Google Community Church

Some companies have people begging to work for them. I've just read "The Google Story." What an amazing company. Top programmers are leaving top tech companies like Microsoft because Google is such a fantastic place to work.

They say it's like working at a resort - the best chef [gourmet] in town works for Google and meals are free. Other unusual perks like free oil changes, fitness classes and dry cleaning make for a bunch of loyal, happy employees. And these happy employees have built one of the most remarkable companies ever to be on the face of the earth.

Why aren't most companies remarkable? Why aren't most churches remarkable?

Other companies are tired, old, visionless. Who wants a dead-end job? Who wants to be in a dead-end church?

Pastors, do you have people begging to work with your ministry, or is your staff quitting? Are volunteers not volunteering? When I visited Erwin McManus' Mosaic Church last year, I heard such stories... like an assistant pastor who quit his paying job and moved to LA to be an unpaid janitor [or maybe it was a parking lot attendant] at Mosaic simply because he wanted to be part of a church that was on the move.

Just as there are a few companies out there, like Google, that have a buzz and attract people, so there are a few churches out there who attract congregations and top staff talent.

And don't bother to blog "it's not about the numbers." That's an excuse for a lame ministry. I'm not talking about megachurches here, I'm talking about growth. Something that's healthy grows, whether it's gradually or in spurts. Look at the facts of your own ministry - if your church had 100 people attending last year this time and last week you had 175, chances are you're healthy.

Take the phenomena known as NewSpring Church in nearby Anderson as an example. I have a friend that goes there and he told me last week he never ceases to be amazed at how together the place is. The children's ministry... small groups... tech team... whoever's running that place knows what they're doing. People don't fall through the cracks. Maybe that's why NewSpring is one of the fastest growing churches in the country.

While not forgetting the spiritual element that only the Church can offer, let's take a few cues from successful businesses. What can you do to make your church the kind of place where people want to work and worship? And come back?

Check out my article about church marketing.