It's not enough to be liked

Those of us in the communications business have worked hard on our craft so we can be an influence on our audience. To borrow a Facebook term we have worked on making sure the content of our spoken or written work is liked.

But as we enter 2014 the Facebook like is now not good enough.

Our goal is to get the Facebook share for our content.

And there is a big difference in content that is liked and content that is shared. Content that's liked is a simple transaction between the communicator and their immediate audience. It was a nice message, I liked his point about this. However we change our paradigm and produce content that is more than liked  but shared our sphere of influence grows exponentially. Not only was our content good but our audience wanted to tell others how it affected them and how it might be useful for their friends to know this.

Those who are students of Facebook or other social media know that organisations now produce content that is designed to be shared rather than liked. It will be the photo with an appropriate caption or some video image. These organisations are seeking to not only influence their existing audience with their message, but they are using this existing audience to share this material to a whole new audience. So the influence of the organisation grows exponentially.

So while many in Facebook strive for the like amongst their circle of influence, others are trying to reach further than this smaller audience. The same is also happening in spoken communication too. The best are seeking to produce content that reaches further than those within earshot. They are seeking the water cooler conversation topic the next day.

We need to realize there is a difference between content that is liked and content that is shared. Learn the difference and make the appropriate changes to your content to increase your influence. For example take a look at this image. If you posted just the text on Facebook or twitter you may get a like from your audience. Paste it as an image and you increase your chance from like to share or retweet. Just a little bit of effort and slight change to your content suddenly your influence reaches further. 

And never has it been easier to get the share for your content than now. The only limitation is the quality and usefulness of your content. So whether you work in the media, church, politics or even a sporting organisation we are all in the content business with our messaging and we should be seeking to be not liked but shared.

Let me know how you go.  

Kids need to hear their Dad's voice

The other week I attended a communication master class where one of the topics was discovering your voice. The speaker talked about how every person has a voice that not only deserves to be heard but needs to be heard. Over the past few days leading into Fathers Day I have been revisiting this statement in my role as a dad. I have been realising that many men have lost their voice in the family. Sometimes it happens because the marriage has broken up, long working hours or feeling that they have nothing to offer as a parent. A sense of feeling inadequate.

As I have talked about this with my mates I have learnt that a fathers voice is essential to the development of a son and daughter. The voice of the father is where our children need to gain their affirmation. Mums will give voice to nurture but fathers give voice to affirmation. Think of the most famous father son quote in history 'This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased'.

Our daughters need the voice of their father for their development. Psychological studies show that daughters gain more self esteem from their fathers voice than their mum and often career decisions are shaped by fathers.

Our kids need to hear the voice of their father in their lives. In fact the best Fathers Day gift isn't what the children give us but what we Dads give our families. Our voice. Costs little but has eternal ramifications.

Two stories of Sacrifice

I have always been intrigued by the coincidence that the two largest stories of sacrifice in the lives of Australians occur within days of each other. Easter and Anzac Day. There are many parallels in both stories of sacrifice. The willingness of a person to lay down their life for another. The other day I was pondering the concept of this type of sacrifice. It’s a given that I would sacrifice for my family, my wife and children as well as my siblings and parents. My friends I would like to think so. But a stranger? Hmm that caused me to pause as I examined my motives. It would be easier if I knew there was an acknowledgement of what I had done. If they were thankful and remembered what I had done.

This is where the Anzac Day message is different to Easter. Anzac Day is a day where the nation pauses and reflects on the sacrifices of many especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice of their life. Easter’s message of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is even more poignant and demanding of mankind to pause and reflect because He knew it was going to cost His life and He knew that many would reject or not even accept His sacrifice for them. I would argue that Jesus’ death, His sacrifice, ultimately gave mankind more freedom than that of the diggers and yet as a nation we give it little or no value. We don’t like to pause and reflect because we become uncomfortable because His death demands a response from us. We accept the freedom that the Diggers bought for us but we struggle to accept the freedom that Christ gave us.

Two stories of sacrifice that both demand a response. One story we as a nation generously acknowledge and pay our respects. The other we struggle to accept and in some ways bury beneath a long weekend and lots of chocolate. Anzac Day is an important day in our nation’s history. Easter is an important day in our eternal history. 

The Art of Followship

Plenty has been written and spoken on how to be a good or great leader. One key aspect I believe is often missed in teaching people leadership principals is the principal of Followship. The art of followship is about learning to be a good leader by first being a good follower of leaders. There are several key points to learning leadership through the art of followship.

Find a good leader

Obvious I know but it is integral to learning good leadership habits. Followship learning operates on the principal that more is ‘caught than taught.’ Find a good leader and stick to them like glue. Be a sponge and absorb.

Be observant

Followship is about learning how a leader leads. How do they make decisions, treat people, respond to problems and react to changed circumstances. It’s an invaluable Leadership 101 subject.

Patience

My experience is that many potential leaders want the power and position now. Fortunately leadership is a maturing process not a knowledge one. It is about serving your time in followship learning the craft. Where many people go wrong is they want to skip a few rungs in the ladder by taking short cuts. They might look good on the outside but the inside is empty.

Followship has a cost

Learning leadership this way has a cost in time, ego and pride. Serve your apprenticeship in following well and the opportunities will open without you having to create them. One of my favourite leadership quotes by Jeff Bezos is “You earn a reputation by doing the hard things well.” You gain your leadership credentials in followship by doing the hard yards.

Even great leaders follow

One thing followship tells you are that great leaders follow too. Most great leaders themselves were nurtured by someone else and still have a system of accountability around them. The lesson you learn to be a great leader is to deal with pride. Great leaders will have a succession plan. Poor leaders are insecure and consequently don’t raise up other leaders.

Final notes

If you are an aspiring leader you need to seek someone you admire and stick to them like glue.

If you want to raise strong leaders in your organisation, company or church then you need to identify potential in your group and then apprentice them to yourself. Make yourself to be available to counsel, teach and be watched as you lead. There maybe a cost to you in the short term but you will reap the rewards of your efforts.        

Nostalgia is powerful

One of the hallmarks of our current society is the desire of many adults to relive their past. We see it in trends like house restoration, increasing numbers of people buying caravans, family tree research. Then there are events like Christmas carols and school reunions. As I have seen this growth in returning to our past I have realised there is a tremendous power in nostalgia.

This power of nostalgia presents a unique opportunity for churches to be in those places, to be part of those memories. Church initiated events such as Christmas carols, Sunday school camps and christenings are opportunities for churches to build happy memories into people’s lives.

One of things radio has taught me is that we have a unique place in being part of the soundtrack of peoples lives. The music and programs we produce are with them when they go to work, take the kids to school. We are playing in the background when they get good news and sometimes when they hear bad news. We can play songs that bring back happy memories as well as songs that cause them to reflect

Churches too need to learn how to place themselves in the soundtrack of people’s lives. Like a song or a smell or a taste suddenly takes a person back to a childhood experience we need to be in the good reminisces of a person’s life.

The challenge for us as leaders in churches is what happy experiences of God we are building into the memory banks of our community. Not just Christians but also the non Christians. The experiences of God should not just be confined to the auditorium but around the streets where we live.

Nostalgia is really people hitting the replay button on the sound track to their life to relive a past experience. My prayer is that you are doing something as a Christian to build a God memory in the life of non Christians in your community this year.

Ps: And as parents we need to be doing the same for our kids.

A key to being a good leader - humility

I was thinking the other day about how humility is one of those counter intuitive things. You know something that is seen as not popular or strong a bit uncool. But humility is actually strong and a desirable trait to have. John Dickson a professor in ancient history and Director of Centre for Public Christianity was talking about humility and what it is and isn’t. He defined it ‘as the noble choice to forgo your status and use your influence for the good of others’. He explains that humility is perhaps one of the most powerful tools a leader can have in their toolbox.




Aristotle in his story on the art of persuasion a long time ago essentially said that most people believe a good hearted man first. His template for communication style is still used today. He says that most people believe a good hearted man more than any other characteristic first.



I love my sport and I began to think about one of the most humble sport stars I know. Darren Lockyer. Now I am not talking about his words but about how he plays the game. Watch him play and you will see what I think the key to humility is. He genuinely wants his team mates to do very well and receive more plaudits than himself. When he plays he never ‘sells’ the dump to a team mate. He rarely passes the ball to their feet or above their head, rarely throws a punch. I don’t think he has been on report or taken a cheap shot.



In fact he spends his time setting up the play for his team mates to score a try or run through a gap in the defence. It’s all about putting his team mates into the very best position for them to play their game.



Can you imagine how transformed your workplace would be if you did your best to make others look good and do their best. Now isn’t that counter cultural or counter intuitive. That is what true humility is ‘influence for the good of others before yourself’. That is leadership that is inspiring and persuasive.



We are attracted to people who are great and humble rather than those who are great and tell you. Mandela, Wilberforce, Ghandi and Jesus. People with no legislative power but moved a great force of people because of their character.

Imagine how transformed your workplace would be if you chose to make other people in your team look good.

A new way of Church leadership?

As I watched this years State of Origin and the continuing success of Queensland I became aware of how much of this continued domination by Qld over the last 6 years is due to Mal Meninga and his style of coaching. Much has already been written about the new style of coaching Mal Meninga has brought to rugby league particularly at the high performance end. As an outsider it has the appearance of a manager like in European soccer. As the coach he brings in people with various levels of expertise and manages them as well as managing the players.

In some ways he is like a CEO/manager of a business. He doesn’t do everything. He compliments his own skill set with people who can do the things he needs done and realizes he isn’t always the best person to do some activities. He is not threatened by bringing in other mentors to do a specific task with a player/s.

As I have watched this unfold over the last couple of years it struck me that this model of coaching could work in a church too at a leader level. Rather than the pastor being the head and doing everything, the Pastor cultivates a team environment of leadership. Now before you say well I already do that, please hear me out. The difference here is that this style of management will mean that you will have people who are actually better than you being involved on your leadership team and in some public capacity.

I wonder if the manger pastor who is good at leadership but poor in preaching could have others in his church doing the bulk of preaching. The current model of church is the best preacher or the most theological qualified tends to be the senior pastor. I have been thinking that perhaps the best leader in the church should in fact be the senior pastor and the best preacher may be a mechanic or school teacher in your congregation. Then everyone can concentrate on their gifting and not have to do things which aren’t their strengths.

Too many of our pastors are focussed on working in the ministry when they should be working on the ministry. The church CEO who heads the organisation then has people involved in preaching, pastoral care and other activities like Mal Meninga does as the Qld coach. He is not doing everything. He is coaching the process of creating a successful team which includes lay leaders and the congregation.

This same model of leadership is replicated in schools. The Principal isn’t necessarily the best teacher in the school. He is the leader who sets the vision/culture for the school and will probably have far better teachers than them on the staff. The Principal isn’t threatened by that scenario and probably hopes that is the reality.

So am I saying Mal isn’t really the coach? No. What I am saying is that he knows his strengths and he is not threatened by bringing in others who maybe better than him in certain areas. He is very much the coach and the boss and sets the patterns for what needs to happen. He has determined the strategy for success. But he also surrounds himself with people to help make it happen. People who are happy to be Mal’s armour bearers. To do their part away from the limelight and for the greater good of the team. That only happens because Mal has created that culture. If you notice Mal has had many assistants across the 6 years and as some leave and others take their place the team hasn’t missed a beat. That is because Mal has stayed as boss and ‘employed’ people who are happy to be the armour bearer and stay in their role of expertise. They don’t want to be boss but they know they have skills to contribute to the success.

Now just maybe the future church congregation will be led by a Pastor who operates as a CEO who will empower the laity to do the work. Empowered lay people who share in the success of growth are more likely to want to contribute to the church and invite their friends to church. The job of the CEO Pastor is identifying the vision of the congregation and coaching the leaders and members into achieving that vision. I’m suggesting that perhaps the best theological trained person isn’t the lead Pastor but the person who has the best coaching credentials.

Just a thought. I would love to hear your comments and whether you agree or not.

Travel Agent Leader or Tour Guide Leader

The other week I was sitting in a John Maxwell seminar and he made the observation about two types of leaders. There are the Travel Agent leader and the Tour Guide leader. I was really struck with the profound difference between the two and not only in leadership in the work place but in other areas including as parents, as sports coaches and even leaders in community groups like churches.

The Travel Agent leader is the person who says that where you are headed is great, you will experience this, see these things, have this happen to you and be aware of these problems. We have all experienced the travel agent before a journey. They give us all the information they anticipate we need and then wave us off as we embark on the journey.

The Tour Guide says hello I have been here before I know what will happen and I will use my experience and local knowledge to guide you around on your journey. Basically the tour guide holds your hand.

What sort of leader would you like to be led by? More importantly what sort of leader are you. As I pondered these questions I thought also of what sort of husband and dad am I to my family. With my oldest child just entering his teen age years how am I helping him negotiate all the new experiences he is having. Am I saying yes I was a teenager once (even though it was last century and before computers) so you will be fine? Or am I saying yes I was a teenager and it is hard and I will walk the journey with you. I need to make sure that my words match my actions.

I have to make the time to walk with him and also do the same for the other family members. Plus there are work commitments and friends to fit into the equation. I can now see why some leaders take the easy option and opt for the travel agent. What experience though has taught me that any leadership consists of a lot of hard work and very few short cuts.

The Tour Guide leader is one who gets into the trenches and gets dirty with his team and says walk with me and we will get through this. They bring confidence because they are there with their team and sharing their experience and knowledge in the hope that perhaps one day that team member may in fact become a travel agent to some one else.

As I look at some of leaders I have admired two who come to mind Allan Border and Steve Waugh as captains of the Australian Cricket team were leaders who the players new would always be in the middle of the ‘fight’. They were leaders who merely didn’t give instructions but actually played the instructions and gave them beside their team mates. It then brought a huge amount of self belief into players who at that point were struggling as players.

So I throw the thought to you as John Maxwell did to me. Are you a travel agent leader/parent/coach/minister or a tour guide? Where do you lead your team of work colleagues, church congregation and family from; from the sidelines, from behind or in front or from within? Is work different from home? I think my teenager needs me to come from beside him and no where else. He needs to learn how to take the steering wheel of his life. Work sometimes needs you from in front and /or behind as long as you are there close by when needed.
Love to hear you thoughts and experiences. Drop me a line in the comments below.

Where are our legacy builders?

Over the last couple of days I have chosen to read some stories of what some people would call heroes of the Christian Church. I have been reading biography’s on people such as Martin Luther. William Tyndale, George Mueller and CS Lewis I guess with the aim of trying to glean something from their lives. All of them had different roles to play in the history of Christianity in the 20th Century. And while those roles were different there was a common thread in their lives and that was that while they have suffered tremendously for their desire to serve God in their community they left us a lasting legacy. History looks back on them favourably and tells that they were right to make the stand they did against popular opinion at the time and the persecution they received was unfair and unjust.

The lesson though I have learnt is that they left a legacy behind that ultimately millions of people have benefited from. A legacy that they didn’t see or probably expect but that their influence over life is still seen today. What challenged me was two things. Where are those people today who are standing up for truth in the face of popular opinion and what legacy am I leaving for my children and their children plus those around me.

We live in a society saturated with heroes or role models whose status is based on celebrity or notoriety rather than anything they have said or done. Their contribution to society hasn’t cost these people anything in fact it has probably added to their status and in many cases wealth. The legacy I am talking about has a cost because it is not popular or conventional even but is right and beneficial to society and future generations.

I am talking about something where my children may say in years to come I admire my Dad because of ….. I look around society for those people, who are quietly going about being influencers in their family and community. Sometimes they are obvious but mostly they are ignored by the vast majority of people. It saddens me that most people give little regard for these people. Imagine if these people were given the prominence that most sports, music and movie people get. Perhaps the values in our community may change. In stead of their self worth coming from fame that a lot of people crave, their significance might be gained from what they selflessly do rather than by who they are.

I want my kids to have me as a role model not some fleeting famous footballer. I want them to admire their church minister not some person in America who is popular. I want them to learn life lessons from the oldies in my congregation not some talking personality on TV. Am I wrong to hope for that?
What can I do to cultivate people around me to be legacy builders? People who will do significant things that will leave behind something bigger than themselves in their field of endeavour and will affect generations to come. What will it take from us to create the opportunities in our family or church or workplace for those people to rise up? This country is crying out for legacy builders or contributors. There are already too many consumers in this society.

Any ideas?

The Power of Encouragement

The other Saturday I was driving from Harrison’s Under 13 school soccer match to Jack’s Under 8 club soccer match. This season I had agreed to coach Jack’s team which has been an interesting experience for me. Any way in the 20 minute trip I had broken the news to Jack that it was his turn to be goal keeper. Now Jack is scared of getting hurt by the ball and previous turns as goalie have ended badly for the team and his parents.
Jack earnestly pleaded his case not to be goalie but I knew it was his turn and as I was the coach I promised to help him through this traumatic experience. Right up to kick off Jack was still apprehensive and I did my best assure him he would be fine and that I would be there to help him. Now in under 8’s the coach can be on the field so I was able to encourage him while standing with him as he did his stint as goalie. By half time no goals had been scored and he had actually saved 2 goals.
By training the following Wednesday Jack’s confidence was so high he wanted to be keeper at practice and wanting to keep in the next game as well. What had changed?

I don’t know but I did learn that encouragement mixed with physical support is a powerful tool.

Now I am not talking about unnatural encouragement. You know telling some one they will be a scientist when they fail science, that you will be a good electrician when they are colour blind. No, I am talking about when you know they are capable but lack self belief. It’s encouragement beyond just saying words; that has action with it. I’ll stand with you, watch you, and get you some help.

Raising kids or work mates is more than words. It is about putting self belief into their life. It’s about fostering a ‘you can do it attitude’ and saying that I will see it through with you.

My favourite Bible story is about Mark. Paul says that Mark is useless to him and tells him to go away. Latter we read Paul at the end of his life calls for Mark as he believes he is useful to Paul’s work. What caused the change? Barnabus. Barnabus known as a great encourager takes hold of Mark from the scrap heap because he could see something in him and with some encouragement could make Mark fulfil his potential.

This week at soccer I learnt what it is like to be Barnabus to my son Jack and I have since seen what it has done to him. Imagine what would happen in your work place, congregation, and home or your sporting team if you have a Barnabus person in its midst. How different would your office be or your church, sporting team or home. How much more successful would it be and importantly how many more Marks or Jacks would be encouraged to achieve something they thought was impossible.

Creating margin in our work and private life

One of my recent disciplines is to get back in the habit of scheduling reading time. It is a two hour block of reading books that will stimulate me as a leader, as a person, as a contributor to other people’s lives. I am not talking about reading newspapers or magazines but books that will shape my work and personal life.

The first book I have started this new discipline with is called Margin by Richard A Swenson. Richard is a GP and describes margin as the space that exists between ourselves and our limits. It is something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations.

In my blog space I will be from time to time reviewing or commenting on aspects from the books I am reading. They aren’t complete reviews more a pile of thoughts for people like you to ponder.

I read Margin not from a situation where I had lost the margin in my life but having seen it disappear in those around me I wanted understand its importance to us as functioning human beings. Swenson is a GP in the USA, a Christian and has written this book out of his observations of patients across all spheres of life and vocations.

He exposes some of the common myths that life was easier back in the old days. If only we live today the way our grandparents did. Swenson argues that life wasn’t easier then just different. He says we just choose to remember the good bits.

The thing I found interesting that eating away the margin in our lives is growth or what he better describes at progress. Swenson says that growth in this world is now exponential not linear. So before people saw growth over a longer period of time which gave them time to adapt their lifestyle; now with exponential progress people are racing to keep up. This exponential progress erodes the margin in our lives without us realising it.

While we cant physically halt this exponential progress we can take steps to keep some margin in our lives and protect ourselves physically, emotionally, financially and importantly give ourselves some time to live not merely exist.

It is a great read for all sorts of people. Not just those who are struggling and need a prescription for change but for those who want to prevent it happening to themselves and those around them.

Margin by Richard A Swenson M.D. Published by NavPress.

When less is more

As I have been getting around church ministers, I have been hearing many people voice this similar statement ‘Sunday church service is just too hard to get unsaved people to attend.’ I am beginning to think that it is not so much what the Sunday church product looks like but the fact that people don’t go to activities they know little about.

An increasingly greater percentage of 96five’s audience rarely if ever attend church yet they are increasing their engagement with the radio station. Obviously they are not negatively affected by the Christian message in the programming. Attending church though on a Sunday isn’t an option for them. I actually think it is unfamiliarity with church which could be the problem.

Let me use the Bronco’s as an example. Very few people would go to a Bronco’s NRL match not knowing anything about rugby league. Virtually the whole crowd has at least some passing knowledge of the rules and format of the game and the Bronco’s. If there are any who go with no knowledge at least they go with someone who does and invited them to go.

Why are we surprised that strangers don’t suddenly start turning up at our services. What we do know is that strangers will come if they are invited by a friend. And most church ministers do encourage their congregation members to invite a friend to church.

What I have been seeing are ministers who are starting to think out of the box. What if I kept my congregation members less busy and gave them more opportunities to form relationships in the community. What would it take to resource Mary Smith to help her be Jesus in the school tuckshops? How could I help Rob at his kids sporting club be Jesus to the parents on the sideline. Historically church has been about keeping its members busy so they don’t get caught up in the world. Suddenly we have lost our influence in the world. What if your church businessmen were members of their chamber of commerce? Congregation members joined political parties on both sides of politics. Then we start being an influence, making friends and creating opportunities to invite people to a relationship with Christ and church.

I think as more Christians are released to be Christians in the marketplace not just in the pews we will begin to see our influence spread further and perhaps over time our attendances rise. Maybe the principal of less is more might work. Less work in church programs and more work out in the community might just work.

The Church in action - a powerful force

The disaster of the floods which has swallowed up large sections of Queensland has certainly seen some unprecedented examples of people doing whatever they can to help their fellow Australians in time of need. Some people have been saying for a while that the church is starting to become an irrelevant force in Australia. Over the last 2 weeks in South East Queensland I have seen the opposite.

When the floods started wreaking their havoc over the SE corner of the State the first organisation the Govt contacted to set up evacuation centres were local churches. Across Brisbane and Ipswich churches with only a few hours notice became evacuation centres. Congregational member were quickly mobilised to provide bedding food and importantly comfort to the fleeing residents from flood affected homes. The Salvos were asked to provide catering and comfort to the big evacuation centres at RNA Showgrounds and the QE 2 sports centre at Nathan. All over the region local churches were rolling up their sleeves and serving people who thought they would never visit that church in their lifetime.

Then in areas that weren’t flood affected I saw churches begin to organise clean up teams to go and clean up flood affected communities on the other side of town. This happened well before Campbell Newman was able to organise his large volunteer army. The church was able to organise itself into teams and with help then connect with churches in the middle of the crisis and find the places in most need of assistance.
Other churches mobilised themselves into catering teams and organised sausage sizzles and tins of cakes for the volunteers.

Other churches started organising Baskets of Hope for families who were flood affected to help them restart lives in their damaged homes. Some two weeks after the floods we are still seeing churches spearheading the community recovery teams in many parts of Brisbane, Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley. In fact while sporting teams got plenty of publicity for their good works churches have continued to quietly go about helping people rebuild their lives with dignity.

I saw in these floods people from different parts of town, different congregations and styles of worship come together around their common love of Jesus and serve with out any agenda. By agenda I mean a desire to see these people come to their church. They served because that is what Jesus would do to people in a time of need.

So while the stats of bottoms on seats may show the church in decline and perhaps irrelevant to its community; in a time of crisis it was a powerful resource of buildings and people who can quickly be organised into service without asking questions. As some one asked earlier where was God in the middle of this disaster? He was right in the middle in the faces of the volunteers serving the people.

Some observations on power of social media

The floods crisis affecting Queensland over the last few weeks has shown me how valuable social media can be in informing the public and also mobilising people to a response. For us at 96five it showed again that radio is a great broadcast platform for flood information and that twitter and facebook are useful tools to compliment what we as a radio station can do. This blog is some thoughts on how I see twitter and facebook as useful and perhaps how you maybe able to harness these platforms to your ministry.

Facebook

To me facebook is like a giant noticeboard. It is a great way to paste up information with some limited response from people who are part of your network. It is a notice board that also allows instant sharing of information and comments which is where it differs from a website. While anyone can view a website only ‘friends’ can view your facebook page but facebook is a lot easier to quickly up date information.


Twitter

I think twitter is a valuable social tool for getting out short succinct messages or information. It is not designed for feedback or conversation but to just make statements. The lack of feedback means that unless it is from a reliable source the information can be wrong or at least misleading. This is where it differs from facebook which at least allows people the opportunity to see if a message sent has been shown to be wrong or it has been confirmed by other sources.

Pros and Cons

In my experiences Facebook and twitter are forms of social communication. What they aren’t are advertising platforms. I have yet to see any one company or church use them in a successful advertising or marketing way. They are platforms for ‘followers’ to post their thoughts but invariably those following are already consumers who are passionate at some level to your organisation. So no I don’t think they are helpful to get people to come to your church service on Sunday but they will at least let your congregation know what is happening much like a church bulletin.

Facebook is an invaluable pastoral care tool though because you do see what your congregation is ‘doing’. They may not tell you to your face but they will tell all their facebook friends. Where twitter or facebook is helpful is quick call to action stuff
Eg Mary Smith is ill and needs some help with meals for kids, or looking for some information on a topic xyz can anyone help me.

They are more flexible platforms than websites are, but again I don’t think either will replace a good website. Twitter and facebook are noticeboards not relationships either. Use them for call to actions not friendships.

Love to get your thoughts or experiences and feel free to find me on twitter and facebook too.

Managing Change in your Church

What is the biggest fear most people have in their life? Is it death, public speaking, sharks? I think the most common fear for people is the fear of change. People are scared of it. They don’t like it and sometimes will do extraordinary things to avoid it.

But in reality change is inevitable and in fact we face it daily. Just by growing old we face change. I think it is in fact not change we are scared of. People may articulate it as change but it’s not change but loss that people are actually fearful of. Loss of something they once had. It’s not the change of body shape we actually fear as we get older but the loss of our youthful energy, the loss of hair colour or even hair. The loss of normal slimness of youth replaced by middle-aged spread.

Church ministers are people who are constantly challenged with leading congregations through change. Recently I have spoken with several ministers who are currently taking their congregations through the difficult process of change. In these cases it is changing the format of their Sunday service. One of the things that will make it easy for these minsters is the recognition that is not change but loss that these congregation members actually fear. Loss of a familiar worship style, loss of predictability, loss of routine.

Now to some of us these may seem trivial things but to those people they are real losses and they will have real feelings of grief. For most of then they will in fact go through the 7 stages of grief over the loss of service style.

A smart minister will recognise this as loss and they work with those people in a more appropriate manner rather than thinking they are opponents of change. I actually think the oldies in our congregations are some of the biggest accepters of change because in their lifetime they have witnessed huge changes in society and technology. More and bigger changes than our kids have seen.

Why is it then that they seem to struggle then with a change in the church service?

I think Bill Hybels summed it up very well at the recent Global Leadership Summit when he said a good leader moves people from here to there. How does he do it? By making the ‘there’ more attractive than the ‘here’. Help them want to embrace the there by having the current here so unbearable that they will want to run to the there.

The three keys points for us as leaders to recognise in bringing in change is

• Recognise loss is the biggest part of change
• The need to make the end point more exciting than the start point
• Allow open two way communication through the change process

These are just some random thoughts. I would love to get some feedback on your experiences on implementing change in your church.

More Christmas promotion ideas part 2

Thanks for your comments and thoughts on part 1 on creating a good Christmas carol concert. Further to my first post here are some more things to consider.

Free media exposure

There are some good free strategic media opportunities your church can harness to promote your Christmas carols. Obviously 96five is a good way of getting some free publicity via the 96five Events Calendar and their community service announcements.

The other good free media you can access is the free suburban newspaper delivered to letterboxes around your neighbourhood. These newspapers are a great resource for a church to promote not just your Christmas events but other events you might be running across the year. For your Carol publicity you need to create a simple media release highlighting the important details of where, when and what is on. In the media release you need to have a simple hook like a ‘Christmas carol concert where the whole family can come and sing their favourite Christmas carols.’ I would keep the media release to one paragraph detailing the vent and then in bullet points the details of where and when. Also list the photo opportunity available prior to the event.

This is important because what you actually want in the paper is a big photo with small copy. That will get readers interest. I think your photo opportunity needs to include a couple of kids and maybe a candle with a song sheet. Make sure you include your contact details especially your mobile number.

Using outside groups

Another way of attracting an audience who don’t normally attend your church is to have other community groups part of your onstage audience. Virtually every primary school has a choir and I suggest you contact them 3 months or even 6 months out and invite them to be part of your event. Allow that choir to do 2 items as a group and even include them as a backing choir to other singers. Every choir member will mean at least another two adults plus siblings and maybe even grandparents. It costs you nothing to have them there and will add to the success of your community event.

Even think laterally about this. Why not host a Christmas carol idol at your local school or schools for solo or small groups to be part of the on the night performance. Heats and semi finals can be held at the school to see who wins. This starts to create a free buzz in the school community about your events.

What can you do out of the norm to get some community involvement and publicity for your Christmas Carol event.

Making your Christmas Carols a winner

As I am writing this blog some 6 weeks out from Christmas I am having also sorts of thoughts about Christmas music, Christmas traditions and just quietly Christmas food.
None of these are reasons why I am writing this blog. The intent is to provide some thought, inspiration to those church ministers who are planning their annual Christmas carols concert.

These are my observations from being part of heaps of carol events as a participant in the audience, as an MC, or part of a promotions team. Read this with an open mind. It isn’t a to do list but something to think about in your planning for your event.

You are not Hillsong or Citipointe or a church with a major music team so don’t try and over achieve with your event.

There seems to be a trend for large numbers of unchurched families to attend local community Christmas carols. Why? I think it is because most parents want to have their children experience something they experienced when they were children growing up. Call it nostalgia if you like but I think it is a powerful motivation for going to a church Christmas carol concert. Adults remember what it was like as a child with a candle (or torch) singing traditional Christmas carols on a warm balmy night.

They see a local Christmas carol concert as an opportunity to bring the family together around a candle or glow stick and have a bit of a family sing-along. In fact for some families it is the only time they have a sing-along. So my suggestion is don’t complicate the traditional songs by making them fancy with huge production values. Maybe leave that to the big churches and you concentrate on being traditional. Include the opportunities for candles or glow sticks or torches. Have it outdoors if you trust the weather or indoor at your church.

Nostalgia is a powerful driver in today’s society which is looking for some old fashion values. I also believe it is the thing that will allow their kids to attend Sunday school and youth group as they look for programs with old fashion values they grew up with.

My final couple of points to make your event meaningful.

Make sure everyone leaves your event with an invite brochure/card to your Christmas Eve or Day service. This card should contain the service times (including how long it lasts eg 8am for 1 hour Christmas morning), your church website address and physical address, phone number and church email address plus if you have a Facebook page or twitter account put it on. People love social media and any way you connect them to your church the better. Keep the invite to a size suitable to be stuck on the fridge.

The key is to try and keep your event simple and appropriate to the strengths of your church and engaging to your community. Plenty of community singing to traditional tunes, the odd special item and a short punchy message with an invitation to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Over to you for your thoughts.

Research is King

When I was an announcer on 96five my Program Director Malcolm Pollard used to drum into me all the time Research is King. What is your audience doing when listening to your show; what did they watch on TV last night; what did they do on the weekend; what sports do their kids play?

It was vital to me as an announcer to be able to connect with my audience. If I didn’t they would turn off. I didn’t need to live their life but I did need to have an understanding of what they did and why. Radio has taught me the ability to walk in someone else’s shoes and be able to ‘connect’ with them in their life.

I believe the same statement Research is King is important for ministers. Ministers need to know what their congregation is doing, watching, reading,. You might like reading the Financial Review or Weekend Australian but the majority of your ‘audience’ is probably reading the free weekly newspaper. You might watch 4 Corners but your ‘audience’ is watching Master Chef.

I am not saying that you need to live their lifestyle or lose your interests but you need to communicate in their lifestyle not yours.

As a coach of a sporting team I have learnt that to get the best out of my kids I need to understand how they think and why they react or respond to my directions. I don’t dress like them or act like them but I know their culture and connect with them on their communication style not mine as an adult.

We know as Christians and especially in church we speak a different language. We know what redemption means to us as Christians, talk to an unchurched person and redemption means getting even for a past wrong.

This week take some time out and hang around a shopping centre, sports field or even read the weekly free newspaper and get a true snapshot of your unchurched audience and see what are the issues in the lives of the ‘lost’.

Why don't people go to church anymore?

Why don’t people go to church anymore?

Wouldn’t I like a dollar for that question being asked at the moment? Even better would be the solution to the trend of dwindling church attendance. In my anecdotal observations of church life in Brisbane there is a disturbing trend of not just dwindling church attendance but regular church attendees are actually attending less services each month.

Currently people who would call themselves regular church attendees are now currently attending twice a month and that is trending down to once a month. That is a disturbing trend that creates a whole lot of problems for church ministers. Why it is that even our loyal people are now becoming infrequent when attending church. Is it a reflection of their personal faith commitment? Is it because church is boring, or are people becoming busier?

Personally I don’t think it is the first answer. I think people are just as committed to Jesus as ever. I think it is a bit of reasons two and three. However I am beginning to think it is more about the way people interact and consume their ‘entertainment’ or information.

Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s people would make a point of being home in time to see a particular TV show. In the morning we would tune into our favourite radio station to hear a particular show that would happen in breakfast at the same time each day. We would go and see a movie at the cinema on Saturday nights or even Saturday afternoon because that was the only time it was on.

Then something happened.

In the late 80’s early 90’s the VCR started arriving in people’s homes. Suddenly people could tape the news, TV show and watch when it suited them. Instead of going to the movies people could hire the movie from the video shop and watch at home when it suited the consumer. Suddenly we started seeing the death of appointment viewing as people now had the opportunity of missing it ‘live’ and still being able to watch or listen to it later.

Even now we see TV stations showing some of their shows on their website, radio stations podcast their programs so people who missed what happened earlier can now listen at a time that suits them.

Where does this leave the church? We are still stuck in the model that church is on at 9am Sunday; come along then or miss out for another week. Why are we surprised that more and more people are missing out. We are conditioned to get our information/entertainment on line via podcasts, iview, online newspapers or even via DVDs. Churches still exist in the old model of expecting them to come when the Senior Minister thinks it is the best time to have Church. Often it is the best time in his frame of reference not necessarily the best time for his congregation or for that matter the community of unbelievers. They are living in the model of a consumer who consumes at a time that suits them not that of the content provider.

So what is the solution? That is the million dollar question. I wonder if the answer to dwindling church attendance lies in not upping the ante of making church services more attractive rather in creating more opportunities for people to attend church. By pod casting the service they know they can skip church because they will hear the sermon on line and certainly they can sing the songs on their ipod or CD player too. But in missing church they miss the opportunity of human connection in their faith journey. But if they can’t make Sunday we need to give them other opportunities for this connection. Maybe those opportunities are Saturday night, Wednesday morning, and Tuesday evening.

Most churches have their own building lying idle Monday to Saturday. Let’s think about using them outside of Sunday. Retailers along time ago learnt the lesson of 7 day week trading. They don’t expect people to consume every day but at least once that week and at a time that suits them the consumer. Church trades once a week and expects everyone to drop everything to attend then.

I know there are other issues that contribute to dwindling church attendance like perceived relevancy of church. But as I talk to more and more people who are unchurched I find that many of them believe there is a God and see church attendance as not important to their life.

Keen to hear your thoughts.

Branding your Church Part 2

Before I start with part 2 let me answer a question that was posed to me off part 1. What is the diference btween a vison statement, mission statement and a postioning statement? Here's my answer. I guess my definations of the three statements are:
Vision statement is what you organisation strives to be;
Mission statement is how you will achieve it;
Positioning statement is how people see you in the marketplace.
For example with 96five:
Vision statement: To be Brisbane's prefered radio staion for families;
Mission statement: Building stronger families, connecting people to Jesus Christ, supporting the Christian community, through excellence in radio broacdcasting;
Positioning statement: Families No. 1

We don't use our vision statement as our branding statement. Our mission statement is an internal organisation message. Our vision statement says that we want to have your family listening to us. Those that already listen to us know that. People who aren't listeners don't know that. Our positioning statement is the brand slogan that helps us achieve our vision statement. Our mission statement then lets our staff now the framework for all programimng decisions.
So in a church context vision statement defines the church's position in the community, the mission statement tells the leadership and congregation how it will be achieved and the positioning statement is short punchy and tells a non member about your church distictive.

Does that help. Your church vision statement should never change - it is timeless. Mission statement may not change either but can be fine tuned to reflect the strengths of the church and the positioning tsatement should rarely change as it always takes a while for the community to actually 'get it'.

Now for Part 2.

Communicating your Distinctives

Just as important as developing your distinctives is to clearly communicate them to your audience. Often a church lets itself down by not clearly articulating what they are doing. Churches have always been guilty of using words that are not readily known by unchurched people. Churches will talk about their contemporary music. There is actually no such music genre at contemporary. Try going to iTunes or a retail music store and asking for the latest contemporary music album. They just don’t exist.
Other use phrases like we are a bible believing church. Well aren’t we all – it is a given not a positioning statement.

Sometimes we will talk about a world famous speaker coming to speak this weekend. I ask the question in whose world are they famous in. Nelson Mandela is world famous but Bill Hybels or even Julia Gillard isn’t world famous, just known in their areas of life.

Also never confuse style with relevance. When communicating you need to communicate from a position of substance not from a position of style. People aren’t looking for something stylish but for something that actually meets their own needs.

Service Delivery

Make sure you can actually deliver your distinctives or promises. Make sure you are actually friendly and engaging. If you call your self a family church do you cater for single parent families? What about singles?

Embrace other churches.

Other denominations are not the enemy or opposition. We are actually on the same team. Notice in your community how all the fast food shops seem to be in one spot. That is because they know that works in a financial sense. So if a church opens up in your area don’t panic. It is actually a good thing. Also there are plenty of unsaved people to share around. The more churches the better. Again embrace your distinctive not the other churchs distinctives and you will be fine. After all didn’t God call you to be there?