Getting people to come to church is not nearly as hard keeping them. This has been a huge issue in the American Church and SpringWell is no different. Sticky Church by Larry Osborne tells the story of North Coast Church in San Diego, California and how they have successfully grown to over 8,000 in attendance in the last 25 years. The key has been averaging 80% of weekend attendance participating in Small Groups. This is their strategy to close the back door and keep people sticking around. Osborne writes, "The most important number to know about North Coast Church is not the weekend attendance. It's the percentage of adults who participate in one of our small groups." I found this refreshing compared to so many other churches I hear about that are so focused on the number attending each weekend. I was also challenged as a church leader realizing the growth of SpringWell depends on getting more weekend attendees involved in Growth Groups. This is the best way for them to Stick. Growth Groups at SpringWell are a big deal and after reading Sticky Church, I am as committed as ever at getting more attendees involved. Continue reading

I have read many books that inspired me but very few have provided a clear and simple strategy I could put into action. Exponential is one of those rare books. Dave and Jon Ferguson are leading a church planting movement that focuses on developing the leaders needed to grow new churches. I loved the relational approach that dominates every aspect of their ministry. The principles they share are simple but profound. They are also intentional and can be replicated. Most churches do not have a clear strategy for developing new leaders. I was personally challenged by this book and felt compelled to evaluate SpringWell's plan for developing leaders. I am setting time aside soon just for the purpose of developing a SpringWell Leadership Development Strategy. Exponential is a major resource I will use. Leaders need to reproduce themselves. Jesus was the ultimate example of this principle. I have been guilty of focusing on my own leadership development at the risk of not bringing others on the journey with me. The Ferguson's provide a clear reminder of Four Relationships Every Leader Needs: A Reproducing Leader Needs Followers A Reproducing Leader Needs Apprentices A Reproducing Leader Needs Peers A Reproducing Leader Needs a Coach I encourage you to read this book. If you are interested in raising up new Worship Leaders….the book is worth getting if all you do is read chapter 5. Continue reading

I love the provocative title of this book. LEADERSHIP IS DEAD! The rebel and nonconformist in me just had to read it. Can't you just see me smile as I say it? Don't get me wrong….I love leadership. I believe God has called and gifted me to be a leader. I am a student of leadership and have consumed thousands of pages of books to learn how to be a better leader. In the last twenty-five years, the church has been bombarded with leadership conferences and books. Yet despite the monumental resources available to us….the church still has a leadership vacuum. OK….I can't just say the church….our world is in major need of effective leadership. Jeremie Kubicek writes, "Leadership as we have known it is dead because far too many leaders have abused their positions and lost their moral bearings". He suggests that true empowering leadership can be revived if we are willing to embrace a few core concepts. We must understand what the role of leadership is and what it is not. We must be willing to explore the inner world of leadership—things such as intent, power, and motive. Influence needs to be recognized as the engine of true leadership. Leaders must understand how to influence, not simply how to lead. This was a motivating book that focuses on leadership as influence and servanthood. The church has leveraged this language as our description for leadership. But far too often we have forgotten the basic truths. Kubicek does a great job through his inspiring stories and practical examples of how to revive leadership as influence. Grab this book and you won't regret it Continue reading

One of the most important things SpringWell Church will do all year is host The Global Leadership Summit live from Willow Creek Church in Chicago. This world-wide broadcast event is one of the premier leadership development experiences available to the church. Discounted registration pricing is quickly approaching its deadline. SpringWell attendees can attend this two day event for only $75.00 (compared to $249.00). This price is only good until July 24 when it increases to $149.00. Make sure you register today. To receive the SpringWell rate enter code "2012global". Continue reading

The Knowing-Doing Gap is one of the best books I've read about implementing our plans and strategies. The problem is not that we don't know "what" to do but that we don't actually do it. This is a frustration with both organizations and individuals. As a Pastor, my biggest frustration in discipleship is that people are educated beyond their obedience. As a leader of staff, my frustrations rise when we do not make the things happen that we say we will. We have meetings, say we know what to do, but it doesn't actually get done. There seems to be a gap between knowing and doing. We need to spend less time talking about organizational problems and spend more time taking action. Another phrase I use a lot is "Some People Talk About it…Other People Do It". This book was a great affirmation and helped me focus my frustration. We cannot substitute talk for action. The writers said, "One of the main barriers to turning knowledge into action is the tendency to treat talking about something as equivalent to actually doing something about it". We do this far too often in the church, both in our discipleship practices and organizational leadership. There are no easy answers for the knowing-doing problem. But here are Eight Guidelines the writers suggested for addressing it (and my thoughts): Why before How: Philosophy is Important (Why we do what we do should always guide how we do it) Knowing Comes from Doing and Teaching Others How (The best way to learn something is to actually do it. Knowledge without experience is a waste of time) Action Counts More Than Elegant Plans and Concepts (Sounding smart is not a substitute for doing something smart) There Is No Doing without Mistakes – How will You Respond? (If... Continue reading

Christ-Centered Coaching by Jane Creswell was a great reminder that God needs to be invited into every coaching conversation. As a Leadership Coach and Executive Pastor, I find myself constantly attempting to draw untapped potential out of other leaders. This book reminded me it takes more than secular or academic exercises to produce change and bring the best out of others. As coaches, we must be in partnership with God and center our coaching efforts in Christ. Here are biblical views of a Christ-Centered Coaching approach: 1. Christ-Centered coaches assume untapped potential in everyone and insist that it be discovered and developed. (Psalm 139:14-16) 2. Christ-Centered coaches focus on identifying and strengthening strengths. (1 Corinthians 12:14-20) 3. Christ-Centered coaches look at people and the organization/church/ministry as possibilities for constant reinvention. (Matthew 18:3-4) 4. The success of the Christ-Centered coaching experience extends through you to other people and activities. (Matthew 28:16-20) I encourage any ministry leader to read this book. Continue reading

Anniversaries are a big deal to me. I keep track of how long Renee and I've been married (obviously); when I made the life changing choice to follow Jesus; when I started ministry; and so much more. I believe it is because anniversaries provide me an opportunity to reflect. This week marks four years I've been Executive Pastor at SpringWell Church. It feels like I started yesterday yet it feels like it has been a lifetime. Both the church and my family have been through a lot during these four years. The sheer volume of urgent issues has often felt overwhelming. As a family, we've navigated the move to South Carolina following our son's miraculous healing; faced the challenges of Teddy's recovery; experienced the hurt and disappointment of his divorce; were overwhelmed by Renee's cancer; and faced my own depression and eventual physical and spiritual illness. As a church, we've faced leadership challenges that have stretched us. We have boldly approached these challenges with a clear vision of what God has called SpringWell to….Drawing Spiritually Thirsty People to Jesus. With this vision and wisdom from the Holy Spirit, we have seen a radical change in our staff (both in who is on staff and shared values we now have); we've struggled through the relational wounds as members we've loved felt the need to leave; we overcame deep financial difficulty when we thought we might actually lose our facilities; we've addressed the lack of lay leadership involvement and now have what I think are the best Elders and Management Team of any church. And despite all these challenges….we are seeing great growth at SpringWell. After the first 17 weeks of 2012, we have seen a 15% increase in attendance compared to the same time period in 2011. Despite our giving challenges,... Continue reading

I am so excited for the continued emphasis SpringWell Church has regarding Missions. We are truly a church with a Glocal Vision. We believe God desires to use our church both Globally and Locally. Now is your opportunity to join our team of missionaries for one or both of our 2012 trips. Click the following links for trip details: Cincinnati, OH – June 18-23, 2012 Guatemala – November 3-10, 2012 You can also register for each trip here. Continue reading

We need your help to plan a new series for June 2012. The series is "You Asked For It!" We will address your Biblical and Spiritual Questions over four weeks. We may not be able to address every question but we will do our best. Take a few minutes and let us know your questions. What the Bible has to say about a particular subject? How does God feel about a certain situation? Please submit your questions here. You may submit as many questions as you'd like to! Thanks for your help to develop this series! Continue reading

I am often asked if I have a strategy for what books I read and why I read them. The following is the basic strategy I've used since the early 1990's. I basically choose books based on three categories. Leadership Growth – We've all heard the quote, "Leaders are Readers and Readers are Leaders". It didn't take long after I started ministry to figure out developing my leadership skills would pay large dividends. For this reason, I am always on the lookout for challenging leadership material. Many times these books are written by pastors and church leaders while others come from the business and secular community. I am in my 24th year of ministry and I am constantly facing new leadership challenges. Reading books on leadership keeps me fresh and provides tools I need to fulfill my calling. Church Growth/Health – I have found it extremely beneficial that my reading rhythm always include books that address the specialty in which my ministry is currently serving. I was a Student Pastor for 10 years and this category was primarily about youth ministry and understanding youth culture. In 1998, I moved to Washington, DC to start The Mission. We were a college-age Discipleship and Urban Ministry Training Center. During my time in DC, this category focused on books about discipleship and urban ministry. Now that I am the Executive Pastor at SpringWell and provide Coaching/Consulting through Church Health Solutions, my reading focuses on church growth and health. I was once told that if you read a book a week for one year in your area of work, you would be an authority on that topic. If you want to be a specialist…..read, read, and read some more. Personal/Spiritual Growth – Reading for the purpose of leadership growth prepares me to serve and... Continue reading

2012 is going to be a big year as Legacy Coaching will transform into Church Health Solutions. Legacy Coaching was birthed in 2006 with a passion to serve the local church to increase health and effectiveness. Over the last 6 years, this passion has exploded into our obsession. We have approximately 300,000 Protestant churches in the United States. According to the Hartford Institute for Religious Research, 94 percent of all existing churches have less than 500 attendees and two-thirds of these have less than 100. Who is beating the drum to serve the small church in America? Church Health Solutions! Our purpose is to serve small to mid-size churches helping them discover and define their uniqueness and celebrate their DNA. Small to mid-size churches are not called to imitate mega-churches (or any church for that matter). Each local church has an individual destiny to be fulfilled for the purpose of expanding the Kingdom of God. Church Health Solutions wants to partner with these churches in Practical; Strategic; and Relational ways by providing intentional Leadership Coaching and Church Health Consulting. In our effort to serve more churches, we will be expanding Church Health Solutions in such a way to offer affordable options for small to mid-size churches. Our current prices are a third of the standard for coaching and consulting. We desire to keep these prices low because the churches who need such services cannot afford the industry standard. This is why Church Health Solutions has incorporated as a non-profit and is applying for a 501c3 status. We are also raising partners who will help us fund operational expenses and scholarships that allow us to keep costs low for the local church. Raising these funds will also allow us to put in place the tools needed to reach more pastors and... Continue reading

Scott launched our new series yesterday, Forgotten Virtues with the topic Honor. He did a great job reminding us that to dishonor means, "to treat as common or ordinary". Therefore, to honor is to recognize those in our lives as valuable, uncommon, and extraordinary. Scott admittedly struggled with the third point of the message: God calls us to show honor to our Pastors and Church Leaders. Check out 1 Timothy 5:17; Romans 12:10; and Hebrews 13:7. To share this in a message is sometimes nerve-wrecking because we as preachers and teachers do not want to come across as self-serving. But the reality is…this is a biblical truth. Honor is a big deal. Yes… we are to honor our parents AND those in authority (bosses, teachers, government officials, and more) but we are also taught through scripture to honor our spiritual leaders. I firmly believe we at SpringWell Church are blessed to have the caliber of Pastoral Leadership we have. I have met thousands of Pastors and Church Leaders and here is what I believe about SpringWell Pastors: Scott McAlister is one of the most compassionate and effective communicators I've ever met. Dan Elmore is the most committed Care Pastor I've been around. Brandon Higginbotham is one of the most intentional Worship Leaders you will ever meet. Ben Able genuinely loves students and families in way that transforms lives. David Pearson is the most exciting visionary Kidz Pastor I've met in years. October is Pastor's Appreciation Month. Will you take time to HONOR our Pastoral Staff and let them know how much you personally appreciate them? Send a card; write an email; take them to lunch or dinner; give them a gift; join their team and serve alongside them; the list goes on… Our Pastoral Staff never thinks of themselves as... Continue reading

I am so excited to announce that SpringWell is welcoming David Pearson as our new KidzQuest Pastor. David brings with him 10 years of experience serving as a Children's Pastor. He has spent these 10 years in one church. David also has history with SpringWell because he came to our church as a teen. David is a much sought after speaker for Children Camps and Ministry Training Events. His passion for volunteers and parents makes him a very effective leader. David loves kids and really knows how to have fun. David will be introduced to our church on Sunday morning August 28th. His first official day in the office will be Tuesday, September 6th. You can find David on Facebook here. I want to also publically thank Suzanne Higginbotham and Kristine Burgeson for serving during the interim as we interviewed candidates. Their commitment to children and SpringWell has been outstanding. The GREAT news is that both have agreed to stay on the team for an additional 6 months as David learns his way around SpringWell. Making this commitment demonstrates how Suzanne and Kristine are both team players. Make sure you let them know how much you appreciate them. We have big dreams for KidzQuest and I am confident we are assembling the right team that God will use. If you are not volunteering….this is the best time to get on board. You can let us know about your interest to serve by filling out this form. I am very excited…..are you? Continue reading

Are you ready to make a difference? KidzQuest Elementary has a great opportunity for you to do so. Our ministry is expanding and impacting more children and families every week. Because of this, we have an immediate need for 30 volunteers to serve. Anyone who completes and passes a Background Check can serve in KidzQuest but we especially desire parents to become involved. We also encourage couples to serve together. God has gifted each person to serve and it is the responsibility of the church to provide opportunities to do so. If you are NOT serving on any team at SpringWell, now is the time. Join SpringWell as we Draw Spiritually Thirsty People to Jesus. Here are the opportunities to serve in KidzQuest Elementary: 9 AM Service: 1 – Small Group Leader (1st & 3rd weeks) 1 – Small Group Leader (2nd & 4th weeks) 2 – Small Group Assistants (1st & 3rd weeks) 2 - Small Group Assistants (2nd & 4th weeks) 1 – Worship Leader (2nd & 4th weeks) 2 – Audio/Light Tech (1st & 3rd weeks and 2nd & 4th weeks) 2 – Computer/Media Operator (1st & 3rd weeks and 2nd & 4th weeks) 11 AM Service: 1 – Small Group Leader (1st & 3rd weeks) 5 – Small Group Leaders (2nd & 4th weeks) 2 – Small Group Assistants (1st & 3rd weeks) 5 - Small Group Assistants (2nd & 4th weeks) 1 – Worship Leader (2nd & 4th weeks) 2 – Audio/Light Tech (1st & 3rd weeks and 2nd & 4th weeks) 1 – Computer/Media Operator (2nd & 4th weeks) Large Group (Both Services): 1 – Large Group Host (April, August, December) 1 – Large Group Host (February, June, October) You can join the team one of two ways: Go here to let us know... Continue reading

As fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, my wife and I have been faithful and consistent tithers for nearly 25 years. What do I mean by "Tither"? The Bible teaches every believer should give a minimum of 10% of their income, or a tithe, to the local church. Anything over 10% is called an offering and is a way to honor God through giving sacrificially. Tithing is a biblical principle and a discipline we should practice on a consistent basis. God challenges us to test Him regarding this issue in Malachi 3:10. Beyond the biblical mandate to tithe, we are committed to its practice because: We believe in the mission of the Church. The Church is called by God to be light in the darkness of this world. God's plan to fund His mission is for His people to tithe. I believe in the mission of SpringWell Church. We Exist to Draw Spiritually Thirsty People to Jesus. God's plan for SpringWell cannot happen unless we give according to His Word. Do you believe in the mission of SpringWell? We want to be an example to our children and grandchildren. If you complain about the selfishness of your children, ask yourself this question, "Am I providing a biblical example of generosity to my family"? We unashamedly desire the blessing of God. We don't want to be blessed so we can get more stuff. We want the blessing of God so we can be more of a blessing. We want to be a blessing to our family, our church, friends, and missionaries. We want to make a difference and be a blessing in the lives of others. This happens when we honor God with our tithe. Tithing is such a big deal in our family it is the first item on our... Continue reading

Planning is a big deal. You've heard it…when you fail to plan…you plan to fail. I think this quote is very true when it comes to leading a church. Effectively leading a church of any size requires planning. God is into planning so don't tell me that we are just being "led by the Spirit". Planning is the act of a Spirit-led leader. Besides, we call it the Plan of Salvation. Over the next couple of weeks, I want to share my thoughts and principles regarding planning. Let me start by defining my planning rhythms. Short-Term Planning represents the next 12-15 months – The church calendar has natural rhythms that come around every year. We always know there will be an Easter; Christmas, and summer mission trips. Sunday is coming every week. I've yet to be surprised when a Sunday arrived. This is why we should constantly prepare for the next 12-15 months. What messages series will we preach? What outreaches and mission trips will we achieve? What staff needs to be hired? How will we recognize and appreciate our volunteers? How will we serve the immediate needs of our local community? How much money will the next year cost and how do we plan to invite new people to join us as financial partners (tithers)? Mid-Term Planning represents the next 2-5 years – When planning, we should anticipate the impact of what we are doing now, will have on where we want to go next. Where do you see God leading in the next 2-5 years? What have we been doing that we need to stop doing? What are we not doing that we should be? If we are going to go where God is leading, what needs to change? What staff, facilities, finances, infrastructure, (and so much more)... Continue reading

I wish more people were MAD. I wish more members of SpringWell were MAD. I wish more students, parents, and whole families were MAD. I think if we were all MAD, our community and world would be a better place. Are you MAD? I'm committed to MAD. It's why I do what I do. The purpose of my life is to Make A Difference. Do you want to Make a Difference? Awesome…I knew you did. Here are some immediate ways you can Make A Difference: Join us Saturday morning for Servolution Saturday Invite Friends and Family to the Easter Service Sign Up to serve at the Brook Glenn Elementary Spring Carnival We could just talk about MAD…..or we could actually go MAD. I'm ready….Are You? Continue reading

Tithe Faithfully Giving is an issue of the heart. As Partners in ministry, we consider it a privilege to faithfully support the vision and ministry of SpringWell Church. Tithing is a biblical principle and leads us to be extravagant givers. When we manage our money according to biblical principles, God is honored and we grow spiritually. We Believe... our individual faithfulness opens doors to accomplishing great things as a church. I am amazed at the emotions that surface when "Christians" are instructed to tithe. This should never be an issue of tension for the fully devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. Everything we possess belongs to God in the first place. He is simply asking us to trust in His provision and finance the work of the church. When we ALL practice this commitment, generosity is released and lives are changed. Greed and a lack of trust have hindered giving in the church for far too long. It is time for those who truly desire to be followers of Jesus Christ who Love God; Love Each Other; and Love the World to demonstrate this commitment by practicing tithing in a faithful and consistent manner. Make a commitment today to tithe faithfully and consistently. Go here to set up your tithe online. Consider setting up recurring giving as a part of your budget so you never forget this practice. Continue reading

Invest and Invite At SpringWell, our heart for others flows from our passion to join with God's heart to seek and save the lost. We desire to follow the example God gave in sending His Son to those who were far from Him. We are committed to building relationships and starting conversations that lead people from all backgrounds to experience and know God for themselves. Our desire is to bring hope to broken people. Our goal, as we go, is to invest in the lives of those around us and invite them into a relationship with God. We call this practice Investing and Inviting. We want to bring those around us one step closer to knowing God for themselves. We Believe... the spiritual condition of our lost friends matters to God and should therefore matter to us. If we say we are committed to those who are unchurched and far from God, what are we doing about it? Turn this commitment into the practice of Investing and Inviting. Do not expect the church to do outreach events as the only source of evangelism in our community. We are a highly relational church. The best way to reach our community is to invest in our existing relationships and invite our friends and family to join us on the journey. Where do we invite them to? Great question. Invite them to a worship service. Invite them to your Growth Group. Invite them to join you in service. Invite them to follow Christ. Make a commitment today to invest relationally to someone who is unchurched. Then invite them to join you on the journey. Who are you investing in? Are you ready to invite them? Invite them to SpringWell this weekend. Continue reading

Serve on a Ministry Team We have an incredible volunteer base here at SpringWell. We have those who volunteer in First Impressions, Student & Children ministries, Creative Arts, Team Clean, Celebrate Recovery, Administrative Support, and so much more. We have serving opportunities for those with no prior experience in any given area, and we have opportunities that use the specific life-long skills and talents God has gifted you with. We truly believe everyone is gifted! Our partners find ways to express their love for Him by using their gifts and skills in meaningful and effective service. We're here to be a resource to you as you search out those gifts and develop them in the serving opportunity you feel God is leading you to. We Believe...serving is a great place to build relationships with others who share your interests and giftedness. Great joy is found when you serve others as a member of a team and express your faith in a tangible way. Your life is transformed when you are part of something bigger than yourself. Serving comes in many forms. We serve each other in the body (local church) as we provide ministry through our weekend worship experiences. We serve the community through simple acts of service and demonstrate God's love with no strings attached. We do not ask the people of SpringWell to choose either one. We say do both. Serve the body and serve the community. Make a commitment today to serve on a ministry team at SpringWell. If you are not in a Serving Team….fill out this form and someone will contact you to follow up. Continue reading

Participate in a Growth Group Growth Groups connect in homes for fellowship, Bible study, prayer, accountability, and care. This is a great place to build long-lasting and meaningful friendships. Growth Groups are where real life and real issues are discussed. This is the environment where we celebrate the successes and good times of life, as well as comfort one another during the tough and disappointing times. It is a place to be encouraged, equipped, and challenged to become a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. We Believe...the ideal place for Christian growth is in a small community of believers that can challenge, affirm, and comfort us in both our good and bad times. Growth Groups are where discipleship and relationships collide. Authentic Relationships is a big deal at SpringWell and we are committed to creating environments where these relationships can be experienced. We will never be satisfied because 50% of our adults attend a Growth Group. We want EVERYONE who attends worship at SpringWell to connect with other men and women who are on the journey toward a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. Make a commitment today to practice regular attendance and participation in a Growth Group at SpringWell. If you are not in a Growth Group….register for one here. Continue reading

Attend Worship We were made for worship. God put it in our hardwiring to long to connect with Him on the deepest levels. Our high value for worship at SpringWell springs from this fact. We want every corporate worship experience at SpringWell to draw hearts into a deeper experience with God. As we engage with God in authentic worship, He draws us to become people who give Him first place in our lives. We Believe...that consistently attending a service to worship, pray, learn, and take communion with other believers is a fundamental necessity of the Christian walk. It puts us in God's presence, so that we can encounter Him and He can shape and transform us. Do not attend church once every 6-8 weeks and call this your church. You spiritual growth is too important for this type of inconsistency. Now, I also do not think you need to attend church 52 weeks a year. Life happens. You have vacations, unexpected work assignments, family sickness, and so much more that can disrupt your church attendance. God understands. But make attending worship a commitment you practice on a regular basis. Make a commitment today to practice regular attendance and participation of weekend worship services at SpringWell. Continue reading

What are you committed to? This question can frustrate you if you don't have clarity. Why? Because we have so many areas of our life that requires commitment. Our marriage; our children; our jobs; our health; our finances; and so much more. Each commitment we make, no matter the area of our lives, is demonstrated by our actions. So, how do we turn our commitments into practices? This question needs to be answered in view of our relationship with Christ and the local church. At SpringWell, our vision is that We Want to be Followers of Jesus Who Love God; Love Each Other; and Love the World. This is why we unapologetically ask each member of our church to make certain commitments. We have an expectation that each of these commitments become ongoing practices in each of our lives. We have five practices at SpringWell purposed to guide each person in building relationships, strengthening our journey with Christ, and encouraging us to step out and make a difference. Over the next several days, I like to share each of these practices. The first one is… Check out my blog tomorrow and I will share more. Continue reading

I am straight up stealing this idea from www.tonymorganlive.com. Here are my picks for one of my 5 entries into the ESPN Tournament Challenge. If you want to join our group go to: http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/group?groupID=55732 Group name: PB Friends Password: renee Continue reading

A new phone is in my future. Here are my narrowed options....what do you suggest? 1. Replace my Blackberry Tour with Blackberry Curve or Bold 2. Droid 2? 3. Samsung Fascinate? 4. iPhone 4 5. Droid Pro by Motorola? FYI...I am with Verizon and I've not had any complaints about my Blackberry except for the roller ball has lagged lately. I use Microsoft Outlook and Google App to sync contacts and calendar in real time. I want to still do this. I am also concerned about going to a touch screen only device. I want to quickly type. J What do you think? Continue reading