Who will you connect in 2011?  Will you focus your efforts on the usual suspects?  Those still unconnected folks that already attend your weekend services a couple times a month but have been resisting commitment since before there was Sunday School?

Who will you connect in 2011?  Will you take a shot at connecting the folks that only come a few times a year…but might come to a small group connection if the topic was right?

Who will you connect in 2011?  Will this be the year that you choose a church-wide campaign that is actually designed to reach the neighbors and friends of the folks in your congregation?

Can I tell you something?  I already know who you’ll connect this year.  It’s not a magic trick either.  Want to know what I know? (more…)

I’ve been looking forward to taking a look at the new church-wide campaign based on Max Lucado’s book Outlive Your Life.  The campaign, published by Lifeway, presents some very interesting possibilities.

The theme is a challenging one.  A study of the Book of Acts, the subtitle is “Joining God’s Plan To Change the World.”  Although it might not be as easy an invite as 40 Days of Purpose or Love at Last Sight, the idea of “changing the world” will resonate with many people.  Making a difference consistently ranks as one of the most common aspirations.  Promoting participation along those lines has the potential to capture the imagination of people.

The Outlive Your Life church-wide campaign offers several powerful advantages:

First, Outlive Your Life is anchored by a DVD-driven small group study that features Max Lucado.  You’ve got to start there.  Name recognition alone is a significant factor with this campaign.  It makes invitation much easier when the speaker is known.  It is an advantage as well that each of the six sessions are just long enough to prime the discussion pump, but not so long that groups are lulled into viewer mode.  The average segment is 17 minutes.

Second, the Bible Study Workbook includes both the questions that drive group discussions and the “daily readings and Bible studies [that] will help you review that message, go deeper in your understanding, and then apply what you’re learning to your daily life.”  This is a very substantial workbook.  In fact, after a careful review, the workbook experience has potential to be a powerful experience for participants.  At 174 pages it will provide a thought-provoking devotional that is just about right.  Daily readings of three or four pages offer an opportunity to spend 15 to 30 minutes with the theme every day.  More than just a reading experience, each day is really a Bible study with questions and scripture references that drive the time.

Third, the resource CD-ROM includes resources for group leaders, sermon outlines from Max Lucado and custom dramas for each week, helpful publicity tools, and a lot more.  This is a very important aspect of a church-wide campaign, making it easy to thematically tie a lot of pieces together with visuals and media pieces.

Fourth, this is a campaign that is focused on more than just delivering a good experience for participants.  One hundred percent of the author royalties from Outlive Your Life products will benefit children and families through World Vision and other ministries of faith-based compassion.  How’s that for putting your money where your mouth is?

Summary: When I evaluate church-wide campaigns I’m looking for several elements.  Theme or topic plays a very big role in the suitability of a campaign.  Length and quality of the DVD presentations is another very important aspect.  Ease of use, the amount of leader preparation required, and the level of member engagement required are all elements that should be examined when choosing a campaign.

• Outlive Your Life is a challenging theme, but an appropriate level of challenge.  While it’s not the highest motivation (belonging), changing the world ranks very high when people are asked about their dreams and hopes (impacting).
• The DVD segments feature Max Lucado and the Bible Study Workbook includes several chapters from his book.  Name recognition is a very important advantage when selecting a campaign.
• There is an appropriate level of preparation required on the part of the leader and participant.  This is not a “just show up” study.  Those members that want to dive in and engage daily will get more out of it.  And that’s a good thing for many participants.

I think you’ll enjoy this campaign.  It will be challenging and it will engage your members in a conversation that is right at the heart of the Book of Acts.  You can find out more about content, features and pricing right here.

Looking for a church-wide campaign that will grab the attention of your whole congregation?  What about a campaign that will actually capture the imagination of your community?

As we’ve talked about many times, the topic of your campaign determines the potential participant.  Choose the right topic…you can get really broad participation.  Choose the wrong topic, even one that you believe is an essential ingredient, and you’ll get only limited buy-in.  In fact, choose the wrong topic and you’ll be tempted to mandate participation.  And that is not the dream of a church-wide campaign, a church-wide spiritual growth emphasis.

If you’re looking for a topic that will appeal broadly, I’m not sure you’ll find a better match than the idea of relationships and that’s why I’ve eagerly anticipated the release of Love at Last Sight.  Developed by Kerry and Chris Shook, this campaign is a spot on match for what will appeal not only to your congregation…but also to your community.  If you’re looking for a topic that will engage your members and their neighbors and friends, you need to take a look at Love at Last Sight.

Along with the topic, there is a lot to like about this church-wide campaign. The DVD is very engaging and will hold the attention of your groups.   High production values, interesting location shots, and Kerry Shook’s conversational style of teaching help the DVD drive a great conversation.  Each session also includes a personal testimony that will captivate the attention of your group members.  It’s been my experience that the most memorable element of a well-designed DVD session is often the stories of someone’s journey.  There are some good ones here and they’ll be remembered long after the teaching is over.

The interactive guide (used by group members) is simply designed to help keep the conversation focused on the topic.    Well written questions prompt a thoughtful, soul-searching discussion.  At the same time, the importance of the topic will encourage your members (and even their friends) to engage.  Additionally, the exercises in the personal application section will help group members put into practice what they’re learning.  Way more than hearing about the importance of developing lasting relationships, this curriculum is designed to prompt doable next steps.

Along with the DVD and interactive guide, daily readings from Love at Last Sight by Kerry and Chris Shook provide an ongoing, 30 day experience.  I reviewed the book when it was released in August of 2010.  You can read my review right here.  Topping it off, there are even free iPhone and Android Apps!

Love at Last Sight is an all church, church-wide campaign.  That is, a downloadable curriculum for children and students from the Church-Wide Challenge site.  Establishing one conversation is a key to an effective campaign.  When parents and their children are focused on the same topic reinforces emerging family values.

You’ll also find sermon outlines and message transcripts, Challenge Group Host and Leader tips, a Last Sight Challenge Timeline, and many other resources in the Free Resources section of the website.  You’ll even find a suggested song list, saving your worship team hours of time and energy finding music to fit the weekly themes.  Developed by one of the most creative churches in America, this resource from Woodlands Church provides an important insight into worship service design.

Finally, the church-wide challenge kit is packed with resources and includes a 2′ by 7′ banner, posters, invitations, bulletin inserts, bookmarks, and even the little challenge wristbands!  All designed to help build a memorable campaign.  The Resource and Seasonal Art DVD includes everything from PowerPoint slides, bulletin artwork, website banners, and a lot more.

From the team that developed and produced One Month to Live, this is another home run.  If you’re looking for a church-wide campaign that will easily get broad participation…beyond your congregation and into the community…you need to take a look at Love at Last Sight.

I ran across this video yesterday on Saddleback’s Community Blog and knew you’d want to see it.  Very cool stuff…you can definitely learn a few things from it.  It’s short.  Just a minute and a half.  And as a bonus, the video was shot out on the patio just outside their auditorium.  If you’ve been there, you know right where this is.  You can also tell it’s Saturday or Sunday afternoon and the sun’s setting in the west.

Here’s a link to the video

Here are a few things I noticed:

First, check out the bags they’re using to distribute their host materials! See what the bags are marked with?  Food Pantry!  What a great idea as they’re able to send their hosts home with a bag they can use to bring food back in!  If you didn’t already listen to the first message of Decade of Destiny, Rick Warren challenged the congregation to all bring a bag of groceries every week to help fill the food pantries in Orange County.

What a great idea!  They’re getting double purpose out of a bag with huge implications for impact.

Second, they’re clearly thinking way ahead. Listen carefully to what Tom Crick, Men’s Small Group Pastor says, “This campaign is really different than all the other campaigns, because here you’ve got a 10 year Decade of Destiny that we’re talking about, this is the kickoff for the Decade of Destiny, this is the first study for that, it’s a building block, so we’re laying the foundation.”

I’ve challenged you to think about the ministry year.  Saddleback is thinking about the next 10 years.  The decade.

Third, you can easily pick up the fact there’s more than one kind of person picking up material.  There are people who are clearly small group leaders (i.e., “we’re a small group of women…”) and then there are people who have a much more personal motivation (i.e., “My husband and I, we just got married two months ago, and so this is huge for us because we want to see where God is going to take us as a family.”).

This is a really important learning if you want to do something that engages your whole congregation.  You need a broad topic, a concept that can capture the imagination of everyone.

Fourth, take a close look at the signs in the background.  Notice that there are several signs that say, “Become a Host” and “Already a Host” and two that say “Join a Group.”

Something that you might not pick up on is the fact that the concept of “join a group” is de-emphasized and the idea of “host a group” is much more prominent.

What About You?

Did you see anything I missed?  Would love to hear what you think!

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to launch a church-wide campaign from the very best.  I wrote about this last year when Saddleback launched Life’s Healing Choices.  Only the people that read that article in the first 30 days or so got the full effect…because some of what you need to see happens this weekend at Saddleback.  And you can see it online!

First thing you need to take a look at is their website.  Take a look at www.saddleback.com right now.  Notice that although you clicked the link that took you to Saddleback.com, your new window opened on a page that is very specific to their new campaign, Decade of Destiny.  That is a huge piece that most of us miss every year.

Second, notice that SIGN UP TO HOST A GROUP! is very prominently featured dead center on the main thing you’re going to look at when you go there.  While you’re thinking about it, notice that “host a group” is mentioned before “find a group.”  This is very intentional.

Third, notice that in the graphic image on the left (it’s found on the right of Saddleback’s home page) SMALL GROUP STUDIES is listed above WEEKEND MESSAGES.  See that?  That’s very significant.  And don’t think that slipped by Rick Warren.  It’s intentional.  It’s in the design of how to do a spiritual growth campaign.

Fourth, take a look at the message series that led up to launch of the campaign.  You can see it right here.  Trust me…if you go back and listen to the messages leading up the campaign, you’ll hear the drumbeat for host a group.  All of these messages are archived for you to hear right now.  This is another huge key to how Saddleback launches a campaign.

Finally, you’ll be able to hear message one* of Decade of Destiny this weekend (October 9-10, 2010).  I want to really urge you to take the 75 minutes and watch their service online.  There are a bunch of times.  Full Disclosure: I haven’t seen it, but I can tell you already, here’s what you need to watch/listen for:

• Notice how many times being in a group is mentioned.
• Notice that they’re still talking about signing up to host.
• Notice that you could host and not yet be a member.
• Listen for Rick Warren’s explanation of the power of a spiritual growth emphasis near the end of the message

I know you are busy.  If you’re a senior pastor, you need to watch this to begin to get the picture.  If you’re not the pastor, watch it so you’ll be able to explain a few things…then forward the post to your pastor for them to see.

There is a reason for the impact that Saddleback is having.  Andy Stanley says, “Your ministry is perfectly designed to produce the results you are currently experiencing.”  Short answer to all the questions about how Saddleback is doing it?  We are seeing the results of a group life design that works.

*Actually…you can hear message one of the series right now.  Rick gave this message a week early “because there was too much to fit in.”  You can hear it right here.

Developing a deep understanding of the business you are in is one of the most important things you will ever do.  Right on its heels, you must develop an awareness of who your true customer is.  Without an accurate understanding of those two certainties…your only chance for success will be based on chance (or providence, depending on your world view).

This is very, very important.  And it is not the way many of us think.  For the sake of time, I want to skip ahead to the customer issue today.  Although you might have a different idea, let’s just say that the business we are in is building environments where real life change can happen.  Once we have that understanding, the next conviction we must develop is an awareness of who our true customer is.

So the question today is, who is your true customer?  How you answer that question will determine a lot about the way your small group ministry comes together.  For example, if you determine that your true customers are the members of your existing groups, you will often choose topics or curriculum that they will request, not realizing (or at least not acknowledging) that their tastes and interests do not reflect the interests of those who are not yet in a group.

Now, you get to choose who your true customer will be.  You get to choose whether your true customer will be the people you’ve already connected or the people who have not yet found grouplife.  Sometimes right here I know I need to acknowledge that there are advocates for the idea that to grow your business you need to focus on delighting your current customer.  Let me say that while there is truth to that…it’s not a very biblical notion (Philippians 2:3-4).  That’s part of the reason  I’ve always gravitated toward the great William Temple line that “the Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.”  That said, I determined a long time ago that my true customers are those who aren’t yet in a group and I make decisions about topics based on that understanding.  By the way, embracing the notion that there is no problem-free makes this understanding acceptable.

Stop and think about the topic you’ve chosen for your upcoming connection or church-wide campaign?  Who will be attracted to that topic?  Will it primarily appeal to the people in your congregation who are already in a group?  Or will it appeal to those who aren’t yet in a group?

This is a really big understanding.  And don’t kid yourself either.  Although there are topics that connect with both…they are not easy to find.  This is why the 40 Days of Purpose had broad appeal and Walk Across the Room did not.  It is all about an awareness of the customer and careful selection of topic based on that understanding.  Is there anything wrong with offering Walk Across the Room?  Definitely not.  Just understand that that topic will not have broad appeal (regardless of how much you believe the Great Commission is for everyone).  If your target customers are the people who aren’t yet in a group…better choose the right topic.

Putting the Concept into Practice (Case Study):

One of the classic illustrations of this important principle was a church preparing for a church-wide study that had chosen as their topic the idea that the Holy Spirit could provide power for daily living.  Based on the Book of Acts, their title was Catch the Wind and the cover art was a very cool image of a sailing ship with full sails.  See where they were going?  Is the concept true?  Absolutely.  Would it interest people who aren’t yet in a group?  Maybe.  You might be able to engage folks who are already attending church but not yet in a group.  What about friends or neighbors who aren’t yet attending the church?  Not a chance.

How’s Your Understanding of the Customer?

This is one of the first discussions I have with many churches.  You can find out about my consulting and coaching opportunities right here.

Here’s reality.  The best way to sustain the momentum of what you are about to do…is to be ready for the turn at the end of this straight-away.  Much like a NASCAR race, there are straight-aways and there are turns in every ministry season.  Preparing for and then launching a church-wide campaign (or a fall kick-off) can generate a lot of momentum.

Eventually…you come to the end of the campaign and it’s time for what’s next.  The time to begin to make the turn is not when you reach the bend in the road.  Like what happens in a NASCAR race, you need to start thinking about the turn before you get there (so you’re in the right spot to begin making the turn).

Here are a few things you need to be thinking about now (before you even hit full speed on the straight-away:

• What curriculum will you provide at the end of the campaign to help your newest groups continue?  Remember, new groups are much more likely to continue if you begin talking about what’s next in week 3 or 4 (out of 6) of the launch series.  This is so important, I call it one of the 5 Keys To Sustaining New Groups.  It’s also one of the Secrets of a Successful Small Group Launch.
• How will you promote what’s next?  Remember, your senior pastor is best promoter.  It’s also helpful to actually script the promotion of what’s next.  Here’s how to do it.
• Remember, sustaining what you launch is actually part of the definition of a win for a church-wide campaign.
• How will you help those who missed the campaign join a small group for the follow-up study?  This isn’t a bad time to hold a small group connection.

These are just a few of the most important questions you should be asking right now.  And trust me…right now really is the time to be thinking this way.  If your church is like mine, you really don’t want to get into the turn to start thinking about coming out the other end.

If you’re still working on the details of a church-wide campaign, here are my Top 10 Articles on Church-Wide Campaigns.  You might also want to take a refresher Thinking Strategically About the Fall Season.

You never really know where the next idea will come from.  If you’ve got your eyes open…they really can come from almost any source.   My latest ideas come from Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard (Chip and Dan Heath’s most recent book).  You really need a little set-up to catch this one…so follow along.

One of the core tactics of the HOST strategy is to build in a series of messages that precede the launch of the church-wide campaign by 4 to 6 weeks.  In that series of messages there is a weekly ask, an intentionally designed invitation, for everyone who has a heart for unconnected people, and is willing to open up their home for 6 weeks, serve a few refreshments and tell a few friends to step up to be a host for the upcoming church-wide campaign.  With me so far?  Pretty standard stuff to here.

It’s my belief that when the ask is made correctly, virtually everyone ought to have a little bit of a pull toward responding.  Not everyone will…but almost everyone should have a pull toward saying yes.  After all, almost everyone knows a few people they could invite.  Still with me?  If you are, then you know what’s next.  More often than not, a really strong response is about 10 to 15% of the average adult attendance.  The average is more like 5%.  In other words, if you’re averaging 350 adults on Sunday, you ought to be getting host commitments from 17 to 52 of your adults.

So here’s the question…what if there was a way to set up a stronger response?  I think there is.  I think there’s a simple step that could be done first to cultivate a better response.  And I got this idea from Switch.

Here’s the Idea:

In a fascinating study cited in Switch, a researcher went door to door in an upscale neighborhood in Palo Alto, CA, asking residents if they’d allow a billboard reading “Drive Carefully” to be installed on their lawns.  Further, they were shown a picture of a large, unsightly billboard so “crudely constructed and so enormous that it obscured much of the front of their house.”

83% of the residents said “no.”  And no one is surprised.

Here’s where the study gets interesting.  In another upscale neighborhood the residents were asked to place a tiny “Be a Save Driver” sign in their window.  A little sign…”less than half the size of a postcard.”  As you would expect, a large number of homeowners said, “yes.”  And no one is surprised.

What is surprising is that 2 weeks later the researchers returned and ask those same homeowners to put up the large, unsightly billboard…and 76% accepted it!  Why?  They had already begun to cultivate an identity.  The postcard size sign helped them answer three identity questions, “Who am I?  What kind of situation is this?  What would a person like me do in this situation?”

Here’s what I’m thinking.  You know and I know that the people in our congregations should have a heart for unconnected people.  That is a no-brainer.  Not only do we know that, we believe that most of them do have a heart…they’re just not quite ready to be the one who says yes.

What if we helped them by painting the picture first and asking for something smaller?  For example, what if we used an insert for 2 or 3 weeks with space for names of people they would commit to be praying for, maybe with a tear-off commitment to pray for their friends.

Easy to do.  Easy to say yes to.  Your congregation wants to see themselves as people who care about their neighbor.  You can start by cultivating that identity.

What if it led to the host ask 3 weeks later.  Think it might influence the response?

This is the 1st of several posts with ideas from Switch.  If you want to be sure and catch them all, be sure and sign up to get the update right here.

One of the most important strategic decisions a church can make is to narrow the focus, a concept that is explained very well in the 7 Practices of an Effective Church.  Essentially, to narrow the focus is to concentrate on one thing (or a very few things) in an effort to conceive, develop and promote the opportunity that will have the greatest impact.

Narrowing the focus is an easy concept to understand…and a great challenge for churches to pull off.  What makes it so hard is that one of the Top 10 Fantasies of Churches with Groups is that “it is enough to promote small groups once a year, annually every fall, along with everything else that’s starting up with the new ministry season.” As you can see, there are two parts to this fantasy.  First, that promoting small groups once a year will actually get the job done and second, that you can promote small groups along with everything else that’s starting up for the new ministry year.

In this article I want to concentrate on the second part of the fantasy and suggest that if you want to become a church of groups…you must narrow the focus to only promote the opportunity to host a group (for the weeks that you are recruiting hosts) or joining a group (for the weeks that you are encouraging everyone to be in a group.  And to clarify, I’m really only talking about what you’re highlighting.  You might have other opportunities mentioned in the bulletin or on the website…but even there it would be clear what the big thing is.

Only Promote One Thing at a Time

I want you to be sure and catch what I just pointed out.  In fact, go back and read the previous paragraph.  Notice that you start by only promoting the opportunity to host.  You’re not talking about hosting (or leading) OR joining a group.  Once you begin talking about joining, you’ve recruited your last host.  Few, if any, sign up to host a group if you give them the chance to simply be a member.  Now back to the point.

The Real World

I want you to stop there and think about your church.  How likely is it that on the weeks you’re doing those things (recruiting hosts or recruiting members) that those are the only things you’re doing?  That those are the only things you’re promoting?

See the problem?  If you’re launching a church-wide campaign or ramping up for a small group connection, you will have the greatest impact if you are narrowing the focus to only promote those opportunities.  If you are also promoting the Beth Moore Bible study and the Men’s Fraternity along with the season opener of DivorceCare, GriefShare, Celebrate Recovery, Bible Study Fellowship and Community Bible Study…you’re going to have real trouble getting traction in any of those efforts.  Most importantly, you’re not setting up a scenario that leads to a church of groups.  By promoting everything, by promoting a buffet, you’re making it more difficult for your congregation to say “yes” to a group.

If you want to become a church of groups, you’ll need to narrow the focus (at least when you’re in launch mode) and really highlight grouplife opportunities.  Once the launch is secure you can begin to promote other opportunities.

Developing an Annual GroupLife Calendar

While we’re on the subject, let me add an important clarification.  You really can’t become a church of groups if you’re only working on it once a year.  Understanding the ebb and flow of seasons and taking a longer view is very important.  Developing an Annual GroupLife Calender is essential.

Getting to There

Are you already there?  Are you promoting the one thing that matters most when you come into a strategic season?  Or are you still living in fantasyland?  If you’re already on the way to a church of groups…good for you.  If you’re stuck in fantasyland, maybe scheduling an exploratory conversation about narrowing the focus for impact is the best next step.  It might be that bringing in (by phone or in person) a strategic outsider with fresh eyes is the ticket.  This is a role I play all the time.  You can find out more or schedule an opportunity right here.

If you’ve been part of the conversation here for any length of time, you know that I’m a big believer in the power of a church-wide campaign to launch groups.  In fact, I believe it is the best way to launch new groups.  That said, here are what I think are my top 10 articles on church-wide campaigns:

(Be sure and take a look at my Church-Wide Campaign Coaching Offer below)

1. The Exponential Power of a Church-Wide Campaign
2. Maximize the Fall with a Church-Wide Campaign
3. Top 10 Reasons Church-Wide Campaigns Miss the Mark
4. Church-Wide Campaigns: Clarifying the Win
5. How to Sequence a Church-Wide Campaign
6. Preparing for Church-Wide Campaigns
7. How to Develop a Timeline for Your Church-Wide Campaign
8. Church-Wide Campaign Driven Small Groups
9. Lessons from Saddleback: How to Launch Your Church-Wide Campaign
10. Top 10 Reasons Saddleback Has Connected Over 130% in Groups

Church-Wide Campaign Coaching

Sometimes a single at bat in a baseball game determines who wins and who loses.  Sometimes a single decision determines a career path.  Sometimes a single comment in a political campaign determines the winner…and the loser.

A church-wide campaign has the potential to determine the trajectory of your church.  If you want to maximize your outcome, you might want to consider a little coaching.  I’ve been helping churches plan and execute church-wide campaigns for almost a decade.  Find out how I can help you right here.