Why we are here: The question of Why?

Why are we here?

Need to ask first: Who are we...in Christ? 

The answer to that questions leads us to the next step of deciding Why we are here...and then how do we maximize the day for the LORD?

A good plan for beginning each day:  Pray, Plan and Prioritize. Then Delegate...if you have someone to delegate to!

Finished a good book recently: WHO  by Geoff Smart and Randy Street.

"The most important decisions that business people make are not "what" decisions but "Who" decisions." -Jim Collins, Author of Good To Great.

That also goes for non profit organizations!
 Good book: Good to Great in the Social Sector. by Jim Collins

WHO
WHAT
HOW

It's relatively easy to figure out "What" to do and also "How" to do something.

Maybe a more important decision is "WHY" we do what we do.
Then the rest becomes easy.

A good book for figuring that out is " Start With Why by Simon Sinek.

If you don't know WHY, You can't know HOW.

"All great leaders have clarity of WHY; an undying belief in a purpose or cause bigger than themselves. It's not Bill Gates's passion for computers that inspires us, it's his undying optimism that even the most complicated problems can be solved. He believes we can find ways to remove obstacles to ensure that everyone can live and work to their greatest potential. It is his optimism to which we are drawn." P. 134

“If the leader of the organization can’t clearly articulate WHY the organization exists in terms beyond its products or services, then how does he expect the employees to know WHY to come to work?”
― Simon Sinek, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action

For the church pastor or leader who feels led to plant a new church, the congregation needs to understand the Biblical basis of missions. WHY we are here. Why we exist. For what purpose. 
A good video that explains this. 

 

Exponential 2016 Church Planting: Tweets & Retweets

  Conference Overview

Join thousands of church planting leaders for four days of inspiration, encouragement and equipping at Exponential East church planting conference in Orlando. The conference will feature 175+ speakers, 125+ workshops, 9+ tracks, 5,000 church planting leaders and sunny Orlando, Florida. Don’t miss the largest gathering of church planting leaders in the world.

  https://exponential.org/events/2016east-2/

I'm not at the conference. Watching some of the sessions online and monitoring #exponential on Twitter. See Tweets below.

 

 My Tweets and Retweets from Exponential 2016

Christian Community Development: Neighborhood Transformation as a tool.

Getting to know your neighbors!

Do you want to know your neighbor?

Here is a good method to do it.

There are many facets of Christian Community Development.

Communicating with people in a culturally sensitive manner is basic.

It's all about Relationships!

But first here is a short video explaining the logic and reasoning behind this method.


Neighborhood Transformation from CINDER on Vimeo.
Neighborhood Transformation from CINDER on Vimeo.

Here is a good easy way to start the process

A little role playing is a good way to learn the process..before going out into a neighborhood.

Two people go out together
One prays while the other starts the conversation.
Usually they go in a neighborhood...door to door. 
They are not going to prosletize or get people to go to their church.

This survey is also a great "tool" that church planters can use...both locally and internationally!
___________________________________________________________________

 NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY

Used with permission from Stan Rowland. Neighborhood Transformation

http://neighborhoodtransformation.net/

1. What do you like about your neighborhood?

2.  What would you like to see different in your neighborhood?

3. What groups are you involved in, within your neighborhood?

4. What do you like to do with your hands?

5. What would you like to learn if training were available in your neighborhood?

6. What’s one thing you’d want to be part of if it was happening in your neighborhood?

7. What‘s one thing you could teach?

8. Is there anyone in your house that is over 65 or disabled?

9.  Anything we can pray about for you and or your family?

Name _______________________________

Address________________________________

Phone___________________

Stan Rowland of Neighborhood Transformation has a BLOG
He updates it frequently.

Stan and his team put on weekend & or week seminar/workshops all over the country throughout the year. 

 Neighborhood Transformation has lots of free resources you can use...
http://neighborhoodtransformation.net/

CHE or Community Health Evangelism...Used mainly overseas.

12 Million Christian workers....

May take a few moments to show video

Issachar Summit Promo from The Issachar Initiative on Vimeo.

Discovering Who We Are...

"God has created each of us with a unique contribution to make in our world and our times. No other person has our same abilities, motivations, network of friends and relationships, perspectives, ideas, or experiences. When we, like misplaced puzzle pieces, fail to show up, the overall picture is diminished."   Richard Stearns: President of World Vision U.S.
Quote from his book: The Hole in our Gospel 

We are Jesus's hands and feet in the world. 

 As a believer in Jesus Christ and desiring to be a good steward and a faithful "follower" of Jesus on our way to glory...we can be a light for others to see the Truth.  

  "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

 

My other blog 

 

A Potential Investor in your ministry: What are they looking for when they look at your website!

Where does a potential investor in your ministry fit in?
Which box?

 

Do you Know Who is Visiting Your Site?

So many times we do not truly understand the needs and motivations of those we are trying to serve. This is even truer when it comes to online communications. If more people are going to get plugged into God's mission, agencies have to understand what is driving their interest and the seekers need to be more aware of what their priorities are. This infographic seeks to give insight to both groups.
_______________________________________________________________________

See my previous blog post below to see what someone who wants to check  out your ministry and to determine if your ministry is going to get a donation...small or large?

10 points that you must fulfill to have a killer website to accomplish your mission!

You have a great mission group!

You know your vision, mission and strategy to reach your goal!

How are you communicating this to your audience?
Who is  your audience?
Who do you want to reach with your website?
Why?

When anyone looks at your website they want to see the following items clearly!

1.  Your Vision Statement

2.  Your Mission Statement

3.  Your Strategy for reaching your Mission

These need to be clear and to the point!
ON your HOME page!

When most young people look at a website...you have 5 seconds to get their attention or they are off! And they are viewing on their cell phone! 

When viewing a blog or a website for the first time, if you don't get their attention with the first 5 words in your first sentence of your first paragraph...they are off!  
Check your analytics ...Are they going to another page? 
What is your Bounce Rate?
Are they landing on your HOME page?
Most viewers do NOT come to your HOME page first!

Your site must be easy to navigate.
Did you have a focus group try to find your site? 
Do you know why people are coming to your website?
How did they find it?
What did you learn from that?

If a potential donor has a substantial amount of funds to invest in your organizations... whether it's $1,000, $10,000, $100,000 or 1 Millions or more...

What are they looking for? How do you think or believe they evaluate your organization? 

 

Maybe they are "Boomers" looking to invest themselves, their passion, prior experiences, etc. as a volunteer...are you open to that? 

 

This is the information I believe they are looking for:

1. Your Vision  statement
2  Your Mission statement
3. A short 3-5 minute up to date video of your organization...Latest project...
4. A clear message of How I can partner with you! As a volunteer and or with a financial gift.
 What my $25, $50, $100 other gift will do. What am I giving to?

5. All your  LIVE Social Media buttons: Twitter, Blog, Facebook, Linkedin, Pin, Reddit, others...so they can easily  check them out.  Are you updating them frequently? If not, why not?

6. A DONATE Button
7. Do you have a new project or initiative that needs funding?
8. Bottom Line: A clear message of How I can partner with you! 

A real added addition that most non profits do NOT show or make available easily.

9. Financial info: Your latest 990 form

10.What do you want them to do before they click off your website? 

 

I know this is a lot of info!
If you ever applied for a GRANT or intend to...you will need this information. 
Will need to be in a format easy to read! 

If you have a Development person...they know or will need to know this. Why not  put it on your website?

If you are still with me...a few more thoughts:

1. What is the goal of your website?
2. Who are you trying to reach?
3. How long has your website been active? When was it last redesigned?
4. Remember the majority of viewers are viewing your site on their cell phone, NOT their PC or laptop!

 

A MUST read for any non profit! Especially if you intend to apply for a grant or expect donors to make substantial contributions!

There is a check list of items you will want to consider.

Remember, you never know who is viewing your website and why!


A good book for non profits who want to go from being a good organization to being a great organization:  Good To Great and The Social Sectors. 

What can your organization do better than any other organization in the world?
That needs to be conveyed on your HOME page of your website.



Let me know  your thoughts and ideas.

Blessings
Richard 

Follow me on TWITTER

__________________________________________________________________________