If I were a person who had never been to church, not been to church in a while or had become disillusioned with going to church I would want to know, "Why should I come to LifeSong Church?"
First let me tell you why you shouldn't come:
- Don't come if you got mad at your former church and left disgruntled
If you found something you didn't like there then you will find something you don't like here. If you were a trouble maker there then you will surely get your feelings hurt here. Our mission is to important than to put up with petty nonsense.
- Don't come if you think that we are going to tell you it is OK to live in sin
People are not our enemy, but sin is. The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death." Our goal is to help you have a relationship with Jesus Christ and live in that relationship with purpose and passion. Telling people that it is OK to have pet sins as long as they are not big one destroys our mission as a church to reconcile you to Christ.
- Don't come because you like the causal dress and cool music
The newness of all of that will wear off pretty quick and you will have to look for something else to keep you here. However, if you come for the right reasons, the vision and mission of the church will keep you here.
Here are some very good reasons to COME to LifeSong Church:
1. Help You Start A Relationship With Jesus Christ
Regardless of what kind of life you have lived up to this point Jesus is desperate to start a new relationship with you. We can help introduce you to Him. He is the best thing that has ever happened to any of us. Our church wouldn't exist if it weren't for Him and we are excited for you to meet Him!
2. Help Restore How You Feel About Church
The Bible describes the church as the "bride of Christ". A bride prepares herself for the groom. Every action and every thought focuses on that day when she gives herself totally and completely to Him. With that in mind, their is no place in the church for selfishness, personal agendas, politics, division, and worthless pursuits. Everything is done for the purpose of One, Jesus. Our passion is create an atmosphere of love, preparation, expectation and intimacy.
3. Introduce You To People You Can Share Life With
Everything in life is about relationships. The quality of our relationship with Jesus Christ determines the quality of all other relationships in life. We want you to share life with people who are passionate about their relationship with Jesus Christ. It is true that we become like the people we hang out with.
4. Empower You To Invest Your Life For A Greater Purpose
God has a calling and plan for your life. He created you to be unique. There is no one who has your personality, life story, sense of humor and giftedness. He wants all of us to use our lives to glorify Him. Our desire is to empower you to leave your mark on history by investing your life for the cause of Christ.
5. Make Loving God and Loving People The Greatest Priority In Your Life
This statement sums up the passion and heartbeat of the church and what God's Word tells us is the most important thing that we can do.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
3 Reasons To Take Another Look At Your VOLUNTEERS
Your Volunteers Will Grow Your Church
I posed the question to our pastors at the beginning of the year, "How many families do you think we could get to connect with LifeSong Church if we put our time, energy and resources into developing our Weekend Volunteers? " Weekend volunteers focusing specifically on our First Touch greeters team as well as our childrens ministry team. On average we will have anywhere from 20-50 first time guest each week. If we averaged just capturing one family a week(which I believe is a low number) that is 52 families in a year. When you start adding up the value of 52 families in in a congregation it doesn't take long to understand why it needs to be a HUGE area of focus.
Your Volunteers Will Reveal The Heartbeat of the Church
There are several factors that dictate the culture of the church, but it is revealed when volunteers are serving. If they are excited and passionate about what is happening then they will communicate that in their body language, tone of voice, and the words they use with people. It is hard to fake genuine excitement. The only thing that can mask it is poor communication with your volunteers about what their roles, responsibilities and the impact they are making. If we spend time making volunteering a true team effort with clear training and expectations then we can expect to celebrate a lot of wins.
It is About More Than What Is Happening On The Stage
Relationships play a huge role in capturing people and keeping them. Pastors have a tendency to focus on what is happening in the services rather than what is happening before and after. That is a HUGE mistake. It is equally important to consider what kind of experience people are having out in the parking lot, what is happening when they drop their children off and when they there is opportunity for them to socialize. If people feel like they are important and welcomed, even if the music and preaching are bad, they are more likely to return.
Our GOAL should be to make PEOPLE feel like a MILLION bucks every time they come on our campus.
I posed the question to our pastors at the beginning of the year, "How many families do you think we could get to connect with LifeSong Church if we put our time, energy and resources into developing our Weekend Volunteers? " Weekend volunteers focusing specifically on our First Touch greeters team as well as our childrens ministry team. On average we will have anywhere from 20-50 first time guest each week. If we averaged just capturing one family a week(which I believe is a low number) that is 52 families in a year. When you start adding up the value of 52 families in in a congregation it doesn't take long to understand why it needs to be a HUGE area of focus.
Your Volunteers Will Reveal The Heartbeat of the Church
There are several factors that dictate the culture of the church, but it is revealed when volunteers are serving. If they are excited and passionate about what is happening then they will communicate that in their body language, tone of voice, and the words they use with people. It is hard to fake genuine excitement. The only thing that can mask it is poor communication with your volunteers about what their roles, responsibilities and the impact they are making. If we spend time making volunteering a true team effort with clear training and expectations then we can expect to celebrate a lot of wins.
It is About More Than What Is Happening On The Stage
Relationships play a huge role in capturing people and keeping them. Pastors have a tendency to focus on what is happening in the services rather than what is happening before and after. That is a HUGE mistake. It is equally important to consider what kind of experience people are having out in the parking lot, what is happening when they drop their children off and when they there is opportunity for them to socialize. If people feel like they are important and welcomed, even if the music and preaching are bad, they are more likely to return.
Our GOAL should be to make PEOPLE feel like a MILLION bucks every time they come on our campus.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Staying Energized
In the ebb and flow of life we can feel flat, without energy and struggling with creativity.
Here are a few things that can keep you energized:
- Stay in God's Word
When we hit a downturn one of the first temptations is to abandon spiritual disciplines. God's Word by nature is energizing. It speaks Words of Life into our heart. God wants to speak to us and encourage us in this journey. If God isn't speaking life into our hearts we are in trouble at the heart of our Christianity.
- Change Up Your Prayer Routine
Any relationship can get boring and routine if you do the same old things all the time. God is not intent on us simply existing. He wants to share life with us. Breathe fresh life into your relationship with Christ and energize your heart by finding new ways to have conversations with the Father. It is important you are not praying to a statue, but to a real person.
- Surround Yourself With Encouraging People
There is nothing that will deflate us faster than discouragement and negativity. As people we need to be encouragers and in turn we need to be encouraged. Discouragement will sap the life out of you faster an anything. Make an intentional effort find people who are encouraging and will speak words of life to you.
- Take Up A Hobby
This is an extreme weakness for me. I will have to take my own advice on this one. We need to find something that we enjoy outside of work and other responsibilities to help re-energize your life.
- Don't Let Sin Rule You
If you are allowing sin to hang around when you are trying to pursue Christ it is like oil and water. They don't mix. Remove the sin and you automatically become 10 times healthier. When the Holy Spirit is grieved we cut off the life giving power of the Holy Spirit.
We need to recognize that we don't have to live our lives on a spiritual roller coaster. We need to do whatever it takes to stay energized and healthy. We are all just a few decisions and lifestyle changes away.
Here are a few things that can keep you energized:
- Stay in God's Word
When we hit a downturn one of the first temptations is to abandon spiritual disciplines. God's Word by nature is energizing. It speaks Words of Life into our heart. God wants to speak to us and encourage us in this journey. If God isn't speaking life into our hearts we are in trouble at the heart of our Christianity.
- Change Up Your Prayer Routine
Any relationship can get boring and routine if you do the same old things all the time. God is not intent on us simply existing. He wants to share life with us. Breathe fresh life into your relationship with Christ and energize your heart by finding new ways to have conversations with the Father. It is important you are not praying to a statue, but to a real person.
- Surround Yourself With Encouraging People
There is nothing that will deflate us faster than discouragement and negativity. As people we need to be encouragers and in turn we need to be encouraged. Discouragement will sap the life out of you faster an anything. Make an intentional effort find people who are encouraging and will speak words of life to you.
- Take Up A Hobby
This is an extreme weakness for me. I will have to take my own advice on this one. We need to find something that we enjoy outside of work and other responsibilities to help re-energize your life.
- Don't Let Sin Rule You
If you are allowing sin to hang around when you are trying to pursue Christ it is like oil and water. They don't mix. Remove the sin and you automatically become 10 times healthier. When the Holy Spirit is grieved we cut off the life giving power of the Holy Spirit.
We need to recognize that we don't have to live our lives on a spiritual roller coaster. We need to do whatever it takes to stay energized and healthy. We are all just a few decisions and lifestyle changes away.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Don't Shy Away From The Hard Stuff
As the years continue to pile up in my life situations, circumstances, hardships and trials that I have experienced begin to make more sense. I didn't say that the hardships and trials are fun,but I have realized is I wouldn't be where I am today without them. It is like a friend who you can't live with them and you can't live without them. Trials by nature bring a testing that touches us at the core of our sinful nature. Trials destroy our pride and self reliance, we are brought to the reality that we are not in control and our faith is stretched beyond mere words and concepts. Trials can make us feel so helpless that we feel like giving up, soaking our pillow in tears and shrinking away from joy.
During trials we can live one day at a time, trusting that it will not be this way forever or have a rebellious heart. As Christ followers, the Word of God encourages us to trust God's heart even though we may not be able to see what He is doing. We can find comfort that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes.
As I took time to reflect yesterday it became clear that I need to let go of the hurt and pain from trials of the past to embrace the hope and promise of the present and future. If our arms are full of everything from our past then you have no room left to hold anything else.
I know that I wouldn't be where I am today without the forceful nudges of the trials that we have been through in the past. The closer we want to be to God the more work He needs to do on us.
James 1:2-4 "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
During trials we can live one day at a time, trusting that it will not be this way forever or have a rebellious heart. As Christ followers, the Word of God encourages us to trust God's heart even though we may not be able to see what He is doing. We can find comfort that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes.
As I took time to reflect yesterday it became clear that I need to let go of the hurt and pain from trials of the past to embrace the hope and promise of the present and future. If our arms are full of everything from our past then you have no room left to hold anything else.
I know that I wouldn't be where I am today without the forceful nudges of the trials that we have been through in the past. The closer we want to be to God the more work He needs to do on us.
James 1:2-4 "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
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