10 Questions with Perry Noble

Church Relevance just ran an interview with Perry Noble, Senior Pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC. NewSpring is one of the top churches on my radar. I particularly like Perry for his honesty and frankness. Here it is...enjoy - Brad

ABOUT NEWSPRING CHURCH
Year Began: 2000
Locations: 1
Weekend Services: 4
Attendance: 8,000
Staff: 80 :: 1/100 attendees
Volunteers: 2000 :: 1/4 attendees
Primary Audiences/Lifestyles Reached: singles in their mid 20’s and young families in their 30’s and 40’s

10Q WITH PERRY NOBLE

1Q = What values and beliefs unify NewSpring Church‘s staff and drive their performance?
We have a desire to make the name of Jesus Christ famous… and we believe that will happen as the church continues to become the place that HE originally designed it to be. We believe in excellence AND the power of God—which means we are going to do all that we can, knowing that without God’s help that we will fall incredibly short of doing anything significant.

2Q = What is NewSpring Church’s chain of command from the senior pastor to the church volunteers?
We are a staff led church. Currently we have a senior management team that I, along with five other guys, serve on. They, in turn have direct reports, and many of their direct reports also have a staff working with them. It really is easier to see on an org chart.

3Q = For big decisions, what is NewSpring Church’s decision making process?
We pray like CRAZY and BEG God for wisdom— then our senior management team meets and makes the decision. No business meetings!

4Q = How does NewSpring Church market itself?
We have tried just about everything from television commercials to billboards to newspaper ads, but we keep coming back to the BEST way to market a church is to, week after week, deliver an excellent presentation… and people will go and tell their friends about it and invite them back the next week.

5Q = What is the most effective thing NewSpring Church has done to reach people?
About once or twice a year I will teach on the subject of evangelism and why it is so important to tell our lost friends and family members about Christ. At the end of that message, I will challenge people to invite their friends the next week because I will be presenting the Gospel. EVERY TIME we do this, we have record numbers show up the next week!

6Q = What is your leadership style?
I would say I am a “trust the guys around me to get it done” kind of guy. I love casting vision, and I will lead through that process, but many times I get out of the loop in regards to the specifics.

7Q = Who has influenced you the most as a leader?
OK, I know that JESUS is the spiritual answer… but other than HIM I would have to say… wow… this is tough… currently either Andy Stanley or Craig Groeschel.

8Q = What resources have had the biggest impact on how you do ministry?
Anything that Hybels writes on leadership!!!
I LOVE the C3 conference at Fellowship Church, I go just about every year. And Catalyst is a great conference as well.

9Q = What is the greatest ministry lesson you have learned?
Ministry takes WORK. The people who sit around and “wait on God to do it all” are still sitting and waiting!

10Q = What is the best advice you have for church leaders?
DO EXACTLY WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO! Don’t screw around with His vision… we will one day stand before God and be held accountable by HIM… not some board of deacons or elders.