Walking down the sidewalk of a non-specific city, I noticed a woman about a half block ahead of me. She raised up from rummaging through a trash can on the sidewalk. Her appearance was not like everyone else on the sidewalks that day. Her hair dirty and oily, her clothing tattered, wrinkled and unclean, everything about her appearance was alien to her surroundings. The reception of the people around her? To ignore, avoid, and avert getting close to her.

Sitting in a restaurant enjoying lunch while on a road trip, I noticed a homeless man, dressed much like the woman in the earlier scenario, enter the restaurant. He walked straight up to the counter, said something (that I could not hear) to the young man preparing sandwiches. In less than a minute the man was handed a wrapped sandwich from behind the counter. He nodded and I believe said thanks and exited the restaurant with his head down. It turns out the restaurant has a policy of feeding the homeless one sandwich a day, if they come in orderly and ask.

The main difference in these two scenarios is one is expected, the other is considered a nuisance. We often go out of our way to avoid those not like us, men and women that we do not expect to interact with or meet. The woman on the sidewalk just happened to show up as we were walking that way. We were not expecting her and did not desire to spend time with her. The restaurant on the other hand expected and prepared for the homeless. The difference is one is a visitor, one is a guest.

Let’s turn this to the church (or other organization). In your church do you have visitors or guests? There is a difference. The difference is how you treat them. A guest is someone you are expecting. You prepare for them and you want them to stay. A visitor is someone who shows up unexpectedly and you hope they do not stay.

A personal example: Let’s say you invite me to your home for a meal. Before I arrive, you spend time cleaning, cooking and preparing for me. You are expecting me to be your guest. You anticipate my arrival and expect me to stay a while.

On the other hand, if you do not invite me, yet I show up on your doorstep one evening and announce, “I’m here for supper.” You are not expecting me. You are likely hoping that I am joking and not planning to stay. In this scenario, I am a visitor.

In your church are newcomers treated as guests or visitors? Are you genuinely planning for their arrival and want them to stay even if they do not look, dress, smell, or talk like you? What can you do to make every newcomer feel like a welcomed guest?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

In any business when you ask employees what benefit or perk would brighten their day as a worker the first thing we expect to hear is – money (bonuses, raise, cash gift). If the question is asked on the spur of the moment, money might be one of the answers you’ll hear. However, when given time to think about it or in lengthier discussions, the number one perk or benefit given is personal growth and development.

The absolute best investment any employer or leader can make for employees/volunteers is time. Invest a little time equipping, training, and encouraging your people in personal development. Personal development can be directly related to his/her job or unrelated. It could be truly personal (raising teenagers, budget management, cooking, family economics). People learn best when we offer personal development in their areas of life pursuit.

First, leaders should invest a little time with each of his/her charges. This can take place in casual momentary conversations. You might be surprised at how much you can learn about someone in a five minute casual conversation. Spend five minutes a week for three weeks with a person and you will find out what is truly important and get to know some of her life goals and desires.

For many, you may find their desire is something you already know and do, part of your job. Fulfilling this requires only a little of your time, perhaps over a period of months spending five minutes each week sharing of your knowledge and experience in a training mode for that person. Never do it in a condescending manner. Show genuine interest in that person’s development.

If you’re a sales manager, look for the warehouse personnel with a desire to be in sales and take him with you on a sales call. If you’re a pastor take others with you as you go to visit outside the church. In each case, you will be training as you fulfill your obligation and do your duties. No extra time required.

When we invest in personal development of those we lead, we build morale and worker/volunteer retention. Spending time with others, getting to know their life goals and desires, then helping them in personal development towards those goals will bring effective returns, through productivity, employee satisfaction, and happier employees (or volunteers).

It even beats out doughnuts and coffee, every time. The number one benefit or perk for those you lead is spending time with them, assisting them in personal development. After all it is their #1 desire. What will you do this week to begin a personal growth and development plan for those you lead?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

I have a friend who pastors a church that hosts a fish fry about 40 Fridays each year. This has been an ongoing practice since the church was founded nearly 20 years ago. At first, the proceeds from the fish fry were to help sustain the church’s operating budget. Still today the fish fry’s proceeds are used to assist in sustaining the church budget. However, at least 30% of the proceeds now go to mission work and other ministries in the community and beyond. The goal: continue raising the percentage used for missions until 100% is being given away in ministry and missions for God’s purposes and his glory.

Last year, while speaking with this young pastor, he mentioned customer count was down for the year. Therefore, income for the fish fry was down. When I inquired his thoughts on the reason for the decline, he stated one reason was pork chop dinners had become a big fundraiser in the area. We spoke some about it. (I can’t help but coach).

This year as I have spoken with him, the pastor tells me “business is up”. The first few months have been a banner year. When I inquired his thoughts on the reasons, he was very quick and assured of himself. “I have gotten back out into the community. I’ve personally made visits to business and factories. We’ve sent out more publications, promoting it (the fish fry)…”

The pork chop dinner fundraisers are still big, perhaps more than last year. The difference: he and his church have gotten back out into the community promoting and inviting. This is a good business lesson to be adhered to. But more than a business lesson…

There is a pretty obvious lesson to be learned here for all churches. It matters not how many pork chop fundraisers, i.e. other churches in the area, how good or bad the economy is, the change in the neighborhood – all those excuses we give why our church is not growing. We cannot rely on the fliers and promotions of yesteryear. If we expect God to move in our churches, we must do what He has called us to. We must get back out into the community with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

At the age of 67, Thomas Edison, one of our nation’s greatest inventors, seemingly lost all his life’s work. He stood by and watched all his labs and factory burn to the ground. The buildings, made of concrete, considered fireproof at the time, were only insured for about 10% of the actual worth. It was a multi-million-dollar loss – astronomical in 1914. It has been recorded that looking over the ruins in the daylight, Edison said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”

While this disastrous circumstance would bring most people to some level of depression and despondency Edison saw a silver lining. Not only did he speak positively in light of the terrible loss, Edison proceeded in the same manner. Three weeks after the fire, Edison introduced the first battery powered search light to the world. The idea came to him watching the firefighters struggle in low light conditions as his properties burned.

After perhaps his most famous invention, the lightbulb, when it was made known that he had unsuccessfully 1,000 times tried to create a working lightbulb, he supposedly stated, “I did not fail 1,000 times. I found 1,000 ways to not make a lightbulb.” Edison did not let negative set-backs hold him from progress. He was forward thinking and forward moving. His track record proves this about him. First with the lightbulb. And in our story above, only 3 weeks after losing all his working inventory and buildings.

When life throws a set-back your way, what is your reaction? Do you have a pity-party, blame others, walk away defeated? How would your life change if you looked for the silver lining in the tragedy, disaster, or other set-back?

Remember Edison’s statement, “There is great value in disaster.” In his case, “All our mistakes are burned up.” Don’t wait for a fire, and don’t let your mistakes shackle you. Learn from your mistakes. Then bury them and move forward. You might be surprised at the new speed and depth of creativity you’ll experience.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

footnote: Edison introduced the first phonograph in 1877, not 1914 as first written in this article.

While interviewing a potential employee for his company, a businessman ‘s phone began ringing. After the third ring the interviewee asked, Aren’t you going to answer that?” The business glanced at the phone, then looking back to the young lady sitting across from him said, “I do not know if that phone call is important or not. I do know this interview is important to me, my business, and to you.”

With his statement, the businessman made an indelible impression that would remain with this young lady for the rest of her life.

What you pay attention to and how you respond to distractions and interruptions speaks volumes to those in your presence; your employees, volunteers, or constituents. Looking at your cell phone, the log/magazine in your hand gives an undeniable message that you do not value those in your presence. This is true in formal meetings or spontaneous chats.

Beware of what your actions are conveying. It matters not if you are receiving important information in a text or interoffice memo or checking the time, each time you look at your phone, you are conveying a message to those you are with. And it is usually not the message you think. You are sending a devaluing message. In essence you are saying, “I’m not sure what I’m going to see when I look at my hone, but it is more important to me right now than my conversation with you.

When people’s belief is that they are not valued, their trust factor in you diminishes. With diminishing trust, they will stop coming to you with issues or solutions, as in their minds they will not likely get your attention. A consequence of this is disengagement. Disengagement brings lower production and morale.

When you show the people you interact with that you value your time with them, you will experience stronger communication and team engagement. Silence your phone for a time, put it in airplane mode if you must. Who knows, your renewed conversation engagement just might make an indelible impression on someone’s life.

Other than your cell phone, what other distractions are you allowing to relay devaluing those you interact with or lead?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

A different type of post this week. Perhaps it will bring a smile and warm memories of your father.

It was May 1988. I was living in Ohio and traveled home to Kentucky to visit my Mom, Dad and fiancé, Pam, every time I could get a couple days off. On this particular trip I purchased something I saw first on a lakeshore in Ohio – stunt kites. My purchase was a set of three Tilby stunt kites – a Tilby Trilogy. Each kite in this set carried the traditional diamond shape. With a normal kite you attach a ball of string, launch the kite and let it climb into the air while you hold the ball of string releasing it little by little as the kite climbs. A kite like this will dance and wave in the air a little, but not much.

A stunt kite on the other hands will do much more. It has two lines attached to the front of the first kite. In this case, I had purchased a trilogy or three kites you would fly stacked together. Three kites in a row, one in front of the other about 2 feet apart. Each kite had a different color striped pattern and each had a 50 foot tail of the main color of the kite to which it was attached. Using the two lines (strings) you could get the kite in the air and do tricks and spins, dives and climbs. Whereas a traditional kite stays pretty stationary, a stunt kite will fly all across the skies. By pulling on the left cord you can drive the kite to the left in a strong driving force, then quickly spin it to drive the opposite direction. Starting at 75 feet in the air you can pull one cord and cause the kite(s) to dive straight towards the ground or dive in a series of tight circles. Then reversing your hand position have the kites climb back in similar circular fashion.

I enjoyed those kites over the years as they moved with us in Ohio, to Georgia, and onto California before I sold them to another would-be enthusiast. But, by far, my greatest memory with those kites was the day I bought them. I sat in the living room floor of my parent’s house and put them together. Though I did not do it alone. My father, a heart patient, got down in the floor with me, just like when I was a child, we worked on the kites together. Helping one another, laughing and talking as we worked.

Of course, as soon as they were assembled, I wanted to try them out. I asked my father to go with me. But he was too tired, worn out. It was the last project my father and I would do together. He passed away to his eternal glory two weeks later. It has been 31 years since his passing, I was 31 years old, and yet, I have never forgotten the look on his face and the joy of putting those kites together in the floor; a father and his son.

These are some of my thoughts as we recently celebrated Father’s Day. Cherish the times, cherish the memories. Cherish life.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

If you’ve ever worked a jigsaw puzzle, you know the frustration of not being able to find that one missing piece. Most of us could get OCD about one missing piece. We look frantically for that one small piece; in the box and box top, under the box, all around the table, under the table. We may even look places where we know there is no possible way it could be.

You do realize that your church is one piece of a much larger puzzle? Actually, many puzzles. Every church is one connecting piece in differing societal puzzles; your local community, your city, your county, state, nation, and the world. You likely never thought of your church this way. Most people, even church leaders fail to recognize this truth. Therefore, your church could be a missing piece to one or all of these puzzles.

How are each of these six societal areas affected by your church? What would be different if your church were the current-day version depicted in the book of Acts?

Some churches are making a difference in their community – and abroad. Let’s start at home, your community. What does your church do for the community? How does your church truly attempt to get outside the confines of the building and work to meet the needs of the community with the intent of sharing the gospel. Perhaps eighty percent of our churches in North America are doing nothing to truly reach out to their community with the gospel.

Some attempt to satisfy their own guilt believing the church is doing something – like serving Wednesday night meals with the community invited. Yet, the only people coming are church members. We’re filling our tummies and claiming ourselves good and faithful because we offer the meal. “It’s not our fault if they don’t come.”

Another ten percent or more are doing the minimal; hosting a food bank or clothing closet. These are good ministries and there is a need. But how many food pantry’s and clothing closets are in your county? Do you know? One church set out to find what ministries were needed in their county. They had discussed all the norms like the two above. After inviting city and county officials, non-profits, and other agencies to their church for a discussion and free meal, the church found out there were already 53 agencies or offices assisting the physical needs of the residents.

The church’s conclusion was, “We do not need to start any needs-based ministries. We need to find where God is working and join Him in some of these established ministries.” This church realized their piece of the puzzle at this time was not to reinvent some ministry, but to utilize their giftings and resources with other ministries.

A good way to begin is to use the Strength & Needs Matrix offered (free) by SonC.A.R.E. Ministries. Identify the perceived strengths of your church, determine if they are currently being used as inward focused or outward – actually taking The Great Commission to your local community. Then get out of your building and ask for the true needs of the residents in your community. These two parts will lead you to find where you can be used by God in your local community. For assistance with this process contact George Yates @ SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

My church won’t follow…”, “My church won’t get on board with the vision.” “I feel like I’m the only one who cares…” “No one is trying.” These are very commonplace statements among pastors today. Before any readers get on your spiritual high-horse, pastors understand they serve God’s church. These statements are not about “me” and “my” church. They are simply referring to the people in the church where they serve.

Its true people can be apathetic to the cause and mission of the church in North America today. Also true is the fact that people lead busy lives. Yet, is what we are facing today something new? The New Testament church has existed for 2,000 years and faced many challenges – apathy, tyranny, false teachings, infidelity, the list goes on. And the bride of Christ (the church) lives on. Perhaps it is time to look at the way we lead the church.

Growing a church is not something you do. The growth of a church, like the growth of a young person, is a result or by-product of good healthy practices. Too often pastors attend conferences, read books, or listen to other pastors and attempt to change the practices of the people in their church based on what they’ve seen, read, or heard. In most cases the pastor is clinging to an idea instead of the biblical principles behind the idea. Rule of Success: Don’t copy models; capture principles.

In The Antioch Effect, Dr. Ken Hemphill states, “…any time we attempt to force growth methods (or change) upon people who are spiritually unprepared, the results will be chaotic carnality.”[i] (parenthetic emphasis mine) The health and thereby true growth of a church is a by-product of a super-natural empowering of God through the Holy Spirit.

As leaders in the church we must – well, lead our people into a proper relationship with Jesus Christ. Much of what we see paraded as “Christianity” in North America today is not the Christianity of the Bible. (That’s a post for another day) I have a family member that suffers from Parkinson’s disease. He cannot control the tremors in his hands. There is a disconnect between his head (brain) and his arms and hands.

It could be said that we in the North American church have a similar disconnect between the head (Christ) and the body (believers).

While I am grateful for The God of All creation using me, I realize God does not desire for me to be a “successful” church revitalizer. God’s desire is for me to love Him so much that He can use me to strengthen and build His churches. God’s desire for you is to be so deeply in love with Him that He can grow His church, His kingdom, through you. The #1 way to grow your church? Fall more deeply in Love with God!

What is the first step you can take today to fall more deeply in love with God so He can use you more effectively in your church setting?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

[i] The Antioch Effect, B&H 1994, Ken Hemphill, page 18

In my profession, I deal with change – a lot. Change is a six-letter word that brings fear, trepidation, and anxiety. To some, change is a dirty six-letter word. And yet, it is not change that is bad. In fact, it is not even that most people dislike change. However, we do not like change forced upon us.

We change in every area of our life. We do not listen to music as we did just 5-10 years ago. Television has changed and the way we watch TV has changed dramatically. The clothes we wear, the way we cook. We could go on and on listing the changes in our lives. So why do we dislike change in the church (or other organization) to which we belong.

Organizationally speaking, people need to be led through change. Properly leading change will bring less stress and anxiety. First, carefully select those who will assist in determining and leading change in your church (organization). There are four quality characteristics to look for in each person to be recruited for such a vision/revitalization team.

1. Open-minded – Every person on the team must be open to new ideas, thoughts, and concepts. The absence of open-mindedness in team members can bring sudden death to any new ideas and needed change.
2. Forward thinking – To move forward, to make progress, the team collectively must think in forward terms. Living in the past and trying to recreate past “good times” will only lead to stalemating the process. Forward thinking requires creative thinking.
3. Ready to speak – Each person on the team has an equal voice (including the pastor or leader). Each one has insights and life’s experiences that others on the team do not. Remaining quiet is not allowing the team to process all thoughts and ideas properly. Each person’s thoughts need to be voiced so that the team can make the most justified decision.
4. Willing to Listen – Because each person on the team has an equal voice/representation, all team members must be willing to listen to every other team member, even when others may express opposite views. Healthy debate can only occur when everyone will speak openly and listen equally to all viewpoints.

Selecting the right team members will help start the process and will carry the organization much further than creating a team of “because they’re in leadership” members. Elected leaders are not always the best for this vision creating team. They may be better suited to finesse and implement the ideas in his/her ministry area.

The best place to start is with prayer. First, pray for your personal thinking (or that of your pastor/leader). Pray that you will have the four quality characteristics even in the selection process. Pray for God to bring to mind the people in your organization who have the four qualities listed above. Then pray individually for the names that come to mind.

In any building or remodel project the greatest key is getting started right. Proper selection is getting started right. In your next project, how will employ these thoughts in getting Started Right?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

Before modern technology, before ink-jet laser, or toner copiers, there were these blue ink laden sheets known as carbon sheets. By taking a carbon sheet and placing it between an original (on top) and a blank sheet of paper (on bottom) then tracing over what was on the top sheet you could create a carbon copy on the bottom blank sheet of paper. Hence the name carbon copy.

One of the great fallacies in organizations is keeping dying practices alive too long. In the church we call these traditions. Traditions are those practices that we repeat over and over. Too often these traditions become our weaknesses. They become our weaknesses because we rely on their past victories. If it once worked (years ago) we believe it is still as good today.

The issue is good is not good enough. In fact, many traditions are not good or healthy in the church today. Good is the enemy of great. Each time we settle for good, I’m convinced we are pleasing Satan, not God. As long as you settle for good, you’ll never reach for the greatness that God created you for.

Can tomorrow be a carbon copy of yesterday. Regardless of business you are in the answer is a resounding NO. In case you have not noticed, a copy is never as good as the original. Carbon copies were not as good as the original they were pressed from. Today, photocopies are not as good as the original. Tools, cars, knock off clothing and any other thing that is made as a copy of an original falls short of being as good as the original.

In church (or any organization) we cannot expect to move forward while hanging on to things and practices of the past. The culture around us has changed and is indeed changing at a more rapid pace than anytime in history. While we have heard this for years, even decades, the church, in general, has failed to embrace the need for redeveloping itself to reach people for Christ.

We must understand that for two millennium the church has evolved and transformed to share God and His love to its contemporary generation. I once worked for a retail establishment. It was the second largest (sales volume) of its kind in the nation. Competitors began changing their stores using a different concept of shopping experiences. The company I worked for refused to change. The store models had worked in the past, the company was relying on them to do the same. Trusting in the past and expecting a greater future, killed that company.

Whether in a church, religious judicatory, or any organization, tomorrows practices cannot be copies of yesterday. We were not given the past to live in. We were given the past to learn from. We live in the present and strive toward a better tomorrow. Somehow, we’ve forgotten that truth. What will you do this week to help move your organization to a better tomorrow?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.