Greg Nettle – Evaluate weekend

It’s key to determine the tipping point of a room, or the point at which a room will not feel empty. If it feels empty people won’t come back.

This weekend was a simple acoustic set. Reasons include it’s all the musicians that were available, and they try to simplify once every 4-6 weeks. They are trying to move away from a performance driven worship service.

Greg’s personal opinion: If the American church doesn’t shift dramatically it will shut down.

1980’s-present churches have used the attractional model to grow. However, Greg believes it’s outlived it’s usefulness as the area becomes more postmodern. We need to transition to a missional model. I agree.

So, RiverTree is trying to transition from a program driven church into a people development driven church. Three years ago they did away with membership, and now they ask people to partner with them.

This means you move from standardized to customized. You may need to write your own material or purchase customizable curriculum.
You move from scripted to Life Coaching.
You move from the goal being participation to Life Transformation.
You move from didactic teaching to debriefing life experiences.
You move from curriculum guided to life centric (relates to what is really going on in people’s lives)
You move from getting people “plugged in” to getting people “pushed out.” So , you run into challenges on keeping the organization going.
You move from growing into service to growing through service.
You move from generational segmentation to integrated. So, there may be a youth mission trip but grandparents go too. Youth are in worship bands. Children will lead prayers. They have moved away from “children’s or youth specials.”
You move from building the organization to changing people’s lives.

There are three ways people are transformed:
1. Information
2. Experiences
3. Relationships

The American church is heavy on Information yet only two people could in the room could come up with five sermons that have changed their life. Almost everybody came up with five relationships and experiences in half the time.

Relational and experience takes TIME.

Recommended Book: American Church in Crisis by David T. Olsen

Londen Institute Day 1

I’ve already stated the “Why people stay and why they leave.” in a previous blog tonight.

Here, because it is late and I have to be up at 6am, I will just plainly state that Paul stated basically the characteristics of an effective minister in one of his sessions and in a third session he defined leadership in the new millennium and compared it with the modern era’s context.

I can share more on it when I return.

Why people stay and why they go.

Paul Williams, CEO of The Orchard Group – a church planting organization in the North East, was the presenter today.

What we did: Took the DiSC test, which is a leadership style profile. Talked about the results, and then talked about leadership.

What I learned:
1. 80% of the people who return for a second visit say they identified with the pastors spiritual journey.
2. 72% of the people who come the first time do so because they were personally invited.
3. 50% of the people who return a second time say they liked the worship.
4. #1 reason why people don’t come back is because they perceive the children’s ministry to be inadequate.
5. #2 reason they don’t return is because of the condition of the facility.

Conclusion: Connections to Dean’s story are why people will return, and even though advertising is necessary it cannot be divorced from personal invitation. Worship style is not as big of a deal as was once thought. In fact, many church plants that will reach a younger demographic are instituting “High Church” symbols back into worship (ie. robes, incense, etc.). If our children’s ministry is not a priority then we will fail to attract and keep families. If the facility is not kept clean, neat, and in a state of continual repair or expansion then new comers will not be back. They will notice the stain in the carpet, crooked pictures, misspelled words, etc. that church people will overlook.