I got home last night from Exponential, the National New Church Conference in Orlando, FL. It was the biggest crowd ever, probably in the 2,000 range. There were more church planting resources and organizations there than I've ever seen in my entire life. Ed Stetzer was right when he wrote about energy and enthusiasm surrounding church planting in North America. It truly is at an unprecedented high! The conference was a huge success in everyway. Congratulations to Todd Wilson and crew for an exceptional line up of speakers and a phenomenal event.
I'm very encouraged that so many denominations and churches are so passionate about church planting. More churches are being planted every year in the U.S. than probably ever before. There is a lot to be grateful for. There are more resources available today than ever before. There's no excuse for someone not educating themself thoroughly before planting. There are more coaching organizations than ever before - everyone eager to provide coaching to church planters. How can anyone not have dramatic success?
Francis Chan brought it all home at the end reminding us that this is really a work of God and we must be utterly dependent upon Him. A huge thank you to everyone who made this an incredible experience.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
2008 Was The Year That Man-Made Global Warming Was Disproved
Being a pilot and having an avid interest in meterology, I have been following the politically charged theories about man-made global warming for some time. The following article helps everyone see how we have been suckered by the polititians to believe something that is totally unscientific. Click here.
I'm also happy to see my good friend Ed Stetzer speaking up about this as well, see his "tweet" today @edstetzer.
I'm also happy to see my good friend Ed Stetzer speaking up about this as well, see his "tweet" today @edstetzer.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Exponential: The National New Church Conference
I fly out early Monday morning for Orlando to be at Exponential. I hope you will be with us. This is the largest gathering of church planting leaders in North America. We are also working to schedule our next Essentials Training here in Houston for June. I'll have more details soon.
Church Planting can be very lonely and discouraging. Let me encourage you to work at staying connected to other planters, coaches, mentors, and advisors. Don't let yourself become isolated. It can happen before you know it. Isolation is the first step down a bad road. Stay connected and work to keep your heart encouraged.
Church Planting can be very lonely and discouraging. Let me encourage you to work at staying connected to other planters, coaches, mentors, and advisors. Don't let yourself become isolated. It can happen before you know it. Isolation is the first step down a bad road. Stay connected and work to keep your heart encouraged.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet
Gavin Bryars composed this orchestral arrangement for the voice of a hobo singing, in London in 1971. His friend was making a movie about down and out sort of people, many who would break into drunken song while they were filming them. This particular man was not drunk. Later..."When I copied the loop onto the continuous reel in Leicester, I left the door of the recording studio open (it opened onto one of the large painting studios) while I went to get a cup of coffee. When I came back I found the normally lively room unnaturally subdued. People were moving about much more slowly than usual, and a few were sitting alone, quietly weeping. I was puzzled until I realized that the tape was still playing and that they had been overcome by the old man's unaccompained singing."
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Power Point Help for Graphically Challenged People Like Me
Seth Godin has done it again. He has given us a great resource for free. Do you need help creating better looking power points and presentations? This is for you, check it out:
Click here: Become a Really Good Graphic Designer.
Click here: Become a Really Good Graphic Designer.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
A Heck of a Day
One of my favorite stories is that of Jim Valvano, the legendary basketball coach at North Carolina State University. Nicknamed "Jimmy V", Valvano was diagnosed with bone cancer in June 1992 and then died in April 1993. The month prior to his death he spoke at the inaugural ESPY Awards, presented by ESPN, where he was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award. In his speech, which drew a lengthy standing ovation, he made these comments:
To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special.
I like this quote because it sounds like a day in the life of a church planter, and that's a heck of a day! Ask God to help you enjoy every day of your church planting experience.
To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special.
I like this quote because it sounds like a day in the life of a church planter, and that's a heck of a day! Ask God to help you enjoy every day of your church planting experience.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Train Your Core Group in Stewardship
My friend Ed Stetzer has conducted research on the health and survivability of church plants in the U.S. today. His research is available through the Leadership Network (www.leadnet.org). His research has revealed this:
Survivability increases by 178% when there is a proactive stewardship development plan within the church plant.
I've seen this to be true in my experience as well. I encourage every church planter to have an intentional stewardship training plan for their missional core prior to launch, and to have a plan for ongoing stewardship training after the new church is launched. Don't be afraid to teach on this topic!
One of my favorite examples of this is found at Hill Country Bible Church in Austin, TX. All of their planters (and they plant 3-5 churches each year) take their core groups through 3-4 weeks of stewardship training, they ask all their core to commit to tithe faithfully to the new church plant, and they ask for a one-time "first fruits" gift on top of that to cover start up costs. All of this happens prior to the launch of the new church. As a result, their plants are almost financially self sufficient from day one!
Train your core in stewardship. Ask for a strong financial commitment. Raise the bar higher than you've ever raised it, and see what God does!
Survivability increases by 178% when there is a proactive stewardship development plan within the church plant.
I've seen this to be true in my experience as well. I encourage every church planter to have an intentional stewardship training plan for their missional core prior to launch, and to have a plan for ongoing stewardship training after the new church is launched. Don't be afraid to teach on this topic!
One of my favorite examples of this is found at Hill Country Bible Church in Austin, TX. All of their planters (and they plant 3-5 churches each year) take their core groups through 3-4 weeks of stewardship training, they ask all their core to commit to tithe faithfully to the new church plant, and they ask for a one-time "first fruits" gift on top of that to cover start up costs. All of this happens prior to the launch of the new church. As a result, their plants are almost financially self sufficient from day one!
Train your core in stewardship. Ask for a strong financial commitment. Raise the bar higher than you've ever raised it, and see what God does!
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Give The Challenge
Don't be afraid to give the challenge!
Sometimes we are afraid to raise the bar high. We ask ourselves "What if they say no? What if they bail out? What if we get criticized? If they turn away, am I a bad leader?" These are all common questions that church planters wrestle with in their minds. As a result, we're afraid to give a strong challenge to our core teams.
My encouragement to you is don't be afraid. Just do it! You must raise the bar high with the core team that is going to help you plant this new church. You'll never succeed if you don't have a team of highly committed missionaries in your core group.
What's holding you back? What fears are controlling you? What limiting beliefs are going through your head? Be bold and courageous. Call people to a high level of commitment and don't be ashamed. Jesus calls us to a high level of commitment - we should call our leaders to a high level of commitment as well. For resources to help train and equip your core click here. If you need more help, get a coach! We're here to help.
Sometimes we are afraid to raise the bar high. We ask ourselves "What if they say no? What if they bail out? What if we get criticized? If they turn away, am I a bad leader?" These are all common questions that church planters wrestle with in their minds. As a result, we're afraid to give a strong challenge to our core teams.
My encouragement to you is don't be afraid. Just do it! You must raise the bar high with the core team that is going to help you plant this new church. You'll never succeed if you don't have a team of highly committed missionaries in your core group.
What's holding you back? What fears are controlling you? What limiting beliefs are going through your head? Be bold and courageous. Call people to a high level of commitment and don't be ashamed. Jesus calls us to a high level of commitment - we should call our leaders to a high level of commitment as well. For resources to help train and equip your core click here. If you need more help, get a coach! We're here to help.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Join Us For Essentials
This week we will be presenting "The Essentials for Starting a Missional Church." The date is Thursday - Friday, Feb. 26-27. This will be the first presentation of our NEW 2009 VERSION. If you are interested in joining us or sending someone else to join us, please email me at glenn@nciglobal.org.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Leverage Social Media Marketing
Many of the church planters I'm working with are beginning to use the social media in very effective ways. Facebook is becoming a powerful tool for networking and advertising. The good thing about advertising like Facebook ads and Search Engine ads is that they are "pay per click." You can set your budget and know that every dollar you spent had some kind of impression. One of the planters I'm coaching had 8 first time visitors from Facebook last month.
Some of my clients are beginning to use a national company called Reach Local. It's a little more expensive than say Google ads, but it offers more capabilities.
Another tool that is growing in popularity is Twitter. The booklet "The Reason Your Church Must Twitter" by Anthony D. Coppedge is a great resource. Many have been using blogs but now with Facebook and Twitter the bloggers are going to a new level. And don't forget about YouTube - a powerful tool that is being way under-utilized!
In my business I like Linked In and Ning. These are excellent professional networking tools that have many applications for churches as well as businesses. MeetUp.com groups are also proving to be very effective in networking and outreach.
For those church planters who have relied primarily on marketing strategies like direct mail and print ads, this new strategy may seem quite unconventional. However, for the planters that have been leveraging "relationship marketing" like we teach in our "Essentials" training, these new online tools can take you to a whole new level. Plus they are very inexpensive. Whoever you are, you need to leverage the new social media opportunities that are available now.
Some of my clients are beginning to use a national company called Reach Local. It's a little more expensive than say Google ads, but it offers more capabilities.
Another tool that is growing in popularity is Twitter. The booklet "The Reason Your Church Must Twitter" by Anthony D. Coppedge is a great resource. Many have been using blogs but now with Facebook and Twitter the bloggers are going to a new level. And don't forget about YouTube - a powerful tool that is being way under-utilized!
In my business I like Linked In and Ning. These are excellent professional networking tools that have many applications for churches as well as businesses. MeetUp.com groups are also proving to be very effective in networking and outreach.
For those church planters who have relied primarily on marketing strategies like direct mail and print ads, this new strategy may seem quite unconventional. However, for the planters that have been leveraging "relationship marketing" like we teach in our "Essentials" training, these new online tools can take you to a whole new level. Plus they are very inexpensive. Whoever you are, you need to leverage the new social media opportunities that are available now.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
My Valentine
It was Valentines Day, 35 years ago (senior year in high school), that I sent my first valentine to a girl whom I fell in love with on our first date (9 months prior), though I first met her in 7th grade (another story), who later became my wife (33 years ago). She has been, and will always be, the love of my life. I love her smile, I love her voice, I love her touch, I love her embrace, I love everything about her. She has always gone the extra mile for me and with me. Every song Chicago sings makes me think about her. As I look back over the years, I can't imagine what life would have been like without her. She has been and will always be the greatest treasure of my heart. For me, Valentines Day is the day that I feel the most blessed.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
What Is The Gospel?
My thinking has been greatly influenced by Tim Keller. He has helped me come to appreciate the Gospel in much deeper ways. I think the key to really understanding and appreciating the Gospel is to understand how pervasive sin is in the human condition. Sin is not just a behavior, but it effects my identity, my relationships, my purpose, my work, my motives & ambitions, my longings, my thoughts, and my behavior. Until we understand how deeply sin has effected us we will not deeply appreciate the power of the Gospel.
When I look in my heart and my life I realize that I am far worse than I ever imagined. I am hopelessly and utterly sinful. But it's at exactly that point that I discover God's grace is far greater than I can even comprehend. The new identity, capacity, and potential that He gives me in Christ is amazing.
For a simple introduction, I highly recommend Tim's book Prodigal God. For a more indepth study I encourage you to visit his church website and find more of his articles and resources. I also recommend an old resource by Larry Crabb entitled Inside Out.
When I look in my heart and my life I realize that I am far worse than I ever imagined. I am hopelessly and utterly sinful. But it's at exactly that point that I discover God's grace is far greater than I can even comprehend. The new identity, capacity, and potential that He gives me in Christ is amazing.
For a simple introduction, I highly recommend Tim's book Prodigal God. For a more indepth study I encourage you to visit his church website and find more of his articles and resources. I also recommend an old resource by Larry Crabb entitled Inside Out.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
SYSTEMS - CRITICAL TO ONGOING EFFECTIVENESS
I am a fanatic about systems. However, not all pastors are! Some feel like systems stifle creativity or the movement of the Spirit. Some think systems are almost anti-spiritual. Nothing could be further from the truth!
The truth is that you have a system for almost everything you do, though you may not know it. God created using systems; just consider the solar system, the ecosystem, the family system, not to mention the human body which is a conglomerate of highly sophisticated systems (nervous system, respiratory system, etc.)
If you are planting a church you must think about the systems you are creating. Remember, you cannot NOT create systems. You will either create good systems that produce health and effectiveness or bad systems that make your ministry ineffective, inefficient, and stagnate. Begin by identifying and evaluating the systems you have. Every missional church must have four major systems. You must have:
The truth is that you have a system for almost everything you do, though you may not know it. God created using systems; just consider the solar system, the ecosystem, the family system, not to mention the human body which is a conglomerate of highly sophisticated systems (nervous system, respiratory system, etc.)
If you are planting a church you must think about the systems you are creating. Remember, you cannot NOT create systems. You will either create good systems that produce health and effectiveness or bad systems that make your ministry ineffective, inefficient, and stagnate. Begin by identifying and evaluating the systems you have. Every missional church must have four major systems. You must have:
- An Assimilation System
- A Spiritual Formation System
- A Leadership Development System
- An Administrative System
Remember this, good systems:
Save,
You,
Stress,
Time,
Energy, and
Money!
Take a look at your systems! They are the key to ongoing effectiveness.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Tell Your Story More!
Your story should define your calling. It should express your passion. It should articulate your dream. You must understand that stories touch the hearts of people. When you touch the heart, people will join with you to make this new church a reality.
To succeed as a church planter, your new church must have at its foundation a story that drives and directs it day by day. And that story begins with God's story and your story! A compelling story will answer the "Why?" questions and cause others to want to become a part of that story.
Have you written your story? It's never too late. You should be able to do this in one page when you launch your new church. Have you communicated your story? You should be writing letters, articles, blogs, twits, facebooking, etc. every week. Before you launch your church you should have 10 face to face appointments every week sharing your story with someone new! After you launch, be sure you have at least 2 or 3 of these appointments each week.
You are not ready to plant a church until you have written and begun articulating your story. If you've already launched, keep building your story and keep sharing it! Make sure your leaders can tell the story too!
To succeed as a church planter, your new church must have at its foundation a story that drives and directs it day by day. And that story begins with God's story and your story! A compelling story will answer the "Why?" questions and cause others to want to become a part of that story.
Have you written your story? It's never too late. You should be able to do this in one page when you launch your new church. Have you communicated your story? You should be writing letters, articles, blogs, twits, facebooking, etc. every week. Before you launch your church you should have 10 face to face appointments every week sharing your story with someone new! After you launch, be sure you have at least 2 or 3 of these appointments each week.
You are not ready to plant a church until you have written and begun articulating your story. If you've already launched, keep building your story and keep sharing it! Make sure your leaders can tell the story too!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Tell Your Story
Every church planter needs to write and communicate his/her story!
People are drawn to passion and they are moved by stories. Every church planter has a story and they should be communicating that story with passion. To get focused and clear on it, you MUST write it down.
What is your story? Your story should answer the questions:
People are drawn to passion and they are moved by stories. Every church planter has a story and they should be communicating that story with passion. To get focused and clear on it, you MUST write it down.
What is your story? Your story should answer the questions:
- Why are you planting a church instead of doing something else?
- Why are you planting in the location that you're planting?
- What has led you to this place?
- What do you hope for/dream of?
Start writing! Start publishing it. Blog it. Tweeter it. Facebook it. Communicate it everywhere - large groups, small groups, one-on-one, everywhere! Tell your story! It's the foundation of your brand!
Monday, January 12, 2009
What Are You Seeing?
There has been a dramatic increase in energy and activity around church planting in the U.S. over the past 5-10 years, which is a good thing. The number of churches being planted in the U.S. has more than doubled in that time, which is also a good thing. Many people are talking about church planting today who would not have entertained the conversation 10 years ago, and there is an abundance of resources available today that were not available a decade ago, which is a VERY good thing! There is a lot to be greatful for as it relates to church planting in the U.S. today.
However, I do have a growing concern. It is appearing to me that an increasing number of new churches are closing. This may or may not be a bad thing. It does cause me to pause and ask the question "What are we doing?"
My hope is that the churches we work with will be sustainable beyond 2-3 years! My hope is that the churches we plant will thrive for at least one generation, and hopefully many more. The biggest challenge I see planters facing is the challenge to achieve the necessary critical mass for sustainability. This is a major focus of our coaching and consulting work. Let me know what you are seeing!
However, I do have a growing concern. It is appearing to me that an increasing number of new churches are closing. This may or may not be a bad thing. It does cause me to pause and ask the question "What are we doing?"
My hope is that the churches we work with will be sustainable beyond 2-3 years! My hope is that the churches we plant will thrive for at least one generation, and hopefully many more. The biggest challenge I see planters facing is the challenge to achieve the necessary critical mass for sustainability. This is a major focus of our coaching and consulting work. Let me know what you are seeing!
Saturday, January 03, 2009
What Are We Teaching Our Kids?
I just got this link from Seth Godin's blog. As you watch this, think about how we are discipling our children. Click here.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Happy New Year!
As I have been reflecting back on 2008 and thinking about where God may be leading us in 2009, a few things are becoming clearer to me than ever before. Our mission at NCI is to empower pastors and church leaders to dramatically increase their missional impact in the world!
Our NCI team is made up of dedicated practitioners, trainers, consultants, and coaches. Our guys - Tom, Paul, Roy, Hal, Phil, Bob (alias MissionAl), Ken, Wally, and our Houston based Hispanic leaders, Moises, Jorge, Jesus, and Maggie, are some of the most wonderful people in the Kingdom! It is a privilege for me to get to interact and co-labor with them.
Our focus is church multiplication and church mobilization. Our dream is to mobilize the church to transform the world.
Thank you to all of our supporters and ministry partners! We are looking forward to a great year this year! Wishing you a very blessed and happy New Year!
Our NCI team is made up of dedicated practitioners, trainers, consultants, and coaches. Our guys - Tom, Paul, Roy, Hal, Phil, Bob (alias MissionAl), Ken, Wally, and our Houston based Hispanic leaders, Moises, Jorge, Jesus, and Maggie, are some of the most wonderful people in the Kingdom! It is a privilege for me to get to interact and co-labor with them.
Our focus is church multiplication and church mobilization. Our dream is to mobilize the church to transform the world.
Thank you to all of our supporters and ministry partners! We are looking forward to a great year this year! Wishing you a very blessed and happy New Year!
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