Tag: dare

  • Update on the Dare

    the_double_dog_dare-artSix weeks ago I threw down the gauntlet and challenged pastors to get out of their offices and meet the people that go to their church, on their turf. My post, A Dare for Pastors, has been read, shared, linked to, commented on, and forwarded a few thousand times.

    Here are a few of my favorite responses:

    1. A senior pastor who commented on Monday Morning Insight that I was insulting the role of his sermon by saying he should either wing it or let Craig Groschell preach by video. Take this as someone who sits in the pews and occasionally preaches, actions speak louder than words. I guarantee you that your message that week, with little to no prep time, will be more memorable than 90% of sermons you preach the rest of the year. That week every person in the church will know that you lived out the Gospel more than you shared the Gospel. I’ll further the insult by the way. If your pastor claims to spend 20+ hours on a 30 minute sermon each week, he/she clearly not using time wisely. 6 years of education, years of experience, and a 30 minute message takes all week? My message prep takes no more than 5 hours. 8 hours if I have to do some hardcore research. You know we have the internet, right? 20 hours of prep time! Does that involve 2 rounds of golf?

    2. A good friend of mine who speaks around the country emailed me and asked if he could steal my idea and challenge church leaders to take the dare. I think that’s an awesome idea. The more church leaders who meet their people in their context, the better ministries will be as a result.

    3. Several pastors have emailed me to tell me that they are taking the dare. I know of two churches who will shut their doors to staff and force them to spend 5 half days with the people in their workplaces. I can’t wait to hear the results! The dare is still open. Need help pulling it off? Let me know.

    I can’t wait to update more on this dare later in the summer.

  • A Dare for Pastors

    lunch

    I am daring you and your staff to take this challenge. I promise you it isn’t as dangerous as it sounds. In fact, I think it may just fundamentally change the way you interact with the people in your ministry.

    Here’s the dare.

    Lock every staff person out of your church building for a work week. From the senior pastor to the part time guy to the janitor. Instead of going to the office and doing your normal thing for 7 work days I am daring you to put all that “work” aside for a work week and a couple of days to spend that time getting to know 10 people who go to your church in their native environment.

    Here’s how it works.

    1. Instead of getting up and going to the office, split your day in half. In the morning you’ll spend a half-day with a first shift office worker and in either the afternoon or evening you’ll pull a half shift with a blue collar worker. Trust me, you’ll find a bunch of volunteers. It’ll be fun for everyone. Repeat this for 5 days so each staff member gets to see 10 of your church attendees in their work environment for half a day.

    2. Run your ministries that week in the most stripped down way possible. Just wing it for a week… you’re professionals, you know you can wing a week. Tell the pastor to talk about his week or something. The preacher absolutely doesn’t get special treatment in this. Heck, download a free sermon from open.lifechurch.tv and tell the band to play last weeks songs on Sunday. This dare will make your ministry better, I promise.

    3. When that week is over schedule an off-site meeting with your entire church staff for Monday and Tuesday. It’ll take 2 days to debrief this.

    3a. Spend the entire first day (with a lunch paid for by the boss) sharing your experiences. What did you do? What was unexpected? What went crazy? Who works their butt off? Who has the easy job? Why do people do what they do? Who is the most servant hearted? You get the idea.

    3b. Spend the entire second day (bring a bag lunch) determining how getting to know people in their native environments changes how you minister to people, families, children, and students.

    4. Send thank you notes to every single person you visited. Let them know how much you appreciated the time with them, how much you learned, etc.

    Money back guarantee! Since this project isn’t costing you anything I promise to refund you fully if you take this dare and learn absolutely nothing.

    Go ahead, spend time with your people at work. I double dog dare you!

    For those taking the dare. Let me know if your staff is doing it. I’d love to pray for you all. Also, let me know how it went. Leave a comment here or drop me an email, mclanea@gmail.com.