Dan O'Deens

I have to start out by sharing my disdain for the term “First Impressions.” At first the phrase is catchy.   …And then, you read into it and it appears to be a bit “Shady.”  What I mean by that is that the term seems to convey an un-honest reality.  We will work hard at the façade and the ‘gimmick’ to get you in, and then it’s business as usual.   I will for this blog sake, assume that we are all genuine and truly care for each person that is checking us or God out!   I might also throw out a better name for your “First Impression Ministries.”  I like “GUEST SERVICES.”

With that said, it is true that people make their decisions based on what they see first.  So, in that light, let’s revisit the subject of “marketing.”

At the core of Marketing is:

•The ability to understand how people perceive you

•A vision of how you would like to be perceived

•Making the necessary adjustments to execute the desired outcome

A “GUEST SERVICE MISSION STATEMENT: “Helping people take their next step toward Christ and on toward a life of full devotion.  We purpose to create an atmosphere of warmth and personal acceptance; providing a “safe” environment for people to see, know and follow Christ.

First Impressions Matter

•First Impressions are Automatic

•First Impressions are Lasting impressions

•68% of customers who go elsewhere do so because of their perception of indifference

•96% of customers tell others –not the organization about a bad experience

Queen of Sheba – For those who like to see what the Bible says!

When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. (1 Kings Chapter 10)

When we begin to consider what we’re “showing” in the little things, maybe we can understand why people do not see our churches the way we do.  We know our intentions, they only see our execution.

“Taking It To The Streets” Marketing or communicating to the outside continues to support those on the inside and provides confidence to those “salespeople” who truly love the “company” they work for.

Perception Contrtibutors

•Name

•Website

•Vocabulary

•Decor

•Dress

•Style of Service

•# of cars in the lot

•Type of cars in the lot

•Leadership “team” vs. “board”

•External promotion techniques

•Current membership

•Past membership

•Signage

NEXT: Create An Open Forum for IDEA Exchange on Better Ways/Creative Ways/Successful Ways To MARKET the CHURCH!

Usually I write my own stuff.   The next 3 days, I will post a three part series written by Doug Fields and Matt McGill, who work with Youth at Saddleback Church.    Criticism is a very REAL deal and it can RUIN you if you are not prepared for it.

Part One:

OUCH…WHY THE CRITICS SQUAWK   - by Doug Fields and Matt McGill

If you’re a leader you can’t escape it—you will be criticized. Criticism is aimed at leaders because everyone (including leaders) is imperfect and hurting and hurting people end up hurting others. At the beginning of one’s leadership journey it’s very difficult to try to separate personalized criticism into a truth or untruth category–criticism jumps straight to personal hurt. The criticism may not always be true, but it always stings.  While critique does hurt, it can help to know  that the people who dish it out are usually hurting themselves. When a leader can better understand why a critic squawks, it can actually trigger compassion, which can help turn a pain into a positive. In our experience, here are some of the reasons why the critics squawk:

Critics usually aren’t serving.
It’s so much easier to sound off at others than it is to serve others. Armchair quarterbacks have all the answers, but lack the drive to get out of the chair and engage in the real game. It’s sad, but some people will serve no where or invest in no one and their lack of ministry involvement gives them extra time and ignorance to critique.

A move toward compassion: These types of critics are missing out on God’s best for their lives. Since they aren’t engaged or serving they  lack the feeling of significance–it’s within this spiritual vacuum where this criticism is fueled.

Critics are unaware of their intent: “I’m just trying to help.”
Not every critique is an attack. Some people speak up and their words sting unintentionally when inflicting pain really wasn’t their motive. They genuinely want to help and honestly believe their comments are assisting the movement or ministry. These critics typically have an investment in your ministry (like a parent or volunteer) and sincerely want to see the ministry flourish.

A move toward compassion: It’s been our experience that it’s easier to feel compassion for these types of critics. They mean well, but they usually have poor tone and/or timing and a unguided sense of their own importance.

Critics have been gathering ammunition and need to shoot someone.
Some critics have been wounded and in their wounding have nursed grudges and gathered ammunition (some for many years). These types of critics tend to have several different targets and you just happened to be in sight when they released the ammo… lucky you. These types are the poster children for the old slogan: “Hurt people hurt people.”

A move toward compassion: These critics have a long history of negative baggage. As a leader, it is so difficult to have patience to wade through all their “stuff.” While it’s reality, it’s definitely unfair that you have to bear the brunt of their longstanding pain. On the bright side, the force of their criticism doesn’t belong to you, it has been transferred courtesy of their sinful resentment. Bottom line: it’s not about you… it’s all about them.

Critics are struggling with shame, guilt, and sin.
Let’s be honest, there are many folks within the church that are losing the struggle against their sin nature. When they lash out at others, it enables them to ignore their own problems (at least for a short time).

A move toward compassion: Everyone struggles with sin and when you realize that sin is the real and hidden issue behind their attacks it can ‘be  easier to be a leader/minister who can reflect the grace God has shown you (key word: “easier”…not “easy”).

Consider the last few criticisms that were aimed at you–where do you think they originated? Why did your critic squawk?

1. To read and organize and file everyday.  To be resourceful.
2. To pass on to others what I am learning…a river…not a reservoir….”God will give to me what flows through me.”   Keep giving it away. 
3. Choosing to spend my life adding value to other peoples lives.   This is always a bit difficult for an “A” type personality…but the constant reminder is to be more interested than spending time trying to be interesting.
4. To invest in God’s program called the church…especially Gateway.  I love the Church.  I love the head of the church.   I love the head and the body of Christ.  When they are working together, it is the HOPE of the World!  Christ gave his life for the church.  It’s a pleasure to give mine to the same cause.

GREATEST PERSONAL CHALLENGE

1. ME!  I sabotage myself.  I continue to learn that I cannot trust myself. I get in the way…way too often!  Thus why I wrote…ABS of Faith.  (www.danodeens.com) Accountability is necessary for me. Bible reading is a must…I want to ‘abide’ with Jesus.   I need Scripture memorization, for that keeps me from sin.  Ps. 119:105,111,133.

Living a rhythm helps us shift from being church consumers or spiritual tourists, into being pilgrims, adventurers, and partakers in the body of Christ.  Simplicity is key.  The rhythms of life that have worked, and continue to work are those that are easily understood and grasped.  Each rhythm must be identified and born out of the unique person that God has created you to ‘be.’  The best and most productive rhythms should include:

1. The rhythm for your life (what you do) flows out of your identity (who you are).
2. The rhythm of your life is formed by the way your family behaves and the things that are important to you.
3. Your identity needs to be found in who Jesus is rather than what you “DO” for the Gospel.

VALUES of “Breathe Life” – MIG Communities:

presence
We commit to journeying together with God and each other, by meeting together as a community, in prayer, in worship, friendship, grief, and happiness. We live and breathe life in community.  We define the church as the presence of Jesus among His people called out as a spiritual family to pursue His mission on this planet.
acceptance
We desire to accept both ourselves and other people wherever they are in their spiritual journey, and to allow people to say what they believe without fear of judgment. We want to err on the side of inclusion rather than exclusion.  We want to love God and people completely.
creativity
We want to have an open approach to how we learn, live and encounter God as Missional, Incarnational Gateways in the community and world in which God has allowed us to live. We wish to be creative in our worship, in prayer, in learning by balancing christian tradition, theology and culture using the Bible as our sole foundation for Truth.
balance
We aspire to live with integrity in community, striving for balance in our passion for God and compassion for people and in private purity and public charity. James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
accountability and relationship
We desire to be accountable to one another, to grow and journey together, listening to the Spirit of God, each other and the wider Christian community for wisdom rather than trusting only ourselves. We want to have a willingness to share life, rather than to privatize it and we seek to walk together in a deep way rather than as strangers who only know the surface of each other.
mystery and adventure
We wish to step into the mysterious journey of pursueing Jesus by embracing courage, danger, adventure, mission and risk. We strongly adhere to a process of disciple making rather than discipleship.   That process includes:

1. Relationship – multiplication does not happen apart from relationship
2. Discernment – discerning where someone is spiritually and determining where they need to go.
3. A Commitment to Prayer:   “Holy Spirit, please give me discernment into the heart and life of my new friend.  Give me Your wisdom and insight so that I may know how to love them right where they are and encourage them for where You want them to go as we walk on this mutual journey with You.”
4. Release –  We will structure to keep our Biblical Community from becoming busy ‘at’ church and release them to ‘be’ the church and GO and make disciples.

I am looking forward to a new ‘rhythm of life’.   I so want the Lord to Breathe Life into His Church so that a true ‘movement’ of the Spirit of God is experienced and the desecrated spaces of our world are redeemed and turned into sacred space.

There is much to learn about – the MIG Church    Will you join me?

I had the opportunity this Sunday to preach at our daughter church, Ek Creek.  Pastor Mike Silliman is doing a fantastic job.   The whole gang there is SUPER!   Way to go ELK Creek.   We are so proud of you!  Keep up the great work.   It is a joy to support you and invest in you.  There is NO greater investment!   It was great to meet so many of you.   Keep following Pastor Mike as He follows Christ!