Recently, I was asked about structure. One, in particular read one of my recent articles on strategy, stated it was timely, but now need something on structure. I have written on structure several times over the past 13 years in this blog and other places. Today, I want to focus on a different avenue of structure.

Structure is, as the Oxford dictionary has it, “the arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of something complex.”

Every organization, no matter its size, needs structure. Without structure you have chaos. You may have organized chaos, but it is chaos – disorder and confusion. I have leaders both in the church & corporate world state something like, “We let our people have the freedom to get the work done, each in their own way. We don’t really have a structure.”

Giving people freedom to accomplish is not all bad or good. Still, there must be boundaries. There must be certain guidelines to be followed. Otherwise you will breed chaos.

Each organization needs a structure that fits its size, demographics, (inside and outside the organization) and organizational purpose. Attempting to create a structure not based on a great understanding of these three will only produce floundering, failure, and chaos.

The majority of churches in North America today run less than one hundred in attendance. The structure of those churches, most with only one paid staff person (many of those bi-vocational) will need a very different structure than a church running 200, 300, 1,500, or 15,000. The smaller church structure will rely heavily on volunteer personnel. While every effective church structure relies heavily on volunteerism, the larger church will have various layers of paid staff structured in as well.

Yet size is only one critical element in creating effective structure. Leaders must know and understand the demographics within and outside of your organization. Demographics reveal statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within an organization and those outside of your organization. Every church should be aware of the demographics within at least a 1, 3, and 5 mile radius of the church. Who lives around you. Where do they work, what is the household income, how many children, etc. Do the demographics in your church match the demographics of those living around you. Your structure should draw heavily from the demographics of and around your church or organization.

The third critical element for your organization in designing the effective, correct structure is your organizational purpose. For what does your organization exist? What is the purpose of your organization? For every evangelistic Christian church it is to fulfill The Great Commission. Therefore, a structure is needed that will effectively carry out the tenets of The Great Commission as ordained in scripture. Perhaps a good first question to ask is, “To fulfill The Great Commission what do we need to incorporate, according to our size, the demographics within the organization, and who we trying to reach?

For more information and coaching for your organizational structure contact George Yates or your denominational leaders.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

The U.S. population over the past forty years has increased greatly, while the presence of the evangelical church has painfully decreased. One key in this decline is what I refer to as he westernization of Christianity. Instead of following God’s design as written in His word, The Holy Bible, perhaps the majority of Christian believers today form their own God based on personal preferences and comfort.

God, in His word, through His Son, Jesus Christ, gave us a commission, our marching orders, The Great Commission. The Great Commission has in it three mandates for each believer and the church, Share the Good News of God allowing the Holy Spirit to lead people to faith in Christ, baptize the new believers as an illustration of the change made in the person, and continually teach them to grow in Christ throughout the remainder of life.

One missing key element in most churches today is a Great Commission strategy. In Turnaround Journey[i], I shared that most churches know how to plan, but few strategically plan for an effective implementation. A Great Commission strategy includes what Gene Mims wrote about in Kingdom Focused Church[ii], and sometimes referred to as the 1-5-4 principle.

The Great Commission is to be our one (1) driving force. Everything we do should have as its aim, to fulfill the great Commission. The strategy should have as its foundation, the five (5) functions of the church. Prayer is a vital part of all five, not an add on. Included in the strategy each church should include representations of four (4) areas of results.

The four area of results are, 1) Spiritual growth – as you and I individually and as a church grow spiritually, we impact the Kingdom. 2) An outcome of this spiritual growth is ministry expansion, the need for more ministry opportunities to be fulfilled, 3) A further outcome when a church experiences spiritual growth and ministry expansion is missions awareness. As believers grow in Christ their awareness for mission service develops into a passion.

The fourth area of results is an outgrowth bi-product of the first three, numerical growth. As we grow in Christ, expand the ministry based according to God’s direction, and endeavor into missions opportunities at home and abroad, God will add to our numbers, not for our sake, but in expanding His Kingdom.

A question to ask ourselves, “Is my church putting more emphasis on raising our numbers or striving for individual and corporate spiritual growth?” Only the second one will lead into an effective Great Commission strategy. The numbers will be a bi-product whether your church is decreasing in numbers or increasing

[i] Turnaround Journey, George Yates, Sonlight publishing

[ii] The Kingdom Focused Church, Gene Mims, B&H publishing

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

Drop a small stone in the water and what happens? That one small splash creates a ripple effect of concentric circles widening out from where the stone broke the water’s surface.

What happens when you drop several stones in the water? The ripples from the different stones can intersect creating small waves that begin moving a larger surface area of water.  This is the nature of leadership. It is the nature of influence, and it is what you and I as believers in Christ have been called to do.

Acts chapter 9 verses 19-28 give us some insight into creating ripples for Christ. First,

1. Exercising Brings Greater Strength

In Damascus, Paul was causing a ripple effect, stirring the waters. And look at what happened to him. Verse 22 says, But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Saul was gaining in strength – this is spiritual strength and wisdom, a voice to be heard. The more he shared with others, the more his spiritual strength increased.

2. Greater Strength Creates Longer Lasting Ripples

Paul’s ministry would continue to produce a ripple effect throughout his life with Timothy, Titus, and so many others he influenced in the churches he started throughout his ministry.

Paul’s ripple effect continues still today. Christ created ripples with His Disciples, who in turn created ripples with the Israelites in Jerusalem establishing the earliest of New Testament churches. These believers continued the ripple effect by taking the gospel away from Jerusalem,

Each ripple influences another. All of these ripples began with Jesus, and they led to a change in the world like civilization has never known. That is the power of ripples. And it is the power that you and I have through Jesus Christ.

That ripple effect started by Jesus has come down through the centuries until someone’s ripple influenced you. That ripple affected your life. Now it is your turn.

3. The Ripple Effect Lives On –

Once a pebble is dropped in the water, you can no longer see the pebble. But you can see the ripple effect long after the pebble disappears. Do your friends continue to see the ripples of Christianity after you have left the conversation? What will be seen after your life is over? What will be said of the ripples you leave behind?

What is within your grasp to create a ripple effect in the lives of people around you? How will you be intentional about creating ripples this week?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

I am a dreamer. I admit I’m a daydreamer for things I would like to do or have. I likely spend too much time daydreaming. However, part of my daydreaming is of how churches that I interact with could be more effective at fulfilling the Great Commission. Then, I begin daydreaming how I could help, how I could guide the pastor & church to discover ways and strategies to have a greater effect for God’s Kingdom.

Some of my daydreaming may be self-focused rather than Kingdom focused (my personal wants or desires). Perhaps  this is true for everyone. This daydreaming can be a stress relief or it can be a distraction and detriment from fulfilling God’s purpose in our life.

Pastors and other ordained ministers can sometimes find themselves daydreaming about their next church – “What will it look like and what will I do?” This is detrimental daydreaming. Dreaming of another church, another time, another town is a detriment to your calling and where God has currently placed you.

I once had a young lady ask, “Bro. George, you probably don’t stay at a church a long time do you? I mean with what you do, you help a church improve and then…” My response to her – and to others since then – “I never go into a church thinking I am going to leave before retirement. If God calls me away before then, I will follow, but I plan to stay.”

I do not recall ever dreaming about the next church. Here are three reasons for any minister to remain focused on God’s current assignment. Actually, this is good advice for anyone clergy or parishioner.

1, Your calling is to the Lord and not to any dream church or position. If my call is from God, then God will see me through the tough times and the smooth days at this church where He has me currently serving. I’ve experienced some pretty tough times in churches. One senior pastor whom I served with remarked, “I don’t think I would’ve stayed if I were you.” To which I replied, “I knew we were doing God’s work in His will. I could not leave.”

2, Each minister and each member must assess through prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit what God desires and how God desires to use me where He has me serving right now.

3, Individually, each one must concentrate and focus on using his/her gifts to build up the current body of Christ. Ephesians 4:12 admonishes that all believers that we are to use our gifts for this reason only. God does not make mistakes. If He desires to move you, He will. But for today, there is no time to spend daydreaming about your desires of another church when God has a much greater plan.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

How many of life’s pleasures and stresses seem to bring difficulties on your spiritual walk and on the life of your church? If we are honest, there are quite a few. Every four to six months pastors and church members want to give up, asking questions like, “Is it really worth it?”. Paul had some advice for young Timothy in one of his times of distress.

Not only were the stresses of building and strengthening a church in a pagan culture plaguing Timothy, his mentor, the Apostle Paul was in prison for doing the work Timothy was trying to carry out. It is understandable that Timothy would be feeling the pressure.

In 2 Timothy 4:5 Paul told young Timothy, “But as for you, keep a clear head about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” This is good advice for everyone of us today. Fulfill your ministry – your specific calling from God.

God knows what you are facing. He understands the trials of today, and He is with you. He has promised to walk with you through those trials – everyone of them. He may not remove them, but who greater than the creator of the universe to walk side by side with you through your trials?

It would do each believer and each church well to at least annually reconsider its focus. Are you kingdom focused? As an individual, as a church? It is easy to fall into the trappings of societal beliefs mixed into your spiritual beliefs. It is part of what I refer to as the “westernization of Christianity”, and it is leading millions of people away from biblical Christianity.

God created you to fulfill a specific purpose, His purpose. The right and true goal of every Christian and every church is to be Kingdom focused as God is Kingdom focused. Unfortunately, the westernization of Christianity has brought with it the idea that, “if I like it and it feels good then it must be from God. That is the farthest from the truth as you can get.

Even Jesus Himself underscores this goal and principle as we read in John 5:19-20, “I assure you, the Son of man is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees His Father doing. For whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these so that you will be amazed.”

Notice it says the Son does “in the same way”. The Son does not have permission to twist and change up what the Father is doing to suit himself. It is when we resist the temptations of doing “worldly ways” that people are “amazed” because it is God working through a Kingdom focused mindset.

What will you do today to insure yours is a Kingdom mindset prescribed by the Father and not of your own design?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

One bullet point in our previous post on assimilation was: The process of bonding must be ever-present. I’m not referring to touchy-feely fall back into each other’s arms exercises. Your church should include practices as; interfacing, connecting, acceptance, belonging, ownership, and continuity. In this post let’s explore each of those six practices.

• Interfacing – People need person to person interaction. Fruitful churches provide opportunities for members/employees to interact – face to face with one another, not only in casual, superficial ways, but in authentic, genuine personal growth opportunities. In the church this can be planning and preparing for events, serving together in community projects, going on mission together. Over the years I have witnessed persons serving in VBS, serving kool-aid, as their very first service within a church that became the catalyst for them in becoming an engaged member of God’s Kingdom.
• Connecting – certainly one factor in the VBS scenario is connecting with other peers through serving together. One of the greatest connecting points of an evangelistic church is through an ongoing Bible study small group. Not only meeting once a week, but intentionally fostering relationships with one another, living life with each member.
• Acceptance and Belonging – Everyone enters your facilities with a desire to be accepted. Most churches are good at courting newcomers, yet when they become “regular” attenders or members, we drop them as if once they accept membership they now know everyone and everything and nothing else is needed from us. People – including you, desire and need to feel accepted and that they belong.
• Ownership – Members of a club or organization pay the minimum dues to enjoy the benefits of the club. The owners of a club or organization on the other hand strive to make it the best, taking pride in the organization being its absolute best.
• Continuity – Scripture says, “Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.” That is continuity. For people to be committed and assimilated into your church, they must realize that the principles being lived out through the organization are not wishy-washy (as my Dad used to say) but steadfast, biblically based with stability.

To achieve committed, fully assimilated constituents of your church and God’s Kingdom, think on these things. For they are all just, pure, lovely, of good report, great virtue and worthy of praise to our God. Think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

In our last blog we looked at five first steps to assimilation. In this post we’ll look at five more proven points to advance the assimilation process. Assimilation is a process, it takes time. As stated in the previous post, churches must be intentional with a specified, focused process for assimilating newcomers. In addition to the first five steps discussed previously, consider incorporating these five into your church assimilation process.

• Structured small group Bible study classes are critical in assimilation and in the growth of any church in any region of every nation on earth. These are where friendships blossom, relationships are fostered and spiritual growth unites people as one.
• Expectations – Civic groups and rotary clubs have more expectations on their members than most evangelic churches. People need and want expectations. In the late 1980’s, 20 million boomers and busters returned to the church. That is a great fact, until you realize that by 1995 22 million left the church. That number continues to climb. The largest factor cited in their leaving – No expectations on them from the church.
• The process of bonding must be ever-present. I’m not referring to touchy-feely fall back into each other’s arms exercises. Your church should include practices as; interfacing, connecting, acceptance, belonging, ownership, and continuity.
• Outreach and Lay involvement – Churches that reach out to others will keep more of their members. Outreach should be considered a group activity in every class and every church. The involvement of laity is critical to assimilation as noted in Points 3, 4, & 5 in the previous post.
• Implement and strengthen ministries that include; Spiritual gifts (discovery & utilization), Lay mobilization, specific discipleship, student ministry, & family ministry.

Assimilation is critical for the growth of the church if it is part of God’s Kingdom. In Leviticus 19:33-34 God told Moses and the Israelites, “‘And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (NKJV)

Assimilation into God’s family is important to God (it is The Great Commission), and it should be a priority process in our churches. What will you undertake this week to strengthen the overall assimilation process in your church? You have a part to play. What will you do?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

It is well known and well documented that the church in North America is in decline. However, we see and hear of pockets of well-sustained growth and healthy discipleship in some churches. What makes the difference?

In my opinion, it all begins with assimilation and assimilation begins with showing that you truly care. Perhaps in the near future we’ll write a blog on “Showing that you truly care.” For now, let’s look at 5 first steps to assimilation.

1, Assimilation does not happen by accident. A church must be intentional about assimilating new people into your congregational family. It cannot be by coercion or force. Newcomers must feel genuinely welcomed and accepted. Too often our welcome in churches is superficial – and newcomers know it.

2, A church must project a warm fellowship (atmosphere) to outsiders. Churches today have a tendency to be closed societal groups, many times without intention. We think we are open to newcomers, yet we show preference in our conversations and actions to our friends and long-term members.

3, Assimilation begins at the first contact with the church. A good rule of thumb is “the first threes”. What happens in the first three minutes when a newcomer enters – 1) your property, is there guest parking clearly marked, what entrance to use? 2) your facility, are there greeters and good signage to direct guests? 3) in the worship center, how are newcomers greeted and by how many people? Are they asked to join another family for worship?

4, All guests to your services should be contacted within 36 hours for highest rate of return. Ministerial (clergy) contacts are great; laity contacts are twice as effective. Guests see clergy contacts as part of “their duty”, what he is paid to do. On the other hand they view laity contacts as “They truly care”.

5, Newcomers to the church must begin building new relationships within the congregation immediately. You cannot wait to see if they’re going to “stick” before getting to know them. Relationships are perhaps the most crucial aspect of assimilation. Surveys and research projects over the years continue to prove the higher number of genuine, new relationships inside the church reinforce the assimilation process for individuals and families.

If your church truly desires to fulfill the purpose of The New Testament Church – The Great Commission – please do not leave assimilation to chance. Build in an assimilation process. Train and equip all of your congregation to be active participants in the assimilation of others.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

One concept every leader, every servant, every person should be continually asking of ourselves is, “How do I improve my effectiveness? What can I do to enrich my helpfulness?” Let me suggest twelve (12) concepts to bring about that enrichment on a continual basis.

1, Pray – Bathe ideas/concepts in Prayer, Pray for your own wisdom & discernment Pray for increased leadership skill

2, Develop Deeper Listening Skills – Words make up only seven (7) percent of what any person is communicating. Listen to voice tones and inflection. These two will communicate as much as words.  What are the eyes, facial expressions, and body language communicating. Each one of these areas are actively communicating when speaking or listening.

3, Lead by using Questions – Rather than closed ended (yes/no) questions, use questions that invoke higher order thought processes. The more we can learn to use properly formulated questions, the greater our leadership will be practiced and followed.

4, Wait for a Response – Never ask a question you do not want someone to answer. Never answer your own question. Silence can be positive. Jesus used it. Slow down and allow listeners time to process and respond.

5, Discovery Learning – People learn better when they discover answers for themselves. Provide learning experiences, i.e. Matthew 14:25-33 – Peter goes for a walk with the Lord on the water.

6, Leaders Input Comes Last – Once the leader speaks people tend to repress. Listen & encourage everyone to participate. A team member may have experience or an idea that the leader has never considered. Give credit to all ideas. Effective leaders learn when to speak and when to listen.

7, Healthy Debate – A great tool for strategy planning, yet seldom used. Healthy debate may involve conflict, yet the conflict is always on differing points of interest, not personalities. The key is to promote passion not personalities.

8, Sending with Affirmation, Follow-up & Accountability – 3 things to use ending every meeting. With these three you are setting the course for many tomorrows.

9, Changing Directional Thought Processes – Takes people deeper in the learning experience. Does not stop with attaching old information to new. Leads people to discovery of what they had not previously experienced or considered.

10, Showing Vulnerability as a Leader – Vulnerability is to be used as a strength. Revealing vulnerabilities relates you are human. Effective leaders understand revealing their own vulnerabilities brings out the strengths & creative genius of others.

11, Friendly Accountability – Does not hold a threat over someone. Breathes encouragement to move forward. Motivates toward accomplishment.

12, Leading to Build up – Promote and acknowledge positive behavior in others. Learn the difference between Redirection & Reprimand and when to use each. Correct in private, Praise in Public. Always end with Affirmation.

These are 12 concepts that I use in developing my leadership. What others could you offer? I pray you will put these to use and see a greater effectiveness in your life and leadership, with vast fruit bearing evidence.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

If you want to move forward, you cannot continue to fall back into old ways and trends. In Galatians chapter 5, verse 1, the Apostle Paul writes, Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.

I want to key in on “again”. Again means you’ve been there before. Paul says, don’t go there another time. Yet in the church, and our personal lives, it is easy, the comfortable thing to do, to return to our former ways.

Paul says stand firm and do not fall into the same old patterns of tradition or convenience. They both make you slaves to something that is not of God. Paul understood the ease of falling into the slavery of tradition, old patterns.

About six years ago, I was asked to help a church in Southwest Alabama. Sixteen months after my initial conversation with the pastor, I was invited to speak to the congregation on the one year anniversary of the church’s rebirth. God did a great work in that congregation and this is part of what I shared.

“We are all here as witnesses of that (God’s) great work. Some of you walked through and actually did the work,” the manual labor over the last sixteen months. Some tough, even painful decisions were made.

“I was privileged and honored to be used by God offering some coaching assistance, but I was not here on the ground, doing the actual work. And it was evident that God was here working in your midst.

Pastor Vaughn and I would email and talk by phone at least once a month and whenever we were together, when I was down here or he was in Prattville…”

“As your storyline progressed, I was impressed at how God was showing up. Whether He was providing materials or opportunities to share with others what was happening, I saw God’s hand at work. God has blessed and is still at work through you…”

“And yet, now is not the time to rest. There is still much to be done. The families of the students of the school across the street need to know that you care for them – that you continually care for them.

Partnering with a school is not about how to get them into the events you want to have. It is getting Jesus into their lives by demonstrating His love through your words and actions.”

“Not only the school. There are others in this community that need to know the Jesus of the Bible. I am here today to encourage you to charge ahead. Don’t allow yourselves to fall back into the tradition of doing things the way we used to.”

“Those days are gone. You buried them. God has given you a new day and a bright future.”

What God did for this church, He wants to do for you individually and for your church. Commit yourself fully to God and do not allow yourselves to fall back into the tradition of doing things the way we used to.”

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.