Church Planting
An Emerging (Non)Vision Pt 6
Continuing my series on the emerging (non)vision for The Heights. Here are parts one, two, three, four, and five.
As I mentioned previously, The Heights core purpose statement functions as an outline of our ministry strategy:
We believe that God has given every follower of Christ spiritual gifts to use in building for the kingdom of God. A major responsibility of those who lead in the church is to equip people to use their gifts in meaningful ministry for the kingdom. At The Heights, leaders engage in this equipping ministry in a number of ways.
Equipping includes the ministry of preaching. The gospel transforms lives, bringing healing and hope to a broken world. One of the key ways that we equip people at The Heights is by preaching God's word, with a focus on helping people pursue Jesus' mission and embrace his values in their own lives.
Equipping also takes place in the context of small groups. Small groups give people the opportunity to learn in community, participate together in missional service, and discover and strengthen their ministry skills.
Equipping also includes leadership training and development. This is a key part of The Heights vision, as we work toward planting a network of new churches. We will identify, train, and equip people to serve as Christ-centered leaders, multiplying the ministry of The Heights.
Every follower of Christ is gifted for meaningful ministry. At The Heights, we will focus on equipping people to use their gifts in fulfilling their unique role in God's story.
As I mentioned previously, The Heights core purpose statement functions as an outline of our ministry strategy:
to gather, equip, and empower people to fully participate in God’s kingdom work.
Equip highlights one of the key leadership functions described in the New Testament:
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11–12 ESV).
We believe that God has given every follower of Christ spiritual gifts to use in building for the kingdom of God. A major responsibility of those who lead in the church is to equip people to use their gifts in meaningful ministry for the kingdom. At The Heights, leaders engage in this equipping ministry in a number of ways.
Equipping includes the ministry of preaching. The gospel transforms lives, bringing healing and hope to a broken world. One of the key ways that we equip people at The Heights is by preaching God's word, with a focus on helping people pursue Jesus' mission and embrace his values in their own lives.
Equipping also takes place in the context of small groups. Small groups give people the opportunity to learn in community, participate together in missional service, and discover and strengthen their ministry skills.
Equipping also includes leadership training and development. This is a key part of The Heights vision, as we work toward planting a network of new churches. We will identify, train, and equip people to serve as Christ-centered leaders, multiplying the ministry of The Heights.
Every follower of Christ is gifted for meaningful ministry. At The Heights, we will focus on equipping people to use their gifts in fulfilling their unique role in God's story.
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An Emerging (Non)Vision Pt 5
Continuing my series on the emerging (non)vision for The Heights. Here are parts one, two, three, and four.
The Heights core purpose statement also functions as an outline of our ministry strategy:
The Heights core purpose statement also functions as an outline of our ministry strategy:
to gather, equip, and empower people to fully participate in God’s kingdom work.
Gather in this statement is an active verb. We are sent by God to gather people for his kingdom work.
Gathering involves outreach. We do this through being involved in the community, serving others, and finding or creating opportunities to hang out with people who don’t yet know Jesus, drawing them into the fellowship of believers.
Gathering involves community. While people come to The Heights as individuals, they do not participate in isolation. They experience the welcome, encouragement, support, and challenge of genuine Christian community.
Gathering involves worship. Worship at The Heights is not a performance or show for people to sit and watch. It is not to be admired for its technical and production value. Instead, it is an opportunity to come together in a relaxed atmosphere, focus on Jesus and his kingdom, and hear from his word. It’s what we do together because we are his people.
The ultimate goal of all of this “gathering” is that people’s lives would be transformed by God’s mercy and grace so that they too will join in God’s kingdom work, each according to the gifts and abilities they’ve received.
An Emerging (Non)Vision Pt 4
Continuing my series on the emerging (non)vision for the Heights. In case you missed them, here are parts One, Two, and Three.
OK, I’m going to just pretend it hasn’t been a month since my last blog post and invite you to do the same. Deal? OK.
God calls people to follow him, not in isolation, but by living and serving in community with other Christ followers.
At The Heights, we want to grow and cultivate a true community in Christ, where people authentically love one another, encourage one another, challenge one another, care for one another, provide for one another’s needs.
True community is not manufactured by participating in artificial “community-building” exercises or activities. Genuine community is developed as we serve alongside one another in the mission of our King.
At The Heights, we will cultivate community primarily through ChristCare small groups. Each ChristCare group participates in four activities:
ChristCare groups will begin forming in the early part of 2010.
OK, I’m going to just pretend it hasn’t been a month since my last blog post and invite you to do the same. Deal? OK.
God calls people to follow him, not in isolation, but by living and serving in community with other Christ followers.
At The Heights, we want to grow and cultivate a true community in Christ, where people authentically love one another, encourage one another, challenge one another, care for one another, provide for one another’s needs.
True community is not manufactured by participating in artificial “community-building” exercises or activities. Genuine community is developed as we serve alongside one another in the mission of our King.
At The Heights, we will cultivate community primarily through ChristCare small groups. Each ChristCare group participates in four activities:
- Prayer and Worship
- Community Building and Care
- Biblical Equipping
- Missional Service
ChristCare groups will begin forming in the early part of 2010.
Organic Church by Neil Cole Pt 1
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Filed in: Books | Church Planting
I eagerly anticipated reading Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens by Neil Cole, because I had heard great comments about it. Not only did I read it with an open mind; I wanted to like it. And I did like approximately 40 percent of it.
In this book, Neil Cole attempts to deconstruct the “institutional church,” by which he seems to mean churches that have buildings and paid staff, and replace it with a new model of church which is more, well, organic.
Today, I want to cover the problems I see with this book. Next time, I’ll look at the positive contributions. Admittedly, I’m painting with broad brush strokes in my critique.
1. Cole too often deals in straw men. In his critique of what he calls the institutional church, Cole consistently caricatures the worst of the modern church. For example, some of the “myths” he addresses are that the church is meant to be a static institution, that it’s only a building, that it’s bound to a single location, that it’s only a one-hour-a-week deal. Do you know anybody that actually believes these “myths”? I don’t. So his critique falls flat for me, because he’s not dealing with reality.
2. Cole too often deals in extremes. For Cole, it’s either dead institutionalism or radical decentralization. There is no middle ground. It’s either command-and-control leadership or no human leadership. He seems to see nothing in between.
3. Cole too often makes unwarranted leaps of logic. For example, Scripture says that God does not dwell in buildings made by hands, therefore, Cole argues, churches would be better off not meeting in their own buildings. The conclusion doesn’t necessarily follow.
4. Cole too often diminishes the importance of discipleship. He argues that, for example, new converts can immediately serve as pastors. I wonder if he’s fully dealt with the fact that Jesus himself spent three years training his disciples before sending them out on their own.
5. Cole fails to adequately address what Scripture says about the Church. For example, his reduction of the role of the pastor doesn’t square with what we read in the Pastoral Epistles. Cole simply doesn’t give serious attention to the New Testament passages about church structure and leadership.
All that being said, once Neil Cole moves beyond his attack on the modern church with its buildings and paid pastors to sharing his church planting principles and methodology, he is very, very good. The funny thing is, most of his principles can just as well be implemented by churches with pastors and buildings as it can by those without.
Too summarize, Cole is unconvincing in his attempt to bury the “institutional church.” He just doesn’t bring the goods. I wouldn’t look to Neil Cole for a solid, dependable ecclesiology. But despite my critique above, I still like this book for what it does offer. More on that next time.
An Emerging (Non)Vision Pt 3
Continuing my series on the emerging (non)vision for the Heights. If you missed them, here are Part One and Part Two.
Our desire is for The Heights to be a kingdom-focused church. This is similar to saying that the church is Jesus-focused or gospel-focused. But in my mind, kingdom-focused is more specific.
Jesus’ mission was to establish the kingdom of God—a community of people who submit to Jesus as King and Lord of all. The kingdom is here and now, but it is not yet perfect and complete.
When Jesus returns, he will bring his kingdom work to completion. As the Apostle Paul says, God revealed to us “the mystery of his will, according to His purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:9–10 ESV).
Our role, as the church, is to visibly represent God’s kingdom on earth. The Heights intends to fulfill our role in the kingdom by:
1. preaching the gospel that Jesus is Lord and that through his sacrifice on the cross, he has made it possible for us to find redemption and to participate fully in his kingdom,
2. calling people to repent of their rebellion and failure to recognize Jesus as the Lord of their lives,
3. living in community with one another, demonstrating the truth of the gospel in our daily lives and relationships,
4. equipping and empowering one another to fully participate in the work that God wants to do through our community of believers, and
5. striving for holiness in our own lives and for mercy and justice in our community.
We hope that God will use us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to establish genuine pockets of his kingdom throughout Noblesville and Hamilton County.
Next week: What it means for The Heights to live in community.
Our desire is for The Heights to be a kingdom-focused church. This is similar to saying that the church is Jesus-focused or gospel-focused. But in my mind, kingdom-focused is more specific.
Jesus’ mission was to establish the kingdom of God—a community of people who submit to Jesus as King and Lord of all. The kingdom is here and now, but it is not yet perfect and complete.
When Jesus returns, he will bring his kingdom work to completion. As the Apostle Paul says, God revealed to us “the mystery of his will, according to His purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:9–10 ESV).
Our role, as the church, is to visibly represent God’s kingdom on earth. The Heights intends to fulfill our role in the kingdom by:
1. preaching the gospel that Jesus is Lord and that through his sacrifice on the cross, he has made it possible for us to find redemption and to participate fully in his kingdom,
2. calling people to repent of their rebellion and failure to recognize Jesus as the Lord of their lives,
3. living in community with one another, demonstrating the truth of the gospel in our daily lives and relationships,
4. equipping and empowering one another to fully participate in the work that God wants to do through our community of believers, and
5. striving for holiness in our own lives and for mercy and justice in our community.
We hope that God will use us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to establish genuine pockets of his kingdom throughout Noblesville and Hamilton County.
Next week: What it means for The Heights to live in community.
An Emerging (Non)Vision Pt 2
Over the next several weeks, I am attempting to lay out our (non)vision for The Heights Church in Noblesville, Indiana.
Before we get too far along, I want to cover one more preliminary issue—our church affiliation.
The ministry leadership team of The Heights has chosen to affiliate with the National Association of Free Will Baptists at its local, state, and national levels. In truth, the Free Will Baptist roots are so strong and deep among our team members that there was never any discussion on the matter. The Free Will Baptist denomination is our tribe and we have not considered, even for a moment, looking elsewhere for fellowship and community.
Like many Free Will Baptists, we believe that there are areas where our churches need to be corrected and challenged. We believe that, in some cases, we need to allow each other more freedom; perhaps in other cases there needs to be more accountability. While we are proud of what Free Will Baptists have accomplished in the past, there is so much more that we can accomplish together for God’s kingdom in the future.
Our choice to affiliate does not mean that we are blind to the problems or issues. We choose to submit to this community in spite of those issues, believing that God is still very much at work among its members.
For all these reasons, on April 25, 2009, The Heights officially joined the White River District Association of the Indiana State Association of Free Will Baptists. We are thrilled to join hands in fellowship with other Free Will Baptists in the state of Indiana.
Later this month, our three pastors and their families will attend the National Convention in Cincinnati. We look forward to seeing many of you there.
Before we get too far along, I want to cover one more preliminary issue—our church affiliation.
The ministry leadership team of The Heights has chosen to affiliate with the National Association of Free Will Baptists at its local, state, and national levels. In truth, the Free Will Baptist roots are so strong and deep among our team members that there was never any discussion on the matter. The Free Will Baptist denomination is our tribe and we have not considered, even for a moment, looking elsewhere for fellowship and community.
Like many Free Will Baptists, we believe that there are areas where our churches need to be corrected and challenged. We believe that, in some cases, we need to allow each other more freedom; perhaps in other cases there needs to be more accountability. While we are proud of what Free Will Baptists have accomplished in the past, there is so much more that we can accomplish together for God’s kingdom in the future.
Our choice to affiliate does not mean that we are blind to the problems or issues. We choose to submit to this community in spite of those issues, believing that God is still very much at work among its members.
For all these reasons, on April 25, 2009, The Heights officially joined the White River District Association of the Indiana State Association of Free Will Baptists. We are thrilled to join hands in fellowship with other Free Will Baptists in the state of Indiana.
Later this month, our three pastors and their families will attend the National Convention in Cincinnati. We look forward to seeing many of you there.
An Emerging (Non)Vision Pt 1
People frequently ask church planters, “What is your vision for the church?”
What they usually mean by that is, “What specifically do you expect the church to look like five, ten, or twenty years down the road?”
It’s not necessarily a bad question, but it does reflect what I call a business plan mindset regarding church planting.
Most church plants begin with a fundraising campaign. But in order to raise money, you need to convince people that you know what you’re doing. In today’s business-influenced church, that means being able to articulate a clear, compelling vision, along with a reasonably believable plan for achieving that vision. The vision statement is the money statement; or to put it another way, the money follows the vision.
Misinterpretations of Proverbs 29:18 notwithstanding, church vision statements are not biblical. That’s not to say they are anti-biblical; only that they’re not mandated or even recommended in the Bible. They are non-biblical or extra-biblical. Vision statements are a creation of modern business, and they’re based on the assumption that you can create a future that more-or-less coincides with your vision. The problem is that God is not obligated to tell you what he plans to do through your community of Christ-followers. Too often, vision statements are simply a reflection of the church planter’s own dreams and desires.
This is why I’ve been hesitant for our team to lay out a full-fledged vision for The Heights. It’s not that we don’t have the imagination or the creativity or the horsepower. It’s that we don’t want to take a single step out in front of our Leader. We want to be sure that Jesus is going ahead of us. And I’m convinced that sometimes means embracing uncertainty, keeping your options open, and preparing for multiple possible future scenarios.
Still, I understand the desire for people to know what kind of church you’re looking to plant. That’s why, in our initial launch plan, we sketched a broad, tentative vision for The Heights and why I’ve started this series of blog posts.
As we’ve worked together through the initial stages of planting a church in Noblesville, we’ve tried to remain open to God’s leadership, and a clearer picture is beginning to emerge. I hesitate to call it a vision, because we are not primarily committed to any particular conceptualization, but to following Jesus wherever he leads us in the moment.
Over the course of the next several Mondays, I’ll be sharing some about the emerging (non)vision for The Heights. We welcome your responses and feedback.
What they usually mean by that is, “What specifically do you expect the church to look like five, ten, or twenty years down the road?”
It’s not necessarily a bad question, but it does reflect what I call a business plan mindset regarding church planting.
Most church plants begin with a fundraising campaign. But in order to raise money, you need to convince people that you know what you’re doing. In today’s business-influenced church, that means being able to articulate a clear, compelling vision, along with a reasonably believable plan for achieving that vision. The vision statement is the money statement; or to put it another way, the money follows the vision.
Misinterpretations of Proverbs 29:18 notwithstanding, church vision statements are not biblical. That’s not to say they are anti-biblical; only that they’re not mandated or even recommended in the Bible. They are non-biblical or extra-biblical. Vision statements are a creation of modern business, and they’re based on the assumption that you can create a future that more-or-less coincides with your vision. The problem is that God is not obligated to tell you what he plans to do through your community of Christ-followers. Too often, vision statements are simply a reflection of the church planter’s own dreams and desires.
This is why I’ve been hesitant for our team to lay out a full-fledged vision for The Heights. It’s not that we don’t have the imagination or the creativity or the horsepower. It’s that we don’t want to take a single step out in front of our Leader. We want to be sure that Jesus is going ahead of us. And I’m convinced that sometimes means embracing uncertainty, keeping your options open, and preparing for multiple possible future scenarios.
Still, I understand the desire for people to know what kind of church you’re looking to plant. That’s why, in our initial launch plan, we sketched a broad, tentative vision for The Heights and why I’ve started this series of blog posts.
As we’ve worked together through the initial stages of planting a church in Noblesville, we’ve tried to remain open to God’s leadership, and a clearer picture is beginning to emerge. I hesitate to call it a vision, because we are not primarily committed to any particular conceptualization, but to following Jesus wherever he leads us in the moment.
Over the course of the next several Mondays, I’ll be sharing some about the emerging (non)vision for The Heights. We welcome your responses and feedback.
Fitch on Church Planting Assumptions
Friday, March 27, 2009 Filed in: Church Planting | Missional Church
Good stuff from David Fitch on Church Planting Assumptions of the Neo-Reformed: Some Observations from Testing.
Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan, joins the discussion in the comments.
Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan, joins the discussion in the comments.
Instilling Missional Habits
There are more than 100 blogs in my blog reader, so rare is the blogger that grabs my full attention. David Fitch, though not an everyday blogger or perhaps because he’s not an everyday blogger, compels me to read every word, every time.
Fitch is one of three pastors at Life on the Vine in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and B.R. Linder Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Illinois. He heads up the M.A. Program in Missional Church Ministry.
This week, Fitch posts on Instilling Missional Habits in Your Congregation--As You Walk Among Your Community. Go there and read every word. Seriously. You may not agree with everything, but it will be well worth your time and will stretch the way you think about doing ministry.
Here’s a brief snippet to whet your appetite:
Outreach events take up much time, planning and enormous “congregational capital” (if I may put it that way). In post Christendom outreach events rarely “work.” And you simply cannot compete with the local Park District or Megachurch event planning neutral site events. Instead, with little effort or cost, direct the people’s imagination towards seeing the ways you can connect with people in their everyday situations by going to the same place at the same time every week. Stoke imagination for the way ordinary life is the stage of God’s working.
This is one of nine habits Fitch suggests. Read the whole thing. Seriously. The comments are worth reading too. Particularly the two additional habits suggested by Len Hjalmarson.
Fitch is one of three pastors at Life on the Vine in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and B.R. Linder Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Illinois. He heads up the M.A. Program in Missional Church Ministry.
This week, Fitch posts on Instilling Missional Habits in Your Congregation--As You Walk Among Your Community. Go there and read every word. Seriously. You may not agree with everything, but it will be well worth your time and will stretch the way you think about doing ministry.
Here’s a brief snippet to whet your appetite:
Outreach events take up much time, planning and enormous “congregational capital” (if I may put it that way). In post Christendom outreach events rarely “work.” And you simply cannot compete with the local Park District or Megachurch event planning neutral site events. Instead, with little effort or cost, direct the people’s imagination towards seeing the ways you can connect with people in their everyday situations by going to the same place at the same time every week. Stoke imagination for the way ordinary life is the stage of God’s working.
This is one of nine habits Fitch suggests. Read the whole thing. Seriously. The comments are worth reading too. Particularly the two additional habits suggested by Len Hjalmarson.
The Presence
Friday, March 13, 2009 Filed in: Church Planting | Spiritual Formation
The Heights at Worship
The Heights team is now actively engaged in developing a rhythm and pattern for our weekly worship gatherings. Each of the last two Sunday mornings, we’ve met together in the living room at the front of our house to sing, pray, share Scripture, and participate in communion. Rather than launching immediately into a public worship service, we’re waiting, seeking, and asking God to establish us together as a true community of Christ-followers.
Our pattern of worship has gone something like this:
After two Sundays, we are finding this to be a wonderful and meaningful way to worship together. I think we’re all eagerly anticipating welcoming others into our community, but for now we’re patiently waiting and asking the Lord to strengthen and guide our faith community.
If you’d like to know more about our worship, you can contact me through the e-mail link at the bottom of the page.
Our pattern of worship has gone something like this:
- The person leading the service offers a call to worship from Scripture.
- We alternate between singing one of the selected songs and team members sharing their scripture and comments.
- The person leading the service shares last and at greater length (10 to 15 minutes).
- We share communion together.
- We may sing or pray again, then the leader offers a benediction.
- Then we share a meal together.
After two Sundays, we are finding this to be a wonderful and meaningful way to worship together. I think we’re all eagerly anticipating welcoming others into our community, but for now we’re patiently waiting and asking the Lord to strengthen and guide our faith community.
If you’d like to know more about our worship, you can contact me through the e-mail link at the bottom of the page.
The Idol of Excellence
There was a time before every church listed excellence among their core values. Then somewhere along the way, we started raising the bar on the quality of the worship experience.
Soon, the simple act of God’s people coming together for worship took on a whole new complexity. It required planning meetings, expensive technology, and hours of preparation. Excellence, which once meant “offering our best to God,” was quietly redefined as “having high production values.” Few noticed this fundamental shift in perspective and motive.
Planning, preparation, and seeking after excellence all have their place in worship. But excellence can very easily become an idol, taking the place of genuine worship of God.
So here’s the diagnostic question: How much of what we do in worship is genuinely aimed at pleasing God versus pleasing other people or ourselves?
Soon, the simple act of God’s people coming together for worship took on a whole new complexity. It required planning meetings, expensive technology, and hours of preparation. Excellence, which once meant “offering our best to God,” was quietly redefined as “having high production values.” Few noticed this fundamental shift in perspective and motive.
Planning, preparation, and seeking after excellence all have their place in worship. But excellence can very easily become an idol, taking the place of genuine worship of God.
So here’s the diagnostic question: How much of what we do in worship is genuinely aimed at pleasing God versus pleasing other people or ourselves?
Imagine: A Church People Can't Wait To Leave
Monday, January 12, 2009 Filed in: Missional Church | Church Planting
Consider the strong gravitational pull of the attractional church. And stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
A rapidly-expanding church realizes they’re facing space issues in their Sunday morning worship service, so they decide to plant a daughter church in a different part of the city. They select a leadership team and location and ask several families to go and help plant a new church. There’s lots of optimism and enthusiasm at the beginning, but before long the novelty wears off and patience starts to wear thin. Things just aren’t like they were in the home church. Several people break off and return to the home church leaving the rest of the team disillusioned.
That’s the trouble with having a great church—nobody wants to leave.
The problem is, Jesus commands us to go.
Most churches work hard at attracting and retaining members. That’s how you build the organization. You provide the highest quality worship experience, children’s and youth ministries with all the bells and whistles, and plenty of community service type opportunities that give people the sense that they and their church are giving back. All the while, the greatest percentage of resources are committed to building the infrastructure of the church—specifically salaries and facilities. There’s nothing sinister here. It’s the generally accepted way of doing church these days, what most young pastors out of seminary aspire to.
But what if, instead of exerting the tremendous amount of force necessary to keep people in our church’s orbit indefinitely, we focused instead on nurturing them, equipping them, and preparing to launch them into new trajectories. Imagine if a church did such an outstanding job of helping people connect with Jesus’ mission that they couldn’t wait to finish their equipping so that they could go and build for God’s kingdom in another part of the city or the world. That’s the kind of church that I want to be part of: one where people are gathered for the purpose of being sent.
A rapidly-expanding church realizes they’re facing space issues in their Sunday morning worship service, so they decide to plant a daughter church in a different part of the city. They select a leadership team and location and ask several families to go and help plant a new church. There’s lots of optimism and enthusiasm at the beginning, but before long the novelty wears off and patience starts to wear thin. Things just aren’t like they were in the home church. Several people break off and return to the home church leaving the rest of the team disillusioned.
That’s the trouble with having a great church—nobody wants to leave.
The problem is, Jesus commands us to go.
Most churches work hard at attracting and retaining members. That’s how you build the organization. You provide the highest quality worship experience, children’s and youth ministries with all the bells and whistles, and plenty of community service type opportunities that give people the sense that they and their church are giving back. All the while, the greatest percentage of resources are committed to building the infrastructure of the church—specifically salaries and facilities. There’s nothing sinister here. It’s the generally accepted way of doing church these days, what most young pastors out of seminary aspire to.
But what if, instead of exerting the tremendous amount of force necessary to keep people in our church’s orbit indefinitely, we focused instead on nurturing them, equipping them, and preparing to launch them into new trajectories. Imagine if a church did such an outstanding job of helping people connect with Jesus’ mission that they couldn’t wait to finish their equipping so that they could go and build for God’s kingdom in another part of the city or the world. That’s the kind of church that I want to be part of: one where people are gathered for the purpose of being sent.
Boundaries Between Worship and Performance
Travis Penn asked the question on his blog of how we know we’ve crossed the line from worship into performance. Here’s the response I posted in his comments:
It's an excellent question about what are the boundaries and how do you know when you've crossed the line.
I'll try to take a stab at an answer. By the way, these are criteria for judging our own efforts, not the efforts of others. "Judge not" and all that.
If we become competitive—positioning ourselves to compete in the "church market" or against the church down the street—we've crossed the line.
If we begin to market ourselves—come hear our dynamic pastor, our rockin' band, etc.—we've crossed the line.
If we make worship decisions based on what's cool, we've crossed the line.
If we make worship decisions that feed our own self-serving ego, we've crossed the line.
If we establish a worship hierarchy—we're the professional worshippers, you're the people who watch us—we've crossed the line.
Those are just a few thoughts. Of course, it could be stated positively that everything should be focused on glorifying the Trinity, but I've discovered that we can easily fool ourselves into thinking we're doing that if we don't also consider the negative criteria.
As I’ve been thinking about the structure and format for worship at The Heights, I’m more and more convinced that we’ve got to steer clear of the temptation to think of worship as a service we perform for the community or for our visitors. Worship is what we do together because we are a community of Christ-followers.
It's an excellent question about what are the boundaries and how do you know when you've crossed the line.
I'll try to take a stab at an answer. By the way, these are criteria for judging our own efforts, not the efforts of others. "Judge not" and all that.
If we become competitive—positioning ourselves to compete in the "church market" or against the church down the street—we've crossed the line.
If we begin to market ourselves—come hear our dynamic pastor, our rockin' band, etc.—we've crossed the line.
If we make worship decisions based on what's cool, we've crossed the line.
If we make worship decisions that feed our own self-serving ego, we've crossed the line.
If we establish a worship hierarchy—we're the professional worshippers, you're the people who watch us—we've crossed the line.
Those are just a few thoughts. Of course, it could be stated positively that everything should be focused on glorifying the Trinity, but I've discovered that we can easily fool ourselves into thinking we're doing that if we don't also consider the negative criteria.
As I’ve been thinking about the structure and format for worship at The Heights, I’m more and more convinced that we’ve got to steer clear of the temptation to think of worship as a service we perform for the community or for our visitors. Worship is what we do together because we are a community of Christ-followers.
A Divine Investment
Thursday, January 08, 2009 Filed in: Missional Church
As a book editor, I sometimes write or rewrite sentences, paragraphs, and even longer sections of chapters to help authors better express the thoughts they’re trying to convey.
Today, I’m working on a study guide that doesn’t have a named author, and I wanted to share a sentence that I wrote (or rewrote; that distinction is often blurry for me):
“God invested in your community by placing you there.”
What does that sentence say to you?
Today, I’m working on a study guide that doesn’t have a named author, and I wanted to share a sentence that I wrote (or rewrote; that distinction is often blurry for me):
“God invested in your community by placing you there.”
What does that sentence say to you?
Seeding Missional Communities Part 3
Tuesday, January 06, 2009 Filed in: Missional Church | Church Planting
The first presentation after lunch was by David Fitch on the topic of conversion in the missional church. Mark Driscoll and Dan Kimball have recently questioned the apparent lack of conversions in missional churches. You can see Fitch’s response to Kimball here. It provides helpful background to the notes below.
I remember F. Leroy Forlines saying nearly twenty years ago in systematic theology class that the task of an evangelist is much different than it had been fifty years prior, because our culture has changed so drastically. People no longer have a basic understanding of the Bible or a general sense that they need to be forgiven. If we simply invite people to accept Christ, they have no context for making the decision.
Fitch starts from a similar place. He outlines the problem as follows:
1. A decision for Christ doesn’t make sense without a context, when people don’t even understand what they are being called to.
2. Invitations often call for consumer decisions, based essentially on fear or greed.
3. Conversion is thus turned into a transaction where you (the evangelist) are selling salvation.
4. People who make such decisions often later find themselves “wandering around” the perimeter of the church and never really moving closer to the center. This is because the call was to be saved rather than to follow Jesus.
Fitch’s response to the problem is:
1. Decision is important but it must be placed in the proper context.
2. Repentance is still indispensable. This is true of every single person, including the poor and downtrodden.
3. Conversion must be seen as broader than a choice between heaven or hell, more than just escaping the wrath of God.
4. Conversion must never be “sold.” We are witnesses, not peddlers.
Fitch then led the group in a discussion of how the missional church can be more effective in bringing people to the point of decision.
The final presentation by Chris Smith focused on the economic possibilities of the missional church. I ended up taking fewer notes during this session, so I don’t have as much to offer, but here are the key points:
1. Simplify - the call to follow Christ is a call to self-denial economically as well as spiritually.
2. Share life together - this might include sharing housing, meals, and childcare, or working together.
3. Grow food together
4. Discern the congregation’s economy together - a church can create an alternate economy that operates independently of the national economy.
Feel free to share your comments or reactions to any of the four presentations.
I remember F. Leroy Forlines saying nearly twenty years ago in systematic theology class that the task of an evangelist is much different than it had been fifty years prior, because our culture has changed so drastically. People no longer have a basic understanding of the Bible or a general sense that they need to be forgiven. If we simply invite people to accept Christ, they have no context for making the decision.
Fitch starts from a similar place. He outlines the problem as follows:
1. A decision for Christ doesn’t make sense without a context, when people don’t even understand what they are being called to.
2. Invitations often call for consumer decisions, based essentially on fear or greed.
3. Conversion is thus turned into a transaction where you (the evangelist) are selling salvation.
4. People who make such decisions often later find themselves “wandering around” the perimeter of the church and never really moving closer to the center. This is because the call was to be saved rather than to follow Jesus.
Fitch’s response to the problem is:
1. Decision is important but it must be placed in the proper context.
2. Repentance is still indispensable. This is true of every single person, including the poor and downtrodden.
3. Conversion must be seen as broader than a choice between heaven or hell, more than just escaping the wrath of God.
4. Conversion must never be “sold.” We are witnesses, not peddlers.
Fitch then led the group in a discussion of how the missional church can be more effective in bringing people to the point of decision.
The final presentation by Chris Smith focused on the economic possibilities of the missional church. I ended up taking fewer notes during this session, so I don’t have as much to offer, but here are the key points:
1. Simplify - the call to follow Christ is a call to self-denial economically as well as spiritually.
2. Share life together - this might include sharing housing, meals, and childcare, or working together.
3. Grow food together
4. Discern the congregation’s economy together - a church can create an alternate economy that operates independently of the national economy.
Feel free to share your comments or reactions to any of the four presentations.
Seeding Missional Communities Part 2
The Seeding Missional Communities gathering was billed as a (non)conference. There was no cost, no worship band, no book table, no video or powerpoint, and the speakers were not paid. The presentation to discussion to prayer ratio was about 1 to 2 to 1. Does that even make sense? In other words, for every twenty minutes of presentation, there were about forty minutes of discussion and twenty minutes of corporate prayer time. From what I understand the event was pulled together in less than three weeks. This was not a show, but a conversation.
The first presentation was Ben Sternke’s talk on missional worship. Some in the missional church movement have (over)reacted to the big show mentality of the attractional megachurch by minimizing the importance of the weekend worship gathering. Ben’s thesis was that the weekend gathering is a key part of the formation of our communities into missional people. Here are some of the key points:
The second presentation by Jon (didn’t catch his last name but I think it started with a V or B) focused on the concept of forming missional orders for the purpose of planting churches. This is when a group of families covenants together to embed themselves in a community, work outside the church to pay the bills, and work together to establish a community of faith. Some key points:
Advantages are relational stability, financial stability, multiplicity of leadership, and calling people into an existing community rather than a vacuum.
Challenges are that it’s not very “efficient” in the traditional sense, takes a long time, and is often messy.
For those of you who know the work that we’re doing with The Heights, you can see that these two presentations are very consistent with the kinds of things that we have been thinking about, planning for, and are now doing. Summaries of the last two presentations to come tomorrow!
The first presentation was Ben Sternke’s talk on missional worship. Some in the missional church movement have (over)reacted to the big show mentality of the attractional megachurch by minimizing the importance of the weekend worship gathering. Ben’s thesis was that the weekend gathering is a key part of the formation of our communities into missional people. Here are some of the key points:
- Worship is formative. It shapes who we are as a community.
- Entertainment-driven worship forms people into spectators and consumers. Preaching the gospel in that context sends a mixed message and is counter-productive.
- The challenge is to find worship rhythms that form God’s people into missional communities.
- Missional worship is a formative encounter with God. We must be regularly immersed in the holy if we are to be formed as disciples of Christ.
- Throughout the centuries, people have encountered Jesus when worship was shaped around word and sacrament.
- The goal of music, creativity, and art in worship is to form missional people.
The second presentation by Jon (didn’t catch his last name but I think it started with a V or B) focused on the concept of forming missional orders for the purpose of planting churches. This is when a group of families covenants together to embed themselves in a community, work outside the church to pay the bills, and work together to establish a community of faith. Some key points:
- Churches don’t live in buildings but in neighborhoods.
- The church’s visible witness should include a substantial common life that neighbors can see.
- People need to be formed out of consumerism and shaped toward a shared life together—“an embodied witness that demonstrates why anyone should care about Christ anyway.”
- Priority: having a high level of commitment to the community
- Proximity: living close to one other so that you rub shoulders on a regular basis
- Poverty: living beneath your means
- “Politics”: understanding the gospel as an alternative social arrangement
- Mission: giving priority to the missio dei
Advantages are relational stability, financial stability, multiplicity of leadership, and calling people into an existing community rather than a vacuum.
Challenges are that it’s not very “efficient” in the traditional sense, takes a long time, and is often messy.
For those of you who know the work that we’re doing with The Heights, you can see that these two presentations are very consistent with the kinds of things that we have been thinking about, planning for, and are now doing. Summaries of the last two presentations to come tomorrow!
Seeding Missional Communities Part 1
Sunday, January 04, 2009 Filed in: Church Planting | Missional Church
On Saturday I went to the “Seeding Missional Communities Learning Commons” in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I’m not a fan of most Christian leadership conferences, for reasons I won’t go into right now, but I had a feeling this would be different and I wasn’t disappointed. I’ll summarize some of the content over the next few days beginning with introductory material tonight.
David Fitch, who emceed the gathering, began by presenting his definition of the word missional. His definition had three points:
1. Missional church is a trinitarian extension of the missio dei—the mission of God. We are gathered to be sent out (John 20:21).
2. Missional church is the people of God driven to inhabit contexts incarnationally. We are sent to live out the gospel in our communities (Luke 10; Phil. 2).
3. Missional church recognizes that salvation is broader than an individualistic acceptance of penal substitutionary atonement. God is “reconciling the world to himself in Christ” (2 Cor 5:19).
David posed the question of what it would look like if our faith communities understood church in this way. He then provided an overview of the day’s presentations. Presenters were to focus on four topics—worship in the missional church, missional orders as a means of planting churches, the place of conversion in a missional context, and the economic implications of missional church.
More tomorrow.
David Fitch, who emceed the gathering, began by presenting his definition of the word missional. His definition had three points:
1. Missional church is a trinitarian extension of the missio dei—the mission of God. We are gathered to be sent out (John 20:21).
2. Missional church is the people of God driven to inhabit contexts incarnationally. We are sent to live out the gospel in our communities (Luke 10; Phil. 2).
3. Missional church recognizes that salvation is broader than an individualistic acceptance of penal substitutionary atonement. God is “reconciling the world to himself in Christ” (2 Cor 5:19).
David posed the question of what it would look like if our faith communities understood church in this way. He then provided an overview of the day’s presentations. Presenters were to focus on four topics—worship in the missional church, missional orders as a means of planting churches, the place of conversion in a missional context, and the economic implications of missional church.
More tomorrow.
More on Marketing
Wednesday, December 10, 2008 Filed in: Church Marketing | Church Planting
You might think from my previous post that I’m opposed to church marketing in all its various forms. I’m not—The Heights just put up a web site, and we’re also considering a logo, for example. I’m all for excellence and for presenting a more or less professional image, so I’m not arguing against those things.
Instead I’m arguing for critical thinking. We shouldn’t spend thousands of dollars on branding our churches just because we have the money or because “that’s what successful churches do.” If you’re going to spend money on marketing, be sure you have solid, biblical reasons and know how it will advance Jesus’ mission.
I’m also arguing for the power of the gospel. The gospel doesn’t need the assistance of marketing techniques to transform lives. I sometimes wonder if we rely so much on marketing the church because we’ve lost confidence in the power of the gospel that should be at the core of our churches. Or maybe we lack the patience it requires. The gospel is what changes lives when it is preached faithfully and lived out in community--not our marketing budgets.
Third, I’m arguing for the primacy of Jesus’ kingdom. Churches often appear more intent on setting up their own kingdoms than building Christ’s kingdom. Some new churches spend tens of thousands of dollars on marketing themselves and setting up their show before they’ve even seen a single decision to follow Christ. Call me crazy, but something about that seems backwards to me.
A great question to ask (and answer honestly) when considering our church marketing plan is, “What’s my motivation?”
Instead I’m arguing for critical thinking. We shouldn’t spend thousands of dollars on branding our churches just because we have the money or because “that’s what successful churches do.” If you’re going to spend money on marketing, be sure you have solid, biblical reasons and know how it will advance Jesus’ mission.
I’m also arguing for the power of the gospel. The gospel doesn’t need the assistance of marketing techniques to transform lives. I sometimes wonder if we rely so much on marketing the church because we’ve lost confidence in the power of the gospel that should be at the core of our churches. Or maybe we lack the patience it requires. The gospel is what changes lives when it is preached faithfully and lived out in community--not our marketing budgets.
Third, I’m arguing for the primacy of Jesus’ kingdom. Churches often appear more intent on setting up their own kingdoms than building Christ’s kingdom. Some new churches spend tens of thousands of dollars on marketing themselves and setting up their show before they’ve even seen a single decision to follow Christ. Call me crazy, but something about that seems backwards to me.
A great question to ask (and answer honestly) when considering our church marketing plan is, “What’s my motivation?”
I'm An Agnostic . . .
Monday, December 08, 2008 Filed in: Church Planting | Church Marketing
. . . a church marketing agnostic, that is.
Conventional church planting wisdom says you need a full-blown marketing plan, with a custom logo, direct mail marketing, publicity campaigns, and more. That’s the way it’s done these days. And, oh yeah, plan to spend a lot of money doing it.
It’s just that I’m not convinced. In fact, I’m more than unconvinced. I’m a skeptic.
This past weekend, our church planting team had a Christmas open house at our new home. We photocopied and handed out about seventy invitations in our neighborhood. Total cost was between $11 and $12. The result? We hosted eight families in our home that we had never met before. Figure the percentages, if you’re interested. Do the cost analysis. Then compare to direct mail, which costs a whole lot more and hopes for one to two percent response at best. If we were running a business, that would be a lot of bang for the buck.
Now, to my church marketing friends, eight families might sound underwhelming. But remember that these people didn’t slip into the back door of a crowded facility and later make a beeline for the exit. No, they munched on snacks in our kitchen, talked by the fire in our living room, interacted on a personal level with the members of our team. They experienced warm, Christian hospitality, and the great majority of them indicated they’d love to get together again.
Our team will take those kinds of results any time.
Conventional church planting wisdom says you need a full-blown marketing plan, with a custom logo, direct mail marketing, publicity campaigns, and more. That’s the way it’s done these days. And, oh yeah, plan to spend a lot of money doing it.
It’s just that I’m not convinced. In fact, I’m more than unconvinced. I’m a skeptic.
This past weekend, our church planting team had a Christmas open house at our new home. We photocopied and handed out about seventy invitations in our neighborhood. Total cost was between $11 and $12. The result? We hosted eight families in our home that we had never met before. Figure the percentages, if you’re interested. Do the cost analysis. Then compare to direct mail, which costs a whole lot more and hopes for one to two percent response at best. If we were running a business, that would be a lot of bang for the buck.
Now, to my church marketing friends, eight families might sound underwhelming. But remember that these people didn’t slip into the back door of a crowded facility and later make a beeline for the exit. No, they munched on snacks in our kitchen, talked by the fire in our living room, interacted on a personal level with the members of our team. They experienced warm, Christian hospitality, and the great majority of them indicated they’d love to get together again.
Our team will take those kinds of results any time.
The Heights Way
Or, is it just The Way.
Last night on Facebook, I shared some key ministry convictions that I've come to think of as The Heights Way. I'd be interested in hearing your comments and reactions to any and all of them.
1. The best news ever published is that Jesus is Lord. A close second is that he wants to welcome each and every one of us into his kingdom.
2. The kingdom of God is the unifying theme of Scripture. From beginning to end it is about God gathering a tribe for himself.
3. The kingdom is not only a future reality; it is also a present reality. Jesus founded it during his earthly ministry, is building it now, and will perfect it when he returns.
4. Being a Christian is about being redeemed from sin and transformed into the image of Jesus. This always includes following Jesus in mission, participating in his kingdom work.
5. Being a disciple of Jesus is not a solitary activity; it can only be done in community with other believers.
6. The first century church was never led by a single leader; always by teams of leaders. It should be the same in the twenty-first century church.
7. Every Christian is called to be involved in ministry that fits their gifts, skills, and personality.
8. God does extraordinary things through ordinary people. The job of church leaders is to gather, equip, and empower people to participate in kingdom work.
9. The kingdom exists wherever God's reign is acknowledged, his values embraced, his mission pursued. The kingdom, now and forever, is where heaven reigns on earth.
10. A large part of Jesus' ministry was to confront the evils of this present age: sickness, oppression, death. These were authentic instances of the kingdom coming on earth. He also said that the church would do greater things than he had done.
11. While it's true that we can't "bring the kingdom" in the sense of final perfection, the Holy Spirit can use us to create pockets of heaven on earth, and these "pockets of kingdom" are the greatest witness there is. It's not something we can do in our own power or to our own ends. It must be by the power of the Holy Spirit and for God's purposes.
Last night on Facebook, I shared some key ministry convictions that I've come to think of as The Heights Way. I'd be interested in hearing your comments and reactions to any and all of them.
1. The best news ever published is that Jesus is Lord. A close second is that he wants to welcome each and every one of us into his kingdom.
2. The kingdom of God is the unifying theme of Scripture. From beginning to end it is about God gathering a tribe for himself.
3. The kingdom is not only a future reality; it is also a present reality. Jesus founded it during his earthly ministry, is building it now, and will perfect it when he returns.
4. Being a Christian is about being redeemed from sin and transformed into the image of Jesus. This always includes following Jesus in mission, participating in his kingdom work.
5. Being a disciple of Jesus is not a solitary activity; it can only be done in community with other believers.
6. The first century church was never led by a single leader; always by teams of leaders. It should be the same in the twenty-first century church.
7. Every Christian is called to be involved in ministry that fits their gifts, skills, and personality.
8. God does extraordinary things through ordinary people. The job of church leaders is to gather, equip, and empower people to participate in kingdom work.
9. The kingdom exists wherever God's reign is acknowledged, his values embraced, his mission pursued. The kingdom, now and forever, is where heaven reigns on earth.
10. A large part of Jesus' ministry was to confront the evils of this present age: sickness, oppression, death. These were authentic instances of the kingdom coming on earth. He also said that the church would do greater things than he had done.
11. While it's true that we can't "bring the kingdom" in the sense of final perfection, the Holy Spirit can use us to create pockets of heaven on earth, and these "pockets of kingdom" are the greatest witness there is. It's not something we can do in our own power or to our own ends. It must be by the power of the Holy Spirit and for God's purposes.
A Long Overdue Update
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 Filed in: The Heights
A lot has happened in the personal lives of our team members in the past month.
We are grateful for God’s presence and peace in our lives and for all of you who pray for us and for what God will do through The Heights Church in Noblesville.
In December, we will be hosting a holiday open house. Please pray that God will give us the opportunity to meet and build relationships with people that we can serve.
- On Thursday, October 30, my family moved into our new house in Noblesville. We are settling in and getting to know some of the people in our neighborhood. We especially enjoyed walking the neighborhood with the kids (Kevin) and handing out candy at home (Debbie) as a way of meeting neighbors.
- On Wednesday, November 5, William and Megan Higgins welcomed Avery Kate into their lives. You can learn much more and see lots of pictures at their blog.
- On Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, my daughter Courtney played Dorothy in her school musical, OZ. During the same weekend, I also served on the faculty at the Indianapolis Christian Writer’s Conference.
- On Saturday, November 7, Kenny Panduku was offered a job. He starts next Monday.
We are grateful for God’s presence and peace in our lives and for all of you who pray for us and for what God will do through The Heights Church in Noblesville.
In December, we will be hosting a holiday open house. Please pray that God will give us the opportunity to meet and build relationships with people that we can serve.
9-13-09
Saturday, October 11, 2008 Filed in: The Heights | Church Planting
Recently our team met and locked in our timeline for the launch of the Heights. Here are some of the key dates.
In December 2008, we’ll begin introducing ourselves to the community at one or more holiday open houses.
In January 2009, we’ll begin one or more book discussion groups/bible study groups, as well as a regular prayer service.
During this time, we’ll also become actively involved in the community in various ways.
In the spring and summer, we’ll have monthly preview services on:
May 3, 2009
June 7, 2009
July 12, 2009
August 9, 2009
Then, on September 13, 2009, we will officially launch The Heights and begin having weekly worship services.
Please pray for our team as we enter into this crucial period of building relationships and sharing our vision for The Heights with people in our new community.
In December 2008, we’ll begin introducing ourselves to the community at one or more holiday open houses.
In January 2009, we’ll begin one or more book discussion groups/bible study groups, as well as a regular prayer service.
During this time, we’ll also become actively involved in the community in various ways.
In the spring and summer, we’ll have monthly preview services on:
May 3, 2009
June 7, 2009
July 12, 2009
August 9, 2009
Then, on September 13, 2009, we will officially launch The Heights and begin having weekly worship services.
Please pray for our team as we enter into this crucial period of building relationships and sharing our vision for The Heights with people in our new community.
Heights Update
Saturday, October 11, 2008 Filed in: The Heights | Church Planting
A lot has been happening with The Heights recently, which is part of why I haven’t posted in a while.
On September 27, the Pandukus arrived in Noblesville. That’s important because it means that our original team is now reassembled in Indiana.
On October 1, The Heights was officially incorporated in the state of Indiana. That’s important because it means that we can begin actively raising funds for our ministry.
On October 5 and 8, we had our first team meetings on the ground in Indiana. Among other things, we locked in our timeline for launching The Heights. More about that in an upcoming post.
On September 27, the Pandukus arrived in Noblesville. That’s important because it means that our original team is now reassembled in Indiana.
On October 1, The Heights was officially incorporated in the state of Indiana. That’s important because it means that we can begin actively raising funds for our ministry.
On October 5 and 8, we had our first team meetings on the ground in Indiana. Among other things, we locked in our timeline for launching The Heights. More about that in an upcoming post.
The Church's Celebrity Culture
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 Filed in: Church Planting | Leadership
My Eligibility to Be POTUS
Friday, September 05, 2008 Filed in: Politics
So today I suddenly realized that this is the first election when I was eligible to run for President of the United States.
You know how when you read about the minimum age requirements in school it seems so far away?
I forgot. It’s probably too late now.
I can’t help but note that no one else remembered that I was eligible this time around either. What’s with that?
Oh well. They probably wouldn’t let me move the White House to Noblesville. And they probably wouldn’t be crazy about me planting a church while in office either.
You know how when you read about the minimum age requirements in school it seems so far away?
I forgot. It’s probably too late now.
I can’t help but note that no one else remembered that I was eligible this time around either. What’s with that?
Oh well. They probably wouldn’t let me move the White House to Noblesville. And they probably wouldn’t be crazy about me planting a church while in office either.
Why Noblesville--Part Last
Thursday, July 10, 2008 Filed in: Church Planting | The Heights
Many people have said it: Church planting is the most effective way to reach people who don’t know Jesus and welcome them into the Kingdom. That’s why I’m so excited about The Heights Church in Noblesville, Indiana. I can’t wait to see what God will do through our team and the people Jesus gives us. Sure, we have plans and dreams, but God has a way of blessing his Kingdom work in surprising, unpredictable ways. That’s one thing that makes it so exciting.
Our dream for The Heights has little to do with how large the church grows, and everything to do with how significant its impact. Read More...
Our dream for The Heights has little to do with how large the church grows, and everything to do with how significant its impact. Read More...
Why Noblesville Part 4
Wednesday, July 09, 2008 Filed in: Church Planting | The Heights
After our September 9 meeting, I sent two documents to our team, “Reflections on Last Night’s Meeting” and “How We Will Make This Decision.”
The first document shared some of the thoughts from my last post about why the meeting didn’t go so well. Then it included three recommendations:
The first document shared some of the thoughts from my last post about why the meeting didn’t go so well. Then it included three recommendations:
- That we continue our planning even though we didn’t know where we were going; like Abraham in Genesis 12
Why Noblesville Part 3
Tuesday, July 08, 2008 Filed in: Church Planting | The Heights
So the 27-day cliffhanger comes to an end . . .
In my June 12 post, Why Noblesville Part 2, I ended with the following:
As a next step, I suggested that we research and pray about two more cities for our next meeting. This was a mistake on my part, and I compounded the mistake in my leadership of our September 9 meeting.
Now the next part of the story . . .
Read More...
In my June 12 post, Why Noblesville Part 2, I ended with the following:
As a next step, I suggested that we research and pray about two more cities for our next meeting. This was a mistake on my part, and I compounded the mistake in my leadership of our September 9 meeting.
Now the next part of the story . . .
Read More...
Team
Okay, so I’m not much of an historian, and I’ve already made a mistake. This wasn’t really my first communication to the team.
New texts recently discovered indicate that on Monday morning at 12:39 a.m., I e-mailed a three-page document titled “What It Means for Our Group to Work Together as a Team.” Here are several excerpts:
We embrace a common mission, culture, and approach that guide and inform everything that we do. Read More...
New texts recently discovered indicate that on Monday morning at 12:39 a.m., I e-mailed a three-page document titled “What It Means for Our Group to Work Together as a Team.” Here are several excerpts:
We embrace a common mission, culture, and approach that guide and inform everything that we do. Read More...
My First Communication to the Team
Occasionally, I’ll try to offer a glimpse at how our team functions or the way I try to lead. Here I’ve reproduced the text of an e-mail I sent to our team the night after they made me team leader.
Hey guys. I’ve been thinking a lot about the role that you all gave me last night in leading this team. Read More...
Hey guys. I’ve been thinking a lot about the role that you all gave me last night in leading this team. Read More...
The Heights at the Beginning Part 2
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 Filed in: The Heights | Church Planting
As I mentioned before, The Heights was first conceived on a Saturday evening, August 25, 2008, during a cookout at our house. That night, we agreed to begin praying and seriously considering whether planting a church might be God’s plan for the next stage of our lives.
Twenty four hours later, we met at our house again, and if anything, the enthusiasm and urgency that we felt was more and greater than the previous evening. Read More...
Twenty four hours later, we met at our house again, and if anything, the enthusiasm and urgency that we felt was more and greater than the previous evening. Read More...
The Heights at the Beginning
Thursday, May 22, 2008 Filed in: The Heights | Church Planting
The Heights Church in Noblesville, Indiana was first conceived on a hot summer night in August 2007, at the Scott house on Wright Avenue in Saint Ann, Missouri.
It was not the first time that any of us had ever thought of planting a new church before. Kenny and I can both can trace our interest in church planting back to the mid 90s, before we had even met. Read More...
It was not the first time that any of us had ever thought of planting a new church before. Kenny and I can both can trace our interest in church planting back to the mid 90s, before we had even met. Read More...
