StretchyChurch

Ok, so this will confirm what some of you already know and others of you may have only suspected. As you can see in my profile, I clearly identify myself as a Star Wars Geek.

How much do I love Star Wars? So much that I waited in line on Hollywood Blvd. for weeks before the release of each prequel to see the movies at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood–in 1999, 2002, and 2005 (hard to believe it’s been almost 2 years since Ep. 3!). For good or for bad, doing nerdy stuff like that in public draws media attention.

During the Episode 3 line, Jimmy Kimmel stopped by. I found this video on YouTube today. Hard to believe I got to be a nerd on national TV….

Yikes! It’s been almost a week since my last post! To be honest, it has something with my Lent commitment this year, but I’ll tell you more about that in a separate post.

For now, here is (at long last) the next section of my notes from The Launch Conference. This section is called Evangelism: Reaching People from Scratch. Here goes….

“Your target is not your market.” –Jack Trout and Al Reis, The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

• The only way to reach your market is to focus on your target.
• My target determines my marketing.

Key Question: Who am I trying to reach?

My Target Determines My:

• Marketing - make sure publicity is appropriate to your target
• Music - the music you choose is the #1 defining characteristic of your church
• First Service - where you meet, for example
• Comeback Events
• Entire Church

Four Questions to Focus my Evangelism Efforts

1. Who are the key population groups living in my area?
2. What population group is not being reached effectively?
3. What population group do I best relate to? (keep in mind that just because you have a heart for someone doesn’t mean you can relate to them)
4. What is my unique “Sweet Spot”? (the intersection of those first three questions)

Three Evangelism Truths

1. People are more open to the gospel when they are in trouble.
2. People are more open to the gospel when they are in transition.
3. People are more open to the gospel when they are under tension.

Regarding “transition”:

• Moving, marriage, having kids, loss of a loved one, loss of a relationship, loss of a dream
• What transitions are people experiencing in your area?

Five Ideas for Reaching People

1. Direct Marketing
2. Mission Teams (teams from other churches; e.g., to hang door hangers, to “prayer walk” or “prayer drive” an area)
3. Servant Evangelism (showing God’s love in a practical way to the people in your city; e.g., handing out water, granola bars, etc. with invite cards)
4. Events (non-threatening, easy to enter events; atmosphere of Christian hospitality)
5. People Inviting People

Sometimes I feel like I’m starting to get old. I just got back from our annual high school ski trip to Hidden Valley in Pennsylvania. And I am pooped!! I didn’t used to get as tired on these things–but now I do….

But it was definitely a great time! And while I don’t want to boast, I must admit that my snowboarding skills increased significantly!! Evidence: 1) I can now get off the ski lift without falling every time, and 2) I can ride down fast and straight without having to carve back and forth (I even outran a couple of buddies who were pursuing me with snowballs!).

Anyway, a great weekend! And a great time hanging out with our high schoolers, too!

I was planning to post something of substance tonight, but I think that’ll have to wait till later…

(BTW… No, that pictures is not of me. Neither is it anyone I know…)

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a movie that has not only forced me to reflect on it, but which has made me really enjoy reflecting on it. Magnolia did just that for me.

To be totally honest, I didn’t sit down and intentionally think about this movie, but I did keep coming back to the movie repeatedly over the course of the day. Yesterday I mentioned that the movie is about “speaking the truth, listening, not judging–and things happening for a reason.” That’s true, but the real focus of the movie is on that last part. Things happen for a reason. Stuff happens that may seem like coincidence, but can’t simply be coincidence.

This is what the narrator says at the end of the movie (he also says something very similar in the beginning):

There are stories of coincidence and chance, and intersections and strange things told, and which is which and who only knows? And we generally say, “Well, if that was in a movie, I wouldn’t believe it.” Someone’s so-and-so met someone else’s so-and-so and so on. And it is in the humble opinion of this narrator that strange things happen all the time.

Magnolia follows about five different story lines, all of which the viewer eventually discovers are related to one another in some way, and which reach their climax at the same time.

As each story reaches its climax, something amazing happens. Something incredible. Something that is literally of biblical proportions.

I couldn’t figure out why this thing happened in the movie. It didn’t make sense. Until I had my “Aha!” moment in the middle of the day today. What happens is, I believe, intended to tell the audience, “God is involved in this.”

I’m not gonna tell you what happens because it’s such a seemingly nonsensical and almost silly surprise! But I’ll tell you this. There’s a game show scene where an audience member is holding up a sign with a Bible verse. Read that verse, and it’ll give you a clue.

Anyway, it’s a great movie! Check it out sometime.

Real quick.

Just saw a great movie called Magnolia. Can’t remember exactly when or where it was recommended to me, but let me recommend it to you.

It’s a movie about speaking the truth, listening, not judging–and things happening for a reason. Stylewise, I’d compare it to Crash, with a little more humor. Also has some pretty intentional biblical/theological stuff going on.

It’s one of those movies that deserves a lot more thought than I’ve given it so far (just finished watching 10 minutes ago). But I wanted to say something about this movie before I let it slip away…

Finally… the next section of my Launch Conference notes. This section is called Gathering a Launch Team from Scratch.

Launch Team vs. Core Group

Launch Team: A team of committed individuals who will assist you in preparing for and executing an effective launch. This is a team of people currently living in the area where your new church will meet–a team that you will build from scratch. The launch team is in existence only through the first weekly service.

The purpose of a Launch Team is simple and has a clear end. It is:
To Launch this New Church

Launch Team: A time-bound team
Core Group: An open-ended team

Launch Team: Meets to plan the launch
Core Group: Meets for spiritual growth

Launch Team: Involves anyone who is willing
Core Group: Involves only the spiritually mature

Launch Team: Is engaged to accomplish a task (a work team; a get-it-done team)
Core Group: Is engaged to encourage and support

Launch Team: Focuses on those outside the church
Core Group: Focuses on those in the group

Launch Team: Ends with an outward focus
Core Group: Ends with an inward focus

• The word “core” implies a commitment that really doesn’t exist when it comes to a church plant. Often times, the members of a core team will leave the church plant to go back to their church of origin.
• Have a specific timeline and end-date for every volunteer position.

Five Launch Team Truths

1. For the first monthly service, you are the Launch Team.
2. Grow your Launch Team with each Monthly Service.
3. Give each Launch Team member specific assignments and hold them accountable (don’t let someone from another church do something that a local church attender could do).
4. Thank and disband the Launch Team on the day after the Launch.
5. Recruit Launch Team members as ongoing volunteers. (for 4-6 months; always give a timeline).

Three Launch Team Temptations

1. Temptation #1: Change the Launch schedule (never change the launch date if you heard it from God)
2. Temptation #2: Give my Launch Team too much control
3. Temptation #3: Merge with another church

Key Guidelines for a Healthy Launch

• Don’t do a membership class until after your Launch (at least 3-6 months after launch; you don’t know till later what you’re actually asking people to join).
• Do everything possible to keep your Launch Team outwardly focused (if you think you are doing enough, you’re not).
• Don’t vote. You are the leader. Lead.
• Remember that your Launch Team is a time-limited, single-focus team.
• The Launch Team will force you to learn how to manage teams. Keep those lessons with you. Everything about church involves managing teams of people.
• Preparing a Launch Team to maximize your first service is first and foremost a spiritual enterprise. Pray and fast–a lot!

“It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.” –Luke 6:48

Adam Walker Cleaveland at Presbymergent just posted a link to an article in The Presbyterian Outlook about the Mainline Emergent/s Conference. Just FYI, it sounds like the conference involved more than just Presbyterians, but since the Outlook is a Presbyterian publication, it tends to focus on how Presbyterians responded to the conference. Anyway, the article is posted here as a pdf.

Here’s the last part of the section called Planning My First Service From Scratch:

6. Risk it all on the Launch.

Your launch day should be promoted during each of your monthly services, on your website, and in every conversation with people that you have–it’s the goal so promote it to the max.

• Spend 50% of your marketing money on monthly services and the other 50% on the Launch.
• If you have very little marketing money, you might want to save almost all of it for the Launch.

Launch Lessons from Starting Churches from Scratch

• Have your people commit to inviting their friends.
• Launch with a new teaching series that hits a high felt-need of your target.
• Promote the next week and challenge people to come back.
• Challenge new people to tell their friends about the church.
• Don’t use an outside band or teacher for the Launch service.
• Ask those who have attended the monthly services to serve at the Launch.
• Collect contact information on everyone who attends.
• Count how many attend and distinguish between in town and out of town attendees (don’t deceive yourself–count only local attenders who might potentially be/become regular attenders).
• Serve refreshments.
• Set up your room so that it feels full (rooms feel full at 70% capacity).
• Keep the service to one hour.
• Receive an offering.
• Meet as many people as possible at your launch.
• Don’t do a greeting line; it’s weird to unchurched people. Be somewhere, mill around, and meet people.
• Thank all your volunteers.
• Be ready for the Sunday after your Launch!

Launch Day Do’s and Don’ts

• Do: Serve fresh Krispy Kremes
• Don’t: Serve day-old, store-bought anything

• Do: Offer sweet, salty, and healthy foods
• Don’t: Offer small portions

• Do: Offer name brand drinks
• Don’t: Offer Sam’s Choice

• Do: Offer water
• Don’t: Have a sign pointing to the fountain

• Do: Put smiling people out to serve
• Don’t: Let your team eat all the food

• Do: Provide foot for your set-up teams
• Don’t: Tell anyone he or she can only have one of anything

• Do: Provide more than enough food
• Don’t: Comment when people take seconds or thirds

“Spectacular achievements come from unspectacular preparation.” –NFL quarterback Roger Staubach

I just posted a brief article on Presbymergent titled, “Presbymergent or Presbymerging?” Check it out here if you’re interested.

Ok, time to get back to my purpose-driven, seeker-sensitive Launch Conference notes! Heh heh… Sorry, couldn’t help it!

As it turns out this section is gonna be in four parts, not three. So here goes…

5. Promote Each Service with Greater Intensity

The Four D’s of Promotion:

1. Design

• Get professional help (Note: Match the design to your area and who you are trying to reach!)

Design Lessons Learned the Hard Way:

1. Make the promotion match your city (Use skylines, meadows, beach scenes–whatever characterizes your city best. Every city has a story; try to match that story to your design/logo).
2. Choose images that are attractive to your target (In general, target your marketing to men, using colors and images that attract men. Men are harder to get to church, but if you can get the man, you can usually get the whole family.)
3. Be sure that text makes up less than 50% of your layout–period.
4. Be clear that you are a church.
5. State exactly what you want people to do (e.g., “Join us on [date]”).
6. Put your name, website, meeting times and location in a prominent place.
7. Use full color. It’s only a bit more expensive and worth it!

2. Direct Mail

• Find one of the largest printers/mail houses in your area and ask them for advice.
• Is there another church doing direct mail? Be careful that your church doesn’t get confused with that church.
• Read The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing.

3. Display Advertising and Media

Examples:

• Press releases
• Event-oriented newspapers (Creative Loafing, What’s Happening, and so on)
• The top radio morning shows (according to your target group)
• Sports radio or the sports section of the newspaper
• Local trade journals read by your target
• Cable advertising on ESPN, CNN, FNC, and others

4. Direct Delivery

Direct delivery is the highest-risk, highest-return option in advertising. Direct delivery includes everything from personal invites to servant evangelism, or any other type of face-to-face church promotion. It’s high risk in that it requires person-to-person contact. If you are trying to make thousands of direct contacts, it will require the involvement of a lot people. However, it’s high return in that a personal invitation, delivered by a live person, is the most effectve way of encouraging someone to attend your church.

• Nothing beats direct delivers, but it’s slow.
• It’s important to complement direct delivery with direct mail and display advertising/media.

How to Maximize Direct Delivery:

• Invite everyone you meet!
• Ask everyone you know–especially your launch team–to promote your church.
• Join with mission teams or other outside people to help get the word out.

Which One is right for Me?

• Direct Mail: low risk, low return
• Display advertising/media: medium risk, medium return
• Direct delivery: high risk, high return