I tweeted not too long ago about how one of the byproducts of doing something you've never done is that you are consistantly learning something you've never known. As I pursue this dream God's placed on my heart to plant a church I find myself in constant discovery mode. I'm reading books, blogs, tweets and newsletters from church planters. I'm drinking more than my share of coffee with guys who have done it and others who are in the process of planting now. I'm picking the brain of everyone I know who has an ounce of experience in pastoring and church planting. In short I'm getting schooled and I love it!
One of the most fun parts is that for every question I get answered I walk away with three more that I need to research. The opening lines of Proverbs call for discovery encouraging readers to attain wisdom, acquire discipline and offers to give prudence, knowledge and discretion. The writer suggests that the wise listen and add to their learning.
So my question is what are you learning? Where are you being challanged? We were created to love God with our minds. To honor Him with our learning and discorvery and even with our questions. The more I learn how much I don't know the more I'm driven to my knees. There is a richness in understanding your desperation and dependance on God. The harder we lean on Him the more we understand and trust in His strength!
So go ahead learn something new today. Ask a tough question. Have coffee with someone who will streach your mind and your heart. Honor your God with your mind!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Many Hands Make Light Work
As I've delved into the church planting world over these past few weeks I've had a chance to talk to several other pastors who have already planted churches. Let me tell you if you want to strengthen your faith level and get excited about a God who moves in amazing ways, talk to a church planter! Over and over again I've heard stories of Gods favor, faithfulness and His power to save. I hear about building bought for a song, people saved and changes, families restored, checks showing up in the nick of time, people healed, amazing favor with local authorties and so much more!
It gets me excited to see what "Goliath's" are going to try and stand in our way, because every giant is an opportunity to see God move!
One way that God often chooses to move is through His people. The bible is chalk full of stories of God mobilizing people to join forces to accomplish His works. One of the ways I know that God is in this is that we are already seeing Him inspiring people to partner with us in a variety of ways.
In fact many more are asking "How can we help?" So many of you see the need for and the potential of a solid community church in the Plaza/Brookside area. It a challenge that is too big for any one of us, but one that with Gods' help, we can tackle together! We were created for community and together we can reach what no one of us can reach alone.
So How can you help? Right now there are four distinct ways people can join hands with us. I'll give a brief out line of each below and over the next week explain each on further detail.
1. PRAY! Anything can happen when we pray, nothing can happen until we do. We are looking for 200 people to join with us as prayer warriors. The ground we hope to take is full of the enemies lies, addictions and deceptions. We need a team that will join with us. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but the principalities of the evil one and the only way to win a spiritual battle is with spiritual weapons. Please consider joining and supporting us in prayer!
2. Special Forces: We're going to need some helping hands as we plan some big projects to help reach people for Christ. Our Special Forces team would be an on call team that would come out on special occasions to help build stuff, contact people, set things up, support a ministry event, paint, make phone calls, ect...
3. Financial Support: This can be a tricky thing to ask for so I'll just be as honest and transparent as possible. My goal is to raise my salary through individuals and church supporting us as home missionaries. I'm asking that those who join with us financially would make a simple two year commitment. My reason for this is simple: I want to take that financial burden off the church in these early years. I'd much rather pour our full resources back into ministry and outreach and start from a strong financial position as a church. Please pray for us as this is an immediate need and potential stress point. We're trusting God that He will provide.
4. Be a church planter! So how cool would it be to establish a ministry that, should the Lord tarry, will be advancing Gods kingdom long after you and I both are dead and gone! How amazing to work side by side with God and see people changed not just for just for "life" for for eternity!! To see entire families restored, to see addictions broken, to see the broken restored and so much more! Join us! Step out of the safe boat into the stormy water and watch as God does miracle after miracle! I could go on all day! Pray about it, maybe God is calling YOU to be a church planter!!
whew! There's so much more to say but I'll save it for later. Please pray. Pray for us, pray for the church, pray for the lost, pray for how God would be calling you to partner with us! Pray, pray, pray! Thanks and God bless!!!
It gets me excited to see what "Goliath's" are going to try and stand in our way, because every giant is an opportunity to see God move!
One way that God often chooses to move is through His people. The bible is chalk full of stories of God mobilizing people to join forces to accomplish His works. One of the ways I know that God is in this is that we are already seeing Him inspiring people to partner with us in a variety of ways.
In fact many more are asking "How can we help?" So many of you see the need for and the potential of a solid community church in the Plaza/Brookside area. It a challenge that is too big for any one of us, but one that with Gods' help, we can tackle together! We were created for community and together we can reach what no one of us can reach alone.
So How can you help? Right now there are four distinct ways people can join hands with us. I'll give a brief out line of each below and over the next week explain each on further detail.
1. PRAY! Anything can happen when we pray, nothing can happen until we do. We are looking for 200 people to join with us as prayer warriors. The ground we hope to take is full of the enemies lies, addictions and deceptions. We need a team that will join with us. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but the principalities of the evil one and the only way to win a spiritual battle is with spiritual weapons. Please consider joining and supporting us in prayer!
2. Special Forces: We're going to need some helping hands as we plan some big projects to help reach people for Christ. Our Special Forces team would be an on call team that would come out on special occasions to help build stuff, contact people, set things up, support a ministry event, paint, make phone calls, ect...
3. Financial Support: This can be a tricky thing to ask for so I'll just be as honest and transparent as possible. My goal is to raise my salary through individuals and church supporting us as home missionaries. I'm asking that those who join with us financially would make a simple two year commitment. My reason for this is simple: I want to take that financial burden off the church in these early years. I'd much rather pour our full resources back into ministry and outreach and start from a strong financial position as a church. Please pray for us as this is an immediate need and potential stress point. We're trusting God that He will provide.
4. Be a church planter! So how cool would it be to establish a ministry that, should the Lord tarry, will be advancing Gods kingdom long after you and I both are dead and gone! How amazing to work side by side with God and see people changed not just for just for "life" for for eternity!! To see entire families restored, to see addictions broken, to see the broken restored and so much more! Join us! Step out of the safe boat into the stormy water and watch as God does miracle after miracle! I could go on all day! Pray about it, maybe God is calling YOU to be a church planter!!
whew! There's so much more to say but I'll save it for later. Please pray. Pray for us, pray for the church, pray for the lost, pray for how God would be calling you to partner with us! Pray, pray, pray! Thanks and God bless!!!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The church plant update
What a month it's been! I've not blogged in quite sometime but it's not been for a lack of things to talk about. Over the next few days I'm going to post several shorter blogs that all feed together to form a greater message. And I'm going to break the communicators most basic rule right off the top here; I'm going to tell you how it all ends before I even begin.
By the end of next week you're going to know exactly how you can be a part of this church plant project. Doesn't matter if you live 400 miles away or 4 miles, you can (and I hope that you will!) be a part of the birth of this new ministry. God is moving and I'm so excited to see how he's going to use all of us to team together to reach His prodigal kids in the Plaza/Brookside area! Please be in prayer with us this week. It's an amazing and powerful thing to know God has a plan and humbling and exciting to know He lets us in on it!
till tomorrow...
By the end of next week you're going to know exactly how you can be a part of this church plant project. Doesn't matter if you live 400 miles away or 4 miles, you can (and I hope that you will!) be a part of the birth of this new ministry. God is moving and I'm so excited to see how he's going to use all of us to team together to reach His prodigal kids in the Plaza/Brookside area! Please be in prayer with us this week. It's an amazing and powerful thing to know God has a plan and humbling and exciting to know He lets us in on it!
till tomorrow...
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