A couple of thoughts for readers to ponder and pray:
1). The church has traditionally been way better at making its membership numbers increase, rather than multiplying its discipleship making numbers for the sake of the whole city and nation. In doing so, some churches have grown in numbers even while diminishing in their cultural influence.
2). This has occurred, in part, because the church has focused more energy and money on training volunteers to work within the buildings of its organizations, rather than training, equipping and encouraging Christian leadership to live as disciples of the organism--- blessing the marketplace of every day life.
I hope to write more on these two points in the near future--- focusing on possible solutions. In the meantime, let me suggest that one great way for the church (ecclesia) to regain its original purpose of making disciples, is to be re-captured by the biblical 5 fold ministry gift set--- and not just teaching and shepherding, but evangelism, prophecy AND apostleship.
Let me state for this blog entry, that I believe the church (and, of course, the LCMC) GREATLY NEEDS its apostolic ministry to be matured for increase. This, for the sake of planting new congregations while revitalizing existing ones.
With that in mind, below is a segment from the newly released book, Permanent Revolution: Apostolic Imagination and Practice for the 21st Century Church, penned by authors Alan Hirsch and Tim Catchim. I find this particular section extremely interesting...and spot on.
"Without apostolic multiplication, we stop at evangelistic addition. Salvation is seen as individualistic as we fail to see how God wants to start a gospel pay-it-forward movement through the life of every believer.
Without apostolic action, we fail to experience the promised presence of Christ. Spiritual authority comes when we operate as an apostolic people sent to disciple the nations (Matthew 28:18-20).
Without apostolic clarity, our identity and purpose become murky. We fail to think strategically about the underlying value systems and core ideologies that define a community.
Without apostolic modeling, we miss out on a culture of releasing and empowering. Instead, we contend with culture of management and control.
Without apostolic parenting and releasing, multigenerational mentoring and leadership development are replaced by a dependence on the ministry of professionally training clergy.
Without apostolic accountability, we fail to ask the obvious questions of strategy and sustainability behind our best practices. Consider these examples: Do we really need to have million dollar budgets, seminary educated leaders, and 50 to 100 Christians to start a church? Do we need to have land and a building to be the church?
Without apostolic imagination, we fail to ask the questions of scalability. Instead of reproducibility and scalability, we opt for "go big" and "launch large," forgetting that big movements grow out of small ones done well. The New Testament is our best and most basic example of this.
Without apostolic vision, we fail to ask the questions of reproducibility and transferability. We so complicate the message and training process that few know it and are able to pass it on to others.
Without our apostolic passion, we fail to embrace our roles in the big picture of kingdom mission. Rather, we busy ourselves with the smaller vision and goals of our organizations instead of embracing our calling to actively participate in the global movement.
We believe the idea of custodianship establishes the correct relationship that apostolic people have in relation to the Lord, the gospel and the ecclesia--- namely, that of a slave or a servant. A great deal is contained in this idea: the custodian both seeds and guards the theo-genetic codes of the church, and this helps generate and sustain movements as well as catalyzes the incredible potential locked up in the ministry of Jesus' church. Exclude the apostolic, and it becomes hard to see how a fully formed, mature, and expansive ecclesia can possibility take place. Most likely the church would be limited to good preaching, groovy contemporary worship, and Bible studies. We suspect that Jesus intended much more for the movement that he started." The Permanent Revolution: Apostolic Imagination and Practice for the 21st Century Church, by Alan Hirsch and Tim Catchim.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Multiplying Momentum for the City
"Go and make disciples...."
-Jesus
I just returned from attending the annual Exponential Conference in Tampa, Florida. With me, were 10 LCMC church planters and their planting teams--- for a total of 23 souls amongst 4,000! Exponential is where church planters and missionally-minded existing church leaders gather for God's inspiration and direction to multiply gospel impact for their cities.
For example, the group was introduced to a Dan Smith, pastor of Momentum Church in Cleveland, Ohio. He was wearing a t-shirt that read: "I liked Cleveland before liking Cleveland was Cool." I'm not totally sure what that means, perhaps it has something to do with LeBron James....?!
Anyway, Dan's planting story is quite intriguing and really out of the box for most conventional pastors. You see, instead of measuring accumulation (that is, determining success/failure by the size of buildings, the number of butts in seats and budget numbers), Dan intentionally birthed a church that is all about the SENDING impact. In just a few short years, Momentum Church has sent out more than 100 people to plant churches, while still running several hundred in regular worship attendance. Dan says the day will soon come when they've SENT OUT MORE people to impact the city of Cleveland, than they will have in their own congregation. Now that, is multiplication! Unselfish. Kingdom-centered. Biblical. It breaks the scarcity mentality that many plants have for years. It's Jesus-like.
Momentum Church is not about a model or a method, but a scripturally-based heart-commitment that purposefully designs the DNA culture of Momentum's people. They don't wait back and say, "Someday we will do _____ once we get: more people, more staff, more money, etc". Instead, they created the future in order to break from an unhealthy, or limiting culture, that many churches wind up becoming.
I greatly admire the faith courage of pastors like Dan Smith of Cleveland. To him, kingdom expansion is not about how big an individual church can grow, but how big an impact God grows through a planting culture of sending out leaders to be the church of the city! Dan's focus is not on accumulating staff and programs within buildings, but rather about training, equipping and encouraging disciples to multiply themselves so that different kinds of churches can be established to reach different kinds of people.
How about you? Will you settle for doing church as usual (which, if you haven't noticed, is losing momentum in the culture), or will you actually "follow Jesus" in such a radical way that creates multiplying momentum?
-Jesus
I just returned from attending the annual Exponential Conference in Tampa, Florida. With me, were 10 LCMC church planters and their planting teams--- for a total of 23 souls amongst 4,000! Exponential is where church planters and missionally-minded existing church leaders gather for God's inspiration and direction to multiply gospel impact for their cities.
For example, the group was introduced to a Dan Smith, pastor of Momentum Church in Cleveland, Ohio. He was wearing a t-shirt that read: "I liked Cleveland before liking Cleveland was Cool." I'm not totally sure what that means, perhaps it has something to do with LeBron James....?!
Anyway, Dan's planting story is quite intriguing and really out of the box for most conventional pastors. You see, instead of measuring accumulation (that is, determining success/failure by the size of buildings, the number of butts in seats and budget numbers), Dan intentionally birthed a church that is all about the SENDING impact. In just a few short years, Momentum Church has sent out more than 100 people to plant churches, while still running several hundred in regular worship attendance. Dan says the day will soon come when they've SENT OUT MORE people to impact the city of Cleveland, than they will have in their own congregation. Now that, is multiplication! Unselfish. Kingdom-centered. Biblical. It breaks the scarcity mentality that many plants have for years. It's Jesus-like.
Momentum Church is not about a model or a method, but a scripturally-based heart-commitment that purposefully designs the DNA culture of Momentum's people. They don't wait back and say, "Someday we will do _____ once we get: more people, more staff, more money, etc". Instead, they created the future in order to break from an unhealthy, or limiting culture, that many churches wind up becoming.
I greatly admire the faith courage of pastors like Dan Smith of Cleveland. To him, kingdom expansion is not about how big an individual church can grow, but how big an impact God grows through a planting culture of sending out leaders to be the church of the city! Dan's focus is not on accumulating staff and programs within buildings, but rather about training, equipping and encouraging disciples to multiply themselves so that different kinds of churches can be established to reach different kinds of people.
How about you? Will you settle for doing church as usual (which, if you haven't noticed, is losing momentum in the culture), or will you actually "follow Jesus" in such a radical way that creates multiplying momentum?
Monday, April 20, 2015
An open roof policy
"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Hebrews 13:2
Christian Hospitality is more than just offering coffee and cookies in the church's Fellowship Hall on a Sunday morning. As I see it, biblical hospitality is when followers of Jesus put pre-believers into a position to be in fellowship with Jesus!
Take a look at Mark 2:1-12, where buddies of a crippled man cut a hole in the roof of a home where Jesus is preaching. They lower-down the paralytic, putting him right smack in front of Jesus' face. From there, a miracle happens! The man is healed of both his sin AND his disease!
What a great example of the power of true hospitality that leads to true fellowship! True hospitality is God's action on our behalf, as He cuts a hole in the floor of heaven AND IN the ceiling of earth. God then lowers-down His Son Jesus. In doing so, we meet the Savior! When that happens, we gain the gift of fellowship with Christ. And, when that happens, Jesus calls us to rise up and walk brand new (verse 11) so that "...you may KNOW the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sin...." (verse 10).
On a recent trip to Easely, South Carolina, I drove past a major mega church facility on my way to doing a workshop at one of our church plants. I came to find out the mega facility had recently built a huge bowling alley for its members...only. Why? The church didn't want its members to have to bowl, or fellowship with, community folks who were not currently practicing faith. Hmm. In other words, the church wanted to separate itself from the very mission field that God created it to reach!
Christian hospitality is when we implement an "open roof policy" in our daily lives--- opening up our calendars, our pocketbooks, our homes...and certainly our church facilities so that God's hospitality of the gospel can welcome in strangers to meet His Son!
What might God's kingdom look like in your city, if your congregation began to practice this kind of "open roof" hospitality that leads to this kind of fellowship?
Christian Hospitality is more than just offering coffee and cookies in the church's Fellowship Hall on a Sunday morning. As I see it, biblical hospitality is when followers of Jesus put pre-believers into a position to be in fellowship with Jesus!
Take a look at Mark 2:1-12, where buddies of a crippled man cut a hole in the roof of a home where Jesus is preaching. They lower-down the paralytic, putting him right smack in front of Jesus' face. From there, a miracle happens! The man is healed of both his sin AND his disease!
What a great example of the power of true hospitality that leads to true fellowship! True hospitality is God's action on our behalf, as He cuts a hole in the floor of heaven AND IN the ceiling of earth. God then lowers-down His Son Jesus. In doing so, we meet the Savior! When that happens, we gain the gift of fellowship with Christ. And, when that happens, Jesus calls us to rise up and walk brand new (verse 11) so that "...you may KNOW the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sin...." (verse 10).
On a recent trip to Easely, South Carolina, I drove past a major mega church facility on my way to doing a workshop at one of our church plants. I came to find out the mega facility had recently built a huge bowling alley for its members...only. Why? The church didn't want its members to have to bowl, or fellowship with, community folks who were not currently practicing faith. Hmm. In other words, the church wanted to separate itself from the very mission field that God created it to reach!
Christian hospitality is when we implement an "open roof policy" in our daily lives--- opening up our calendars, our pocketbooks, our homes...and certainly our church facilities so that God's hospitality of the gospel can welcome in strangers to meet His Son!
What might God's kingdom look like in your city, if your congregation began to practice this kind of "open roof" hospitality that leads to this kind of fellowship?
Monday, April 6, 2015
Planting updates number-3
HE IS RISEN INDEED!
Every once-in-a-while, I've been sharing some of the great-God-moments that are resurrecting within our LCMC church plants. Here are some recent examples...
Les Sheridan of Rejoice in Norcross, GA, is currently having his new congregation worship from a local retirement center. Because of the church's worship location, Les has partnered some of the residents with a local elementary school where 4th grade students and Rejoice's "grandparent-types" are now writing each other as pen pals! Les says the school knows the letters are coming from Christians, but the teachers are excited to have older people caring and connecting with younger people, and vice versa.
Eric Hulstrand of Realife in Bloomington, MN tells the story of how a single man in his 30's, who suffers from bipolar disorder, responded to the church's sermon series, "Sometimes Life Sucks," by not only coming to worship, but has stayed for nearly 3-years! In that time, the "once un-churched" man has brought his formally un-churched mom to meet the Lord...soon followed by the dad who was a self proclaiming atheist! But, no more.
Julie and Brad Samuelson, co-pastors of Hands for Pine City in Pine City, MN, recently kicked-off their first Easter weekend with an Easter Egg hunt that drew over 150 kids and parents in their small, rural town. Julie says it was the church's way of promoting its ministry of reaching the city, by showing it was willing to first bless the city. This included the distribution of prepared meals, gift baskets and encouraging notes to the residents and visiting families of the town's retirement center. The Samuelson's are now awaiting to see how early connections impact their worship attendance.
Frist and Lora Trost, co-pastors of Mobilize in Grimes, Iowa, moved from meeting in homes to meeting in a public coffee shop on Easter Sunday. During one of the "practice times" before Easter, the church held a service at 5:00 pm as the coffee shop was closing. One customer, however, stayed to see what was up that day...and has been coming ever since. The Trost's hope it is a sign of how Mobilize can live up to its name sake!
Bill Retza of Living Waters, Crivitz, WI, says his nearly 2-year old congregation has saved-up enough money to purchase a second facility in neighboring Pound WI. In doing so, Living Waters will now be able to minister to two local areas at once. The congregation is also starting a food pantry to reach both cities in Jesus' name, and has been drawing all sorts of interest from new people moving to town who want to help! In addition, Living Waters is sponsoring a weekly radio program so folks can hear the gospel and be invited into city ministry.
Please continue to lift-up in prayer these planters, their church starts and their communities.
Still to come...updates from Niagara Falls, NY, Wisconsin Falls, WI, Bismarck, ND, and a couple communities in Mexico.
Every once-in-a-while, I've been sharing some of the great-God-moments that are resurrecting within our LCMC church plants. Here are some recent examples...
Les Sheridan of Rejoice in Norcross, GA, is currently having his new congregation worship from a local retirement center. Because of the church's worship location, Les has partnered some of the residents with a local elementary school where 4th grade students and Rejoice's "grandparent-types" are now writing each other as pen pals! Les says the school knows the letters are coming from Christians, but the teachers are excited to have older people caring and connecting with younger people, and vice versa.
Eric Hulstrand of Realife in Bloomington, MN tells the story of how a single man in his 30's, who suffers from bipolar disorder, responded to the church's sermon series, "Sometimes Life Sucks," by not only coming to worship, but has stayed for nearly 3-years! In that time, the "once un-churched" man has brought his formally un-churched mom to meet the Lord...soon followed by the dad who was a self proclaiming atheist! But, no more.
Julie and Brad Samuelson, co-pastors of Hands for Pine City in Pine City, MN, recently kicked-off their first Easter weekend with an Easter Egg hunt that drew over 150 kids and parents in their small, rural town. Julie says it was the church's way of promoting its ministry of reaching the city, by showing it was willing to first bless the city. This included the distribution of prepared meals, gift baskets and encouraging notes to the residents and visiting families of the town's retirement center. The Samuelson's are now awaiting to see how early connections impact their worship attendance.
Frist and Lora Trost, co-pastors of Mobilize in Grimes, Iowa, moved from meeting in homes to meeting in a public coffee shop on Easter Sunday. During one of the "practice times" before Easter, the church held a service at 5:00 pm as the coffee shop was closing. One customer, however, stayed to see what was up that day...and has been coming ever since. The Trost's hope it is a sign of how Mobilize can live up to its name sake!
Bill Retza of Living Waters, Crivitz, WI, says his nearly 2-year old congregation has saved-up enough money to purchase a second facility in neighboring Pound WI. In doing so, Living Waters will now be able to minister to two local areas at once. The congregation is also starting a food pantry to reach both cities in Jesus' name, and has been drawing all sorts of interest from new people moving to town who want to help! In addition, Living Waters is sponsoring a weekly radio program so folks can hear the gospel and be invited into city ministry.
Please continue to lift-up in prayer these planters, their church starts and their communities.
Still to come...updates from Niagara Falls, NY, Wisconsin Falls, WI, Bismarck, ND, and a couple communities in Mexico.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Holy Week: It is finished...
"When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:30
Some have said the church is the hope of the world. That's true, so long as Jesus continues to be the hope of the church!
This week is not only a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death on our behalf; but a celebration for the church. That's because Jesus brings the message of grace alone to a church often laboring under the burdens of performance-based Christianity.
Hmm. I sometimes wonder if our churches have become more "Nike-Victory-Like" in our discipleship, rather than "Jesus-Victory-Like." I wonder if we've unintentionally adopted a worldly war cry of, Just Do It, rather than a biblical war cry of, It Is Finished!
Or can there be--- a combo meal of sorts?
One major way Jesus' biblical discipleship can be resurrected in us, is through the painful process of self-forgetfulness. Currently, there's a bunch of spiritual narcissism inside the church where we're obsessing over how we're doing. Big churches do it, little churches do it...and church plants can quickly fall into the same pit. We're obsessed over whether we are doing things right or wrong in worship, in our small groups, or in the visitor follow-up with our marketability. We obsess because we want to do better and fix people and their problems. I've been guilty of that! Trouble is, it can lead to church performance, rather than church discipleship, as the driving purpose of church. It can lead to accomplishing worldly goal-purposes, rather than accomplishing God's kingdom purposes.
Having said all that, please hear me also say that wanting to do better is not a bad thing, so long as we understand that only as we first follow Jesus we will always be in the right. I've heard it said, "Discipleship is a process of paying more and more attention to God's righteousness and less and less attention to our own." I believe that's true.
That's why hearing Jesus declare this Holy Week from the Cross, "Come and follow me, and I will...finish it, becomes our redeemed battle cry of, Just Do it!
Just follow me, says Jesus, and I will do it. I will redeem all things. You don't have to finish it. You don't have to even start it. You simply need to believe me, trust me, follow me, and then anticipate something great is going to happen for you, through you, for others--- to the glory of our Father!
With that, I bless you, dear friends, with a powerful Holy Week of celebrating and receiving Jesus' Victory performance! It is the true hope for the world when it's the true hope of the church in the world!
Some have said the church is the hope of the world. That's true, so long as Jesus continues to be the hope of the church!
This week is not only a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death on our behalf; but a celebration for the church. That's because Jesus brings the message of grace alone to a church often laboring under the burdens of performance-based Christianity.
Hmm. I sometimes wonder if our churches have become more "Nike-Victory-Like" in our discipleship, rather than "Jesus-Victory-Like." I wonder if we've unintentionally adopted a worldly war cry of, Just Do It, rather than a biblical war cry of, It Is Finished!
Or can there be--- a combo meal of sorts?
One major way Jesus' biblical discipleship can be resurrected in us, is through the painful process of self-forgetfulness. Currently, there's a bunch of spiritual narcissism inside the church where we're obsessing over how we're doing. Big churches do it, little churches do it...and church plants can quickly fall into the same pit. We're obsessed over whether we are doing things right or wrong in worship, in our small groups, or in the visitor follow-up with our marketability. We obsess because we want to do better and fix people and their problems. I've been guilty of that! Trouble is, it can lead to church performance, rather than church discipleship, as the driving purpose of church. It can lead to accomplishing worldly goal-purposes, rather than accomplishing God's kingdom purposes.
Having said all that, please hear me also say that wanting to do better is not a bad thing, so long as we understand that only as we first follow Jesus we will always be in the right. I've heard it said, "Discipleship is a process of paying more and more attention to God's righteousness and less and less attention to our own." I believe that's true.
That's why hearing Jesus declare this Holy Week from the Cross, "Come and follow me, and I will...finish it, becomes our redeemed battle cry of, Just Do it!
Just follow me, says Jesus, and I will do it. I will redeem all things. You don't have to finish it. You don't have to even start it. You simply need to believe me, trust me, follow me, and then anticipate something great is going to happen for you, through you, for others--- to the glory of our Father!
With that, I bless you, dear friends, with a powerful Holy Week of celebrating and receiving Jesus' Victory performance! It is the true hope for the world when it's the true hope of the church in the world!
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Leaders for the sake of Mission
"Leaders are for the sake of mission. Mission is for the sake of God." Bob Logan
This coming May 3-6 in Columbus, Ohio, the LCMC Ministry Board is hosting a great opportunity for learning, developing and deploying greater biblical leadership. This, for the sake of greater mission...which is for the sake of greater impact...which is for the sake of Jesus' Great(er) Commission! Please go to lcmc.net and check-out the needed background information and registration details for the iFollow: 2015 Leadership Conference...life in the way of Jesus.
It promises to be deeply meaningful and fun, but maybe some of you leaders are feeling flooded by all your individual in-house responsibilities. If that's the case, then attending the May conference on leadership is even more crucial for you and your congregation! Perhaps the conference experience will transform your mind from inward duties to outward delights?! Your congregational stats may, or may not, grow from a renewed sense of "what is biblical leadership," but your kingdom influence will--- and isn't that the real point of life in the way of Jesus?
Of course, all the hard work that goes into seeking greater worship attendance and developing more fluid programming within our congregations is certainly worthy of your attention, but only if the greater attendance and programming is leading to greater discipleship for greater city impact in Christ! Look to 2 Kings 4:1-7 and see that when our motivation is to give and grow outward for kingdom impact, we'll always find more oil in the jar--- for ourselves, and for our ministries to move forward and into our respective cities.
I recently came across this situation myself. I was sensing that most of our 800 LCMC congregations were disconnected from our church planting vision of "1,000 in 10." I sensed many of our leaders were ok with the idea, but it was just not for them. With that in mind, our newly formed LCMC Mission Team recently came together to pray-storm the next steps for developing our church planting mission. We knew we didn't have a financial problem, nor a faith problem...but we believed the LCMC was experiencing a leadership problem. Leaders, that is, for the sake of mission and mission for the sake of God! From our meeting, we sensed the Lord gave us the following steps of strategy:
1). Start Small. I'm going to be meeting/connecting with 35 of our most mission-minded congregational leaders over the next year.
2). Go Deep. When we meet/connect, it is to begin gelling together in a missional mindset that goes way beyond the four walls of our church facilities.
3). Think Big. When 35 of our congregations begin moving forward as bold models of missional success, we are believing that other congregations will be inspired to join together in the same kingdom endeavor.
While it would be wonderful to get buy-in and full participation from everyone in the LCMC, the secret is, we don't need it. Jesus called some who chose not to follow him in mission. And when they didn't follow, he went on with his work anyway, focusing on those who had ears to hear. Trying to develop those who don't want development will actually become counterproductive, creating a drag on those who are truly motivated.
Leaders, think on this: too often I've mixed-up the difference between training people for mission and orientating them for mission. Maybe you have too? Orientation is like a ball team studying game film in the locker room, while training is more like implementing what was learned in orientation by actual engagement on the practice field. Great leadership is knowing the difference. Great leadership is doing both, well. Great leadership is learning to first follow Jesus and his way. After all, many of you Christian leaders are tired of talking about the same old things without them making much of a difference. You want to see lives transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, marriages restored and people released from addictions. A vision like that is compelling, urgent, and energizing for all. It's leadership for the sake of mission...and mission for the sake of God!
Please consider registering TODAY for the May 3-6, iFollow Leadership Conference in Columbus, Ohio (host: Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, in Hilliard, OH). Then, let's anticipate God will stir us and our work will be empowered!
This coming May 3-6 in Columbus, Ohio, the LCMC Ministry Board is hosting a great opportunity for learning, developing and deploying greater biblical leadership. This, for the sake of greater mission...which is for the sake of greater impact...which is for the sake of Jesus' Great(er) Commission! Please go to lcmc.net and check-out the needed background information and registration details for the iFollow: 2015 Leadership Conference...life in the way of Jesus.
It promises to be deeply meaningful and fun, but maybe some of you leaders are feeling flooded by all your individual in-house responsibilities. If that's the case, then attending the May conference on leadership is even more crucial for you and your congregation! Perhaps the conference experience will transform your mind from inward duties to outward delights?! Your congregational stats may, or may not, grow from a renewed sense of "what is biblical leadership," but your kingdom influence will--- and isn't that the real point of life in the way of Jesus?
Of course, all the hard work that goes into seeking greater worship attendance and developing more fluid programming within our congregations is certainly worthy of your attention, but only if the greater attendance and programming is leading to greater discipleship for greater city impact in Christ! Look to 2 Kings 4:1-7 and see that when our motivation is to give and grow outward for kingdom impact, we'll always find more oil in the jar--- for ourselves, and for our ministries to move forward and into our respective cities.
I recently came across this situation myself. I was sensing that most of our 800 LCMC congregations were disconnected from our church planting vision of "1,000 in 10." I sensed many of our leaders were ok with the idea, but it was just not for them. With that in mind, our newly formed LCMC Mission Team recently came together to pray-storm the next steps for developing our church planting mission. We knew we didn't have a financial problem, nor a faith problem...but we believed the LCMC was experiencing a leadership problem. Leaders, that is, for the sake of mission and mission for the sake of God! From our meeting, we sensed the Lord gave us the following steps of strategy:
1). Start Small. I'm going to be meeting/connecting with 35 of our most mission-minded congregational leaders over the next year.
2). Go Deep. When we meet/connect, it is to begin gelling together in a missional mindset that goes way beyond the four walls of our church facilities.
3). Think Big. When 35 of our congregations begin moving forward as bold models of missional success, we are believing that other congregations will be inspired to join together in the same kingdom endeavor.
While it would be wonderful to get buy-in and full participation from everyone in the LCMC, the secret is, we don't need it. Jesus called some who chose not to follow him in mission. And when they didn't follow, he went on with his work anyway, focusing on those who had ears to hear. Trying to develop those who don't want development will actually become counterproductive, creating a drag on those who are truly motivated.
Leaders, think on this: too often I've mixed-up the difference between training people for mission and orientating them for mission. Maybe you have too? Orientation is like a ball team studying game film in the locker room, while training is more like implementing what was learned in orientation by actual engagement on the practice field. Great leadership is knowing the difference. Great leadership is doing both, well. Great leadership is learning to first follow Jesus and his way. After all, many of you Christian leaders are tired of talking about the same old things without them making much of a difference. You want to see lives transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, marriages restored and people released from addictions. A vision like that is compelling, urgent, and energizing for all. It's leadership for the sake of mission...and mission for the sake of God!
Please consider registering TODAY for the May 3-6, iFollow Leadership Conference in Columbus, Ohio (host: Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, in Hilliard, OH). Then, let's anticipate God will stir us and our work will be empowered!
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Using A.D. as a tool for outreach
Planters: Inspired by an article I recently read in the March/April 2015 edition of OUTREACH magazine, let me share the following ideas in order for you to contemplate possible uses in your new congregation for city impact:
A.D.--- the Bible Continues is a 12-week television series airing on NBC beginning April 5th. If used well, A.D. could very well be the tool you need for great post-Resurrection Day follow-up! I believe the series will not only engage your current congregants, but also serve as a means of outreach to those in your community who are unchurched, yet are still intrigued this spring by the power of the Easter message and want to somehow get connected to the Christian faith.
What is the television series about? A.D. speaks to the birth of the Christian Church, connecting historical facts to spiritual drama through the first 10 chapters of Acts. The series starts live on the evening of Easter Sunday, April 5th. I realize, of course, that most of you have already planned your Holy Week messages, but here are some thoughts to how you can still use the videos:
1). Order right now the official A.D. Church Kit via Outreach.com/AD, and you'll receive sermon outlines that work with each of the 12 TV shows. You'll also get video preview clips and a Study/Guidebook. From there, either develop an A.D. preaching series for post-Easter into the summer months, or wait until fall as a kick-off series that could also impact your September youth ministries and small group start-ups.
2). Or, record the show and play it over the big screens of your church facility, or in the homes of your small groups, at your convenience. The great thing about showing A.D. at your church facility is that it gives folks outside your congregation "public permission" to come and see and then get their questions engaged. If you don't want to record the show, then air it live at your church! Promote and invite people from outside your congregation, then end each night with a question and answer session...perhaps even some ministry time!
These are just two ideas for how to use this up-coming television series to teach the faith and reach the lost. Might something work for your culture?
Friends: even though you may have already planned out your sermon-series of Easter through the month of May, you can still easily implement this great biblical tool into your ministry this spring while the story is hot. Video clips could be used Sunday mornings to encourage people to watch the show Sunday nights. So, whether you develop a Sunday morning sermon series, or small group gatherings around A.D.--- the Bible Continues, clearly the TV show can be a great culture-touching tool that gets people talking on Monday mornings in the marketplace about the Christian faith!
A.D.--- the Bible Continues is a 12-week television series airing on NBC beginning April 5th. If used well, A.D. could very well be the tool you need for great post-Resurrection Day follow-up! I believe the series will not only engage your current congregants, but also serve as a means of outreach to those in your community who are unchurched, yet are still intrigued this spring by the power of the Easter message and want to somehow get connected to the Christian faith.
What is the television series about? A.D. speaks to the birth of the Christian Church, connecting historical facts to spiritual drama through the first 10 chapters of Acts. The series starts live on the evening of Easter Sunday, April 5th. I realize, of course, that most of you have already planned your Holy Week messages, but here are some thoughts to how you can still use the videos:
1). Order right now the official A.D. Church Kit via Outreach.com/AD, and you'll receive sermon outlines that work with each of the 12 TV shows. You'll also get video preview clips and a Study/Guidebook. From there, either develop an A.D. preaching series for post-Easter into the summer months, or wait until fall as a kick-off series that could also impact your September youth ministries and small group start-ups.
2). Or, record the show and play it over the big screens of your church facility, or in the homes of your small groups, at your convenience. The great thing about showing A.D. at your church facility is that it gives folks outside your congregation "public permission" to come and see and then get their questions engaged. If you don't want to record the show, then air it live at your church! Promote and invite people from outside your congregation, then end each night with a question and answer session...perhaps even some ministry time!
These are just two ideas for how to use this up-coming television series to teach the faith and reach the lost. Might something work for your culture?
Friends: even though you may have already planned out your sermon-series of Easter through the month of May, you can still easily implement this great biblical tool into your ministry this spring while the story is hot. Video clips could be used Sunday mornings to encourage people to watch the show Sunday nights. So, whether you develop a Sunday morning sermon series, or small group gatherings around A.D.--- the Bible Continues, clearly the TV show can be a great culture-touching tool that gets people talking on Monday mornings in the marketplace about the Christian faith!
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