Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Missional Church

I am enjoying reading Ed Stetzer's book, "Planting Missional Churches". In reading this morning he provided some head scratching thought about how we do church plants. First he list five items that are part of a church to be a church: 1. A covenant Community (is one that holds one another accountable for godliness and growth) 2. Meeting, 3. Biblical Leadership (leaders called "pastor/elders" and deacons" 4. The Ordinances, 5. Preaching. Easy to agree with.

The form this takes is not given in the Bible. One of the forms that Ed Stetzer talks about is being incarnational "not attractional, in its ecclesiology. By incarnational we mean it does not create sanctified spaces into which unbelievers must come to encounter the gospel. Rather, the mission church disassembles itself and seeps into the cracks and crevices of a society in order to be Christ to those who don't yet know him."

Incarnational church planters work in the neighborhood they are planting in. Stetzer says, "Missional/incarnational church planters do not need a prospectus, strategy plan, and time line; they need a job in the marketplace."

Vocational pastor are needed, but using his explanation of "missional/incarnational" church planters do we need to do some adjusting?

Monday, September 29, 2008

DA Carson

ACTS 29 has some great insight from DA Carson about five trends of the church today.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

God at work

Meet with 10 pastors in the Kansas City area and talked about church planting. We had some great discussion as we talked about "Why should we plant a church?" Here are some of the answers but not all.
- Obedience to what God has told us to do
- It is the most effective means of evangelism
- Extending the Kingdom of God
- Growth of our people
- God's calling on our life.
- Health of the mother church
- Great way to train leaders
- God loves people
- Strengthens and stretches our faith
- Community needs Biblical values
- We can stress Kingdom issues not individual person or church

We also talked about barriers to church planting
- to old
- not organized
- comfortable with what we have
- fear of failure
- fear of money
- fear of burnout
- we get use to life

What could be added to either list?

Monday, September 22, 2008

Baptism




I took these pictures this summer, but just found the software to get the picture of the camera. They are taken from the church in Clear Lake. A small town with a pastor that has a heart for people to encounter Christ. The baptism was at a local lake. The man is 61 years old. It is exciting to see God changing the lives of young and old.

Essential Church

If you don't want to buy the book Essential Church you can download it for free for a limited time. It is well worth the read and will help sharpen your church in how it does ministry. Yes, they will put you on a mailing list, but the book is worth the a few e-mails.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Traveling

I spent last week in Omaha and Kansas City and this week I head to Chicago and then to Grand Island for Converge Heartland's annual meeting. I am excited about the 10 pastor that meet with me in KC as we talked about church planting. ConvergeUSA (BGC) has no churches in the state of Kansas so it will be fun to watch how God uses the pastors there to start a movement through Kansas. In Omaha I meet with 9 pastor as we talked about the possibilities for the Omaha area. How does a church know when it is ready to plant? Maybe the better way to ask the question is how to you help churches understand that we are always to be praying and working toward reaching the unchurched with the good news of Jesus Christ and the most effective way of reaching the unchurched is through church plants?

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Character of a church planter strategist

Gus Suarez list 10 characteristic of a church planting strategist.   

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Is doctrine important to the unchurched?

Thom and Sam Rainer say yes. In their book "Essential Church?" they write that in their research they were surprised to learn "Of these formerly unchurched, 91 percent told us that the doctrine of the church was important to them before they became a christian." They had enough unsure events or things in their life and was looking for a solid, sure belief. A great reminder as we ponder how do we connect with people that softening our doctrine is not in anyones best interest. God honors solid, confident, bibically based beliefs.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Worth reading

Ed Stetzer has a great post about the church in America and our need to foucus on the misson.  Take time to read the article.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Should you be a church planter?

I found this link from Andy Wright regarding 20 questions you can ask about being a church planter.  I will send you directly to Ardian Warnock blog for the questions.  

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Essential Church part 2

Thom and Sam Rainer state "Of those who left the church between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two, 97 percent left because of a life-change issue. Read that percent again: 97 percent left because of a life change issue.
Most of the dropouts did not leave their families during this time.
Most of the dropouts did not leave their social networks during this time.
Most of the dropouts did not leave the educational system during this time.
But most of them did leave the church."

How in the establishment of a new church do we generate a known need to stay part of the church which should be the stabling factor in any "life change issue"?

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Essential Church

I made it back from Ord. My wife and I were reminded that God is in control of the weather. The wind blew and blew and blew some more. We had gust up to 45 according to the weather man. Since we camp in a tent, it was difficult to get a break from the wind.

I did have time to read the majority of "Essential Church" Rainer's research found the top 10 reasons why the 18-22 year old age frame stop going to church
1. Simply wanted a break from church
2. Church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical.
3. Moved to college and stopped attending church.
4. Work responsibilities prevented me from attending.
5. Moved too far away from the church to continue attending.
6. Became too busy though still wanted to attend.
7. Didnt feel connect to the people in the church.
8. Disagreed with the churchs stance on political or social issues.
9. Chose to spend more time with friends outside the church
10. Was only going to church to please others.

I will talk more in future notes, but their basic solution is
Simplify: Getting the structure right
Deepen: Getting the content right
Expect: Getting the attitude right
Multiply: Getting the action right

As churches are planted we need to consider where we can make sure we are strong to prevent any age group from walking out the back door unnoticed.