More on The Big Idea

The last thing the mission of Jesus Christ needs is more Christians…

Startling sentence? Yes – but the facts bear it out: While the majority of people in the US call themselves Christians (as high as 85%), how are they doing when it comes to accomplishing Jesus’ mission? Some recent research reveals the following:

• Christians are no more likely to give assistance to a homeless person than non-Christians
• Christians are no more likely than non-Christians to correct the mistake of a cashier giving them too much change
• A Christian is just as likely to have an elective abortion as a non-Christian
• Christians divorce at the same rate as those who consider themselves non-Christians
• Even though there are more big churches than ever before filled with people who proudly call themselves Christian, 50 % of Christian churches didn’t help one single person find salvation

The Barna Research Group did a survey involving over 150 items like the above comparing the general population with those who called themselves Christians. The survey found virtually NO difference between the two groups: no difference in the attitudes and no difference in the actions. There is a huge problem of the absence of distinction between Christians and non-Christians. Where is the church missing out?

Dave Ferguson and the leaders at Christian Community Church have approached this problem from a unique angle. The result: "The Big Idea", an action plan that will help you focus the message and sharpen the impact of your church on the community. Yesterday, I took a look at how they saw the problem; today, a sketch of a very workable solution.

It is one Big Idea at a time that brings clarity to the confusion that comes from too many little ideas.

• The Big Idea can help you creatively present one laser-focused theme each week to be discussed in families and small groups
• The Big Idea shows you how to engage in a process of creative collaboration that brings people together and maximizes missional impact
•  The Big Idea can energize a church staff and bring alignment and focus to many diverse church ministries

The Big Idea is a great resource for you to use in your church. I encourage you to get the book today! Here’s a link to order it!

Are you on a church staff? What's your Big Idea this Sunday? Or do you have a bunch of competing little ideas?

Revisiting The Big Idea, Part 1

In a recent conversation with some church leaders, I was trying to make the point that simplifying what we do increases our focus and power. Dave Ferguson and the leaders at Christian Community Church have approached this problem from a unique angle. The result: "The Big Idea", an action plan that will help you focus the message and sharpen the impact of your church on the community. I've posted about it before, and the book has been out for about 3 years, but it's worth visiting again. Here is a brief glimpse of the problem as they see it, and a sketch of a very workable solution.

Here’s a typical experience for the average churchgoer and his family. Keep track of the “little ideas”:

1. little idea from the clever message on the church sign as you pull into the church parking lot
2. little ideas from all the announcements in the church bulletin you are handed at the door
3. little idea from the prelude music that is playing in the background you as you take your seat
4. little idea from the welcome
5. little idea from the opening prayer
6. little idea from song 1 in the worship service
7. little idea from the Scripture reading
8. little idea from song 2 in the worship service
9. little idea from the special music
10. little idea from the offering meditation
11. little idea from the announcement
12. little idea from the first point of the sermon
13. little idea from the second point of the sermon
14. little idea from the third point of the sermon
15. little idea from song 3 in the worship service
16. little idea from the closing prayer
17. little idea from the Sunday school lesson
18. little idea from (at least one) tangent off of the Sunday School lesson
19. little idea from the prayer requests taken during Sunday School
20. little idea from the newsletter handed out during Sunday School

Twenty and counting. Twenty different competing little ideas in just one trip to church. Easily! If a family has a couple of children who attend a children’s church, and everyone attends his or her own Sunday school class, we could quadruple the number if little ideas. One family could leave with more than eighty competing ideas. And if we begin to add in youth groups, small groups, and a midweek service, the number easily doubles again. It’s possible that this one family is bombarded with more than one thousand little ideas every week explaining what it means to be a Christian.

We’ve bombarded our people with too many competing little ideas, and the result is a church with more information and less clarity than perhaps ever before.

The lack of clarity that churches give their people impedes the church’s ability to accomplish the mission of Jesus. “More” results in less clarity.

It is one Big Idea at a time that brings clarity to the confusion that comes from too many little ideas.

Tomorrow: Part Two of "The Big Idea"

Focus the Message, Multiply the Impact

The average Christian is educated
at least three years beyond their obedience.

I'm continuing my version of Speed Reading Week: a book a day from authors that I have had the privilege of hearing speak in person in the last year, and/or have had a conversation with about their work. Today, it's Dave Ferguson and "The Big Idea" from Community Christian Church in Naperville IL - and many other sites. One of the leading proponents of the multi-site church concept, Ferguson and CCC begin with a simple premise:

More Information = Less Clarity
More Information = Less Action

Instead, they submit that The Big Idea = More Clarity and Action. Here is a brief outline of the major points of "The Big Idea".

• The Big Idea = Directional Alignment
• TBI moves the whole family in the same direction
• TBI moves all small groups (circle groups) in the same direction
• TBI moves all ministries in the same direction
• TBI moves all campuses and sites in the same direction
• TBI moves the whole network in the same direction

Big Idea = Speedy Obedience
The measure of maturity is determined by the speed of obedience
Transformation: when a person hears God and responds with swift obedience

Paradox: The Big Idea is Less AND More

• Energy: Less Effort AND Better Stuff
• Innovation: New Ideas AND Always Good Ideas
• Target Generations: Boomers, Busters AND Mosaics
• Curriculum: Targeted AND Reproducible
• Creativity: Planned AND Spontaneous
• Christ Followers: More AND More Maturing
  

Advance Planning:
Gives Freedom to Think Creatively
Gives Freedom to Suspend Skepticism
Gives Freedom to Postpone Decisions

The Secrets Implicit in The Big Idea

• Collaboration – Our ideas are always better than your idea. So get over it.
• Humility – Let me introduce you to the pastor’s helper.
• Trust – I know you won’t let us down; we’re banking on it.
• Fun – If you want this much commitment, it had better be fun.
• Competition – This week has to be better than last week.
• Yes – Just when you’re about to say, “Why?” think, “Why not?”
  
  

Jesus’ Really Big Idea
Challenge 1: Take Bold Risks
Challenge 2: Be Spirit-led
Challenge 3: Continually Reproduce

Four Developmental Stages to Accomplishing the Big Idea
Phase 1: A Really Big Idea Church
Phase 2: A Reproducing Church
Phase 3: A Network Church
Phase 4: A Movement Church

A closing quote from Ferguson sums it up pretty well:

I am a Christ follower. I follow Jesus step by step as his Spirit moves me in His community called the church. When Jesus steps, I follow. When Jesus speeds up, I increase my pace. When Jesus slows down, I slow down too. The direction, the speed, and the ultimate destination of my life are determined by keeping in step with Jesus’ Spirit. Simple. Clear. Not easy!