Geoff Surratt's Profile

While changing jobs, houses and states twice in a year I thought it would be fun to move the blog as well. I have purchased a new home on WordPress, so this Typepad powered site will be winding down soon.... Continue reading

Posted Feb 7, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

0

Confessions from a waiting room (Pt 1: How to be miserable while you wait)

I hate to wait. I hate to wait at the DMV, I hate to wait in the line at WalMart, I hate to wait in a traffic jam. But what I really hate is waiting on God; waiting for my... Continue reading

Posted Feb 6, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

0

The Problem with Church Buildings (Part 3: Eight ways to make portable sustainable)

Let’s be honest, doing church in a portable environment is a pain. Whether you have three volunteers and one trailer or several 18-wheelers and a cast of hundreds it is hard to face setting up and tearing down, setting up... Continue reading

Posted Feb 2, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

3

The Problem with Church Buildings (Part 2 The hidden cost)

Let’s be honest, Mr. Church Planter, what you really want, what you really NEED, is a permanent building. You have gone about as far as you can in the gymatorium; it is time to get a big boy home. If... Continue reading

Posted Feb 1, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

2

The Problem with Church Buildings (Part 1 What a building won't do)

One of the first questions every church planter (after, "Why won't you turn the music down?") will face is “When will we move into our own building?” The school, theater, cardboard box is fine for today, but what they really... Continue reading

Posted Jan 31, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

0

Is your Twitter hype actually stat porn?

I had coffee recently with a great church planter who planted 2 ½ years ago in one of the most unchurched cities in the country. Almost no one in his congregation came from another church, so the 250 or so... Continue reading

Posted Jan 30, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

10

How to Raise Kids You (and Your Friends) Enjoy (Part 3: Give them a name)

One of my mom’s most frustrating sayings (and there were many) when I was growing up was “You’re a Surratt”. That phrase covered everything from why I had to go to church on Wednesday nights to why I should get... Continue reading

Posted Jan 27, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

0

How to Raise Kids You (and Your Friends) Enjoy (Part 2: Is it a battle or a war?)

Before I go any further in this series let me share one of the bedrock truths of parenting I’ve come to believe after 25 years as a parent and 30 years of being around children’s ministry; kids will become what... Continue reading

Posted Jan 25, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

0

Great comments Mike, I agree completely. In a way that is what I am saying Josh. Not that we give up early or easily, but I see a lot of Kingdom resources expended keeping churches on life support that could be better invested in new expressions of church. I have seen friends like Mark Jobe in Chicago birth new congregations in old buildings where churches have decided to end their struggle and give way to new life. Even more I would love to see churches turn their attention very early on to figuring how they can invest in young leaders that will outlive the effective ministry of their own church. Rather than new marketing campaigns and more expensive equipment, what if churches sewed the money into new church plants? What would be the Kingdom impact?

Commented Jan 24, 2012 on Why churches should be more like Kodak at Inner Revolution

Why churches should be more like Kodak

Kodak, who introduced their first camera in 1888, filed for bankruptcy last week. Reading CNN's article reminded of my first Kodak an Instamatic with the spinning cube flash on top. No one under the age of 45 has any idea... Continue reading

Posted Jan 24, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

5

How to grow kids you (and your friends) enjoy (Part 1: Children make lousy centerpieces)

We’ve been doing some pretty serious “how to do church” posts the last couple of weeks on the blog. so I thought for the rest of this week we’d look at more life lesson stuff. One of the most challenging... Continue reading

Posted Jan 23, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

0

Five Simple Ways to Make Your Church Stickier (Part 5 The Volunteer Maze)

Over the past few days we’ve been looking at simple ways to make your church stickier. Based on visiting multiple churches over the past few months I have found some common areas which, with a little attention, would make it... Continue reading

Posted Jan 23, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

1

Five Simple Ways to Make Your Church Stickier (Part 4 Better Preaching)

(Sorry for typos and heresy, this was posted between flights. So it hasn't been edited. Oops) This week on the blog we have been ways to make your church stickier. I’m not talking about how to make your church more... Continue reading

Posted Jan 19, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

0

Five Simple Ways to Make Your Church Stickier (Part 3 Connection)

Here is something that I’ve realized in my recent church shopping experience: most of us who are visiting your church aren’t coming because your pastor is a stunning communicator, we’re not coming because your worship leader looks like Keith Urban... Continue reading

Posted Jan 18, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

4

Five Simple Ways to Make Your Church Stickier (Pt 2 Navigating the Maze)

This week we are talking about simple ways to make your church stickier. The idea for this series came from attending nine different churches recently and running into the same challenges (except at your church). Yesterday we covered one of... Continue reading

Posted Jan 17, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

1

Jim and Todd, I feel your pain. It is weird to be on the other side of the door. Cheryl, thanks for the comment. Great point on the overbearing hospitality team; that can be worse than no attention at all!

Commented Jan 16, 2012 on Five Simple Ways to Make Your Church Stickier (Pt 1 The Friendly Factor) at Inner Revolution

Five Simple Ways to Make Your Church Stickier (Pt 1 The Friendly Factor)

For the first time in our lives Sherry and I have the freedom to choose what church we attend. When we lived at home our parents chose for us, and after we got married we always attended the church I... Continue reading

Posted Jan 16, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

8

Five Scary Trends (Pt 5: Pastor Praise)

This week we have been looking at Five Scary Trends that Could Shipwreck the Church. As I have stated often I am very excited about what God is up to in the American Church and I think the proclamations of... Continue reading

Posted Jan 13, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

4

Five Scary Trends (Pt 4: Planting Pandemic)

This week we're looking at Five Scary Trends that Could Sink the Church. I am not camping out here to spread doom and gloom; I'm actually very bullish on the local church. My goal is to shine the light on... Continue reading

Posted Jan 12, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

6

Five Scary Trends (Pt 3 Worship Worship)

We’re doing a series this week on the Five Scariest Trends that Could Shipwreck the Church. While overall I’m optimistic about the future, I believe we have to be ruthless in our commitment to take the Gospel to those far... Continue reading

Posted Jan 11, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

10

Five Scary Trends (Pt 2 Reformed Revolution)

Yesterday we kicked off a series on Five Scary Trends that have the potential to shipwreck the American church. As I said yesterday I am excited about much of what I see in the church, but if we are going... Continue reading

Posted Jan 10, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

15

Five Scary Trends that could shipwreck the church (Pt 1)

I am excited about the future of the church. Every week I meet sharp young leaders who are passionately pouring themselves into seeing the Kingdom on earth expressed through the local church. At the same time when I read articles... Continue reading

Posted Jan 9, 2012 at Inner Revolution

Comment

3

Do we REALLY need to plant more churches?

Here is a question that has been bothering me a lot lately; there seems to be a new church plant in every theater and school in many towns, so do we really need more new churches? As I was reading... Continue reading

Posted Dec 14, 2011 at Inner Revolution

Comment

2

The Vision Thing

The most important question any church planter can ask is “ Why am I planting a church?” I have had some conversations with some great guys lately who I think are really struggling with that question. All of us struggle... Continue reading

Posted Dec 8, 2011 at Inner Revolution

Comment

0

Measuring Success

As a church planter or a pastor when will you know you have succeeded? What is the goal? Where is the finish line? In the business world you fight for market share and profit. When you are in the top... Continue reading

Posted Dec 6, 2011 at Inner Revolution

Comment

0