ChurchPlanters.com "Giving You Permission"

No Shortcuts....it's about those darn best practices

I am constantly amazed....it always comes back to those Best Practices (Nurture Vitality, Be Mean About the Vision, Finance the Mission, Think Team, and Redefine Discipleship).  It is amazing. 

Yesterday proved it once again.  Shawn Lovejoy and I went up to New Springs to meet with Perry Noble.  While I've read his blog, had him speak at our churchplanters.com conference, and generally kept up with him this was the first time I've hung out with him.  When we walked away I couldn't help but look and Shawn and say it is aways the same...it is about the best practices.  Shawn and I have had the opportunity to connect with dozen of great leaders and we always have that same reaction.  That is why we are so persistent about living out the best practices in our own leadership and coaching others in those best practices.   

I was impressed with his humility in the midst of great success...his commitment to emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual health...his heart for his team and their heart for him and New Springs...his attention to the details of what he is gifted at and his willingness to let go of the other stuff to his team. 

Thanks Perry and Jason for your time...and by the way it was cool just slowing down enough so that Shawn and I could hang out.  It is amazing how much we got done on our ride up to Anderson, while really getting a chance to catch up and enjoy one another.  I'm telling you it always comes down to the best practices. 

A Missional Response...World Care

I am overwhelmed today...God is continuing to do something in my heart...I just began reading The Calling; A Challenge to Walk the Narrow Road by Brother Andrew.  I highly recommend it.  Over the last year or so God has been doing a new work in my heart.  I have always said that I was called to be a missionary to the North American Church.  Lately that call has taken new life...as a missionary to the North American Church I am hearing more clearly his call for the North American Church to be in the world. 

Recently I was in Malawi where the church can freely operate...as I moved from village to village, town to town, and city to city I noticed a growing Muslim presence.  There were new mosques in many places.  Like much of Northern Africa if we don't respond as the Church by strengthening the African Churches the landscape will quickly change.  Misunderstandings will take place...confusion will abound...relationships will be challenged....and freedoms limited.  Now is the time to respond as Jesus would respond.

As I reflected on the world this morning I couldn't help but think of Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan.  I am so thankful for those who lead the way in these hard places.  God is at work.  As the church we too must respond. 

Yesterday we emphasized World Care at Mountain Lake Church.  Many responded.  I couldn't help but reflect on what it means to be missional.  Over the past few years the word missional has replaced concepts like; church growth and church health.  What does it really mean to be missional?  Being missional is not about doing church in a cool way for the cool people...being missional is not about a certain form and expression of worship...being missional is about recognizing that as Jesus was sent, we too are a sent people.  As a sent people there are no borders or limits to our being sent.  We are sent to our families, coworkers, neighbors, friends, enemies, and to the world. 

Being missional is about rediscovering the centrality and simplicity of Jesus and His ways.  Here are a couple of ways you can respond to the world.

Malawi Water Project - This Christmas we are adopting a village and putting in a well in Malawi.  We have printed up some tee-shirts and are giving 100 percent of the proceeds to provide this well.  If you are interested you can e-mail at [email protected]  I would love to tell you how to get involved.

Give Water. Give Life!

Egypt Vision Trip - I am leading a group of leaders to the Egyp t in March for a vision trip to see how we can partner in that region of the country.  If you are a pastor or a leader of a ministry I would love for you to consider going with me.  We are currently encouraging and supporting several churches in the Cairo area and are looking to expand our base of North American churches that will develop long term relationships in Egypt with churches. You can e-mail me if you are interested at [email protected].

Look In My Eyes...

Look into my eyes...what do you see?  A man most blessed!

First Look @ Breaking the Discipleship Code

I was pleasantly surprise when I ran across my new book on Amazon.com.  It won't be released until May, 2008 but here is a first look....Check out Breaking the Discipleship Code here!

Peace On Earth! What On Earth Does It Have To Do With Me?

I can't explain it...I will just call it a strange peace...I got an e-mail from my son some time over in the night...It was simple "Had to leave in a hurry.  Stop off at FOB _____ and on to FOB _______.  I immediately recognized the FOB (Forward Operational Base) as a Taliban trouble spot.  Right before my son came home for leave one of the platoons out of their troops was hit and had a high number of casualties. 

I'm scared, but at the same time I feel all of this pride related to the man my son is becoming...

At the same time I can't get the world off of my mind...Yesterday in my post I talked about putting a 100 wells in villages in Africa...today that thought is capturing my heart...I really believe our world is small...I can jump in a jet and be any place in the world as fast as I can drive to the Midwest.  I don't know how we can be a follower of Jesus and not do something about our world...When it comes to the Jesus way we are the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world". 

When it comes to our world...THINK BIG!  Do something about it....pray for a specific country...watch the world news...give to a worthy cause...go on a short term trip...adopt a project...help me drill a well this Christmas...

ONE!!!!

If you follow my blog, you are aware that I have been in a reflective mood over the past few weeks...I'm not sure Why...maybe because of where I am living with my family and especially my son.  He left last Thursday to return to Afghanistan...

He called yesterday to let me know he had arrived and would Black Hawk in to his place of operations in a couple of days.  Once he arrives he will rejoin his platoon and they will immediately deploy on another mission...he carries with him a set of dog tags with Psalm 91 engraved in them and I assured him of my prayers...I know you will join me in praying for all of our troops...by the way he found his Harley...I'm still looking for mine!  I think they grow under cabbage patches.

(Dave's Harley...sweet!!!)   

Back to my point...I was reading Reggie McNeal's new book, Get A Life!  Actually I was reading at it and mostly reflecting...in it he talked about keeping a scorecard for our lives...Once again I found myself reflecting on what i want to accomplish and stand for in my life...referring back to a journal entry on 092306 here is what I want to see with my life...

 

    1,000,000 people connected to Jesus
    100,000 pastors and planters equipped to reach the 1 mil
    10,000 people connected to Christ and the Church through MLC
    1,000 churches planted through churchplanters
    10 books written in my spare time
    1 life well spent

All while I cruise on my Harley with my son...

PS I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the missing "100" but I wanted to leave a little room for vision...maybe a hundred wells in Africa...we are doing our first this year. 

Searching for God Knows What!

I love to start my day with God.  I often sit in my chair and just reflect on life.  I love to take a good book, my Bible, and my journal and reflect.  Today was one of those days that God uses in your life to recenter you.  Here are my reflections:

1.  I am so grateful to get to do what I do.  Some might would ask what do you do anyway?  I work with church planters from all over the United States who have a vision and passion for reaching the disconnected.  I lead our World Care Initiative at Mountain Lake Church.  I mean I get to take people to the ends of the earth and show them the Jesus way.  I write books calling people back to the centrality and simplicity of the Jesus way.  I serve along side of our Leading Elders (Shawn, Chad, and Casey) making strategic decision for our church. 

2. It is easy to get distracted.  The grass always looks greener on the other side.  I have discovered that there is something about how I am wired that if I don't stay on my guard I can grow really discontent.  This usually happens for me after I complete a big project.  For example I just finished Breaking the Discipleship Code.  It was an incredible writing project that took a lot out of me.  Reconnecting and replenishing is now an important part of that process. 

3.  I recognize the decisions I make today will greatly affect my impact tomorrow.  I am so proud of my parents.  They are in their late 60's (67 and 69) I think?  My dad leads a church and my mom teaches school.  They won't retire!  They love what they do and they have made a lifetime of decisions that are really letting them finish well.  More and more everyday I realize that the little decisions I make like ride my bike or not, buy this or pay off that, let it go or hang on to it, etc. all has an incredible affect on what my life will be like over the next 25 years.  I want to make good decisions in order that I might be able to stay in the game as long as possible and finish as well as possible.

4.  I'm not alone.  There are so many people out there searching.  Some have lost their way.  They are desperate to find it.  They too, want a life filled with purpose and I can do something about it.  The dinner I had last night with a new follower of Jesus was potentially life changing.  The lunch I will have today with a follower of Jesus who I have been able to multiply myself through is going to be life shaping.  There maybe even a chance encounter out there that will make all the difference in the world.  People are searching and its my job to show them the way.

So what does all this mean?  It means I'm not smart enough, clever enough, or strategic enough to figure this thing out.  What I must do is depend on God today to show me His way.  To help me get over myself...and follow the Jesus way...I think I hear him calling, "Come, follower me." 

It Went By To Fast!

In the words of my son, "It went by way to fast".  This is a picture of my family in the airport moments after Dave arrived.  This was the first time we had saw him in 10 months.  For the last 18 days we have had an incredible time.  We have eaten out more times then I can count...we had one great big party where all of our family came in...it was a rare moment when all of the cousins were gathered around the fire with as Jes and Dave played the guitars and sang old rock and rolls and the blues.  Last night my daughter made Dave this great big blanket that we will mail to Afghanistan.  In five months he will return.  Don't forget to keep him and all of our troops in your prayers.

Also keep in mind while you are out there on the front lines of church planting and ministry it will go by way to fast.  Do something special with your family today.  We are...we are going to hug our daughter and tell her we love her as she leaves to head back to school and we are going to hold Dave extra hard and tell him how much we love him as he heads back to Afghanistan. 
After that Tami and I will head back from the Airport...we will cry together...pray together...and hold each other a little tighter tonight.  We love our children and we are proud of them.  We can't wait until April when he will return again...david

My Mission

My Mission is to help the North American Church Rediscover the centrality and simplicity of the Jesus way!

That's why I exist...that's why I get up every morning...that's why I write books, coach church planters, serve as a pastor in a church...that's why I do what I do. 

What a gift to have the honor to serve out ones purpose regardless of how humble or noble the cause may seem. 

God give me the strength, resolve, clarity, focus, passion, gifts, resources, and power to live my life with laser focus for that which you have created me for...finding the Jesus way!  Amen!

Part 5 of 5: Why Am I Here?

A little review....

4) Family...I love my family...right now I kicking back with my son and daughter...in a few short days my son will back in Afghanistan for his last five months of deployment as a combat soldier...and my daughter will be back at school.  For now it is great to hang. 

3) Missionary...God has called me to be a missionary to the North American Church...Jesus came preaching "Repent for the Kingdom of God is near".  Repent...rethink...relook...rediscover...

2) Writer...I love to write...writing allows me to connect the dots...

1) Pastor...I love being a pastor and speaking into peoples lives...I love creating and giving away ministry...I love multiplying myself through others...I love being part of the team...I love seeing the local church succeed. 

That's why I am here....david