The Next Generation of Church Planter Training

On May 30-31 we will be hosting our training "The Essentials for Starting a Missional Church." This training is considered "the next generation" of church planter training for several reasons!

First, we begin with a thoughtful analysis of our ecclesiology. What do we really believe about the church? What are we REALLY trying to start?

Second, instead of presenting the latest or most popular "model" of church, we guide the planter through a process to think like a missionary and to design a unique model that fits his/her gifting and that fits the context in which they are planting. We take the planter much deeper in his/her understanding of contextualization. With that said, we will explore best practices, but we will do it with your context in mind.

Next, we place a very strong emphasis on the movement of God which is foundational to any successful church planting endeavor. The birth of a new church is truly a miracle. But it is a miracle that God wants to perform all over the world. We will discover how to identify what God is doing and how to join Him in His activity of giving birth to new churches.

Also, we will give special emphasis to the transformational impact new churches can and should have in their world, both locally and globally.

This training will be unlike most any other church planter training you will experience. Register now and join us in Houston, TX on May 30-31 for "The Essentials for Starting a Missional Church." For more details, click here!

For more information on our ministry go to www.newchurchinitiatives.org!

Learn to Delegate!!!

Almost every church planter and pastor I talk with seem to think they delegate well. However, upon deeper probing I discover regularly that they do not leverage delegation well. In fact, my experience is that they are only getting 10% of the leverage (at best) that is possible for them!

Recently I gave a message at a church on the topic of Professional Margin (primarily aimed at business professionals, but very much needed by pastors.) My text was Exodus 18:13-26. This would be worth your focus for a season!

One of the key factors in delegation is training people to make decisions. Having to make all the decisions was killing Moses, and it is killing many church planters. We have to be training others to make decisions. If we need to control all the decisions, we are stunting the growth of our people, the growth of our church, and our own personal growth as a leader. Many church planters are scared to death of letting someone else make decisions. Of course, you should not delegate decision-making to someone who you have not trained and who you do not have confidence in. But with that said, you must let others make decisions, which means they will have some part in shaping your organization! Can you trust them and can you trust the Lord?

In assessments, most pastors score very low in delegation. I want to encourage you to make this a high priority for you! Don't let yourself feel guilty by having more free time to think, read, and rest. Guard the gate, but give the ministry away! I want to challenge you to become the most effective delegater you can be. Until you delegate, you have not "equipped the saints!" But don't delegate until you DO equip the saints to whom you are delegating! If you need help with this, get a coach!

Managing the Roller Coaster

Church planting can be a roller coaster! Some days you're on top of the world, feeling like there is absolutely nothing more significant or fulfilling that you could be doing. But other days can be the pits! One passage of scripture that always encourages me is Philippians 4:4-8, 13. I have just recently started committing it to memory (again). Reflect on this:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - thin about such things. ...I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Maintaining the right mindset is critical in church planting! Fill your mind with these words, and practice them everyday!

A New Tool For Making Transformational Disciples

Recently I have been working through a powerful new workbook entitled "Gospel Transformation" by Neil Williams. I highly recommend this as a disciple-making resource! Williams takes an approach to discipling that centers on the transformation of Christians by believing the Good News (the Gospel)! It is published by World Harvest Mission.

If you have ever felt like modern Christianity has reduced the gospel, or if you are tired of Bible studies that focus on information more than life-change, you will love this. I am personally being challenged and inspired by every chapter in this workbook. Get it, work through it, and use it with others!

Leverage Your Leadership

“Lead as if you’ll be held accountable, because you will.”-Bobby Bowden

Leadership is critical to your ministry effectiveness and success, your own personal sense of fulfillment, and for optimizing the potential of your team. If you don’t lead more, you’ll never be free from the daily grind and unending demands of ministry. Your critical role is leadership, not doer-ship. Improving your leadership effectiveness is a never-ending growth process. Leadership is everything to ministry effectiveness as a church planter!

If you continue to wear multiple hats in your church, you will continue to be diverted from your primary responsibility … Leading !! A ministry can rise only to the level of the leader’s effectiveness. You are 100% responsible for the condition of your flock - the good, bad and ugly. Leaders create clarity – clarity of vision, direction, goals, focus, expectations, consequences, etc. Leaders also create the right conditions for others to succeed. They get people rowing in the same direction.

Leading others properly is essential to a healthy church. Never lose sight of the fact that your primary responsibility as a Strategic Leader is LEADING!

Build Margin Into Your Life

The conditions of modern-day living devour margin. Modern Christians pack their lives so full of activity that they have no margin at all. The result is stress, poor relationships, and a lack of intimacy with God. Marginless living also leaves us empty and joyless. It commonly diminishes our physical, emotional and spiritual health. It also diminishes our leadership effectiveness.

Dr. Richard Swenson describes it this way:
- Marginless is fatigue; margin is energy.
- Marginless is hurry,; margin is calm.
- Marginless is anxiety; margin is security.
- Marginless is culture; margin is counterculture.
- Marginless is the disease of the new millennium; margin is the cure.

In our coaching we help church planters and ministry professionals improve their ministries. But we also help them BALANCE their life! Part of balancing life is learning to build more "margin" into your day and your week. Here are some facts about time -

Your time is limited. You only have 24 hours in a day. Yet, all your time will be spent doing something! You can't save it, store it up for the future, or postpone. Time happens! And you can't stop it. As a result, somebody is going to determine how you spend your time! It may be your congregation, your leaders, your community contacts, your family, your friends, SOMEBODY!

My encouragement to you is to set limits on your workday! Yes, easier said than done. But we must all realize that everyday has limits. If you don't set limits for yourself you will soon discover that there is no margin, no space for rest, reflection, or relationships. The 3 R's (rest, reflection, and relationships) are what give us energy, purpose, and joy in life. But they are only found in margins.

Build margin into everyday. If you need help, get a coach!

Two New Apologetic Resources

I've just recently read two of the most incredible books related to apologetics. The first is Tim Keller's new book "The Reason for God." The other is Chuck Colson's new book "The Faith: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It, and Why It Matters." Every believer should read BOTH of these!

Both books are very engaging, filled with stories and inspiration - not your typical apologetics book. These would be great small group resources, great tools for evangelism training, and just valuable resources for every church planter. A must read!