Sunday evening, May 4^th, my wife and I had the pleasure and privilege of attending a celebration service with the members of four churches who have recently completed the twelve month process known as Reaching the Summit. All four churches have seen remarkable and significant change in the past year. Change is sometimes considered a dreaded thing in churches today. But the people of these four churches gladly talk about what they’ve experienced using words like incredible, a complete 180, and phenomenal. Change can be good. If you do not believe me, just ask the members and staff of Mansfield, Milstead, Grace, and East Newton Baptist Churches in the Covington, Conyers area of Georgia.

What we witnessed and heard at this celebration service and what these churches experienced varies according to the congregation but here are some of the facts and words of testimony.

1. Two of the churches had not baptized more than three people in any given year for at least ten years. Some years they recorded no baptisms. A third church had baptized six, one of the past ten years, otherwise their numbers were the same as the first two. From May until December of 2013, two of these churches baptized eight and nine people. One of those has baptized five since the first of the year 2014. The third church baptized seventeen during the process.
2. One church, as stated by one of the members, has experienced a complete 180. The church had been slowly declining and had leveled off when they decided to venture into the Reaching the Summit Process. Their Sunday morning attendance has increased by sixty-eight percent (68%). On Palm Sunday this church began a second service to accommodate the influx of people. They have started at least one new Bible study class on Sunday morning and have a new-found excitement in the church, spreading to the community.
3. Each of the four churches have openly testified to spiritual growth in the church evidenced in and through the members. Throughout the process a consistent emphasis is placed on the spiritual intentionality of the church members, the health team and the pastor and staff.

These are only a fraction of the testimonies coming from the members of these churches. Last May, these churches began a journey; a journey they thought would take them 12 months to complete. Near the end of those twelve months each member of every health team realized, this is not a twelve month journey. The twelve months was only setting the stage, preparing them for the journey of a lifetime and beyond.

Here are links to videoed testimonies from three of the churches. Others will be uploaded to the SonC.A.R.E. Ministries channel in the next few days.

Mansfield Baptist Church     http://youtu.be/Dc0RSFKPg4E

Milstead Baptist Church        http://youtu.be/OYhbH-NL02k

Grace Baptist Church              http://youtu.be/qmpq8sqjTbA

For more information on the Reaching the Summit Process and how your church can benefit from it contact George Yates and visit SonC.AR.E. Ministries.

Leader’s input comes last– Effective leaders, especially in the church learn when to speak and when to listen. Working with churches in an on-going basis I normally meet with the pastor before every meeting with staff or planning and implementation teams. In the very first meeting with the pastor I encourage him not to speak first in our conversations and discussions in team meetings, unless I call on him to speak first.

The church is a different organization from most others in several ways. One of those is the respect for the position of leader (Pastor). While similar respect is seen in other organizations, in the church more people act out of an “S” personality type than any of the other three (using the DISC personalities descriptor). An “S” personality is people oriented but not the outgoing personality. An “S” personality is not likely to start a conversation with a stranger. This is not in their make-up of comfort. “S” personalities will carry on a conversation with you, but in most cases you need to initiate the conversation.

This behavior plays out in meetings in the church this way: If the pastor speaks first and gives his opinion most everyone in the room will concede, agree with the pastor and not make further comment. This is not healthy as someone else in the room may have a better option for accomplishing the task at hand. Also, it could be that the pastor has not by himself explored all possible avenues. We all act out of our own experience. If the pastor has not been exposed to a particular way of doing something, chances are he may not even think in that realm. Someone on the team, however, may have experienced or read of a different course of action and can bring that into the discussion. It may be that neither the pastor’s option nor the member’s option is the right one for this church. However, with an open discussion the team will have a much better opportunity of coming to a healthy outcome and solution that works for this particular congregation.

When the pastor or team leader speaks first, members will resign their thinking to the leader’s input. Not only allowing, but requesting and encouraging input from each team member leads to healthier outcomes through quality discussion. If you are a pastor or leader of a church ministry or committee, try soliciting suggestions from everyone in the room before you comment on the matter at hand. You will build a bonding team and get better working solutions that all team members buy into.

For more information on this topic or other leadership topics contact George Yates and visit SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.

I received an e-mail last week from a pastor who has recently led his church through the Reaching the Summit process. As we walked through the process one action the church members realized was they were not actively engaged in the community. An outcome of that realization was each adult and youth Sunday School class adopted a street in the community directly connected to the church.

Each class has the freedom to reach out to and engage the residents in whatever way they desire. Thus allowing each class to use their strengths and gift mix appropriately. The concept laid out is to not over burden the residents but to do one thing each month for the residents living on the particular street. Some months that is simply prayer walking the street. Some of the classes have gone door to door leaving a small gift such as Joy dish detergent with a scripture verse about the joyful life found in Christ. In April, one class was going to distribute flower seeds in a similar fashion. The church also began inviting the community to the church on Wednesday to share in the evening meal.

In our final meeting in the Reaching the Summit process in April I was informed by the pastor that a young girl from the community had been coming on Wednesday nights for the meal and children’s program. Recently the girl had accepted Christ and he had baptized her. This is the first person reached from the surrounding community in over a decade. But it would not be the last.

The church has a Tuesday lunch soup offering to the community once a month. God laid on the soup ministry leaders heart one man whose health had kept him from attending the previous week. She packed up some soup and delivered it to his home and led him to saving grace in Jesus Christ.

The e-mail I received two days after Easter Sunday from the pastor of Milstead Baptist Church (mentioned in the opening sentence) was to share with me that on Easter Sunday the church baptized three people from the surrounding community.

When we as God’s people consecrate ourselves to His will, He will use us and do great and mighty things. I look forward to hearing of more victories of God working in and through Milstead Baptist Church. This pastor and church have decided to make a difference. What about you and your church?

If you would like to know more about the Reaching the Summit process and how it can help your church please contact George Yates and SonC.A.R.E. Ministries .

Fact: Death steps aside for no man.

However, death was not the end-destiny for Jesus Christ. He did face death it is true. But death could not keep him down. Since He was God in the flesh, death had to step aside for Him. I realize this is difficult for some to believe or to understand.

The Bible records only two men who never faced death. They were both taken up into heaven without dying. Everyone else including you and me will face death one day – unless we are still alive when Jesus returns to gather His church.

In all the history of mankind there is only one man ever recorded who defeated death – Jesus Christ. But how do we know this to be true. After all even with all our technology and modern day science discoveries, we’re told this cannot happen, right?

I want to ask you to look at these four proofs of the resurrection of Christ as written by a former atheist, Lee Strobel, who went searching for the truth.

1. The proof of the empty tomb.

We have several accounts of people verifying the empty tomb. People who actually went in and looked around. The only thing left were the 70 pounds of linen that the dead body had been wrapped in. If someone had stolen the body, would they have first unwrapped it from that much heavy cloth? Matthew 28 records even the soldiers guarding the tomb gave a report to their superiors of the same things Jesus friends had recorded to be true about the empty tomb and the resurrection.

It was Jewish tradition to wrap the body in heavy linen from head to toe. His body was not only covered it was tightly wrapped – with 70 pounds of cloth. You try to wrestle your way out of even half that amount. And on top of this Jesus was badly beaten and without nourishment for three days. He could not have managed to work out of that material in his condition without help. His help came from above. He is the Son of God.

Soldiers were posted outside the tomb to insure no one came to steal the body. When a Roman soldier lost their captive, the soldier(s) were killed as penalty. These soldiers were not going to allow someone to steal a dead body. They even testified to their commanders which in itself should have brought their death. Instead a cover up by the Romans ensued.

2. The proof of eyewitnesses.

The Resurrection of Christ did not take place in a closet, hidden room, or secret society. For forty days people recorded seeing Jesus, walking and talking with him, and even eating with him. At one point Jesus is seen cooking breakfast on the beach with His disciples (John 21). This took place in a fishing village. Fishermen were coming in from a night of fishing. There would have been quite a few boats coming in and people from all the surrounding villages coming to purchase the fresh catch of the day.

The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:6 “Then He appeared to over 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive today.” He appeared to two men and walked with them. Six different occasions are recorded of people not only seeing Jesus, but spending time with Him.

3. The transformation of the Disciples.

If this was a hoax, if the resurrection of Jesus Christ was not real, why would eleven men live a life of ridicule, persecution, imprisonment, and other hardships, each one dying a cruel death for this belief? Who would subject himself to such cruelty over a joke or a hoax?

4. The working of God in people today.

There are people across this continent, around the world, and in church this week who can testify and tell you that the resurrection power of Jesus has freed them from the clutches of alcohol, drugs, pornography, a life of crime, and other sins of the world. The resurrection power of Jesus has saved marriages, and brought many, perhaps someone you know, out of depression. His resurrection is not only a saving power it is a power that brings purpose to life.

Jesus is alive and well with Resurrection Power! May we live as though we believe it.

Church leaders set the tone for discipline of the organization. The discipline of an organization will never reach beyond that of her leaders. In the previous post I gave a metaphoric analogy. In this post let’s look at practical examples.

First Rockwell Church has recently experienced a refocusing, re-visioning process. Part of the church’s new overarching theme in their vision is to practically reach out to the 2,500 people who live in the immediate vicinity of the church building. The church has been in existence for sixty-five years and was founded as the community neighborhoods sprang up in the area. The make-up of church membership is mainly Caucasian, many of whom raised families in the community or were raised in the surrounding neighborhoods. However, many have moved out and the neighborhoods have a strong Hispanic influence today.

For First Rockwell to be successful in carrying out its vision to reach out in practical ways to the people living around the church, the need to rethink everything they do – to rethink the entire culture of the church. The church will perhaps need to develop a whole new set of discipline for how they conduct themselves and interact with the community.

I would venture to say people of all ethnicities enjoy a good party. First Rockwell is known (within their own circles) for an annual summer block party before school begins in August. However, they have not had success with drawing local residents in the last 6-8 years for the block party. Perhaps it is because they throw a “white-American” block party, complete with hot dogs, potato chips, floating duck ponds, cake walks. A change of discipline is needed.

When we say we are going to reach a certain people group, we must change our disciplines to be relevant to that group of people. When missionaries move into a new area to reach the people of that area they do not take hot dogs, plastic duck ponds, and cake walks. The missionaries must discipline themselves to engage the culture of the people who live amongst them. First Rockwell Church must decide to be disciplined in their approaches of reaching and ministering to the people around the church. This could include the food they serve at events and church dinners, the music, times of worship, the terminology used in the church. This will require big changes for the members of the church. More importantly, accomplishing their vision will require a strong discipline of being culturally relevant.

Moorstown church has a three year plan to be actively engaged in the Moorstown community displaying a caring, compassionate community church. To accomplish this the church will need a strong culture of discipline within its membership to get involved in the community through various means; i.e. visiting in homes, church involvement in community parades and events, working with government officials to meet needs in the community, demonstrating compassion for the people who live in Moorstown for the next three years. It is a longer term commitment but the moment the church backs off of its discipline and loses sight of its commitment the community will lose sight of the church.

Bethany Church has set a priority of moving her members from being attendees and spectators to being involved, and on to being fully engaged. Church leaders must develop a course of disciplined cultural moves to assist everyone in moving through these stages and becoming fully engaged. Without discipline the depth of strategic planning will be to little avail.

Whatever your church sets to do inside the building or to the community outside, you need an established culture of discipline. Discipline should not imply punishment Rather discipline is the continuing self-controlled, adherence to regulation and order to accomplish the task at hand.

For more information on building a culture of discipline in your church or organization contact George Yates and visit soncare.net.

People often look for the magic behind successful organizations. They are looking for miracles, models and prototypes for success. There is one thing that many successful organizations – churches and others have in common. And it is not a miracle, model, or physical prototype. One correlation many of the successful organizations have is a devoted adherence to a set discipline. Yes, these organizations have an understanding of their mission. The leaders have strategically planned a course of action and continually attempt to instill the core values of the organization to fulfill the mission through those core values.  One thing that sets the successful organizations apart from all like organizations is discipline. Whether you are a leader in a church, denominational judicatory, or any other organization, how is your discipline?

Many of us would answer that question; “Oh, I’m disciplined. I don’t do this or that. I am cautious about these areas…” These might fall under the parameters of discipline. However you will notice they focus on the negatives to avoid rather than the discipline to continue moving forward. Successful organizations, when plotting their strategies, always build in disciplines to maintain the course. If you are planning to take a trip driving from Houston, Texas to New York City and you have only five days to make the drive, you will plan your route and set your course accordingly. Planning your route is where you determine how you will get from Houston to New York. Setting the course is where you will determine how far you will need to travel each day to arrive at your destination in the allotted time. Discipline comes into play along the journey.

If you map out your total miles from Houston, Texas to New York City as 1628 miles, you can divide that by five days and know that you need to drive 326 miles each day. That will equate to about six hours of drive time each day. Through proper planning you will also add into your calculation stops for fuel, rest, and meals. This is still the planning stage. Yet you are building in the discipline aspect of your journey. How well you stick to the course you previously set for the journey will demonstrate the level of discipline and amount of success you will reach along the journey.

Successful organizations build disciplines into the course of action for their organization. Not only in the course of action, a culture of discipline is then instilled and adhered throughout the organization. Using the analogy above of the journey from Houston to New York in a simplified demonstration, an organization with a culture of discipline to drive 326 miles each day would not attempt to drive 500 miles for two days then slack off and only drive 250 miles the other three days. A large part of building a culture of discipline is pacing your journey; keep moving forward at your pace through the difficult times and do not attempt to outpace your organizational ability simply because it looks like you are on a downhill slide. Success comes not from writing disciplines into a plan, but from the faithful adherence to the disciplines set forth.

If you want success don’t search for the magic, models, or miracles of other organizations. Building discipline for a successful venture in your organization requires strategic planning, setting the course, and maintaining the pace of the ability of those within your organization.

For more information on building a culture of discipline in your church or other organization contact George Yates and SonC.A.R.E. Ministries. God bless!

Are you part of an effective team or one person in a group meeting for a common cause? There is a difference. Sometimes groups that call themselves teams do not operate as a team. If you are a sports fan perhaps you can recall watching a “team” like this. The dysfunction of its members leads to chaos and infighting, everyone looking out for his own interest and not the best interest of the team. Not only in sports, perhaps you have witnessed this in your organization or workplace as well. Have you ever considered what makes certain teams more successful than others?

There is much that could be written about building a successful team, more than this blog has space for. With that in mind let me list three initial characteristics of a healthy team. There are certainly more characteristics of healthy, successful teams. However, without these three as a foundation for forming a team and initiating the work, your team will not reach its potential.

Compatibility

One key characteristic is compatibility. Are all team members attuned to the need and working toward a ‘best’ solution and greatest potential of the team? All team members need to be harmonious for working side by side to accomplish the task of the team? This does not mean all members think alike. That can actually be disastrous for a team. Diversity on the team will lead to deeper exploration and greater search for the best outcome. Yet, all team members should be harmonious in reaching for the best solution/result. Compatibility should not imply that we all come in with the same thoughts or gift set on a particular situation. The compatibility needed is that we all agree that a resolution that is best and beneficial to the team objective is what we will work toward. And we will do it without animosity toward each other or ideas presented by other team members.

Loyalty

Loyalty of members to a team is crucial to the performance of a team and all outcomes by the team. We all have priorities in life and the priorities of your team need to be established at the very onset of your working together. Loyalty includes attendance to all meetings, participation, confidentiality, encouragement, and support of team members and objective. These descriptors of loyalty should be discussed and agreed upon by each member at the first meeting of the team.

Shared Responsibility

The term, team, in itself designates the work to be accomplished is to be shared by all members of the team. Too often organizational teams exist with one or two people carrying the load of the work and the team comes together periodically to discuss progress. This is not a team. Every person on a team should be recruited for the team for his or her gift/skill set. Each person has a role to fulfill and skills to assist the team in reaching its goals and objectives.

This is not intended in any way to be inclusive of all characteristics of a functioning team. But insuring these three are investigated and discussed before the team begins its actual assignment will greatly enhance your chances of an effective team and productive meetings and progress. What other characteristics do you value in a team?

For more information on developing effective teams or to pass on your thoughts and ideas contact George Yates and SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.

In a recent conversation a minister asked a couple questions of concern about his church. His questions could have been asked by many church ministers and members across our nation. Actually, I have had similar conversations with other pastors and church leaders. The basis of these questions revolve around, “Why is our church not growing?” While this and similar questions occupy the thoughts of many pastors, I was pleased this minister friend was seeking answers and not afraid to ask.

Our church continues to provide opportunities for the community, Easter and Christmas events, harvest festivals…How does a church make these a ministry and not just a handout? We’re giving away these services and fun times, including food. Most of the time we are asking guests for their name and address but, as far as I know, no follow up is done except to send them a flyer the next time we have a free event coming up.

Follow up is a key to any event or attraction of people to a church. They cannot know the depth of caring unless you demonstrate that depth. In the church world we have bought into the idea that we are showing depth of compassion by hosting these types of events and ministries. How shallow our thoughts when we do this. In essence are we not merely trying to lure them in with a baited hook? Unfortunately, in too many instances this is the truth being played out through today’s churches and we think by hosting these community events we are fulfilling the Great Commission.

I have heard it said more than once that you cannot visit in people’s homes any longer. I find this to be one of the biggest untruths of our day. Serving in KY, OH, GA, CA and working with churches in other states, I have never been kicked out of a home or off a porch when visiting for God. I do go in prayed up and with a proper loving attitude, never with a preconceived idea of the length or specific depth of conversation. My aim is always to share God’s love and my appreciation for the face to face meeting. If this is as far as the visit goes, then I have been obedient in attempting to share His love beyond an event. I always pray for an open door and opportunity to enter into a conversation about Christ as God wills. When this happens I praise Him for the bonus blessing.

Too many times when follow up visits are made, I’m afraid we go in with a wrong attitude or air about why we are there and lose the opportunity to share God’s love allowing Him to work through us in the situation. Whether we verbally express it or not, different agenda comes through to the prospect. I believe when we do not conduct appropriate follow up visits, we do an injustice to God and send a message of the lack of depth of our care and compassion for lost souls headed for an eternity in Hell.

These events can be fun and we get a good turn out from the community but it doesn’t seem to be doing the church any good except for, perhaps, warm fuzzy feelings that we are reaching out into the community. We are building a good reputation in the community for the church but thus far it hasn’t encouraged anyone to visit us for worship. Other churches are doing them, even some government programs do the same.

I’m beginning to feel that the community is merely receiving these as another form of welfare or as entitlements that the church is obligated. I think these have become so common place that they have ceased to show the community that the church cares for them. Thus no longer engendering a desire to become a part of the church.

(Notice the pastor is coming close to answering his own question) Perhaps you are correct. If so what are you willing to do for a different outcome? God has called your church to reach the surrounding community. At some point in history a group of people believed God was leading them to reach the people of that particular area, and I do not believe God’s plan was to reach the community for only a certain number of years. There are still people in the community who need Christ. Therefore, there is still work to be done.

How will your church be intentional about embracing the community? If the community has changed, what changes are required of your church to reach the new face of the community? There are successful churches doing exactly what you know you need to do, be intentional and make the adjustments. Throughout the last 2000 years the church has modified its methods to share the good news and the love of God to the changing cultures surrounding the church. Today is no different. God has placed you, (each person) in the church body where you find yourself today, for a reason. This is your watch. How will you be intentional and lead your fellow believers to be intentional about sharing the love of God and reaching the community where God has placed you?

People often ask, “Why are so many churches in decline today?” and “What causes decline?” If only it were simple to give a one sentence answer to these two questions. Yet it is not that simple, at least not on the surface. First, we must determine what constitutes a declining church. In the introduction of Reaching the Summit I lay out some of the guidelines that I use for this determination.

There are differing reasons for decline in churches; apathy within the church, loss of vision, lack of purpose, jumping from one ‘next big thing’ to another, and the list goes on. When asked, leaders and members inside the church will give a number of reasons, many of which have to do with outside circumstances, the economy, changing culture, the new church down the street, and more. The difficulty I have with these is you had no control over these when things were going good and you have no control over them now. Therefore, why do we use these as our scapegoat for the church’s current condition?

As God has called us to build His church, has he stated “except in a bad economy” or “with the exception of…” No, He has not. I believe our God is bigger than any economy or cultural shift. Blaming outside forces or circumstances does not get the rebuilding job done. It hinders and keeps us from rebuilding. It does please our adversary. Yet we know that is not our intent.

I believe a better place to look is in God’s word to find a reason for the decline in so many churches today. As I prayed through those questions a few years ago the conclusion I came to can be found in Jesus’ own words in Revelation 2:4.”Yet I hold this against you, you have forsaken your first love.” (NIV) That can be a bitter pill to swallow, at least about our own church. “It may be true of many other churches, but not mine.” When we examine the issue fully, open, and honestly, I believe this is where we need to begin.

Great news is found in the very next verse, Revelation 2:5, Jesus gives us the prescription we need today. “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you you did at first.” (NIV) He is not saying go back to big tent revivals and the methods of yesterday. Jesus is advising us to get back to the love we shared and the compassion with which we shared it. What a glorious revelation to the church at Ephesus and to you and me today as well. What was the passion that drove us in those tent revivals and the “Million More in ’54”? That is where we will find the big tent revivals of today.

God has called you and placed you at the particular place you are serving at this specific time in history to join Him in building His church. He desires to do great things through you. What will you do today in light of Revelation 2:4-5 to bring His light back into the community around you and through the local body of believers in which He has placed you?

For more information on avoiding and reversing decline in your church visit soncare.net, pick up your copy of Reaching the Summit,  and contact George L. Yates at SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.