ChurchPlanters.com "Giving You Permission"

I Love That Guy!!!!!!!!!!!

It's crazy, but I watched an ambush my son was in on www.Youtube.com.  It was shot from the Humvee in front of them.  It begins something like this, "They been hit!  We have got to go back!!!"  Lots of 50 Cal machine gun fire.  The rest of the video is fill with colorful language, gun fire and a young 19 or 20 year old shouting our commands.  I don't think he is in charge, but he certainly took charge.  You really can't see anything, but chaos.  However, you hear it all.  When the video ends you see two Humvees; one in the road the other in a field.  The one in the field had been hit by a RPG.  My son was in that one.  On the other side of the Humvee he is in a defensive position between the driver and the ambush, the driver is injured and on the ground, the medic (another hero) is busy saving another life.   

I talked to my son about this guy today.  I told him how much I respected, appreciate, and like this guy.  My son told me that when the chips were down this was the guy that would take the fight to the enemy.  There is no question that he's the kind of guy that has your back.  What was already bad could have been worst if it hadn't been for this guy.  He could have kept going.  He could have hesitated.  He could have gotten confused.  But instead he took charge and took the fight to the enemy.  When these brave warriors get home I'm going to buy this guy a big steak...I can't wait to look him in the eye and say "Son, you are a hero!" 

When it comes to church planting we are in a war...in that war are many battles...much is at stake.  Each time a church is planted with missional impact ground is taken, strongholds are broken, and people are set free.  With such a clear objective we need that guy and we can be that guy.   As leaders we must have the backs of those we lead...As one that follows we must have the back of those who lead us.  It's this kind of back to back that produces trust.  Trust is the glue that not only holds teams together, but galvanizes them. 

Make a commitment today...or a re-commitment to be that guy.  "We have got to go back...we have got to go back".  I love that guy.    

Creating a Volunteer Culture

One of the most amazing things we have going on at MLC is our volunteers.  If you attended our church planting conference you know exactly what I'm talking about. We have the best volunteers in the world.  Each weekend we have hundreds of volunteers that serve in some capacity in helping us create an environment for disconnected people.  In addition, throughout the week, our offices and church building are filled with volunteers who work behind the scenes developing sets, working with our creative teams, entering data, making phone calls, and all levels of admin.  I work with our Greater Impact Initiatives (Missions), but in reality with everything I have going on, it is a group of volunteers that see that about 250 people a year go to places like Egypt, New York, New Orleans, Africa, etc.  It really is an amazing volunteer culture.  Well, how does it happen?  Let me try to give you a quick answer; it certainly won't give justice to this discussion, but here is my attempt...

We qualify the unqualified - We understand that in today's culture most people beginning a spiritual journey need an environment where they can touch, taste and smell.  From day one we give people an opportunity to get involved, no matter who they are or where they are on their journey.

We connect people quickly - We understand the importance of striking while the iron is hot.  The gap between when someone wants to begin serving and when they actually get to serve is a matter of days, not weeks.  You can indicate a desire to serve one week and be serving by the next week. 

We talk about it all the time - It is one of our five G's (our strategic process for accomplishing our mission).  We don't do a lot of different stuff, but volunteering is one of the five things we do and we talk about it all the time because it is what devoted followers of Christ do...they serve.

We give people simple steps to getting involved - Every week we provide a volunteer orientation where someone takes a small group of people around during one of our services, showing them the many opportunities to serve.  By the next week, they are serving.

We focus on service and servanthood - I think I said it, but it bears repeating, we focus on service.  We really do.  We don't do a lot of things that set people up on a spiritual pedestal. Those who lead really do so by serving.  They are typically coaches.  Coaches are our guys who have usually multiplied themselves in a ministry area to the point where they are leading (serving) four or five key leaders. You become a leader at MLC by serving.

We celebrate and value our volunteers - Let me begin with the valuing part.  We really do value and love our volunteers...they really rock.  In addition, we look for ways to celebrate them.  Our Ministry Team is great about affirming and appreciating our volunteers as individuals, but we also do things as a church to say thank you.   At least once a year we do an Echo Leadership Event designed to say "thank you" and once a year we spend major bucks to go away to a retreat setting to say "thank you".  However, nothing replaces the day-to-day conversations of affirmation. 

Our volunteers are really the best in the world and we thank God for them.  I would love to hear your response about this whole area of volunteer-ism....What did you experience at the conference?  What are you doing in your church plant, or church, with volunteers?  How can we help? david

Back From the Mountain

We are back from the mountain.  About twice a year our eight pastors head up the mountain for a pastor's retreat.  It is one of the most spiritual times of our year.  We don't do a lot, that's the point.  This mountain experience consisted of going hiking and swimming in the creek...one of the advantages of living in Georgia in November.  We watched a great football game between Rutgers and Illinois.  We hung out in the hot tub, put a stick or two in the fire, and ate a lot of unhealthy food.  On a healthy note, Chad and I ate a thing of fruit...anyway, it is great to hang out with guys you love, respect, fight with and for, and do life with almost everyday. 

This morning I was working on a book, Best Practices of Church Planters, that Shawn and I are writing together; it is going to be our flagship resource for church planters.  It sure is easy to write on "Think Team" when you have a great team. 

There is something spiritual about hanging out.  One of my aha moments in life and ministry came when I ran across the passage in Mark 3: 13 a few years ago...it goes like this, "Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to Him those He wanted and they came to Him."  Is that not an awesome verse?  Jesus wanted to hang out with the disciples.  He was their friend first and then everything else.  I can truthfully say that the guys on our team are my friends first.  Thanks guys...go team...david