I want to take this opportunity to talk about church planting and ChurchPlanters.com. Church planting is a huge part of why I am here. It is a calling. It doesn't go away. Early on I was a church planter and now I help church planters. Just over three years ago a left a major church planting organization where I was very involved in working with church planters to join the the ministry team of a three year old church plant and founded ChurchPlanters.com with Shawn Lovejoy. I just can't get it out of my system.
This past week we had 17 teams come to our campus where we spent 24 hours pouring into them through one of our Best Practices Practicums. It was awesome. I was overwhelmed by the fact that we were able to help these guys at some point. I know God spoke loud into their lives. That's why we exist. When they go back and experience a breakthrough, we succeed. Over half of them signed up for our next Coaching Network which means we are going to have the opportunity to journey with these guys over the next six months. I love this because over an extended period of time together we will see life changing results. These guys are going to be encouraged, there churches are going to be more focused, disconnected people are going to be reached, and God's Kingdom is going to be advanced. What an honor.
Our mission is simple at ChurchPlanters.com...to give you permission to do what it takes. We really believe that there are a lot of things and people that kick us and keep us down. What we really need is someone who says "go for it...you can do it." We believe that the best thing we can do is help you with perspective and then give you permission. The rules of engagement has changed...when this happens in the battle field there is often confusion. We want to bring clarity and be the guys who encourage you to take the hill.
Our Strategy is simple....
1) The Conference - Once a year we have a large gathering of church planters and church planting leaders at Mountain Lake Church. This year we will have some 600 or so church planters. We have a really neat line up of leaders and it is going to be awesome. It is here that we build relationships, encourage church planters, and get all fired up about the mission of reaching those who are disconnected from Christ and the church. You can check it out or register for this years conference at www.churchplanters.com. It will happen on February 18-19, 2008 and will include guys like Steven Furtick, Bil Cornelius, Mark Batterson, Darrin Patrick, Gabe Lyons, Devin Hudson, Shawn Lovejoy and many more. It is going to be awesome.
2) Best Practice Practicums - A couple of times a year we offer a Best Practice Practicum for guys who we connect with and they want to go to the next level of relationship and information. Our Practicums are designed to give them our Best Practices and help them drill into their own ministries and make ministry changing applications.
3) Coaching Networks - For those guys who are really serious about a relationship and want support, encouragement, perspective, coaching, and resourcing on an on-going bases we have our coaching networks. Our networks are design for 8 to 12 lead church planters and meet over six months for once a month.
4) Church Planting Residency - Because we are local church based we are able to offer a residency program right out of Mountain Lake Church. The Residency consist of guys who are willing to spend a year with us before they launch there church plants. Through the residency ministry we look for high impact leaders who will take what they learn and over time turn it into a movement.
5) Church Planting Networks - Realizing that none of us can do everything God has put in our hearts we are forming a network for launching new churches. We use our conferencing and coaching to fund our ministry in order that we might put 100% of any funds committed to supporting church planters into their church planting ministry. It pretty cool to create an organization that no only resources church planters, but also allows other to contribute and partner together for planting churches in a way that 100% of there dollars gets to the field. If you are looking for a church planter to support or a network to parter with in making a huge difference then we can help. We are currently building networks to support two new church plants in Cincinnati, Ohio and Columbus, Georgia.
Why am I here? Well here is one of the four reasons, I exit to come along side of church planters. What an awesome privilege to do what you were created for and to do it in a way to advance His Kingdom.
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