What a great year we have experienced here @VOSD. It has been one of our best, but reality is that there are many people who have struggled this year. Families have lost their homes, marriages have been stressed & children have really just sit back and watched it all with worry. That is why VOSD is stepping out to make a difference through our I (Heart) San Diego Campaign. God has given us a 5 point plan to touch the families of our community with God’s love:

• Provide a safe and healthy alternative to families during Halloween. A Christian alternative to the families of our community. We handed out candy to hundreds of children in our community. It was great to so many smiles.

• Provide a place of restoration to men & women with life controlling problems. We want to help young men & women to rebuild their lives. We want to house, clothe & feed men and women who are rebuilding their lives!

• Provide free health examinations to uninsured families in the community. We will be partnering with health professionals from the San Diego area along with the many Doctors, RN, Nurses assistants and health field workers in our church.

• Provide 500 turkeys to struggling families in our community. We want to make sure that families will have a great Thanksgiving. Through our canned food drive & turkey drive we aim to feed 500 families.

• Provide Christmas toys to children whose families have been affected by the economy. We will be partnering with Toys for Tots. Of all of the Toys for Tots sponsors, we are the only church that has stepped out represent our community! This is our opportunity to help people in a tough time of their lives.

If you would like to get involved in this great campaign or you can donate turkeys to help VOSD to love our community please contact Liz Portillo @ (619)262-0172. We would love to partner with you during this holiday season. You can make a difference!

I (Heart) San Diego!

Momentum is never an accident. It is always intentional, and it is always a product of our action. I believe this: Our decisions in this dimension of ministry will always determine our access to the next dimension of ministry. Sometimes those decisions are tough, but they almost always pay-off. Let’s just say, things have become flat, church has become routine, and the leaders look uninspired…What can we do? Here are a few things.

1. Pray. An organization can never rise higher than its commitment to prayer. Prayer lifts us. It causes us to see things through God’s eyes and not ours. Insert prayer into your staff meeting. Ministry meeting or cell group. Schedule a time for corporate prayer. Activate prayer anyway that you can. Your gonna need it for the next steps.

2. Prepare your team. What we are is often determined by who is around us. Have you ever felt so ignited personally for ministry to look around the room just to see people who were totally out of it? Look for body language. Do they pray? Do they seem happy? Do they laugh with you? Do they carry a positive spirit? Do they ever have ideas for someone else or for the team? Is everything about them? Are they just company guys/girls? How is their personal life going?  If you find that one of your team members falls into this category, it may be time for  a change.

3. Pick some new players. As tough as it may be to make changes at the top. Most of the time there is always someone who is ready to step into the roll. If someone doesn’t step up. Go and find that person who will produce for you. Look for people that reflect the next dimension, not the old dimension. Remember, you have been there. In some cases, you have been there too long. Other than the obvious character traits of leaders, look for people who will produce and not just talk.

4. Point to the New Dimension. So you have your team. Now what? Well, the vision is important. We all know the vision internationally, but what about locally? What is it going to take to accomplish our goals? How can people get involved in the vision locally? How will new staff/leaders practice their gifts & ideas? Here is a tip: Keep it simple! One great pastor said, the vision should able to be written on a table napkin.

Here is an example: “Victory Outreach Church of San Diego is called to Reach our community & to Raise up leaders for the vision. That’s it. Simple. Get on board.

As seasons change, people change. I’d like to believe that people get better, because things become different in our lives. Whether you have been serving the Lord with a desire to strive or you are re-engaging yourself because you have slipped away. It is your time for a new dimension.

Today I want to reveal some things that are in my mind about this new dimension that I believe that we are in.

1. People criticize what they do not understand. Here is the point. Our lives are going to challenge others when we grow. People who do not grow do not like people who are growing, because growth causes the average to take an evaluation. Disappointment sets in and then they start to attack. They say things like: I do not like their style. They do not have the vision. Wow, things have really changed. Is it that they really don’t like you? Well maybe in some cases, but in most cases it is because they are not happy with themselves.

2. Prepare for greater expectation. Sometimes life can be like a merry-go-round. The greatest expectation falls to those who are doing well. If you are having a great season, you can be sure that some responsibility is going to fall your way. Embrace it. People have a tendency to attach themselves to success, Nobody wants to connect with a person in a losing season. People want to be with winners. So what are we supposed to do? Here are a few things to consider:

• People can’t hurt your progress unless you allow them to. It’s your choice.
• Position yourself to help others in need. Be ready when they ask. Because they are going to ask.
• Prepare your mind for disappointment. Do not expect people to meet all of your expectations.

3. Partner with other winners. Relationships are so crucial to our life. A partner is someone who has a few important characteristics:

• People who get you. These are people who don’t give you the blank, “I don’t get it stare.” when you talk to them about your ideas. Sign that a person is not a partner: They are too busy texting or tweeting to give you their total attention. 
• People who give back to you. I’m all for helping people, but hey sometimes people should give back. Seriously.
• People who pray for you. You can feel it. You will know when people are with you on something. I have found that sometimes God will allow people to walk out of your life, so that new people can walk in.

Elevate.

To be perfectly honest, I am constantly asking God, “What is the next dimension for VOSD?” I am a firm believer that a growing church is a searching church. I am a firm believer that a growing church is a divinely dissatisfied church. The things that satisfy us, never satisfy God and it is our task to constantly keep our finger on the pulse of what God wants to do through our church. To me, prayer is the gateway. This week VOSD has cancelled it’s normally weekly program for a a time of corporate prayer & fasting. We have entitled this week, “REACH”. Our goal is to reach God’s heart for our lives. To reach God’s heart for our city. To reach our full-potential. I believe that this week will be a time of re-fueling, re-focus, re-fining & re-ignition. As a church we are accepting an invitation to a new dimension, all while saying goodbye to the old. If you are in the San Diego area, please feel free to join us any night this week from 7-9pm. One exciting event this week will be the recording of our very first worship album featuring the VOSD Music Ministry. You can join us on Wednesday night. Admission is free!

 Reach for the sky.

As I await my wife (she is packing). We are preparing for a week long trip and a time for a little R&R. This personal trip is probably long overdue and I must admit, lately I have longed to just be alone with her. Throughout the years, I have always heard that ministry can be taxing. I have often thought of the first line of the The Tail of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times and the worst of times.” In many ways life can be just like that. Ministry is a place where we live between those two realities. Everything is great in the ministry, but what is happening at home? (vice-versa) If you have ever felt like this was you? I want you to know that you are not alone. Our generation of leader is facing it together. Here are a few things that I am learning about this particular battle:

1. God’s promises will always prevail. His word is true. I have spent hours reading the Bible for guidance. I want you to know that God’s word is powerful.

2. Great models.We have been given great models. I thank God for those who have defeated those giants in their personal lives. Divorce, raising godly children, financial pressure, bankruptcy. If they could do it, we can do it too.

3. Greater strength. God wants us to endure these challenges for ourselves. A personal battle is just that. Personal. Our job is to overcome it with the help of the Lord. What we gain is worth its weight in gold. You will become stronger. 

4. Great opportunity. What is on the other side of your struggle? There are just too many cliches to quote that will speak to that truth in our lives. The important thing to know is that it is true. There are going to be greater opportunities on the other side of your struggle.

You can do it.

Al

Here is the second part of my article from earlier in the week about the Mega-Church trends. I would like to start out this article with this question: Is Victory Outreach International ready for a mega church? You might be surprised to know a few things about mega-churches, their pastors & their organizational needs.

1. Mega-churches are led by large personalities in virtually every case. According to John H. Armstrong, “These churches are pastor centered and work like corporations led by CEO’s.” It is true. Not that these churches are personality driven, in my opinion only a few leaders can build a church on their personality, but their teams allow these pastors to be free to be the prevailing personality of the church. These teams do not feel uncomfortable working under this type of leader as long as their goals are met. The question is: Can a denomination deal with an emergent personality without feeling the burden to curb their enthusiasm?

2. Mega-churches are largely non-denominational. With the exception of the SBC Case in point: Many people may not know that the largest church in Southern California is a denominational church. They call it Saddleback Community Church  in Lake Forest, CA, led by a pastor named Rick Warren, who authored a best selling book entitled, The Purpose Driven Life. Here is a fact: Many years ago Rick & his lovely wife were sent and financed from Texas by the Southern Baptist Convention. This church was planted and has made history. However, would you be able to identify this church as a SBC church today? Is this church faithful to the SBC agenda? What role does this church play in the convention? A Pastors.com article recently read, “Southern Baptists Elect New President. The question is does anybody even care?”—Wow.

3. Those who attend mega-churches are relatively young & economically diverse. An important thing to know is that this growth is not by accident. Often it is by design. These churches are positioned for this type of harvest through their music, atmosphere, decor, teaching style, dress code, promotion, etc. Recent statistics show that the average mega-church attender is 40 years old. However, many might be shocked to know that most mega-churches have reported a 45% volunteer ratio. This is based on people who give more than 5 hours a week in volunteer time to the church & the community. Not a bad number.

Elevate.

Lately I have been getting a lot of questions about team ministry. I have been personally involved in team ministry for over 15 years. I have been on different types of teams, good teams, bad teams, productive teams & unproductive teams. I am still convinced that the team concept prevails in regards to raising an effective church or organization. Here is what I have learned.

1. A team’s motivation comes from a compelling vision. Here is what I have learned. Teams do not respond well to needs and problems. We can leave the needs and problems to a committee for note taking and analysis. Teams are looking to respond to a vision that is life giving and exciting. Needs don’t move a team. Vision moves a team.

2. A team needs an active and exciting leader that has continued to demonstrate success. Here is what I have learned. Successful teams are usually led by a leader who is doing a number of things–learning new concepts, producing results today, having personal victory, etc. The mistakes I see many leaders make is that they stop producing personally. They rest upon past victories, while the war keeps waging. Teams respond to leaders who can demonstrate current and timely results.

3. A an effective team is built for short-term goals that build a long-term vision. What gives a team great confidence? One win at a time. Every team needs a project that has a beginning & a definitive end. I have learned that teams respond best to 90 day goals. Every 90 days we set goals that will help to build our long-term vision.

4. A person cannot be held accountable for unspoken expectations. It amazing to me how many leaders expect their team to read their minds, under the guise of “knowing my heart brother/sister”. To me that is a cop-out for bad communication. As a team leader I cannot expect my team to be accountable for my unspoken desires or the things that I have not communicated directly to them myself. A major mistake leaders make is to assign a personal connector to a team in order to fulfill a vision. I have spent 6 years under one of our world greatest leaders and I have never seen him call someone to call someone.

5. Ask questions. One of the biggest mistakes a team leader can make is to think that they have all of the answers. Believe me when I say, “Nobody is that good.” Information is power to a team. A team sits in circles and not in rows.

In the hallways of our movement you can hear the whispers of pastors & leaders speaking of a long eluded goal. “When will Victory Outreach International see a mega-church emerge.” Fact is: for many years Victory Outreach La Puente was at mega-church status in the Los Angeles area. At one time it was the largest church in the region with the largest worship center in San Gabriel Valley seating over 3500 people. However, times do change, and the driving force of our movement has never really been building mega-type churches. We have always been focused on church planting. And for 42 years that is what we have done faithfully.

If the future of VOI does call for mega-churches to arise, what should we be looking for? What does a mega-church look like, and kind of work & personnel does it take to build a mega-church? For those of you who are interested, I have compiled some information that I hope is helpful to you.

1. 2000 or more people in attendance at weekend worship. 

2. A charismatic authoritative senior pastor.

3. A very active 7 day a week congregational community.

4. A multitude of social & outreach ministries.

5. A complex differentiated organizational structure. (Basically different structures that act independently & interdependently)

Here are a few more facts that you might find interesting:

The majority of megachurches (over sixty percent) are located in the southern Sunbelt of the United States – with California, Texas, Georgia and Florida having the highest concentrations.  

Generally, these congregations have significant parking lots and sanctuaries that are able to accommodate the large numbers of worshipers they attract.  The average megachurch has weekly attendance of 3857 persons.

Megachurches tend to grow to their great size within a very short period of time, usually in less than ten years, and under the tenure of a single senior pastor. Nearly all megachurch pastors are male, and are viewed as having considerable personal charisma. 

The senior minister often has an authoritative style of preaching and administration and is nearly always the singular dominant leader of the church.  Supporting these senior pastors are teams of 5 to 25 associate ministers, and often hundreds of full-time staff.  

The 406 megachurches surveyed in 2005 averaged 20 full time paid ministerial staff persons, and 22 full time paid program staff persons.  The average number of volunteer workers (giving 5 or more hours a week to the church) was 284.

Megachurches host a multitude of social, recreational, and aid ministries.  Likewise, a majority of megachurches employ intentional efforts at enhancing congregational community, such as home fellowships and interest-based small group meetings.  Contrary to expectations, these congregations promote intense personal commitment in a majority of their members but also contain a large percentage of anonymous spectators in their ranks.

Few megachurches have been exceptionally large for longer than the tenure of their current minister.  Evidence suggests, however, that these churches can remain vital following a shift in leadership from the founder to his successor.  Although some researchers argue the era of megachurch proliferation is drawing to a close, the total number has increased from 350 in 1990 to over 600 in 2000 and there are now over 1200 megachurches in the US.

Thanks to the Hartford Institute for Religious Studies

Elevate. 

For the last 8 days Victory Outreach Church of San Diego has been positioned under the windows of revival. Mario Murillo Ministries & VOSD have partnered to win souls and declare healing over hundreds of people. The faith of our church and the surrounding areas have been elevated to a brand new dimension. What is amazing to me is God’s ability to speak to a pastor about the direction and pathway of the church. What has become overwhelmingly true in our churches direction, is that we can never get away from the supernatural. For a church that has been in existence for 25 years, it is impossible to get away from the power of God. That power has made itself known once again and our direction will never be the same.

What is the missing link to your church growth strategy? Without a doubt. It is the power of God. Every Sunday Morning is a priceless opportunity to touch the hurts of your city. God’s power is the only way. Here are a few things that I have learned over these past few days.

1. Doctors have no medicine for the people we minister to. The day of supernatural anointing is upon us. God is looking for a church that will stand in the miracle working power of His word. Methods, strategies, systems work wonderfully to attract a certain component of society, but there is a certain windfall of growth for VO churches. No matter what we do, we will always attract the marginalized people of society. This is why God raised up Victory Outreach. What will you do, when your cell group system, your follow-up plan and christian ed. classes are lacking the power of God in the face of people who are suffering and without hope? The only remedy is the power of God.

2. God wants to give us miracles more than we want to see them. There may be a possibility that you have not even expected miracles. But that has not detoured God from giving them. The only thing is that God is not giving them in your church. Winky Pratney, a famous pastor from New Zealand in his research for a newly released Revival Bible, noticed that since the days of Pentecost, there has not been one place on earth that has not experienced an ongoing revival. The days of pentecost have continued because revival is God’s will and not ours. Revival takes place where people gather to pray in diligence for God to shake the ground underneath them. The upper room was that place where prayer set a fire that has not been quenched sinced.

3. You will have your rhema moment. If you are a teacher of the Bible you will definitely know the difference between the “logos” & the “rhema”. A rhema moment is when something comes to powerful light in our hearts and minds. A new understanding. A revelation of sorts. Something of an illumination that will bring change to your life and to your ministry.

In conclusion, I believe that we can have both. We can have innovative and creative churches all while experiencing the power of God. Miracles work from God’s creative side. Our job is to tap into that creativity and for our people to experience what cannot be fabricated or imitated. However, we cannot have mass appeal & miracles. We must make the choice.

Elevate.

I want to take this opportunity to share with you some of the top search terms at the Elevate Blog. I think you will find it interesting. Gives me some insight to what people are look for. Enjoy. I also rejoice that we hit over 3000 hits so far this month.

Searches include:

victory outreach sandiego

empowering members for church growth

alcance victoria east los angeles (this is a big one, always at the top)

pastor sonny arguinzoni

changing seasons of our lives

pastor tom vasquez

breaking barriers in the church

pastor mitchell petersen

how to deal with tough personalities

georgina valdez

what to do when you want to quit

nick walker

changing your mentality

what is twitter?

mega church growth

how to develop cell groups in your church

developing leaders

assimilating newcomers

Have a great week.

ELEVATE