Archive for Q & A
“How Often Do You Repeat Yourself?” April 22, 2008
One of the questions I have always wrestled with as a communicator is how often should I reteach a message or reemphasize a point? AND…that seems to be a question I get very often is, “How often do you repeat yourself/reteach a message?”
Pastors…let me try to relieve some pressure. If you think you are going to have to say something original every Sunday from now until you die…you might just go flippin crazy!!!
I believe that as a pastor I often make two false assumptions when it comes to communicating God’s Word…
#1 - People remember everything that I said the last time I taught on this.
One of THE most humbling things that has ever happened to me was once when I was getting ready for a creative meeting and assembled the notes based on a message I had put together 17 months previous. I really felt like God wanted me to preach a lot of the same stuff again…so, I sent out the notes and was ready for the meeting the next day…thinking I would hear, “We’ve done this before!”
When I got to the meeting the next day everyone thought the message was incredible & thought it should be taught as is with no changes. I then reminded them that the reason it was so good as that everyone in the room had put that exact message together 17 months prior.
NO ONE REMEMBERED IT until I began to talk about it a little more! It was SO humbling.
Pastors, we give ourselves WAY too much credit…we think people remember every word we said, when, in actuality, on Monday morning when we are still thinking about the message…the people who attended our church the previous day are actually thinking about how to get their kids to school in time and things of that nature. Most of them aren’t thinking about everything we said the day before.
#2 - People Need To Be Reminded Of Previous Truths They Have Been Taught.
I know I need to be! Pastors–we cannot teach a spiritual truth one time and then assume everyone in the church will remember it and continually apply it! We’ve got to teach new things…but also remind of previous truths that have been taught.
We see Peter in II Peter 1:12-15 and II Peter 3:1 flat out say that he is all about reminding people of the timeless truths he has already taught.
Don’t be afraid to continually teach…
- Jesus is the ONLY way for us to make things right with God.
- The Bible is God’s Word and God’s Will…going against it always produces regret.
- Church was God’s idea.
- God has a purpose for everyone’s life!
- Marriage was God’s idea and should be valued.
- Giving is a tangible way to tell God, “I love you.” Anyone can say it…
- The tithe is the starting blocks when it comes to giving…NOT the finish line.
- Sex before marriage is wrong.
- Hell is a real place…and people really do go there without Jesus.
I could go on and on…but you get the picture…we need to teach AND repeat truths.
Say it–even though they’ve heard it!
Say it again–even though they know it!
Q & A With Pastor P–Part Two April 22, 2008
Jerry writes…
“I’d love to hear you speak to the nationwide trend of video campuses. I know why this methodology is gaining momentum. What I’d like to hear you address is what you have identified as the inherent dangers associated with this popular church growth strategy.”
Jerry…excellent question. For the sake of time and space I will identify three dangers I see that potentially be a dangerous thing for a multi-site campus.
#1 - The Focus Is On Technology And Not Jesus.
It’s sad…but in some cases the technological tail wags the dog…and things in churches are done not because they are led by God…but because they would be “cool” and “hip.”
I think technology is a tool that God has allowed us to have to reach the world…but it should never be the focus of a church or a ministry. The church should never “dumb down” what we are called to do so that technology can be the center of our attention.
(BTY…this isn’t just a danger for a multi-site church…but ANY church. When a church focuses on ANYONE or ANYTHING other than Jesus Christ…it is in serious trouble.)
#2 - Poor Leadership
One of THE KEYS, in my opinion, to a successful multi-site venue is having a well equipped and competent senior pastor.
We have the privilege of having Howard in Greenville and Michael in Florence…and I am 100% bought into these guys and believe that they are THE LEADERS to carry out what God has called us to do.
Whenever you begin a church (or a multi-site) you will have what I call vision vandals who try their best to hijack the vision…and that CAN happen when the campus pastor is a coward and/or isn’t fully bought into the vision in the first place.
NewSpring Greenville and NewSpring Florence aren’t going to just have the NewSpring name…they will have our DNA and will be pressing towards the same goal…to see people meet Jesus and grow up in Him!
#3 - People Resisting Attending B/C They Say They Don’t Want To Go To Church And Watch A Video.
I’ve heard this…you have to…and it makes me laugh every time because…
When I teach live at NewSpring and try to make eye contact with the crowd–I can’t because…NO ONE IS LOOKING AT ME…they are all looking at the screen! Seriously, it’s crazy! I am standing RIGHT THERE and no one sees me!
I was very skeptical of this movement until I visited several campuses who do it well and had forgotten it was a video within the first three minutes of the presentation.
However, there are just some people who will probably say they prefer a live speaker. (Which is silly because I would bet that none of them would say, “We don’t go to movies because they aren’t live–nope, we only enjoy plays.”)
Those are the first three that popped into my mind…hope that helps.
Q & A With Pastor P–Part One April 15, 2008
Several weeks ago I asked for your help in regards for questions you would love for me to answer on this site. As I always say…I’m not an expert…but I’m more than willing to take a stab at questions people offer. Thanks to everyone who sent one in…I will try my best to answer several.
#1 - (From Matthew) - “I was just reading your blog and you are right. I have never known such pain and frustration in my life as I have since I have been pastoring. I have only been pastoring a short time but in that time I have felt like giving up several times…does it get any easier?”
Matthew…first of all let me assure you that you are completely normal–every pastor has felt like throwing in the towel at times…usually on Sunday nights or Monday mornings. (My toughest day is usually Tuesday for some reason.)
But to answer your question–NO, it doesn’t. (Please understand I am speaking from my personal experience.)
I am enjoying ministry (been in it for 16 years) more than ever before…but each step has became way more challenging and difficult than ever before.
- The spiritual warfare has become WAY more intense…I’ve had things happen to me that I do not talk about to very many people…they wouldn’t believe me.
- The sleepless nights have multiplied as I have often been awakened in the middle of the night to pray about the next step the church is going to take…or, often times, to pray for specific people in the church.
- The criticism has increased as people have said things about me that they would not say about their worse enemy…I’ve been misquoted, misrepresented and misunderstood.
- The relationships have gotten better…and worse. People have left the church because “they could not be close to me anymore.” And it always hurts when people leave…always.
- How I manage my time has become WAY more challenging…in the earlier days it was easy…but today with a wife, a child and a growing ministry…it’s tough.
It doesn’t get easier…but then again I don’t think it is supposed to. The only way it will ever get easier is if you finally lose your passion and desire to honor God above everyone and everything else and you cower in to the personal preferences of people.
It didn’t get easier for the apostles…they went from “follow me” to “take up your cross and follow me” (a deeper call for commitment!)
It never has gotten easier…but…it has gotten better…
- It is so worth it when I see people far from God open their lives to the call of Jesus and surrender to Him.
- It is so worth it when I see a marriage restored.
- It is so worth it when I begin to see people develop and grow spiritually.
- It is so worth it when I see kids coming to church…and LOVING IT!
- It is so worth it when I see teenagers who sell out to Jesus and make Him the priority in their life.
- It is so worth it when I see singles begin to highly value the covenant of marriage and refuse to settle for anything less than God’s best.
- It is so worth it when I see God’s kingdom advance and the gates of hell are pushed back just a little further.
It’s worth it. It doesn’t get easier…but it gets better…and we should never give up because…well, one day we will stand in front of Jesus–He has an assignment much tougher than ours and He didn’t give up! He’s worth it!