I missed my first God First post yesterday, also coincidentally Easter Sunday - a very significant day for me indeed. After thinking through it, I think it was okay. Easter Sunday was so meaningful to me as a Christ-follower, that after working back-to-back services, I was drained and what little energy was left was spent with the next 2 important people in my life: my husband and my son.
As my husband and I sat in between the 2 Easter Sunday services held at
our church, we had a few minutes to talk: talk about the meaning of all
these church growth that we see. (I promise you that this will be real
estate related. Just bear with me as I set the stage) Not only here at my
church, all of Frisco TX and our surrounding cities, churches are growing in
their own expansion phases and new ones are popping up fairly often too. I
guess in despair times like these, more people are seeking God that no man
have answers for.
Our typical Sunday service is about 1,600 people in attendance. Yesterday - Easter Sunday we probably have over 2,000 people come through both our services. All the pretty girls in their Easter dresses and the men came in their best outfits too. All came with smiling faces, eager to with their friends, "Happy Easter".
As we see the smiling faces, we know many are hurting deep inside.
Churches, just like any other business is concerned about growth in numbers. But as we grow in number, we cannot forget that churches - like our real estate businesses is about people. Having complimentary coffee is cool. Having a bookstore to walk into is cool. Having a huge playscape inside the church building for the kids is cool. Having three times the seating we once had is cool. But when the "coolness" wear out, we have to stop to ask "how" are people truly doing?
It's not just a matter of "Hi" and "Byes". But to actually be connected with the people heart-to-heart. Laugh with them when they are happy and cry with them when they are hurting. Giving them a long, big hug when they need a shoulder to cry on.
As much as our real estate business is driven by numbers - number of transactions or how much income, don't ever forget that each family that you help has a story. When they have open themselves enough to share their personal details with you, you cannot help but to look at them as your very closest family member. You can't help but to start watching for their needs.
For when you can start doing that, that's when you made significance. I think growing in numbers is critical, but growing in relationships is what would set you apart from the rest.
I'm proposing a very simple strategy: If you want people to see you as a person, you must first do the same for others. After all, Realtors have good days and we certainly have our fair share of bad ones. We laugh and we cry. We worry and we jump in joy. Our clients do the same exact thing.
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