Laurie Kennedy“I was walking down Main Street last Monday and suddenly had an idea. I decided to ask strangers if they could give me directions to our church. I bet I approached 15 people. Not one of them … not one of them! … had ever heard of our church. And we were less than 2 blocks away from here. One guy asked me, “Why would you be looking for a place like that?” (Gordon MacDonald in Who Stole my Church?)

Today’s quote resonated with me. In my Coaching Practice. I ask this question regularly. I’ll purposely arrive early for an interview session or Board meeting and stop at a local restaurant close to the church.  I’ll tell the server that I’m working at a certain church that day and was wondering about its location. I’ve asked people on the street close to the location if they know the church. I have a second question. What do you know about the church, is it big, little, involved in the community? If they know anything about the church my third and last question, is it a Bible based church?

In the fifteen years I’ve been doing this, I’ve always been amazed at what servers know about their communities. They can tell me about a local business, a theatre, City Hall or an arena.  But in my fifteen years of asking at least one of these questions, I rarely have a positive response to the questions. Hmm!

OK, Pastors, Board Chairs and Leaders, try the example from MacDonald’s book.  Ask a sample of people in your community about your church.  Then, do some serious praying and discussion about making your place of worship more visible.

By the way, when you are asking the question in a restaurant, make sure you tip generously, you are still demonstrating God’s love.

Leadership is … ensuring your church and your people are visibly demonstrating God’s love in your community.

Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com