Here is another great example of how you can use technology to create a BUZZ in your church and community

If you want to be

- the best in your profession

- a multi-millionaire

- a fit person

- a successful businessman

- debt free

- a growing Christian

then

- hang out with people who you want to be someday

- observe their life

- ask what books they are reading

- ask if you can be an apprentice

- go to where they are going

- think like them

According to Brian Tracy here are 7 major time wasters

1. Telephone interruptions.

Make sure to have someone screen your calls if not the girl who sells tupperwares over the phone would get your time, the stranger who got your number in your church website would get your time.

2. Unexpected visitors.

Minimum time an unexpected visitor gets from you is 30 minutes. It could go as long as 3 hours so you end up saying what did I do today?

3. Meetings

I recommend the book death by meeting by Patrick Lencioni to end all boring meetings

4. Fire fighting and emergencies.

That is why systems and rules should be implemented in the office to minimize fire fighting and emergencies. We are not hired to be trouble shooters.

5. Procrastination.

Set a deadline to the important tasks you have to do.

6. Idle conversations.

The small talks add up. You know what I mean.

7. Indecision and delay

Unnecessary delays is costing organizations thousands of pesos every day. Decide or lose money.

1. Why am I on this organization?

The company pays your salary- ask why?

2. What are some things I can do to add value to the organization that only I can do?

3. What is a win for me? How do I know if I scored on the job today?

4. What can I do that nobody else can or will do?

I don’t understand people who criticize creativity. Being creative is HARD WORK. It takes more work and preparation and focus to be creative.

creativity makes you think outside the box. creativity is challenging the status quo.

Pastor Sonny Oaman is an example of a creative leader. The good thing about him is that he is creative not for creativity’s sake but because he knows that creativity helps bring the message across.

Good friend and blogger extraordinaire Ganns Deen is hyper creative. His creativity is contagious. That is what creativity brings. Life, energy, excitement. It pays to be creative.

photos here are shot by Jun Navarro another creative guy.

Great thing we worship a creative God – just look at your face.

It reminds me of the story of this very successful lawyer who once attended our church at the Fort. The first place he checked was the restroom. His measure of whether he was coming back to church or not was the restroom. To his amazement, he saw the restroom so clean that he can even poo anytime. He is now one of our active and fruitful leader in church.

Never underestimate the power of a clean restroom.

Was ordering some food in McDonald’s when I saw an ad in their counter that says “Order Half Rice for the Same Price” ….. donations would go to the Ronald McDonald Foundation. That’s 3.50 pesos extra to help the less privileged and make a difference in the world.

Got me thinking…….

How much does it cost to recall and call people by their name?

How much does it cost to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH!?

How much does it cost to shake somebody’s hand and look them in the eye when you are talking with them?

How much does it cost to say, “great job!!!”

How much does it cost to prepare our church services a little more excellently so that new people would love to come back next week?

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BE A LITTLE NICER? A LITTLE BETTER? A LITTLE MORE EXCELLENT?

HOW MUCH WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOUR CUSTOMER, YOUR CHURCH MEMBERS, YOUR CO-WORKERS, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS SO THAT THEY MAY FEEL A LOT MORE SPECIAL?

IT TAKES A little MORE.

small matters……. its the small things that make the BIG things in a worship experience.

- we just finished our worship service a few hours ago and we had so many new people in church. It seems every week, we see dozens of new faces. 4 people gave their lives to Jesus today.
- I was in church early to oversee the design we have for today. We had a little wedding ceremony squeezed in our service today to honor our tech ministry head, Ernel and his wife Kathy. They marriage was very rocky at the start but Jesus turned it around. Their story brought tears to the people. I almost cried but hey REAL MEN DON”T CRY! They wail!
- i’ve realized it is the small things that make the BIG THINGS. The small flower decorations we had and the archway that created the atmosphere of our service.
- its the candies the ushers are giving out to people once they enter the service.
- its the handshakes that our pastors and leaders give before and after the service that touches people.
- its the moving flash powerpoint that makes the message more interesting.
- its the program coordinator who makes sure that the little things like who has the mic, check if the mic is working, what’s next in the program that makes an overall exciting worship experience.
- its the volunteers who are all in children’s and kid’s church costumes and shirts that helps people recognize this are the friendly people who would take care of your kids.
- it is the hug some usher gives to people who comes in the main hall.
- it is the clean restroom
- it is the electric violinist
- it is the little things we do to make every visitor and guests in church wants to come back next week.
- its the friendly guard who makes sure the place is secure
- to the pastoral staff, volunteers, paid staff and all who contributed the little things- a BIG thank you!

I just finished reading the book Purple Cow by Seth Godin and the book just blew me away! If there is a book I would recommend pastors to read – it is this book. The book challenges us to THINK!

WHY DO WE EXIST? WHAT MAKES JESUS REMARKABLE? HOW ARE WE, AS A CHURCH , TRYING TO MAKE JESUS AND HIS WORD REMARKABLY RELEVANT AND REMARKABLY LIFE CHANGING? WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A CHURCH TO ENGAGE THE LOST? HOW DO I USE MY RESOURCES WISELY TO ENGAGE THE LOST?

If you want to know the answers buy the book. I can’t blog everything here. Just some insights I learned:

To be a Purple Church i have to be remarkable. Jesus is our product. The greatest gift given to mankind but how come a lot of people are not responding to Jesus? A lot of times we don’t know our niche. CLick here to understand the niche .

Improving how we do church and pulling all our efforts and resources to engage the culture with the gospel would produce results that could surprise us.

Innovate, think outside the box, be creative without losing the presence of God, passionate worship and the preaching of the Word.

As you focus on a certain group of people they will then spread what the church is doing and how excellent the church is because of the church’s focus in reaching their niche thus attracting the masses to come.

Being safe is risky. Church shouldn’t be boring– It should be engaging. The word of God will never pass away which means even as culture changes the word of God remains relevant.

PS: Before buying the purple cow book, make sure to answer the purple book first.

Check out

1. Simple Church by Thom Rainer
2. Courageous leadership by Bill Hybels
3. Creating Community by Andy Stanley
4. Why Men hate Going to Church by I forgot
5. Purpose driven Church by Rick Warren

Books have been very valuable to me. Check out my shelfari site to see what books I am into!