This week I had a chance to talk to someone who manages the database for what some would describe as a “mega” church. I realized a few things.

She uses the same language that we do at a mid-sized church:

“We need to do better about shutting the back door.”

“As shepherds of the flock, we need to know and take care of our sheep.”

I realized that for some, the term “mega” church has a negative connotation. But your average mega-church Pastor has something in common with the small- or medium-sized church Pastor. And even the church planter. In all scenarios: they were called to Pastor a church.

There’s also nothing “wrong” with being a “mega” church. If we are called to make disciples (The Great Commission), then how will we make disciples without bringing them to Church to hear the Gospel?

Yes, we can (and should) take the Gospel to them. To our workplaces, to our kids’ activities, to the ends of earth. But in Hebrews, we are instructed to not neglect meeting together. Let’s assume the best: every person who walks through the doors of our church, represents another soul in  heaven. With that logic, I want an ultra-mega church – sized XL.

I’ve also realized that it’s possible to preach the Gospel first. No “smoke & mirrors.” No helicopter rides in the parking lot. No cool coffee shops. The Gospel first, foremost, and central. And grow THAT into a mega-church, if the Pastor’s heart is in the right place and he’s truly, one-hundred percent, concerned with pointing his flock in the direction of Jesus.

VBS can be a great time of year for an Assimilation and Connections person. Think of all of the guests you have an opportunity to reach during this time. It can also be a challenge for your software administrator.

Last year, our registration and check-in system went well and in a few days, we’ll begin this year.

Here are a few tips:

1. Use the software to build your registration form. That way the data is in the software. With a lot of the ChMS, forms don’t always auto-populate profile fields. Which leads to #2.

2.  Recruit help with data entry. Remember all of those people who said they’d help in the office? Now is the time to call them in. Ask them to bring their personal laptops if they are able and give them enough software permissions to update profile fields, even if those permissions. (Also, make sure you provide something for them – order lunch in or get them gift certificates to a coffee shop.)

3. If you can’t recruit data entry help, tell your family you love them and you’ll be back after VBS.

4. Add those visitors and guests to your system. First, you’ll need them in there if you intend to use the event check-in features (and security labels features) of your software (which I highly recommend). And, second, if they do end up attending or joining your church, you’ll be able to track back to their first event (how they originally connected), which will delight your marketing team and accounting team. Utilize membership type codes and have a code of ‘other’ or ‘event.’

5. Don’t forget about volunteer scheduling features of thes software. Use the software to help organize and communicate with volunteers.

Most of all, have fun and remember why we do this. As much as we love organization and connections, there are times when we miss a setting on a software or there’s an error in data entry. Those can seem like a huge detail to us, but when we step back and look at the big picture, they really aren’t that major. We’re helping to point kids in the direction of Jesus and hope this becomes a turning point in their lives. We’re looking at eternity.

Have a few sheets of labels, fun-colored Sharpie markers, and themed stickers as a back-up plan if needed. Smile and let Jesus’ light shine through you. Learn from any mistakes. There’s always next year!

I’ve taken a break from blogging. I believe that when you work in an administrative, communications, or connections capacity – especially in the latter two – it is easy to slip into pride. It is so easy to see a facebook post doing well and think, ‘I made that.’ It is easy to see a connection – a person finding their fit, using their talents, being honored – and think, ‘I was a part of that.’ How often has my boss done something awesome and I think, ‘I helped him do that’?

But it’s not about me. It’s always, only, and ever about the God I serve. I don’t need facebook numbers. God is infinite. I didn’t make anything. God gave me the skill, the talent, the ability. And all I can do is humbly use what he gave me to give back to Him.

I recently (re) read the book “Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work With God’s Work” by Tim Keller.

Always remember that it’s not what we do that should be most important, but why we do it and who we do it for.

Source: 22 Of My Favorite Quotes From “Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work With God’s Work” -Tim Keller