Top 10 ways a North Point video church is a lot like Chick-fil-a

1. Just like Chick-fil-a, my church is a “franchise” and I proudly serve as the local owner/operator.  Whether it sounds spiritual or not, North Point Community Church and their model of ministry is a brand.  And that brand is now quickly becoming a franchise.  The leadership of North Point made a strategic decision a few years back to “transport” their way of doing church by planting local Strategic Partnership churches all across the nation and eventually, the world.  In fact, Andy just spoke this past weekend at North Point and announced a B.H.A.G. goal of 60 strategic partnership churches by 2010!  Wow!!   I’ve been given the privilege and responsibility twice now to open up a local franchise for North Point as the Lead Pastor of this church and this church.  My job was and is to establish a local, autonomous church that has the same beliefs, values, mission and strategy as North Point.  To prepare me for the challenge, I completed an intensive 3-month internship at North Point one summer before launching Watermarke.  I still receive ongoing training and support from NP thru specialized events like:  our semi-annual training event for all strategic partners called n-rich, the yearly Drive Conference for church leaders, an annual Strategic Partners Lead Pastors retreat and the Grow Up Conference for family ministry church leaders.  All that to say, I’m not trying to figure out how to “do church”.  Just like that Chick-fil-a owner/operator, I’m here in Nashville to open up OUR franchise and run it right.  I believe in my company and what they are trying to "sell".  I rarely, if ever, deviate from the training manual.

2. This isn’t Ryan's, Golden Corral or Ponderosa…we just sell “chicken” here. Our church model is not going to offer a gluttonous “buffet line” of ministry programs for every type of interest group, life stage or bible study we can possibly offer.  Our mission is simple. It is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.  We seek to do it by creating helpful, engaging and irresistible environments that help people take that “next step” towards a small group.  If that “next step” isn’t an easy, obvious and strategic step…then we don’t take it.  Meaning, our franchise/church is designed to sell “chicken” (life change) and the best way we think we can do that is by getting you into a small group.   Sorry, no “high-fat” church program buffet line served here.

3. “We’re here to serve.  And not just sandwiches.” This is a popular saying in the Chick-fil-a world.  In fact, their official statement of corporate purpose says that it exists “to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-a." Our mission at Cumberland Church is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Membership here is not just having your name on a list. It’s far more than that.  Being a member indicates your willingness to partner, serve and potentially lead with us as we both seek to accomplish that mission.  But to do that, you have to be willing to say that church on Sundays isn't all about you.  And that's tough.  But that's what it takes to serve and reach "our customers".

4. You won’t find a “Happy Meal” with a toy at Chick-fil-a. Ever noticed that you don’t get a toy with your kid’s meal at Chick-fil-a?  There is a reason for that. Chick-fil-a’s Kid's Meal prizes are designed to help bring grownups and kids together.  Likewise, we see our family ministry environments not as Sunday entertainment and/or a childcare program but as a partnering opportunity for us to help equip parents instill some basic biblical values and principles we both want to see in our children as they grow and mature in their faith.  We’re here to partner with families to help facilitate life-change.  We’re not interested in just entertaining or babysitting kids.

5. Just like Chick-fil-a, we strive to know what matters to our customers. According to Fast Company, every year Chick-fil-a spends more than $1 million evaluating its service. Each location receives a two-page report detailing how it's doing and how it compares to the chain's top performers. In other words, they investigate what's working and what needs improving.  In our ministry model, we call it “listening to outsiders”. Success for us is not a filled auditorium or a large offering …but how many unchurched people in our area are we reaching.  We are constantly as a staff having to refocus our efforts on who we’re trying to reach instead of who we’re trying to keep.   Boy, this is an easy thing to talk about but a HARD thing to do.

6. Innovative Concepts will also fuel our future growth.  Chick-fil-a has pioneered some amazing trend-setting ideas like:  In-Mall Restaurants, Drive-Thru-Only Outlets, Dwarf Houses and their unique Operator/Owner franchise agreement.  In the same way, we as a church need to keep open and aggressive in looking for new, exciting and innovative methods to improve our environments and streamline our processes.   One cool thing we did at Cumberland Church this past summer was to have a Sunday worship band TOTALLY on video.  Yes, video.   The worship set was previously recorded at a live service at North Point.  We borrowed the idea from Jeff Henderson and the gang down at Buckhead Church from their HIGHLY innovative and successful environment at Atlantic Station called Midtown Gathering.  While not everyone liked video worship, it gave us a "Purple Cow" for discussion and debate in the community about what is and isn't "worship".

7. Our organization is also led by a humble, visionary leader who seeks to redefine his industry.   Chick-fil-a has Truett Cathy.  North Point has Andy Stanley.  But there is another humble, visionary leader at North Point that most people don’t know about…but you definitely should.  His name is David McDaniel and he is the Director of Campus Expansion and a member of North Point’s Leadership Team.  David is a highly successful businessman who reluctantly turned churchplanter a few years back.  He was the leader of a group that approached Andy seven years back about helping them start a church in Buckhead.  Andy agreed and then David took the risk of starting a church (not just a video venue) with a video pastor teaching live 20 minutes away. There was no proven path before him but, nonetheless, Buckhead Church was born.  His experiment proved to be unbelievably successful and now he is leading the challenge of starting 60 new similar video churches following the North Point model (NP’s Strategic Partnership church initiative) by 2010.  That’s right, 60!  David is a guy and a story every church leader should get to know.  There is no leader on this earth I trust or have learned more from than David.  He is teaching us all how to “franchise” North Point.

8. Just like Chick-fil-a, I can be in business for myself, but not by myself.  North Point now has 3 campuses and 14 Strategic Partnership churches.  As the Lead Pastor at one, that gives me 16 other learning environments and leaders to learn with and from.  What more could I ask for?  There is nothing like being a part of an amazing team focused together on one mission using the same strategy.  While our church is autonomous, we are not alone.

9. Although I’m not closed on Sundays, I am closed on Saturdays.  No more late night sermon prep or “cramming” for me.  As a video church pastor who speaks only a few times a year, I show up Sunday to “pray and push play” baby!!  I’ve regained my life on Saturdays…and I ain’t lookin’ back.  Andy is the man and I LOVE to hear him teach.  Truthfully, I just really don’t know how I or any other churchplanter survives the early years of trying to launch a new church.  We're asked to teach, lead our staffs, raise money, mow our lawns, have a quality quiet time, love our wife, meet with new people visiting our churches, spend quality time with our kids, raise up leaders, lead a small group (or two), do a little marriage counseling and everything else that doesn't get done that we have to end up doing ourselves.  I did it once and it about killed me.  Man, I don’t miss any of that at all.  Our model of ministry has given me my family life back and I love it!  For me, I’m “Choosing to Cheat”. :>)

10. “Raving Fans” are our best marketing plan. When Chick-fil-a opens a new restaurant, it goes out of its way to find their fans in the area. Regulars at other locations and people who stop by the construction site are eager about the opening get invited to a special dinner the night before the official opening. After serving the crowd a free dinner, Cathy gives them 10 coupons for free meals and deputizes these "raving fans" to act as Chick-fil-a ambassadors. They promise to spread the word and hand out each coupon to a different person, someone unfamiliar with the restaurant.  In our model of ministry, we continue to learn that our BEST form of advertising is “word of mouth” invites.   If we can create helpful, safe and engaging environments to all who visit, then we will (with God’s help) create raving fans that will spread the word about Cumberland Church.  Gimmicks will attract people but they will never keep people.  Excellence and attention to customer service will be our catalyst for getting people to come visit us again and again and again. Eventually they will “buy in” with us.  And hopefully, they will bring a friend the next time they come.

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Comments

[J. R. Miller]

Hi Eddie, I wanted to let you know that I linked to your article here from one of my own articles on Leadership.

http://www.morethancake.org/2008/03/integrous-leader-knows-way.html

I don't know if the context for linking to you gives a totally accurate reflection of what you were/are trying to say. I thought it only fair to let you know I referenced you and give you the opportunity to clarify any misconceptions of my use of the term "franchise" and how you intended your article to be taken.

Blessings brother.

[Eddie Johnson]

Jake,

Bro, we make a living off of "ripping off" material. that's the beauty of being a NP partner, isn't it!?! ;>)

Always feel free to use anything I ever say or do. Glad to pass it along.

See ya Monday at NP for N*Rich!

Eddie

[Eddie Johnson]

Johnny,

Great question! I'll try and post an entry in the next couple of weeks to answer that specifically. I'm starting to get a lot of questions just like yours.

Thanks for asking!

Eddie

[Eddie Johnson]

Steve,

Wow! 14 venues and 60 worship services!?! That's incredible. Would love to hear more about you and your story. Please feel free to drop me a line sometime. Thanks for the encouragement.

Eddie

[steve murrell]

i love chick-fil-a, but not so sure about vid church. as the leader of a multi-site cong (14 venues & 60 worship services in Manila) i found your chick/franchise analogy helpful. will link for our campus pastors & staff to read and discuss. who knows, maybe the discussion will prompt us to try vid some day.

[Johnny]

What are the requirements for becoming a Stategic Partner church?

[Jake Miller]

Eddie, this is really great stuff. Love the Chick-Fil-A parallels! Surely you wouldn't mind a fellow partner totally ripping you off one day and posting it as my own, would you...? =)

It's great to see some other strategic partners in the blogging world. Looking forward to reading your posts!