Church Growth

July 26 2018

Church Growth Doesn’t Have To Be Hard. Read 7 Tips

Are You Struggling to Grow Your Church?

Invite people to your church. Get your members talking about their church. Word of Mouth Marketing is still an extremely powerful and valuable form of communication that happens to be FREE.
Share relevant, inspiring, and encouraging posts on your social networks that have minimal branding of your church but get users sharing your messages on their walls.
Develop a good follow up strategy. Often time first time visitors want to feel a part of your family even without joining. Passing out goodie bags are a great way to let visitors know you care that they chose your church to visit. Collect basic information from visitors like their name, email and number so you can follow up over the next couple of weeks with a survey, times of worship, and or upcoming events.
Engage. Communication is a two way street, your members aren’t fans they are family. Depending on the size of your church a strong community manager should be in place to respond to comments, emails, and reply on social networks.
Organize free community events that are open to the public. Churches spend a lot of resources on artists, and entertainment but very little on community engagement. Hosting free workshops, job fairs, health screenings, and family oriented events are proven methods to grow your church organization.
Cut the red tape. Make it easy for new members to get involved. The easiest thing to do in church that involves no prior screening, classes, and or a pint of blood is giving. Everything should be as open and as easy as offering. If people are encouraged to give without joining, they should be encouraged to serve and or get involved without a contract.
Be led, not driven. God knows just what His sheep need when they need it. Pray for guidance and discernment in every season your ministry experiences. Stay open to change and sensitive to the move of the Holy Spirit in your church. If God be lifted up, He will draw all men unto Himself. Lead a Christ Centered Church & Experience Explosive Church Growth!

March 1 2017

Thinking About Giving Up? What A Mistake!

Are You Thinking About Giving Up?

The Prayer of Favor is one of my favorite talks with God. All of us have contemplated giving up on something or someone in our lifetime. It just makes sense, stress high – get rid of what’s causing it. This could be your friends, family, or ,
Dear God, I refuse to become weary in well doing as I approach your throne of grace today, I ask that you forgive me of all unrighteousness. I thank you for being a God of innumerable chances. As your word declares and I agree, grant your people supernatural favor today. Give us favor that no man can withstand.

Prayer of Release

I pray specifically for those who read and share this prayer with others. God’s about to #release His Favor into your Life! When this next storm passes you will testify NOBODY DID THIS, BUT GOD! I pray to a God who sits high, yet looks low. May angels come into battle on your behalf today. I pray for the release of warring angels to fight on your behalf and that #prosperity angels will gather #wealth for your barnyards. I declare that Angels of Peace are enforcing ORDER in all climatic areas of your life.

I pray, every reader/prayer warrior be granted VIP access into secret place of the most High #God May your #prayers overcome huddles and may answers to your requests be released quick and immediately. The wait is over. It will not take you as long as it takes everyone else. May the Matchless Favor of God be upon you today.

We put our foot on the devil’s neck and crush every form of distraction, doubt, #rejection #fear and #failure. No demon will come near your house. There is no weapon, no magic charm, no hater, no man, no woman, no friend or foe, no sickness, no circumstance, no bill, no problem and no witchcraft, no hurt that is manufactured against you, that will prosper. It IS NOT going to WORK! The plots and Plans will Fail because Access to you and yours has been Denied!!!

May your fears be replaced with the Favor of God and your Faith increased enough to finish your race. Be strong in our Lord and Savior as you overcome every obstacle in Jesus’ name!

I declare, you will not die, but live to proclaim the MIGHTY works of OUR GOD!

Your life will be a testimony for the world to witness and see the Glory of the Lord. Declare The RELEASE of YOUR VICTORY by declaring GOD’S FAVOR IS RELEASED TO ME TODAY;

December 31 2016

Church Blues at Christmas?

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so they say?? But is it really? As we steadily approach the close of yet another year, I am reminded of how many members, friends, family, and love ones, we lost along the way. During the holidays, many people make time to spend with those they love & care about while other people pray that the next couple of weeks come and go very quickly. I am convinced that the race isn’t given to the ones that get there first, or to the ones who get there easy. Life Happens, but you must keep LIVING! The race is given to the FINISHERS.

Today I speak over your life and over your households that the grace of God will keep you and the power of His Spirit will preserve you. God is your strength and your salvation; You will no longer be afraid. God Is your light and your salvation; You will not lose your mind in the storm. You are surrounded by His angels, and nothing will be able to move you from God’s protection. Trust in the keeping power of the Almighty God and remain confident in the everlasting love of the King of Glory.

You have not been rejected by God, You are loved with an everlasting love. God has you covered. Though a thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, You shall not fear; God watches over you and yours. He that keeps you neither sleeps nor slumbers. The Lord remembers His promises and fulfils His covenant to those that FINISH THEIR RACE! Don’t you dare GIVE UP! May the spirit of a finisher rest on your household. Your life is safe, your future is not under threat.

Decree & Declare:
I will exceed all expectations.
I will deliver on destiny’s terms;
I operate in the arena of limitless possibilities,
I have become a wonder to many, and God is my sustenance.
He is my eternal help and source.
I shall want for NOTHING.
My mouth is satisfied with good things.
I will eat of the fat of the land;
I am like a tree planted by the rivers of flowing water, my root is strong in the ground. My leaves are green and fresh. I bring forth my fruit in and out of season.
The earth will yield to me of her increase.
This is a year of Release for Me!
In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen

September 22 2016

Why Toxic Ministries Stunt Church Growth

Toxic Ministries Kill Church Growth

You will always encounter a few “Haters”
I think by now, most of you know that everyone will not be happy with all of the decisions you make in life. To be a successful business owner you can not carry your emotions on your shoulders. Being overly sensitive can cause you to lose sight of profitable opportunities. It will also give your haters exactly what they want.

I’m No EXPERT but…

I’m not really a “Hater” specialist. In fact, I actually hate the term because it is loosely used to define people and does not specify a set group of consistent actions. Read more about dealing with haters here.

I am not sure if there is any one “great answer” to dealing with opposition or negative feedback in your business. Although we all aim to be people pleasers in an effort to gain more business, we must remember that all businesses do not market to everybody. Every business model has a target market.

Read a few of my suggestions on dealing with negativity in the workplace HERE

Progress. Persevere. Produce.

Remember negativity slows progression.
Negativity hurts. Push pass the emotional distress and persevere.
If you don’t produce, you will reduce. Your brand deserves your best for maximum productivity.

This article was written by
Portia Chandler 2013
www.portiachandler.com
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST

So what does a marriage counselor have to do with business? A lot actually. Please join us in this audio podcast series with Marriage Counselor, Laimont Tubbs and Social Media Guru, Portia Chandler. Listen as they explore the parallels of marriage and business in their less than three minute chats.

July 2 2016

So You Think You’re Cut Out To Do Social Media for Your Church?

If You Think You’re Cut Out To Do Social Media for Your Church, You Had Better Read This First.

Social Media is a form of communication that is here to stay, at least for now in the manner that we have grown to understand it. Not to be mistaken as a marketing plan, social media is not a marketing plan but should be a vital part of your overall church marketing strategy. Churches should never place the responsibility of forming marketing messages, creating content, developing social posts and responding on behalf of the church in the hands of untrained volunteers. Please note, I did not say volunteers don’t make great Social Media Managers, I’m merely suggesting that the weight and responsibilities of this job description in the church should be marketed as such “a job”

Self-Education is key. Chances are what you learned in college won't help you today. Click To Tweet

What Are The Requirements?

Creativity | Tons of it! A church social media manager has to be able to pitch and implement an endless supply of new and exciting ideas that are relevant to the church’s vision and mission. They must be willing to operate using their spiritual gifts while embracing new methodologies to encourage a sense of community amongst the members.
Discernment | The ability to perceive moods, reactions, and responses before they occur. This is really a valuable and powerful gift to have as a church social media manager. Who couldn’t use a Rhema Word ? Knowing what to say and when to say it makes your role priceless.
A Knack for Creating Great Designs on the Fly | Social Media Managers aren’t Graphic Designers but the ability to create and design simple graphics on the fly is a must. Attention Grabbing Graphics, Legible Fonts, Complementary Colors Schemes all help to expose your church’s message online.
A Way With Words | For church marketing teams, this means more than just having the gift of gab, it entails being able to creatively express, entertain, explain & encourage all demographics of audiences. The churched as well as the unchurched.
Commitment | This job isn’t for the hobbyist or the faint at heart. It’s extremely difficult to serve on your church’s social media team and remain faithful to other ministries you might be involved in. As you might imagine, the lifeline of effective social media is nourished by the experiences that are captured within the church then retold online to extend the reach of the initial audience.
Autodidact | Self-Education is key. Chances are what you learned in college won’t help you today. In fact, a course you may have taken just 7 months ago is probably becoming outdated. The rules to marketing online are constantly changing and there’s a new social network popping up every three to six months. It’s imperative that you make it your duty to stay knowledgable and up to speed on current trends, platforms, & softwares relevant to church growth.
Detail Oriented | Organization is subjective among many creatives. We all differ in what methods, and or systems we use to get the job done but at the end of the day we all must agree that when it comes to communicating on behalf of the lord, we have to stay fresh, open, and obedient to what God wants for us to say, create, and share.

These are just a few of the tasks and skill sets needed to serve effectively on your church’s social media team. Prayerfully your church is taking proactive steps to properly train and equip volunteers and staff to manage and maintain the church’s voice online.

Church Graphics: Sermon Series "Faith Sure of The Unseen"

June 28 2016

Church Graphics: Series “Faith Sure of The Unseen”

ABOUT THIS SERIES

One Church Resource just released a new series graphic pack on their website. Key details can be found below. As always they offer high quality graphics along with top notch multimedia assets to enhance your Sunday morning worship experience like countdown videos, Intro videos, and social media banners for most of the popular networks

Key Scriptures:
Hebrews 11
Romans 10:17

Week 1: Introduction
Without f– what is faith (substance), how do we get f—– – Romans 10:17?
Abraham (called by faith- name changed)

We are justified by f—– not works (Abraham wasn’t a perfect guy)
Who asked for the 10 commandments? Abraham was made righteous by faith, His children insisted on righteousness by works! Parents!!!

Week 2: The Promise And The Test
You’ll have a son, descendants as numerous as the stars— Ishmael then Isaac – law and grace, in my strength or according to Gods promise?

Week 3: Who’s First?
Isaac Sacrificed – do we love God or the stuff that He provides more– who is first? Faith in $$$ – Children were your 401k in those days

[themify_button style=”xlarge blue” link=”http://www.onechurchresource.com/faith” target=”_blank”]DOWNLOAD FREE GRAPHIC PACK[/themify_button]

May 27 2016

Why Execution Is Still Key In Churches

Execution is key, but executers are hard to find. Churches are filled with people who have mastered the art of over promising and under delivering. Members & Staff who shell out a million great ideas a day that inspire you to do bigger & better but lack the wherewithal to execute the task at hand.

Churches need to foster an environment for creative teams to develop as a ministry within the church. Creatives play an important role in church development and church growth. Creatives are executers by nature. They live to create something new, something different every day. They are self motivated to better themselves and their skill sets. They are sometimes very introverted members so they may not be first in line to volunteer their time and or their talents. Creatives have the ability to get things done, but may need coaching. It’s really a ministry where idea is engaged to ability. You thought it, but can you do it?

Creatives shape the look & feel of the world we know

Back in the day, creatives were just called over zealous volunteers who had an itch to serve so they brought their time, talents, and gifts to the altar and the result was a church culture & community. The sense that you belonged or were apart of something bigger.

Now days, we have organized religion and strategically organized church services. Every song and every word has a time slot. We don’t print programs anymore but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. It is a lot harder to just walk up and volunteer your time or your talents to a church family because there is a process for just about everything. There is a system in place to expedite things, a hierarchy that must be climbed and a headache to gain just to offer your services for free. This why churches don’t have many executers on their teams and the main reason authentic volunteerism is death.

No one pledges their church, to be a part of a church family so you shouldn’t have to jump through hoops or even interview to be a part of a church organization. In schools all across the world parents volunteer together to organize extra curricular activities for their children, they are called the PTO. I love the title, Parent Teacher Organization. It’s crystal clear from the jump, parents & teachers organize activities for their children’s school to accomplished mutually agreed upon goals and they do it all for free. They fundraise to support their efforts and donate in times of need. Are you aware of just how much the PTO does in your community? They operate like a church was designed to function and less like a business. The rally the support of executers, parents who get things done, parents who make things happen, teachers who want to do more, see more, create more experiences for the children they teach.

Who is on your church team? Do you have volunteers that execute ideas or do you have volunteers that show up confused but are willing to get in where the fit in?

May 3 2016

Secrets to Breaking Out of Jail

“At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
Lord, I repent of waiting for the preacher or the pastor to stand before me, releasing my faith for healing, for wealth, opened doors & opportunities, deliverance for my love ones, and or relief from the troubles of this world. Your best for me is found in You; and like Paul & Silas locked behind the prison doors, I will worship and honor You continually!

I will give you a LOCKED UP PRAISE, until the very foundations of the jail I am in, have to set me FREE! I trust that You will respond to the glory I give You by joining me in sweet communion. It is there in Your presence that I will find all that I need. IN JESUS HOLY NAME, AMEN.

April 30 2016

The Question of the Resurrection”

April 25 2016

Who Is Like The Lord?

QUESTION: Who is like the Lord?
ANSWER: There is NOBODY like the Lord!!!

He is The Prince of Peace
The Bread of Life
Wonderful Counselor
Food to the Hungry
Water to the Thirsty
Shelter to the Homeless
Salvation to the Lost
Provision to the Poor
Father to the Fatherless
Mother to the Motherless
He’s a lawyer in a Courtroom
Grace to the Stubborn
Mercy to the Fool
Council to the Wise
Direction to the Lost
Rest to the heavy laden
Opportunity to the Seeker
Answers to the Asker
Peace to the Troubled
Love to the Forsaken
Avenger to the Persecuted
God Is Cool Air in the Heat &
Warmth to the Cold
He’s a Friend to the Friendless
He is Medicine to the Hurting &
Healing to the Sick
God is Hope to the Bitter, Betrayed, & Broken
God is Forgiveness to the Repeat Offender
He’s an Orphanage to the Abandoned
Second Chance to the Failure
Sight to the Blind
Sound to the Deaf
Foundation to the Unstable
Strength to the Fighter
Speed to Runner
Strategy to the Planner
Discipline to the Saver
Income to the Worker
Rain on the Just & Unjust
He is the Holder of my Future
Ambition to the Willing
Faithful to the Faithless
Miracle to the Believer
Seed to the Sower
Harvest to the Reaper
He is Holy & Righteous
All Powerful & All Knowing
He is a Mighty God
Everlasting Father
He is The First & The Last
Both Alpha & Omega
The Beginning & The End
He is My Redeemer & My Savior!

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Amen. #PrayerLife

QUESTION: Who is He to you?
#Comment #Tag #Share #Encourage

April 20 2016

Prayer for Order

Father, I know we as believers tend to act first then pray as a last resort, but this order of prayer leads to wrong turns, detours, and delays! God I ask right now that you design an alternate route back to you, so that as we move forward in faith we won’t be distracted by the shortcuts that the enemy has to offer.

Fill us up God, allow us to ride on a full tank of your mercy! Grant us traveling grace to our destiny and provide for our spirits a safe exit to rest relax and be restored. God I thank you for your roadmap- as I listen obediently to your direction. I will pray first, and act only after receiving your blessing!
Go ahead of your Servants and clear our paths of debris and demonic traffic. Give Us New #Life In You! A #PrayerLife that renders #cancer harmless a #PrayerLife that destroys lack and generational curses that hovering over our families!! Father I know you’re able, now I ask that you will. Grant each reader the desires of their heart in Jesus Name, Amen.

April 7 2016

Every church needs content writers

The last place you probably thought you would need to whip out your Grammar 101 skills is at your local church, but it’s true your church needs your writing skills to help with the flow of its daily activities.

How can the church use your writing skills?

* editing blog posts
* writing blog posts
* creating sermon recaps
* forming social media status
* promoting upcoming events
* writing press releases
* writing engaging church newsletters

Just to name a few. Content writing is not new, but may be one of the most under advertised ministries in the church. Does your church need a content writer? Do you have a passion for writing? If your local church doesn’t have a media team in place, think about starting one. Ask your ministry leaders if you can start by writing sermon recaps that can be used on your church’s social networks, blog, and or weekly newsletter. If you are not quite ready for sermon recaps, try proof reading or editing content before it goes out.

In our office our blog post drafts are sent out to a test group then edits are submitted before going live to the public. You might want to volunteer your editorial services to your church. If you find yourself having notebooks full of notes that only you see- ask your church if they are looking for content writers to work with the media team to assist in the day to day flow of your church’s written communication.