Should your Church go Multisite? An Interview with Tony Morgan and Jim Tomberlin

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Recently I had the opportunity to have a conversation with Tony Morgan and Jim Tomberlin about multi-site strategy in 2015. Here are a few of the highlights:

There are now 5,000+ multi-site churches in our country.
37% of all multi-site churches start through mergers.
Most multi-site churches (85%) never grow beyond three total locations. Jim says most still act like a single-site church by not re-structuring to handle more campuses. But trying to add a 4th campus without changing your systems and structure rarely works.
Multi-site is not a growth engine. It will accelerate growth in a healthy church, but if you’re not already outreach-driven, multi-site probably won’t work to help you grow.
The average size of a church that adds its first multi-site campus is 1,200.

If multi-site is part of your focus this year, consider joining me for The Unstuck Group’s first-ever Multi-Site Leadership Coaching Network. It starts in April, but the deadline to apply is March 6. We only have 12 spots for this network, and they go quick. Find out more and register at TheUnstuckGroup.com.

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Big News for Leaders Who Want to Grow their Churches

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Are you ready to push your leadership ability up a notch? If so, we want to help you. In April, our brand new coaching networks will fire up. We always get excited about the start of new coaching networks, but this year, we are more excited than ever.

The team has introduced two new types of coaching networks, and these are designed specifically for leaders who want to grow their churches — either with a multi-site strategy or by taking intentional steps to reach the milestone of 500 in weekly attendance. All groups meet once a month for six months, and focus on giving you practical, applicable coaching. With that said, all participants are expected to be actively engaged and ready to tackle real issues.

Here’s what we have going on:

1) Leadership Coaching w/ Tony Morgan | ATLANTA or DALLAS
Leadership Coaching includes training on a variety of ministry strategy topics including staffing, leadership development, communications, financial stewardship, volunteer team development, weekend services, ministry structure, discipleship, multi-site and more.

2) Multi-Site Leadership Coaching w/ Paul Alexander | PHOENIX
Our Multi-Site Coaching Network is designed for leaders of multi-site churches, to help them grow in leadership and succeed in addressing the unique challenges they face.

3) GrowthSolutions Coaching w/ Mark Meyer & Chad Hunt | OMAHA or INDIANAPOLIS
Our GrowthSolutions Coaching Networks will help leaders of smaller churches take intentional steps towards growing their church to 500 in weekly attendance.

In our coaching networks, you can expect a relational experience built around simple and practical systems and tools to help you take your next steps as a leader. We take a look at best practices in growing, healthy churches, and we press into tough conversations to help you get unstuck in your leadership and ministry impact.

Most groups are limited to 12 participants, so if you want in, you should consider signing up soon. Click here for more info and to register. The deadline to apply is March 6, 2015.

Here are what some of our past participants have had to say about the experience…

The insights and practical wisdom that came from Tony not only revolutionized how we do ministry and build healthier teams at Breakthrough, but quite honestly, gave me exactly what I needed in a season in which I was ready to call it quits! Tony’s knowledge of systems and strategies is amazing, but it is his heart for YOU, the leader, that is most impressive. Don’t miss out on this opportunity it will change you.”

— Nate Hill
Lead Pastor at Breakthrough Church | Asheville, NC

This coaching network with Paul was one of the most beneficial experiences of my ministry life. The network gatherings were fun, challenging, and full of leadership exercises that provided me with tools to lead more effectively and move people towards a focused goal. I highly recommend this experience!”

— Ira Towns
Executive Pastor at Atlantic Shores Bible Church | Virginia Beach, VA

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5 Articles that will Help Your Church Make Vision Real

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Thank you for making January the best month ever here at Helping Churches Make Vision Real! It’s great staying connected with you through social media and hearing that these articles have been helpful. So, thank you for connecting with me through the content on this blog! You made these the top 5 Posts from this last month. If you missed out on any of them, here they are all in one place for your convenience!

#1 5 Core Behaviors of Churches that get Unstuck

Churches all across America are stuck. Large churches, small churches, old churches, new churches, Baptist churches, Methodist churches, Nazarene churches, Presbyterian church and even non-denominational churches are stuck. Stuckness is no respecter of the “brand” or “flavor” of the church. It happens to all kinds of churches. Lead long enough in a church and it will happen to you. In fact Thom Rainer, President and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources has stated in his research that:

“Eight out of ten of the approximately 400,000 churches in the United States are declining or have plateaued.”

Churches get stuck for all kinds of reasons but there are a handful of core behaviors that I see over and over again in churches get unstuck.

#2 6 Symptoms your Church has Ministry Silos

Ministry Silos are one of the most common symptoms I find in churches that are stuck. Most churches don’t want to admit that they have silos. But admit it or not, the majority of churches have silos. It’s actually a natural easy drift that most churches make towards ministry silos. I wrote about this in a post: “What if Home Depot Functioned like a Church?”

Ministry Silos = multiple independent ministries operating under one roof

But how do you know if you have ministry silos at your church? You probably have ministry silos at your church if…

#3 8 Things to Consider Before You Multisite

Currently there are more than 8,000 multisite churches across America and more than 1,600 mega churches (churches of more than 2,000 people in weekly attendance). While both are growing the multisite church movement has outpaced the mega church movement in America. What was once seen as only a Band-Aid strategy for space issues at mega churches has become a vehicle for growth in local churches of all kinds and all sizes (the average size a church goes multisite is around 850-1200). “Multi” doesn’t mean “Mega” anymore.

Your church may be considering going multisite. If so, that’s exciting news and I’d love to hear about it! But before you do here are 8 things to consider before you take the multisite plunge.

#4 4 Strategies to Start in 2015 that will Change your Church

It’s January and the gyms are packed. They’re making money hand over fist this month with everyone making New Years Resolutions to finally get in shape. And when I go to the gym in February it will be back to normal. People are notorious for making huge goals at the New Year and then not following through. That’s why I want to give you a couple of small changes you can realistically make this year that will change your church in 2015. You’ll be surprised by how small degrees of change that you make in your trajectory today can pay dividends in the future. So here are 4 small changes that can make a big deal in your church in 2015.

#5 Join a Multisite Coaching Network

I’m excited to share some big news with you! At the Unstuck Group we’ve successfully been coaching Pastors and other Ministry Leaders at churches across America for years. This year we are taking new ground and offering our first ever MultiSite Coaching Network. This network is designed for leaders of multisite churches, to help them grow in leadership and succeed in addressing the unique challenges they face.

Photo Credit: justin fain via Compfight cc

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Join a Multisite Leadership Coaching Network

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

I’m excited to share some big news with you! At the Unstuck Group we’ve successfully been coaching Pastors and other Ministry Leaders at churches across America for years. This year we are taking new ground and offering our first ever MultiSite Coaching Network. This network is designed for leaders of multisite churches, to help them grow in leadership and succeed in addressing the unique challenges they face.

The coaching experience at the Unstuck Group is built around simple and practical systems and tools to help you take your next steps as a leader. We’ll take a look at best practices in growing, healthy churches. Together, we’ll press into tough conversations to help you get unstuck in your leadership and ministry impact.

Our coaching networks are focused on helping you discover the shifts that need to happen in your leadership and your ministry strategies and systems. The only way to get different results is to engage different systems. These coaching networks will challenge you to take those next steps.

In addition, in this unique first of its kind network you will also:

Discover how to identify and develop Campus Pastors.
Gain exposure to different Multisite Models.
Learn how to know if you’re ready to go multisite and how to you launch your first campus successfully.
Learn how to restructure your staffing and systems successfully to support a multisite model.
Dig into Mergers, Hive-offs and Parachute drops.
Get access to experienced multisite leaders like Jim Tomberlin the nations foremost multisite expert and founder of Multisite Solutions.

This is not an opportunity for someone who is looking for inspiration: This coaching network involves work. You can’t just show up. You will have to commit to six months of reading and engaging exercises with the ministry team at your church.

This experience isn’t for people looking for leadership theory: Yes, you’ll learn some leadership skills, but this experience is designed for you to put those skills into action. Every month you will leave with new tools to implement in your ministry environment.

This is not a conference experience: In a conference, you can sit and soak in the teaching without engaging anyone else. In this coaching experience, you will be encouraged and challenged by other leaders who will be counting on you to participate fully.

Location: The Multisite Coaching Network will meet in Phoenix once a month, for six months, on Fridays from 9:00am-3:00pm.

Dates: April 17, May 15, June 12, July 24, August 21 and September 18

This network is limited to just 12 spots, so if you want to get in, register asap! The deadline to apply is March 6, 2015.

To register and get all of the details you need to be a part of this opportunity follow this link.

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4 Strategies to Start in 2015 that will Change your Church

Sunday, January 4, 2015

It’s January and the gyms are packed. They’re making money hand over fist this month with everyone making New Years Resolutions to finally get in shape. And when I go to the gym in February it will be back to normal. People are notorious for making huge goals at the New Year and then not following through. That’s why I want to give you a couple of small changes you can realistically make this year that will change your church in 2015. You’ll be surprised by how small degrees of change that you make in your trajectory today can pay dividends in the future. So here are 4 small changes that can make a big deal in your church in 2015.

1. Start Hand Writing Notes

Every week set aside 30 minutes to write a couple of notes and send them in the mail. It can be a thank you to a generous giver or a volunteer. It can be encouraging words to a staff member. You can send a note to say thanks for visiting to a guest. Or send a simple “I prayed for you today,” to someone going through a difficult time. Nothing beats a handwritten note. It’s a simple personal touch that says you care and it makes you more authentic and accessible as a leader. Yes, this means using an actual pen to actually write something and put it in the mail. Not an email, not a text, not a direct message on social media but an actual letter.

2. Build an Integrated Ministry Calendar

Get your ministry staff or leaders together and spend the time to build one integrated calendar for the year. Include weekend teaching series, all church events, and segment ministry calendars like Children’s Ministry and Student Ministries. You’ll quickly discover where ministries are in competition with each other, fuel islands of strength, and you’ll be able to simplify your efforts and make sure everyone is moving in the same direction.

3. Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate

Take some time with your team to build a list of every ministry at your church (this might actually take a lot of time for some teams). Then ask 4 simple questions about them: 1) What’s Working? 2) What’s Wrong? 3) What’s Confusing? 4) What’s Missing? Then optimize what’s working, change what’s wrong, clarify what’s confusing, and add what’s missing.

4. Join a Leadership Coaching Network

The whole church gets better when the leader gets better. You can be inspired at a leadership conference and hear a lot of leadership theory; or you spend the time to be around other leaders who are in the trenches, engage in leadership exercises, read and discuss great leadership books and trends, and discover new systems and strategies that you can implement in your local church context. Here’s a link if you’re interested in taking this step.

Photo Credit: Great Beyond via Compfight cc

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