Recently, two of the greatest leaders I know, MAG Bookkeeping president Randy Ongie and teaching pastor of Connexus Church Carey Nieuwhof, sat down for the latest edition of MAG’s The Fully Engaged Church podcast to discuss current Christian culture.
What is so special about this conversation is it contains two individuals whose podcasts should be listened to by every Christian leader. The Fully Engaged Church has already been mentioned. Carey not-only writes one of today’s most widely-read church leadership blogs but also hosts the top-rated Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast.
Both podcasts are relevant, interesting, challenging to your preconceived biases, will make you think, and include some of today’s top Christian leaders. Few things add as much value to my leadership as these two resources.
When it comes to church leadership, any major decisions hopefully start on your knees, but then they go to a table to be discussed. These questions are probably hard to talk about, which is why Carey wrote his latest book called Lasting Impact: 7 Powerful Conversations That Will Help Your Church Grow.
Carey talked with Randy about the importance of engagement in church vs. just attending church as well as leadership and church growth.
All church leaders are basically fighting the same battles, and many of the battles are related to the question of why people are attending church less often. The problem exists in churches of all kinds, regardless of size or denomination. The challenge is figuring out what to do about it.
We don’t want to change the Gospel or the message, but there may need to be a cultural change. Ten to 15 years ago, bands on stage, pastors in jeans, fancy lights and projections were cutting edge and innovative. But now it’s normal. People walk in today, see these same things everywhere, yawn and walk away.
All the lights, cameras and bands in the world won’t grow your church. You have to engage, connect, be authentic, provide community and provide meaning. Carey thinks the key here is engagement, and there are several things that are shifting at his church connecting people more. In these four areas, notice that a single noun has become an active phrase.
- “Connect” becomes “Choosing Community.” Even if people only come to church a handful of times throughout the year, they may still consider your church to be “their church.” When they don’t attend, they may think they are doing their own thing with God, but remember that church wasn’t our idea, it was Jesus’ idea. So people need to realize that to have that important connection, they need the community of a church. Engaged members will attend more.
- “Serve” becomes “Joining the Mission.” Volunteering is one of the best things people can do. It’s often true that if you do something yourself, you remember it better, and that’s true of serving. Leading a small group of preschoolers, greeting people on Sunday morning or serving at a food bank will grow people’s faith more than just sitting around and talking about it.
- “Give” becomes “Giving Generously.” Giving is a great way of engaging people. If you spent a ridiculous amount of money on a boat, every weekend you’ll be thinking about that boat. You’ll want to use it. The same is true for church. When people spend a significant amount on their church, they think about it more and will be more engaged.
- “Invite” becomes “Bring a Friend.” People become regular attenders when they have a friend on their arm. If they are proud enough of their church to invite people and bring their friends, they will be much more engaged.
Carey speaks to church leaders around the world about these topics as well as leadership, change and personal growth. To learn more, visit his widely-read church leadership blog and subscribe to his Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast.
Finally, churches of ALL sizes often struggle with the cumbersome duties associated with church bookkeeping and payroll. MAG Bookkeeping performs bank reconciliation, accounts payable, produces financial statements, and other functions … all in an effort to reduce the possibility for fraud or mishandling of funds and bring you peace of mind. They eliminate the risk of inconsistencies in record-keeping. When you hire MAG, you immediately create third-party accountability coupled with best practices. One more thing too … their ministry-minded team knows church finance inside and out. Check them out HERE.