Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy (Thanks)Giving
Happy Thanksgiving! Take time today to thank God for His provision for you and your family over the past year. It's been a very tough year economically for many people and families all over the world, but we also know that God has promised us that He will never leave us or forsake us, and this worldwide financial crisis also presents us with a huge opportunity to bless those who seriously need a blessing today. Focus on the "Giving" part of "Thanks-Giving" during this holiday season, and watch how God blesses you and your ministry, wherever you are doing ministry in this world.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
TeleStereo
We do different types of promotion and advertising here in Lima, but the most successful for us has been an advertisement that we do with the #1 rock-n-roll radio station in the city.
That's right: FRC-Lima is a church that advertises on a rock-n-roll radio station!
And it's paid off in huge dividends for us.
Every Sunday there are people visiting FRC-Lima for the first time, and they're visiting us because they heard our ad on TeleStereo Radio in Lima.
We used to have a weekly program on the Christian radio station in Lima, and it was very successful, but then we made a decision to try to reach more non-churchgoers, so we switched our advertising and publicity to TeleStereo, and it's been a home run for us.
Think outside the box when it comes to advertising and promoting your international church or ministry. Don't be afraid to use the secular media to send your message. In fact, it may prove to be more impactful for you and your ministry. It has been for us.
That's right: FRC-Lima is a church that advertises on a rock-n-roll radio station!
And it's paid off in huge dividends for us.
Every Sunday there are people visiting FRC-Lima for the first time, and they're visiting us because they heard our ad on TeleStereo Radio in Lima.
We used to have a weekly program on the Christian radio station in Lima, and it was very successful, but then we made a decision to try to reach more non-churchgoers, so we switched our advertising and publicity to TeleStereo, and it's been a home run for us.
Think outside the box when it comes to advertising and promoting your international church or ministry. Don't be afraid to use the secular media to send your message. In fact, it may prove to be more impactful for you and your ministry. It has been for us.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Little Cards, Big Promo
Last Sunday at Flamingo Road Church in Lima, a man came up to me and showed me a dog-eared business-card-size promotional card that we had used for a teaching series about 18 months ago.
"Hey," the man said to me, "do you remember when you gave me this card?"
I had to confess to him that I didn't remember the exact circumstances - it was 18 months ago, plus we give out promo cards like candy here - but I also told him that I was glad that he finally was visiting us.
"I had this in my wallet all this time," he continued. "I had forgotten about it, but then I saw it again in my wallet, so here I am!"
Something as small as a business-card-size promotional card for your church or international ministry can pay off in huge dividends. People are ridiculously over-busy these days, and their minds are focused on a million different things, so you need to put something directly in their hands so that they will remember you or your church or your ministry. Don't just give them your personal business card. That's great to give out, but they really need a similar-size card, business card-size, that promotes your church or ministry, gives all the relevant information (names, addresses, service times, websites, contact info, etc.), and is sufficiently small enough for them to stick in a wallet or purse. They eventually will dig it out again - although hopefully in less than 18 months! - and eventually curiosity will get the best of them and they'll check out you or your ministry.
Head out to your local print shop, print up a ton of colorful, creative, and contemporary promo cards, and then start passing 'em out like candy! Flood your city with 'em! Then watch how they lead to more contacts, impact, and interest in your church or ministry.
"Hey," the man said to me, "do you remember when you gave me this card?"
I had to confess to him that I didn't remember the exact circumstances - it was 18 months ago, plus we give out promo cards like candy here - but I also told him that I was glad that he finally was visiting us.
"I had this in my wallet all this time," he continued. "I had forgotten about it, but then I saw it again in my wallet, so here I am!"
Something as small as a business-card-size promotional card for your church or international ministry can pay off in huge dividends. People are ridiculously over-busy these days, and their minds are focused on a million different things, so you need to put something directly in their hands so that they will remember you or your church or your ministry. Don't just give them your personal business card. That's great to give out, but they really need a similar-size card, business card-size, that promotes your church or ministry, gives all the relevant information (names, addresses, service times, websites, contact info, etc.), and is sufficiently small enough for them to stick in a wallet or purse. They eventually will dig it out again - although hopefully in less than 18 months! - and eventually curiosity will get the best of them and they'll check out you or your ministry.
Head out to your local print shop, print up a ton of colorful, creative, and contemporary promo cards, and then start passing 'em out like candy! Flood your city with 'em! Then watch how they lead to more contacts, impact, and interest in your church or ministry.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
English
Here at Flamingo Road Church in Lima, Peru, we are doing international ministry in a Third World country where English is not the native tongue.
That has been a great thing for us.
When we started this church about 3 years ago, before we were even an offical multi-site campus of FRC, we felt the Holy Spirit telling us to start our new church in English. I couldn't understand the Holy Spirit's urging at all, yet I kept hearing it, day after day. I kept thinking, "But we're in Peru now, not the USA! We should do our new church in Spanish, not English!"
We were obedient to the Holy Spirit's nudge, though, and it has made all the difference. One thing we quickly learned when we started our new church was that there were a lot of Peruvians who were learning English for professional and career reasons, and our English-language church was a great way to reach many of them. And so we have.
If you are doing international ministry in a country where English is not the native language, then that may be a huge benefit for you. English is the international language of business today, and people around the world, in every country, are learning to speak English for professional purposes. Use English to reach these people! About half of the members of Flamingo Road Church in Lima are Peruvians, and many of them are young people who are learning English, and so every Sunday morning they receive a double blessing: they get to practice their English at FRC-Lima, and they also get to hear God's word taught in a contemporary and impactful manner.
Use English to reach others, particularly if you are doing ministry in a non-English-speaking country. There is a huge market there that you have the potential to reach and impact!
That has been a great thing for us.
When we started this church about 3 years ago, before we were even an offical multi-site campus of FRC, we felt the Holy Spirit telling us to start our new church in English. I couldn't understand the Holy Spirit's urging at all, yet I kept hearing it, day after day. I kept thinking, "But we're in Peru now, not the USA! We should do our new church in Spanish, not English!"
We were obedient to the Holy Spirit's nudge, though, and it has made all the difference. One thing we quickly learned when we started our new church was that there were a lot of Peruvians who were learning English for professional and career reasons, and our English-language church was a great way to reach many of them. And so we have.
If you are doing international ministry in a country where English is not the native language, then that may be a huge benefit for you. English is the international language of business today, and people around the world, in every country, are learning to speak English for professional purposes. Use English to reach these people! About half of the members of Flamingo Road Church in Lima are Peruvians, and many of them are young people who are learning English, and so every Sunday morning they receive a double blessing: they get to practice their English at FRC-Lima, and they also get to hear God's word taught in a contemporary and impactful manner.
Use English to reach others, particularly if you are doing ministry in a non-English-speaking country. There is a huge market there that you have the potential to reach and impact!
Monday, November 10, 2008
5-Minute Church
I've learned that a big part of international ministry involves ... just chatting.
We deal with an assortment of outside vendors here at Flamingo Road Church in Lima. We deal with a print shop where we print up all of our bulletins, teaching notes, publicity cards, brochures, and other items. We deal with a cafe where we have a free-coffee promotion. We deal with a parking garage where FRC-Lima attendees can park for free on Sunday mornings. We deal with a supermarket chain that supplies our food and supplies every weekend. We deal with a couple of hotels, where mission groups and other guests stay every time they visit us in Lima. We deal with a couple of other restaurants where we have special celebratory lunches or dinners or birthday parties. There are lots of other places, too.
One thing I've noticed is that when we enter these establishments, perhaps to pick up copies, or parking vouchers, or free-coffee gift certificates, or other items, the people working there frequently want to chat. They want to know how the church is going. They want to know how we are doing. They want to know how I, the gringo, am adapting to the culture and food of Peru (just fine on both counts!). And of course they want to tell us all about their lives, their families, their dreams, and their frustrations.
They really want someone to listen to them, even if it's just for 5 minutes.
That's what I call the 5-Minute Church.
Listen, I know that you are busy, and you may be reading this blog post and thinking, "I've got to just run in and out of those sorts of places, because I've got other places to go!"
If you adopt that attitude, then you're going to miss out on a big part of your ministry.
I have noticed that locals tend to take a shine to foreigners who are nothing more than ... friendly. Many foreigners, and sadly this includes many ministry workers, tend to spend as little time as possible with locals and natives, and that attitude is easily felt on the other side. So if you are nothing more than friendly ... then you're opening up a whole new world of possibilities and contacts for your ministry.
Take time to chat with the vendors who support your ministry. Take time to chat with the girl at the supermarket check-out counter, or the guy who serves you coffee, or the bellhop at the local hotel, or the waiter or waitress at your favorite restaurant or cafe. They just want you to listen to them for a few minutes. A lot of these folks have even started attending FRC-Lima as the result of the mini-chats that we've had with them.
Start up your own 5-Minute Church with these people. Watch how quickly you fill up the pews.
We deal with an assortment of outside vendors here at Flamingo Road Church in Lima. We deal with a print shop where we print up all of our bulletins, teaching notes, publicity cards, brochures, and other items. We deal with a cafe where we have a free-coffee promotion. We deal with a parking garage where FRC-Lima attendees can park for free on Sunday mornings. We deal with a supermarket chain that supplies our food and supplies every weekend. We deal with a couple of hotels, where mission groups and other guests stay every time they visit us in Lima. We deal with a couple of other restaurants where we have special celebratory lunches or dinners or birthday parties. There are lots of other places, too.
One thing I've noticed is that when we enter these establishments, perhaps to pick up copies, or parking vouchers, or free-coffee gift certificates, or other items, the people working there frequently want to chat. They want to know how the church is going. They want to know how we are doing. They want to know how I, the gringo, am adapting to the culture and food of Peru (just fine on both counts!). And of course they want to tell us all about their lives, their families, their dreams, and their frustrations.
They really want someone to listen to them, even if it's just for 5 minutes.
That's what I call the 5-Minute Church.
Listen, I know that you are busy, and you may be reading this blog post and thinking, "I've got to just run in and out of those sorts of places, because I've got other places to go!"
If you adopt that attitude, then you're going to miss out on a big part of your ministry.
I have noticed that locals tend to take a shine to foreigners who are nothing more than ... friendly. Many foreigners, and sadly this includes many ministry workers, tend to spend as little time as possible with locals and natives, and that attitude is easily felt on the other side. So if you are nothing more than friendly ... then you're opening up a whole new world of possibilities and contacts for your ministry.
Take time to chat with the vendors who support your ministry. Take time to chat with the girl at the supermarket check-out counter, or the guy who serves you coffee, or the bellhop at the local hotel, or the waiter or waitress at your favorite restaurant or cafe. They just want you to listen to them for a few minutes. A lot of these folks have even started attending FRC-Lima as the result of the mini-chats that we've had with them.
Start up your own 5-Minute Church with these people. Watch how quickly you fill up the pews.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Thanksgiving is not a holiday that is celebrated in Peru, or anywhere else in South America for that matter, which is exactly why we are doing a Thanksgiving Food Drive here in Lima.
We are going to be collecting canned and non-perishable food every Sunday morning in November at Flamingo Road Church in Lima, and then on December 1 we will be distributing it all to needy individuals and families in Lima. The recipients do not have to attend FRC-Lima. They don't even have to be Christ followers. In act, those are exactly the type of folks that we most want to impact by showing them the love of Christ.
Thanksgiving is really only celebrated in the USA and Canada, so if you're doing ministry anywhere else in the world, then November presents a great opportunity to leverage the Thanksgiving holiday. Tell others about the origins of Thanksgiving. Tell them how it is a day to give thanks to God for His provision to us during the past year. Bless those in need with such provision. Last weekend Flamingo Road Church in South Florida had a frozen turkey drive - which they wittily labelled "Flip us a bird!" - and they collected several hundred frozen turkeys, hams, and pies, all of which will be donated to needy individuals and families in South Florida.
Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks to God for His provision, so take advantage of the holiday to be God's hands and feet and to provide such provision to others in need, wherever in the world that you are doing ministry.
We are going to be collecting canned and non-perishable food every Sunday morning in November at Flamingo Road Church in Lima, and then on December 1 we will be distributing it all to needy individuals and families in Lima. The recipients do not have to attend FRC-Lima. They don't even have to be Christ followers. In act, those are exactly the type of folks that we most want to impact by showing them the love of Christ.
Thanksgiving is really only celebrated in the USA and Canada, so if you're doing ministry anywhere else in the world, then November presents a great opportunity to leverage the Thanksgiving holiday. Tell others about the origins of Thanksgiving. Tell them how it is a day to give thanks to God for His provision to us during the past year. Bless those in need with such provision. Last weekend Flamingo Road Church in South Florida had a frozen turkey drive - which they wittily labelled "Flip us a bird!" - and they collected several hundred frozen turkeys, hams, and pies, all of which will be donated to needy individuals and families in South Florida.
Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks to God for His provision, so take advantage of the holiday to be God's hands and feet and to provide such provision to others in need, wherever in the world that you are doing ministry.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Election Differences
The US presidential election is now history, after a campaign that lasted about 2 years. Some political pundits are already saying that the 2012 presidential race now has begun!
This is a big difference between the US and Peru. In the US, the presidential race now endures for 2 years and costs over $1,000,000,000. In Peru, a presidential campaign lasts just 6 months, and only costs around $1,000,000. The last presidential campaign in Peru was in 2006. Candidates first started running and Peruvians first started paying attention to the race in January 2006, then there was a first-round election (almost like the US presidential primaries) in April 2006, and then the final general election in June 2006. 6 months from start to finish. That's it.
Peruvians are always amazed at the length of the US presidential campaign, particularly in comparison to the short Peruvian election season, so it makes a great topic of conversation to respectfully compare and contrast the positives and negatives of the two systems. It also has opened doors for our ministry here in Peru.
Many Christians around the world are concerned about the separation of church and state, and also are concerned about the role of Christians in an election, and whether or not one should publically support a candidate or a party. These are all very legitimate concerns. This does not mean, however, that you must avoid any and all political conversation. General discussions about the pulse of a race or about comparative election systems tends to be a great ice-breaker around the world. Take advantage of this great political opportunity to make inroads with your international ministry, wherever you are.
This is a big difference between the US and Peru. In the US, the presidential race now endures for 2 years and costs over $1,000,000,000. In Peru, a presidential campaign lasts just 6 months, and only costs around $1,000,000. The last presidential campaign in Peru was in 2006. Candidates first started running and Peruvians first started paying attention to the race in January 2006, then there was a first-round election (almost like the US presidential primaries) in April 2006, and then the final general election in June 2006. 6 months from start to finish. That's it.
Peruvians are always amazed at the length of the US presidential campaign, particularly in comparison to the short Peruvian election season, so it makes a great topic of conversation to respectfully compare and contrast the positives and negatives of the two systems. It also has opened doors for our ministry here in Peru.
Many Christians around the world are concerned about the separation of church and state, and also are concerned about the role of Christians in an election, and whether or not one should publically support a candidate or a party. These are all very legitimate concerns. This does not mean, however, that you must avoid any and all political conversation. General discussions about the pulse of a race or about comparative election systems tends to be a great ice-breaker around the world. Take advantage of this great political opportunity to make inroads with your international ministry, wherever you are.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
US President-Elect Barack Obama
Congratulations to US President-Elect Barack Obama. God has established Obama as the next President of the United States, in accordance with Paul's words in Romans 13:1, and so now we need to pray for Obama as he undertakes this new position. He's certainly going to need a lot of prayer, as he's got his hands full as the next President of the US. Obama is going to enter the White House and immediately face challenges related to the international financial and credit crisis, failing banks, a falling stock market, home foreclosures, job losses, environmental problems, and terrorist threats.
Obama's historic victory is the main story here in Peru. All day long, Peruvians have been asking me for my opinion about Obama. I'm sure it's the same for you, wherever in the world that you are doing international ministry. Take advantage of this opportunity to engage others in conversation about Obama, and about what the Bible says about submission to authorities and God's establishment of governing authorities. Obama's victory is a great conversation starter, and a great opportunity for you to promote your ministry. The entire world is talking about US President-Elect Barack Obama, and you should be, too, regardless of whether or not you support him or his policies, but rather as a way to connect your international ministry and vision to the most important and most historic news story of the day.
Obama's historic victory is the main story here in Peru. All day long, Peruvians have been asking me for my opinion about Obama. I'm sure it's the same for you, wherever in the world that you are doing international ministry. Take advantage of this opportunity to engage others in conversation about Obama, and about what the Bible says about submission to authorities and God's establishment of governing authorities. Obama's victory is a great conversation starter, and a great opportunity for you to promote your ministry. The entire world is talking about US President-Elect Barack Obama, and you should be, too, regardless of whether or not you support him or his policies, but rather as a way to connect your international ministry and vision to the most important and most historic news story of the day.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Election Day
It's Election Day in the USA. God already knows who's going to win and become the next President of the United States. Whether you support Obama or McCain, and whether your candidate wins or loses, it's important to remember the words of Paul in Romans 13:1 (NIV), "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."
Pray for the winning candidate, even if you didn't support him or vote for him. He's going to need it.
Pray for the winning candidate, even if you didn't support him or vote for him. He's going to need it.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Halloween Shake, Rattle, & Roll!
We had a great time on Saturday afternoon at our Halloween Outreach/Children's Costume Party at KFC in Lima. Between children and adults, there were about 70 in attendance. Right before the party started, though, a strong earthquake tremor rocked Lima. It registered 4.3 on the Richter Scale. It lasted just 5 seconds, but it felt like a freight train smashing into the side of the building. Children in Peru practice "earthquake drills" in school, just like I used to practice "fire drills" at school back in the day, and so they knew immediately what to do: they quickly gathered around each other in American football-style huddles. The children were far calmer than the parents, who all were running around, trying to make sure that their kids were safe after the earthquake tremor. One of the kids was totally unfazed by the jolting tremor, because he thought that it was part of the special effects for the costume party!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Earthquake Tremor Rocks Lima!
Just moments before we were to start our Halloween Outreach Children's Costume Party at Kentucky Fried Chicken in Lima, an earthquake tremor rocked the city! It shook buildings, rattled windows, and registered a 4.3 on the Richter Scale. It was quite a jolt for the kids that arrived early at KFC! More details coming soon!
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