People Spots Online
Produced by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries

Finding Help

by James W. Moss, Sr.

Where can I find the best help for my church? That is a question I have asked when I served as the pastor of a local church. That is a question that I have been asked hundreds of times in recent years. I would attend a seminar or workshop taught by a super church pastor. It was exciting. I left the seminar thrilled with what I had learned. Halfway home I would become discouraged. I knew that what I had learned could not be translated into the church I was serving. As a result, I did nothing.

There are different kinds of churches. Size is one of the dominant characteristics that determine what kind of church it is. Small churches average up to 79 in worship attendance. There are 3 categories of small churches: up to 34, 35-49, 50-79. Mid-size churches range from 80-149. There are 2 categories of mid-size churches: 80-99, 100-149. Large churches range from 150 and up. There are many categories of large churches: 150-224, 225-400, 401-800 to cite a few of them. There are quality, growing ministries in each of these categories.

When you begin to look for help, first look for a church in your category that is having a good ministry. Your best source is to find someone who is doing good ministry at your level. They should understand what you are dealing with. At the most look for someone working in the category just above yours. The pastor serving two categories above yours will be out of touch with where you are. They may have come from your setting, but now they are occupied with totally different issues.

In addition it will be helpful to look for pastors in the same community and culture where your church is located. You may have to cross denominational lines to get this help. Talk with the natives in a culture. What strategies are acceptable? Which strategies will bite?

Look for someone who knows what you need to know. Take them out to lunch and pick up the tab. I have gotten a lot of help for the price of a meal. I appreciate what the big boys do. Their ministries are valid. But what is working for them may not work for you. They are in totally different settings.

I was doing a seminar. One of the participants commented what Bill Hybells says and Rick Warren says. Believe me I appreciate the witness of both of these men. The comments were coming from a man pastoring a church averaging 35. I looked at him and said, “You’re not Bill Hybells nor Rick Warren. You’re not located in Chicago or Saddleback. You need a different kind of help.”

Joseph Jones pastors a church averaging 63 with an annual budget of $67,000.00. He has just attended a seminar conducted by a pastor of a church averaging 6,322 with a budget of $9 million. It was marvelous until reality set in on the way home.

List three issues you need to address for your church to be more effective. Who do you know in a church near your size that is effectively addressing those issues? Remember, no single church may be effectively addressing all three of those same issues. One church may be good at absentee care. Another may be good at outreach. Still a third may be effectively addressing the need for small groups. One by one seek out the responsible parties and learn what you can. Can you copy what they are doing and make it work in your church?

Once you have defined your strategy you will need to sell it. Don’t be offended when I say to you, as a Christian leader, you will have to be a salesperson because that is what you are. If your church has elders, communicate with them your hopes and dreams. It may take several meetings, but spend the necessary time. When they have bought in then go to the larger leadership group. It will take time if you are asking for a significant change. Be prepared for that. Remember, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

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Read about Jim's seminars and books.

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January 23, 2007. Volume 10, Issue 1. People Spots Online is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org. Articles may be duplicated and reproduced in any way with proper credit. A new article is produced about every two weeks. To be added to a list to receive these messages directly by e-mail, send a request to churchconsultants@yahoo.com.

Finding Help

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