Church Planting

Where they find out about you

2009-04-29T19:29:00.007-04:00

Today a church planter shared an amazing statistic that merits me sharing to you. In a recent media blitz of billboards, radio and TV ads, door hangers, etc. only 5% of recent visitors to his church plant responded to this type of invitation to the church. He communicated to me that 95% of his recent visitors over the last 6 weeks attended his church plant because they found their website on-line. Through conversations and relationships people chose to check out the church via their website before they attended the service. Amazing results for utilizing a simple tool. So, if you want to get your name out and let people know you exist make sure that one tool you have in your arsenal is a website; a usable, friendly, and inviting website. Matter of fact, I'd suggest you pay the money to create a good and functional website before you sent mailers, put up billboards, or paid for public advertising.

Please remember that a website isn't the end to all means in reaching out to people; relationships move and draw people. However, we now understand more than ever that people drawn into your church through relationships are now telling others to check out your church plant via your website. Church websites today are fastly becoming a necessary means to help draw and connect people into a relationship with you and the church plant. So, in today's economy if you want to let people know you exist, and help them understand what you're all about, creating a great website is a must.

Final thought. Everyone who has created their own website thinks that their site is good. I haven't heard one planter admit that their website looks like garbage; although some in my opinion do. Please take the time to first market your website through various generations of people, and then take their feedback and do something with what they give you. Most of the time church planters websites are nominal at best, and they do not motivate or encourage anyone to take the next step to checking you out. Remember, in today's world the web is a place "where they find out about you." If your website looks shabby and amateur, they will reserve the right to think that's really describes who and what you really are. And, who would blame them if they never bothered to check you out.

Cultural Christianity

2009-04-17T21:01:00.006-04:00

One of the challenges a planter deals with in today's world is with cultural Christians. You know the one's. . .they're the one's who pull Jesus out of their box on Sunday and live the other 6 days the way that they think is best. They're the one's who want to be entertained and taught theology even though they have no intention to use what they've learned. They're the one's that show up to church plants and re-direct and mutilate a church planters vision. They're the one's that give enough money to cause a church planter to compromise his values and mission that God called him to fill. They're the one's giving Christianity a bad name because they do not look anything like Christ.

What is a planter to do with such people when they show up at your plant? Here are some suggestions:

1. Don't coddle them, teach them to grow up.

2. Don't promise anything to them (you'll regret it later).

3. Don't give them a ministry or assignment until they prove their serious about serving Christ.

4. Give them the truth, and do not apologize when they pout about how mean and unpastoral your being because you're giving them the truth.

5. Preach the gospel to them, a lot of them aren't even saved.

6. Don't accept gifts from them, they'll only want something in return from you later.

7. Teach them that Christianity is to be lived 7 days a week, and give them the opportunities to make this happen.

8. When they don't put up or they give up, move on and let them make their move to the next place that satisfies their itch.

Why am I writing this today? So many guys I've worked with in church planting are under constant stress and are being drained by these "so called" Christians. The worst thing a planter can do is to divert his ministry and energy trying to get these people to embrace and support the work within a new church plant. So, if you find yourself dealing with this element within your plant, I'd encourage to implement some of these suggestions and continue to put your effort and energy into impacting the lost around you. My feeling is let them go their way, I'm pretty sure that is what Jesus did, He didn't let them spoil his calling or mission, why should you.

Remember these warnings from God's Word:

2 Tim 3: 1-7 -- "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."

2 Tim 4:3 -- "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear."

One life can make a difference

2009-03-17T21:54:00.008-04:00

I like this day. . . St. Patricks Day. As many choose to where green, eat Corn Beef and Cabbage and drink their favorite Irish Beer ( I prefer Root Beer), I enjoy thinking of the man to whom this day is set aside to honor, St. Patrick (Maewyn Succat). St. Patrick was a church planting machine, it is said that he was responsible for starting over 200 churches. His ministry to the Pagans of Ireland is a remarkable story of forgiveness and faithfulness. At the age of 16 he was sold into slavery to Irish Raiders. He remained a slave until he escaped at the age of 22. After his conversion he was compelled by God to return to the people who once held him as a slave. Through his life and work one of the greatest Spiritual Awakenings took place in the world. In George Hunter's book; "The Celtic Way of Evangelism", it is noted that perhaps several million people within 5 countries were touched by the gospel because of the influence of Maewyn Succat's ministry. Historians tell us that he baptized over 100,000 new Christians himself, I cannot even imagine doing that today (you''d need a strong back, but I would love to have the opportunity). His methodology for reaching people with the gospel was very unorthodox during his time. The Roman Church's method of reaching people was to convince people to believe in Christ in order to be accepted in the church. Maewyn Succat's approach was to provide venues and places for people to see and experience Christ. He believed that if pagans could see and be touched by the genuine love of Christ they would be convinced of their need to make a commitment to Christ as well. So, Patrick created monasteries that allowed the people to hang out with God's people. What he essentially did was provide people who were disconnected from Christ the opportunity to rub shoulders and experience Christianity before they ever made a commitment to follow Christ. The results were explosive, and unfortunately became a threat to the established Roman Church of that day.

St. Patrick I believe, was used mightily by God because he believed that people's lives needed to be transformed with gospel of Christ. He obviously saw the value of making sure he modeled (along with others) what a life transformed by Christ looks like. The modeling of genuine love and devotion created an explosion of new disciples being born again into God's Kingdom.

I wonder today if it is possible for God to use this same approach to reaching people in a culture that is turning more and more pagan everyday? And, is it possible that God can still use one man (or woman) to begin a fire that burns the chaff of religion and opens the door of helping people transform their lives as they connect to Christ? I know the answer and I'm sure you do as well. To quote our new President; "Yes He can!"

So, if you ever wonder if your life could make a "huge" difference in changing a culture for Christ, look at St. Patrick and believe that "all things are possible through Christ." Maewyn Succat obviously did!

BTW: Why is the Shamrock so big on this day? Legend has it that Maewyn Succat used the "three leaf" clover to communicate the Trinity.

Storms

2009-03-11T15:38:00.008-04:00

I've learned lately that storms in life can be very good. I was at my
dentist yesterday and we were reviewing my latest surgical procedure that I endured. When he asked me how I was doing I told him great, the whole situation turned out to be the "perfect storm" in my life. Although I hated having a surgical procedure done on me, the outcome couldn't have been any better. Going through this season and enduring this storm has almost ended up in perfection. First, let me say I'm grateful to God for all He has done the last 6 weeks of my life; He has been gracious to me. Why I chose to call this a "perfect storm" is because of the bunch of good things has happened since I was diagnosed with a large cyst that had to be removed from my jaw. Through recovery, a changed diet (very soft), exercising, and developing better eating habits I've been able to lose 23 pounds and gain some extraordinary energy that I didn't know existed. And, I'm praying that as a result of weight loss, dieting, and exercise I may be able to throw away the dreaded cholesterol medicine that I've been on for 7 years. In January I didn't know what good was going to come out of all that I was going to face, but today I recognize and praise God for His promise that "all things work together for good to those who love God (Rom. 8:28)." I now see the value of a perfect storm blowing in and out of our lives. Sometimes we need something to take place to sail us on to a new and refreshing destination in life.

What I learned from this in the last 6 weeks is this; when things look bad (and you're feeling bad) it doesn't always mean that it is going to last or get worse. Actually it may be the opposite. Sometimes something has to be purged or pruned to give new energy and life. My experience has brought this to me at this time. When it all took place, I couldn't see the horizon because I was in the midst of the storm. But as I rode out the storm with God, He moved me into a position that allowed me to experience refreshment, vigor, and a new perspective on life. So, here is some advice. When it all feels like it is tumbling in around you, hold on to the promises that God has given you, ride it out with Him to the end. If you do, you might experience the "perfect storm" your life needs at that time. Storms aren't bad at all, they are many times useful to blow in new and fresh things. I pray the next time you're caught in a storm, you'll hold on and wait for the Master to show you a new horizon in your life.

New Wine

2009-03-03T08:00:00.007-05:00

I'm back after a time of recovering from having surgery on my jaw, and it is good to be back. God is good and faithful!

I've been thinking a lot lately how Jesus admonished his followers not to place anything new into anything old. He communicated these words to His followers; "Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." (Matt. 9:17). His words were interesting because they came after He was asked a question about why His own disciples were not practicing a religious ritual. As I pondered His response to the religious zealots of His day, I was quickly reminded how much church planters and pastors face this same type of question each and every day (well, some church planters and pastors, especially those who are committed to changing and transforming lives with the gospel). Jesus in this encounter heralded a biblical principle that still stands today; you cannot put something new from God into a vessel that is unable and unwilling to be used by God. He further explained that when you violate this biblical principle, the results will be waste and devastation. In my journey in ministry I've seen this happen more than I can count. So many times we as Christians are constantly trying to place some new thing into something that is unwilling and unable to absorb it. And, when we attempt to do this I'm afraid we stand in the midst of being disobedient to the very principle Jesus shared for us to be careful of doing. In the midst of our disobedience the results are wasteful and many times devastating. So, what is a church planter to do with this principle, and why am I bringing this up today?

Church plants and church planters are "new wine." God's call to a church planter is to provide something fresh and new to a community that is disconnected from Him. He calls you because He was wanting you to do something fresh and new that hasn't been done before. He isn't calling you to clone and practice what you already know and are comfortable with, He's calling you to be fresh, new, and alive with His ideas and tools to engage people who have and will not be engaged by a religious community. Many times a church planter loses heart quickly because they do not see immediately and tangible results for trying to engage people in a fresh and new way. I've learned over the years that you need to be very careful and cautious when someone or something is persuading you to move to a place that is comfortable and ideal for them. God's work is fresh and alive! When His principles and methods are used according to His design, the result will always be His preservation. His preservation means that He is in control of the circumstances, using it for His benefit and glory.

So. the reason I felt compelled to write this today is because God has shown me what is the greatest challenge and temptation in church planting. Failing to be new wine in a new wine skin is the biggest reason church plants do not transform communities and fail. Today, in America we see this happening by the thousands. Many church plants are framing their ministry into something that is old, antiquated, and dying. What we've basically done is tell people were new while we "tweak" the methods of old, the methods that the culture has rejected as something they do not want or need. Church planters have sold themselves short of having all of God's best for the sake of preaching behind a "pulpit", in a "church building", to a bunch of dysfunctional and disenfranchised Christians. Shame on us! Shame on us from hiding behind this religious cloak when are Lord told us to be "new wine" in "new wineskins." I pray that if you're a church planter or pastor that you will fully embrace the fact that God has called you to be "new wine" in "new wineskins." If you found this to be offensive and uncomfortable to read today, that's good. I'm sure God is more offended by our compromising than I ever will be. May God help us to be "new wine" in "new wineskins" so that through Him we might be used as a preservative in the world today.

The planters menace, part 2

2009-01-12T18:27:00.009-05:00

Another menace the church planter faces is dealing with the challenge of Christian people compartmentalizing their Christian lives. What do I mean by compartmentalizing their lives? Through religion (see previous menace), Christians have been taught that their Christian faith is separate to every other part of their lives. As the old saying goes; Christians are great at "doing church" on Sunday, and even greater at "practicing carnality" all the rest of the week. Recently I ran across a church planter that was frustrated to how people were not picking up and living the principles of discipleship. I raised this menace factor to him by explaining how people in the church have been taught through religion how to compartmentalize their lives. I further explained that the church over the last 50 years taught people how to save themselves from "hell-fire and damnation," but never really expounded on the fact that the complete salvation experience means that we die to self so that we can live for Christ. When people learned (through preaching and teaching) that all they needed was to be saved, they logically understood that they were covered from going to hell. And, as this is true, it is also is an incomplete message. Jesus said, "if anyone chooses to come after me, they must deny themselves, and take up their cross and follow Him." The result of this incomplete message is an incomplete group of saved people. Christianity at this point of incompletion is very much self-serving, which gives way for the "Christian" not to incorporate Christ in all aspects of their lives. Their marriages, homes, work place, recreation, education, and sometimes ethics are separated from the reality that "Christ is all and in all."

So, what is a planter to do with this menace that surrounds them? Do what Paul said; "preach and teach the whole counsel of God." Tell and show Christians how to allow and incorporate Christ into each segment of their lives. Guide them to experience Christianity at its fullest. If you will do this you will find more people becoming disciplined in their walk with Christ. These people will find that their "personal faith" is to be intertwined into every arena of their lives. Plan your sermons and Bible studies to help people to completely incorporate Jesus into every part of their lives. If your going to let people live out of religion, your bi-product will be Jesus for one day a week. If you guide people to dive wholeheartedly into Jesus, your bi-product will be a life that is surrendered seven days a week. My prayer for you today is that you will commit yourself to helping people break out of their religious and carnal compartments, by helping guide them to a full understanding of what it means to follow Christ.

Warning: Breaking Christians from religious and carnal habits takes time and is never easy. The odds of a mega- church being produced from this philosophy of ministry is between slim and none. The probability of experiencing real life transformation in marriages, families, and communities are great.

The planters menace

2009-01-04T17:48:00.004-05:00

What would you consider to be the biggest menace to church planting? Many planters deal with difficult people, limited finances, and un-satisfactory meeting places just to name a few. But have you considered that the biggest menace to church planting may be what we call -- religion. Most church planters think that there are a bunch of elements that are limiting to the success and growth of a church plant. Usually our biggest menace becomes our unwillingness to depart from living and acting out of our own religion. In reality many church plants are masking themselves behind a fresher and livelier religion. Good performances, excellent ministries, phenomenal story-telling, and Cadillac technology are some of the masks that many church plants hide behind these days. When you begin to unveil the "stuff" what you begin to see is another form of "good old religion." How do we know this? Check out who is really attending the church plant! Most church plants in our land are not connecting and reaching people who are outside of church life. Most of the people that are baptized ususally come from somewhat of a churched background. We've also grown accustom to making fun of the "old time" churches, saying that they are irrelevant and inadequate in reaching people. What we really mean to say is that they aren't reaching out anymore to the "church hoppers" that we're accustomed to reeling in. So, what is the solution? Quit repackaging grandma's church and start acting like the church in Acts. Start behaving like the Christian character Paul describes in Romans 12, and stop mimicking the character of the Corinthian and Revelation churches. The character of the Christians that Paul described in Romans 12 revealed the significance of living and functioning in relationships that we encounter in the world. He (Paul) spoke on how to rightly relate to God, the world, ourselves, other believers, and un-believers in the world. It makes sense to me that if we mimicked Romans 12 rather than the church that we've known in the western world for hundreds of years, we might find ourselves reaching and relating to people who live in our neighborhoods and communities. Let's face reality; religion will not reach people. Relationships on the other hand is the true essence of how we can and should reach out to people who need Christ. So, as we begin 2009 I would challenge you to do everything you can as a church planter to bury the habits of practicing religion. Try commiting to living like a Romans 12 follower of Christ (this is what I've committed to do myself). I would further challenge you to do everything you can to reach out and build relationships with lost people. If you haven't figured this out yet, let me remind you that "they (un-churched people) are not going to show up to your church plant." What reaches people are people; not religion, things, gimmicks, and shows. People building and living out of genuine relationships reach people. My prayer is you'll earnestly try this approach this year. What do you have to lose if you do? Oh yeah, that old menace called RELIGION!

Aim small, miss small

2008-12-17T14:26:00.007-05:00

One of my favorite lines in the movie "The Patriot" is the one where the father (mel gibson) tells his two sons to "aim small, miss small" when shooting at their targets. When one uses this phrase it always raises an eyebrow to "what does that really mean?" The line was communicated to raise the awareness that if you going to hit a target, the best way to insure a direct hit on the target, is to aim at something specific rather than at something large. Good soldiers know that if you try to shoot your gun at the whole man, rather than at something on the man, your odds of missing your target are extremely higher. But, if you aim for the button on the coat of the man, there is a greater chance for a direct hit.

This is the dilemma many church planters have in starting a new church. They think if you aim at the masses you're bound to hit something. And, in reality they do. The problem is when they focus their aim at reaching the masses, their usual targets are not what they were aiming at in the first place. Meaning, when you aim and shoot at the mass in church planting, what you normally get is dysfunctional and disenfranchised "Christians." If many church planters would adopt the mentality of going after more individuals rather than the crowd, they might find out in time that what they were aiming for is actually what they are getting in return. The philosophy of "aim small, miss small" doesn't just apply in war and hunting, it also applies to reaching men and women for Christ. If church planters would take the time to aim more intentionally at people who are outside of a relationship Christ, and zero in on reaching them, then perhaps our church plants would be filled more with people who have been outside of Christ. What I see is this -- what we put in our sights is what we get. If you put a mass of people in your sights, and then pull the trigger, what you get from the mass is usually a mess. If you target going after one person at a time, you'll probably end up with the type of people you were trying to reach in the first place. So, the choice is yours and mine. We can aim for the crowd, and bag what we get. Or, we can be more intentional at what we're aiming at and zero in on people whom God puts in our path. One is easier and doesn't take as much time, and the results usually are unappealing and regretful. The other is harder and takes time, and the results are always fresh and rewarding. I don't know what your aiming at as a church planter today, but my prayer is that you "aim small so that you miss small" and you bag what God wanted you to go after in the first place.

What it's all about

2008-12-07T22:42:00.004-05:00

A reminder for church planters during this Christmas season:

"The beginning of the story is wonderful and great, but it's the ending that can save you and that's why we celebrate. It's about the cross!"

I came across this video that I believe will help you and I to remind people what this season is really all about. Let me know what you think!

When in Rome. . .

2008-12-01T15:39:00.003-05:00

The old saying; "when in Rome do as the Romans do" is good practical advice for a church planter. If there is one thing a church planter needs to do well it is to live and become a part of the culture where they are planting a church. I was reminded of this today as I watched the extreme focus that the media was placing on the first day of Deer Hunting in Pennsylvania. In PA. deer hunting is a religion and holiday. On the first day schools are closed, the TV stations are stationed on the roadsides to interview hunters going in and coming out of the woods, and the neighborhoods are looking and listening to find out who got the big Buck. For a planter to be successful in this area of the country they must get connected somehow to this yearly phenomenon that takes place on the first Monday after Thanksgiving. The ability to relationally connect with men (and some women) may totally land on whether or not a planter invests some of his time, energy, and resources in engaging in this sport. When a planter takes the time to "exegete" his culture he will quickly find what makes the people in his arena of life "tick." When they've found that "tick" and invest themselves in participating in the interest of the people all kinds of relational doors quickly open. When they are lazy and can care less about what makes people tick, their approaching them to share the gospel will probably just "tick them off." So, here's some advice from a seasoned planter, "when in Rome you better learn and do what the Romans do." In PA. that means getting a gun and a hunting licence and getting out there with the majority of men who are passionate about one thing; killing deer. Learn to exegete the culture. Learn it, live it, and love it; this may be the very entry point into people's lives that you've been praying for.

Holiday downtime

2008-11-21T14:57:00.005-05:00

Holidays are an excellent time for a church planter to recoup his energy and spend valuable time with his family. If you're church planting I would encourage to downshift your energies during this time. After the holidays come and go, the demands of ministering and planting in the winter don't get easier, they get harder. In my church planting experience I noticed as long as people were preoccupied with the festivities of the holidays they were not focused on themselves and their issues. But, once January 2nd came, this quickly changed. The antidote for this annual occurrence for me was to slow down and take it easy over the holidays. When I did this it helped give me the energy that I needed to deal with the "winter blues" that quickly enveloped people. So, slow it down a bit over the next month, spend some time with the family, and get some rest. . . January will be here before you know it.

E & Voice Mail Overload

2008-11-17T11:33:00.004-05:00

Have you ever felt like you were on E-mail and Voice Mail overload? All these messages coming are coming at you and you really have no time to address them because of your schedule, family, and other responsibilities. Church planters often have this challenge, especially those guys who are bi-vocational as they are planting a church. So, what is the answer? How do you address the constant influx of those E and V mails that are always coming in? Try, scheduling a time of day that you will respond to these messages. Set aside a specific time for addressing e-mails, and a specific time for answering and responding to voice mail calls. For example; try using a half hour either in the morning or evening to answer your e-mails. . . use your commuting time to respond to voice mails. Then, let those around you know that this is what you do, communicate your schedule to those who are wanting your time to respond to them. There is nothing worse than trying to work on a sermon or bible study only to have a e-mail message pop-up or your cell phone ring as your contemplating what God is wanting you to share with people. Guard your time, lay out a specific time each day that you will reply to those who are trying to get a hold of you. We are told that good electronic etiquette is responding within 24 hours to those who have contacted you. I think it's only fair that those who are trying to contact you should respect the parameters you've established for answering their inquiries. So, set those parameters up, and see if this will eliminate the stress of always feeling like you have to return that call and answer that e-mail right away. I'm sure if you do you, your wife and family will be glad that you did!

Kingdom vs. Church

2008-11-10T16:44:00.003-05:00

Kingdom vs. the Church, which one do you choose? This is a tough question! Which one is your priority? Can they be separated? Why is there more focus on building the church than on the Kingdom of God? As I ponder these question myself I remember, reflect, and rely on the Scriptures from the gospels to help me see the priority. 116 times the Kingdom is referred to in the Gospels; the church is referred to but twice. Jesus came on the scene preaching the Kingdom, and His last words to His followers in the 40 days between the resurrection and the ascension were focused on the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). Since Jesus' focus and priority was on the Kingdom, is it possible that this may be the dysfunctional dilemma that the western church faces today? Do we spend more time talking about church and its growth than we do about God's Kingdom? I'm not a theologian nor do I pretend to act like one, I have a pastors heart who likes to take Scripture at face value. Common sense tells me that Jesus modeled what should be our main focus, the proclamation of good news of the Kingdom of God (Luke 4:43). It also tells me that the church was established to help people see, find, and embrace the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. Is it possible that we have our priorities all "screwed up?" Now hear me, I'm not bashing the church, I'm only challenging what I believe matters most based upon what Christ said and focused on while He ministered here on the earth. Why am I writing this now? A few days ago I witnessed a preacher sharing a message on the Kingdom of God to nearly 7,000 students at a Christian University. What an awesome and inspiring message! As he challenged students to realize the significance of the Kingdom and to embrace putting God's Kingdom first, hardly a stir nor a word was moving from the crowd that filled the arena. This made me realize that if we miss the significance of promoting the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, then we may as well close up shop. Oh!, wait a minute, is that what's happening already? My point is this; if we proclaim and live the gospel of the Kingdom of God (like Jesus did),then perhaps we will receive more of the promise that God provides to those who do (Matt. 6:33). One might ask what is the Kingdom of God actually? Henry Blackaby defines it as "the rule and reign of God in our hearts." Now I've been around a while, so I will leave those who would challenge my thoughts with these Scriptures to ponder (Mark 1:15; Matt. 6:33; Luke 4:43; Luke 9:2; Luke 9:11; Luke 9:60; Luke 18:17; Matt. 24:14; 1 Cor. 4:20). I'll write more about this later.

Dealing with the Blues

2008-10-28T18:40:00.004-04:00

Today is a reminder in the Northeast US that winter will not be too far around the corner. Some areas in my locale received nearly 8 inches of snow today, and more is on the way overnight. When the weather changes in the northeast, so does the mindset of the people. Cold windy days and nights, snowy and icy days, and limited daylight quickly change the attitude and mindset of the people. The energy people once had over the Spring, Summer, and early Fall is quickly eroded as the first snowflake flies in the air. Today, I was reminded as a church planter of the energy that is needed to combat the onslaught of the "winter blues." As a planter you cannot change the blues from setting in, but you can prepare for how you can react to this yearly phenomenon. So, here's some advice. In dealing with these blues over many winter seasons in the Northeast, I learned to do several things:

1. Try to find ways to exercise your body and mind. Going to a gym and forcing yourself to get outdoors will give you more energy to cope with the "winter blues." Exercise also fuels the mind.

2. Don't over exert your own energy by trying to increase others. Many times I was guilty of burning "extra" energy just to try to keep people up and moving.

3. Maintain a healthy diet. More fat creates the tendency to be lazy. When you lay around in "the cabin" eating, you get "cabin fever."

4. Laugh, joke, and laugh some more (but don't joke about someone else's depression). I wished I had done more of that, this is a prescription for your sanity.

5. Guard yourself from those who want to pull you into their pool of misery and depression.

6. Create positive messages that inspire and create energy, not contribute to the draining that is already going on.

7. Get "out of dodge" towards the end of winter, and if you can't do it make sure your spouse gets some reprieve from fighting the "winter blues." When Spring hits, your people will quickly bounce back with energy. If you waste all of yours trying to keep them going over the winter you will not have any when Spring arrives. Been there done that!

8. Yield to the fact that the "winter blues" comes with the territory. You can't change it, but you can to deal with it. Learn to cope with this element within the culture.

There is probably more that I can share about dealing with this yearly challenge that church planters and pastors face in the Northeast, but at this moment this is all I have. So, if you have any ideas that you can pass along on how to deal with the "winter blues", drop a comment or two. And, if you're from the southern end of the ministerial spectrum, please don't laugh; we don't laugh at you when you get your share of blues (from tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, and scorching 100 degree days). Instead pray for your brothers and sisters who deal with this yearly phenomenon in the NE US. I'll probably write more about this topic in a couple of months, but in the meantime, get yourself prepared to "deal with the blues."

Legacy

2008-10-15T18:37:00.015-04:00

How important is a legacy? What legacy are you leaving behind? I was reminded this week of something that had been handed down through generations in my family -- faith. I found out that a man who sailed with William Penn (the founder of PA) in 1682 on the ship "Welcome", 9 generations before I was born, was my great x8 grandfather, Thomas Fitzwater. Thomas came by faith to America to help establish (birth) a colony where religious freedom would be established and given to every person who has lived in Pennsylvania up until now. In his quest to follow this call he sacrificed much. Thomas Fitzwater lost his wife (Mary) and 2 children to small pox on the 2 month journey from England. And, even in through these losses, he persevered to establish a town (Fitzwatertown), become a writer to the Frame of Government of PA (the document that declared PA. a colony), start-up a Limestone Kiln business (which is quite probable that his product was used to build Independence Hall), serve as a member of the 1st Assembly (House) of Pennsylvania, and also serve his community as a minister to his fellow Quakers. Through receiving this information I realized that he not only did this for his family, but for the future for all that would follow after him. His legacy left an indelible impact in PA. and throughout his family for generations to come. I realized in hearing about this man that the DNA of our family as it started life in the new America, was forged and built on faith and freedom in Christ. Today this legacy helps inspire me to build on that which was provided for me 9 generations ago. It's now my turn, and that of my children, to pass on to the next generation this same legacy of faith and freedom in Christ. I can only believe that my grandfather (9 generations ago) experienced persecution for his faith and beliefs as he tried to raise a family under the watch of the Crown and the State Church of England. This perhaps was the defining moment that led him to pursue a new life, and to build a life of faith and freedom that could be passed down for generations to come. I am a product of his faith, and I've found the freedom in Christ that he sacrificed much for. What about you? What are you leaving behind, or better yet, what has been left behind that you now must carry the torch for those who come behind you? Thomas Fitzwater's legacy is still felt today; hundreds if not thousands of his own family have come to faith in Christ, and an elementary school (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School) in Bucks County PA is named after this noble, faithful, and godly man. If you haven't thought about your legacy, I'd encourage you to think about it, the faith of generations that follow you may be determined by what you leave behind.

Trust

2008-10-10T09:09:00.004-04:00

A word for the tough time we're all enduring today -- TRUST. Psalm 20:7 says; "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." For to long now people within our society have trusted in themselves, government, and Wall Street. The election in a few weeks in my mind is a barometer of who people in our country will place their trust in. You know as I do, that the Bible is clear to where we are to place our trust. Psalm 33:12 says; "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD...". As America (and the world) falls from their pride and self-sufficiency, this creates an awesome platform for churches to lovingly guide people to direct their lives to the only One whom they can trust the most -- God. A good quality every church planter should have is knowing how to address the issues that are permeating the culture. Learn to seize opportunities like we are facing in our culture today. Let it be that edge to speak into the lives of people who are seeing their own worldly foundations slipping away. As I watched TV last night I was amazed to see that both presidential candidates were being challenged by "angry people" over the state of affairs that are country currently finds itself in. They are demanding answers to fix the dilemma that has rocked their world. We are now living in an era of mistrust or distrust. Pastors and church planters cannot fix bank accounts or 401K's, but we can help fix the moral and spiritual dilemma within our country by sharing the message of Jesus Christ. When it comes down to it, that is what this is really all about; moral and spiritual decay. When it comes to what we need to do in such a time as this, it's to share the reliable message of real prosperity; TRUST in GOD! My prayer for you and other preachers throughout the land is that you will herald the cry from our Creator; "TRUST in the Lord with all your heart, and don't rely on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right path (Prov. 3:5-6)."

Stepping up to challenges

2008-10-03T22:06:00.004-04:00

One of the neat things about challenges is that it always gives you the opportunity to step up to a place that you may have never journeyed before. My challenge today was creating a Facebook page. After being challenged by a peer to set-up a page, I thought I'd give it a try. It's amazing how many friends I connected with in a very short time. In my arena of ministry, having the best communication tools are critical. I've already noticed that Facebook may give me another resource in the recruiting of church planters. After getting started with Facebook I was curious to how much church planters could benefit from this tool. My recent searches regarding church planting connected me to many networks and individuals who are out there plugging away in this arena. I've also noticed how many exisiting churches have created pages and networks to help communicate with their parishoners. I may be a little late in getting connected to Facebook, but it has already shown me that the 3 hour challenge of getting the page created, may pay great dividends down the road. So, if your a church planter, and you haven't created a Facebook page, I would highly recommend you take a few hours to create and connect to this amazing technological tool. Step up to the challenge, you may be amazed to who connects with you!

Feel the pulse

2008-10-01T13:13:00.011-04:00

Our culture is sick (morally), but still alive. People everyday are struggling with real life challenges, and they are searching for answers to deal with these issues. We all know that the issues of Wall Street are pressing down on the people who live on Main Street. In times like these church planters have a open door to readily address cultural issues and challenges. They can do this by learning to "feel the pulse" of their community and people. When people struggle (economically, emotionally, spiritually) in life; I believe every church planter, pastor, and missionary has the opportunity to distribute an antidote to what is ailing the people. I.E.; the recent developments of Wall Street have created an upwelling of anxiety and fear within our society. If a church planter/pastor would speak on the issue of trust (something that is absent in our culture today), and where people can find and rely on something (or Someone) whom they can trust, can you imagine the results and the potential for community transformation? Biblically we have examples of how individuals knew how to "feel the pulse" of their culture. The Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul are two examples of individuals that knew how to address the issues that people were dealing with on an everyday basis. Their antidote was always God's truth and love.

In 2001 I remember addressing a crowd of over 2,000 people that had gathered in a small town park in Western New York. The crowd gathered to pray for our country as we were dealing with the biggest crisis to hit the mainland of the United States; the Terrorist attack on 9/11. As I was asked to speak and to offer prayer at this rally, I realized (sensed) that the biggest need of that moment was to address the fear that was gripping the hearts of people in our community. On that day I learned that when challenges arise in our culture, this becomes a prime opportunity for Christianity to rise above those challenges with God's message of love, hope, and peace. I remembered sharing that when calamity comes upon us in times like 9/11, that there is One who is greater than our fears, enemies, and circumstances. God used this moment in that park to speak to both Christians and non-Christians. Several people engaged our church plant because of this moment, and some of those people ended up coming to faith in Christ. I learned through that event that the greatest thing that I could do as a communicator of the gospel was to listen, understand, and "feel the pulse" of our culture. Why? Sin is prevalent, crisis will always come, and people will search for some form of rescue and relief. We are then given these types of opportunities because we know what offers people real rescue and relief in life. The question I have for church planters today is; "do you have a feel on the pulse" of your community? And, are your ready and open to offer them the antidote to their moral, emotional, spiritual, and economic dilemma's when they come? It was in a time of crisis that I learned the valuable lesson of "feeling the pulse" of my community. We again are facing challenges within are society today. It's your turn now to grab a stethoscope and "feel the pulse" of our day. It's your time to deliver the antidote in their time of crisis.

Antidote -- A remedy or other agent used to neutralize or counteract the effects of a poison.

Disconnected

2008-09-23T20:22:00.007-04:00

I think we've underestimated how disconnected the church is from our society. Some experts are now telling us that only 20-25% of the US population is attending church on any given weekend. These numbers are rapidly catching up with what is happening in the United Kingdom and Canada. Only 4 to 6% of their people attend church. So, if every two years we lose 5%, then in 10 years we could mirror our "mother land" and Canada. How accurate is this prediction? Just 10 years ago we were told that 40% of Americans attended church. So, what is the disconnect? I think it lies in the churches effort to still try and "attract" people into the church instead of being more "incarnational" and going after people in the communities in which we live. I'm concerned that a large number of church planters are still pursuing the "attractional" approach to reaching people, when our culture is showing us they are not interested in being wooed into a church. This approach (attractional) in church planting only seems successful as many planters use tens of thousands of dollars to successfully launch a church. What I see is many church planters becoming more and more frustrated because they do not have and cannot find the resources that some have used to "launch" new churches. This approach, while once the most popular, seems to be successful in swapping Christians from one church to another. It is not showing much success in engaging those who are "disconnected" from Christ. Until the church wakes up and realizes that real transformation (in individuals and communities) only takes place through incarnational ministry, the results will always be the same. More and more Christians moving from church to church, and many more lost people refusing to be wooed by the "attractional" tactics of the church.
The answer I believe lies in the US church's willingness to abandon its 20th century philosophy of "doing" church. We need church planters and pastors who are willing to mobilize its people to engage and penetrate the culture with the gospel. Go after them, build relationships with them, and wait patiently on the Holy Spirit to transform them with the "good news." What does this look like? Probably more Christians actively serving in the "streets" and less Christians just "hanging out" at church buildings. It probably means that congregations will be more lean and mean in its effort in "making disciples." That's probably the trade off; more mobilized Christ-followers and less consumers within the church. And, it probably means we would have more churches running around 50-60 with bi-vocational pastors. The bigger our "attractional" churches get, the less impact it seems we have on changing the culture. The Eastern church (the other side of the world) has proven that "lean and mean" is more effective than what we've been producing. I think its time we stopped building what we like and know and start connecting with "disconnected" people in our culture, what do you think?

Diversion

2008-09-16T14:50:00.003-04:00

One of the greatest tactics that Satan uses is diversion. If he can distract you from doing what God is asked you to do, he knows how effective this can be in thwarting God's work on the earth. Recently I've noticed some distractions that have been popping up in church planting, distractions that are diverting church planters from fulfilling the call that God gave them to plant a church. What are those distractions? Money (it's the economy stupid), people (the lack thereof), and ego (I don't want to look like a failure). Whenever your attention is diverted by these things the success of the church plant quickly erodes. Erosion is somewhat slow, it usually takes its time, but it is very successful in taking what you were firmly planted on out from under you. That is what these things I mentioned are doing in church planting today. I've seen (and still see) to many guys slowly eroding away from their call of planting a church. Their strategy has been compromised by things that have distracted them away from their work. Their attention is not focused on "what's above", but on "things that are of the earth." So, what is the answer? Jesus said that our focus always needs to be on "seeking first the Kingdom of God", I think this is first and always foremost the answer. We need to ask the hard questions when distractions and temptations stare us in the face. Questions like; "did God not call me to this task", "who is my provider", "is God's opinion more important than men", "can God not provide everything I need to be successful in His eyes"? The point in writing this blog is to communicate that when we are faced with diversions (satanic and worldly) we must look to the One who the Bible tells us is the "Author and Finisher of our faith", the One who promised that He "would never leave nor forsake us", and that He "would provide all of our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus." Diversions may distract us for a time, but they should never destroy us from moving forward in fulfilling God's call to plant a church. If you find yourself having been distracted from your call, do yourself a favor and divert your attention back to the one thing that matters the most; God's call and plan for your life.

Refreshment

2008-09-09T16:48:00.004-04:00

I'm back! There is nothing like taking a vacation that is free from cell phones and e-mails. My wife and I just spent almost two weeks in Murrells Inlet, SC hanging out at the beach and with family. No worries, no problems, no meetings, and no calendared events; man was it great. The greatest thing about it was the refreshment it brings to your spirit and mind. I was able to process some things I've been thinking about when I got back home rather quickly, and I did this without giving those things a second thought while I was away.

I'm writing this blog today (after a three week hiatus from writing an entry) to communicate the value of just getting away. Beth and I didn't spend a lot of money, we just enjoyed walking over a lot of sand, talking, laughing, playing in the water, exercising, and just taking in the beauty of God's creation. This time of refreshment brought back to me that saying that has been shared many times over; "if you don't come apart, you will come apart (in pieces)." The neatest thing that happened was how quickly I was able to process some things that I had been dealing with for months when I returned. As I mentioned, I didn't think about those things while I was away, but when I returned with renewed energy those things were settled in my mind very quickly. I'm sure this is what the Lord was trying to model to us when He removed Himself from the crowd to spend time being renewed by the Father. So, I would encourage you if you haven't invested some time to get away -- do it. Don't use the excuse that you can't afford to; you cannot afford "not" to get away. If you need some refreshment; plan it, do it, enjoy it, and then allow that renewal time to quickly help you deal with the everyday affairs and challenges of life. For me, life for 10 days was "a beach". It was the beach that calmed my thoughts, attitude, and gave me a refreshed perspective on life. So, if you need to adjust your attitude, thoughts and gain a better perspective on life; try the beach (or the mountains) or whatever works for you.

Stewardship and Church Planting

2008-08-15T19:21:00.003-04:00

I'm passing this along from the Church Planter Update I received from NAMB. It speaks to the significance of teaching "biblical stewardship" in church planting. Read this paragraph and then click on the link for the full article.

A study conducted by NAMB in 2007 to identify the factors that helped a church plant survive beyond five years found that church plants that have a proactive stewardship plan enjoy a 178% greater chance of surviving beyond five years than their non-proactive counterparts. The study also found that enacting a positive plan for engaging new members in stewardship is critical to helping a new congregation become financially independent. Finally, the study demonstrated that stewardship plans need to be in place early on in the life of the church plant in order to promote financial health and independence. To read more about the stewardship challenge for church plants, click here.

Reaching Men

2008-08-13T12:06:00.012-04:00

One of the greatest resources for developing a healthy and vibrant church plant are men. The challenge is you have to reach them before you get them. One of the greatest ways to reach men are to give them an opportunity to get their hands dirty (with a tool), get them outdoors (with a gun or a rod), or get them involved in some type of sports activity. As we enter the fall season you might want to creatively think about ways that you can reach out to men in your area. Here are some suggestions:

1. Wild Game Dinner. Have some guys you know bring in what they've caught or killed and host a dinner inviting men to come and taste the catch these men provided. You can invite some type of expert (gun, archery, fishing) to come and share with the men some innovative tactics that will make them a better sportsman. Stores like Cabela's, Gander Mountain, and Bass Pro can provide you with some local names to contact. Outdoor Ministry Network is also a good resource for this type of an event.

2. A Sportsman Conference. There is one coming up in September in Butler, PA. See http://www.outdoorministrynetwork.com/ for details.

3. Football parties with free food and several large screen TV's.

4. Community projects that require men using their tools (toys). Cutting down tree's, replacing roofs, fixing houses that our in desperate need of repair (note: men will do work for people who are in need, but not for people who are lazy; so line up your project wisely).

5. Golf outings that have prizes or raise money for some particular need.

6. Get some 4 wheelers together and plan an outing in the mountains.

You get the idea. Men like to put their hands on things, they like to get dirty, make noise, see someone else get dirty and make noise. Think creatively! Ask some guys you know what they would like to do to help reach out to other men. And, when you do any of this, seize the moment and tell your story how Christ has changed your life.

One final thought: A recent study by George Barna indicated that if a man is reached for Christ you have a 93% chance of reaching the whole family for Christ. I don't know about you, but I know where I go hunting when looking for people to start and plant a church. To me, the great outdoors isn't a bad place to hunt and fish for men.

Hearing from God

2008-08-05T17:48:00.006-04:00

I've learned over the years that hearing from God is never easy, but it is always necessary. Right now I'm struggling with hearing the voice of God concerning matters that have been laid before me. What do I do? Where do I turn? Which direction should I pursue? These are often the questions that you deal with in your mind when your faced with discerning God's will. So, as I wrestle with these types of questions I reminded to resort back to the things that I know that are tried and true and have helped me in the past. I have gleaned some wisdom from an old Puritan truth and from the study, Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God. When your seeking to know God's will go to these sources:

1. The Word of God

2. Inward impressions upon our spirit by the Holy Spirit (through prayer)

3. God's providence (His work in circumstances)

4. Godly counsel

5. Wisdom -- redeemed wisdom like the wisdom found in Proverbs (rather than the wisdom of the world; i.e. "pro's and con's)

When you filter these sources through your decision making, most often the direction becomes clear. This is where I'm parked right now. Listening, watching, waiting, and depending on God's providential direction to follow His will.

So, if your struggling with making a tough decision, think about these sources to help guide you on your way. Pray for me as I work through hearing from God, and let me know if I can pray for you as your seeking God's Divine direction and will at this time. A dear and loyal friend shared this Scripture with me today; it blessed me so much that I want to pass it along to you. I pray that it might offer you hope and direction in your life today.

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isa. 30:21

There is no place like home

2008-08-01T14:38:00.004-04:00

I've been on a weeks journey in the south (attending a meeting in Atlanta) and through this journey I've really come to appreciate the arena that God has placed me in to minister -- the NE USA. I've realized that there is no greater a mission field in this North American continent than in this context. I've also learned how much we (my fellow peers) have grasped an understanding of the lostness that exists within our culture and what is really needed to engage this culture for Christ. So, as I make my way back home I come home with a deeper appreciation for where I've been called and the challenge of ministry that God has laid before me. Don't get me wrong the south is nice, warm, friendly, and cheaper to live; I'm planning on retiring there one day to be near my kids and g-kids. But, the Christian community to me hasn't quite yet wrestled with or grasped the reality of their own spiritual climate. It seems they still think that everyone knows about God and has heard about Jesus. We'll, it's not that way where God has called me, and I'm now heading home to be used by Him to help make a dent in the lostness there. So as I head back north, I head back with a new appreciation for serving God in this spiritually dark arena. Right now, it is my home, and I'm proud to serve God in this place. I never thought that being where God wants you to serve Him would bring me to say; "there's no place like home!"

Still Missing ??

2008-07-29T14:00:00.005-04:00

I'm currently attending a training event in Atlanta, Georgia. I'm hearing some good things about new initiatives that are speaking to how we can engage and reach our culture for Christ. The theme surrounding this event is "Living with Urgency: Sowing Together for a Harvest." I've heard many statistics, but there is one that has really gripped my heart; 250 million people who live in the US and Canada are lost (do not have a relationship with Christ). When you break this down it means that when someone dies every 11 seconds in this continent, there is a 75% chance that they will die without a relationship with Christ. Although I have appreciated the emphasis on reaching this mass of people through a new initiative, I have been surprised at the lack of mention of the most important ingredient needed in evangelizing people - LOVE. A while back I wrote a blog (5/13) about how this important ingredient was absolutely necessary to be effective in reaching people for Christ. Today, I'm recognizing that we do not talk enough about loving people when we speak of evangelizing them. The topic of love for the most part is missing when the subject of evangelism surfaces. If were going to reach people we need to realize that Christ engaged people with love. The woman at the well is one example (John 4). The woman experienced the unconditional love of Christ as he engaged her when he was drinking from the well on that day. His encounter with her was truly love and truth colliding together. The encounter radically shook her values and changed her heart and life. As I see it Jesus' model of evangelism was to balance love (genuinely care about people) and truth, and we need in our day to model and practice His method of evangelism. Biblically and practically we know that when you show people that you really love them, they will be more open and receptive to His truth.
My heart in writing this blog is to draw attention to the fact that evangelism needs to be balanced with genuine love and with the saving message of the gospel. One without the other makes evangelism incomplete. Words without love seldom brings transformation in the hearts of people. In our generation we have been somewhat diligent in sharing Jesus with lost people, I'm wondering what would have happened if we had shared the gospel along with exercising the unconditional love of Christ. Right now, showing love when evangelizing appears to be a missing ingredient. When you think of evangelizing, please make sure love's not the missing ingredient in your own evangelism strategy in reaching people for Jesus.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Cor. 13:1

Some things are tried and true

2008-07-18T08:44:00.006-04:00

I've just returned from a 2 1/2 week adventure working with our partners in North Carolina. What a blessing and a God send they have been. During this time I had a lot of time to reflect on the things that matter most to God. As I looked back over my experiences and adventures I remember the single most significant thing that mattered the most; searching for where God is at work and joining Him in His work. I believe that any difference that my life has made in the Kingdom as been centered around this biblical principle (Jn. 5:17). I owe this truth to God speaking through Henry Blackaby in his writing of Experiencing God. Experiencing God has been pivotal in my life and ministry. If we as church planters aren't looking for the activity of God we will find ourselves searching in an arena of selfishness and carnality. I would ask this question of you; "is what you are doing centered around the activity of God?" If it is not, then stop doing what you are doing and join God in where He is working around you. I'm confident that at the end of life we would rather be known as a people/planter that was constantly seeking and serving in the arena of God's activity. Where is this activity? Only God can show you. You have to spend time with Him so that you understand His desires, when you understand His desires you will see His activity. So, don't waste time today or next week doing the same old things, choose to get on your face and cry out to see God's activity. Listen, watch, and wait. If you do this God will show something amazing that you haven't yet seen or experienced with Him. Yes, there are some things are tried and true. And, one of them is that God is at work and He is wanting you to see His activity so that you can join Him in that work. If we'll do that, just imagine what great things will happen around us as we respond to Him. My prayer is that you'll make up your mind to chase after the heart, desires, and the activity of God. If you do this, the Bible promises you that you will be blessed. Have a great weekend!

The "Big MO"

2008-07-03T18:57:00.005-04:00

Summer time for church planters means Mission Teams. Today as I compiled a list of all the mission teams coming to minister along side our church planters, I reflected on the value of what these teams bring. I can remember, and still hear the stories today, on how mission teams (partners) bring and supply energy, resources, valuable connections, and "noise" (in the community) for a church plant. Many times a huge surge of momentum is created because of the work and ministry of a mission group. The best time to capitalize on this momentum is on the heels of the teams work and departure. If a church planter lets days and weeks go by, they often times miss the activity and opportunities that were stirred up by a mission team. Many times the planter takes a "siesta" and watches all the opportunities to make connections slip by as they "recoup" from the energy used while the team was on the field. Here is a suggestion from one who understands how much energy a planter uses when hosting a mission group. Put up some boundaries. Begin the mission teams journey with a a 1 hour "briefing." When they arrive welcome them, tell them what you hope to accomplish, share with them about the area, give them the "cardinal" rules of what to do and not to do, and then transfer full confidence that they will be used by God in a mighty way. During the time they are with you plan to spend one evening (1 hour) and one morning (2 hours) with them. Delegate some of the people already connected to your church plant to engage and participate in what the mission team is doing for the week. Make phone calls to check on them, especially to the team leader. At the end of the week, plan spending at least 1-2 hours with the team de-briefing them about their experience, thanking them for their work, and praying for their travels back home. This scenario only adds up to 6-8 hours investment of your time. The point: Save your energy for when they leave. The work of a mission team creates a lot of momentum for a church plant. Wise planning on your part while they are here will allow you to engage the contacts made from the mission teams work, and it will give you the needed energy to ride the momentum (the "Big MO") created by the team. Saving your energy to ride this momentum will be a huge asset in reaching more people for Christ through your church plant. So, this summer, catch the "Big MO" created by the mission teams; plan well, work smart, and save your energy for when they go home. If you do, you will be amazed at the harvest that comes from all those seeds planted by the mission team.

Gratitude

2008-06-30T09:54:00.004-04:00

"Do unto others as you would have them do to you" (Matt. 7:12). Have you ever bent over backwards for someone and never even got one word or act of appreciation? Unfortunately this happens to church planters and pastors all the time. And what is even more unfortunate is when church planters and pastors model this same type of behavior. Lack of gratitude is one thing that will quickly kill a church plant. I've seen this so many times; people and partners invest in the work of a church plant and not even one mention of thanks or gratitude expressed back to those who have given and sacrificed time, resources, and energy. This attitude has a erosion type of effect. First it starts with resources dwindling away, then it escalates with people pulling away. I know personally how beneficial it is to appreciate (show gratitude) those who have contributed to the work that God is doing through His people. Appreciation that is expressed through hand written notes, gifts, and phone calls. People want to feel that what they have contributed is of value. They do not want to be under appreciated by a church planter and/or church plant who have some type of entitlement attitude. Jesus simply said; "treat others the way you would want to be treated." It is a biblical principle teaches that respect and gratitude, and it goes two ways. Practicing this principle also enhances long lasting friendships and relationships. So, if you recently had a parishioner or partner who has gone the extra mile for you and your church plant, please take the time to let them know how much you appreciate all that they have done in Jesus name. If you sow appreciation, you'll reap a harvest of appreciation. Tell someone today that has blessed you and your church plant; thank you!

The #1 pitfall of a planter

2008-06-27T16:09:00.007-04:00

I was reading Henry Blackaby's devotional this morning (Exp. God Day-by-Day)and it hit me that what he was speaking about what is perhaps the number one pitfall of church planters--pride. I would encourage you to take a ride onto this link (http://www.blackaby.org/) and ponder the words within this devotional. It was a real gut-check for me today, especially after hearing yesterday the testimony of a young man (potential church planter) who had to experence some changes in his life so God could speak into this issue surrounding his life. With pride, nothing will happen. No power, no presence, and no promises or blessings from God. My prayer for you is that if God is wanting to speak to you about this issue, you'll give him 15 minutes to let Him encounter you today. I know you will be blessed for doing this as I was today. Have a great weekend!

Tough times = Ministry opportunities

2008-06-25T16:59:00.008-04:00

We already know that our economy is going through a really tough time. Many people are struggling with paying bills and purchasing food for their families. Some have mentioned the struggle of using "food monies" to pay for gasoline. Food Pantries in cities are already emptying their shelves and trying to make the community aware that a crisis is on the horizon. Although this dilemma is beginning to shake our economy, it offers a tremendous opportunity for the church to minister to the community with the love of Jesus Christ. When winter rolls around in a few months many people will find themselves in need of extra help. A church plant can be ready to meet this challenge by developing a "food bank" within their church, or gathering food to take to local Food Banks within their communities. They can gather together clothes from their congregation and they can collect financial resources to help people (inside and outside the church) when a crisis arises in their lives. One of the faults of the church is that we do not think ahead on how we can proactive in meeting the needs of people. Can you imagine the opportunities for witnessing and ministry as people look for someone to help them through the challenges this economy is placing upon families. So, why not act now? Ask your people to bring in canned food, clothes they don't use, and take up some special offerings during the summer months to be ready to meet these needs when they're presented to the church. Here are some websites that might help you to begin this process:

Angel Food Ministries
Food Bank of NE NY

Food Drive Ideas

How to Create a Garage Food Pantry

Community Clothes Closet

My heart in writing this entry was to promote awareness. Awareness should then launch us to action. Action will create opportunities. And, opportunities may lead to new souls being "born again" into the Kingdom of God. Tough times are challenging, but tough times give the church great opportunities for evangelism and ministry.

Free Stuff

2008-06-20T11:33:00.006-04:00

Church planters have to make money go along way. One of the things church planters love is "free stuff." Here are some things that you can access (via the web) for free to help you in your church planting endeavor.

Time-management organizer. Create an up-to-the-minute to-do list complete with reminders via instant message or e-mail through http://www.rememberthemilk.com/.

Wi-fi Hot Spots. You can find which restaurants and coffee shops in your community that offer free wireless internet. Get a directory at http://www.wififreespot.com/.

Business cards. VistaPrint is online printing company known for its amazing offer if 250 free business cards. They're good quality too! If you visit http://www.vistaprint.com/ you can order your free cards. You will have to pay $5 in shipping charges.

Spam filter. Un-clog your e-mail with http://www.spamato.net/.

Credit report. Everyone is entitled to one free credit report from each of the three major credit bureau's each year free of charge. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com and follow the directions. Why is this free? It's mandated by law, and this site is sponsored by the three major companies -- Equifax, Transunion, and Experian.

Gently used stuff. One person's junk is another person's treasure at http://www.freecycle.org/. By joining a local Freecycle chapter, you can get used furniture, household appliances and a variety of other items. It's free, just know that those who take are also expected to give. No money is allowed to change hands.

Online (free) checking account. ING is paperless checking account (no checks or checkbook) that pays you 3.4 interest on your balance. You can do everything -- deposit your paycheck, pay bills, send a paper or electronic check, transfer money -- securely online. It is FREE! Check ING out at http://www.ingdirect.com/.

Family calendar. All the information you need in one place. http://www.famudo.com/ is an online calendar, address book, and message board. The site merges each individuals schedule into one calendar, which can be accessed by a personal code from any computer.

I hope these free items might be helpful to you, your family, and church plant. I know personally how tough it is in starting a church. Knowing how to "squeeze" a dollar becomes a skill as you look at every avenue to save "a buck." So, I hope you'll check these things out and that in some way they will save you some money.

Information courtesy of Woman's Day magazine. Volume 71, Issue # 10

The Secret

2008-06-18T15:14:00.010-04:00

I'm currently reading an excellent book by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller; It is called The Secret -- What Great Leaders Know and Do. The book was written to help you explore five fundamental ways that leaders lead through service. "The Secret" is a message about leadership woven into a story of a leader struggling with her team's performance. When she applies for the Company mentor program, she is paired with the Company President, who imparts some simple, but powerful wisdom about what great leaders do. There are hundreds of good books on leadership, but some of the best are those which take advantage of application opportunity and relay the concepts within a storyline that demonstrates how they are applied. This book does a credible job of that, although the story is at times a bit engineered. The essential message is the SERVE model of leadership:

• See the Future
• Engage and Develop Others
• Reinvent Continuously
• Value Results and Relationships
• Embody the Values
Although a little simplistic in it's storyline, the SERVE model is easy to understand and put into practice. Mark Miller, the co-author of the book has been a successful executive with Chick-fil-A. If one looks at the success of Chick-fil-A, who wouldn't want to know their secret? I would encourage you to buy the book and learn how to implement "the secret" of being a great leader.

If you do the same thing over and over. . .

2008-06-16T11:56:00.010-04:00

Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Think about this quote for a second and ask yourself, does this quote apply to the way we function as a church and denomination? I ran across this graph (click to make larger) while blogging last week and it "shocked me."

I asked myself upon seeing this; "what is the real problem here"? I mean really, didn't the conservative resurgence take place within the SBC during this time? The resurgence that was supposed to bring us back to greater heights and growth because we aligned and committed ourselves to becoming an biblically inerrant denomination. Side note: I am biblically conservative! So what is really going on? My read is this; you can know everything you need to know about the bible, you can think right, but if what you believe is never fostered into action and change nothing will ever really take place. To me, that is the church's problem. We think we have it all down pat with our theology and ecclesiology and that all is good and well. We'll it "ain't" so. The Pharisee's thought the same way in Jesus' day and the results (spiritually speaking) were bad. In the midst of religion you had a culture that was relationally far away from God. And, in the midst of that culture you had biblical inerrantist who knew everything about God's law. In our day the biblical inerrantist should have see this one coming. Just because you know the rules doesn't mean you live or play by them. So, what is the church of today doing? We're doing what we always know to do; learn more, talk more, create more, and fail to engage the culture in which we live. The results are the same as A.D. 30, a people and culture that is further removed from God. I believe Einstein's definition is describing the church of today; using the same methods (over and over, since 1950) to reach an every changing culture is "NUTS"! What would make the difference? Take the unchanging message and try to taking to the people. Relate to them where they are, instead of believing that the people you are trying to reach are going to come to you. It is interesting to think that at the beginning of the graph this denomination was at its peak. Now, you can see that in the last 57 years it has been in gradual decline. Why? If you do the same thing over and over again and expect different results that is what you get; decline. My prayer for every church planter is that they would never place themselves in a position where they can never promote and implement change. Always remember that "the message" never changes; but our methodology will always have to change if we expect to engage and transform an ever-changing culture.

Simple Always Equals Success

2008-06-05T17:40:00.015-04:00

While traveling on the road I came across one of the best "Hamburger Joints" I've ever visited. The food was excellent! The burger was awesome!! Man I was impressed, but the impression wasn't all about the food, it was about the restaurant establishment. The name of the restaurant was "Five Guys." It was started in Northern Va., just a little under ten years ago. It currently stands as one of the fastest restaurant chains that has established itself in 25 states. What is the reason for such rapid expansion? Simplicity and quality. When you walk into the restaurant one of the first things you notice is a menu board (click to make larger) that has four things on it; burgers, hot dogs, fries, and ice cold drinks. That's it! Nothing fancy, nothing confusing, nothing extraordinary; just a simple menu board with hot quality food served in brown paper bags. The only thing that has the name of the establishment on it is the cup. We'll this whole thing got me thinking about church planting. Those that know me know that I like to keep things simple and focused. Here I am sitting in one of the fastest growing establishments in the country that only delivers four basic things with quality, and here I am experiencing one of the most awesome "cardiac killers" I've ever tasted. Why? Someone knew the value of delivering a simple high quality product in a simple and comfortable environment. Look at their business philosophy: Mission: We are in the business of selling burgers. Goal: Five Guys goal is to sell the best quality burgers possible. To sell the best burger possible we focus on Quality, Service and Cleanliness. The result? Millions of customers and dollars and rapid expansion of their franchise. All of this made me think that that's exactly what Jesus did, he didn't add to or glamorize His message (product of salvation), He simply said here is one thing that is best for you. He delivered the message with simplicity and validity and the results were staggering. Can you imagine what the church could do in America if it focused on doing the very thing that Jesus told us to do (make disciples) and do it simply and with quality? Perhaps we would see millions of people come to faith and a rapid expansion of new churches throughout our landscape. The lesson in visiting "Five Guys" was this; simplicity and value will always equal success. Is this really true? Try studying the founding vision and philosophies of GM, GE, Starbucks, and Walmart, and see if this isn't true. One thing still remains true, even in the 21st century, simplicity will always win out and triumph in a complex world. If we would work hard at taking all the complexity out of the church and the gospel message perhaps we would see millions longing to dine at the Lord's table. What's the moral of this story? Keep it simple when planting your church. In our economy simple many times brings success. And, it appears that this rings true in God's economy; simple is not only best, it always brings success.

You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified. 1 Cor 2:1 Message

“That a company with
basically four menu items
routinely appears in the
Zagat Survey,
the bible of fine dining
tells you one thing:
It does those four things
really well.”

2007 Zagat Magazine

I Saw God Today

2008-06-03T16:10:00.006-04:00

I've just returned home today from a wonderful time of R & R with the family (wife, children, and G-kids). When you think about how much God has blessed you it sometimes becomes overwhelming. During these days I got to build a shed, cut down a tree, mow our retirement property, and go to the Coca-Cola 600 with Chris, my son-in-law. We sweat and worked together in all these events, man it was great. I also played games and went fishing with my grand-kids and daughter (Jenny). I even spent three days enjoying the sun at the beach with my wife (Beth). And if that weren't enough on the way back to PA., I got to see a new grandson who just arrived in the world this past Sunday; Pam and Andy are the proud new parents. As I was driving back home I heard George Strait's song on the radio; I Saw God Today. The song reminded me of seeing little Zachary Scott for the first time. I realized not only was I just seeing a new little baby boy (my grandson) but I was seeing a reflection of our Creator in his life. It should always amaze us that every time God blesses us with a new creation what He is showing us is another reflection of Himself, His love, passion, creativity, and also His desire to give us an eternal relationship with Himself. I was also reminded that all we do to try to change the culture by starting churches is trivial compared to seeing the handiwork of God in and around our lives on a daily basis. God's desire is that we see Him each and everyday. If you haven't see Him today, take the time to look around at His amazing handiwork. It's there, all you have to do is look for it. If you do, I'm pretty sure God will make sure that you see Him today.

Training to be a champion

2008-05-20T19:38:00.007-04:00

While sitting through a training session yesterday a really old and neat movie clip (www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaov7DNICPg) was shown. It was from the movie "Cool Runnings." In the movie we see a well seasoned Bobsled coach (John Candy) train 4 Jamaicans on how to run a bobsled for Olympic competition. I'm was amused at watching the clip because it reminded me of church planting. I recognized that many times in church planting God pulls out the "rag tag" (guys that aren't always the first that someone would pick) of the ministerial crop and gives them an opportunity to excel in an arena that they never thought they could ever be used. Training to be a church planter is like training to be on a bobsled team. In the movie the 4 Jamaicans were thwarted into a position on the team that totally went against their experiences and abilities. It took a lot of work, training, and coaching to get the guys into shape. Their ultimate goal was to take home the medal. Church planting is no different. It is often remarkable how God chooses obscure and common individuals to play a part in His great plan of creating more churches to reach people for Himself. In church planting, if you are willing to prepare, train, be coached, and work hard - you to may find yourself in a great and unique position to be a winner for Jesus Christ. Most guys never excel in church planting because they lack the heart and motivation to train and prepare themselves to be a champion church planter. In the movie it took a lot of energy and training from the bobsled team just to get off to the right start. It took on-going training to take them to the winners podium. If you want to achieve God's best for the plan He has for you in church planting, train hard, keep training, listen to your coaches, keep training, and never quit and give up. The formula for success is to give God your best. May your attitude in church planting be as Paul; "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Tim. 4:7). May it be said of you in your race, and from the Lord's Winners Podium, "well done my servant, well done!"

Band of Brothers

2008-05-17T14:44:00.006-04:00

I just got back from a pastors retreat after spending 2 days with 23 incredible men. The theme for the retreat was "IGNITE: Setting a Fire to Your Passion." Some amazing things took place during this retreat as God spoke into our lives through various speakers. I could tell from the start that this was going to be an remarkable experience. The men that were present opened up and shared their challenges, heartaches, and passions. You got the feeling that there wasn't anything that we weren't willing to share and do for one another. This experience with these guys reminded me of the "Band of Brothers" bunch, a mix of guys who came from all walks of life and experiences and yet were fighting the same war together. When you realize that God has strategically placed others around you who are also battling the "elements of darkness" as you are, you quickly appreciate and value that you are not alone in fulfilling God's call to reach and disciple people. What I learned and gleaned from this experience is when ministry has you feeling weak, exasperated, frustrated, and wanting to look for another occupation; many times the best way to get through is to call or hang out with another brother. So don't ever give up or give in, call a brother whose in the same shoes as you, he'll gladly give you some time and an ear. Why? We're serving in God's Army together; we are a "band of brothers!"

"Throw a dog" on the grill

2008-05-15T14:46:00.010-04:00

Wondering what to do this summer to build more connections with people? Try inviting someone over and "throw a dog" on the grill. According to the Hearth, Patio, and BBQ Association, 1000 people were surveyed and asked what they would most likely discuss around the grill. The number topic they most likely will discuss is their neighborhood, family, and friends (39%). World news, politics, and sports (34%) were the next topics that they are most likely to discuss. What does this survey tell us? People are very open to building relationships and that church planters have an open door to establishing new relationships just by firing up the grill. Think about it, BBQ is about as American as you can get. People love to do it; there is something that people enjoy about "hanging around outside" amidst smoke and fire (sounds primitive doesn't it?). People also love it because it really isn't that expensive. 3 lbs of burger and 3 lbs. of hot dogs will cost you around $11-13, if you look for a good sale. Add in some chips, tea, buns, cupcakes, and condiments and you can pull off a BBQ for 12 people for probably less than $25 (get the wife to shop, she's more thrifty); now that's a pretty inexpensive outreach project. I don't think I will fully understand why people love and gravitate to food; but I do know that in ministry that if you bring out the food, it brings out the people. Just think about it; 12 people talking about life, thinking about life, and perhaps asking questions about life. Man, that's like Bass fishing in a freshly stocked pond. So, the next time your thinking about what you can do to reach out and connect to people, perhaps try cleaning and firing up the old Weber (or Char Fire), it might be the outreach answer your looking for. Try it, "throw a dog" on the grill and "be ready to give the hope for the reason that lies within you (1 Pet. 3:15)."

The Main Ingredient

2008-05-13T20:26:00.010-04:00

Right now I'm sitting in a hotel room in the Endless Mountains of PA., what a beautiful place God has created. During my travels to this place I had a lot of time to reflect between my meetings with church planters. The question that surfaced in my mind today was "is there anything new that hasn't already been said or tried to reach people for Christ?" I've heard so many things over the last month from church planting networks or church planters who are implementing "new things" in their locations. It seems that every year that goes by some church planter surfaces as having the next best answer and thing to reach people for Christ. I don't know about you but all of this is beginning to exhaust me. Solomon said; What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. (Eccl. 1:9) I asked this question; "does this apply to church planting today?" The answer I received by the Holy Spirit is YES! My next question was where will this end? I remember the Church Growth Movement of the late 80's and 90's. Many people authored books and generated programs that were sure to be the next answer to growing God's Kingdom. This latest popularity surge in church planting may not be much different. We're seeing new books, conferences, and hands-on coaching being provided at an accelerated rate. Man, I don't want to go through this again. I don't want the current generation to experience what the church experienced in the 90's, a lot of energy used and a lot of hype generated with no results. Wondering if we were still riding in the same type of pattern, just in a different decade, I asked this question; "what is it the church really needs to focus on?" Should our focus be on church growth, church planting, prayer, expository preaching, bible study, or what?" The Lord reminded me of His Main Ingredient to change the world; LOVE. The greatest command He gave us was to love Him and the people He has created. We know the commandment, we just have a real challenge of implementing this SIMPLE principle within the CHURCH. I've realized at this stage of my journey, it doesn't matter what you think you can create, write, publish, advertise, or preach; love is the only thing that can change the hearts of people and the world in which we live. God proved that at the cross, His love forever changed the world. When I think about all the things I've done in regard to pastoring and church planting this one profound principle stands true; if you love God, love people, and serve the Master in love, God will use your life and church to change lives. So, the next time you grab the latest book on the market, or hear the latest church plant guru, try using the Masters Main Ingredient first and foremost; LOVE. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (Matt. 22: 36-38, John 13:35)

Multi-Site Church

2008-05-12T17:31:00.005-04:00

I experienced my first visit to a multi-site church yesterday. I'd recently been asking many questions about this latest phenomenon within the United States. Experts tell us that there are as many as 2400 multi-site churches in the USA. Well I took in the experience and my review is mixed. The place we (Beth and I) went to visit was in the Harrisburg, PA area. The church we visited is a church plant of a well established mega-church within the South Central PA area; I think the church plant has been going about a year. The church's worship is held within a school and the atmosphere that they created is professional and well done. Colorful banners, warm & friendly greeters, a (mini) coffee shop, great kids program, cafe area, and an all around relaxed environment were all there when we stepped through the door. I could tell that a lot of time and resources have been invested in the place. The worship experience was alright, they jumped right into worship after the Campus Pastor said hello and told the people gathered there to say hello to one another. After the songs, the screen dropped and then their was the Senior Pastor sharing his message via satellite. At the conclusion of the service the Campus Pastor gave the announcements, took up the offering, and then the worship team closed in a song. Not a bad experience; the worship team was excellent and the way the worship was conducted was very professional.
So let me tell you some things that I liked about it.
1. Great atmosphere (mentioned that one already)
2. Good music (I'd like to have that worship team at any worship venue)
3. Relaxing, no real expectations that I was going to be asked to do anything when I came in
4. The technology (sound, lights, and technician) were outstanding
5. It looked just like the "mother ship" (I've been there already). If there goal was to look exactly like the "mother ship" they did an awesome job of doing just what the "mother" church does.
What I didn't like:
1. Impersonal (I felt like I was at the next showing)
2. People said hi, but people didn't say hello (they didn't ask me my name)
3. It felt "boomer" like (I can say that because I am one)
4. I didn't connect with the "preacher" on the screen (what he said was good, but I knew it wasn't live, and it was hard to get into. It just felt like something was missing)
5. It was a homogeneous crowd (all white; the church plant doesn't look at all like the community)
6. It seemed like the crowd was "churchy"

I'd have to say that after this experience I'm not sure if I am a proponent of the Multi-site Church. I'm not an opponent, I'm just not seeing how a church can move into a community (that isn't at all like their own), and package themselves identically in a different location expecting that to be enough to reach and transform that community for Christ. I'm also struggling with the fact that the experts are telling us that the Gen X and Y generations are very relationally oriented. I didn't see this component yesterday, maybe one of you Gen X or Y people can tell me if the Multi-Site Church concept connects with you. What I learned? The best components for any church are genuine love and relationships; when you have these you will really make some noise for Jesus. Time will tell whether the Multi-Site Church is something that is going to be used and blessed by God. If it is, I'm all for it. If it isn't, I hope it dies quickly. Until then; can we at least have a live pastor at these venues (60% are, I'm glad for that)? "Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." Acts 5: 38-39

Intercession = Intervention

2008-05-09T17:50:00.002-04:00

I've just spent the past two days in planning meetings with the leadership of the Baptist Convention of PA/SJ and the associations that cooperate together in this convention area. I have to admit that in the past these meetings have been somewhat boring and laborious (not all the meetings, but some). This time was different. We had an awesome time praying, sharing, challenging, and encouraging one another. It's amazing what things get done when the main focus is on what God wants and desires for His people. We spent a lot time in prayer and sharing principles from God's Word as we worked through the meeting agenda's over these two days. The result: A spirit of cooperation and anticipation. The feeling that we can accomplish so much together as a team and the excitement of moving forward with great energy and optimism. I was reminded in our time together that if you will bathe your thoughts and desires in genuine prayer, the Holy Spirit has a way redirecting our agenda and making it become His. The next time you're in a gathering of believers, whether for a bible study, meeting, fellowship, or whatever; make sure you take the time to make what you're doing all about God. Invite Him to lead your thoughts, discussion, and actions. I bet you will be utterly amazed at what He will reveal to you. Lesson learned? If you first intercede, God will always intervene. Take time the time to go to Him. "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL these things will be added unto you." Matt. 6:33

Stamina

2008-05-07T16:04:00.005-04:00

I just got in from the gym. While I was working out it dawned on me how much stamina a church planter needs to be successful at what he does. I can't help it, I'm always thinking about church planting. Today I realized that being physically fit as a church planter is almost as important as being spiritually fit. I learned the hard way with this one. I could do everything right to make sure I was running on all cylinders when it came to my spiritual walk with God, but if I wasn't physically fit my energy level wained as I tried to complete the task of starting a church. I've learned that working the heart physically is just as beneficial as working it spiritually. When your energy is up, your drive and passion is stronger.

Here are some tips to help you to begin the journey of cranking up some more energy. Exercise the heart and tone the body (use weights) at least 3 times a week (for one hour at a time), walk a lot, eat right (lower the carbs you feed your body, watch your caloric intake, cut back on the sugar, and eat healthy foods) and you'll find that you will have the energy to keep on keeping on to what God asked you to do. I'm sharing this because I have been down the road of losing my stamina and drive. I know first hand that the health of the church planter is directly proportional to the health of the church plant. So, take care of yourself, get off your butt, and start exercising and eating healthy. If you will be a good steward of your body, your body will help you be a good steward of the call that God has given you.

Short on Cash? -- You're the First Solution

2008-05-05T14:59:00.003-04:00

One of the things I often hear about (and see) is how many church planters (and pastors) do not tithe themselves. I once had a staff member that didn't tithe and this became a problem for people and even his own testimony. Skepticism and credibility began to surround and erode his ministry because he wasn't modeling a basic biblical principle in his own life. Malachi 3:8 says; "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings." How sad it is when God's own men don't take the leadership and responsibility of modeling tithing before God's people. I've heard the excuses, and so have you (hopefully you don't make them); my time and ministry are my tithe. What I've found out over the years that this is usually a cover-up for poor personal financial management. This also uncovers further spiritual problems and biblical issues (1 Tim. 3: 2-5). How can we expect people within our church plants to give if we as leaders don't have our financial priorities and practices in order? There are several things that I have found and enjoy; first, tithing is an awesome blessing. God is faithful as you are faithful, even when tough times come along. Second, as you give your tithe God uses your testimony to inspire others to give; my children are a testimony to this fact. And finally, I believe that when God's leader within the church sacrificially gives then God uses His people to provide the resources needed for ministry. I've never known this not to be true. People used to ask me about how I challenged people to tithe, my response was always this; if you teach people to love God and put His principles and plans before yours, you'll never have a problem with giving. Need some cash in the church? Make sure you are responsible with your finances and that you're modeling giving before God's people. Will a man rob God? Unfortunately he will, I hope and pray that this will never be said of you.

Short on cash?

2008-05-03T10:53:00.015-04:00

One of the most difficult challenges in starting a new church is having the "much needed" resources to finance the ministry. I was reminded of this yesterday while visiting (coaching) a church planter in my region. As we talked about the challenges of people tithing to resource the church plant I realized a lesson that I had learned in my church planting journey. People want to give! As people connect with your plant they quickly understand that they should give 10% of their income as a tithe to the Lord. The problem that I found is that they don't tithe (10%) because they are so much in debt, they hardly give at all because they feel guilty about not tithing 10%. I learned this one day in a discussion I had with a young couple about tithing. They were distressed over the fact that they couldn't tithe because they didn't have the money too tithe. As I listened about their financial situation it dawned on me that they felt that they could only give about 4% of their income because of their debt load. As I assessed their dilemma I realized that they weren't giving at all since it wasn't the full 10%. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to give them this challenge; start where you are. I learned that the best approach to get people to start tithing was to start with a committed heart to give what they could. I believe that the biblical responsibility of every believer is that they pay off their debts. Irresponsible biblical behavior is that you "don't pay your debts" and and that you use that money to tithe 10% to the church. What I learned to do with this dilemma was to encourage people to both pay off their debts and sacrificially commit to tithing what they could to the Lord. I challenged them to increase their tithe as they paid off their debts. Through this approach we had more people giving and resourcing the work of the church, and we also saw an increase in our people becoming better financial stewards and contributors to the work of our church plant. The lesson learned; people want to give! Help them to become biblically responsible with their money. Teach them to pay off their debts while also giving to the Lord, whatever amount 1,2, 5, 7, 10% that they can give to the Lord. Challenge them to increase their giving as they get rid of their debt load. If you do this, you will find more resources for your church plant.

Rising up to Special Occasions

2008-05-01T22:28:00.002-04:00

In church planting, a special occasion is an excellent time to do outreach in the community. Since Mother's day is quickly arriving, let's look at some ideas to touch the community with the love of Christ through your church plant. Adopt a Mom is a way to survey the community and find those mothers who don't have children living near them. Adopt that mom and take her flowers, a small gift or even invite her to dinner. If you have gatherings on Sunday, encourage your group to invite their adopted "Mom" to come and sit with you. Recognize these special moms. Another group that you can do outreach to are single moms. Have a night of free babysitting to allow these moms some free time. While the kids are with you, have them make a small gift that they can give their mom on Mother's Day. Deliver a basket of fruit and pastries or some doughnuts to a hospital waiting room on Mother's day with a note on the basket stating that your church cares about hurting families especially on Mother's day.

Sometimes we can get caught up in our own celebrations and forget to look for the opportunities that await us in and around our communities. Help your group to remember to rise up and reach out!