Pastor's and Technology

Hi All,

I've got a special word and thoughts for the pastors reading this post. This blog is all about what I am learning related to church growth & church health, and related topics. One issue that is tangentially related to this is the issue of technology in churches and in ministry. Now by 'technology' I am not referring to all the gadgets that are being used, or could be used, for ministry enhancement, such as the accessibility provided by cell phones, or the usefulness of video projectors for class teaching purposes. No, the area I am talking about is the issue of software for ministry.

Many pastors could have their ministry enhanced and strengthened by using software tailored to their needs.

We are moving from the era of the massive software suites to the niche software targeted to specific needs. Software suites like Microsoft Office are gigantic pieces of code designed to meet the needs of everybody. And if you must meet the needs of nearly everybody, that means that it will not perfectly meet the needs of anybody. For example, look at the area of word processors. Microsoft has created Word and filled with it with tons of features so that should anybody out there possibly look for that one particular feature it will be there. But the era of the massive software suite bloated with tons of little-used features is fading away. We are now moving to more customized or niche type of software options. Instead of just a generic word processor, for example, now there are specific word processors plus, such as some designed for screen writers, which combine elements of word processing and data processing into one piece of software. Or there is the highly specialized word processing required for writing doctoral dissertations. These are examples of customized niche software for sub-groups who are looking for something more specific than just a 'word processor'. And now we have that same type of niche specialization for pastors in a piece of software called "SermonBase Message Planning software". It is a word processor plus a database combined together so that a pastor can both create a sermon using the typical word processing features for text creation and highlighting, but it also contains a database so that a pastor can archive and search for sermons based on multiple criteria including Scripture, Topic, Title, Date, or several other options. SermonBase is just one example of the way that pastor's can do a better job at ministry by accessing and using software specifically designed for what they do. Why continue to use a generic word processor which is designed for nobody in particular, when you could have something specifically designed to help you do a better job at the one activity you spend more time on than any other in a typical week: sermon preparation. Something as important as the Word of God deserves a better tool for preparing to deliver it. That is the benefit of a specifically-targeted software like "SermonBase".

Or consider the important pastoral function of tracking people who are in your church in the various small groups. Most pastors need to know who is in which group and how things are going in that group. And can you believe that some churches still try to track those groups by using an Excel spreadsheet? Why?? When there are customized tools out there specifically designed to help churches do that very important function well. There are a lot of tools out there, and you are free to research one that fits for you. But I couldn't find any that I was totally happy with, so I made my own. I call it "Shepherd Care Discipleship Group Software" (yeah I like long names). It helps to track people in the various groups, and where they are in your discipleship system or your small groups. Using the shepherd metaphor it tracks the "sheep" in various "flocks" headed by various "shepherds" (or teachers) in your church. It is made for churches so that they can do a good job at fulfilling Jesus' command to care for the sheep.

There are other things I could say about this, but I am really convinced that the church needs software specifically targeted to help the church be the church. That's why I've been working on HighPower Resources software for some time now.

For the Kingdom of Heaven,


Dr. Bill

Handling the Stalled & Dissatisfied in your Church

Hi All,

Willowcreek released their third book in their church analytics series:
Reveal, Follow Me, and now, Focus.

These books are based on an in-depth study they have made of what truly helps people to grow spiritually. Many have equated these along the lines of the "Natural Church Development" series of tests which many churches have taken. The focus is a bit different however. The NCD test focuses on the 8 growth factors for numeric church growth. It's focus is on the 'minimum factors' which must be dealt with or continued numeric growth ceases to happen.

The REVEAL studies on the other hand, are more focused on the individual and what it takes to help them grow spiritually.

Just a quick reminder of the four stages of spiritual growth identified by the Willowcreek study:
1st stage, Exploring
2nd stage, Growing
3rd stage, Close to Christ
4th, Christ-Centered

Two particular problem groups were identified within this growth process: the 'Stalled' and the 'Dissatisfied'.

I want to focus on one part of this which I feel hasn't received enough attention, and that is the reference to people who are classified as "Stalled" and "Dissatisfied" within your congregation. Every church has them and if you do not find a way to minister to their particular spiritual needs, a couple of negative consequences may ensue: First, they may leave your church; especially if they are in the "dissatisfied" category of the spiritual doldrums. Second negative consequence is that they may simply go through the motions but make no further spiritual progress or participation in your congregation. If they are in the "stalled" category and you have done nothing as a church to move them, they might keep coming for the sake of their children or spouse, but as far as their own spiritual life is concerned, they are pretty much done.

You don't want either one of these things to happen to you people, so what can you do?

Here is where the power of coaching comes into play once again. A coach can come alongside someone and help them to listen to God's Holy Spirit guide them out of the spiritual morass they have encountered. Like the Holy Spirit, who is the Counselor, a human coach can help a Christian to listen to their heart and make good decisions concerning the next step in their spiritual growth.

A 'coach' is not a 'teller', but an 'asker'. Unlike an athletic coach, a Christian life coach does not 'tell'; s/he asks powerful questions to help reveal to the person being coached what they are thinking or feeling.

So how does this relate to those who are in the Stalled or Dissatisfied spiritual state?

STALLED - Let's note that those who are Stalled, are stalled in their spiritual growth. Somehow, the particular offerings of the church they are attending has not grabbed them and touched their soul in a way to keep them walking with Jesus. What can be done? Most churches, because they do not practice coaching on a large scale, are not going to catch this. Their church is designed for dealing with hundreds of people at once, and the occasional (or not so occasional) person(s) who don't fit the mold are likely to "fall between the cracks" of their programming. But coaching takes this programming and individualizes the church's care for the flock. By providing the ministry of Christian life coaching, a church can reach out to those who feel stalled in their Christian life, and can offer them some help in the form of guided questions, and loving accountability, and basically, somebody who cares.

DISSATISFIED - those who are in this category still have a growing relationship with Jesus, but they are dissatisfied with some aspects of their church life. What can be done? A Coach can come alongside them and help them find their place in the local church in a spot which is satisfying to their soul, because it matches what they are feeling, and where they need help. The Coach can help them to identify the problem, and locate the actions steps necessary to find a solution. Remember that these people are growing spiritually; they are just dissatisfied with the church experience. A coach can help them to take a pro-active stance at their church life involvement.

Willowcreek has identified the problems that can occur, and I believe that Coaching provides a good solution for many people in these situations.

If you are a Coach, or want to learn more about Coaching, the HighPowerResources.com website has a number of Coaching Resources and information.

God's best to you,

Dr. Bill

Why I Love the Summit

Hi All,

I'm at the Leadeship Summit this week.

This is such a great conference I never miss it. I hope you attend it too.
Here's why:

1. It stretches my brain.
Every single year I am challenged to think in new ways. If I did not attend the Leadership Summit, I would be the weaker for it. The Summit, because it brings people from all over the world who look at the world in new ways and share their way of thinking with me help me to grow. I see the world in a new way because I see through their eyes. How would I ever see the world the way Andrew Rugasira of Uganda does? It is one thing to discover Kiva.org on the web, but it is something completely different to hear from Jessica Jackley, co-founder of Kiva. When she shares her story, I get t; I hear her heart; I understand it and I get involved. Before her message was over, I had already loaned money to two different third world entrepreneurs: a baker in the Phillipines and a group of women starting a vegetable stand in the Dominican Republic.

My worldview is expanded because of the Summit.

2. It expands my heart.
I learn to love others who are different from me. It could be a Korean American pastor in California; a black pastor in Detroit; etc. The Summit allows me to get into the heart of others. When I hear Wess Stafford tell his story, my heart is broken and I must go to Jesus for healing.

3. It reshapes my soul.
I hear pastors teaching from the Word of God in fantastic ways. Tim Keller's message on the Prodigal Son was fantastic. It was such a spiritually challenging message that God spoke to my heart in a powerful way. Wow! Great stuff for my soul.
There are lots of great Bible teachers out there and the Summit gives me a chance to grow closer to God.
The Willowcreek Leadership Summit is an awesome training and growth experience. It touches my heart, mind and soul in powerful ways.

If you have never attended, I would encourage you. And I'll see you there!

(Apologies if the text sizing is kind of wonky on this post. I'm posting it from my iPhone and not all of Google' s text controls are available.)

For Christ,

Dr. Bill