Why Churches Need Design Thinking

  By 218Matt | May 24, 2011 - 12:39 PM | change, Design Thinking, leadership Leave a comment

Unless you lead the only local church in America that has no problems, then you need to find an effective process to solve the challenges that you face.

What I know about you is that you didn’t go into church leadership to deal with a lot of the stuff that you have to deal with. You went into church leadership because you believed God was calling you to something significant…something life changing…something…well, other than what you spend a huge amount of time doing.

As a leader, you have to deal with all the “other” stuff.  You know, the stuff that no one really tells you about.  The stuff that wasn’t a part of the conversation when God called you to give your life to the church. But what if He had?  I can almost imagine what that conversation would be like.

God:  I have gifted you and called you to give your life to full time ministry in the local church…

You: Wow.  I am humbled.  I will get to lead people from pain to peace, from lost to found. I will get to proclaim your Word and watch people respond by giving you their lives, I will have the honor of representing the most Holy God as the leader of His people.

God: Yes, but… there is more.  You will also get to spend time with people who say horrible things about you because you made a decision about something without asking them. You will be put in the middle of situations that you have no control over, yet be held accountable.  You will watch people leave the church because you said something that they did not like.  You will go to sleep at night asking me…”Are you sure this is what you called me to do?’

You:  Hmmm… is there anyway to just do the good stuff?

So where does that reality leave you?  If you are like me, it leaves you looking for the best way possible to navigate the web of decisions and problems that we all face as we lead the church. I can share what I have learned, and how it can completely change your circumstances. Continue reading →

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What do you really need to know?

  By 218Matt | January 10, 2011 - 10:00 PM | change, leadership Leave a comment

Inside the dashboard of Google Analytics I can slice and dice hundreds of pieces of data.

I can tell where the person was from, I can see how long they stayed on the site, and what pages they were looking for. I can tell if they are new or returning. I can even tell what web browser they were using.

 

Here is some interesting info on my website stats for the past 3 months:
Top Counties/ Territories :

  • United States
  • Indonesia
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
  • Argentina
  • Poland

Wow! I never know I had such a loyal following in California (hello Bellmont!) and I am still shocked at all the people in Indonesia that like to check out the website.

But in reality, none of this REALLY makes me a better consultant.  It is just more information to process.

The trend that I have seen is for churches and nonprofits to think that they need more information to be effective.  This usually results in a long process of using evaluation tools and/or subscriptions to information sites, and then months of trying to figure out what the information all means.  With very few exceptions, this is a huge waste of time and money.
What you need is Application, not Information.

Most of the time, you know what you need to do.

You just want information to back up your decision.  You are looking for “something” to blame if it goes wrong – so they don’t blame “someone” (YOU!).   Spend a few minutes online to see of you are on track with your thoughts  and then DO what you should do.  If you are really stuck – get someone to coach you through the process of taking you from where you are to where you want to go — but please—focus on Application and not Information!!

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The 3 C’s of a Church

  By 218Matt | August 8, 2010 - 6:25 PM | future, leadership, strengths Leave a comment

 

 

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Each and every church operates according to the 3 C’s. Most of them just don’t know it.  The dynamics of each C determine decisions and results – but most leadership teams have little knowledge of how to utilize this information to align their vision and resources.  Here they are:

1. Concept: The future (or vision) is simply a concept that exists within you and your church about what the church sh/could look like.  Like most concepts, there are always challenges to making them into reality.

2. Context: This is the reality in which you and your church exist.  This has to do with everything from the socioeconomic makeup of your community to the Spiritual gifts that God has placed within your congregation.

3. Content: This is the way that you will go about programing and resourcing your vision.  It is the area where most leadership teams like to focus after the vision is cast. That is a mistake.

In order for the local church to really have an impact, it must get it’s C’s in order.

1-2-3

Concept – Context – Content

If your leadership team is struggling with getting this right, let our team help.  That is why we are here!


 

 


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Meeting the Unique Needs of Leaders

  By 218Matt | August 8, 2010 - 6:25 PM | leadership Leave a comment

218 ConsultingMy church just finished hosting the Global Leadership Summit from Willowcreek Community Church. While we were a satellite location, there was still a great deal to do.  When you invite leaders into your environment, they come with issues that other people don’t:

1. They are REALLY tired.

2. They are REALLY curious.

3. They are  looking for something they can REALLY use.

So how do you address these?  For starters, make sure that they are welcomed and feel like you have planned for them.  Fatigue can make little things seem big – both good and bad.    Since they are curious, have your facilities open and accessible for them.  Have your best people scattered around and able ask questions.  I was asked “how many chairs are in here normally, and at what point do people think its full?”.  This leader wasn’t looking for  the standard answer that “80% is full”, he wanted to see if that 80% rule was true for us.  I hooked him up with the person who counts heads every week.  He is the same one who puts out chairs every week…so he KNOWS the numbers!

We also set up our room with tables instead of rows of seating – this way the leaders could talk about what they were learning and process it with their team members.  This enabled them to decide what they could actually act upon as they were processing things together.

While this was a leadership conference, the leaders in your organization have the same issues.  What are you doing to meet them where they are?

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The Leadership Challenge

  By 218Matt | June 25, 2010 - 10:47 PM | leadership Leave a comment

Leadership ChallengeChurch leadership is always a challenge.  Not just every now and then, but always – and everywhere.

As I have the opportunity to work with pastors and church leaders, I find that they all face challenges -even in the best of churches.  I used to believe that if I could ever work in _______ (fill in with your own dream church), then things would be so much better.

Maybe you have felt the same way.  You look around and it just seems so much easier over “there”.  They have better facilities, finances, leadership, location, committed members, worship, youth… well, you get the idea.

Anything has to be better, and easier…right?

Here’s what I learned.  It is hard everywhere.  Leadership doesn’t get easy just because you are doing well as a church.  In fact, the pressure is HUGE for a church that is viewed as successful.  Keeping momentum while maintaining direction and vision is no easy task.  Things take on a life of their own and have large implications.

So here are the basics:

  • Have a Clear Vision – keep things out of the “personal opinion” realm.  Make decisions based on the Vision.
  • Build a Committed Team – you need people who will work with you and for you, and some that will tell you the painful truth.
  • Know and Keep Your Values – these are the boundary markers for how you will make decisions and fulfill the Vision.
  • Don’t Take Yourself So Seriously – remember that “grace” thing you were the recipient of? Accept and extend grace – it makes you a better person.

Leading is challenging, but can be incredibly rewarding when done well.

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Opportunity of a Lifetime!

  By 218Matt | May 18, 2010 - 6:27 PM | leadership Leave a comment

A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a church leadership conference and to sit with several members of one church staff.  The church had sent about 7 of the key staff members to the conference, including the Youth Pastor and Senior Pastor.  The conference was great, with the Key Note speaker (name withheld) telling us the hard truth on many topics related to leading the local church.  It was challenging, yet refreshing.

This church staff was doing everything together, evaluating the things they were learning, sharing meals, etc.,  but when it was time for the lunch break – the Youth Pastor was missing.  He never showed up for lunch, didn’t respond to phone calls or messages.  The group (especially the Senior Pastor) was concerned.

Eventually the next session began with worship and a few other things, still no Youth Pastor. But just as the Key Note speaker began -  he arrived at his seat, next to the Senior Pastor.

You guys won’t believe where I’ve been! I was in the hall headed to the restroom and ran into him (the Key Note).  I decided this was the opportunity of a lifetime, so I said “If you will give me 30 minutes one day, I will drive the 6 hours it takes to get here.  I really need to ask you a few things.”

Apparently the Key Note was moved by his sincerity, and  instead invited him to lunch in the Green Room. He spent more than the requested 30 minutes, and answered all of the questions.  It was obviously a huge deal to the Youth Pastor, and the group was excited for their friend and fellow staff member.  The Senior Pastor was especially impressed.

As the Key Note began the next session he said “I want to take a moment and say something to the Senior pastors out there.  Some of you really need to work on developing your leadership skills.  I just had lunch with a Youth Pastor who offered to drive 6 hours to meet with me because he wanted to find out how to deal with being a better leader than his Senior Pastor.”

That may have been one of the most awkward moments I have ever witnessed.

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Your Church Wasn’t Ready For Easter… Here’s Why.

  By 218Matt | April 5, 2010 - 11:09 AM | leadership Leave a comment

mad_face.jpgEvery now and then I say or write something that really hits a serious nerve. This past week was one of those times.

In a recent Facebook post, I commented on how many churches work really, really hard and provide worship services all during Holy Week, and that one church I know of does the complete opposite.  They offer no Holy Week services, and instead put all of their energy into creating an incredible Easter Sunday experience.

I said in that FB update that I was not endorsing one way over the other, but after being pushed a bit – I have changed my mind.

Over these many years, I have had the opportunity to work in and consult with a broad spectrum of churches – from mainline to independent, liberal to conservative, and traditional to contemporary.

In almost every church that offers the Holy Week menu (breakfast devotionals, lunch speakers, evening services) I hear the same comments/complaints from the ministry team. “We are really tired by the time Easter Sunday gets here”.
Continue reading →

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Church Planting Challange

  By 218Matt | February 16, 2010 - 7:30 PM | change, leadership Leave a comment

218consulting9.jpgAbout 8 months ago one of our pastors decided that it was time to go plant a new church.   At the exact same time as this decision, we had been laying the groundwork for our first multi-site effort.   We (the Lead Pastor, he and I) spent a great deal of time praying and talking about whether his new work would be a church plant of our church, a satellite campus, video venue or just have no affiliation with our church at all.  Ultimately, our friend made the decision for us.

He wanted to structure this new church in a way that would not fit any of the concepts that we were working on. It had to be it’s own entity with no connection to us.

That was hard.

We looked for a win-win solution for both our friend and our church.  He had been a key leader for several years, and a gifted communicator.  Our church was better with him, and our church was good for him.  We decided that we would try to keep him on staff for close to a year, while slowly decreasing his responsibilities and allowing him to ramp up the new church.  Planting a church is challenging, and this would give him financial stability and continuity as he began. It would also allow us to keep him in the teaching rotation, and benefit from his gifts.

There were leaders in our church that challenged me on the wisdom of this arrangement.  In business, (and in many churches) once you announce your are leaving – you’re out.  But we were convinced that we could make this work. The three us have met together most every week for a time of prayer and accountability. We have committed to communicate and be honest with one another throughout the process.  There are times that is easy, and others…well “not so much”.

Continue reading →

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Rise of the Creatives…

  By 218Matt | October 26, 2009 - 3:50 PM | future, leadership, strengths Leave a comment

past-present-future.jpgIn working on a yet to be publish post on the Future of God, I realized some truths about the Past of Leadership.

Industrial Age -The Individual worker is minimized, the Managers are Empowered, and Leadership is minimized. (think Peter Drucker)

Technology Age – The Individual worker is minimized, the Manager is minimized, and Leadership is Empowered (think John Maxwell)

Creative Age – The Individual worker is Empowered, the Manager is minimized, and Leadership is minimized (think  Richard Florida)

Empowered in the sense that the attention is shifted to that position, and much is written on how to make the work environment most conducive to that position being effective.

Minimized in the sense that ability to perform is assumed and not the focus of attention.

The current trend of business related thinking on this topic will soon begin to significantly impact the church (as it has in the past) and we will feel the same shift.  There is already the early signs of this with the growing movement in the church to develop a “Strengths based” ministry concept. We are still very consumed with the Leadership models of the past 30 years, so it may take a while to see this as a “new” paradigm of ministry.

There are several other posts on this site about the Strengths-based approach on this site.

A wise church leader will listen and learn, and be read to lead in a new Era.

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Design Thinking and the church

  By 218Matt | October 6, 2009 - 5:24 PM | Design Thinking, leadership Leave a comment


Several months ago I decided to put together a new website that would cover a different area of my consulting life: Design Thinking.

At the time, I thought it would be a small site that might get a little traffic, and maybe inspire some people to consider the effectiveness of the Art of Design Thinking.  Wrong.

It has been a HUGE surprise to see the amount of traffic from all over the globe.  As a result, I have spent a great deal of time blogging, Tweeting, and consulting on the topic.

So how does this fit with the primary topic of this blog???  Well, it’s all about the ability to bring effective solutions to real problems.  And that is what leaders do…especially in the church.

If you have not had a chance, I encourage you to check out the new site DesignThinkingBlog and see what you can learn.

And for those of you who are looking for direct help, use the contact page and let’s talk.

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