The Jezebel Spirit...

Church planting is a tough calling. The last thing you need is drama and division. Here are a couple articles on the Jezebel Spirit which I believe
is rampant in western churches. It's important to recognize this spirit within our local assemblies... and get it out.

 Introduction to the Jezebel Spirit 

The Dormant Jezebel Spirit

The Nature of our Enemy

Quotes to Ponder

Serving opens people’s hearts to God and therefore is part of worship. If people aren’t serving, they aren’t truly worshiping and growing in their faith.

All things are still "Possible" even after your mistakes...

"Discipline is the price we pay for long-term Change and Change is the price we pay for ALL progress.

Merely doing what is required will not take us to the next level

 

Multi Site Considerations.....

I wanted to share an article from Ed Stetzer regarding multi-site church plants. It seems that ed had the same concerns as I do. After reading it, I surprisingly have a different view of them... if they are done intentionally and with the right heart motive. Here is the complete article:

EVOLUTION OF THE MULTISITE CHURCH

7 Tips to Re-energize Your Weak Team

7 Tips to Re-energize Your Weak Team  

By Ron Edmondson

Great Article for church planters that have a team that's getting tired! Highly recommended! 

Here is the link to the full article.

CHURCH PLANT ARTICLE

 

 

8 Steps to Grow Your Church

Here is a short but sweet article by Rick Warren. I have listed the bullet points. If you would like to read the entire article, please visit ARTICLE by Rick Warren

1) Decide you really, really want to grow – Believe it or not, the primary barrier to church growth is desire. Do you really want to grow? If the answer is yes, then you must commit to this goal and be willing to accept changes.

2) Your role as pastor must change – Once you decide you want to grow, you’ll need to analyze your role as pastor. You must be willing to change from minister to leader.

3) Mobilize members for ministry – Be willing to give up some leadership and entrust ministry to the people in the pews.

4) Begin having multiple services – If you’re not already doing so, I encourage you to seriously start planning for it. By offering people a choice of services, you’re effectively putting another hook in the water.

5) Multiply your staff – In order to grow past that 200 barrier, you must begin moving to multiple staff. You must begin to specialize the staff under your leadership.

6) Plan big days – The best way I know to break through barriers is to break a few all at one time. Plan a big day — an event — and your numbers go up. Yes, they go back down afterwards, but not as far as they were before the event. Keep doing this and you grow. Big holidays are an obvious time to concentrate on events — Easter, Christmas. Plan outreaches to the community.

7) Have multiple cells – Groups of 8-12 people. Cells become tools for caring for the body.

8) Expand your facility – Many churches build too small, too fast. What I’m saying is you need to plan for growth and project out what your needs will be.

May God bless you and anoint you as you begin to implement these changes

Celebrate the wins....

Church planting is tough. That being said... celebrate every win! Here is a video of our church plant's Easter service 2013. We celebrate 2 baby dedications and 10 people getting baptized. Thank you Jesus!

2 Enemies Every Leader Must Confront

Here is a short but great article from churchplants.com  By Michael Robison

Here is the link to the entire article: http://www.churchplants.com/articles/3474-2-enemies-every-leader-must-confront.html

Encouraging Sciptures for Leaders

Here are 7 scriptures for you to read... remember... and even hang on your fridge :)


But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant. Matthew 20:26


Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4


Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:37


Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7


He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30


So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9


For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Consider this before you plant....

Before you plant a church... I pray that you know... without a doubt.. you are truly called. Many people have a "pie in the sky" view of a pastor / pastorate. They see Sunday service at an established church and they identify with that persona. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Sunday is only a small portion of the big picture. If you are pastoring for the wrong reason or with wrong assumptions, your eyes will soon be opened to the true reality. Here are some facts: According to the Pastor Care Network:

80% of pastors believe ministry has negatively affected their families. 33% say that being in ministry is an outright hazard to their families. 75% report a significant stress-related crisis at least once in their ministry. 50% feel unable to meet the demands of the job. 70% say they have a lower self-image now than when they started. 40% report a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month. 70% do not have somebody they consider a close friend. 50% have considered leaving the ministry in the last three months. 50% of those who go into full time ministry drop out in five years. 94% of clergy families feel the pressures of the pastor’s ministry. And according to the Jan/Feb issue of The Christian Examiner, between 1,400 and 1,600 Christian leaders leave the ministry every month. {2004} The Alban Institute estimates that 17% of pastors are experiencing burnout. A study of one major denomination concluded that less than one-third of its pastors were happy in their work. Another 30% were "deeply ambivalent" about ministry. And 40% described themselves as "heading for burnout." Though the pressures pastors face are great, the resources God provides are too. And one of the greatest resources is God’s people. So, pastor.... if you know that you know you are called into ministry, stay strong be encouraged and never quit. Learn to balance all aspects of your life. take some time for you! Take some time for your family!

Church Plants Made to Stick...

Geoff Surratt wrote a great article about church planting and the "ebb and flow" or the perception that some have about new churches. Here is the question that he prefaces the article: How can we stop the merry-go-round and plant churches that stick? Here are Geoff's three ideas: 1) Learn the community before you plant 2) Build a sustainable model 3) Get a job Those 3 points should have your curiosity heightened... To read his entire article, click here GEOFFSURRATT.COM

Here are 5 issues that can keep a church from growing:

Entitlement – When the body begins to think “this is my church”, it will soon start operating outside the complete power and utter dependency of the rightful owner. It will then lose the Spirit’s power.

Energy – The lack of energy stagnates a church. This is not referring to worship. You can worship to your taste, but energy is a part of any movement of God. The church is the body of Christ. Don’t forget…our God is not dead…He’s alive! A church is revived and reenergized when it renews its vision. As a church grows closer to Christ, and introduces others to Christ, it create more energy for the body.

Excitement – If you can’t get excited about the Gospel, you’re not looking at Christ close enough. Anyone who can raise from the dead, forgive sins, and reconcile us to God…that’s exciting! When the people who regularly attend the church aren’t excited anymore, visitors aren’t likely to be either. When a body becomes comfortable, it often becomes complacent, and it loses the excitement it once had. It is then no longer attractive to outsiders.

Engagement – The body needs all its members. When a few people do all the work burnout is soon to follow. The church shouldn’t depend on paid staff to do all the work, nor should ministry be limited to those with a volunteer title of some sort. If assignments have to be made before people are freed to do the work of the church, over time, the harvest is plenty, but the workers are few.

Efficiency – When programs are so structured that even God couldn’t introduce change, decline is imminent. Growing churches are always thinking how they can improve. The cliche is true, the message never changes, but the hearers do. Finding new ways to reach a changing culture with a Gospel that never changes is part of a growing church’s responsibility.

For more information like this and wisdom from an experienced church planter, please visit  http://www.ronedmondson.com

When the odds are against you....

600lb vs 169lb MMA Mismatch - Watch More Funny Videos

I normally don't post sports videos on this blog. But then I ran across this video and thought about David and Goliath. My thoughts then went to the area of church start-ups and how this applies to those who are planting a church.

Planting a church is just plain tough! The odds are against us! By all natural signs, we should quit! I mean come on - it's time consuming, (and with little or no pay), then you carry the weight of  the ministry.  People are fighting with one another. People seem to major in the minor things :)

That is a lot to deal with on a regular basis. Here is the key though. God is with us! This is not something we do just for pay.... just for the experience.... just for our own whatever! We do this because He called us. That alone keeps us in the ministry. That alone is enough! 

As we see in this video: we can overcome large obstacles if we stay diligent! We can overcome anything the enemy throws at us! 

Zechariah 4:6 (The Message)

Then he said, “This is God’s Message to Zerubbabel: ‘You can’t force these things. They only come about through my Spirit,’ says God-of-the-Angel-Armies. ‘So, big mountain, who do you think you are? Next to Zerubbabel you’re nothing but a molehill. He’ll proceed to set the Cornerstone in place, accompanied by cheers: Yes! Yes! Do it!’” 

20 Questions to Assess Leadership Potential

1. Have you ever broken a bad habit? To lead others, you must master your appetites. 
2. Do you keep self-control when things to wrong? The leader who loses control under adversity forfeits respect and influence. A leader must be calm in crisis and resilient in disappointment. 
3. Do you think independently? A leader must use the best ideas of others to make decisions,. A leader cannot wait for others to make up his or her mind.
4. Can you handle criticism? Can you profit from it? The humble person can learn from petty criticism, even malicious criticism.
5. Can you turn disappointment into creative new opportunity?
6. Do you readily gain the cooperation of others and win their respect and confidence?
7. Can you exert discipline without making a power play? True leadership is an internal quality of the spirit and needs no show of external force. 
8. Are you a peacemaker? A leader must be able to reconcile with opponents and make peace where arguments have created hostility.
9. Do people trust you with difficult and delicate situations?
10. Can you induce people to do happily some legitimate thin that they would not normally wish to do?
11. Can you accept opposition to your viewpoint or decision without taking offense? Leaders always face opposition.
12. Can you make and keep friends? Your circle of loyal friends is an index of your leadership potential.
13. Do you depend on the praise of others to keep you going? Can you hold steady in the face of disapproval and even temporary loss of confidence?
14. Are you at ease in the presence of strangers? Do you get nervous in the presence of your superior?
15. Are the people who report to you generally at ease? A leader should be sympathetic and friendly.
16. Are you interested in people? All types? All races? No prejudice?
17. Are you tactful? Can you anticipate how your words will affect a person?
18. Is your will strong and steady? Leaders cannot vacillate or cannot drift with the wind.
19. Can you forgive? Or do you nurse resentments and harbor ill-feelings toward those who have injured you? 
20. Are you reasonably optimistic? Pessimism and leadership do not mix.

This list was derived from the website - Missional Challenge. To read the full article by Dave DeVries click HERE.

Plan ahead....

Success is intentional! The Olympic athletes didn't just find themselves on the winner's platform one day. They planned for it.... they worked for it. They set goals. They did everything in their power to accomplish their goal.

That being said... we as church planters need to be intentional. Intentional about the harvest field... about church systems, and learning all we can prior to implementation.

You need a starting place? I recommend the Exponential Conference. Exponential 2013 is back in Orlando, Florida on April 22-25, 2013.

PLAN to be there.

Video Elements...

Consider using videos prior to .... and after service. Think about the overall message of the service. Now think of a song that goes with that message. It may be better to choose a song that your praise and worship team doesn't already do. The idea is to add another element to the worship experience. The video should be able to catch their visual and auditory senses and drive the message home.

This and other ideas should be tried... and viewed simply as an experiment. If it works...great! If not... tweak it or cancel it outright! Now if it works.... dont overuse it! Pray for discernment!

Here is a video that got me thinking about adding another element to the worship service.

Throwing Stones, Planting Seeds from LCBC Church on Vimeo.

Where is your focus?

As church planters we need to be aware of some statistics. In just about all churches, we will have approx 10% who are pioneers, 70% who are considered "settlers" and then about 20% who are "antagonists".

We happen to spend much time, energy and loss of sleep due to people who are in the last category. We will never make them happy so why are we trying so hard to please them? I think after discerning they are indeed antagonists at their very root, we need to smile, be cordial and then walk away. Let's give them over to God, believing that the Holy Spirit will do what you and I cannot do.... change their heart.

If you continue to give them your time and energy, I'm sorry to say... you will be exhausted and eventually burn out. It's amazing how many pastors leave the ministry just because of the stress of a few people. When your focus is on the 20% which are antagonists, can you really expect a different outcome? Let's be wise and focus on those who have a teachable spirit and continue praying for the 20% to change more into the likeness of our Jesus.

Lessons from Exponential Day 1

Here are just a few nuggets I picked up at the Exponential Conference on the first day:

* Learn to "Self Correct" - If God corrects you in private, repent in private or you will eventually have to confess it in public.
* Learn How to Suffer - Suffering will change you, but not always for the good. You have to choose that.
* Learn to Lead Yourself to Christ - Your training was not just to "start the race" but to finish it.
Jeremiah 15:19 - This is how the LORD responds: "If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman.  
* The greatest test of being a servant is how we respond when we are treated like one.

Some more for you:
* Your responsibility is not a spectacular ministry but a faithful and sincere heart.
* "Ministry is messy because sin is messy."

If you are a church planter or are within the years 1-10 of your church plant... get to the Exponential Conference!

Jeff Vanderstelt - The Meaning of Missional

Jeff Vanderstelt // The Meaning of Missional from Newfrontiers USA on Vimeo.

Getting rid of distractions....

Our thoughts are often not our own - they are realy derived from someone else. Someone else thought them first ...spoke it and we caught wind of it.... ingested it and made them our own. Other people's voices often fill our minds. Think about all the influences around us that have access to your head:

• The people in your home
• Your co-workers
• Your extended family
• The TV
• Your friends
• The internet
• Video games
  

We need to consider the value of our own thoughts. Why let anyone tell you what to think? Why listen to people who don't even know you and don't understand your value system?

Consider the possibility that perhaps there are certain voices that need to be edited out. Some voices are persistently negative or just not helpful. Why not establish boundaries?

Could this be why we can hear so much clearly when we are on the mission field? What if we quited the voices and influences around us and simply asked God - What would You have me do?

Discipleship Program?

Words like Jumbo Shrimp..... or government efficiency (lol) dont seem like they go together. Well, in my opinion the words discipleship and program are the same way!

I know many churches who have such "programs" and I know their heart is well intentioned. But because they are "programs" they are destined to fail. Maybe not at first, but eventually they will fail. Why? Because they are programs! Programs have a way of being cyclical. They are full of excitement at first...then they get grow tired...and then end up with people wondering what's the real purpose.

Discipleship really should be a lifestyle. Isn't true discipleship:

1) Following Jesus?
2) Fellowship with other believers?
3) Telling others about Jesus?

The best discipleship manual is your life. Discipleship works if you understand what discipleship really is all about.

^{Matthew 28:19-20}

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”