Dave Travis Now

What IS Changing in the CHURCH

(Long Post Warning) (and this was posted a few days ago over at learnings.leadnet.org)

This is the first part of my speech to the Cornerstone Knowledge Network. The speech was in four parts:

Things that ARE changing in the Church World

Things that AREN’T changing but some say they are

Things that AREN’T CHANGING YET but I think are coming

Things that SHOULD BE changing but don’t seem to be happening

Some caveats:

One, this is all my opinion based on my keyhole view of the world. Feel free to disagree.

My key hole that I see through involves lots of leaders of very large churches in US (and a few in Europe). The avg size for our clients is around 3700 in weekly attendance.

I believe that the things these churches deal with often set the tone and direction for other churches (for better or worse). So some will read my observations and say “that doesn’t apply to my church.” Fine by me. You may assign a particular point to another bucket. Fine with me.

My attempt with these lists were to help these business leaders whose livelihoods depend on working with churches be better equipped to deal with their challenges.

And part of this reflection is based on my comparisons to some notes from conversations with Senior Pastors of large churches 15 years ago. So they are “what has changed.”

So, Things that I think ARE CHANGING:

I am just going to touch on them here and if demand is great enough write a small booklet or a blog post on each one.

1. The rise of Multi Site churches – multi site changes everything as we say.
2. Social Media penetration – I read that 85% of Americans aged 18-29 logged onto at least on

   on
   

   e social media site in August 2009. That’s one month not year to date. I think widespread
   adoption of this communication medium changed how we perceive leadership so I think it changes churches.

3. Internet Campuses – They’re here and they are about to be “in a box” so any size church can have one if the want. For some this will be a fad but for others this is going to be a big part of their reaching strategy going forward.

4. Growth of Teaching Teams – that is a big, accepted change from when I joined
   Leadership Network almost 15 years ago. It’s almost like everyone wants to do it now while they may not know quite how to do it.
5. New Church Development by young 20/30s. People say this generation is not going to church. They are. They aren’t going to existing churches, they are flooding some new churches.
6. Online giving – this number continues to rise and some churches in Europe tell me that they get 80% of their giving through this channel. That is way above US. So I think eventually the number will rise. They tend to get it by automated draft by the way. Probably the most consistent way to get it.
7. The iPhone revolution of communications. Probably more accurately called the smartphone revolution with others now coming on market. How will we communicate in the future – lots being driven via these hand held devices. Pay attention to that.
8. Big change – Availability of appreciated stock . So what does that matter. Lots of gifts in the past came through that type of giving. When it ain’t around no more its hard to build an extravagant building. Might be a good thing.
9. Availability of home equity. Not as much as there used to be. Plus is that it is driving folks to be more fiscally responsible. My guess is that it might have some short term affects on churches in subtle ways.
10. More thinking of church “beyond the walls”. In Leadership Network language that means “Externally Focused Churches” being the best church FOR your community. (We have lots on this one)
11. Lots more multi racial churches (though perhaps not multi cultural churches). We have been tracking these numbers for some time. What this means? Well if you are in the building and advisement industry, (like these people are ) it means that the committee or team you are working with may have different assumptions within their own team to be worked through.
12. Mobility of Americans – I recently read how that total percentages were down. I attribute mobility factors as a big reason for megachurch attraction. If people aren’t moving at least 10 miles away as much, they tend to stay in their same patterns.
13. The book/magazine/church conference business – Anything print seems to be suffering so there is a big restructuring going on there. Also in the church conference business, there are going to be a few winners, a few that can survive and a lot that go under. So a restructuring there as well.

OK – that was the highlights of my first list.

Any to add?

Some may actually be on one of my other lists but I would love to hear your thoughts. Just hit the old comments button and send them in.

Dave Travis

Managing Director

Leadership Network

Greatest Opportunity of the Decade

I received a few emails this past week from very good, solid church-serving organizations that provide leadership programs for leaders. The emails were advertising specific programs for "dealing with the economic crisis." The messaging speaks of cutting back costs, laying off staff, and bemoaning the hard times. To their credit, these organizations are trying to help church leaders productively deal with these very hard challenges.

I know these are important issues and must be addressed. And I have advised many clients in these matters as well.

But from the ads they appear to approach the issue through the lens of struggle. They approach this economic season as a key obstacle and challenge to the church's mission.

I choose to believe that this is the greatest opportunity for ministry since 2001. The lens of opportunity says that we have a positive message of hope that is the right message for the times.

It is time to seize the day for church leaders.

 

We want to be proactive in dealing with attender's challenges and concerns.

And we view this season as one where our messaging should be encouraging not discouraging.

I am not proposing a "prosperity theology" or "positive thinking" but rather see proactive leaders being intentional at finding very creative ways to advance the gospel, the outreach of their church, and the increase of their ministry internationally.

My challenge to readers today is to examine the language used in all communications be they written, oral, web based and the like.

Are you unintentionally communicating a message of doom and gloom or a message of hope and redemption.

My sense from talking to lots of leaders this past quarter is that those who are communicating "I know times are hard" are not seeing as much fruit as those who are saying "what a powerful time it is for our church to show its love for this community."

I am not saying those are totally disconnected messages but those that focus on the former see this as the greatest crisis of the decade. Those that focus on the latter see it as the greatest opportunity.

So which are you?

Feel free to push back on me in the comments.

How Churches are Dealing with the Flu Pandemic

 

Living here in Atlanta I interact with several people who work for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters. I don't talk to the top doctorss and executives but the normal folks there. Of course I inquired about H1N1 (the flu formerly known as swine but that was an insult to good barbecue!).  I asked about the myths versus realities. "Come on, level with us" I asked.

 

The basic response:

1. The media have overhyped the dangers for most of the U.S. I  paraphrase here "That's not neccesarily bad but as an illustration, we are at about a 3 on a 10 scale in the U.S. and the media is playing it as a 6 or 7." Let's face it, news organizations make their money getting people to watch,  and scary headlines sell. 

I read today that CNN is hoping to extend the story through sweeps ratings season. But I am cynical here.

2. Take normal precautions, not extreme precautions. The simple measures - washing hands often, covering your mouth when coughing, etc., are all that is required at this time.

3. Stay home from work or school or church if you have flu symptoms, and don't return for two days after symptoms disappear.

4. Go to the hospital only if you have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing.

Frankly, these are the same cautions you'll find on most medical sites, including the CDC's.

What about Churches?

 

Leadership Network's research director Warren Bird has been spot checking a bunch of churches, especially ones in high vulnerability areas. Here's what he's learning:

 

o Many are developing a plan in case the flu becomes more widespread.

o Most are addressing the issue via email, website, or initial message when answering the church phone. Messages are calming, clear, and specific.

o No one we monitored canceled church services, but a very few did cancel social events that involved children.

 

Things to Think About

1. Should childcare workers wear masks for their own protection or to increase confidence of the parents of children? It might provide a little protection for nursery workers because children can't tell you they are sick but it would probably also increase unwarranted concerns at this time.  In general, masks are probably a good idea for health care professionals and family members who come in close contact with flu patients. But health officials currently say there is no need for the general public to wear them. 

2 . What about skipping the welcome time in shaking hands, hugging and "greeting one another with a brotherly kiss?" That one got a laugh when I asked my CDC friends. Answer: Advise those that have symptons or think they have symptons to stay home. Otherwise the social contact at church is similar to other social settings congregants would encounter throughout the week. 

3. I forgot to ask about Communion/Eucharist/Lord’s Supper because that is not my tradition to celebrate that weekly but there have been numerous news stories about Catholic Archdiocese’s advising on that subject. A google search will turn those up.

 

That's the perspective as of today. It may get worse and it may get better. Please add your comments of how your church is handling the situation. 

 

The CDC’s web site about the flu is here: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

Dave Travis
Managing Director
Leadership Network

 

Dave Daily Dump Tuesday April 21 2009

• Caught the flight down to Orlando to make cameo appearance at Exponential Church Planting Conference.
• I don’t go to conferences for the content but to see friends.
• I am noticing some folks that were formerly fanatics of the iphone are less so now. I don’t have one myself.
• See that my friend in rural Georgia who has two sites is beginning discussions about a third. Dalton, Calhoun and maybe Chatsworth/Murray County. Places close to my heart and heritage. Way to go Matt and Rockridge.
• Grabbing a chapter here or there in Geoff Surratt’s Ten Stupid Things Churches Do. Funny. Good addition of funny interviews from some pastors.
• And a good addition in the book on children’s ministry is a chapter by Sherry Surratt. LN’s Womens Ministry person. (note Sherry I didn’t say LN’s Womens Ministry guy.
• The marriage/divorce citation yesterday generated the most retweets ever for my stuff. Interesting.
• Read this from Gerardo Mart last night and it has had me thinking all day. Innovative Thinking in churches is a constant. http://praxishabitus.blogspot.com/2009/04/charles-finney-and-his-calculated.html
• Got to be with the Stadia folks tonight at a Banquet for Church Planters from across the country. Intrigued by their “The Three Latte Church Plant idea”. Plant a church for $15. Great guys at stadia. Thanks for Marcus Bigelow for letting me and the team come. See www.stadia.cc/15

Dave Daily Dump Monday April 20,2009

• I am looking at a book that my daughter got at a graduation festivity. You know the type. Small format. 15 bucks. Inspirational. I doubt she will ever read it.
• My guess, about 2-5% of these books ever get read.
• But they make a mint for publisher and authors.
• Drove through older, settled neighborhood on way back from therapy. Most of the churches looked dead which got me wondering about planting in these contexts.
• Liked seeing Ed Stetzer’s tweet about the State of Church Planting research we helped with: http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2009/01/state-of-church-planting.html - Really is important stuff.
• Getting ready to travel to Exponential tomorrow. Bag is packed.
• I read through a draft of our upcoming report on megachurch attenders and how they are different from other church attenders. This is going to be a big bombshell when it comes out.
• Talked to Todd Rhoades today who is already in Orlando for Exponential. We are getting final details worked out for our new “show” starting  in May.
• I like my Kindle but I am now convinced that a few books work better as paper. More on that later this week.
• Andy Stanley now twittering! @andystanley.
• This is not going to happen to me: “Carrying a nifty-looking laptop isn’t just vanity. It can prove life-changing, as Ms. Poole, the flight attendant, well knows. Once, during a flight, she flirted with a passenger just because he was using a cool computer. Seven years later, he’s her husband.” - read the article here.
• Comment: a cool computer would not make me want to flirt with someone.

And speaking of marriage – Great article here rebuffing the Christians divorce as much as non Christians - http://www.rev.org/protected/Article.aspx?ID=3118

• And I talked to Chuck Fromm of Worship Leader Magazine Today about the impact of Web 2.0 on Worship Leaders. See more in that magazine later this year.

An Amazing Day

 

“Yesterday is gone,

Tomorrow has not yet come.

We have only today.

 

Let us begin” – Mother Teresa

 

I write this at the close of this amazing day for our country.

I was in Dallas, Texas today where we had gathered much of our Dallas staff and a few field directors to walk through detailed preparations for our Innovation3gathering taking place next week.

In our collaborative studio we have a Super Hi Definition big screen which we kept down low until the main parts of the inauguration began. In that room we all gathered round.

Right before the start we had a special surprise guest. Reverend Wyatt Tee Walker, a civil rights veteran, was wheeled in with some family and close friends.

While Rev. Walker is somewhat wheelchair bound due to ill health, he had been in Dallas to deliver a reported rousing speech in honor of the birthday celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the day before. (see coverage of that event here: http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/01/from_birmingham_to_dc_kings_ch.php)

Rev. Walker was a close colleague of Dr. King and served as the first Executive Director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). [Dr. Joseph Lowery, a later Director of the SCLC gave the benediction during today’s ceremonies.]

Walker is also credited with being the master tactician for the Civil Rights Movement’s

Birmingham activities in the 1960s which put increased pressure on the Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

After those years he pastured the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Harlem until his retirement.

 I must confess it was quite moving to see our crowd gathered with this Civil Rights Leader watching the inauguration.

Yes we have some African American staff, and Latino, Asian, Texans, Southerners, Yankees, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, Christians. But today we pulled together to applaud and honor the departing and incoming president as one saluted the next to lead our land.

Let me speak as an old man for one moment of reflection. I think it is rather remarkable that as a child of the South, Atlanta-bred, a person who remembers the times of assignation and the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and its effects on my beloved city; as a man who remembers his grandparent’s expressed attitudes and words, to sit and watch the events today with a many twice my age, who not only lived through, but participated fully in the long march to freedom, to observe the emotions on his face, his family’s faces as well as my friends and colleagues gathered in the room.

We live in a truly blessed place and society. One that continues to amaze.

It ain’t perfect. It needs work. But today let us celebrate the progress that has been made.

And Let us begin.

My inauguration prayer

Our father who sustains and guides us.

We give thanks today for our country, a place of stability and peace internally, where transitions of government are celebrated with great joy. We are thankful for that blessing of residing here.

Today we give thanks for our past president and his family. For his countless hours of service, for his courageous leadership in tough times, and for his family's safe protection over these last 8 years, we give thanks.

And today we pray for our new president, Barack Obama.

We pray first for his family, his wife, daughter and other family members living with him in the White House. We pray for a good transition for his daughters to the pressures of living in a fishbowl and to new schools. We pray for his wife Michelle in her new role as well and pray that she would find fruitfulness in it.

And we pray for President Obama. May you grant him wisdom and patience in the coming days. May you grant him and extra measure of your grace when dealing with complex issues so that he may hear your direction clearly. May he draw close to you through this period of stress and effort.

Father we ask for not only his spiritual protection but also the protection of his health and that of his family. We pray that not only his body but his mind and spirit be kept strong during these days.

And Father we pray for our world. We pray that our country would lead with humility and generosity since you have blessed us so much, and allow us to spread peace and stability throughout the world. May our President and his administration lead us in this effort with great strength.

As we have prayed for our new President we also pray for the Vice President, the Cabinet and other governmental leaders in power. Even when we disagree with them, let us all hear your voice and direction clearly in these times. May we always choose to follow that direction, whatever the political consequences.

Finally Father we know that there are many of our brothers and sisters, here and around the world, who are seeking meaningful employment, decent education, food for their sustenance, a safe place to sleep tonight, freedom from oppression and slavery and many other needs that are in your perfect will to provide. Lord may we do everything in our power to bring those God honoring things to all the peoples of the world. May our generation be strengthened to carry out the tasks laid upon us.

Father I pray all of these things in the mighty name of your Son, Jesus Christ.

To Him be all glory forever and ever.

Amen.

What is your prayer today?

Last thing about movements - for now

Ok the last thing I want to say about movements....
for now

this week

or until something gets in my head that won't let go.

I think one of the most overlooked items in movements, especially social movements in the US is the business factor.

What business interests are aligned with the movement?

We still live in a nation where money matters. Not making a value judgment, only a description.

And the truth is, for some so called "movements" there is very little business support or a business case to be made.

When a group of businesses or enterprises get behind a movement and want it to succeed, things are accelerated.

Remember the movie "Wag the Dog" and the character played by Denis Leary? He was the person who aligned songwriters and tennis shoe makers around the idea of using the "war" to advance their own businesses. Hence they invested in the idea and helped bring that fictitious idea to the forefront.

So who are the various businesses that would like to see your movement succeed? How would they profit if it succeeded?

This is a powerful constituency not to be overlooked.

One more thing on movements

So as I was working this week I realized another important element to contemporary movements.

You need an image. Preferably a photograph. Something that sticks in your mind like a song that you keep singing regardless of whether you like it.

While political campaigns work hard at the images, especially the video, i think it's more important to have a provocative single photograph.

Before widespread photography, Josiah Wedgewood created an emblem which was used on buttons, plates and handbills to create awareness of the abolition of slavery for England.

And for my money, I think the Civil Rights movement in America turned on a few photograph's from Birmingham in 1963.

Before I show you the photographs, because they are so infamous, my guess is that you can already see them in your mind. One is a photo of a dog attacking a non violent protester and another of a group of young people with a firehose blasting them.

In both cases, the photographer captured the cause. In both cases they could be considered provocative and offensive photographs. People could take sides on the meaning of them.

Great movements have images associated with them. Sometimes they are created and staged but they exist to help the cause along.

What is the image for your movement?

And if you don't have one, how can you get one.

Do you want a program or a movement?

From program to movement

(I was asked by an organization recently to speak to them about moving from program to movement. After some negotiation we monkeyed the title a bit.

My goal was to outline 21 emphasis points to speak from. So without hearing the full context of the speech, this will be a tough read.)

But they wanted a copy, and since I didn’t make any. Here it is.

Perhaps when I have time I will try to fill this out a bit and make it smoother. Until then, you are stuck with it.

1. Not sure you can get there. Movements appear. You join them. Not sure you create them. They start with different leaders doing not thinking about it. Movements may coalesce.

2. Movements are catalyzed and not programmed.

3. The Best examples we have are American Civil Rights and Homosexual movement. Perhaps the Conservative movement in American Politics-  post Goldwater.  But I am going to use Multi-Site churches as a template for my discussion. You could apply the same points to the others.

4. Has to begin in hearts of individual leaders actually leading something of note and value. Monomaniacs with a dream. “Fanatics” who will die for their dream in Eric Hoffer’s language. Movements are anchored around some attractive personalities – at least attractive to somebody. Somebody looks up to them. And it has to have some ego involved. There has to be enough ego on the part of the leader to want to be noticed and enough to sustain during times of attack.
   

5. Long time horizons. These things don’t happen quickly. Small battles won over time. Example in Civil rights, integration of Army, Brown v. Board, Civil Rights Act I, etc. Work various fronts of the “war” but settle for small wins along the way.

6. A coalition of the willing – various leaders, their groups, foundations that support, funders, some businesses that will be served by the movement if it succeeds. Never underestimate the power of money in these deals.
   

7. Coalitions coalesce at key points in the movement but for the most part they are going their own way and fighting for their own organization/cause/battle. They aren’t coordinated or planned except around key catalytic events. Expecting more slows things down.

8. Movements have some degree of popular support. There is a percentage of the population that really wants to see it happen and can serve as foot soldiers for the leaders.
   

9. Movements also have to have opposition.  There has to be the fight between “good” and “evil” and debate and rancor and polarization. The debate increases the visibility and sharpens the arguments which gains converts to both sides. It generates media attention which serves the purpose of getting the word out. Media covers conflict, controversy and Novelty. Most church movements are bland and without opposition.

10. A precipatory event or catalytic event. For politics, elections serve this purpose. For others, marches and protests. For our examples, perhaps conferences and other gatherings.
    

11. Cultural, demographic and other environmental factors that passively support the changes desired. So, for example, the explosion of the suburbs helped support the creating of the megachurch and the rapid expansion of many of these suburbs supported the multi site movement.

12. In some ways the movements have “intellectual support” – articles written, studies made, etc. This base gives some movements legitimacy in the eyes of educators and certain media.
    

13. It also helps to give the movement some common language and terms. Everyone doesn’t have to agree to them but they help others know what you are talking about.

14. The role we at Leadership Network played is to serve the movement and amplify it and speed the diffusion. We can’t create them. We only find the right leaders and try to help them along. And for multi-site we have some big ego leaders.
    

15. Our method is to put them in the room and help them think through THEIR plans and goals, not to impose ours on them.

16. We help build the bridges between the leaders and their ideas. Help them find solutions to their problems.
    

17. In our notes and concept papers and emails we help build common language. Example – we are a multi site church not a church with multiple sites. Also helped others under

    stan

    d the idea.

18. We started to publicize what was happening. Became background source for press.
    

19. We struck gold when some leaders strongly opposed the idea. Some said that it would hurt church planting and others said that it wasn’t a biblical model of church. The debate helped to draw attention to the idea so that others could examine it for themselves.

20. Apparently it was a good time since church income at megachurches was strong during the formative season and enabled them to expand quickly using multiple sites.
    

21. The rest is history.