I have to go facilitate a Bible College class tonight and I really don't want to go. I feel lazy tonight and I just want to hang out and do nothing productive. Add to that the fact that the class is a evangelism class. I hated my evangelism class in College, it was a large joke only no one was laughing. It just cemented the fact in my mind that few Christians know how to relate or talk to the unchurched.
We come off as used car salesmen or as just plain nuts because we think It's all about telling the gospel as quick and as boldly as we can manage to the largest group of people we can find. I think this is because we have made the sinners' prayer the ultimate goal of evangelism. We have become so obsessed with how many hands were raised or how many decisions were made that we forget that our true call is to make disciples and that takes time.
If we would care enough about the lost to stop talking and listen for a little while we might discover that people will never care about the message until they know the messenger.
Anyway, off I go again.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Things I'm Learning
These are the things that it feels like God has been trying to teach me lately. He's probably been trying to teach me most these things for the last decade, but hey, better late than never.
Trust - There is a lot of work that goes into planting a church, but at the end of it all, there are a lot of things that you are powerless to do anything about. For the last six months I've had to trust God with more things than ever before, strangely though, I'm not all stressed out like I use to be when things were not in my control.
Boldness - I'm a laid back kind of guy, when people are being idiots I tend to ignore them. I've found that speaking my mind has always gotten me into a lot of trouble, but I'm starting to see that it isn't about me. There are times when you have to be bold for the sake of others, weather it be for the lost, your family, or a member of your team. Today I had to tell the pastor of our mother church how I felt about a situation our team was being placed in. It felt good to be open and honest about something that wasn't right.
Self-Control - I've cut way back on my Pepsi intake and have started being more careful about how much I eat. I've lost about 20 pounds so far and I need to either buy new pants or a new belt. It hasn't been easy but I feel better than I have in a long while. Besides, would you rather go to the church with the fat pastor or would want to go to a church ran by a hot young pastor?
I'm sure God's trying to teach me other things like humility, but these will do for now.
Trust - There is a lot of work that goes into planting a church, but at the end of it all, there are a lot of things that you are powerless to do anything about. For the last six months I've had to trust God with more things than ever before, strangely though, I'm not all stressed out like I use to be when things were not in my control.
Boldness - I'm a laid back kind of guy, when people are being idiots I tend to ignore them. I've found that speaking my mind has always gotten me into a lot of trouble, but I'm starting to see that it isn't about me. There are times when you have to be bold for the sake of others, weather it be for the lost, your family, or a member of your team. Today I had to tell the pastor of our mother church how I felt about a situation our team was being placed in. It felt good to be open and honest about something that wasn't right.
Self-Control - I've cut way back on my Pepsi intake and have started being more careful about how much I eat. I've lost about 20 pounds so far and I need to either buy new pants or a new belt. It hasn't been easy but I feel better than I have in a long while. Besides, would you rather go to the church with the fat pastor or would want to go to a church ran by a hot young pastor?
I'm sure God's trying to teach me other things like humility, but these will do for now.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Two More
Two more preview services and we are out on our own, this makes me very happy. I used to think that I'd be nervous to leave but now it's here I'm anxious for it.
The service last night was my favorite so far, which is strange because it was our smallest service yet. The reason why I liked is that it felt like we were no longer practicing, but that we were all doing what we are called to do. We talked about what we were going to do and what has happened so far and at the end it felt like it was time to do it.
The next couple months are going to be fun.
The service last night was my favorite so far, which is strange because it was our smallest service yet. The reason why I liked is that it felt like we were no longer practicing, but that we were all doing what we are called to do. We talked about what we were going to do and what has happened so far and at the end it felt like it was time to do it.
The next couple months are going to be fun.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Stupid Sayings
Here is my review on stupid sayings:
It's always darkest before the dawn - True. Unless you've been locked in the trunk of a car, in which case its always dark.
A watched pot never boils - False. Although you'd have to be smoking pot to spend the time it takes watching a pot of water long enough to prove it.
There is more than one way to skin a cat - True. In the state of Nevada they are all illegal though.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - False. I think they are both equally worthless, unless the birds in question are rotisserie chickens. Because who would want to buy two rotisserie chickens that have been sitting in a bush?
The grass is always greener on the other side - False. In Vegas all the grass is dead.
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar - True. But Raid works better than both.
Never look a gift horse in the mouth - True. But I can't think of any kind of horse I'd want to look in the mouth.
The pen is mightier than the sword - False. Yeah, that's why pirates and vikings would never go anywhere without their ballpoints or felt tips.
It's always darkest before the dawn - True. Unless you've been locked in the trunk of a car, in which case its always dark.
A watched pot never boils - False. Although you'd have to be smoking pot to spend the time it takes watching a pot of water long enough to prove it.
There is more than one way to skin a cat - True. In the state of Nevada they are all illegal though.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - False. I think they are both equally worthless, unless the birds in question are rotisserie chickens. Because who would want to buy two rotisserie chickens that have been sitting in a bush?
The grass is always greener on the other side - False. In Vegas all the grass is dead.
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar - True. But Raid works better than both.
Never look a gift horse in the mouth - True. But I can't think of any kind of horse I'd want to look in the mouth.
The pen is mightier than the sword - False. Yeah, that's why pirates and vikings would never go anywhere without their ballpoints or felt tips.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Provision
After my little rant yesterday I had someone offer to buy our church chairs for when we move to the school. It amazes me how God provides the right people when you need them the most. We started with nothing and God has provided time and time again for our needs and wants. This has strengthed my resolve that we are doing what God has placed us here to do. Now, it's about keeping it that way.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Today Was Interesting
The interview thing that I did today was a little bigger than I thought. There were about forty people there from all over the country to talk about how to empower church planters better. It was just myself and two other church planters being interviewed.
The first hour and a half considered of the leaders talking about why we've failed in the past and if they should repent in prayer or not. Then they asked each of us how they could serve us better as leaders. The other two planters went first, I was glad because this gave me time to think up an answer. When they go to me I still didn't have an answer, so I asked them to repeat the question (this tactic always worked well in college). Finally, I had to answer.
I'll try to keep it as close to what I said as I can remember but keep in mind it was off the cuff:
"I would tell you to do something, anything, even the wrong thing, as long as it was something. My frustration as a church planter has never been with unbelievers, they have been some of our biggest supporters. It hasn't been with the local leadership, they have been there when we needed them. It has been with Christians who say they are for church planting but do nothing."
"Every church says it is in favor of church planting, they have meetings about it, talk about it, pray about it, and then do nothing about it. I think it's because they are afraid of the sacrifice or of making a wrong decision. I can deal with you guys making a mistake as long as you're honest about it. I can deal with you guys failing. I can't deal with just talking. I can't deal with just praying and doing nothing. I can't deal with my leadership doing nothing because of fear. Every church planter knows what the fear of making the wrong decision and the fear of failure feels like, but if we let those things stop us the job would never get done. "
"I was taught if you are praying it should be for God to guide you in what to do and if you have a meeting it should be to plan action. Don't just talk, pray, and fold your hands. Do something."
Maybe later I'll talk about what happened next, but that gives you an idea of my morning.
The first hour and a half considered of the leaders talking about why we've failed in the past and if they should repent in prayer or not. Then they asked each of us how they could serve us better as leaders. The other two planters went first, I was glad because this gave me time to think up an answer. When they go to me I still didn't have an answer, so I asked them to repeat the question (this tactic always worked well in college). Finally, I had to answer.
I'll try to keep it as close to what I said as I can remember but keep in mind it was off the cuff:
"I would tell you to do something, anything, even the wrong thing, as long as it was something. My frustration as a church planter has never been with unbelievers, they have been some of our biggest supporters. It hasn't been with the local leadership, they have been there when we needed them. It has been with Christians who say they are for church planting but do nothing."
"Every church says it is in favor of church planting, they have meetings about it, talk about it, pray about it, and then do nothing about it. I think it's because they are afraid of the sacrifice or of making a wrong decision. I can deal with you guys making a mistake as long as you're honest about it. I can deal with you guys failing. I can't deal with just talking. I can't deal with just praying and doing nothing. I can't deal with my leadership doing nothing because of fear. Every church planter knows what the fear of making the wrong decision and the fear of failure feels like, but if we let those things stop us the job would never get done. "
"I was taught if you are praying it should be for God to guide you in what to do and if you have a meeting it should be to plan action. Don't just talk, pray, and fold your hands. Do something."
Maybe later I'll talk about what happened next, but that gives you an idea of my morning.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Tomorrow Should Be Interesting
Tomorrow I am being interviewed by some of the higher ups from my denomination on my experiences so far as a church planter. I don't quite know what to expect from this thing, frankly I'm kinda surprised anyone is taking the time to ask me anything.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Ode to Battlestar
I don't watch a whole lot of TV anymore, most of it is awful. Even the stuff I used to love has lost its charm (I gave up on 24 a couple weeks ago). Besides The Office the only show I look forward to is Battlestar Galactica and I found out this week that it has been picked up for another season. This gives me hope and joy for the year to come.
Now most people wouldn't even give this show a chance, it's based on a 70's sci-fi show that was so weird its first run didn't last more than a season. Add to that the fact that the Sci-fi channel in all of its wisdom puts it on at 10:00pm Sunday night so that they can save prime time for wonderful made for TV movies with the worst special effects since Clash of the Titans. Despite this though the show is awesome and here are some of the reasons why:
1. It has Admiral Adama - Imagine if Jack Bauer was put in charge of a fleet of star ships.
2. It has a cranky drunk man in an eye patch - It reminds me of holidays back home.
3. It has a hairy man who sees an imaginary sexy robot - These are the type of people that make life more interesting.
4. It has a sexy robot that sees an imaginary hairy man - Can we say plot twist?
5. It has a lot of people who get angry and hit each other - Once again, the holidays.
6. It has mankind losing and running away - I like my stories dark. What's with this good guys always coming out on top Sci-fi out there? This show would beat up Star Trek and take its lunch money.
7. It has robots with guns in their arms - Pure genius.
8. It has other good stuff - You know deep plot, great effects, awesome camera work, mystery, fully developed characters, etc. But who cares about that stuff?
Now most people wouldn't even give this show a chance, it's based on a 70's sci-fi show that was so weird its first run didn't last more than a season. Add to that the fact that the Sci-fi channel in all of its wisdom puts it on at 10:00pm Sunday night so that they can save prime time for wonderful made for TV movies with the worst special effects since Clash of the Titans. Despite this though the show is awesome and here are some of the reasons why:
1. It has Admiral Adama - Imagine if Jack Bauer was put in charge of a fleet of star ships.
2. It has a cranky drunk man in an eye patch - It reminds me of holidays back home.
3. It has a hairy man who sees an imaginary sexy robot - These are the type of people that make life more interesting.
4. It has a sexy robot that sees an imaginary hairy man - Can we say plot twist?
5. It has a lot of people who get angry and hit each other - Once again, the holidays.
6. It has mankind losing and running away - I like my stories dark. What's with this good guys always coming out on top Sci-fi out there? This show would beat up Star Trek and take its lunch money.
7. It has robots with guns in their arms - Pure genius.
8. It has other good stuff - You know deep plot, great effects, awesome camera work, mystery, fully developed characters, etc. But who cares about that stuff?
Friday, February 16, 2007
A Horrible Sound
I just got home from work. My daughter fell asleep on a pillow in the living room and I went upstairs to check me e-mail. I wasn't even half-way through deleting the useless spam when I heard the sound that every parent fears...choking.
Soon after becoming a parent you develop the uncanny ability to distinguish and interpret every sound your child makes. You can tell the difference between a real and fake cry. You can tell between a happy scream and a scared scream. Most of all, you know the difference between a cough and a choke.
What I heard was a choke and a bad one. I took the stairs in two leaps and when I got down to my daughter it looked a bad rock star end. There was my daughter lying in a pool of her own vomit choking on the chunks.
I got her up and to start breathing again and now an hour later she's playing and laughing like nothing happened, but stuff like that freaks me out especially seeing how I have a newborn coming soon.
True love is washing vomit out of someones hair.
Soon after becoming a parent you develop the uncanny ability to distinguish and interpret every sound your child makes. You can tell the difference between a real and fake cry. You can tell between a happy scream and a scared scream. Most of all, you know the difference between a cough and a choke.
What I heard was a choke and a bad one. I took the stairs in two leaps and when I got down to my daughter it looked a bad rock star end. There was my daughter lying in a pool of her own vomit choking on the chunks.
I got her up and to start breathing again and now an hour later she's playing and laughing like nothing happened, but stuff like that freaks me out especially seeing how I have a newborn coming soon.
True love is washing vomit out of someones hair.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
New Office?
I think there's a new Office on tonight. That show makes me very happy. I think anyone who has every been forced to work with strange people can enjoy it. I have only two complaints though:
1. It needs to be longer - A half an hour isn't enough time, it feels rushed most nights.
2. The English version was better - I love the American version, but for those of you who don't know it was originally done by the Brits and I hate to admit it but they did a better job. Run out and buy the DVD now!
1. It needs to be longer - A half an hour isn't enough time, it feels rushed most nights.
2. The English version was better - I love the American version, but for those of you who don't know it was originally done by the Brits and I hate to admit it but they did a better job. Run out and buy the DVD now!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Hot Married Passion
In honor of the holiday I was going to do a top ten list of things I love about my wife, but after thinking about it for twenty minutes I came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to narrow it down that far and if I wanted to do the woman justice I'd have to type all night. It takes a very special woman to be a pastor's wife, and it takes an even more special woman to be a church planters wife, and it takes a flat out unique woman to be married to me.
Autumn and I will have been married for nine years this year and I've with her for a total of twelve. Although I know it sounds cheesy, I am more in love with her now then I was on our wedding day. The strange thing about that is that our love looks totally different now then it did back then.
Back when we started dating we tried to spend every waking moment together, we would talk to each other for hours about nothing, and we would be all over each other every chance we got. On a holiday like Valentine's Day we would try to do the most romantic thing we could afford (which was never much) while worrying about what the other was going to think.
Now years later, we see each other about an hour each day on most weekdays. Most of what we talk about is the kids, the church, and the house. We still take time to be all over each other but with a two year old you have to be a little more strategic. As for tonight's Valentines dinner, it will be a dinner for two with me and my daughter at home, while my wife enjoys her dinner at work.
I understand how it might seem odd that I claim we love each other more now then back then. Back in the first couple years of marriage when all this started to happen I use to worry that we were losing our passion or that the flame was dieing out of our romance. Then I realized something.When you barbecue you light the coals and a lot of flame shoots up. The flame looks impressive and is pretty but you can't cook with the flame because it isn't hot enough to do anything. You have to wait until the fire goes into the coals before the real heat begins. When the coals are ready you might not see any flames but when you get close the heat is evident.
I think a marriage is like that. When we were young we had a lot of passion on the outside but the inner relationship was still growing. The things we have done together in the last few years would've been really hard for us back then. Now, we might not have all the outward signs you see in a new couple but inside we've grown together and the heat burns stronger than ever. This doesn't mean there is no outward passion or romance, just that when it does come it has more meaning.
Sometimes I wonder if this is like our relationship with God. Many times I hear Christians speak of how "on fire" they were when they first believed and how they wish they could have that passion again. I have felt that way myself at times but now as I grow older I wouldn't trade what I have now in my relationship with God for any of that kind of "fire." The things I've went through with God in the last 13 years has made my passion for Him stronger on the inside than it ever was back then. Although I may have looked more spiritual back then, that person would not have survived the plans that God had for him unless he had changed.
I don't expect any newlyweds or new believers to understand what I'm saying here, and most will say I'm making excuses to justify the way things are, but give it twelve years in your relationship with your spouse or your God and then see for yourself if I'm wrong.
Once again I've gone too long and off the original subject...preacher's habit.
Autumn and I will have been married for nine years this year and I've with her for a total of twelve. Although I know it sounds cheesy, I am more in love with her now then I was on our wedding day. The strange thing about that is that our love looks totally different now then it did back then.
Back when we started dating we tried to spend every waking moment together, we would talk to each other for hours about nothing, and we would be all over each other every chance we got. On a holiday like Valentine's Day we would try to do the most romantic thing we could afford (which was never much) while worrying about what the other was going to think.
Now years later, we see each other about an hour each day on most weekdays. Most of what we talk about is the kids, the church, and the house. We still take time to be all over each other but with a two year old you have to be a little more strategic. As for tonight's Valentines dinner, it will be a dinner for two with me and my daughter at home, while my wife enjoys her dinner at work.
I understand how it might seem odd that I claim we love each other more now then back then. Back in the first couple years of marriage when all this started to happen I use to worry that we were losing our passion or that the flame was dieing out of our romance. Then I realized something.When you barbecue you light the coals and a lot of flame shoots up. The flame looks impressive and is pretty but you can't cook with the flame because it isn't hot enough to do anything. You have to wait until the fire goes into the coals before the real heat begins. When the coals are ready you might not see any flames but when you get close the heat is evident.
I think a marriage is like that. When we were young we had a lot of passion on the outside but the inner relationship was still growing. The things we have done together in the last few years would've been really hard for us back then. Now, we might not have all the outward signs you see in a new couple but inside we've grown together and the heat burns stronger than ever. This doesn't mean there is no outward passion or romance, just that when it does come it has more meaning.
Sometimes I wonder if this is like our relationship with God. Many times I hear Christians speak of how "on fire" they were when they first believed and how they wish they could have that passion again. I have felt that way myself at times but now as I grow older I wouldn't trade what I have now in my relationship with God for any of that kind of "fire." The things I've went through with God in the last 13 years has made my passion for Him stronger on the inside than it ever was back then. Although I may have looked more spiritual back then, that person would not have survived the plans that God had for him unless he had changed.
I don't expect any newlyweds or new believers to understand what I'm saying here, and most will say I'm making excuses to justify the way things are, but give it twelve years in your relationship with your spouse or your God and then see for yourself if I'm wrong.
Once again I've gone too long and off the original subject...preacher's habit.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Never
I admit it, I'm bored. So here we go, ten things I never want to see at The Venue:
1. Tambourines - As far as musical instruments goes this one ranks somewhere above the kazoo and below the cowbell for me.
2. Choir Robes - Choirs aren't our style to begin with, but I'll admit that there are a couple good ones out there, however I don't know how putting on a mumu helps you sing any better.
3. Pews - We would never think of putting such a horribly uncomfortable piece of furniture in our own houses but we somehow think that God wants it in His.
4. Overuse of Spiritual Jargon (aka Christianese) - I think a lot more people would give their lives to Jesus if they could understand what we were saying half the time.
5. Name Badges - I know some churches love these, but for me there is never a good reason for a stranger to stick something on my shirt.
6. Forced Physical Affection - The only two places in America where you will be told to hold a stranger's hand is a preschool or a church. I've noticed that since becoming a Christian I hug people I hardly know more than the people I love the most.
7. A Lack of Concern for the Lost and Hurting - Many churches spend more time and money on leadership development than outreach. Maybe we'd have less trouble getting people to follow us if we were actually going somewhere.
8. Alligators - They might be part of God's creation, but they scare me and there's no place for them here.
9. A Decoration Committee - Or half the other committees that spring up around churches unchecked. If it takes a team of people gathering on a weekly basis to decide how many fake plants should go around your sanctuary then you have some serious issues. The people who have the kind of time on their hands to be on these committees are usually not the people you want making decisions for your church anyways.
10. The Word "Ministry" After Every Job in the Church - I will ever be amazed by the number of churches seem to feel that a job is not important before God unless we put the word ministry after it. I've seen the custodial ministry, the tape/CD ministry, the parking lot ministry, the refreshments ministry, etc. Why can't we just say, "I'm the guy who cleans the floors and this is the lady who makes the coffee." Does it make unclogging the toilet any less important if we forget to add an extra word to it?
1. Tambourines - As far as musical instruments goes this one ranks somewhere above the kazoo and below the cowbell for me.
2. Choir Robes - Choirs aren't our style to begin with, but I'll admit that there are a couple good ones out there, however I don't know how putting on a mumu helps you sing any better.
3. Pews - We would never think of putting such a horribly uncomfortable piece of furniture in our own houses but we somehow think that God wants it in His.
4. Overuse of Spiritual Jargon (aka Christianese) - I think a lot more people would give their lives to Jesus if they could understand what we were saying half the time.
5. Name Badges - I know some churches love these, but for me there is never a good reason for a stranger to stick something on my shirt.
6. Forced Physical Affection - The only two places in America where you will be told to hold a stranger's hand is a preschool or a church. I've noticed that since becoming a Christian I hug people I hardly know more than the people I love the most.
7. A Lack of Concern for the Lost and Hurting - Many churches spend more time and money on leadership development than outreach. Maybe we'd have less trouble getting people to follow us if we were actually going somewhere.
8. Alligators - They might be part of God's creation, but they scare me and there's no place for them here.
9. A Decoration Committee - Or half the other committees that spring up around churches unchecked. If it takes a team of people gathering on a weekly basis to decide how many fake plants should go around your sanctuary then you have some serious issues. The people who have the kind of time on their hands to be on these committees are usually not the people you want making decisions for your church anyways.
10. The Word "Ministry" After Every Job in the Church - I will ever be amazed by the number of churches seem to feel that a job is not important before God unless we put the word ministry after it. I've seen the custodial ministry, the tape/CD ministry, the parking lot ministry, the refreshments ministry, etc. Why can't we just say, "I'm the guy who cleans the floors and this is the lady who makes the coffee." Does it make unclogging the toilet any less important if we forget to add an extra word to it?
Sunday, February 11, 2007
I Guess This is Growing Up...
I have a lot of big things happening in the next couple months. I bought a new house, we are planting a new church, and Autumn is having a new baby. Most of this is a big daze to me, I'm just going along with everything as it comes. The baby is not a problem, I've got the father thing pretty well down. The house doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would either, everything is going to work out fine there. The church is a different story.
I have no doubts about the church doing well, I've seen enough confirmation from God so far that my faith in that area is strong. The scary thing to me is what kind of lead pastor I'm going to be. It's starting to sink in now that I have the job of keeping the vision going. I have the job of making the final call. I have the job of seeing things in people that they may not see in themselves or are to afraid to see in themselves. I have the job of listening. I have the job of helping people grow. I have the job of driving off the wolves. I have the job of showing people Jesus. It's a little bit sobering.
The problem is that for the most part I'm a bit of screw-up. I say things that I shouldn't, I do things without thinking about them first, and I have a tendency to bluff my way through things when I don't know what I'm doing. I feel like the office slacker who shows up for work late one day and by some odd chance of fate everyone above him is out sick with the flu leaving him in charge to run things by default.
I think about these things sometimes until God reminds me of one of the most important things in leadership, It's not about me. Maybe there are a thousand pastors that could do this job better than me, but they're not here and I am. Remember in Isaiah how the prophet is standing in the throne room of God and God asks, "Who shall we send and who will take our message?" Isaiah is in the presence of thousands of angels (The Hebrew word for angel lit. means "messenger") who have been created to be God's messengers yet he's the one who speaks up and says, "Here I am, send me." This is just after Isaiah has confessed to being a man of sinful lips living among sinful people. The thing is it wasn't about who Isaiah was it was about who God is.
So off I go to lead another Sunday night.
I have no doubts about the church doing well, I've seen enough confirmation from God so far that my faith in that area is strong. The scary thing to me is what kind of lead pastor I'm going to be. It's starting to sink in now that I have the job of keeping the vision going. I have the job of making the final call. I have the job of seeing things in people that they may not see in themselves or are to afraid to see in themselves. I have the job of listening. I have the job of helping people grow. I have the job of driving off the wolves. I have the job of showing people Jesus. It's a little bit sobering.
The problem is that for the most part I'm a bit of screw-up. I say things that I shouldn't, I do things without thinking about them first, and I have a tendency to bluff my way through things when I don't know what I'm doing. I feel like the office slacker who shows up for work late one day and by some odd chance of fate everyone above him is out sick with the flu leaving him in charge to run things by default.
I think about these things sometimes until God reminds me of one of the most important things in leadership, It's not about me. Maybe there are a thousand pastors that could do this job better than me, but they're not here and I am. Remember in Isaiah how the prophet is standing in the throne room of God and God asks, "Who shall we send and who will take our message?" Isaiah is in the presence of thousands of angels (The Hebrew word for angel lit. means "messenger") who have been created to be God's messengers yet he's the one who speaks up and says, "Here I am, send me." This is just after Isaiah has confessed to being a man of sinful lips living among sinful people. The thing is it wasn't about who Isaiah was it was about who God is.
So off I go to lead another Sunday night.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Church Planting with $1.58
When we first felt God wanted us to plant a church in Las Vegas Autumn and I just kinda excepted it the way you except any crazy thing God tells you to do. He could have told us to part Lake Mead and it would've seemed just as possible as planting a church with no people, experience, or money. Yet, here we are four years later holding preview services and about to launch an honest to goodness church plant.
I might talk about how God overcame our other shortcomings sometime in the future, but right now I'm in awe of how God has provided and continues to provide for the money problem. Early on we took the same stance with money that we took with all of our needs, either it was going to show up or it wasn't and then we'd worry about it. Don't get me wrong, we did some budgeting and planning but at the end of the day it came down to the fact that you can only do so much before you are forced just to trust that if God wants this thing done He's going to have to do the financial backing.
Start up costs are enough to make anyone shy away from the idea of church planting real fast, but we referred back to the "it will either show up or not" principle and we are starting to see the amazing happen. The things we planned to do to raise money haven't raised anything but people I have never met are sending me checks for large amounts of money because they believe in what we are doing. Some of our biggest money items have been donated to us and our preview services are taking in enough to cover most of our needs. Right now our start up costs are about 75% covered and we have about eight weeks to go before our launch. I am now confident that God is going to have us more than covered before Easter.
If you are like me though, you want practical advice and not just the "Trust God" answer. So here it is, keep in mind I'm not out of the woods yet but these are the things we are doing:
Have the core team start tithing as soon as they commit to the vision - If we made one mistake in the area of money it is that many on the core team still tithed to there former churches while we were in the planning phases of The Venue. See if your mother church will take your tithes and keep them in a separate account until you launch. If you don't have a mother church have someone on the team you all trust open up a savings account and keep track of the giving until you receive your nonprofit status.
No one on staff takes a salary until a few months after the launch - This goes against everything I've been taught and seen modeled, but it's common sense unless you are planting with a group of 150+. I have three or four people I would like to have paid on staff but we all decided that we'd wait until six months after the launch before we'd talk about salaries. I just talked with a church planter friend last week who hired someone on as his assistant pastor when they started and now that the church hasn't grown as fast as they thought and the money dried up guess who split. The fact is you don't know how fast or slow you're going to grow in the first few months. You don't know who will stay or leave and you probably don't know where your people are going to fit best in on your team.
Some people might say, "But I need to support my family and pastoring a church is demanding." No kidding it's demanding, that's why it's not for the weak! Go get a job, its only for a few months and you might actually meet people in the community you're trying to reach. If you can't handle a juggling a job, family, and a church for a few months while the church is small how are you going to handle the church and family when it's large? If pastoring is the only thing you know how to do then you might need to learn something new or wait until you have a large following before you start.
Don't let the lack of money stop you - If you know God has called you to do this then do it and push anything out way that tries to hinder you. Your church doesn't need stuff, but people need Jesus. I've seen church happen with next to nothing as far as equipment goes and God will always provide what you need as well as some stuff you don't. Do what you can with what you're given where you are.
I might talk about how God overcame our other shortcomings sometime in the future, but right now I'm in awe of how God has provided and continues to provide for the money problem. Early on we took the same stance with money that we took with all of our needs, either it was going to show up or it wasn't and then we'd worry about it. Don't get me wrong, we did some budgeting and planning but at the end of the day it came down to the fact that you can only do so much before you are forced just to trust that if God wants this thing done He's going to have to do the financial backing.
Start up costs are enough to make anyone shy away from the idea of church planting real fast, but we referred back to the "it will either show up or not" principle and we are starting to see the amazing happen. The things we planned to do to raise money haven't raised anything but people I have never met are sending me checks for large amounts of money because they believe in what we are doing. Some of our biggest money items have been donated to us and our preview services are taking in enough to cover most of our needs. Right now our start up costs are about 75% covered and we have about eight weeks to go before our launch. I am now confident that God is going to have us more than covered before Easter.
If you are like me though, you want practical advice and not just the "Trust God" answer. So here it is, keep in mind I'm not out of the woods yet but these are the things we are doing:
Have the core team start tithing as soon as they commit to the vision - If we made one mistake in the area of money it is that many on the core team still tithed to there former churches while we were in the planning phases of The Venue. See if your mother church will take your tithes and keep them in a separate account until you launch. If you don't have a mother church have someone on the team you all trust open up a savings account and keep track of the giving until you receive your nonprofit status.
No one on staff takes a salary until a few months after the launch - This goes against everything I've been taught and seen modeled, but it's common sense unless you are planting with a group of 150+. I have three or four people I would like to have paid on staff but we all decided that we'd wait until six months after the launch before we'd talk about salaries. I just talked with a church planter friend last week who hired someone on as his assistant pastor when they started and now that the church hasn't grown as fast as they thought and the money dried up guess who split. The fact is you don't know how fast or slow you're going to grow in the first few months. You don't know who will stay or leave and you probably don't know where your people are going to fit best in on your team.
Some people might say, "But I need to support my family and pastoring a church is demanding." No kidding it's demanding, that's why it's not for the weak! Go get a job, its only for a few months and you might actually meet people in the community you're trying to reach. If you can't handle a juggling a job, family, and a church for a few months while the church is small how are you going to handle the church and family when it's large? If pastoring is the only thing you know how to do then you might need to learn something new or wait until you have a large following before you start.
Don't let the lack of money stop you - If you know God has called you to do this then do it and push anything out way that tries to hinder you. Your church doesn't need stuff, but people need Jesus. I've seen church happen with next to nothing as far as equipment goes and God will always provide what you need as well as some stuff you don't. Do what you can with what you're given where you are.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Monday, February 5, 2007
Girly Music
I normally like my music tough and manly like myself, but lately I've been very happy with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. They have some stuff that isn't too far from my usual stuff like Face Down, but I find myself also listening to songs that I'm ashamed I like so much like Your Guardian Angel. Man, even the title of that song sounds like a Lifetime original movie, but I can't help it I'm hooked. If you don't mind music that you have to roll up your windows to enjoy you might want to check them out.
Saturday, February 3, 2007
It's All Coming Together Now
We're off tomorrow for the Super Bowl and then we have five weeks of preview services left before we move to the elementary school. Our launch date is going to be Easter Sunday, but we will be going public in the sense of advertising to the community starting the week before Palm Sunday.
Now that we have our EIN number from the IRS we have been able to do a lot of things that we've been waiting to do. We got our phone number this week, as well as our bank account and mailing address. This also allowed us to get our insurance so that we can rent the school. We should be getting our paperwork back for our permit to use the school any day now and then the paper work nightmare will start to come to a close.
Advertising has been a big priority in my mind. I don't think many churches realize that they need to let people know that they are there and want visitors to come check them out. We don't have a lot of money but we've been blessed with some and we are going to spend a healthy percent of it on getting the word out. We are going to send in our mailer order this week and probably get the signs ordered in the next couple weeks. It's pretty simple stuff, but I've seen it work wonders for our mother church and I think it's a big mistake not to make an effort at letting people know you're there.
Now that we have our EIN number from the IRS we have been able to do a lot of things that we've been waiting to do. We got our phone number this week, as well as our bank account and mailing address. This also allowed us to get our insurance so that we can rent the school. We should be getting our paperwork back for our permit to use the school any day now and then the paper work nightmare will start to come to a close.
Advertising has been a big priority in my mind. I don't think many churches realize that they need to let people know that they are there and want visitors to come check them out. We don't have a lot of money but we've been blessed with some and we are going to spend a healthy percent of it on getting the word out. We are going to send in our mailer order this week and probably get the signs ordered in the next couple weeks. It's pretty simple stuff, but I've seen it work wonders for our mother church and I think it's a big mistake not to make an effort at letting people know you're there.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
I Need a Drink
I've cut my soda intake by more than half for the last three or four weeks. Since then I've lost about 10 pounds putting me back down to my drivers' license weight and my hands have almost stopped shaking. I also had massive headaches the last couple weeks but I think those are done now. The hardest thing is having a fridge full of Pepsi down stairs but knowing I can't have any more today. They call to me at night and say, "Come" but I do not go. Temptation sucks.
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