Growth by Pruning...

[chaotic_resolve]

Grow Your Church By Asking People to Leave

As posted by Kevin D Hendricks on Church Marketing Sucks

Craig Groeschel at LifeChurch.tv has an interesting series of blog posts on getting people to leave your church. It seems completely counter-intuitive, but it makes sense. If people aren't moving your church forward, they're dead weight (which is kind of scary--am I dead weight?). And it's not just about helping your church, it's also about helping those people find the church for them.

Craig gives an example where he preached on the church's vision trying to get everybody on board. If people weren't on board with the vision, he asked them to find another church. He even offered brochures from 10 other churches he knew and recommended. It was a serious challenge and 500 people ended up leaving. Most people would freak out at that thought. Not Craig:

The next week, we had about 500 new seats for people who could get excited about the vision. Within a short period of time, God filled those seats with passionate people. Many of those who left our church found great, biblical churches where they could worship and use their gifts.
Everybody won!

That's why I sometimes say, "You can grow your church by asking people to leave."

Craig focuses on making leaving a church a graceful option and a positive thing and not the bitter experience it often is.

This small article is fascinating to me.

JTullock and I attended the "grand opening" of a LifeChurch.tv satellite campus. It was a new and very different experience. I liked the marketing and pre-opening buildup their marketing department did, via billboards, newspapers and the internet. (Not sure if they used tv ads or not - I don't have a tv.)

I like the thought pattern here, though it completely goes against traditional UPC thought . . . which is hold on to people at any cost. I can definitely see the benefits for both the church and the "dead-weight" saint.

I think if more Pastors utilized this train of thought, there would be healthier churches, more growth and less-stressed ministers who are currently strained and weary from dealing with unhappy, dead-weight saints who take too much of the Pastors valuable time and don't contribute to the work of the church ministry.

Along the same line of thought . . . perhaps the UPC should support and help expedite the move of conservatives out of the organization. It's clear conservatives don't like the course they feel the UPC is taking . . . so why force them or try to beg them to stay when they'll only be unhappy and will do little to help the organization as a whole. (As noted before, many of those leaving haven't really been a part of the organization the past few years anyway.)

What say you?

[FRINGE_NUTTER]

Originally Posted by chaotic_resolve

This small article is fascinating to me.

JTullock and I attended the "grand opening" of a LifeChurch.tv satellite campus. It was a new and very different experience. I liked the marketing and pre-opening buildup their marketing department did, via billboards, newspapers and the internet. (Not sure if they used tv ads or not - I don't have a tv.)

I like the thought pattern here, though it completely goes against traditional UPC thought . . . which is hold on to people at any cost. I can definitely see the benefits for both the church and the "dead-weight" saint.

I think if more Pastors utilized this train of thought, there would be healthier churches, more growth and less-stressed ministers who are currently strained and weary from dealing with unhappy, dead-weight saints who take too much of the Pastors valuable time and don't contribute to the work of the church ministry.

Along the same line of thought . . . perhaps the UPC should support and help expedite the move of conservatives out of the organization. It's clear conservatives don't like the course they feel the UPC is taking . . . so why force them or try to beg them to stay when they'll only be unhappy and will do little to help the organization as a whole. (As noted before, many of those leaving haven't really been a part of the organization the past few years anyway.)

What say you?

All of the conservatives will NOT leave the UPCI. There will be a group that stays and complains and complains and stays and complains, complains, and complains. I know this for a fact. Anyone agree? They stay for various reasons but they are unhappy.

[Jack Shephard]

Originally Posted by chaotic_resolve

This small article is fascinating to me.

JTullock and I attended the "grand opening" of a LifeChurch.tv satellite campus. It was a new and very different experience. I liked the marketing and pre-opening buildup their marketing department did, via billboards, newspapers and the internet. (Not sure if they used tv ads or not - I don't have a tv.)

I like the thought pattern here, though it completely goes against traditional UPC thought . . . which is hold on to people at any cost. I can definitely see the benefits for both the church and the "dead-weight" saint.

I think if more Pastors utilized this train of thought, there would be healthier churches, more growth and less-stressed ministers who are currently strained and weary from dealing with unhappy, dead-weight saints who take too much of the Pastors valuable time and don't contribute to the work of the church ministry.

Along the same line of thought . . . perhaps the UPC should support and help expedite the move of conservatives out of the organization. It's clear conservatives don't like the course they feel the UPC is taking . . . so why force them or try to beg them to stay when they'll only be unhappy and will do little to help the organization as a whole. (As noted before, many of those leaving haven't really been a part of the organization the past few years anyway.)

What say you?

If we are talking about the organization then yes this might work. You and I also attended a church that has asked alot of people to leave and yet not much growth. So it is more like 'dividing to multiply', lol.

[chaotic_resolve]

Originally Posted by JTULLOCK

If we are talking about the organization then yes this might work. You and I also attended a church that has asked alot of people to leave and yet not much growth. So it is more like 'dividing to multiply', lol.

LoL

Well, JT, the church has to actually have some sort of vision . . . which they didn't have. They had dreams of grandeur, but no action making those dreams into a vision.

[Kansas Preacher]

So, maybe AFF would be better off if we got rid of you?

[chaotic_resolve]

Originally Posted by Kansas Preacher

So, maybe AFF would be better off if we got rid of you?

Oh snap!

But what's the benefit for AFF and me? (note: I had thought of leaving because of all the drama recently...but I decided that even though I may disagree with my brethren from the other side, they need the balance I provide.) hint hint

[Kansas Preacher]

Originally Posted by chaotic_resolve

Oh snap!

But what's the benefit for AFF and me? (note: I had thought of leaving because of all the drama recently...but I decided that even though I may disagree with my brethren from the other side, they need the balance I provide.) hint hint

Hey, I figured out a few months ago that UPC would be better off without me. That's why I encouraged them to vote IN FAVOR of Resolution 4. Remember?

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...&referrerid=56

[Jack Shephard]

Originally Posted by chaotic_resolve

LoL

Well, JT, the church has to actually have some sort of vision . . . which they didn't have. They had dreams of grandeur, but no action making those dreams into a vision.

By the way LifeChurch.tv did run tons of advertisments on tv. Infact they were 30-45 minutes long. They were very, very, well done.

[chaotic_resolve]

Originally Posted by Kansas Preacher

Hey, I figured out a few months ago that UPC would be better off without me. That's why I encouraged them to vote IN FAVOR of Resolution 4. Remember?

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...&referrerid=56

I remember that thread. And while I think it'd be better for those unhappy with the organization to leave, because of irreconcilable differences . . . I'd hate to lose the balance provided by conservatives.

[chaotic_resolve]

Originally Posted by JTULLOCK

By the way LifeChurch.tv did run tons of advertisments on tv. Infact they were 30-45 minutes long. They were very, very, well done.

I liked their "signed by Satan" billboards . . .