Leading Through a Move

This Sunday is Church of the Suncoasts last week in Oakstead Elementary School. On August 5th we will be moving to Martinez Middle School which is about a 10 minute drive from where we have met for the past 10 months. This will be the second move in our brief history (we moved about 5 minutes down the road last time).

So what have we learned from moving a church plant around? At first it seems like a real bummer. You get established and then BOOM you up and move. "Hey, where did that church go?" Or, as I like to call it, "Dude, where's my church?" Either way it seems like it would hurt momentum.

BUT, if you lead through a move right it can be a real shot in the arm. Here are a few things to consider:

  1. Why are you moving? That seems kind of obvious but you need to know every angle of why you are moving because you will have to articulate it over and over.
  2. What are the positives? It's easy to find the negative aspects of moving. But, what are the positives? Find those and make those your mantra for the weeks leading up to your big day.
  3. Who can you include? Every time we have moved we gained new volunteers because they signed on for a short term project and it turns into something they love.
  4. What do you need? Make a list! Seriously, with all the little things that it takes to do portable church make a list of everything you can think of and then delegate it if you can.
  5. Who can you invite? Who do you know that needs to be at this new chapter of your churches history? Who do your people need to invite?
  6. What are promoting? Promote the fool out of your move! We are doing a Gas Buy Down at two area filling stations, 2,500 invite cards, and a 37,000 piece mailer.
  7. When is your Grand Opening? You want people to come to your first week in the new place, but you also want to do a Grand Opening. People like openings. Its new, its fresh, its exciting. Do a Grand Opening a few weeks out to make sure you get the kinks worked out. It's a double shot in the arm!

As you read this list please won't you say a prayer that our move be one that takes new territory for God's kingdom! For more info e-mail me at brian@canthisbechurch.com

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