Resources

Here is a list of resources you may find helpful as you plant your church:

1) For signage / vinyl banners
http://www.bannersinvinyl.com/

2) Outreach Ideas
http://www.onmission.com/site/c.cnKHIPNuEoG/b.4749751/k.9261/Outreach_Ideas/apps/nl/newsletter3.asp

3) Church Marketing
http://www.detailsdirect.net/templates/cusdd2005/default.asp?id=32085

4) Giveaways to 1st time guests
http://booksbythebox.maninthemirror.org/

5) Websites
http://bridgeelement.com/index.html

Character...........

When looking for a leader or potential leader within the church plant, one of the main things I look for is character.

Here are some of my favorite quotes on character:

"Character is what a man is in the dark." Dwight Moody

"No one can win a race with intermittent effort. Christlikeness cannot be reached with that kind of effort either—it is an ongoing pursuit. So Paul says, "Let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained" (Phil. 3:16). The Greek verb translated "keep living" refers to walking in line. Just as a runner must stay in his lane and keep up the same effort until he reaches the finish, you must stay in line spiritually and keep moving forward toward the goal of Christlikeness."
- John MacArthur

"No man can climb out beyond the limitations of his own character." John Morley

"God's call to be holy, as he is holy, is a general summons to live by his revealed precepts and prohibitions, as embodying the loves and hates which make up his character and which his ways with us will always express; Christ's call to follow his example is a specific summons to unlimited self-humbling, and giving of ourselves without restraint, in order to relieve others' needs and make them great, which is what true love is all about." J.I. Packer

"Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them." Winston Churchill


"The highest reward for man’s toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it." John Ruskin

"Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece—by thought, choice, courage and determination." John Luther

Many would think the most important trait would be competence. I believe some things are taught and other traits like character have developed over a period of time.

What's the difference between capable and competence?
Answer: Competence is when a person can demonstrate with certainty, over time, that they will succeed in or perform Capably.

Leadership

Here is a video from Larry Kreider, author and leader of Dove Christian Fellowship International. I had the opportunity to travel with Larry to the Philippines a few years back. This brother in Christ is the real deal.... walks the talk...and I'm glad to count him as a friend!

I highly recommend his books and the DCFI material. You can get more info at www.DCFI.org

Attention to Detail

John Wooden, former coach of the UCLA Bruins, has more NCAA championships than any other basketball coach in history--10 national titles in 12 years. What did he teach his players to ensure top-level performance? He taught them how to put on their socks. Each season Coach Wooden showed his players how to prevent sock-wrinkles around the little toe and the heel, and how to lace up their shoes with a double-knot. This helped his players avoid blisters. In the closing minutes of a close game, the player without blisters on his feet will perform better. This simple, basic detail contributed to a series of National Championships. Attention to detail, Wooden says, creates success in basketball, in business and in life.
Hmmmmmm.... how can this apply to church planting? (Selah:)

Thoughts on Worship

What do smoke machines, laser light shows, mechanical bulls and pizza all have in common? Not an easy one to answer, right?

Answer: They are all things that different churches have tried:
· in order to spice up their worship services,
· to make them more exciting,
· to make them more appealing to today’s worshipper.

What ever happened to relying on the anointing of God? I guess its easier to put on a show.... I good friend of mine had an opportunity to hang out with Dr Yongi Cho for a weekend. They attended a conference together. My friend drove Dr Cho to the airport so he could return to Korea and back to his church of over 1 million people. Along the route, my friend asked Dr Cho what he thought about the conference and the western church in general. The answer he gave really blew me away. He replied, "It's amazing how much can be accomplished without the Holy Spirit". He was referring to all the hype - the lasers, lighting, large sound systems, lcd projectors and multiple screens etc...

Let's take a step back and check our hearts....check our motives. Let us seek after God and then minister out of the overflow.

Those of us who have the honor of leading worship, lets seek God's anointing rather than on gimmicks.

Keep the main thing...the main thing

I found a good definition of church - A group of born-again believers in Christ who come together for worship and are lead by shepards who preach the Word and lead the congregation to the purpose of glorifying God by fulfilling Jesus' Great Commission and Greatest Commandments.

As leaders - lets keep our calling and purpose in front of us. Dont get sidetracked into programs or people pleasing. Obey God's call to lead and not comromise and let your people lead you.... Afterall, have you ever seen sheep lead their shepard around? I hope not....


Have a Merry Christmas....and I pray you dont grow weary in doing good!!

Measuring Success

I've often wondered about measuring success within the church plant paradigm. Is it wrong to measure or should we just believe we are on track and keep going?

I recently came to the conclusion that defining a "win" or measuring success with measureable results is healthy and can lead to good stewardship in both time and money.

For instance, if we are spending a good chunk of the budget on outreach, yet nobody is getting saved, nobody is visiting the church or there are no other hints of success...then maybe we are doing something wrong. This could be a matter of tweaking or it can involve a complete overhaul. Reminder: Dont fall in love with the methodology... fall in love with the goal - to reach the lost for Jesus in this case.

Within the church plant itself, how can we measure success? I think it will differ from church to church. It may help you to review your missions statement and see if you are doing what you claim is your mission : )

Here are some goals I have set for our recent church plant and how we can determine if we are on track:

Excitement & Passion for the Great Commision

• > 75% involved in local outreach


• >50% involved in world missions

Excited About Church

• >50% Inviting friends on a regular basis


• > 75% involved in service within the local church


• >75% giving financially to the local church

Committment to Spiritual Growth

• > 75% involved in small groups / "Life Groups"

Write the goals down and file them away. Revisit your file regularly (I recommend monthly) to see how you are measuring up.

Using Pop Culture.....

Here is an excerpt from the website: www.Neverquitonmoday.com For more - check out the site and the blog article "How to Create a Buzz".

Churches need to be able to speak in the language of pop culture and communicate the Bible in and with this strange new culture. In a sense, we need to become cross-cultural missionaries. Like missionaries, we must dwell in the culture and use the language, the signs, and the symbols of that culture to reach people. Rather than embracing pop culture, this means we must leverage it.

At our church, we’ve found at least three different methods for using the language of pop culture to reach people.

Using pop culture to acquaint people with the stories of the Bible.
Looking for pop culture examples to illustrate biblical truths.
Employing secular images and songs to raise a deep life issue to the surface of people’s thinking.
This is important because speaking someone’s language is the first step toward gaining a hearing from them.

Imagine if churches (new and existing) would think of real resource sharing (life, programs, teaching, money, gifts, volunteers, knowledge) beyond their own congregation. What if we (all churches) had a "same team" mentality?

I have seen this in large churches that share graphics, free sermons on MP3 and even video productions. Lifechurch.tv comes to mind. The leadrship is kingdom minded and freely shares resources with anyone regardless of denomination or affilliation.

This past week I saw this within our own community. Three kingdom minded churches gathering to do an outreach, for the sole purpose of sharing the love of Jesus. We went a bit further and gathered for worship the next day as 1 congregation. Each church did their part.

After the weekend events there was a buzz around the community. People actually witnessed 3 churches that not only got along and liked each other, but were encouraging each other to be all that God has in mind for them. The leadership at each of the churches met and prayed for one another...prayed for the churches...and prayed for the community. Going a step further, each pastor expressed their desire to help the others in any way possible.

I cant help but think that God was smiling as He looked down on His children getting along and doing His will - Loving Him...Loving one another....and making a difference.

Great Quote!

"To reach people no one else is reaching....we must do things no one else is doing" Craig Groeschel via Andy Stanley.

Take some time and ponder that statement. We can continue doing things out of habit...or we can take a risk and do something different....and possibly make a difference for the Kingdom!

Replanting churches?

Dictionary.com defines replanting: “To plant (something) again or in a new place…” In a church replant, a church avoids permanent death by recognizing it will no longer flourish unless conditions are drasticallychanged to facilitate growth.

Here are some facts about churches in the USA:

1) 3,500 churches in the USA close every year.

2) 80% of all churches are in decline.

Can anything be done to stop these closures or to reverse the decline? Of course there is!

I have heard that it is easier to birth a baby then raise the dead. So....why would anyone try to revive a dying church?

There are 2 good answers:

1) Because there are people in the church that God cares about. These people are probably the most faithful and have been praying for some type of renewal.

2) Because with God's help....it can be done. It's not easy...but it is possible. Just ask my brothers in Nigeria about people raising from the dead : )

The process begins with a primary vision carrier - much like a typical church planter. The replanter however must have some additional skill sets. You see, they must be able to reorganize and pastor without the help of a core team that are excited about the "new" church. Typically, a replant consists of a leader and some people but people who are somewhat burned out. The excitement of church...has gone.

The replanter must make tough decisions. I liken these decisions to that of a triage nurse - there are things that need immediate attention and there other items that can wait. Most people would try the "turn the ship slowly" rule. I would recommend making tough decisions quicker rather than slower. Dont worry about losing people. Do what you are lead to do as the leader! The smaller the group, the faster you can make changes! Small groups that have been around for a period of time usually need quick change so that life can take place once again.

Note on change: Dont make unneeded changes based solely on your personal preferences. There should be a reason for change. If you can't clearly articulate it and it's value, put it on the back burner.

People Will Leave.....

People will leave your church. The majority of your core group (typically 80%) will not be with you in 2 years. This is just how it is! As leaders, we need to understand....even expect this to happen. Steve Sjogren calles these people "scaffolding" in one of his books - Community of Kindness. It seems as God sends people in for a season in order to help get things going. Then for some reason or another, they leave.

There are many reasons for a person to leave. Some are legitimate such as a calling to another area, or a return to a sending church. Some reasons are selfish in nature. Some people will stay as long as the church is small. Once they see growth, they bail. Some will go quietly and others will go crazy and try and bring others out. Some will talk to you about their leaving....some people will leave and then talk about you : )

If you are like me....you might take it personally and wonder what you may have done or said to make them want to leave. But I believe we should expect this to happen and when people leave, we should bless their departure and thank them for their contribution to the church plant. Dont beat yourself up with doubts and dont try and keep someone who is determined to leave. By all means, NEVER promote someone to leadership in order for them to stay. This will only lead to problems down the road. Take the high road and bless them and get on with the ministry that God has called you.

Signage....

OAIM is currently helping one of our network churches re-launch. After years of being average...they wanted to step it up, make a difference in their community and bring excellence into everything they do.

One of the first things I did with the lead pastor was to drive to the church with him and look at everything from a fresh perspective. One of the 1st things I noted was the sign. The lettering was so small, nobody who was driving the speed limit of 45 mph could read. Church signs should communicate a clear, concise message that passers-by can read and understand while driving past it.

I make comments about signage all the time - so much in fact, my son Skyler points out good signage as we drive around town. It may do some of you good just to get in your car and drive around and see what signs are clear and noteworthy.

While on the subject of signs - I had a guy come to one of our churches and said the reason he came to the church was because we didnt have some cheesy saying on the church sign. I couldnt agree more... those signs turn me off. You know ...the ones that say stuff like,"Whats missing in Ch__ch? answer: UR". Or how about “Soul food served here!”

Let me add, good ole common sense will go a long way.

Top 10 Reasons Young Adults Drop out of Church

Here is a survey which was put together by our friends at Lifeway. Very interesting results, but makes me wonder if being outward focused and making a difference in the community would put an end to some of these reasons (or excuses) why young people no longer attend church.

Church Planting Tips

How do you start a church from scratch? By a faith that envisions what God's will is and then sees it come to pass.

Here are some great tips for a new church plant:

Have an excellent children's church. Children raised in an environment of "can-do" faith find it hard later to settle for "ho-hum" Christianity.

Welcome newcomers as guests....not just visitors. Reach out in friendship quickly, since we know what it's like to be new, too.

Be Flexible. If a change is needed, dont take a year to pass it through all the committees and sub-committees. Take a pragmatic approach, "If we have to, we can put it together in the next week or two". Younger churches are typically good at managing change

Enjoy Being Casual. Some folks enjoy dressing up on Sundays--and that's okay--but casual dress should be embraced and in my opinion...encouraged--slacks rather than suits or dresses. The outer appearance isn't so important here; it's the inner person who is important.

In Order to Lead......Leaders Must Read

I once heard a man say, "A person who can read but chooses not to do so....is no better off than an illiterate." I believe that as leaders, we should be readers. If you drive much, consider getting books on CD or MP3.

Here are some books that I have read and highly recommend for church planters:

Launch - Starting a New Church by Scratch by Nelson Searcy

The Purpose-Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message & Mission by Rick Warren

Community of Kindness by Steve Sjogren and Rob Lewin

Purpose-Driven® Youth Ministry by Doug Fields

For House Churches / Simple Churches I highly recommend - Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens by Neil Cole

Get Out of that Funk!

Feel like you or your church is in a rut?

What do you do when you cant seem to get out of the "funk"?

Get around right people to get you out of the "funky rut"!

Jim Collins' Good to Great Principle: Get the right people on the bus, get the wrong people out of the bus and then DRIVE to your destination.

I have always said that everyone needs a Timothy (someone you mentor), a Barnabas (someone that encourages you) and a Paul (someone that mentors you). A leader of leaders so to speak. I have been blessed to have some people in my life that I respect and can receive from, knowing that they have my best interest in mind.

Lone Ranger ministers as well as "Lone Ranger" churches are typically not the healthiest. If you don't have a coach or mentor...I highly encourage you to find one. You will see that this one element can take you and your ministry to the next level.

So...surround yourself with people greater than you and chances are ... you will get back on track as well as have longevity.

Dare to Dream

I dream of a church that.....

follows Jesus without question, reservation or fear.

values the things Jesus valued, is broken for the things that break Jesus’ heart and rejoices over the things Jesus rejoices over.

is always passionate for the outsider - spiritually , economically and culturally.

is made of people who are authentic, courageous, humble, honest, passionate and compassionate.
raises up and releases disciples who will in turn do the same.

experiences the undeniable presence of God in worship.

is of such impact and blessing to its community that the city would grieve its absence.

at the front of everyones lips is the recognition that we are part of something enor- mously larger than ourselves, the Kingdom of God.

are not just hearers of the Word but doers of the Word.

are a people who walk by faith, are messengers of hope and are known by love.

has a vision for the world and acts in a focused, intentional and strategic manner to change the world for the sake of Jesus Christ.

what occurs through their community can only be attributed to the hand of the Living God.

Signs of a Healthy Church

Here’s some thoughts shared by Dino Rizzo regarding Healthy Church Growth Indicators:

■The DNA of the house is everywhere. The leadership carries the culture all the way. It is a personal thing to them.
■There is a high level of interactiveness - and in the interactivity, there is a life-giving atmosphere.
■There is a momentum - unity about the vision and mission that relentlessly pushes love for Jesus, love for Jesus, love for Jesus.
■There is a lot of buy-in. Everything moves at the speed of the leadership because people generally will buy into the leadership prior to buying into the vision.
■The pastor has the ability to engage, enlarge and build the team. There is a high priority on making room for people to flourish.
■There is the irreplaceable God-factor: HUMILITY
■There is an element of outreach in almost everything that happens.

Check out more from Dino, a great outreach oriented leaders @ www.dinorizzo.com

Missional Church Advice - Ed Stezer & Alan Hirsch