I always experience this “hango-over” from attending a conference. The Sticky Church Conference was a bit different because it was at Suncrest and I had a few other things to do as well.
One thing I try to do is narrow down a list of take-aways. That way I can at least point to a few specific things in which a conference helped me in. I am not sure this is my final list, but it is a start:
(In no particular order.)
- The best date night is group. If you can only pay for baby sitting one night, make it go to group. The best mom and dad you can be is to be the best husband and wife. And your kids don’t need a mom and dad who’ve seen the latest movie.
- We don’t need a Christian version of community agencies we can partner with them to help instead of reinvent (Osborne).
- Going multi-site pushes the gas pedal of a church decentralizing.
- (Reminder) Smaller venues in a multi-site church create the “small church” feel that many people are looking for (Scott Chapman). This reminded me of the Rick Warren-ism, “The only person that likes a big church is the pastor.”
- The stickiest thing you have in your church is close and tight relationships (Osborne).
- Everything Northcoast does is aimed at Christians but it is always done in a way that a seeker can understand (Osborne).
- Visitor retention – assimilation; Long-term retention – discipleship
- We get what we measure and celebrate. Retention seldom makes the list (Osborne).
- At Northcoast they try to velcro people to the Bible and a community
April 1, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Hi Doug,
Wanted to know your thoughts on one item on your list…
“Going multi-site pushes the gas pedal of a church decentralizing.”
Can you elaborate on this comment and how you think it may pertain to Suncrest?
April 1, 2009 at 5:48 pm
We actually are still figuring out how this needs to be true. The reality in a multi-site environment to have everything run through some kind of centralized process or system kills momentum and creativity. What needs to happen is that the DNA that needs to be transferred is identified. That then forms the “guide” for making decisions and executing the mission at the new site. One example for us is that I am the campus pastor. Greg still does a lot of the teaching via video but he really isn’t the pastor for East folks. I am the shepherd if you will for that campus. That authority has been transferred to me. There a number of ways that we are still discovering.
Good question, thanks for asking.
April 1, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Ha! I just posted about how going to conferences is like, “drinking from a fire hydrant.” I like the hangover imagery too!
I thought that the date night statement was very interesting too. But I wonder how open people will actually be towards that?
tim