http://www.stephengray.org Stephen Gray Blog RSS Feed misc@bitsculptor.com (Eric Schlange) Tue, 3 Jan 2012 1:32:21 CDT Bitsculptor RSS OAF v1.0 http://www.stephengray.org/img/logo-rss.gif http://www.stephengray.org http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/How-Much-Does-It-Cost-To-Plant-A-Church%3F/id/120/blog.asp How much money does it take to plant a new church or multi site campus? I can't tell you how many times i have been asked that question. But, that question has no easy answer. Understanding the delicate balance between over-funding and under-funding is a complex question. There are many variables to consider when asking that question. Six questions you must consider when planning a plant... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Hiring-A-New-Staff-Member/id/38/blog.asp Companies are notorious for hiring based on skill and firing based on fit. The Church is no exception. Leadership is one of the most important aspects in the life of a church plant. Make one mistake and it can cost you momentum, money and credibility. Find the right leader and your ministry can take off in ways you never imagined. When it comes to the issue of leadership in a new church, few thing... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/One-More-Thing/id/99/blog.asp @font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } She wanted the wisdom it would give her Gen 3:6 The grass is hardly ever greener on the other side. What we thought would bring us joy and fulfillment really brings pain and frustration. God created ... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Small-Town-Small-Church-Leaders/id/119/blog.asp I just spent the last few days at the The Sticks Conference with a group of leaders who answered the call to do ministry in the small towns and villages that dot our country. Doing ministry in small town USA more than likely won't land you a speaking engagement at one of the major pastor's conferences we flock to every year, but these leaders are to be praised for their hard work and determination... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Reblog-What-Defines-A-Successful-Church%3F/id/95/blog.asp @font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph { margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Drift-Happens/id/69/blog.asp Normal.dotm 0 0 1 741 4229 General Baptist 35 8 5193 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/The-Call-of-A-Thousand-Voices/id/118/blog.asp In 1976 Sally Field starred in the Emmy Award winning movie Sybil. Sybil was a young adult who suffered severe abuse as a child and as a result developed a coping mechanism that enable her to disassociate with the reality of her pain. Over the course of her young life, Sybil developed thirteen different personalities. Some of these personalities made her appear psychotic; some of them made... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Planting-Principle-Driven-Churches/id/117/blog.asp Websters dictionary defines a principle as a fundamental or primary rule, or general law from which everything is derived. Most of the debate in the church planting world centers around process not principles. How do we plant a church? Large launch, organic, missional, attractional, house church, etc.. While focusing on these issues are important, it's more important to focus on a principle-dri... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Planting-A-Church-For-Men/id/44/blog.asp A Study in 2000 from Switzerland provides insight on the importance on male attendance on the religious development of children in the country. 'In summary, if a father does not go to church, no matter how regular the mother is in her religious practice, only one child in fifty becomes a regular church attendee. But if the father attends regularly, then regardless of the practice of the mother, ... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Good-Leaders-Make-Strategy-And-Planning-A-Way-of-Life/id/91/blog.asp @font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Im sure you have all heard the adage, Failing to plan is planning to fail. Chances are you heard it at a church or business seminar, or saw it on a plaque on someone desk. Unfortunately, even though most o... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/How-to-know-when-your-church-is-drifting-in-maintenance-mode%2E/id/116/blog.asp Every living organism has a life-cycle, including a local church. Often, and without obvious warning, a church shifts from being a movement toward becoming a monument. The shift is subtle, but if you are careful to observe, you can see it happening. Here are 10 signs your church has drifted into maintenance mode. 1. Your board meetings focus more on calendars, budgets and managing interna... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Urban-Planting-Is-Harder-Than-Expected/id/115/blog.asp Over a year ago I felt driven to look at church planting within the urban centers of our nation. After releasing my findings over two years ago on Planting Fast-Growing Churches, I felt compelled to take these findings and refine them for a more Urban setting. In the next couple of weeks I want to share with you 15 key findings of the study. The first key finding has to do with the level of diffic... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/A-Game-Changer/id/35/blog.asp Ok, I admit, I am a fan of American Idol. The Bible says confession is good for the soul. So, there it is out in the open. As I watched the show with my family, I found myself paying more attention to who was in the crowd rather than those on the stage. Every time the cameraman panned through the crowd, you would see music artists from past Idol shows. I was amazed at how many of them, even th... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Repost-Living-in-the-and%2334What-if%2E%2E%2E%2Eand%2334/id/43/blog.asp Thought this was a good repost after the Exponential conference. If Only... Those are two of the most haunting words in the English language when joined together. If only I hadn't..... If only I could..... If only it would..... If only I was able to ..... Fill in your own ending to those phrases. We all have them don't we? Even in our ministry we tend to look out over the horizon of thing... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Four-strategic-parts-to-making-the-and%2334ASKand%2334-fund-raising/id/114/blog.asp @font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }ol { margin-bottom: 0in; }ul { margin-bottom: 0in; } Today I attended a pre-conference session at Exponential 2011. It session was hosted by Generis. Lead by Jim Sheppard (Generis) and Chris Willard (Leader... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Easter-is-coming%2E-Are-you-ready%3F/id/113/blog.asp In few short days, he Christian world will celebrate Easter. The most holy of all Christian days. As Paul stated, if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith 1 Cor 15:14 On this day of days many people, who never grace the doors of the church, will come to see all the hype. They are not there by happenstance. I don't believe in chance or luck. Rather, I believe ev... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Take-Care-Of-Your-Family/id/112/blog.asp @font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Church planting can become an all-consuming task. You have to become a Jack-of-all-trades and hardly ever a master of anything. The tasks required of a planter can simply overwhelm them. Recruiting meeting... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Church-Planting-and-the-Great-Co-Mission/id/30/blog.asp Throughout his ministry, Jesus exemplified the importance of evangelism. He spoke boldly and truthfully of the Father wherever he traveled. As his time on earth came to a close, he laid out the next phase of his ministry. The Great Co-mission, in Matthew 28:19, was his call to the Church to participate in the practice of evangelism: Go and make disciples of all nations. Just before his ascension, ... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Risk-is-a-prerequisite-for-leadership/id/90/blog.asp Normal.dotm 0 0 1 408 2327 General Baptist 19 4 2857 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Corporate-Self-Esteem/id/60/blog.asp The size of a congregation will, by and large, set the agenda for its future viability and effectiveness. We become what we think we are. The congregations attitutde about themsleves will set the pace for the future of the churches effectiveness. As Solomon wrote, as a man thinks in his heart, so he is. Prov 23:7. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy of sorts.The self-image of a congregation is v... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Recession-Has-Had-ittle-Effect-On-Americans-Religiosity/id/34/blog.asp According to a recent poll from Gallup. The current economic crisis has had little effect on the Americans need for religion. Despite the difficulties facing our nation, there has been no evident change over the past 15 months in either Americans' self-reported church attendance or the importance of religion in their daily lives. Forty-two percent on average have reported attending church every we... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/People-Matter-Even-when-they-get-what-they-deserve/id/85/blog.asp Normal.dotm 0 0 1 509 2906 General Baptist 24 5 3568 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/10-Steps-To-Creating-A-Good-Church-Brochure/id/111/blog.asp @font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } A brochure is never a substitute for a personal visit. It is not intended to get someone to join your church. It is simply a tool to inform people of who you are, what you believe and your churchs vision f... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Leaving-A-Legacy/id/22/blog.asp While no church ever dreams of dying, over the last three decades, thousands of churches have closed their doors. Unfortunately, many of them are nothing more than a vague memory of days gone by. The vision of reachig their community has been lost and their hopes and dreams have been silenced. Is there a way to carry forward their original vision spreading the Gospel to spiritually needy people ev... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Change-%3D-Cost/id/87/blog.asp Normal.dotm 0 0 1 663 3781 General Baptist 31 7 4643 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Perception-is-king/id/28/blog.asp The power of perception can never be underestimated. Once an individual forms a perception about your church, it is very hard to undo. Richard Reising in his book Church Marketing 101 states that good marketing is the management of perception. Why? Because too often perception becomes reality to those outside the church. Whether their perception is right or wrong, how an individual perceives your ... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/5-Mistakes-that-could-sink-your-church/id/67/blog.asp On April 15, 1912 the unthinkable happened when White Star Lines unsinkable ship, the Titanic, sank. The sinking resulted in the deaths of 1,517 of the 2,223 people on board, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. Could the Titanic have been saved? Could this disaster have been averted and what lessons can the Church learn? Many mistakes were made by those who... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Nine-Essentials-for-lasting-change%2E/id/110/blog.asp I read this post from Artie Davis the other day and thought is was worth reposting. What do you think? Having guided businesses, churches and organizations through many large changes and observing others who have navigated the same waters, I have noticed some essentials in making change occur and lasting 1- Communication For real, lasting change to occur it has to be clearly and masterfull... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Dont-Be-Married-To-The-Church/id/7/blog.asp Dont be married to the church? What? Why would anyone ever blog about that? As a preachers kid I understand this problem in ways I wish I didnt. As a pastor of 21 years I have not only experienced the effects of this problem in my life, but also helped to promote it in many ways. In my fathers generation, it was widely accepted that the church always came before the family. Why? Somehow his servic... http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/Starting-A-Multisite-Campus/id/109/blog.asp @font-face { font-family: "Courier New"; }@font-face { font-family: "Wingdings"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }ol { margin-bottom: 0in; }ul { margin-bottom: 0in; } Day one at the Radicalis Conference Geoff Surratt shared, in a ...