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The RIGHT people using the RIGHT tools in the RIGHT way at the RIGHT time for all the RIGHT reasons.
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I began ChurchLead in 2002 to provide consulting and information to church leaders to help them become more effective in achieving their mission. Most church leaders know what they want to accomplish, but they often need some help to successfully navigate the waters with so many competing technology tools and systems.

The methods have changed over the past few years, but the essence of the original mission remains the same. To help leaders use the right technology, at the right time, in the right way, to accomplish their mission. 

- Rob Overton

Recent Articles 
Tuesday, August 31 2010
Week in and week out, Christian churches across the world dutifully take attendance.  This takes great effort from both paid staff and volunteers alike.  It could be said, sadly, that we are more consistent in taking attendance than we are at living as Christ followers. 

One might think that I am about to take issue with the unnecessary expenditure of effort of taking attendance, but I'm not.  My biggest issue is not that we are wasting our time with attendance, it is that we are wasting the effort by leaving the collected data on the roll sheets or in the church management system.  Bottom line is that it is impossible to close the back door of a church unless you create ways to catch people on their way out.  Gone is gone.  I am convinced that part of good stewardship in a church is to be faithful with the lives entrusted to those in leadership.  Please indulge me in the following train of thought.
  • Attendance records are just attendance records until they are turned in to useful data.
  • Data is just data until it is turned into a useful report.
  • Reports are just reports until they are analyzed and turned into a plan.
  • A plan is just a plan until it is put into action.
  • Actions are just actions until they are managed to change a situation.
and finally,
  • Changed situations are just... wait a minute... this is what we are after!
 If we intend to fix the "back door problem" in our churches (and I hear this all the time in churches), we must make sure that we are measuring what is measurable, applying proper context and formulating good plans in order to act strategically. 

Now, let me be clear.  God causes the change in the situation.  We are merely being good stewards of those people with whom we have been entrusted.  That being said, do you want to close the back door?  Then guard it! 
Posted by: Rob Overton AT 10:00 am   |  Permalink   |  3 Comments  |  Email
Comments:
Rob, I am interested in your "Big Three" or "Big Four" high-leverage initiatives for closing the back door. Maybe another blog? Dave
Posted by Dave Gibson on 09/29/2010 - 06:10 PM
Sounds like a post worth writing. I have a new post set for tomorrow, but I will try to get this up soon.
Posted by Rob Overton on 09/29/2010 - 11:29 PM
My follow up article on the top 7 ways to close the back door of the church is available at http://www.churchlead.com/home/view/1599/top_7_ways_to_close_the_back_door_of_your_church
Posted by Rob Overton on 05/21/2011 - 11:16 AM

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