Part-3 in a mini-series on our game plan for planting new churches...
There are several models, or "experiences" to planting churches well. Which one is "best" is simply determined by a particular planter's giftings and the cultural terrain of a particular mission field. Perhaps you've heard the old saying, "Success comes with the right planter at the right time in the right place with the right resources." In other words, you can be a talented pastor, but if you're trying to plant a ministry in the wrong setting at the wrong time, your efforts will falter. In many ways, that's why church plants fail more often than they succeed.
I planted Rejoice! in Northfield, Minnesota as a "storefront," or "conventional" church plant. My initial salary was covered for the first 3-years by my mother church. What a blessing that was! It allowed me to fund-raise 100% for the work of ministry. It led to Rejoice! being able to cover office and worship rental costs, some staff salaries and the purchase of lots of equipment.
All-in-all, planting a storefront church was wonderful. A lot of work, but very wonderful. Still, I don't think I would plant in the same manner today. Why?
Because I believe its a new day for the church. The Christian culture is no longer welcomed into the marketplace. Some lament that, but I say it's giving us new opportunities to break-out-of our religious buildings and begin flooding the streets with the ministry of every-day-disciples conscientiously discipling others. By not working inside the church building, we now have the opportunity to work outside the building--- demonstrating to nonbelievers what being Christian is really all about (read last week's blog for greater details on that statement).
I also believe the start-up costs for storefront or conventional plants have become so extreme that launching is very difficult. (Unless, of course, you have a mother church like I did that is strong enough to sponsor you with some dollar-power). Have you noticed a lot of 50 person congregations that got off to a fast start, then went flat? With that in mind, I have a strong suggestion for our 800 existing LCMC congregations around the world: start training and launching MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES. Or, as I would like to call them within the LCMC, "Transformational Communities."
Here are some bullet-point suggestions. I will deepen these suggestions in future blogs:
-If every existing LCMC congregation were to first study, then train and implement at least one transformational community out of its own congregation and into the marketplace, our goal to plant 1,000 new congregations in the next 10-years would be met in one year! Still, its not about reaching the goal of 1,000...but the goal of reaching new and more people.
-These Transformational Communities may, or may not be, led by an ordained pastor. This takes the pressure off our clergy shortage and strengthens our existing churches by training our already mature Christian leaders to be congregational pastors. In addition, these leaders often have better access to the city on a daily basis than clergy might.
-These Transformational Communities would be low in expense but high in impact. They would not require the tremendous financial cost of buildings or worship equipment. They may, or may not, include the expense of a paid lead pastor. Offerings could lead to some salaries, but could also be seed money for sowing directly into a cities felt need.
-These Transformational Communities would allow every one of our existing congregations to be a major part of the LCMC vision to plant churches that reach the unreached and disciple them to share the gospel with others. In other words, TC's are more directly focused on a cities felt need, a need that conventional churches just can't meet.
-These Transformational Communities would have their own respective names, reflecting their particular mission to the city. For example, let's say "First Lutheran Church" of 200 worshippers births a Transformational Community called, "Heart for the Hospital." This group of 20-30 people are dedicated to bringing the gospel to the local hospital--- working at blessing the medical and support staff, the board of directors and certainly the patients.
-When TC Christians rub elbows with non-Christians with no agenda to "make them" Christian, or "make them" join a particular church, it breaks the curse of non-Christians calling Christians "hypocrites" or "judgmental." Instead, non-Christians begin getting intrigued by the fact that Christians are simply wanting to bless a city service, like a hospital, with no strings attached. This new reputation in a city tears-down walls and opens people up to wanting to hear what Jesus has to say.
-While these Transformational Communities would have their own name, the members would stay as "members" of the mother church. "Heart for the Hospital" might share in its own kind of worship service and study while serving in the community, yet also participate in "First Lutheran's" Sunday worship service, or other congregational gatherings, etc.
-Depending upon the size of the church, or the size of the city, some Transformational Communities might even be deployed by the mother church to eventually live as their own missional body. Still, the two are forever bonded as "family"--- supporting each other for the sake of the big picture: bringing the gospel to the city they share.
-Remember, the point of TC's can be at least three-fold: 1). They strengthen our current congregations with a renewed mindset for mission in the city, 2). The ultimate goal is not just to serve others, but to win them to Christ, 3). It creates a new paradigm of what "is" church and how it can be fluid and flexible to reach the unreachable.
NEXT WEEK: I will share more about what our new LCMC Mission Team is being created to do.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Part-2: How to bust out 1,000 new churches without burn out!
Part-2 of a mini-series on how we will plant 1,000 new congregations...
While the LCMC vision is to plant 1,000 new congregations in the next 10-years, many of our 700-plus existing American churches are saying something like, "That's great and everything, but what about strengthening our current congregations before we start new ones!"
To that, I say, "I agree." After all, if a husband and wife aren't doing well in their marriage, they need to first strengthen their relationship before having a baby together. Otherwise, the baby is born without the love and provision of healthy parents. Likewise, a church that is struggling in its relationship with Jesus and each other, needs to first strengthen its faith values before it can birth a new church. Otherwise, the new church struggles and even dies with its parent church.
So, after last week's part-1 of this blog series, what are we to do as an association in order to strengthen our existing congregations, while also moving forwarding in our vision to multiply the influence of Christ? The answer is quite simple: Obedience. Easy answer, hard to do.
When we obey God's Great Commandment to love him, something in us changes. We become like...Him! We become like Jesus because to love God is to trust and follow the Savior so closely, he literally rubs off on us. When that happens, loving others is way easier to do. After all, its no longer me, but Jesus that is doing the loving through me!
When we obey God's Great Commandment, it then triggers us into His Great Commission to "Go and make disciples of the nations." In other words, when I'm following Jesus, I'm taking his qualities into my areas of influence. When that happens, others want what I have! Of course, when I'm not following Jesus, I am simply doing rituals or religion. They look nice, but have no lasting impact.
Friends: in order for the LCMC to really dig into the everyday marketplace of life to inspire an impact for Christ, we must simply practice something that comes hard to our flesh, but easy to our faith: obey the Great Commandment for the sake of the Great Commission.
So I have a winning idea--- a revelation from the Spirit. Instead of getting hung-up on the thought that a new church start is something only an ordained person does--- with a big budget, big building and a big band, what if we first focused on loving God and loving people and discipling them through our daily examples of obedience to our Savior? What if non-Christians began seeing you and I as something so counter-cultural they wanted to give it a try? What if they saw you and I with lives so full of peace and purpose, they dropped their notions that Christians are hypocrites and judgmental?
The best way for our association to birth healthy baby churches is to first be healthy parents. That means no more fighting WITH people about inside-the-church-building matters, instead; fight FOR people on matters outside-the-church-building. Indeed, practicing the Great Commandment and Great Commission will make us matter greatly in Christ--- inside and outside!
Next week: I will continue this mini-blog-series on our game-plan for planting a 1,000 in 10. What if our existing churches, no matter the size, were to honor the Great Commandment and Commission by training and equipping our congregational leaders to launch missional communities into our respective cities? I like calling them "Transformational Communities." This is not another evangelism program, or just another small group teaching series. TC's are new ministries coming to life from current, healthy, congregations--- able to do things for Christ the parent church can't do. Please stay tuned for what that might look like for you!
While the LCMC vision is to plant 1,000 new congregations in the next 10-years, many of our 700-plus existing American churches are saying something like, "That's great and everything, but what about strengthening our current congregations before we start new ones!"
To that, I say, "I agree." After all, if a husband and wife aren't doing well in their marriage, they need to first strengthen their relationship before having a baby together. Otherwise, the baby is born without the love and provision of healthy parents. Likewise, a church that is struggling in its relationship with Jesus and each other, needs to first strengthen its faith values before it can birth a new church. Otherwise, the new church struggles and even dies with its parent church.
So, after last week's part-1 of this blog series, what are we to do as an association in order to strengthen our existing congregations, while also moving forwarding in our vision to multiply the influence of Christ? The answer is quite simple: Obedience. Easy answer, hard to do.
When we obey God's Great Commandment to love him, something in us changes. We become like...Him! We become like Jesus because to love God is to trust and follow the Savior so closely, he literally rubs off on us. When that happens, loving others is way easier to do. After all, its no longer me, but Jesus that is doing the loving through me!
When we obey God's Great Commandment, it then triggers us into His Great Commission to "Go and make disciples of the nations." In other words, when I'm following Jesus, I'm taking his qualities into my areas of influence. When that happens, others want what I have! Of course, when I'm not following Jesus, I am simply doing rituals or religion. They look nice, but have no lasting impact.
Friends: in order for the LCMC to really dig into the everyday marketplace of life to inspire an impact for Christ, we must simply practice something that comes hard to our flesh, but easy to our faith: obey the Great Commandment for the sake of the Great Commission.
So I have a winning idea--- a revelation from the Spirit. Instead of getting hung-up on the thought that a new church start is something only an ordained person does--- with a big budget, big building and a big band, what if we first focused on loving God and loving people and discipling them through our daily examples of obedience to our Savior? What if non-Christians began seeing you and I as something so counter-cultural they wanted to give it a try? What if they saw you and I with lives so full of peace and purpose, they dropped their notions that Christians are hypocrites and judgmental?
The best way for our association to birth healthy baby churches is to first be healthy parents. That means no more fighting WITH people about inside-the-church-building matters, instead; fight FOR people on matters outside-the-church-building. Indeed, practicing the Great Commandment and Great Commission will make us matter greatly in Christ--- inside and outside!
Next week: I will continue this mini-blog-series on our game-plan for planting a 1,000 in 10. What if our existing churches, no matter the size, were to honor the Great Commandment and Commission by training and equipping our congregational leaders to launch missional communities into our respective cities? I like calling them "Transformational Communities." This is not another evangelism program, or just another small group teaching series. TC's are new ministries coming to life from current, healthy, congregations--- able to do things for Christ the parent church can't do. Please stay tuned for what that might look like for you!
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Part-1: How we can bust out '1,000 in 10' without burn out.
Part-1 of a mini-series on a church planting game-plan for the LCMC.
Prior to 1945, churches planted churches in America. Since then, however, too many churches have punted their reproductive rights to the responsibility of a denominational bureaucracy. Since allowing that to happen, Christians have seen more churches die than be born.
A core value of the LCMC is to turn that tide and birth 1,000 new congregations over the next 10-years. We are more than just a church with a great Mission (LCMission in Christ), but a great Mission looking for great LC churches! Such a bold number of developing 1,000 in 10, however, is not to be measured by a worldly (or even a typical church) scoreboard, but rather by a kingdom scorecard. For that to ignite, we must first receive and unite with the following vision:
1. To see our Lutheran-ness as a tool for missional transformation in Jesus Christ, and not vice versa. In other words, let's make sure the M of LCMC doesn't stand for "Maintain Lutherans."
2. To see that millions are going to hell if we believers aren't willing to model a daily, life-saving, faith in Jesus. In other words, let's learn to obey everything Jesus has commanded us to do in love.
3. To see the need for apostles and prophets be welcomed into the Lutheran leadership ranks, exercising all spiritual gifts so the whole church can gain greater momentum in the culture. In other words, let's recognize Ephesians 4:11-12 as needed in our Lutheran-ness.
4. To see that our current paradigm of what "is" church, is probably on the soft-side of biblical. In other words, church in the 21st century is going to look more like the 1st century church in order to be more effective.
Here are some ideas to see how all 4 of the above listed points might come to be:
A. Storefront, or conventional start-ups, will no longer be our main priority when we think of "new church plants." While this model has been the norm for hundreds of years, it may no longer be the most effective manner to change lives. Besides, this particular model comes with the mentality that only an ordained pastor can lead the charge. That would be wonderful except we have a clergy shortage and the harvest is plentiful!
Storefront models often start with the focus on money rather than mission. Money is certainly needed when the primary focus is the development of stuff (such as: office and worship spaces, band equipment, staff, etc), rather than what kind of resources are needed to develop disciples. I'm certainly not against the storefront start-up model; after all, I planted a storefront church myself that led to programming, hired staff and building a facility! To be honest, though, I wouldn't do it the same way if I were starting a church today. I wouldn't focus so much on the Sunday morning worship experience as my main front door to the community. Instead, I would move my energy and trained volunteers to bless and train other folks in the community to be fellow disciples. The amount of money I had, or didn't have, would no longer drive the mission, but the mission would drive the mission. Money would then follow (see last week's blog for more details on that). My laptop and phone would be my office, located wherever I sat in the community. In other words, the church goes from come-to the building for Christian consumer stuff, to going into the marketplace for public Christian relationship development. Hmmm...
B. Jesus started a worldwide revolution that has lasted over 2,000 years--- and he didn't have programs or a building. Instead, he had a plan and a purpose to disciple others who would then join him in the work of multiplication. In fact, when the church began to build its own facilities 300-some-years after Jesus' resurrection, that's when the church started its decline from its earlier straight up influential trajectory! Perhaps a more biblical, less expensive, more highly impactful new church start would be "missional communities"--- smaller, flexible and fluid groups of believers that simply serve, act, love, speak like Jesus within a city. Think on this: people use to flock to Jesus. Are people flocking to our churches today? If not, it might be because we don't look like Jesus!
When we look like him, that's when laboring in Christ becomes our worship inside our spheres of influence. That's when members turn into ministers and audiences transform into armies. We no longer have to keep reinventing the wheel, but innovating it (see my previous blogs). Here's a quick example: instead of always doing our own in-house programming to only bless insiders, let's join other so-called "secular" community services that are already in place--- serving as people of Jesus to the outsiders. (By the way, when believers do something in Christ's name, how can it be considered secular any more!?)
Would the gospel and a public worship gathering still be shared through this paradigm shift of what "is" church? Of course, but perhaps only after prayer has set the climate in the favor of the Spirit, after relationships and trust have been built, after people's felt needs have been attended too--- THEN we can proclaim the kingdom of God has drawn near! (see Luke 10:1-9 for Jesus' plan). The previously unreached will then be reached, discipled, and empowered to disciple other people--- ALL starting outside the context of an expensive church/office facility. Again with the hmmm...
I'm certainly not against nice buildings. In Minnesota, our facilities keep the snow off our feet and rain off our heads. But I ask, why build more facilities when there are so many already around us awaiting for us to reclaim them in Jesus' name? Why focus on building new facility structures when its clear that buildings aren't drawing more people to Christ? I know a church that meets Sundays in a YMCA because the facility is about as community-centered as they can get in that community. This church, called "The Why Church," has no intension of ever moving to its own private facility. After all, "why" pour millions of dollars into things, instead of mission? "Why" move to a building that communicates being separated from the marketplace, instead of gathering in a facility that communicates Christian unity in the marketplace? Please think on all that as we contemplate how we can have greater success in planting more life-impacting ministries.
NEXT WEEK: a more specific game-plan of how we will bust-out 1,000 in 10 without burn-out. Don't miss!
BIG NEWS! We now have a newly formed MISSION TEAM for the sake of developing our association's vision to birth more kingdom-reaching churches. I am excited to introduce to you the team of: Sean Kelly (California), Jonathan Haseley (New York), Jonathon Kosec (Texas), TJ Anderson (Ohio) and Nathan Anenson (Iowa). These five pastors join me in developing a national think tank for developing our missional movement. As decisions are made and opportunities are created, I will be sure to let you know via this blog and our LCMC website. Please keep this new team in your prayers!
Prior to 1945, churches planted churches in America. Since then, however, too many churches have punted their reproductive rights to the responsibility of a denominational bureaucracy. Since allowing that to happen, Christians have seen more churches die than be born.
A core value of the LCMC is to turn that tide and birth 1,000 new congregations over the next 10-years. We are more than just a church with a great Mission (LCMission in Christ), but a great Mission looking for great LC churches! Such a bold number of developing 1,000 in 10, however, is not to be measured by a worldly (or even a typical church) scoreboard, but rather by a kingdom scorecard. For that to ignite, we must first receive and unite with the following vision:
1. To see our Lutheran-ness as a tool for missional transformation in Jesus Christ, and not vice versa. In other words, let's make sure the M of LCMC doesn't stand for "Maintain Lutherans."
2. To see that millions are going to hell if we believers aren't willing to model a daily, life-saving, faith in Jesus. In other words, let's learn to obey everything Jesus has commanded us to do in love.
3. To see the need for apostles and prophets be welcomed into the Lutheran leadership ranks, exercising all spiritual gifts so the whole church can gain greater momentum in the culture. In other words, let's recognize Ephesians 4:11-12 as needed in our Lutheran-ness.
4. To see that our current paradigm of what "is" church, is probably on the soft-side of biblical. In other words, church in the 21st century is going to look more like the 1st century church in order to be more effective.
Here are some ideas to see how all 4 of the above listed points might come to be:
A. Storefront, or conventional start-ups, will no longer be our main priority when we think of "new church plants." While this model has been the norm for hundreds of years, it may no longer be the most effective manner to change lives. Besides, this particular model comes with the mentality that only an ordained pastor can lead the charge. That would be wonderful except we have a clergy shortage and the harvest is plentiful!
Storefront models often start with the focus on money rather than mission. Money is certainly needed when the primary focus is the development of stuff (such as: office and worship spaces, band equipment, staff, etc), rather than what kind of resources are needed to develop disciples. I'm certainly not against the storefront start-up model; after all, I planted a storefront church myself that led to programming, hired staff and building a facility! To be honest, though, I wouldn't do it the same way if I were starting a church today. I wouldn't focus so much on the Sunday morning worship experience as my main front door to the community. Instead, I would move my energy and trained volunteers to bless and train other folks in the community to be fellow disciples. The amount of money I had, or didn't have, would no longer drive the mission, but the mission would drive the mission. Money would then follow (see last week's blog for more details on that). My laptop and phone would be my office, located wherever I sat in the community. In other words, the church goes from come-to the building for Christian consumer stuff, to going into the marketplace for public Christian relationship development. Hmmm...
B. Jesus started a worldwide revolution that has lasted over 2,000 years--- and he didn't have programs or a building. Instead, he had a plan and a purpose to disciple others who would then join him in the work of multiplication. In fact, when the church began to build its own facilities 300-some-years after Jesus' resurrection, that's when the church started its decline from its earlier straight up influential trajectory! Perhaps a more biblical, less expensive, more highly impactful new church start would be "missional communities"--- smaller, flexible and fluid groups of believers that simply serve, act, love, speak like Jesus within a city. Think on this: people use to flock to Jesus. Are people flocking to our churches today? If not, it might be because we don't look like Jesus!
When we look like him, that's when laboring in Christ becomes our worship inside our spheres of influence. That's when members turn into ministers and audiences transform into armies. We no longer have to keep reinventing the wheel, but innovating it (see my previous blogs). Here's a quick example: instead of always doing our own in-house programming to only bless insiders, let's join other so-called "secular" community services that are already in place--- serving as people of Jesus to the outsiders. (By the way, when believers do something in Christ's name, how can it be considered secular any more!?)
Would the gospel and a public worship gathering still be shared through this paradigm shift of what "is" church? Of course, but perhaps only after prayer has set the climate in the favor of the Spirit, after relationships and trust have been built, after people's felt needs have been attended too--- THEN we can proclaim the kingdom of God has drawn near! (see Luke 10:1-9 for Jesus' plan). The previously unreached will then be reached, discipled, and empowered to disciple other people--- ALL starting outside the context of an expensive church/office facility. Again with the hmmm...
I'm certainly not against nice buildings. In Minnesota, our facilities keep the snow off our feet and rain off our heads. But I ask, why build more facilities when there are so many already around us awaiting for us to reclaim them in Jesus' name? Why focus on building new facility structures when its clear that buildings aren't drawing more people to Christ? I know a church that meets Sundays in a YMCA because the facility is about as community-centered as they can get in that community. This church, called "The Why Church," has no intension of ever moving to its own private facility. After all, "why" pour millions of dollars into things, instead of mission? "Why" move to a building that communicates being separated from the marketplace, instead of gathering in a facility that communicates Christian unity in the marketplace? Please think on all that as we contemplate how we can have greater success in planting more life-impacting ministries.
NEXT WEEK: a more specific game-plan of how we will bust-out 1,000 in 10 without burn-out. Don't miss!
BIG NEWS! We now have a newly formed MISSION TEAM for the sake of developing our association's vision to birth more kingdom-reaching churches. I am excited to introduce to you the team of: Sean Kelly (California), Jonathan Haseley (New York), Jonathon Kosec (Texas), TJ Anderson (Ohio) and Nathan Anenson (Iowa). These five pastors join me in developing a national think tank for developing our missional movement. As decisions are made and opportunities are created, I will be sure to let you know via this blog and our LCMC website. Please keep this new team in your prayers!
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Show me the Money...I mean, the Mission!
Perhaps you've heard the old saying, "Money follows mission." In other words, when the church does what it is really suppose to do (go and make fellow disciples), some how, some way, God provides.
The Bible tells the story of the disciples fishing one long day, but its not going well. The professional anglers are getting shut out, which is not a good thing since that is how they financially support themselves and the community. In the midst of this despair, carpenter Jesus chimes in with his own fishing-tip-of-the-day, saying, "Hey guys, you should throw the nets to the other side of the boat!"
I'm pretty sure the bubble over everyone else's head read: "Thanks, carpenter, like you know anything about fishing." Peter, however, takes a different direction. He innovates, saying to Jesus, "Its tough out here...and your request goes against the common sense of the world, BUT since YOU said to throw the nets a few feet in a different direction, we will do so!"
HOLY TUNA FISH! In a moment's time the nets are so full of fish the nets begin to tear....
Friends: like the alphabet where O comes before P, the same is true when we are planting (fishing) churches. Obedience comes before Provision. Jesus sets the stage for a miracle. He then invites us to participate with him. As we trust and obey him, it breaks open the flood gates of heavenly provision!
Get it?
Here's one example: I'm always hearing church planters and even existing churches lament about their lack of money (fish). They are trying all their old methods of catching, but the lake seems to be dried up. I USE to say to God, "If only I had more money, THEN I would be able to _______(this is where you can fill in your own wrong answer). I always did...that is, fill it the wrong answer. I have discovered, however, that when we do what we are suppose to do (do mission as a lifestyle that leads to discipleship) God ALWAYS does what He promises to do (the needed provision!).
So, here are some thoughts for you to bait-up and throw into the waters: Instead of adding another full-time employee for working inside the temple, implement a training to send more equipped fisher people into the lakes. I have found that all sorts of folks WANT to be equipped to do ministry in their own spheres of daily influence. Their occupational pay in the marketplace now becomes the funding means for their Christian vocation! Likewise, instead of spending hundreds-to-millions by adding onto your existing facility, be innovative in how you can build your influence into an existing city facility or program that is already standing in the community. Yes, its more inconvenient, but it will also produce greater results in reaching the unreached. Again, I invite you to see yourselves as pastors that equip other anglers to be pastors. They have, after all, greater assess to the marketplace's fishing holes than pulpit pastors do! When we obey Jesus' Great Commission to GO TO the people as nets of grace, we will make the catch. This is crucial to obey since no longer are people just jumping into the boat (our Sunday morning gathering time), no matter how professional the anglers are.
In other words, I am inviting you to stop thinking that people showing up for Sunday morning worship is your only means of having a major net breaking catch. Instead, throw your net OUT and in a different manner. Obedience will over-come your own sense of what is "normal." Our God of the abnormal, will then supply the provision--- which is changed lives and transformed cities...not just more butts in the bleachers.
Money (or provision), will always follow Mission (or obedience) to Jesus. Try it. Throw to the other side...
NEWS and NOTES: The movie, Son of God, opens in theaters this Friday, February 28th. I have already heard great reviews! Also: I would appreciate your prayers as I travel this coming weekend to Salt Lake City to be the keynote speaker and workshop presenter at the 2nd annual Intermountain District meeting for LCMC churches in Utah and Idaho. On another note, do YOU have any prayer concerns you want others to pray into? Feel free to share on this blog as you see appropriate!
Sunday, March 2nd: Destaye Crawford is ordained. She is the planter of Every Tribe and Tongue in Minneapolis, MN. Also March 2nd: Hosanna! Lakeville, MN is launching its new satellite in Shakopee, MN.
The Bible tells the story of the disciples fishing one long day, but its not going well. The professional anglers are getting shut out, which is not a good thing since that is how they financially support themselves and the community. In the midst of this despair, carpenter Jesus chimes in with his own fishing-tip-of-the-day, saying, "Hey guys, you should throw the nets to the other side of the boat!"
I'm pretty sure the bubble over everyone else's head read: "Thanks, carpenter, like you know anything about fishing." Peter, however, takes a different direction. He innovates, saying to Jesus, "Its tough out here...and your request goes against the common sense of the world, BUT since YOU said to throw the nets a few feet in a different direction, we will do so!"
HOLY TUNA FISH! In a moment's time the nets are so full of fish the nets begin to tear....
Friends: like the alphabet where O comes before P, the same is true when we are planting (fishing) churches. Obedience comes before Provision. Jesus sets the stage for a miracle. He then invites us to participate with him. As we trust and obey him, it breaks open the flood gates of heavenly provision!
Get it?
Here's one example: I'm always hearing church planters and even existing churches lament about their lack of money (fish). They are trying all their old methods of catching, but the lake seems to be dried up. I USE to say to God, "If only I had more money, THEN I would be able to _______(this is where you can fill in your own wrong answer). I always did...that is, fill it the wrong answer. I have discovered, however, that when we do what we are suppose to do (do mission as a lifestyle that leads to discipleship) God ALWAYS does what He promises to do (the needed provision!).
So, here are some thoughts for you to bait-up and throw into the waters: Instead of adding another full-time employee for working inside the temple, implement a training to send more equipped fisher people into the lakes. I have found that all sorts of folks WANT to be equipped to do ministry in their own spheres of daily influence. Their occupational pay in the marketplace now becomes the funding means for their Christian vocation! Likewise, instead of spending hundreds-to-millions by adding onto your existing facility, be innovative in how you can build your influence into an existing city facility or program that is already standing in the community. Yes, its more inconvenient, but it will also produce greater results in reaching the unreached. Again, I invite you to see yourselves as pastors that equip other anglers to be pastors. They have, after all, greater assess to the marketplace's fishing holes than pulpit pastors do! When we obey Jesus' Great Commission to GO TO the people as nets of grace, we will make the catch. This is crucial to obey since no longer are people just jumping into the boat (our Sunday morning gathering time), no matter how professional the anglers are.
In other words, I am inviting you to stop thinking that people showing up for Sunday morning worship is your only means of having a major net breaking catch. Instead, throw your net OUT and in a different manner. Obedience will over-come your own sense of what is "normal." Our God of the abnormal, will then supply the provision--- which is changed lives and transformed cities...not just more butts in the bleachers.
Money (or provision), will always follow Mission (or obedience) to Jesus. Try it. Throw to the other side...
NEWS and NOTES: The movie, Son of God, opens in theaters this Friday, February 28th. I have already heard great reviews! Also: I would appreciate your prayers as I travel this coming weekend to Salt Lake City to be the keynote speaker and workshop presenter at the 2nd annual Intermountain District meeting for LCMC churches in Utah and Idaho. On another note, do YOU have any prayer concerns you want others to pray into? Feel free to share on this blog as you see appropriate!
Sunday, March 2nd: Destaye Crawford is ordained. She is the planter of Every Tribe and Tongue in Minneapolis, MN. Also March 2nd: Hosanna! Lakeville, MN is launching its new satellite in Shakopee, MN.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Innovative Minds: part-2
Church Planter's Blog:
"...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
(The Apostle Paul, as recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:17)
Being irrelevant should be a Christian's worst nightmare. After all, we have the greatest message of life-blessing power in the history-of-all-history, and to dumb it down or relax it up is unthinkable. Yet, our faith can often hit the snooze button and a person (or a church) that was relevant 20, 10, or even 1-year ago, can now be irrelevant within the culture. I've seen it, experienced it, and I bet you have too.
Rick Warren describes irrelevancy in the church as this: "Irrelevance comes when the speed of change in a church is slower than the speed of change in culture." Of course, that also means the opposite is true--- and that's our hope because the Church is made for Gospel-relevant speed! Repentant, needful hearts for Jesus will always be changing...making us new creations in Him. When we are new creations in Christ, we are now world changers!
Remember our friend Martin Luther? He didn't invent the printing press. That was accomplished by a fellow German by the name of Johannes Gutenberg. Luther, however, quickly used the press to innovate the invention. To innovate is to expand the cause. Luther's cause was the furthering of God's kingdom presence, so he innovated the printing invention and distributed the printed Bible and other Christian materials to people who had never had such access. I'm sure Luther would have done the same thing with the invention of radio, television and the internet. His innovative relevancy is suppose to be the M-O of what it means to be a Lutheran Christian! Collectively, we are to be a think tank with God's mind to bless and reclaim the world!
Oh, oh....we've been in a pause mode, haven't we? We are guilty of clinging to our traditions that were innovative in the day, but are no longer relevant.
So what are we to do? Invent something new? Maybe...but perhaps more effective would be to innovate something that already exists and reclaim it for God's relevant glory! In other words, how about starting by stopping so we can start again?! Let's stop letting Hollywood do all the story telling, and let's start innovating movies and books and television shows. Let's stop letting technology be our enemy to our values; and instead, start innovating it to better communicate the Gospel. Let's stop inventing more government programs to care for people, by starting innovative businesses dedicated to kingdom investment. Let's stop bowing down to Facebook as people's first choice for relationships, and start innovating face-to-face friendships in our spheres of influence. Hear me now, I'm not saying the Church should replace those inventions, just be in them to innovate them. Christians in the marketplace are to become the influencers of culture and the agents of innovative change so the culture desires to follow the speed of Jesus' life changing blessings!
In my last blog I lifted up some simple ideas of what it means to be innovative in a church, and thus lead with Spirit-speed instead of always trying to fix the culture in our flesh. Therefore, I leave you once again with some faith points to practice:
1. Think inside the box. Instead of going outside the box for your innovative answers to solutions, look inside. In other words, let your church's various restraints foster creativity from inside God! Ask: how can I/we do a big ministry with a small budget, a small staff, or a small facility? Instead of looking outside the box for the answer, BE the answer for outside the box. Yes, it is possible.
2. Fear no failure. The ideas that are going to best influence our culture are going to involve risk. So what if something doesn't work the first time! Ask Gutenberg about that. There can be no Easter breakthrough without first going through a Good Friday death.
3. Define who you are. If your traditions are to run programs, you might be making great consumers. Trouble is, Jesus calls us to make great disciples. Be innovative in helping people hear Jesus say, "and teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you." IN NEXT WEEK'S BLOG, I speak more to that. For indeed, provision comes when we first learn to obey!
NEWS and NOTES: Destaye Crawford will be ordained on Sunday, March 2nd, at a 5:00 pm service at St. Paul's in Minneapolis. Destaye is the planter of Every Tribe and Nation, a church aimed at Ethiopians in Minneapolis. ALSO on March 2nd...Hosanna! of Lakeville, MN is opening up a new satellite campus in Shakopee, MN (about 20-minutes away). Hosanna! Shakopee is birthed to change the following problem: that Scott County has up to 200,000 unchurched people. AN EXCELLENT BOOK: Right Here, Right Now by Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford. I just finished this book in less than a week's time because it grabbed my attention. The book is a great inspiration to the importance of developing churches that are biblically missional for today!
"...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
(The Apostle Paul, as recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:17)
Being irrelevant should be a Christian's worst nightmare. After all, we have the greatest message of life-blessing power in the history-of-all-history, and to dumb it down or relax it up is unthinkable. Yet, our faith can often hit the snooze button and a person (or a church) that was relevant 20, 10, or even 1-year ago, can now be irrelevant within the culture. I've seen it, experienced it, and I bet you have too.
Rick Warren describes irrelevancy in the church as this: "Irrelevance comes when the speed of change in a church is slower than the speed of change in culture." Of course, that also means the opposite is true--- and that's our hope because the Church is made for Gospel-relevant speed! Repentant, needful hearts for Jesus will always be changing...making us new creations in Him. When we are new creations in Christ, we are now world changers!
Remember our friend Martin Luther? He didn't invent the printing press. That was accomplished by a fellow German by the name of Johannes Gutenberg. Luther, however, quickly used the press to innovate the invention. To innovate is to expand the cause. Luther's cause was the furthering of God's kingdom presence, so he innovated the printing invention and distributed the printed Bible and other Christian materials to people who had never had such access. I'm sure Luther would have done the same thing with the invention of radio, television and the internet. His innovative relevancy is suppose to be the M-O of what it means to be a Lutheran Christian! Collectively, we are to be a think tank with God's mind to bless and reclaim the world!
Oh, oh....we've been in a pause mode, haven't we? We are guilty of clinging to our traditions that were innovative in the day, but are no longer relevant.
So what are we to do? Invent something new? Maybe...but perhaps more effective would be to innovate something that already exists and reclaim it for God's relevant glory! In other words, how about starting by stopping so we can start again?! Let's stop letting Hollywood do all the story telling, and let's start innovating movies and books and television shows. Let's stop letting technology be our enemy to our values; and instead, start innovating it to better communicate the Gospel. Let's stop inventing more government programs to care for people, by starting innovative businesses dedicated to kingdom investment. Let's stop bowing down to Facebook as people's first choice for relationships, and start innovating face-to-face friendships in our spheres of influence. Hear me now, I'm not saying the Church should replace those inventions, just be in them to innovate them. Christians in the marketplace are to become the influencers of culture and the agents of innovative change so the culture desires to follow the speed of Jesus' life changing blessings!
In my last blog I lifted up some simple ideas of what it means to be innovative in a church, and thus lead with Spirit-speed instead of always trying to fix the culture in our flesh. Therefore, I leave you once again with some faith points to practice:
1. Think inside the box. Instead of going outside the box for your innovative answers to solutions, look inside. In other words, let your church's various restraints foster creativity from inside God! Ask: how can I/we do a big ministry with a small budget, a small staff, or a small facility? Instead of looking outside the box for the answer, BE the answer for outside the box. Yes, it is possible.
2. Fear no failure. The ideas that are going to best influence our culture are going to involve risk. So what if something doesn't work the first time! Ask Gutenberg about that. There can be no Easter breakthrough without first going through a Good Friday death.
3. Define who you are. If your traditions are to run programs, you might be making great consumers. Trouble is, Jesus calls us to make great disciples. Be innovative in helping people hear Jesus say, "and teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you." IN NEXT WEEK'S BLOG, I speak more to that. For indeed, provision comes when we first learn to obey!
NEWS and NOTES: Destaye Crawford will be ordained on Sunday, March 2nd, at a 5:00 pm service at St. Paul's in Minneapolis. Destaye is the planter of Every Tribe and Nation, a church aimed at Ethiopians in Minneapolis. ALSO on March 2nd...Hosanna! of Lakeville, MN is opening up a new satellite campus in Shakopee, MN (about 20-minutes away). Hosanna! Shakopee is birthed to change the following problem: that Scott County has up to 200,000 unchurched people. AN EXCELLENT BOOK: Right Here, Right Now by Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford. I just finished this book in less than a week's time because it grabbed my attention. The book is a great inspiration to the importance of developing churches that are biblically missional for today!
Sunday, February 9, 2014
What's IN these days for innovation?
Church Planter's Blog
The first of a mini-series on being innovative in the church....
Ever watch the television show, Shark Tank? I do, and I love it because the show features ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I'll admit that greed can be involved in the show; but even more so, I see innovative people looking to take a product to the next level of cultural influence.
An invention is often the creation of a new idea or product, but an innovation is to create a better use of that invention. An innovation is an intentional commitment to designing solutions for real problems or needs. For instance, thousands of years ago, someone created the cup. Since then, the cup has gone through several innovations--- including a variety of ways to keep beverages cold or warm or transferable, etc. Likewise, a few years ago churches were becoming innovative in worship by going with high-tech equipment: lights, sound, video. All cool stuff, but the question remains: did the cool stuff win more people to Christ, then disciple them to follow him? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Being innovative in the church is when the kingdom is advanced.
Many times I've caught myself saying "I'm innovative." It sounds good and is probably true to some extent, but if I don't articulate myself well, many church people are simply hearing me say, "I like doing the latest thing."
Being an innovative church planter, however, is more than the latest trend, style or program. Way more.
Being an innovative church planter means being an agent of change, but not change for the sake of change. It means leading people into a position to be radically changed by the Holy Spirit. It means following Jesus as a daily life style that radically shifts a negative tide to the side. Being an innovative church planter means advancing the cause...but first you have to know what that cause is! A "kingdom cause" means coming up with a niche that your church becomes known for in your community. It is a means and a movement of having a heart and a implemented plan for reaching the unreached and then training them to make more disciples!
When I started Rejoice! Church in Northfield, Minnesota, our initial niche was to be a church that trained people to live the faith and disciple others in the community. It was for more than just growing our Sunday morning worship affluence, but growing our Monday morning influence. In other words, Sunday morning worship in the church facility was for the sake of Monday morning worship in the workplace! We certainly didn't invent the Great Commission, but every year we sought to be innovative in how we were going to advance the cause and impact the city. Bottom line: the goal of being an innovative church is more than just inventing a new program, but innovating energy to advance scripture's old values of making new disciples.
You may be saying, "But we don't have the money or the people right now to be innovative!" Wrong! Being innovative is not about the resources you don't have, but working with the resources you do have! As believers, we have the Word of God. We have the supernatural advocate of the Holy Spirit. We have the promises of the cross and the presence of Christ. Therefore, we have abundance in Christ! Scarcity of worldly resources can bring clarity as we ask, "What is it, Lord, that you want us to do and be for you?" Lacking human resources allows us to depend upon the resources of God--- and when we obey Him to go and "invent" more disciples, we are given exactly what we need for real innovation that reaches the unreached.
To remind you of innovative possibilities, please consider the following:
1. Go to LifeTree.com and check out an innovative way to reach the unreached.
2. Calendar time might be running out, but you can still use Valentine's Day (or weekend) as a visionary catapult for a future marriage seminar or retreat for people outside your congregation.
3. The movie, Son of God is about to hit theaters later this month. Can you rally people to invite others to watch the movie together, then discuss if afterwards over pie? Can you join another church in your town to buy out a theater and then give away the tickets to those not in your churches?
NOTES:
I'm still looking for a gifted person to lead a new church in Oregon, Wisconsin. There are already 80 some younger people there to serve as a launch team. ALSO...the Lord is stirring up movement for a church plant in the Milwaukee area. A local LCMC leader is looking to rally churches and finances to make that happen. Interested? Contact God about it...then contact me!
UP NEXT: More thoughts on being an innovative church leader.
The first of a mini-series on being innovative in the church....
Ever watch the television show, Shark Tank? I do, and I love it because the show features ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I'll admit that greed can be involved in the show; but even more so, I see innovative people looking to take a product to the next level of cultural influence.
An invention is often the creation of a new idea or product, but an innovation is to create a better use of that invention. An innovation is an intentional commitment to designing solutions for real problems or needs. For instance, thousands of years ago, someone created the cup. Since then, the cup has gone through several innovations--- including a variety of ways to keep beverages cold or warm or transferable, etc. Likewise, a few years ago churches were becoming innovative in worship by going with high-tech equipment: lights, sound, video. All cool stuff, but the question remains: did the cool stuff win more people to Christ, then disciple them to follow him? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Being innovative in the church is when the kingdom is advanced.
Many times I've caught myself saying "I'm innovative." It sounds good and is probably true to some extent, but if I don't articulate myself well, many church people are simply hearing me say, "I like doing the latest thing."
Being an innovative church planter, however, is more than the latest trend, style or program. Way more.
Being an innovative church planter means being an agent of change, but not change for the sake of change. It means leading people into a position to be radically changed by the Holy Spirit. It means following Jesus as a daily life style that radically shifts a negative tide to the side. Being an innovative church planter means advancing the cause...but first you have to know what that cause is! A "kingdom cause" means coming up with a niche that your church becomes known for in your community. It is a means and a movement of having a heart and a implemented plan for reaching the unreached and then training them to make more disciples!
When I started Rejoice! Church in Northfield, Minnesota, our initial niche was to be a church that trained people to live the faith and disciple others in the community. It was for more than just growing our Sunday morning worship affluence, but growing our Monday morning influence. In other words, Sunday morning worship in the church facility was for the sake of Monday morning worship in the workplace! We certainly didn't invent the Great Commission, but every year we sought to be innovative in how we were going to advance the cause and impact the city. Bottom line: the goal of being an innovative church is more than just inventing a new program, but innovating energy to advance scripture's old values of making new disciples.
You may be saying, "But we don't have the money or the people right now to be innovative!" Wrong! Being innovative is not about the resources you don't have, but working with the resources you do have! As believers, we have the Word of God. We have the supernatural advocate of the Holy Spirit. We have the promises of the cross and the presence of Christ. Therefore, we have abundance in Christ! Scarcity of worldly resources can bring clarity as we ask, "What is it, Lord, that you want us to do and be for you?" Lacking human resources allows us to depend upon the resources of God--- and when we obey Him to go and "invent" more disciples, we are given exactly what we need for real innovation that reaches the unreached.
To remind you of innovative possibilities, please consider the following:
1. Go to LifeTree.com and check out an innovative way to reach the unreached.
2. Calendar time might be running out, but you can still use Valentine's Day (or weekend) as a visionary catapult for a future marriage seminar or retreat for people outside your congregation.
3. The movie, Son of God is about to hit theaters later this month. Can you rally people to invite others to watch the movie together, then discuss if afterwards over pie? Can you join another church in your town to buy out a theater and then give away the tickets to those not in your churches?
NOTES:
I'm still looking for a gifted person to lead a new church in Oregon, Wisconsin. There are already 80 some younger people there to serve as a launch team. ALSO...the Lord is stirring up movement for a church plant in the Milwaukee area. A local LCMC leader is looking to rally churches and finances to make that happen. Interested? Contact God about it...then contact me!
UP NEXT: More thoughts on being an innovative church leader.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Church Planting: it helps to be a bit crazy!
Church Planter's Blog:
I recently saw a fun sign posted behind the counter of a small town mom-and-pop restaurant. It read: "You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it sure does help!"
I laughed out loud and then thought, "Hey, that's a slogan every church planter should be wearing on a t-shirt!"
With that in mind, I invite you to ask yourselves, "Am I crazy enough to be a church planter? Do I know someone else that is?" Church planters have to be a bit crazy, but not insane. They don't do something crazy and then expect God to bless it. Instead, God blesses them to do something crazy, so they do it. To prove it, here are 5-points and 8-biblical characters who were "crazy in Christ." (My thanks to Geoff Surratt for the inspiration).
Are YOU crazy enough to...
1)....build like Noah and Nehemiah, even though everyone else thought they were nuts? God told Noah to build a really big boat, so Noah picked up a hammer and obeyed. Nehemiah was told by God to rebuild the Jerusalem wall. So he gathered together a rag-tag group of non-union workers and they obeyed in record time. Likewise, crazy church planters see a middle school theater and build a worship center. They find a bar singer and develop a worship leader. They see dismal stats and say, "We can still do this!"
2)...live in determination like Caleb and party like Matthew? Caleb was 80-years old when he demanded his dream of land become reality. When Matthew was called by Jesus, Matthew didn't sit down to plan a constitution with by-laws, but stood up to plan a party with people--- inviting fellow tax collectors and sinners. Likewise, crazy church planters are determined not to fail, seeking everyone as potential converts for discipleship and doing it in fun!
3)...lead a team of misfits like David and be passionate like Peter? David's "mighty men" were really law-breaking malcontents, but he captained them into greatness. Peter always seemed to move with passion, saying crazy things like "Let's build a tent right here!" Or, "Baptize me from head-to-toe!" Or, "I will never deny you, Lord!" He cuts off a soldier's ear, hops out of a moving vehicle to walk on water and deeply sobs at his betrayal of the Savior. Likewise, crazy church planters build leaders from soon-to-be former addicts, deadbeat dads and apathetic drifters. They do it with a cross-and-resurrection-passion because there is no such thing as a stoic church planter.
4)...serve with a soft heart and thick skin like the Apostle Paul? Paul was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, starved, rejected, jailed and mocked. Yet, he was determined to move forward rather than quit and stay safely put. Likewise, crazy church planters are "all in" for their mission. They have the faith and the wiring to work hard and quickly adapt and change, so that more people can be reclaimed by the Word and discipled by the Holy Spirit.
5)...love your community like Jesus did? Jesus wept over the very city that would crucify him, yet he still trained, empowered and sent many teams into the mission field. Their job was to make contagious connections in the marketplace so the gospel would flourish through the city. Likewise, crazy church planters know they are not to be lone rangers, but team makers. They die to their egos because they are obsessed in seeing the marketplace of their city be transformed by a living faith.
Friends, you don't have to be crazy to be a church planter, but it sure does help--- especially when you live out your calling like the above biblical characters lived out their faith.
I recently saw a fun sign posted behind the counter of a small town mom-and-pop restaurant. It read: "You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it sure does help!"
I laughed out loud and then thought, "Hey, that's a slogan every church planter should be wearing on a t-shirt!"
With that in mind, I invite you to ask yourselves, "Am I crazy enough to be a church planter? Do I know someone else that is?" Church planters have to be a bit crazy, but not insane. They don't do something crazy and then expect God to bless it. Instead, God blesses them to do something crazy, so they do it. To prove it, here are 5-points and 8-biblical characters who were "crazy in Christ." (My thanks to Geoff Surratt for the inspiration).
Are YOU crazy enough to...
1)....build like Noah and Nehemiah, even though everyone else thought they were nuts? God told Noah to build a really big boat, so Noah picked up a hammer and obeyed. Nehemiah was told by God to rebuild the Jerusalem wall. So he gathered together a rag-tag group of non-union workers and they obeyed in record time. Likewise, crazy church planters see a middle school theater and build a worship center. They find a bar singer and develop a worship leader. They see dismal stats and say, "We can still do this!"
2)...live in determination like Caleb and party like Matthew? Caleb was 80-years old when he demanded his dream of land become reality. When Matthew was called by Jesus, Matthew didn't sit down to plan a constitution with by-laws, but stood up to plan a party with people--- inviting fellow tax collectors and sinners. Likewise, crazy church planters are determined not to fail, seeking everyone as potential converts for discipleship and doing it in fun!
3)...lead a team of misfits like David and be passionate like Peter? David's "mighty men" were really law-breaking malcontents, but he captained them into greatness. Peter always seemed to move with passion, saying crazy things like "Let's build a tent right here!" Or, "Baptize me from head-to-toe!" Or, "I will never deny you, Lord!" He cuts off a soldier's ear, hops out of a moving vehicle to walk on water and deeply sobs at his betrayal of the Savior. Likewise, crazy church planters build leaders from soon-to-be former addicts, deadbeat dads and apathetic drifters. They do it with a cross-and-resurrection-passion because there is no such thing as a stoic church planter.
4)...serve with a soft heart and thick skin like the Apostle Paul? Paul was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, starved, rejected, jailed and mocked. Yet, he was determined to move forward rather than quit and stay safely put. Likewise, crazy church planters are "all in" for their mission. They have the faith and the wiring to work hard and quickly adapt and change, so that more people can be reclaimed by the Word and discipled by the Holy Spirit.
5)...love your community like Jesus did? Jesus wept over the very city that would crucify him, yet he still trained, empowered and sent many teams into the mission field. Their job was to make contagious connections in the marketplace so the gospel would flourish through the city. Likewise, crazy church planters know they are not to be lone rangers, but team makers. They die to their egos because they are obsessed in seeing the marketplace of their city be transformed by a living faith.
Friends, you don't have to be crazy to be a church planter, but it sure does help--- especially when you live out your calling like the above biblical characters lived out their faith.
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