November 25 & 26, 2006
For this week’s installment of my Messages About Purpose and Strategy, I want to camp out on another way of looking what we are doing here. I’m convinced we need to plan, pray and program to close the back door. That’s the strategy for us to consider for this week (and this year)!
Back door, front door…? What does this terminology intend to communicate? I’m glad you asked. The front door is all that draws people to visit Dayspring. We do a lot of things really well. Many people are impressed by what they see here. There are lots of reasons why new folks choose to return. The front door is really wide.
But so is the back door. The back door is the way out: the lack of follow-up, the difficulty getting involved, the lack of systems that close the gap.
People come in and like what they see, stay around for a season, then move on because they can’t get plugged in.
This bugs me. Having the back door as wide open as the front is like trying to fill a sink when the drain is open. Turn the facet all you want, but the drain keeps the water flowing through. I’d like to fill the place. That means the facet has to be on the drain needs to be closed.
We are working on closing the back door. You can help. Greet people you don’t know. Serve as an usher. Invite people to lunch. Remember the names of visitors. Introduce someone you meet to others. Get new people to join your small group. Don’t remain in a holy huddle. Break cliques. Remember, we are to be all about Reaching, Connecting and Growing. If we are, then the back door will begin to close.
Back door, front door…? What does this terminology intend to communicate? I’m glad you asked. The front door is all that draws people to visit Dayspring. We do a lot of things really well. Many people are impressed by what they see here. There are lots of reasons why new folks choose to return. The front door is really wide.
But so is the back door. The back door is the way out: the lack of follow-up, the difficulty getting involved, the lack of systems that close the gap.
People come in and like what they see, stay around for a season, then move on because they can’t get plugged in.
This bugs me. Having the back door as wide open as the front is like trying to fill a sink when the drain is open. Turn the facet all you want, but the drain keeps the water flowing through. I’d like to fill the place. That means the facet has to be on the drain needs to be closed.
We are working on closing the back door. You can help. Greet people you don’t know. Serve as an usher. Invite people to lunch. Remember the names of visitors. Introduce someone you meet to others. Get new people to join your small group. Don’t remain in a holy huddle. Break cliques. Remember, we are to be all about Reaching, Connecting and Growing. If we are, then the back door will begin to close.
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