliated doesn’t scratch the surface of my emotional state.

Sitting in an unheated auditorium listening to Karaoke worship while anticipating a cold Thanksgiving dinner is not the ideal first impression. It was a disaster. Have you had days like that? Maybe last Sunday was like that. Maybe you felt like Steph Curry missing a wide-open dunk as overtime ran down, costing his team a chance to comeback and win.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K__leXPA6wM”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Here’s a few things I’ve learned about cold turkey and flop sweat since that awful November day in Huffman, Texas:

Its never as bad as it seems.

We had several families far from God attend that day who later committed their lives to Christ and became a part of our congregation. As far as they knew worship was always on a boombox, and church dinners are always terrible. (They were actually right on the second one) They liked the community they experienced and were curious enough to come back.

People relate to failure

When things go poorly the people you are trying to reach are more sympathetic than you realize. (The church connoisseurs complain, but who cares) They know what its like to fail and they empathize with how you feel.

How you handle flopping is way more important than never flopping

Steph Curry didn’t spend time beating himself up for missing a dunk. He know it was one shot in one game, and it didn’t define him. We all flop spectacularly at some point. The best thing we can do is learn to laugh at ourselves, learn what we need to learn and write about it many years later.

And cold turkey isn’t all that bad. Cold gravy on the other hand, not so much.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Cheerleaders, kiddie pools and middle school accountants; how lead pastors can reach the next generation

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Tomorrow morning at a ridiculously early hour I will head to The Orange Conference, a gathering of over 8000 NextGen leaders from all over the world. I have been attending or teaching at this conference for over a decade because I can’t think of a better way to invest than to sow into the people who lead kids and students in the local church. The potential fruit is exponential. Here are some of the reasons I continue to invest in NextGen leaders:

  • The vast majority of Christians decide to follow Christ before they turn 18
  • A majority of young people never return to church after they go to college
  • Many teenagers quit church when they become sophomores, the year they get their drivers license and/or their parents let them choose not to go
  • Children often decide by 3rd grade whether they like going to church, though they can’t quit until 10th grade

The future of the church is being determined by how we minister to the kids and families in our churches. [bctt tweet=”Better programming, outreach or small groups are meaningless if the next generation leaves and never returns.” username=”geoffsurratt”] If I were a lead pastor I would make kids and student ministry my number one priority, and here’s how I’d do it…

Act like a cheerleader

[bctt tweet=”The most effective thing a lead pastor can do is be the cheerleader for NextGen ministries (kids, students, families.)” username=”geoffsurratt”]
In most churches what the lead pastor champions gets done. One lead pastor I worked with was a frustrated rock star, so the music ministry got all the cool toys. Another lead pastor saw the world through the eyes of a counselor, so the church funded a large counseling center. Andy Stanley is passionate about the next generations, so North Point church has incredible kids and student ministries.

So how can you be a cheerleader for NextGen ministry?

  • Use illustrations from family ministry in your sermons
  • Celebrate NextGen ministry wins or milestones publicly
  • Never disparage working with students or kids. I cringe when I hear a lead pastor say, “I’m glad I don’t have to work with middle schoolers.” It is demeaning and deflating to those who do.
  • Make working with kids and students a place of honor

Budget like a middle schooler

[bctt tweet=”The budget reveals more than the mission statement about how much a church values the next generation” username=”geoffsurratt”]

Nothing reveals values like a bank statement; you spend your money on what you care about. What does your church’s bank statement say about how you value the next generation? If you want to impact kids and students, budget for it. Here’s how Craig Groeschel told me this works at Life.Church:

“One of LifeChurch’s core values is stewardship. Because of that—and not in spite of it—we spend a lot of money on kids. Considering the scope and scale of the ministry that LifeKIDS executes each week, it really doesn’t matter how it compares to other ministry departments or programs. That’s an apples to oranges comparison.”

Swim in the kiddie pool

[bctt tweet=”Pastors who want to impact the next generation show up regularly in student and kids environments” username=”geoffsurratt”]

When a senior leader participates in children’s or student ministry it allows them to experience what the volunteers and kids experience, and it shows support for the ministry. Many pastors feel they are too busy to show up, or that their presence will be a distraction. I would counter that their lack of presence sends the message they only care about what happens in the adult auditorium. To counteract that impression why not

  • Volunteer in the nursery when you aren’t preaching
  • Teach the elementary lesson from time to time
  • Help lead a middle school small group
  • Go as a leader on a high school missions trip

I understand all of these ideas are tough to pull off and not your favorite thing to do, but I can’t imagine a better way to invest your time in a very vulnerable generation.

Let the kids sit at the adult table

[bctt tweet=”Reaching the next generation means involving them at every level of the local church” username=”geoffsurratt”]

Can we call a moratorium on “Student Takeover” weekends? You know, the weekend you have teenagers do the greeting and ushering, the student band lead worship, and the youth pastor preach. Not only is the experience not great for the attenders (all the parents and grandparents love it. Everyone else, not so much), but its really just a form of tokenism. Unintentionally we send the message that NextGen is the “B” team.

Instead why not weave students into everything we do?

  • Invite teenagers to be ushers and greeters, involve students in the tech booth and add teens as a regular part of the worship team.
  • Use NextGen leaders to do the announcements,
  • Have the youth pastor do one point of the sermon occasionally

Rather than a “sink or swim” once a year context, invest in younger leaders every weekend.

Beyond just including them on the weekend, make sure NextGen leaders are at the decision making table during the week. It is a mistake to expect to be effective in ministering to kids and students if the leaders are not a part of shaping the direction of the church. It will take some creativity, but leveraging your influence to include younger leaders will pay significant dividends down the road.

All is not lost

Despite the dire warnings that Millennials are already gone and Gen Y is close behind, all is not lost in the local church. I believe if pastors will take the lead in focusing on the next generation there is a bright future ahead, but it will take intentionality, courage and patience. Lots and lots of patience.

You can read more practical advice,,based on research on interviews, on reaching the next generation in the free eBook The Church Will Thrive. You can download your copy here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

A Day For Irrational Hope

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]The Saturday before Easter is traditionally a day of waiting, of mourning, of reflection; Holy Saturday. We picture the disciples huddled, hiding in Jerusalem, afraid and disillusioned. They had put their hope in the Galilean carpenter turned Rabbi; they had literally staked their lives on it, and now he’s dead and they are devastated. Holy Saturday is a day to mourn and reflect.

But I wonder if there was a follower of Jesus who believed him when he said he would rise from the dead. We know from the Gospels the 12 disciples did not understand, but what if someone did? Someone like Mary Magdalene whose life had been transformed by her encounter with Jesus, or John Mark who had the faith of a young boy, or Jesus’ mother who believed in her son like only a mother can. I can imagine them trying to rally the tiny remnant of Jesus’ followers, “He will be back, he said he would be back.” No one would listen, no one would believe, but they couldn’t, they wouldn’t let go of hope.

On Saturday their hope made no sense. Jesus was dead, his body buried, the tomb sealed. The disciples were right, it was over; hope had died on the cross with Jesus. Anything else was just wishful thinking.

But, hoping against hope, they still believed. They didn’t see how, they didn’t understand why, but they believed that Jesus would come back. Their Saturday was very different than everyone else in the room. They too were sad, afraid and confused; but deep inside they were hopeful, waiting for a comeback.

A lot of us are waiting for a comeback. All the signs point in the wrong direction, but somehow, some way we hope for a miracle, a restoration, a resurrection. We are scared, discouraged and desperate; but Jesus said he’d be back. We don’t know how, or when or where, but today we wait in hope.

What if, for just a day, we called today Hopeful Saturday? What if, for just a day, we focused on the “already but not yet” aspect of the Gospel? Jesus is dead. The tomb is sealed. Hope is gone. We are already at the end, but the beginning is just a few hours away. Regardless what we see, today we choose hope.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][social_buttons full_width_icons=”true” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” linkedin=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]