Organizational problem-solving for Get’er Done Leaders is an ongoing job requirement. Identify the problem. Figure out how to fix it. And Get’er done.
If only it was that simple. Like a DIY problem-solving repair kit. A plug and play solution generator. A fix-it Frank formula.
What I have learned in my years as a ministry and team leader in a church organization is that organizational problems and their solutions generally fall into one of these three categories.
Organizational Problem-Solving That Requires A Person
Some problems require someone with the right skill set to make a repair.
If your faucet is leaking, the skill set is plumbing. Maybe you need a professional. Maybe an experienced handyman.
Of course, not all problems are that straight forward. If the budget is out of whack, do you need an accountant, finance specialist or investment advisor to address it?
And today, IT covers such a broad spectrum you may go through several IT experts to solve your enigma. Therefore, identifying the right skill set is not always so obvious. And the biggest challenge?
Finding the right match.
It might be one of your team members, the team member from another department, a volunteer if you’re a non-profit, or an outside contractor.
Organizational Problem-Solving That Requires Technology
Innovative technology changes in a blink. Master one software package, a new one replaces it, and you’re relearning everything. A never ending process since what you buy this week is obsolete the next. And of course, now there’s AI.
And you can grow overly enamored with technology. But the saying, “there’s an app for that,” is often, more true than naught.
So pay attention to new developments, but don’t buy the latest thing just because it’s cool and hip. Know the what and why for the technology you invest in.
As I built a church sports ministry, I decided video would be a great way to market programs to the congregation.
So I bought a DSLR camera, modestly priced editing software, and learned how to create and post videos on social media. Interest grew and participation increased. As a result, I was able to build several intramural sports leagues that engaged hundreds of people within the church and attracted new people from outside the church. I explain the entire methodology in my book How To Build A Church Intramural Sports League.
Organizational Problem-Solving That Requires A System Or Process
Technology is wonderful, but doesn’t solve every problem. It may be the cumbersome system or process you’re using. Are you still physically printing and mailing a paper newsletter? Publishing an e-newsletter will save you time and money.
Is one person responsible for a critical job assignment that takes all day to complete? Maybe a team would be more efficient and cost-effective.
Sometimes the most under used resource is your brain. And the most valuable process…thinking. Because along with working hard, a Get’er Done Leader also works smart. Regularly reviews systems and processes. And considers how to improve them.
I have a special fondness for the question–what if?
What if I tried this? Did that? Made an adjustment here? Changed it there?
Improved processes don’t always involve expensive technology. Sometimes it’s changing things around to make them better.
Hopefully as you solve organizational problems with people, technology and systems or processes, you’re doing more than fixing a problem. You’re making your organization better than it was before the problem.
This four week study dives directly into God’s word. It includes an individual study with an exegetical approach that examines word meaning, provides background information, and thought provoking questions for reflection and journaling, And a weekly, group study guide that promotes a lively group discussion around other scripture references, personal stories, and life experiences that help apply scriptural truth to life.
Planning church events with high attendance. If you are a pastor or church leader, planning church events is part of your job. Fellowship events. Mission events. Seasonal events. And more. Here’s how to maximize attendance when you do.
Planning church events with high attendance. There is a secret ingredient in planning church events that fuels high attendance.
It lurks beneath your congregational landscape like a giant underground spring. An awaiting gold mine. Gushing oil field. But just like other speculative ventures, you must prospect for it.
And you can’t always know for sure when you will hit pay dirt. You observe. Evaluate the landscape. Look for signs. Make educated guesses. Then pick a spot and dig. Sometimes it’s a dry well. But you might hit a gusher.
And what is the secret ingredient in planning church events that I’m talking about?
Felt needs.
Felt needs are generally represented in areas like career, relationships, health, kids, and finances to name a few. Church events planned around these areas often attract interest. For example, every church study I’ve ever planned on the topic of relationships has drawn a crowd. Especially among single adults.
So let’s get psychoanalytical for a moment.
Planning church events with high attendance. Felt needs are often what people think they need, not what they really need.
Of course you know that. So do advertisers and marketers. And they exploit it by convincing you that you absolutely do need something… the product/service they’re selling.
Think Beanie Babies, Energy drinks, Pet Rocks, Low Carb Diet, and the Hula Hoop.
Advertisers sold consumers on the idea their lives would improve with these products. People bought it…literally. And pay attention to how advertisers elicit emotion in their ads. Why?
Because when emotions are ramped up, rational decision-making shuts down. People buy on impulse because it feels right and good. Not because it is right or good.
How many times have you bought something and later asked yourself: What was I thinking? And the answer is, you weren’t. You acted on impulse.
Tap into the most popular felt need to attract a crowd.
And the winner is self-improvement.
It affects every area of our lives and drives how we spend our time and money. Because it’s important to have the right…
Car
Clothes
Hairstyle
Cell phone
Breath
It motivates people that sign-up for church programs and events too. Yes, I know. They should sign-up because they want to engage spiritually, but that’s not always the reality.
Often it’s because they expect or hope to get something from the event. So when planning church events, focus your marketing message on benefits. Because you need to convince the reader it will add something positive to their life.
But wait, you say. What about when people serve from altruistic motives?
Those who truly follow Jesus will serve sacrificially in his name. But for some, it’s about giving back to feel good about themselves rather than a genuine love for Christ.
Of course, felt needs can be exactly what they appear on the surface. The person buying exercise equipment simply wants to promote better health. At the same time, felt needs can be symptoms of a deeper problem.
Someone registering for an exercise class struggles with gluttony. And the gluttony is due to anxiety… caused by stress… related to problems at work. I know, don’t over analyze everything. But keep in mind that people are complex and felt needs can be the symptom you see on the surface while the real issue is buried under layers you have to peel away.
So the next time you’re planning a church event, ask yourself what felt need it addresses and form your promotional message around it. If attendance skyrockets, it’s likely you hit the mother lode.
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
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If you want to write a comedy church skit, you should create funny characters.
And with an all amateur cast you can create funny characters and humorous drama that is entertaining, but still delivers a powerful message.
Here are some skit writing techniques to create funny characters and humorous church dramas.
To Create Funny Characters Form Skit Characters Around Your Actors
A Hollywood script creates a character and then the director finds an actor to play that part. But that’s Hollywood. And those actors are professionals. They dedicate themselves to learning how to play a variety of characters.
Using amateurs doesn’t mean your actors lack of talent. But they won’t be as versatile as a professional. So instead of making them adapt to a part in your skit, fit the part to them. In other words, create a character that complements their natural personality and talents.
Is your actor naturally gregarious? Make their skit character gregarious. Or in real life, thoughtful and analytical? Do the same with their character. And if they can talk with a French accent or impersonate Elvis, incorporate it into the skit.
By forming the characters of your drama around the actual personalities and talents of your actors, you create a part that is easier for them to naturally play and a character the church audience will enjoy.
Use Stereotypes To Create Funny Characters
A 3-5 minute skit does not allow enough time for much character development. So using common stereotypes makes it easy for your actors to assume a part and your church audience to understand the essence of the character.
The dumb blonde
The computer geek
The insensitive jock
The power hungry executive
These are all familiar characters that are easy for actors to play and easy to form into a humorous skit. When you think about the funny characters of movies and sitcoms you’ve watched, they are often built around a stereotype. I’m sure as you engage in your skit writing, you’ll think of many others.
Use Exaggeration To Create Funny Characters
Don’t just make the blonde in your church skit a little dumb. Make her really dumb. Your insensitive jock, completely oblivious to any life outside of sports. The computer geek unable to hold a conversation with an actual human being. Someone not just afraid of heights, but paralyzed in fear on the second step of a ladder. The more you exaggerate, the funnier it is and the less likely the actor in the skit will resemble an actual person in the church.
Use Contrast To Form Characters
Even a person in your church with minimal acting ability will have your church audience laughing by simply putting them into a skit character that is the opposite of who they are in real life. And you may be surprised by that person’s willingness, not only to accept the part, but to ham it up on stage.
Is there a solemn usher who always wears a suit to church? Put him in a long wig and a rock band outfit. Let your children’s pastor portray a spoiled, bratty kid. Your most talented vocalist play an American Idol contestant that sings way off key.
By using familiar people in your church with known traits and talents and putting them into a role that is the complete opposite of who they are in real life, you create instant humor for any skit.
Use these techniques to create funny characters and comedy skits. Your church audience will laugh while you also present a spiritual message.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
Looking for an original comedy church drama?
There are a number of comedy church dramas I’ve written for church events and programs over the years. You’ll find them on the drama page of my website. And you can download them for a modest, one time fee. You can read a portion of the script in advance to get an idea on what it is about before you purchase the whole script.
An attitude of gratitude makes life better. For others and for you too. I discovered this from a church mission trip, fixing up homes in Kentucky Appalachia. In an area with one of the highest levels of poverty in the country. And the experience reminded me how well I have it.
Here’s how you can discover an attitude of gratitude too.
Serve Others For An Attitude Of Gratitude
Gratitude begins with a mindset that gets out of yourself. Looks at the plight of others and asks the question: what can I do to help? To make a difference?
It moves beyond fault finding and blame shaming. Rises off the couch of social justice arm chair quarterbacking and gets in the game. Becomes a problem-solver rather than a problem identifier. Moves from talk to walk.
Serving others broadens your perspective. No, your problems may not go away. But it prevents them from dominating your life. And adds significance as you lift up others.
Learn Contentment For An Attitude of Gratitude
We live in a culture that promotes accumulation and comfort. And the answer to the question, how much is enough? Is always a little more than what we have now.
Because contentment is like a fishing lure of enticement…always trolling just out of reach.
But scripture reveals the secret to contentment. It is from God and is LEARNED.
It’s not an unexpected epiphany. A warm fuzzy someone gives you. A level of enlightenment achieved somewhere on the quest for more stuff. You learn it on the journey of discipleship. As you seek first the Kingdom of God while navigating times of scarcity and plenty. And you realize God provides for you in both of them.
Compare Down For An Attitude Of Gratitude
We naturally compare ourselves to other people. And usually compare up.
I was doing exactly that one day as I drove through my neighborhood. Comparing as I looked at all the nice cars in driveways. An SUV here. BMW there. Mercedes around the corner. Wait. Dude. You should move further up town!
My 15-year old, compact car with 175,000 miles was an eyesore. At least in my view. Rust spots appearing on the doors and fenders. Dimpled like a golf ball after driving it in a hail storm. Although it otherwise ran great.
Then as I left the neighborhood and pulled onto a main road, I passed a bus stop where a group of people waited for their ride. And I felt a spiritual nudge and a gentle voice say, “those people don’t have a car.”
It switched the direction of my comparison. And provided a lesson I will never forget. There is always someone who has it better than you. And someone who has it worse.
So take a pause the next time you start a comparison pity party. And compare down. Your inventory of blessings will change your attitude into gratitude.
Thank God For His Blessings For An Attitude Of Gratitude
Don’t wait for a comparison pity party wake-up call. Regularly and intentionally reflect on your blessings. Do you have a place to live? Food to eat? An income? Generally in good health? Surrounded by loved ones?
Chances are you can say “yes” to at least some of these. And you know people with much less. The point is, there are always things you can appreciate. So take the time to appreciate them. Stop looking at the glass half-empty and start seeing the one half-full.
And thank God for his blessings. Because God is the source of all that is good. And his best gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ. When you’ve received that gift, there is no comparison.
Writing a church comedy drama can be fun and rewarding. They may be amateur productions, but don’t have to be amateurish. You have many talented church members to call on. Maybe not professional comedians, but they can still be funny. Other professionals in your church can also provide needed resources.
In one of our church productions, a church member who was a commercial, graphic designer created a set design that far surpassed what a local professional scene designer accomplished. He also produced all the visual marketing material. And another church member who owned a local manufacturing company made a fake display of elevators that supported the event.
They were so real looking that during the night of the production, guests that didn’t attend the church tried to use them. Now that was funny!
Use these tips to guide your efforts for church productions that make a spiritual impact.
Decide on a Theme for Your Church Comedy Drama
Whether it’s a 4-5 minute skit or a full play, start with the theme. Write it down in one or two sentences. If you start writing your script without nailing down the theme, you may write funny jokes just to get a laugh. It’s a common trap for those who enjoy writing comedy.
Humor is extremely effective when writing church comedy skits and drama. But in a church context, it should always focus on making a spiritual point. So be clear at the start what that spiritual point is and keep that target always before you.
For example, in my one-act, church comedy drama, What’s In a Promise? the theme is… God made a promise to us that He kept, so we should keep the promises we make. The entire church comedy script is written to support that theme and the resolution supports it too.
Create Characters For Your Church Comedy Drama
Professional actors are skilled at changing their persona to match a variety of different funny characters. Their professional career depends on the ability to be versatile. You give them a funny character and that’s who they become.
In church comedy, you’re mostly working with amateur actors. Although, there are many people in your congregation with natural comedy acting abilities too. It’s just not what they do all the time, so they’re not as versatile in portraying humorous characters as a professional actor. They tend to have a few, funny personas where they excel, but as they move away from characters that are natural for them, they become more stilted.
So rather than create funny characters and then ask your actors to portray them, create humor that is tailored to the natural strengths of your actors. In other words, think of the natural abilities and personalities of the people you want to use as actors, and then create comedy characters and humor that feature their strengths.
Does someone have a funny, foreign accent? Can they impersonate someone famous? Do they have a natural tendency you can exaggerate to create humor? The more you capitalize on their natural, humorous abilities, the more natural and funnier they will be.
Use Popular People in Your Congregation For Your Church Comedy Drama
Is there a favorite church usher that everyone adores? And he has a funny habit you can exploit? A church youth pastor with a well-known quirk? Impersonate these people and exaggerate their particular traits and quirks to make your church comedy skit funny. Of course, be sure they possess a sense of humor and don’t mind getting picked on a little. People can be a little funny about laughing when the joke is on them.
Things that might not be that funny generally, will be hilarious to your congregation. And can be used effectively to make a spiritual point in a church comedy skit used to enhance a sermon.
What about the time someone slipped in the church baptistery and splashed water into the choir loft? Something funny that happened on a church retreat or mission trip that everyone knows about? They make great material for church comedy skits and your congregation will laugh harder because they’re all in the joke.
Keep these three tips in mind as you write your scripts and you’ll produce church comedy skits and dramas that are both funny and spiritually effective.About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
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Join my list and I'll notify you of new blog posts and send you a monthly newsletter. It features inspirational thoughts, writing tips, and a peek into writing projects. I'll also include my article: Exaggerate to Make Your Presentations Funny. It shows you how to punch up presentations with humor and make them more compelling.
