On the way to the coffee machine the other day, I starting wondering if my readers think I am just about helping churches be more like a business.
You know – all about numbers and results.

While the coffee was brewing I got to thinking, why would they think like that? If, in all my writings that’s all I ever wrote about then that’s what I’m projecting.

Then I starting thinking about this as it relates to the church. If you’ve been in the church for any length of time, particularly in lay leadership or on staff, you’ve heard others say all the church cares about is money or about building a name for themselves.

Again, why would people think that about THE Church or their own church?

PERCEPTION. There’s a saying, “Perception is Reality“.
And it’s ‘true’ to the one perceiving it.

But why do people perceive things in a different way than true reality? (Usually in a negative way).

Maybe it’s just human nature to question the motives of others.
Maybe it stems from a bad experience in a previous church.
Maybe it was that sermon about stewardship they didn’t receive well.
Maybe Pastor didn’t say ‘Hi’ in the hallway. Whatever.

But, maybe people in the church perceive numbers in a negative way because of what gets projected publicly over time.
Here’s the deal. If the why is never presented along with the numbers, some people will fill in the blank, sometimes with the incorrect perception.

People want and need to know why.

Here’s what I’ve seen work well – always balance the communication of a status update, a financial need or the celebration of milestones (giving, attendance, baptisms etc.), with the why behind what’s being tracked.

Be more passionate about the WHY than the results.
Give practical reasons. Give biblical reasons.
And, always give God the credit.

Make sure your staff and lay leaders can articulate the why.

People want and need to know and be reminded of the why often.

Just a thought on the way back from the coffee machine.

Oh…

Here’s one of my WHY’s as it relates to Reporting – I want to help church leaders make informed decisions as one component of a healthy church that’s moving forward for Christ.