ChurchPlanters.com "Giving You Permission"

Back From Malawi

No, I didn't stop blogging...I spent the last two weeks in Malawi.  Malawi is one of those National Geographic type places in the south central part of Africa.  If you are a Madonna fan or not you may have heard of it and Kendal Orphan Outreach...she was recently there. 

For the the last two weeks I have worked each morning learning the trade of a brickmason the traditional African way, going from village to village participating in indigenous youth programs designed to care for the needs of AIDS orphans, hiking through the African bush on foot encountering wild elephants, and trying my skills at shopping the city markets.  Did I mention sleeping on a concrete floor for two weeks and the 38 hours of travel flying, sitting in airports, and shuttling from one place to the other it took to get home. 

It's good to be back...there are a lot of church planting stuff going on...I can't wait to tell you about. 

Spousal Support

You have got to be kidding me!  It just hit me.  Spousal Support! Spousal support is one of the knockout factors for church planters.  That's right if your spouse is not on board do not plant a church. 

At the same time spousal support seems to cheapen the role of my wonderful spouse of 28 years in my life.  It makes my spouse sound like a means to an end....you know sort of check it off...yep...she is on board...honey let me know if you need anything. 

Today I have been married 28 years....yea that's right I got married when I was three.  I'm waiting on my wife to get home so I can give her a gift and a card...its a little bracelet with a heart charm on it...cost me less than forty bucks...I also gave her a card and drew a heart on it with a arrow going through it with the words..."I love Tami" on it.  I haven't drawn one of those things since I was in elementary school.  I am so proud of it.

More importantly I am madly in love with my wife.  Spousal support...I support my spouse...Maybe when it comes to church planting we are asking the wrong person this question.  The question ought to be, "Do you love your wife like Jesus loves the church?"  Now you are qualified to talk about spousal support. 

God has been so good to Tami and me over the last 28 years...looking back here are some things I'm grateful for...

1. She gave birth to two awesome children and did an incredible job holding our family together when I went traveling around the globe in Jesus name...she still does.
2. She is a person of integrity that calls it like she sees it.  I have never met a women so gracious and gentle at the same time if she gets on you...you are in big trouble.
3. I am so grateful that she survived getting run over  by a car and has bounced back so wonderfully...thank you God for every day you have extended our life together.
4. I am so grateful that I listen to her when I was invited to join the Mountain Lake Church team...let to myself I would have went after the big time position...instead God has given me big time purpose. 
5. I am so grateful that she has become more beautiful everyday of our life together. 
6. I am so grateful that she is my very best friend.

Go give your wife a hug and a kiss...love her like Jesus loves the church and then let's talk about spousal support...david

Never Be Mean Spirited About the Vision

Be mean about the vision is one of our  best practices.  That's right...you have to be mean about the vision...at the same time we  are not talking about being mean spirited.  The church planters that are getting it done are passionate about the vision...they are clear about the vision...they understand the vision...for them the vision is boss...they communicate it clearly...make decisions about who they hire and who they fire related based on the vision...preach and teach vision all the time...but they are not mean. 

However they are mean about the vision in that the vision is so compelling and consuming that they allow nothing to come in between them and the vision.  They understand that the vision is a divine mandate from God that they are entrusted with.  They realize that first and foremost it is their responsibility to lead others to share and push forward toward a day that they will realize the vision. 

When they are confronted by those who don't understand the vision,they realize like a shepherd defends his flock from the wild animals he must defend his flock from those who would high jack the vision. 

With this in mind while he is mean about the vision...he is not mean spirited.  The leader still has the high calling to reflect Jesus and the Jesus way in everything he does....he is to walk in the Spirit bearing the fruit of the spirit...loving and encouraging those who don't get the vision...while at the same time protecting the vision that God has given him. 

Peace...david

Why are you planting?

I was meeting with our church planter dudes yesterday and I couldn't help but reflect on the question, "Why are you planting?"  This past weekend was a huge weekend in the church planting world.  There were hundreds of church planters who launched their churches...the kingdom was advance...lives were changed. 

For most they approached this weekend with a keen sensitivity toward being culturally relevant...which happens to be one of my soap boxes.  My question for you is what makes a church plant relevant?  If you look at the life of Jesus it is not hard to unlock the relevant code.  What made Jesus so relevant?  If someone was hungry Jesus fed them...if someone was naked Jesus clothed them...if someone was lonely He befriended them...you see where I'm going with this...it is not hard to be relevant. 

Being relevant is not about all the cool things we do in our services to be different...but it is about meeting and communicating the gospel in a way that people can understand it.   In Breaking the Missional Code Ed Stetzer and I talked about being Biblically faithful and culturally relevant at the same time.  In Breaking the Discipleship Code (to be released spring 2008) I took it a step further and talked about being culturally relevant and true to the Jesus way at the same time. 

When it comes to relevance there are three core issues that every church planter would do well to address.  They are:

1. Destiny or purpose - people are looking and created for a purpose greater then themselves.  Why do you think Warren sold more then 30 million copies of The Purpose Driven Life. They are asking the question, "Why am I here?"
2. Meaning - people are trying to make sense out of their world.  Why do people suffer?  Where did sin come from?  Why am I so lonely?  What in the world is happening to me?  We call this a worldview.  It's the way one orders their understanding of reality.
3. Acceptance - we were all created for relationships.  People want to know they are alright.  They want to be accepted by God and others.  They want to belong. 

With this in mind...Why are you planting?  When you get up this weekend be relevant...go ahead be different.  Use cool music...preach in jeans...darken the building...use multimedia...change the way people think about church...but don't forget to change the way they think about Jesus.  Don't forget to speak to this whole idea of destiny, meaning, and acceptance....follow the Jesus way...go ahead check it out for your self...take a spin through the gospels....

On the other hand don't be different for different sake...plant for one reason and one reason only...to invite people into the Jesus way....peace

When Much Is At Stake!

First of all I am stoked!  I heard from my son last night.  He called from Gardez, Afghanistan.  It was so good to talk with him.  He is safe!  The first of August he was hit with an IED (Improvised Explosive Device).  He survived!  This was his first mission since then.  We knew he was going into some of the most dangerous places in Afghanistan and we were on edge.  More people than I know, or can name, were sitting on edge with us.  I can't tell you how many people have been praying over the past few weeks. 

When he called I could tell he was especially upbeat about the large number of e-mails he had received on his myspace.com account.  He told me he had read each one and had tried to respond to as many as he could. 

I was reminded of how the people of God do respond when much is at stake.  I want to personally say thanks, and encourage those who read this blog to keep praying.  He will be coming home for 18 days, leaving Afghanistan on October 18th...you talk about a lost party...we are going to have a celebration.  He will be going back after those 18 days to finish his tour some time in April or early May, 2008. 

He told me after that he is getting him a Harley and going cruising.  At the end of the day this kid who is one of the bravest men I've ever known, is still a kid.  He loves to play XBox, ride his skateboard, play his guitar, and dream about riding a new Harley. 

I'm getting one too...and I'm going cruising with him...so if you see two rather mean dudes on bikes don't worry it just the two of us...

The bottom line is there is much at stake.  When you are laying it on the line in church planting, there is much at stake...As we often say...we only get ONE SHOT when it comes to the lost.  They often make there way into our weekend worship or even into our lives and we only get one shot to make a difference in their life.  One opportunity to launch...one opportunity to preach that specific sermon...one opportunity to touch that person for the first time. 

Here is what I've noticed, when God's people realize that there is much at stake...they rally.  Like with my son, they prayed and they send e-mails...they pull for you...throw their resources at you...pray for you...think about you...show up at your parties...pull along side of you...

As a church planter it is our responsibility to get the word out...to cast the vision...to tell the stories...to create a sense of urgency...to help people know what is at stake!

Avoid Church Planters Bankruptcy

I have seen to many church planters end up in church planters bankruptcy.  That's right it is so easy to get intoxicated by our vision and lose all sense of direction when it comes to the finances of the church plant.  You can be a great and godly leader, have the best team, develop the best strategy, create the neatest image, met in the best meeting place, teach the most relevant messages, have the best worship, and still end up in the ditch if you don't pay attention to the finances. 

Go ahead and have faith and place a basket at the back of your meeting place where you won't draw any attention to it.  Don't ever say anything about money.  You wouldn't want to offend anyone...and see what happens. 

I once walked across a large gather of ministry leaders with my dad.  Along the way I stopped and talked to several people.  Each time I asked them to join in our mission financially.  My dad stopped me on the other side and said, "Son, you have asked everybody here for something."  I told my dad, 1) I haven't asked for anything for myself.  It was all about the Kingdom.  2) According to Jesus you have not, because you ask not.

If you are not learning how to develop prudent financial plans, ask for resources, and develop long term Kingdom minded givers...you could be headed to church planters bankruptcy.  It is a big deal, don't ignore it. 

Financing the Mission is one of our Best Practices and one of the topics we will be talking about in our upcoming Best Practices Practicum.  Make plans to join us on October 22-23, 2007.  In addition to financing the mission you will learn and develop practical plans for maintaining vitality, being mean about the vision, rethinking team, and redefining discipleship. 

For more information click here!  Make plans now to come and bring your team.