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Category Archives: Church Growth

Monday Morning Musings 4/15/13

15 Apr

MMcoffeeSitting here, drinking a piping hot cup of coffee on this Monday morning, my heart is full of gratitude and thanksgiving as I muse about how awesome God is and the blessings He is pouring out on the VALLEY Christian Church Family!

  • It’s absolutely mind-blowing to see God working through our, “What On Earth Am I Here For” Campaign!
  • Over the last three weeks, VALLEY has averaged 744 each Sunday in attendance (Each of these Sundays setting the top 3 attendance weeks in the 38 year HISTORY of our church)!
  • What a joy to see so many new faces to VALLEY at our GroupLink last night signing-up to join a Community Group to “do life with” over the next 6 months!
  • It’s so humbling watching over 180 volunteers every Sunday serving The VALLEY Family in our three gatherings. It’s hard to think of a greater example of Christ-like character than a volunteer serving others.
  • The stories we are hearing every single week of men and women receiving Christ as their Savior who have and are walking through heart-breaking and painful experiences are inspiring and leave us in awe of God’s power and love to transform hurting hearts.

I really can’t imagine how things could get any better than they are right now, but then again, I pretty much feel that way after every Sunday. The words I used to close the message, “Called To Be Loved” yesterday, ring in my ears this morning as I am overwhelmed by God’s love and goodness:

“God smiles when we love him supremely, trust him completely, come to him boldly, and praise and thank him continually.”

 
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Posted by on April 15, 2013 in Church Growth, Leadership, Preaching

 

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Great Expectations

05 Apr

great-expectationsThe famous missionary to India, William Carey once said, “Expect great things; attempt great things.” This weekend, at VALLEY Christian Church, we will kick-off our “What On Earth Am I Here For” campaign and we’re pulling out all the stops to reach as many people as possible with this important message. After “casting the net” on Easter, we now shift into a strong discipleship emphasis each year with our Spring campaign.

Traditionally, Easter Sunday is always the biggest attendance Sunday for churches. Last Easter was our highest attendance in the history of our church (up until that time), our kick-off to our campaign the week after Easter was attended by only 10 less people than Easter. We are praying, expecting and anticipating history to repeat itself again this year, and this past Sunday’s Easter attendance was up 34% over last year!

Tomorrow, will conclude 40 Days of Prayer in our church family that over 100+ people have been daily participating in. It was John Wesley who said, “God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it.” We believe our prayer initiative is more important that the advertizing, utilizing social media or even encouraging those who attend VALLEY to invite friends. Everything we do for Him must be immersed in prayer.

So, as we expect great things and attempt great thing for Him, I’m asking you to join me in praying this weekend for the kick-off of this huge endeavor. Those of you who regularly attend VALLEY, I’d also like to ask you to invite an unchurched friend or family member to join us on Sunday. If you don’t have a church home, then you’re invited to be our guest this Sunday at 8:30, 10:15 or 12:00 at VALLEY Christian Church. There’s nothing in the world as exciting as serving Jesus Christ and watching Him change and transform lives! Join me in this exciting adventure!

 
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Posted by on April 5, 2013 in Church Growth, Preaching

 

5 Things You Can Do For Easter

25 Mar

Easter5ThingsHere are 5 practical things that we’re encouraging everyone in the VALLEY Christian Church family to do to make Easter amazing this year:

1) Be at one of our three Easter Sunday gatherings at 8:30am, 10:15am or 12:00pm


2) If you’re serving at one of our gatherings, plan on attending an additional one as well, that way, you won’t out on receiving this Easter as you serve.


3) Invite people in your world. 82% of unchurched people said they would attend a church if they were invited! Let’s be the ones who ask those 82%!


4) Use Social Media. We can leverage powerful social tools like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others to inform and invite unchurched friends and family to truly experience the joy of Easter this year.


5) Pray!!!! John Wesley once said, “God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it.” Everything we do for Christ must begin with prayer.

I can’t wait to see all that God does in and through the VALLEY Family over this coming historic and epic Easter weekend!

 
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Posted by on March 25, 2013 in Church Growth

 

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Relational Capital

12 Feb

Relational_ResurgenceTemplate2Found this excellent article on The Resurgence today. Well worth the read for every pastor and church leader!

13 Ways To Grow Relational Capital

 
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Posted by on February 12, 2013 in Church Growth, Leadership, Staff

 

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Get Thee To Church! 25 Reasons to Attend Regularly

13 Oct

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. – Hebrews 10:24-25

Here are 25 reasons why you should regularly take part in the public and corporate worship assemblies of your local congregation (REPOSTED from ChurchLeaders.com):

1. The word of God teaches it (Heb. 10:24-25). A high and correct view of Scripture demands regular church attendance.

2. Corporate worship is where the preaching and teaching of God’s word takes place (2 Tim. 4:1-5).

3. It follows the example set by the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 4:16).

4. It honors the best and brightest day of the week—Sunday, the Lord’s Day—the day on which the Lord Jesus rose from the dead.

5. It is a wise and proper use of the privilege we have to publicly and corporately worship God. There are Christians in other lands who do not have this freedom. The only way for us to express our gratitude for this liberty is to use it faithfully and thankfully.

6. Your neglect of corporate worship grieves the Holy Spirit who lives within the individual believer and the church as a whole (Eph. 4:30).

7. It brings joy to the spiritual leaders who watch over your soul and who must give account for you. Absenteeism grieves them and is unprofitably for you (Heb. 13:17).

8. It demonstrates that you share the mission and ministry of the particular church family of which you are a member.

9. Your absence from church services renders it difficult, and in some instances impossible, for you to participate in the church’s mutual ministry to itself, especially the “one another” commands of the New Testament.

10. You need the encouragement that comes from the assembling of the saints (Heb. 10:24-25). In fact, the more evil the days become, the more you need this encouragement.

11. God demands first place. We should give God the first part of our financial increase. We should have a daily quiet time to give God the first part of our day. And we should regularly attend church on Sunday to give God the first part of our week.

12. It reminds you God is present in a new community of people through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 12:5).

13. It is a way of preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).

14. Public and corporate worship is one of the key places where you exercise your spiritual gifts. It is a strategic place to minister to other believers (1 Co. 14:12-14).

15. Your regular attendance serves as a positive example and influence for others.

16. If you take part in some ministry of the church—and you should—your absence can hinder the overall effectiveness of the group and discourage other members.

17. Being involved in public and corporate worship services counteracts our self-centeredness.

18. You should take the time to stop and say, “Thank you” to God for bringing you through another week.

19. Absenteeism is a poor testimony to unbelievers who see your inconsistency (John 13:34-35).

20. True and saving faith will create love for that which Christ loves; namely, the Church (Eph. 5:25). Regularly attending church services is a fundamental way to show your love for the bride of Christ.

21. It is the practice of good habits like regular church attendance that builds spiritual character.

22. The New Testament teaches us to recognize, to share all good things with, to submit to and to honor the spiritual leaders who teach us the Word. Attending worship is a way of doing that. (Remember, not only are we accountable to the word of God, we are also accountable to those who God uses to teach us his Word.)

23. Attending public and corporate worship services renews and strengthens us for the days ahead (Heb. 10:24-25).

24. Corporate worship helps reinforce the truth that worship is not about getting from God. Fundamentally, Christian worship is about giving to God.

25. Public and corporate worship is the officially designated place to carry out the ordinances of the church—Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. – Psalm 107:31-32

H.B. Charles, Jr. is a pastor, speaker, and writer. He lives with his wife and children in Jacksonville (FL), where he serves as the Senior-Pastor of the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church.

More from H.B. Charles, Jr. or visit H.B. at www.hbcharlesjr.com

 
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Posted by on October 13, 2012 in Church Growth, Leadership

 

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7 Ways to Connect With Your Teen

09 Aug

A while ago, while attending a meeting at another church, I noticed the youth pastor there pull the hair of one of the girls in the church when she wasn’t looking. When she turned around in shock, he smiled and said, “Hi”. His juvenile antics not only made me immediately lose respect for him, but the young lady with the hurting head couldn’t hide the look of contempt from her face. It’s really sad when adults believe they have to act like teens in order to connect with them. Having three teenage daughters currently in my home and having coached high school football for 12 years, I’ve learned a few things about connecting with teens. Here are a few tips:

1. Take an interest in what they’re interested in. Talk to them about what they like to talk about.

2. Never “talk down” to them, but lift them up with encouraging words. Other teens are more than happy to criticize and tear them down, be an adult.

3. Look them in the eyes and give them your undivided attention. This is another thing that they rarely get from their peers or other adults.

4. Humor helps. Not their humor, but yours.

5. Be yourself. Teens are skilled at spotting fakes.

6. Consistency counts. When they know you’re reliable, they’ll be willing to let you in to their world and thoughts.

7. Keep it cool. Teens don’t talk deep at the flip of a switch. It takes time to build report with them. Once you do, guard the trust that’s been built in the relationship.

If you apply these tips, you won’t have to resort to pulling out hair (yours of theirs) to connect with your teenager ;)

 
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Posted by on August 9, 2012 in Church Growth, Family, Leadership, Parenting

 

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Relevant? Really?

25 Jul

There’s been a debate going on for about 10 years now in Evangelical churches regarding being “relevant” to culture. Recently, the discussion has pushed the envelope so far as to have some pastors employing profanity while preaching as an act of “being relevant” and connecting to current culture (This is pretty shocking to most reasonable and humble servants of Christ). Here’s a different take on being relevant from where I sit.

What if relevance is helping others process major cultural events that people are struggling with? An example of this would be the recent shootings in Colorado last week. How many pastors even mentioned this tragedy that is in the forefront of everyone’s minds? My guess is, most went ahead, business as usual and preached what they had been planning on all week anyway. Many people walked out of churches Sunday with deep and troubling questions about this evil event without any solid Biblical answers, left only with our media to form our opinions and perspectives.

I’m not saying we should look to the current headlines to determine preaching content, but there are times when a pastor must set aside previous plans or incorporate a significant current event into a message and guide those whom he leads through Biblical truth regarding that situation or circumstance that is preoccupying the minds of the people.

Where would you get an idea like that from, Greg? From Jesus himself! Check out Luke 13:3-5, Jesus takes an event that everyone was aware of and applies it to his hearers. No wonder He is not only our Savior, but also a Master teacher. It seems like less cussing and more Biblical preaching would go a longer way toward making disciples of Jesus.

If you like to hear an example of what I’m trying to explain, you can find my message from last Sunday, “Frontline Fighting” HERE.

 
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Posted by on July 25, 2012 in Church Growth, Leadership, Preaching

 

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Time to Make That Change

22 Jun

Change is never easy for people. However, a good leader knows that change is in incredible tool to increase Kingdom fruit and effectiveness (see John 15:2). Previous blog posts have explained the behind the scenes reorganization we’re going through at VALLEY Christian Church this summer (HERE). As we’re beginning to make some prayerful, God given, conclusions about the future direction of our church (for the next five years), the time now starts to communicate changes to all the leadership and ultimately, the whole church family. In my opinion, this is where many leaders/pastors make huge mistakes and actually jeopardize their future plans before they even get off the ground. Here is an approach for communicating change that I learned several years ago. It has helped me immensely in leading through changing times.

1. Meet with smaller groups of influencers first (and walk them through steps 2-5).

2. Explain the current ministry system

3. Explain the challenges the current ministry system creates

4. Explain your vision for where you want to take the ministry and how the new ministry system will make that vision a reality.

5. Explain the advantages of the approach.

Take this approach about 20x with smaller groups of people before ever thinking about sharing the changes with the whole church. By using this approach, when the time comes to “go public” with the new plans, about 80% of the church will already be on-board, nodding their heads and ready to start!

 
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Posted by on June 22, 2012 in Church Growth, Coaching, Leadership, Staff

 

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Shepherd or Hireling?

21 Jun

Thursdays are meeting days for the staff of VALLEY Christian Church. It’s the day we spend about 3-4 hours in planning and strategizing each week. Today was one of those amazing days. I find my heart so thankful for the team of pastors in our church. Their heart for Jesus and for his people is truly humbling to witness.

After our meetings, I’ve been able to spend some time reflecting and listening to some other Christian leaders discuss the difference between a shepherd or a hireling in the church (read some for yourself HERE, HERE, and HERE). Listening to these leaders has brought me back once again to the heart of the men and women on staff that are truly SHEPHERDS at VALLEY!

Thanks so much, Susie, Josh, Nnamdi, Karen and Bob (Tommy and Jasmine too). You each bless and enrich my life every day as we serve Christ side-by-side.

 
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Posted by on June 21, 2012 in Church Growth, Leadership, relationships, Staff

 

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It’s All About Asking The Right Questions

13 Jun

In a previous post (see it HERE), I mentioned the reorganization we are currently walking through as a staff. During the time spent preparing myself for the reorg, I’ve found a lot of wisdom from other pastors across the country talking about the need for leaders to ask the right questions of their church leadership and staff.

Here are a few of the most thought provoking questions that I’ve found are helping me direct the church at this time:

1. What’s in decline?

2. Where are we manufacturing energy?

3. What are our underlying faulty assumptions about the way we do ministry?

4. What would a great leader do if facing this decision?

5. What do we need to stop doing?

Not real profound stuff, but very profitable to wrestle through with your staff and leadership team. Maybe it’s time to start asking the right questions for you too.

 
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Posted by on June 13, 2012 in Church Growth, Leadership, Staff

 

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