Church Planting Lessons

These aren’t the only lessons I’ve learned in church planting, but I’ve got a couple important ones I want to share with you. I’ll share more later …

1. Most of church planting is done in Plan D.  What I mean by that is you can enter your city with a strategic plan, but once you hit the ground you quickly realize you have to move to Plan B.  Then something happens and Plan C comes into play … and so on.  So don’t be a slave to the plan, but be true to the mission.  Church planting isn’t done in theory, it’s done in the trenches. If you can’t adapt, you’ll die.

2. Most of the time, the future isn’t clear.  If there is a church planting crystal ball out there, I haven’t found it yet.  I’m reminded of the time the Israelites had to step into the Jordan River BEFORE God showed the way and parted the water (Joshua 3:7-13).  They had to step out FIRST.

I’m working on something right now with Freedom Ridge that if it pans out will be a major plus for us.  But as I’m looking at it on paper I have no idea how we are going to pay for it.  If God wants it to happen, then it will … but I can’t get in the way.

Church planting is some of the most exhilirating, stressful, frustrating, and rewarding work out there.

The New Generation & The Church

I recently read an article about the new generation that has been dubbed by the pollster, Zogby, as The First Globals. He has written a new book called “The Way We’ll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream.”

The article talks about how the new generation of Americans (between ages 18-29) are making dramatic moves away from traditional American ways. He obviously writes about it from a political standpoint, but I think there is something for the church to learn from it.

Here’s a summary of how he describes the new segment of our socieity:

- they are materialistic and self-absorbed
- they want to look richer than they are
- they obsess about relationships
- they are more accepting of homosexuality (more socially liberal)
- 66% say abortion is always morally wrong (you read that right, it’s not a typo)
- they are “color-blind”
- they no longer identify themselves as primarily American, but global
- they are willing to adjust their lifestyle to conserve energy
- they hunger for authenticity

I see some good things in there, but I also see some troubling things. I think the church can really capitalize on the hunger for authenticity; but it must be a true authentic authenticity. Authenticity for authenticity’s sake is like a festering boil and those who want authenticity can see right through it and will call it what it is: fake. The article says, “The America of 2020 will be a more tolerant nation,” he writes. “Our people by then will have lived for two decades in a new world of less . . . We will expect our leaders to talk straight: Hype, hokum, and hooey in politics, in advertising, wherever it appears (emphasis mine) will be punished.”

So what do you think? How can the church be effective in reaching out to this mindset? There’s a lot to digest here, but it’s also a good opportunity.

You can read the article in it’s entirety here.

Church Names For Dummies

I recently sat in on a group of guys who were talking about church names and if they mean anything anymore. It was interesting to hear all the different view points and their reasoning. I was surprised how many thought that names didn’t really make a difference if someone would attend a certain church or not. I agree that a great name doesn’t necessarily make a great church, because if there is nothing behind that name (such as great ministries to the people and community) then chances are people will not return. But I am of the mindset that an attractive name is important, because how many people would go to check out the “First Church of Crap”? It doesn’t matter what they have ministry wise; people will probably be reluctant to visit a service.

Mark Driscoll came up with a formula for helping people pick out the perfect church name. You can see his blogpost here.

Tomorrow I’ll give you some insight as to why I chose the name Freedom Ridge for our new church.

Confession: Prayer Is Hard

I don’t like to talk on the phone. As a matter of fact, I hate it. I would rather jump in my Jeep and drive across town to talk to you face to face rather than call you on the phone. I want to see you, see your expressions, when we talk. But logistics, time, and common sense don’t allow face-to-face meetings all the time. So I call you on the phone.

I told you a couple posts ago I was going to share some confessions pertaining to areas of dissatisfaction in my life. Here’s the first one: prayer is hard for me. Maybe my dislike of talking on the phone might be related to my stinkiness at prayer. I don’t know.

When I first got out of college I bought a book called “Spending An Hour A Day With God” and it had the whole outline for each day of the year so you could spend a whole hour every day with God. I was excited and committed to doing this because I was going to become a great man of God. I sat down at my desk in my office, opened the book, and began following the outline. I made it about 27 minutes. My personality isn’t wired for long moments of silence or endless contemplation.

Some think since I am a pastor that I have a direct line to God. Some pastors may have that, but I can tell you this is one pastor who doesn’t. When it comes to prayer and Bible reading, I have to work at it. It doesn’t come naturally to me. Don’t get me wrong, I pray and I read my Bible, but not nearly as much as I should. I’m not as intentional as I should be.

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray continually. I am pretty good at shooting up short little prayers all the time, like “That’s cool, God” or “Give me the words, Jesus.” But when it comes to sitting down, folding my hands, bowing my head, and spending time in prayer, I fail miserably. I think this might be a stumbling block for a lot of people, because they think if you spend a looong time in prayer it makes you more spiritual. It doesn’t work for me like that in my life. I’m not sure the fact that you pray lengthy prayers automatically increases your spiritualness.

What do you think? How are you at prayer?

By the way, don’t be afraid to call me on the phone. I will talk to you.

contentment vs contentment

I visit dictionary.com all the time. It is one of my favorite sites. It defines contentment as “the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind” or “happiness with one’s situation in life.”

I think of myself as a content person, even though I want more for myself and my family. I don’t mean in a materialistic sort of way at all; I just want what’s best. I disagree with the above definition of contentment, because it uses the term satisfaction. I am content, but I am not satisfied.

Paul says in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

I have come to this realization about myself: I am a Content person when it comes to life; but I am not content when it comes to satisfaction. Does that make sense? In the next couple days I’ll give you a glimpse into my head and heart (which might be a scary thing!), but it will kinda let you know how I am dissatisfied and what it does to me.  I guess you can say it is confession time.

Hang on to your hat!