Alleged Rape Underscores Church Office Security Needs

Editor's Note: A man hired to handle odd jobs at an Oklahoma City church was arrested last week and charged with raping a church employee. The man's background included two prior convictions for burglary, and two prior violations of protective orders, according to KOCO, a local television station.

Churches must think through possible vulnerabilities, whether it's the screening of employees, vendors, and contractors, or situations in which a staff member can become isolated, such as a church office. Below is "Strategic Security," a free article that first published in Your Church and now appears on our sister site ChurchSafety.com. It can help church leaders identify and address vulnerabilities before those vulnerabilities are exploited:

A pastor and passengers riding in a car in Fullerton, California, were attacked by gang members, who pursued them into the church and held them at bay by hurling rocks.

Thieves took $1,800 worth of food for the needy from a Menlo Park, California, church.

A church fire in Orangeburg, South Carolina, was ruled arson.

A rash of break-ins hit churches in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Iowa.

A former trustee of a Philadelphia church was charged with defrauding the congregation.

In former days, churches were considered sanctuaries from the depredations of the outside world. Today, any crime that can happen at a home or business can also occur at a church, including the offenses cited above, which makes up only a partial list of incidents that occurred in February 2009.

"The threat is very real," says Michael Hodge, president and owner of Michael A. Hodge and Associates, a Washington, D.C. security management consulting firm. "Now [criminal] people are recognizing that churches are places that do not, for the most part, have security programs in place. They notice there isn't a lot of deterrence around."

The goal for church leaders is to maintain safe and secure conditions for both their property and people. This level of security requires a plan to deter criminals while maintaining a welcoming environment for church members and visitors.

Job one: the risk assessment

Consultants believe a church should first conduct a risk assessment to determine its own unique security situation, and only then come up with a plan.

"Every church is different. Is it an old or a new building? Large or small? City or country? One building or many buildings? There's no cookie cutter recipe we can use that will solve all problems," said Jeff Hawkins, executive director of the Christian Security Network, a Cincinnati firm that consults churches and collects reports of crimes against them.

When conducting the risk assessment, Hodge recommends looking at four elements. These include the history of incidents at the church, the history of crime in the neighborhood, any political stances taken by the church, and whether the church has an adequate security plan.

The risk assessment should include the understanding that churches are often easier targets than private residences, especially for burglars.

"That's because churches are so predictable," said Hawkins. "A burglar who's going to target a house is taking a chance. Is somebody going to be home? Do they have a dog? An alarm system? Locks on the doors? But churches are pretty easy as far as figuring when people are going to be there and not going to be there."

What every security plan needs

Although each church is unique, experts say that all church security plans should at least pay attention to ways of monitoring the property and protecting vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. Those who plan harm to your church should be able to see enough of a security presence to conclude, "I can't get away with anything here."

A top-notch plan includes these pieces:

* Controlling access to the building with secure locks and limited key access.
* The use of computer-controlled coded keypads for building entry at times other than normal office hours or Sundays.
* Control and observation of the perimeters of buildings and grounds. This includes elements such as sufficient lighting and electronic surveillance.
* Trimming hedges and otherwise eliminating places where dangerous people can hide.
* Installation of alarm systems and motion detector lights
* Establishing standards of behavior, especially for special events such as weddings and wedding receptions
* Setting up a communications system that enables security personnel to quickly and effectively exchange information
* Reducing the risk of assaults by providing escorts to and from vehicles and by stationing monitors in the parking lot.

Hawkins advises churches to come up with procedures to cover emergency evacuation, setting up a shelter in place (often used during severe weather), medical emergencies, missing or lost children, and violent confrontations. Once your plan is in place, keep reviewing and amending it, said Travis Hayes, risk management director for World Outreach Center, a large church in Greenville, South Carolina.

"It has to be a living document. You can never say you're done with it. We've seen a lot of things but we run into new situations all the time. When we do, we document them and learn how to handle them," he said.

Church security hot spots

Focus on the "three L's": lighting, locks, and landscaping. Concentrating on these three factors first can quickly enhance the security of a church.

• Locks: Make sure all doors have strong locks that are properly installed. Ask a professional locksmith to evaluate your doors and windows. Make sure all unused areas of the church are locked. Pay careful attention to door and window frames. The strongest lock in the world won't deter a burglar who can bust through a rickety frame.

• Lighting: "If you drive by almost any church at night, almost all the lights are off, both internal and external. Burglars like to operate in the dark. Lighting is one of the easiest fixes to automatically increase your security," said Hawkins.

• Landscaping: Stand on the street, look at your church and see whether you have any landscaping that can hide somebody. This includes trees, bushes, shrubs, signs, and fencing. Look at basement windows and see if someone can hide in that area. Pay special attention to exit and entry areas of parking lots and buildings.

Theft is a particular problem in some churches. For Hayes and his team, the most common occurrences are petty thefts and attempts to steal purses and church equipment. When energy prices are high, church vehicles are vulnerable to fuel theft.

"You also need provisions for handling contributions," he said. "The larger the church, the more funds and contributions are coming through. You need to have provisions in place describing who handles them, where they go, who has access to them and who does not."

Security experts sometimes discover churches that have technical and mechanical security measures installed but inactive.

"So many times, churches are broken into through unlocked doors and windows. I find churches that have an existing alarm system that they don't use anymore because it's going off all the time. Find out why it's going off and make the adjustments so you can use it," said Hawkins.

Church offices and their contents need to be protected. Identity theft can be prevented by strict control over removal and disposal of documents and computer files. Hayes has seen an increase in these incidents in churches, as well as a rise in computer hacking.

"In November of 2008, our server firewall was hacked by somebody from China. We had to rebuild several computers and we were a few days without them being on line. No critical information was lost — it was more of an inconvenience," he said.
Tools to enhance your security

An array of technology ranging from high cost to no cost is available for churches to upgrade their security.

Some larger churches have installed high-definition closed circuit television monitoring systems to provide round-the-clock visual surveillance of the entire campus. Churches have installed sophisticated access-control devices that restrict entry of unauthorized personnel into restricted areas.

"The sky's the limit. All of these are things that can be put into place. Having a lot of these stems in place takes away the need for having personnel in place in some cases, but not all," said Hayes.

If your church cannot afford a full-blown security camera system now, it can still install the proper wiring to accommodate the system later. If a church is remodeling, erecting a new structure or installing a new sound system, it can "wire ahead" and install everything needed to hook up cameras, alarms, or emergency mass notification systems.

Software systems are available to integrate and operate every piece of a church's security technology.

"You don't have to buy three or four separate systems. You hook up your alarm, cameras, and mass notification systems to one system. Or you can add these things in baby steps as you get the money," said Hawkins.

This gradual approach to church security technology provides one way to determine the merit of electronic equipment vendors, Hawkins added.

"If someone wants to sell you everything at once and not give you an overall plan to work within your budget, be leery of that. They're just after a quick sale," he said. "You want somebody who will work with you on where you want to be in one, three, and four years from now. Good companies will work with you on the baby steps."

Plenty of lower-level technologies, such as pagers, can be valuable. Two-way radios are a key to maintaining proper communication among security and church staff. This is not an area to go cheap, say security experts.

"If you go to Walmart and buy the two or five-mile two way radios that are two to a pack, you're not going to get the best clarity. But you have to start with something. If that's all you have, that's better than nothing. If later the budget increases, look at radios such as four-watt and five-watt UHF radios," said Hayes.

Don't forget to explore measures that will cost you little or nothing. Free resources include training articles and other information in print and on the internet from security consulting firms and publications such as Your Church. Develop good relations with law enforcement and fire department personnel. Ask them to evaluate your property and to make suggestions on improving security. Ask police to include your property as part of their patrols.

Tightening up access to keys is another free and effective way to enhance security.

"One of the biggest breakdowns I find is lack of key control," said Hayes. "I have been in some churches that were 25 years old and have not re-keyed the building in their existence. They have no idea who has a key. This is something that can be done at zero cost."

Lurking liability

Physical security needs is a stewardship issue containing very real legal ramifications. Churches must guard against liability on two fronts: negligence and improper credentialing of security personnel.

Churches are at risk of lawsuit if they are aware of a security risk but do not take steps to reduce that risk.

"People will say, 'you invited me in your property. I have some expectation of being safe and secure. You have the responsibility to keep me safe.' You can't just ignore the problem," said Hawkins.

If your church has security personnel, make sure they have the proper licenses and training — particularly if they are going to carry weapons. Check with law enforcement officials, local and state governments and insurance companies to make sure your security team is operating by the book.

"I consulted a church where the parking staff wore neon vests that said 'security' on the back. If an officer of the law comes through there, they had better be prepared to show them their security licenses. You're required to have that license by having that word 'security' on a vest. Churches can be fined or prosecuted for operating a security business without a license," said Hayes.

Start small if you must…but start

These plans and procedures may sound overly ambitious to your church, especially during tough economic times. If you start with a risk assessment, you will at least have an idea of your needs and a logical place to begin putting a security plan in place.

"Go through your list and do as much as you can or afford. But put a plan together, even if it's a five-year plan," said Hawkins. "Maybe you can't afford alarm system or a camera system now. But at least make a plan and set aside money for these things and buy them in the coming years."

Lee Dean is a contributing editor to Your Church magazine, a publication of Christianity Today International.

Set an Example with Copyright Law

Ministry leaders strive to set an example through their actions at every opportunity. Obeying copyright law should not be the exception. Music ministries and church websites are just a few of the areas where you are at risk for violations. It will be to your church’s advantage to understand copyright law and obey it.

About Copyright Law
Ignorance is not bliss. Violating copyright law—whether its done intentionally or not—takes honest wages away from the author. Being unaware of the law is no excuse and violations can be costly.

Understand the law. Copyright laws affect much more than printed materials. Reproduction of intellectual material in any form without permission is a violation. These violations include displaying song lyrics visually, replaying TV clips and movies publicly, and copying software to other computers.

How to Obey the Law
Follow the rules. Contact the publisher for permission to reproduce materials or purchase the rights to do so. Do not edit the material and do not share your legally-acquired materials with another party for their use.

Consider a blanket license. Purchase a blanket license to get access to an entire repertoire of works. Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) is a valuable resource for ministry music. The Motion Picture Licensing Corporation provides blanket licensing for films.

Adopt music and software policies. Establish clear policies regarding the proper use of music and software. Post the policies publicly and confront any violations on the spot.

Spread the word. Be a witness for doing the right thing. At every opportunity spread the word about copyright violations and challenge others to obey the law.

To learn more about copyright law, visit ChurchSafety.com, or check out the fully updated and redesigned Essential Guide to Copyright Law for Churches by Richard Hammar.

Part 3: Doing Staff Reorganizations Well

Editor’s Note: Paul Clark, the Operations Pastor at Fairhaven Church in Ohio and a Contributing Editor to Your Church, recently underwent a major staff reorganization. In a four-part series that started two weeks ago, he explained what Fairhaven sought to change, and the first step for making that change—the dissolution of the executive team. Last week, he addressed the establishment of new title structures. Today, he explains how Fairhaven created a management team.

Step Three: Creation of a Management Team

Steps three and four reshape how we plan and execute our ministries. They involve establishing two functionally driven teams for vision and implementation. We’re calling these two teams the Lead Team (vision) and the Management Team (implementation).

Both teams are comprised of individuals who are invited to participate, not because of title, but because of their responsibilities, their gifting, or their ability to contribute to the goals of the team. These teams will be fluid, in that they can change at any time, based on the dynamics of our staff. We can make changes to both teams and not have to tweak our organization chart or our titles. New members can be invited to sit in, perhaps based on a particular discussion that’s relevant to them or to which they bring some expertise or special interest.

Unlike the former Executive Team, this new structure provides the possibility for greater flexibility and nimbleness, with less formality. The key is to have the right people around the table at the right time.

How does the Management Team function?

The Management Team is primarily responsible for implementation issues. They are tasked with how the vision ends up being implemented at the street level. They have five ongoing areas of emphasis:

1. Overseeing resources so that facilities, equipment, staff, and calendars are used efficiently and effectively;

2. Integrating and coordinating our vision, values, and goals across the various ministries;

3. Coordinating schedules and ministry plans so that the communication team can grasp the broader picture of what needs to be communicated to the church family and community at large;

4. Proposing ideas and initiatives to the Lead Team as strategic opportunities arise;

5. Coordinating ministry calendars on an ongoing basis to prevent collisions and promote cohesiveness.

The Management Team is comprised of 11 individuals representing many of our larger ministries. There are both men and women, and a cross-section of ages. Two members of the Management Team also sit on the Lead Team, which ensures good communication between both groups.

In just the few weeks since launching the Management Team, we’ve already seen some great success. The team is excited to have a voice in how things get executed on the ministry level. Many of them are enjoying their very first opportunity to be able to speak into the vision and direction of the church, since several of them do not sit at the head of their departmental structure. For example, one member is from the Worship & Fine Arts team, but he does not lead that ministry. Therefore, he did not have a voice in decisions beyond the WAFA team prior to this structure. Yet his creativity, youthfulness, passion, and administrative gifts make him a great resource for the Management Team.

In his book, Sticky Teams, Larry Osborne says, “Ironically, most churches are started by young eagles. But soon after getting their nest built, nicely appointed, and fully furnished, they start to marginalize the next batch of young eagles, asking them to sit at the kids’ table and wait for their turn at middle-aged leadership.

To counteract that natural tendency, I’ve made it a personal priority to make sure our young eagles have a place at our leadership table. I see it as my role to enhance their influence within our church, making sure they are supported, protected and listened to.”

I couldn’t agree more with Osborne. The Management Team is, in part, intended to create the opportunity for leadership among our young eagles. So far it’s working beautifully. The team meets weekly for no more than 90 minutes.

Recently, the team executed an open house for our new facility, given only a few broad parameters from the Lead Team. It was awesome! They organized and led virtually every facet of the event. They’ve written an extreme winter weather policy to resolve the confusion between our ministries’ responses to bad weather. They initiated an idea to creatively use our newly expanded facility in a way that has never been done before, and they'll plan and execute the entire process. They are seeing how significantly they can influence the ministry of Fairhaven Church, and they are invigorated by the opportunity.

Next week, Paul addresses “Step Four: Creation of a Lead Team.”

Healthy Board, Healthy Church

Many churches are afflicted by “dragons,” well-meaning saints who, one way or another, undermine the ministry and sap the vitality from a congregation. To make a church healthy, the place to start is by building a healthy board. Cohesiveness among the spiritual leaders of the congregation is a healthy core for healing the rest of the body and for fighting the infectious attitudes that spring up from time to time.

Some pastors go too far and "stack" the board with friends who can be trusted never to disagree.

"Every member of my board is someone I've personally led to Christ, and I've never had trouble with them," boasted one prominent Southern pastor to a group of seminarians. "I held one man in my arms as he went through delirium tremens. Now he's on my board, and I can count on his vote. He owes me."

Such crass political maneuvering is not only repugnant, but in the long run, runs against the pastor's best interest. The best board is not one where everyone plays follow-the-leader. A board that always votes unanimously the pastor's way will only be as strong as the pastor's personality. When the pastor is overwhelmed, run down, and needing guidance, a collection of clones won't be adequate.

At the same time, healthy boards are united in purpose and plan, respecting one another's differences. The strongest board is a team of coworkers willing to honor God not only with their decisions but the decision-making process. Their relationships are as important as their righteousness, and the relationship between pastor and board is cemented with trust; without that, the pastor's ministry will inevitably come unglued.

Cultivating Personal Trust

If pastors and their boards don't trust each other, the church will be unhealthy, and chances are, the pastor's tenure will be brief and unpleasant. Some boards don't allow a pastor to win their trust; they see it as their job to "keep the pastor in line." Unless the relationship changes, that ministry is doomed. A relationship of trust must be attempted, even when it doesn't come naturally.

Sometimes this relationship takes time—several years, perhaps, as certain members move off the board and new blood takes their place. Always, however, the initiative for trying to develop trust lies with the pastor.

"The best thing we've done," says a Mennonite pastor in Pennsylvania, "is to set aside four evenings a year where the seven elders and I have dinner together, spend an hour with each person sharing what's happening in his life, pray for personal needs, and then talk about the ministry—not specific business items, but our vision for the church, our goals. We've dreamed what our congregation can become, and that's helped put things in perspective and built our respect for one another.

"It's helped build the feeling among us that when disagreements come, we know we can at least trust one another's intentions."

Personal relationships, mutual respect, and trust are the foundation of a strong working relationship between pastor and board. But there are other important elements to keep dragons from emerging within the board. Churches that emphasize these elements not only develop strong, ministering boards but find attacks by outside dragons are easier to handle.

Chosen for Character, Not Clout

To paraphrase Peter DeVries, we're attracted to individuals because of a personality, but after that we have to live with a character. Healthy boards are built with members selected for their spiritual qualifications, not their money, longevity in the congregation, or strong personality.

Thousands of congregations have horror stories about the "good ol' boy" approach to selecting church leaders: someone is well-liked and willing to serve and thus is considered qualified, but within three years, the church regrets the decision because of the elder's (choose any of the following) adultery, arrest, divorce, shady business practices, or argumentative style.

1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 list the spiritual qualities to look for in potential church leaders—such things as being temperate, controlled, hospitable, and free from greed—which is certainly a better list than well-liked, willing to serve, and able to tithe $5,000 a year.

Even with this list of spiritual qualities, though, how do you gauge spiritual maturity without becoming judgmental? While no objective criteria are specified in Scripture, several of the qualities do suggest a basis for selecting elders and deacons.

They must have proven their ability to minister, demonstrating an ability to give spiritual encouragement. They must be "apt to teach," that is, able to explain the faith and help others grow. They must have a reputation in their community and among their coworkers as being consistently Christian. And they must not be new believers—they must be known well enough and long enough to have been observed living out their faith.

"It takes time to see someone demonstrating Christian maturity, wisdom, and compassion," says an Assembly of God pastor. "So our congregation has a rule that a person has to be a member for at least a year before being considered for office. And because we don't hurry people into membership, most of our new members have been in the fellowship two or three years. That means candidates for the board have all served in other areas of the church's life and have demonstrated their gifts, abilities, and commitment."

Common Learning Experiences

"Each month our deacons read a book on church renewal, church government, or some other aspect of church life," says a suburban Minneapolis pastor. At each month's board meeting, at least half an hour is spent discussing the concepts in the book. The ideas also become the basis of informal conversations over coffee or lunch.

Periodically, a major portion of the board meeting is spent discussing a case study or a written assignment one of the deacons has completed. At least once a year, each deacon attends a seminar with two or three other deacons and reports back to the board.

"For the first time, those who had been the biggest pains in the church understood where we're going. We're using the same vocabulary, and we have a common base of understanding," says the pastor.

Regular Performance Reviews

Evaluations, preferably written, not only help pastors synchronize their ministries with the priorities of the board, but they become an excellent defense when the pastor is criticized. Critics can be told, "I'm doing what I've been commissioned to do," and complaints can be referred to the board.

Reviews also help prevent surprise attacks by individual board members, and even if they occur, the evaluation provides a forum for those criticisms to be fully discussed and defused.

Accepting the Defense Contract

Members of healthy boards understand that sometimes their job includes defense. They may debate issues, but when decisions are made, they become ambassadors to defend those decisions even if they didn't vote for them. Many pastors let their board members know from the beginning that though they may differ sharply in their meetings, in public they do not dissent but represent the will of the board.

Defending the ministry also means defending the church from attack. Some pastors brief new board members that part of their task is to help shepherd the flock, and sometimes that means protection. If ministry calls for a private confrontation, and the pastor feels he shouldn't go alone, elders should be willing to go along. If there are emergencies, elders should know they may be called in the middle of the night.

The clear guidance and support of elders keeps a pastor effective, and pastors minister most effectively when they are not defensive. At times, the board can deflect criticism aimed at the pastor and confront the church dragons. Occasionally this means taking a gossiping member aside and saying, "We don't belittle our pastor in this church; if he's doing something wrong, please come to us before spreading this kind of talk." Other times it means facing critics openly.

Meetings a Ministry, Not a Misery

The atmosphere of the board meeting itself is an excellent gauge of the church's health. Do board members pray for one another? Do they take time to find out one another's worries and joys? Time spent in personal ministry at the beginning of a board meeting is time well spent. An unwritten agenda item at every healthy board meeting is "Encouraging each other."

One Baptist pastor, however, discovered this didn't happen in his deacon board meetings until he changed the time and place. Meeting on Sunday afternoons in a church classroom seemed to produce sparks. He always found himself pressured, feeling backed into a corner.

Now the deacons meet in the pastor's family room on Monday night, and while it wouldn't be accurate to say that arguments have disappeared and the pastor's stomach never churns, it is true that the climate is improved. As the pastor says, "It's harder to be angry with someone after you've prayed for him, when you're sitting on the same couch, and you have a glass of tea in your hand."

Developing a healthy board doesn't guarantee a healthy church, nor does a healthy church guarantee a dragon-free existence, but certainly the healthier the church the less damage dragons can inflict.

Adapted from Well-Intentioned Dragons (Christianity Today International, 1985). This adaptation appears in "Elders/Deacons," an electronic orientation guide from our sister site BuildingChurchLeaders.com.

Part 2: Doing Staff Reorganizations Well

Editor’s Note: Paul Clark, the Operations Pastor at Fairhaven Church in Ohio and a Contributing Editor to Your Church, recently underwent a major staff reorganization. Last week, we published the first in a four-week series on what Fairhaven sought to change and how. Step One involved dissolving the executive team. Today, he writes about Step Two.

Step Two: Establishing a New Title Structure.

Titles can be extremely difficult to manage as a staff’s size increases and roles become more diverse and specialized. In order to reduce some of the problems mentioned in Step One, we decided to simplify and de-emphasize titles. Five general titles will remain, with clearly defined parameters. All staff will fit into these five employment categories:

Lead Pastor: This designation is reserved for the individual providing overall organizational leadership and reporting directly to the Governing Board.

Pastor: This designation is reserved for individuals who: 1) possess Bible college or seminary education; 2) are licensed (or are in the process of licensure by the District), making them eligible to perform sacerdotal functions; and/or 3) manage ministries and/or have other paid staff under their supervision.

Director: This designation is reserved for individuals who manage ministries and have other paid staff under their supervision, but do not have formal Bible college or seminary education.

Specialist: These individuals possess specialized technical education or training.

Ministry Assistant: These individuals provide ministry assistance to various ministries and ministry leaders.

No more executives, assistants, associates, and all the other title nuances that were intended to convey hierarchy. The reporting structure is defined by the Organization Chart, not by titles. This will create less formality and foster a better sense of being one team.

We labor over titles when the reality is that what we do is vastly more important than what we're called. Our people find their own natural way to understand each person's role, in spite of the fancy and somewhat convoluted titles we apply. Function naturally trumps formality.

So my functional, no-nonsense title becomes: Paul Clark, Pastor, Operations

I earned the title, "Pastor" based on my education and credentials, and my functional responsibilities are in the area of operations. That's all anybody needs to know. If, for some reason, somebody cares to know who reports to me or where I am in the reporting structure, they look at the Organization Chart. It's very clean and simple.

Already, in just a short time in the new structure, I've seen these two steps pay dividends. The younger staff members feel like the playing field has been leveled. There's a feeling that we're all on the same team. People are opening up more and feeling valued.

Next week, Paul addresses “Step Three: Creation of a Management Team.”

Making Smartphones Smart for Ministry

Editor’s Note: Since its launch in 2007, the iPhone has changed the way we use mobile phones, creating a wave of applications and other features that turn these devices into mobile computers. With Apple upgrading its iOS4 software on June 21 (Wired recently compared iOS4 to Google Android’s 2.2), and launching sales of the iPhone 4.0 on June 24, we asked Carol Childress, a self-professed “iPhone junkie,” to share some of the apps she believes can help church leaders.

Time magazine named the iPhone the invention of the year in 2007. Just writing that sentence sounds like ancient history, and it is, in terms of innovations in current technology. I have fond memories of standing, sitting, reading, listening to music, and chatting with others who waited in line with me for the better part of June 29, 2007, to buy my first iPhone.

Despite all the hype at its release, I don’t think Steve Jobs, AT&T, or few others really understood how quickly the iPhone and other smartphones would change the telecommunications industry. The telephone now is almost the least functional feature of my iPhone. Actual telephone usage on all wireless phones is declining. In 2009, for the first time in the United States, the amount of text, e-mail, streaming video, music and other services on smartphones and other mobile devices surpassed the amount of voice data in cell phone calls.

A major reason for this shift is the introduction of third-party applications that convert an iPhone and other smartphones into a computer, a book, a wallet, a movie screen, a photo album, a remote control, or almost anything you can imagine in a single, hand-held device. Because of these apps, my phone has become the single-most indispensable tool I own. The same likely is true for ministry leaders who use smartphones. For leaders who have been reluctant to move to a smartphone, the scope of available apps, new smartphone models, and the increasing competition between carriers may be compelling enough to make the switch.

There are more than 225,000 apps available through the Apple App Store and more than 5 billion apps (that’s with a ‘b’) have been downloaded since it opened in July 2008. Paid apps account for almost three of every four available apps and the average cost of a paid app that is downloaded is $3.04. There are also more than 50,000 Android apps now available (Android apps are available off of their developers’ sites, from Google, Motorola, and a variety of other places).

With so many apps available, and 15,000 new ones submitted weekly to the Apple App Store, it’s hard to know which ones to download, which ones to keep, which ones to use to improve productivity, and which ones to help manage your life and time. Of the more than 250 apps I have downloaded, I have found several to be consistently useful in life and ministry.

The ones I find most useful are arranged by category below; all can be downloaded at the Apple App Store (also accessible via iTunes). Many iPhone apps have an Android, Blackberry, or Palm equivalent, so if you are not an iPhone user, check the app developer’s website to see if there is an equivalent available.

Unless a price is indicated, the app is free to download.

Personal Productivity Apps

The two major apps in personal productivity are Things ($9.99), based on David Allen’s Getting Things Done time management system, and Omni Focus ($19.99). Both are award-wining apps with devoted followers. I use Omni Focus because it is a better fit for my style of organization and the synching between my iPhone and laptop is seamless. For a simpler and less expensive app, I suggest Dunnit ($3.99).

Part of the iPhone’s appeal is the ability to access critical files and presentations without carrying your laptop all the time. Two apps that I use frequently are DropBox and Documents To Go. Both allow access to files that are synched across multiple computers and the Internet. In the case of Documents To Go ($9.99), I can create, view, and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.

I use Dragon Dictation to dictate brief text and e-mails and I love its simplicity and accuracy. Any necessary editing can be done quickly. When I need to capture simple notes of a meeting or jot down an idea lest I forget it, I use SimpleNote. The most versatile and useful app I have found to track my expenses is XpenseTracker ($4.99) and after using it for six months, I cannot imagine my iPhone without it.

Bible Apps

There are dozens of Bible apps, but Bible (by LifeChurch.tv) is my favorite because it has 41 translations; its search features are easy to use, and it’s free. A close second favorite is Pocket Bible. It also has multiple translations in addition to devotionals, commentaries, study notes, and other resources. It is also free, but there is a fee for individualist related products.

There are few Lectionary apps, but my favorite is named just that, Lectionary (99 cents).

Book Apps

While I have several e-book reader apps, I use Kindle more than any other right now, primarily because Amazon allows me to view all of my books on the compatible laptop application. The new iBooks app, available June 21, may alter my e-reader choice. When I want to purchase a book, I use Book Search, which allows me to find the best price online and buy the book via my iPhone.

News and Research Apps

On a daily basis I scan a number of national and major regional newspaper apps. But to customize my reading and enable me to read on a wide variety of topics, I rely on two news aggregator apps, iNews and Zinio. A third app, Instapaper, lets me save web pages for later off-line reading, and while there is a paid version, I find the free Lite version satisfactory. Questia (99 cents) provides access to my online Questia subscription account. With thousands of journals, magazines, and books, Questia is a major research site and the subscription rate options are reasonable. For radio news, I use allRadio2, which allows me to customize listening preferences from stations around the world. NPR News lets me find any public radio station in the U.S. 1Cast is great for headline video clips that can be downloaded or e-mailed. Finally, SportsTap lets me follow the scores for any major college or professional sporting event.

Travel Apps

Using Trip Deck, I have all my travel information—flights, hotels, rental cars, and itinerary—in the palm of my hand. Shoeboxed lets me digitally capture my receipts, create expense reports, and export them in common formats. Mile Bug helps me track my mileage for business and personal use and export the reports.

Camera Apps

In addition to the normal pics of family, friends, and places, I use my iPhone camera to capture meeting notes (all those easel pad notes that get hung on the wall) and document examples of cultural shifts for use in blogs and presentations.

These three apps greatly improve the basic iPhone camera: Perfectly Clear ($2.99) provides exceptional clarity to any photo. Camera Zoom 2 99 cents) gives me a zoom lens and also a stabilizer. Pano ($2.99) lets me take a series of photos and turn them into one panoramic shot.

Other Very Useful Apps

With CardStar, I have stopped using those annoying plastic cards with my customer bar code (which fill up my wallet and key ring) and instead ask the person at the register to scan the appropriate bar code off of my iPhone. App Box Pro is like a Swiss Army knife for my iPhone and worth every penny of its 99-cent cost.

Another indispensable 99-cent app is My Medical. It lets me store all of my health information—doctors, prescriptions, tests, surgeries and insurance info—for my family and me. It is great for scheduled doctor visits and any medical emergency.

With Red Laser, I can scan the bar code on any item and determine the best available price either locally or online.

Finally, if you ever have lost your wallet, driver’s license, or passport, you will want to purchase Stolen Wallet ($2.99). A friend recently used it to pass through security and board his plane to fly home after losing his wallet while on a business trip.

Game Apps

No discussion of apps could be complete without a few games so here are some of my favorites for time-killers: 3 Point Hoops, Word Squares, Paper Toss, and Virtual Pool ($2.99).

Finding More

I have found that the best recommendations for apps come from friends and colleagues, a small number of websites I check on a regular basis, and the iPhone app setting on my personalized Google News page.

We are in an age in which our communication, our social interaction, our lives, and our ministry are being re-shaped by technology. The role played by smartphone applications is still too new to fully understand its impact, but one day, there will probably be an app for that, too.

In the meantime, I will continue to ask one of my favorite questions to discover more: “Do you have any new apps?”

Arkansas Floods Provide a Sober Reminder about Safety Preparation

The other is a free electronic training resource during the month of June on ChurchSafety.com: "Creating a Safe Camp Experience." Below is an article from this download regarding safety for camping trips. Through the articles in the entire download, you’ll find the insights and advice you need to start planning your next camping trip with safety in mind.

We finally pulled into the church parking lot, the end of a long six-hour trip with our crew of teens. Parents waited, anxious to hear every detail of their child’s last four days of winter camping. And after ice games, tubing, horseback riding, canoeing, snowshoeing, hiking across a frozen lake, and much more—there was plenty to talk about.

One thing no one had to report on: accidents. Between the journey to and from the campsite and all the winter activities that took place in the freezing cold, we certainly had plenty of opportunities for trouble. But thanks to quality preparation and planning—both on our part as youth leaders and on the part of the excellent camp we attended—all we took home were our good memories.

So how can you make sure that your group is safe on your upcoming camping trip? This is the question every group leader must ask—and answer properly, to ensure that the trip is successful and that the future of the ministry is safe.

Reminder: FCC Mic Deadline Hits This Saturday

Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission set a deadline of June 12--this Saturday--for organizations to stop using any wireless systems, including microphones, currently operating in the 700 megahertz (MHz) frequency.

The restriction includes churches.

Your Church published a more in-depth article on the FCC's ruling, "Racing the FCC Mic Deadline," which provides more details.

Churches need to determine if their wireless mic systems comply with the new rules. Several say the changes will result in thousands of dollars in costs. Church leaders who aren't sure whether their systems use the frequency can find out on a website created by the FCC.

The FCC says the deadline will help eliminate potentially harmful interference with public safety systems now using the frequency. The deadline also will allow companies that purchased slices of the spectrum in 2008 to now pursue next-generation 4G wireless devices, the FCC says.

Part 1: Doing Staff Reorganizations Well

Editor’s Note: Paul Clark, the Operations Pastor at Fairhaven Church in Ohio and a Contributing Editor to Your Church, recently underwent a major staff reorganization, and reflected on the changes through his blog, http://visionmeetsreality.org. Starting today, and continuing for the next three weeks, we’ll run a four-part series, “Doing Staff Reorganizations Well,” which details what Fairhaven learned and improved by evaluating its staff structure. Regardless of size, we think every church can learn from many, if not all, of Fairhaven's lessons.

At Fairhaven Church, we recently implemented a staff reorganization that we started working on last fall. The organizational structure we had when I came almost eight years ago was traditional, with the Lead Pastor overseeing about 10 direct reports. Leadership, mentoring, and oversight was limited to what he could do, given his own workload and time constraints. The joke was that it had been years since he had ventured into certain ministry areas of the church, even though those ministry leads reported directly to him.

When David Smith became the Lead Pastor, he reorganized, adding an Executive Team so that he could pour himself into four other guys, who would then provide leadership, mentoring, and oversight to the rest of the staff. It's a model that's worked well for us for most of the last five years.

Last fall, David and I stole away for a day and asked ourselves this question: "What organizational changes do we need to make in order to be an effective staff serving a church of 6,000?" Our current attendance is about 4,500. We filled an 8-foot whiteboard several times as we worked to answer that question. We took an honest look at what we do well, what we struggle with, and how well we are positioned to respond to the growth God is giving us. We worked through staffing and organizational issues down to a micro-level. It was an exciting day.

After a process of explanation and approval that involved the Personnel Committee and the current Executive Team, we presented our organizational restructuring to the staff. We noted that the church has grown quickly over the last few years and that many new staff have been added to respond to the growth in ministries. Although the staff continues to be healthy and the ministries are effective, we nevertheless identified some important organizational goals as we considered who we want to be in the future:

1. Greater flexibility through less formality and fewer departments;

2. Gift-based leadership: getting the right people on the right teams;

3. Better communication between ministries;

4. Flatter vs. hierarchical organization: to reduce silos and improve teamwork.

We explained what these goals would look like in real life:

1. We’ll become less dependent on titles and departments as the structure for making decisions and executing vision;

2. We’ll become more strategic in our thinking and planning by getting the right people around the table for shaping vision and executing decisions;

3. We’ll work more effectively across ministry lines;

4. We’ll have more effective communication between ministry teams;

5. We’ll involve more people in the flow of information and decisions;

6. We’ll push more details and implementation to the ministry level, improving coordination, communication, and solutions.

We then presented four steps to the reorganization. We believe these steps will help us achieve the goals above. All the steps are equally as important, although the first two may seem less significant:

Step One: Dissolution of the Executive Team

During the past seven years, we have been led by the Executive Team, which is comprised of four Executive Pastors and the Lead Pastor. This group of five shaped the vision and led the staff. Virtually every major initiative started with the Executive Team and every other staff pastor or ministry leader reported to an Executive Pastor. The most significant vision plans that had shaped Fairhaven Church for the past five years originated with the Executive Team. Yet, during the January 2010 Executive Team retreat, the collective decision was made to dissolve the team and voluntarily relinquish the title, “Executive Pastor.” There will no longer be Executive Pastors at Fairhaven. That's no small decision for a group of senior-level pastors to give up their ascribed status and titles.

The reason this was important is organizational. A hierarchy of titles creates a hierarchy of power. Sometimes that power is legitimate and sometimes it isn't. Having an Executive Team comprised of four guys with the title, "Executive," created an unnecessary and sometimes problematic power structure that got in the way of real collaboration, teamwork and collegiality—especially across ministry teams. Some of the staff, over time, began to view the “Executive” hierarchy as negative. The next generation of staff members want participation, a voice, and flexibility in reporting and power structures. Though the Executive Team was extremely productive, we concluded it had run its course.

Next week, Paul addresses “Step Two: Establishing a New Title Structure.”

6 Questions to Ask in a Coaching Relationship

At Community Christian Church, we value a culture that commissions each man, woman, and child for an outreach effort that they feel God has called them to fulfill. Part of that culture involves what I call “leading with a yes,” because as a pastor, I regularly get approached by people who ask whether their outreach idea is worth pursuing. By saying yes when they come to us with a worthy idea, we give them the affirmation they need to move forward.

But that doesn’t mean our “yes” guarantees them funding from the church, or the hands-on assistance of staff leadership. It’s just not always possible. When I’m asked how we train people to pursue their ideas, given these limitations, I tell people we error on the side of relationship, meaning we ask people to have relationships: an apprentice that they are developing and a coach that is developing them. If we can put someone into a coaching relationship, be it weekly or monthly, then that helps give needed support for various ministry efforts.

Community has developed a coaching model that guides both sides, whether it’s a staff member overseeing a lay leader, or a pastor overseeing a staff member. Part of that model involves the coach asking these six questions each time they meet with the leader they’re overseeing. We find these “Coaching Conversations” help develop these leaders, and they significantly enhance the experience for everyone involved:

1) How are you doing? This immediately opens the door for the person to share what is happening in their life. If their child is driving them up a wall, they’re not going to be ready to tackle the work at hand. Asking this question provides an opportunity to address distractions.

2) Where are you winning? This gives the person a chance to celebrate, even brag, about the things going right.

3) What are your challenges? This is where “coaching” begins. You allow the person to self-identify the problems they need to address, which essentially means you help them begin to coach themselves.

4) What are you doing about it? This is the most important question. When someone spells out a challenge, it’s a natural tendency to tell them what to do about it. We shouldn’t do that for them; you want them to learn to coach themselves.

5) How can I help you? This tells the person we care, and that we’re willing to provide leads, connections, and—if appropriate and possible—resources that push their efforts forward.

6) How can I pray for you? This reinforces the role of the Lord in all of our efforts, and invites Him to cover all of the things discussed leading up to this point.

I use these six questions when I am coaching a church planter or a brand new small group apprentice leader. So, if you are responsible for the care and development of leaders use these six questions as a basic agenda for any one-on-one coaching conversation and see your leaders grow!

Top 10 Things Churches Need to Know About Zoning

Editor's note: Church law expert Richard Hammar says zoning is one of the Top 5 issues to land a church in court. To learn more about church property and zoning laws, check out Richard's Volume 2 of "Pastor, Church, & Law, 4th Edition."

Below are 10 things your church should know about zoning:

1. Zoning laws can prevent your congregation (whether by lease or purchase) from using land or buildings in many areas. They can also prevent you from expanding current facilities.

2. Include a "zoning contingency clause" in any real estate contract to protect your congregation from a financial loss if permission to rezone the property is not obtained by authorities.

3. Check zoning laws in advance. If you plan to purchase land or expand your present facilities, check with municipal officials before you shop.

Continue reading this article at LeadershipJournal.net, the website for our sister publication Leadership journal, where the article first appeared. Click here for a free trial issue.

Protect Your Ministry with an Employee Handbook

Every ministry, no matter how small, could benefit from maintaining an employee handbook. A proper handbook defines what you expect from employees and what they can expect from you. By following a few simple tips, your ministry handbook can provide valuable legal protection if your policies are challenged in court.

Getting Started
Consult an attorney. Your policies and procedures may be subject to federal, state, and local laws. Have an attorney review your handbook before it is distributed to employees.

Keep it simple. Information should be concise and straightforward. An employee handbook is not an employment contract and it shouldn't read like one.

Understand what is required. Certain information—like equal employment opportunity and harassment policies—hould be a part of every employee handbook.

Answer common questions. Think of your handbook as an additional HR staff member. Consider the most commonly asked questions of HR and include the information in the handbook.

Ongoing Efforts
Review the handbook regularly. You can never be finished with your employee handbook. Laws and interpretations of them can change over time. Establish a schedule for reviewing your policies and procedures.

Communicate policy changes. When policies do change, have a formal plan for making sure employees are aware of the changes.

Document acknowledgment. Maintain written or electronic acknowledgment that employees have received and read the handbook. There will be no question that an employee is aware of a policy, if you have proof to back it up.

Enforce policies consistently. Your handbook will provide little protection from liability if it is not enforced or done so sporadically. If you don't expect employees to comply with a particular policy, consider rewording or removing it.

To learn more about creating an employee handbook, visit ChurchSafety.com.