Pastor Mike, the founding pastor of 25 year old Solid Rock church was perplexed that the church couldn’t seem to break the 500 mark. I’ve witnessed this query with churches wanting to break the 45 mark, 60, 100, and other numbers. For Pastor Mike, we put together a team and worked through the Reaching the Summit Process. The first order in the process is always, get the church in a consistent deeper, than their normal, praying mode.

After this, the team looked at where they were and through some tough questions and rigorous debate, identified a couple of areas that needed adjustment. Mindsets would need to change and traditions given some serious attention. Pastor Mike knew some of this and wanted someone from the outside to come in and ask the tough questions. Some of the questions he himself would have to struggle with.

As we prayerfully worked through identifying issues and possibilities the first five months the team entrusted the church with greater prayer responsibilities. There were no definitive, “we’ve got to do this or that…” There were some minor adjustments made including one new seating plan change for the worship service.

At the next monthly team meeting, the pastor came in excitedly and asked, “Did anyone notice that we have been over 500 the last two weeks in a row?” (It even startled him.) Now, mind you he was not boasting in the numbers. Quite the opposite, he was bragging on God. The church had tried repeatedly in man’s ways to reach a certain number, but it was not until they through church-wide prayer turned the matter over to God asking to break them to be the church God wanted, did God give the increase.

I have witnessed it in churches of various sizes, cultures, and economical status, God’s ways are much higher than any of our ways. It is easy to drift while thinking we are doing it God’s way.

In his book, The Antioch Effect, my friend, Dr. Ken Hemphill wrote, “Church growth is not something we do to the church; rather it is the by-product of a proper relationship with Christ…the growth is not an end in and of itself, it is the result of a super-natural empowering.”

Last week’s post spoke to that same topic; the numerical growth of any evangelical church is always the by-product of a right relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit leading members and the total church in spiritual maturation, ministry expansion, & missions awareness.

When Solid Rock entered into a new deeper commitment to church-wide prayer, God began to put the pieces together and gave the increase without any fanfare or special events or programs – simply hearts asking to be broken and renewed. Each church is different and God works differently in each church, but you too can see signs of God’s design. Perhaps you simply need a small adjustment in your spiritual walk. Small adjustments bring super-natural results.

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.

Ask most Christians what it takes to grow a church and most answers will have something to do with adding people. While it sounds prosperous, this is where most churches miss the mark. I have written about four areas of growth in a church as identified by Gene Mims. Unfortunately, most churches get these out of order – and it is costly to Christ’s church.

1. The first area of church health leading to growth is Spiritual Maturation. When both the individuals of a church and the church corporately are growing in their spiritual maturity certain things begin to happen, allowing the Holy Spirit to move in the lives of those who make up the church. Spiritual maturation does not happen without spiritual disciplines in the lives if individuals and through the actions and ministries within the church.
2. As the individual members of a church and the church corporately grow spiritually together, an awareness begins to unfold. Ministry Expansion is the natural outcome of spiritual maturation in any church. The speed, and levels of spiritual maturation along with the needs within the congregation and the community will determine the ministry expansion required. It could be more Bible study classes, expanded nursery and children’s areas, mentoring processes, or any number of others.
3. An outgrowth of ministry expansion is always Mission’s Awareness. As people in spiritual maturity, ministry expansion is needed to accommodate continual growth. As that growth continues, people become more aware of the needs in the community and around the world. As this awareness arises, the church must be prepared to equip members and present opportunities for mission fulfillment. When you see pockets of mission’s awareness rising up in your church, smile and know spiritual maturation is moving full steam ahead.
4. The fourth area of growth in the church is a by-product of the other three. When Spiritual Maturation is taking place among the members individually and corporately, Ministry Expansion is a natural outgrowth. With Ministry Expansion comes an inclination for Mission’s Awareness. As these three are clicking on all cylinders, the natural by-product is Numerical Growth. If you and I can talk someone into something, someone else can talk them out of it. Numerical growth of God’s church does not come through a program or series of events. Numerical growth comes only by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Does your church have the right order? Or are you continually contemplating how to get more people into the church building? Begin today with prayer, asking for God’s guidance in His super-natural process of building His church.

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.

Churches know how to plan, but few strategically plan for greater, Great Commission results. Many, churches leave results to chance. Churches may or may not have an evangelistic presence, or an opportunity for members to pray with guests. Honestly, one of the greatest evangelistic events I’ve ever been a part of planning had a very low-key gospel appearance. Yet, this event, held quarterly, drew more people to our church with long-term evangelistic success than any other I have ever witnessed.

Successful strategic event planning for greater Great Commission results requires more planning than most churches consider. Personally, I generally led our churches to spend a year or more praying, planning, and preparing for major events. (We did the same before making any major ministry changes.)

Having been asked to speak on this topic for a large group of churches, I prepared a simplified flow chart to include in my presentation.

Begin 6-12 months out. Pray about what your church giftings are, what true needs are in your community, what are the possibilities. Then wait and listen for God’s response. (If it is not in God’s timing, it will not be fruitful). Wait until you are clear of God’s direction.

The next step is to brainstorm with other leaders and those in your organization with giftings in the main areas of the event purpose. (Giftings in the event purpose is not the same as giftings in areas of the event – set up, food prep, etc.) What is needed, what will be required of the church, finances, resources, manpower, calendar dates and time, training?

Around the nine-month time frame begin to assemble a team to work together to implement a successful event. Team members should consist of at least one person for each area needed leading up to, during, and follow-up of the event. This team should meet at least monthly for the next six months, bi-weekly for the next two months, and as often as weekly the final month leading to the event. Prayer should be a major portion of these meetings.

Set the date and time no earlier than nine months out. Enlist program personalities, and performers, locate venue, all a minimum of nine-months out.

At seven months begin a seven (7) touch promotion. More about the seven touch promotion at The Key to a Well Attended Event | George’s blog . Seven is the minimum. (For community events, replace the words pastors or churches with homes in your community.)

Referring to the flow chart, remember it is a simplified chart. Delve into details at every meeting, mail listing, and phone call.

For more information on any part or how to apply this to your ministry, please contact George Yates. It costs you nothing, but it could cost you a bundle to keep doing things as per normal.

We apologize, the link to the flow-chart is broken. We are working to repair it. Contact me for a pdf copy.

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 the church we leave a lot on the table when it comes to our events which could be resolved with a different preparation schedule. Churches know how to plan, but there is a major difference in planning and strategic planning that leads to implementation for greater Great Commission results.

We call VBS a success because we had some children show up and no one went to the hospital all week. Regardless of the event, we pull out what we can & say it was a successful event. We should find the good in an event recognizing what went well. Yet, what if when we get to heaven, we are able to view a video and see what divine results we could have encountered?

One of the first steps in planning any event, new ministry endeavor, or even teaching a Bible study class, is to give yourself adequate time for preparation. Through the years I have led conferences, consulted and coached churches in strategic planning that brings Great Commission results, being a practitioner of the same. I was once told, “We have never seen an event in that region draw more than 250 people. 200 will be a success.” To which I replied, “I’ve asked our team to pray for 400.” We had 520 show up the first year.

Adequate preparation is critical. I believe Bible study teachers should, “Prepare throughout the week. Do not wait until Saturday to prepare your lesson.” If you wait, you cheat yourself and your attendees of a great Holy Spirit led lesson. Study a part of the lesson each day of the week. This allows you to wrestle with the truth and your delivery come class time. You need that time for adequate preparation.

After service one Sunday morning, Ron, a middle school Sunday School teacher, came by my office. “George, I had to tell you this. Last week I was studying my lesson all week and could not understand how to transfer it to my kids. Wednesday, I just said, ‘Lord, I can’t do this! I have no idea how to do this Sunday.’”

Friday evening, he was at the office a couple hours late. A fellow employee came by his office and made one statement about his commitment, being in the office that late on Friday. Ron said, “George, I kid you not, at that very second, as soon as he made that statement, everything fell into place. I knew exactly how I was going to deliver the lesson Sunday. If I had not been preparing all week like you taught us, I would have missed the Holy Spirit’s working through that employee, giving me the lesson. I’m sure glad I didn’t wait till Saturday to start.” I asked Ron how the lesson went that morning. With a big grin he said, “It was one of the best lessons we’ve had all year.”

Adequate preparation with the Holy Spirit as your guide is not only important. It is critical! Whether a Bible study lesson, a special event, or a ministry project, give yourself adequate time and resources to prepare with the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

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.

As a young man, in my early twenties, I often went camping with friends. There were six of us this particular weekend and four had gone to the lake early to set up camp and reserve a spot for the remaining two. Scott and I were going to join them later that evening after work. It was late, we had not eaten and stopped at the grocery for extra snacks and something for supper.

We purchased a chicken and proceeded to the campground. There were no precooked chickens as many stores sell today. We were rugged young men, and we were ready for some good open-fire-roasted chicken.

Around 11:00 that evening after unpacking the car, we built a spit over the fire to roast our chicken. After about forty-five minutes that bird was browning and our growling stomachs were waking the neighboring campers. We were ready to eat but decided to wait a little longer making certain the chicken was cooked. By midnight we could no longer stand it.

That browned bird was coming off the spit and we were going to partake in a feast. Our friends who had eaten earlier were delighting in this. We placed that roasted chicken on a plate and set ourselves down on opposite sides of the picnic table with the chicken between us. We each grabbed a leg and began to twist. As we twisted, the red blood quickly surfaced from the undercooked chicken. That chicken didn’t crow or cluck, but our friends were laughing so hard that you could not have heard the chicken if it had.

Why were they laughing? We had set down for a feast, but we had not sufficiently prepared for the feast. (Learning did take place that night!) A few things in life may pass without preparation, but not the important arenas. Whatever you take on in life, you must surrender to the need for adequate preparation.

Jesus is part of the Triune God. Yet scripture accentuates His preparation. Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness in preparation before embarking on His three-and-a-half years of ministry. Jesus spent many nights praying—alone with the Father – preparing for the tasks of the days to follow. There were no seminaries, no commentaries for Jesus or His disciples. There were very few copies of the written word, and they were not readily available to the common public. Still, being fully human, Jesus knew the necessity of preparation.

We do not possess the abilities God had in Jesus when He walked on earth. However, He has given us more resources for preparation than any other period in history. How do you make use of resources as you prepare for your role as God’s instrument to others? Are you detailed in your preparation or do you rely on past education and experience? Spend time with God today, inquiring of what you can do with Him to improve your preparation and delivery.

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.

Will people learn more from a teacher giving four, thirty-minute lectures on being a Christ-like servant or from being asked one time to prepare a meal for a family in need? Which one will produce genuine evidence of learning? Doing always outweighs hearing. Involving people in engagement produces evidences of learning. Many times, as in this case, the involvement is the evidence of learning. Why? Because the involvement moved people from listener to learner through engagement.

Moving people from involvement to engagement should be our objective as teachers, leaders, and fellow Christians. A great quote to remember says, “Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will learn/understand.”

The learning retention reveals this sentiment. The learning retention scale reveals that;

• We remember less than 10% of what we hear.
• We can remember up to 30% of what we see.
• We can remember up to 50% of what we both see and hear.
• We will remember 90% of what we are involved and engaged in.

The Learning retention scale reveals the importance of involvement/engagement. The more we engage a person, the more he/she will grow in understanding. As disciple-makers, how important is it to engage people in the learning process? There is no greater method to produce evidences of learning.

When we are called upon to take a participatory role in the learning experience, our retention increases dramatically as revealed in the Learning retention scale. As teachers, leaders, and Christian disciples, we are not called to be knowledge dispensers. We are called to become creators of learning experiences.

True evidence of learning is the outward manifestation of learned principles and truths from scripture. Our core values and beliefs are made known through our actions and are modified as we grow in Christ through our actions.

Watch for evidences of learning in your class members. How are the truths taught in class being manifested in the lives of attendees? Ask for testimonials. When you see or hear of an evidence of learning, confer recognition for it. Use discretion about making them known publicly as some are done anonymously.  Beware of false evidences as rote memorization, attendance and other misguided barometers used today.

Observe, watch for, and recognize true evidences of learning. Evidences of learning come through actions revealing spiritual growth. This is Teaching That Bears Fruit!

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 post we looked at one of today’s misguided barometers in the church. We shared how both substance and sustenance are required in the teaching/learning process. Without sustenance evidence of learning will never take place. Sustenance expresses support or nourishment necessary for life. In other words, sustenance manifests through action providing evidence of learning.

“How does this work?”, you might ask. Thom and Joni Schultz of Group Publishing have an excellent example. Let me share it in my own words. Let’s say you are teaching a group of 4^th graders, studying the story of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Four students respond when you ask who can share the story.

Student 1 quotes verbatim Luke 10:25-37 from your preferred translation.

Student 2 paraphrases the story in his or her own words.

Which of these two has best demonstrated they understand the story? Student 2.

Student 3 shares the story of a time she witnessed her uncle being a good Samaritan.

Which of these three would you say best understands the story of the Good Samaritan? Student 3 of course has demonstrated a better understanding. There is one more student.

Student 4 voluntarily sits with a new student who is rumored to have AIDS and shunned by the other students.

Which of the four students has best demonstrated evidence of learning? Without question, student 4 has manifested evidence of learning by living out the practice of the scripture’s truths.

Which of the four students do we most often reward at church?  Student number 1, right? We praise and give gold stars to the child who can memorize scripture, yet how many classrooms have gold stars or accolades for students demonstrating true evidences of learning? Memorizing scripture is great and spiritually healthy, but if we are not helping our class members (of all ages) to manifest their learning through actions that demonstrate evidences of learning, are we producing disciples or trivia buffs?

Whether you are a teacher or class member, watch, observe, and listen for examples of people, especially your class members, demonstrating evidences of learning through action throughout the week. Share those experiences and other examples in class. Challenge class members to live each week manifesting the truths of substance studied in class. Living it out is the only evidence of learning and it provides the sustenance of the learning experience.

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.

A misguided barometer used today in churches and Christian education settings is, “We are giving them big doses of God’s Word every week. If they are not learning, it’s their own fault.” The question is, “What are the God-given evidences of learning?” Evidences of learning occur when we see manifestations of Christlike character being lived out in their lives.

Without proper nutrition our bodies will deteriorate. The same is true with our spiritual being. We need a healthy, steady diet to grow and sustain our spiritual being. However, we must ask, is the steady diet many Christians are getting across North America the one God has prescribed? An old saying I remember hearing, growing up in Kentucky, regarding preachers or speakers was “All the meat and no potatoes.” This meant the speaker had all the substance without any sustenance.

“Substance” refers to physical matter or material, while “sustenance” expresses support or nourishment necessary for life. Substance is good but it does not produce any evidence of learning or spiritual maturity. Evidence of learning cannot be found in the lives of many Christian’s because they are not receiving the sustenance, which brings about life-change. Are many of our churches serving up “all the meat and no potatoes”.

Pastors, teachers, Christian educators, and Christians in general are always looking for “spiritual maturity” in other Christians. Unfortunately, as one writer put it, we are using misguided barometers. Most often the spiritual maturity criteria we use to fill a position is: 1) Attendance, how often are they here? 2) How many jobs in the church do they have? 3) How long have they been a member? 4) Do they attend Bible study?

While regularity of attendance is important and should be looked at for most positions in the church, is it a criterion for spiritual maturity? All four are good considerations, yet not one of them reveal evidence of learning and spiritual maturity. Billy Graham has written and stated that he believed up to 50% of the members sitting in our pews every week are lost and on their way to Hell.

The level of spirituality or carnality will exhibit evidence of learning or lack of it as people attend the church and its functions. Evidence of learning comes through actions lived out at church and elsewhere seven days a week.

What barometers are you using to determine evidences of learning? What adjustments do you need to make in your discerning evidences of learning in your life and in your church? Next week we will look at evidences of learning and spiritual maturation.

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.

“We’ve always done it that way,” a statement heard often in church circles. A statement that often follows is, “And it has worked for us in the past.” A misconception lies in the second statement. The question rises, “Has it really worked?” What are the evidences revealing the fruitfulness of recent years? Let’s take the teaching in your church.

How has the Holy Spirit manifested Himself through the teaching/learning processes in your church? What life-changing discipleship growths are evidenced from the teaching settings in your church?

If you are using content driven curriculum without pointed application, the facts show that teaching is not changing lives. In many settings what we think we are teaching and what they are learning are two totally different things. Thom & Joni Schultz of Group Publishing demonstrate this very well in their book, “Why Nobody Learns Much of Anything at church; and How to Fix it.” (Long title, great book)

Content deals with information, facts, figures, and material. Application relates to transformation. Wisdom, rather than knowledge, is a quality of application. While content relates information and material, wisdom is the understanding of to what purpose the knowledge  learned can and should be used. Application bears upon maturity rather than material covered.

Along with knowledge, we must give our listeners wisdom to use the information to transform – change – their lives. In the process of imparting knowledge to our learners, we must strive to assist each one in acquiring the wisdom of using the knowledge procured. As we transfer material, we must advocate the advancement of their spiritual maturity which is only evidenced through application.

Look at Matthew 16:2-4. Underline each phrase or sentence that reveals content. Circle each one that points to application, (dealing with transformation, change, wisdom, and maturity).

Without cherry-picking this scripture, I opened my Bible and put this to the test.  There ae seventy-three words in these verses. I marked 52 (71%) as application. Verses 2&3 are application driven. Verse 4 is content driven. Try this with any of Jesus’ teaching. You’ll find His teaching focus was 70% or greater toward application. Even the Sermon on the Mount. Without application, life-change will not take place.

Teaching that does not avail in transforming lives in spiritual maturity is not our calling. It will lead teachers into an information dispensing trap. Is your goal to be an information dispenser or a conduit for life transformation? We are called to teach (Gr; didasko). Didasko is the act of causing someone to learn. To learn is to gain not only knowledge, but comprehension and mastery of.

Abandon the “We’ve Always Done it that Way” syndrome and teach as Jesus taught.

This is the final installment of application driven teaching. For more information or if you have questions, reach out to me.

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.

Following the two previous posts, receiving inquiries about application delivery through Bible study, the following are some thoughts and ideas I shared with some added content.

Where I have learned the greatest is from Jesus Himself. Jesus asked questions. I am a student of the question. However, you must learn to ask the right questions, and the delivery of each question is critical. As you learn to ask the “right” questions, strive to give application-driven questions more emphasis in your teaching.

1, Ask questions pertaining to the truth of God’s word you are studying. Ex: “What are actions we can take individually this week to demonstrate this topic?

If you are studying on being a servant of Christ, Ask the above question or say, Let’s list five actions we could take-on this week to demonstrate Christlike servanthood. (You’re not asking them to take on 5 but stirring their thought processes of ways to serve.)

You could also ask people to commit to one another in the room that each will be a servant to someone this week, out of their normal sphere. Give a suggestion as, “It might even be holding the door for someone with a smile and warm greeting.” Then call for other ideas. You have just sparked their higher order thinking in how to be a servant.

2, Issuing a challenge during each session is also a tool for addressing application. Whenever I preach or teach there is always a challenge issued. Sometimes it is very specific, and other times it may be more subtle.

Whatever you do in line with these first two, always call for testimonies the following week as you begin the session. Not everyone will share, but those who will , will be planting seeds of thought for everyone.

3, Consider how the class can practice application together. Plan ministry endeavors, to do as a class. (Serve together at a local ministry to homeless, indigent, infirmed, or community needs.) Share with the class the belief that the class needs to serve together putting into practice the truths of scripture studied on Sunday mornings. Share your ideas, then call for ideas from others in what you could do as a class.

4, The illustrations and stories you use in class can also be prompts for ideas for application for individuals and the class as a whole. Share a story as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. One person, One idea, over 300 million books have been gifted worldwide with remarkable results in children’s preparedness and learning. Then share something, “We may not reach 300 million but what could our class do to reach into our community for Christ? Share stories of inspiration, then ask a similar question.

5, Familiarize yourself with the S.O.A.P. method of Bible study. (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer.) Google it to learn more.

This is not all inclusive, but it will kickstart your application-driven delivery growing disciples. How do you currently use application processes?

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.