Man! The Launch Conference in NYC this week was incredible. I would give anything to have had this kind of seminar when I launched Rocky River [www.rockyriverchurch.com] seven years ago. I shudder to think how much further along we would be right now.

For those of you are church starters (previously known as planters) be sure to buy the Launch Conference on DVD at www.churchleaderinsights.com.

Here are a couple of my BIG learnings.

1. Hope is not a strategy for growing your church. Most guys HOPE their church will grow. But that won’t make it happen. You need a strategy for growth. So, what’s your strategy for growing your church, business, small group, or whatever else you’re leading? It will not grow until the leader puts a strategy behind it.

2. To go to the next level – of anything – you have to start functioning as though you are already there. I think this applies to any organization but I’m sure it does for a church. So, if you want to grow your church to 500 then you have to start operating as though you are already there. That means that not only your Sunday service has to look like you’re ready for 500 people, but you have to BE ready for it. The “look” (technology, etc.) is easy. Additionally, you have to be prepared with greeters, small groups (@ R2C2 we call them Rock Groups), resources, volunteer structure, children’s ministry, staff, etc.

3. The leader has to be prepared to make tough decisions when necessary, as the church is launched and then at every level. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn. But it is true. The leader has to make hard decisions. And the hardest decision to make is when you have to let staff go (fire them). But it is sometimes necessary for future growth. Hold your staff accountable for doing what is needed to keep the ball rolling. If they can’t do it then let them go. Don’t wait!!! Do it now.

If you’d like, you can email me for a more private conversation about this firing thing. Along the way there were staff members that I didn’t fire but should have. And there are others that I waited too long to fire.

I realize this is sensitive, but it is very important. Your church could collapse (organization/business) over this kind of thing.

More later…