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.
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.
Worship With Us at The Heights
Wednesday, July 08, 2009 Filed in: The Heights
Looking for a place to worship on your way to the National Association of Free Will Baptists in Cincinnati?
You’re invited to worship with The Heights at Forest Park Inn in Noblesville, Indiana, on Sunday, July 19, at 11 a.m. We are approximately two hours northwest of Cincinnati.
Contact us for more detailed directions or just to let us know that you plan to worship with us. We’d love to have you join us.
You’re invited to worship with The Heights at Forest Park Inn in Noblesville, Indiana, on Sunday, July 19, at 11 a.m. We are approximately two hours northwest of Cincinnati.
Contact us for more detailed directions or just to let us know that you plan to worship with us. We’d love to have you join us.
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.
Penns to Join The Heights Team
Friday, April 10, 2009 Filed in: The Heights | Church Planting
The Heights team is very excited to announce that Travis and Wendy Penn, along with their children Brooklyn and Isaiah, are making plans to move to Noblesville, Indiana, this summer to join The Heights team.
Travis is a 1993 graduate of Free Will Baptist Bible College and earned his Masters of Divinity at Mid-America Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee. For the past thirteen years, he has been pastor of Calvary Free Will Baptist Church in Salem, Illinois. He and I travelled together in college—along with Greg Smith, Brad Williams, Donald Myers, and, later, Anthony Edgmon. For our group, we came up with the brilliant name, FWBBC Men’s Quartet.
If you know Travis and Wendy, you know what a tremendous asset they will be to the work God is doing in Noblesville. Please pray for them as they begin to make their transition.
Travis blogs at The Sweetest Frame, and I know he plans to share there some of what excites him about working with The Heights.
Welcome to Travis, Wendy, Brooklyn, and Isaiah!
Travis is a 1993 graduate of Free Will Baptist Bible College and earned his Masters of Divinity at Mid-America Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee. For the past thirteen years, he has been pastor of Calvary Free Will Baptist Church in Salem, Illinois. He and I travelled together in college—along with Greg Smith, Brad Williams, Donald Myers, and, later, Anthony Edgmon. For our group, we came up with the brilliant name, FWBBC Men’s Quartet.
If you know Travis and Wendy, you know what a tremendous asset they will be to the work God is doing in Noblesville. Please pray for them as they begin to make their transition.
Travis blogs at The Sweetest Frame, and I know he plans to share there some of what excites him about working with The Heights.
Welcome to Travis, Wendy, Brooklyn, and Isaiah!
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 Heights Web Site
Friday, December 05, 2008 Filed in: The Heights
Get a sneak peek at The Heights web site at www.theheightschurch.us. Bookmark it and visit us often.
I’d love to hear what you think of the site. What do you like? What could be better? What would you add?
I’d love to hear what you think of the site. What do you like? What could be better? What would you add?
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.
The Heights on Facebook
Tuesday, December 02, 2008 Filed in: The Heights
If you have a Facebook account, join The Heights--Noblesville, Indiana, for the latest news, updates, and prayer requests about The Heights.
Since the group went public on Thanksgiving Day, more than 100 people have become members. If only building a congregation were as quick and easy as building a Facebook group!
Become a member of The Heights Facebook group today and you’ll have the opportunity to be among the first to get a sneak peak at The Heights new web site later this week.
Since the group went public on Thanksgiving Day, more than 100 people have become members. If only building a congregation were as quick and easy as building a Facebook group!
Become a member of The Heights Facebook group today and you’ll have the opportunity to be among the first to get a sneak peak at The Heights new web site later this week.
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.
The Heights on Tour
Sunday, October 12, 2008 Filed in: The Heights | Speaking
Well, we have one tour date anyway.
The Heights Team will be at Emmanuel FWB Church in Wabash, Indiana, on Sunday morning, November 23. Rev. Doug Phillips pastors.
If you would like to inquire about having our team visit your church and present the vision of The Heights, you can use the link at the bottom of this page to contact me.
The Heights Team will be at Emmanuel FWB Church in Wabash, Indiana, on Sunday morning, November 23. Rev. Doug Phillips pastors.
If you would like to inquire about having our team visit your church and present the vision of The Heights, you can use the link at the bottom of this page to contact me.
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.
Filing for Incorporation
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Filed in: The Heights | Church Planting
At 6:38 p.m this evening, I filed with the Indiana Secretary of State’s office for incorporation of The Heights Free Will Baptist Church, Inc.
In Indiana you can actually file online, which is what I did. I’d like the record to show that at the precise moment I was filing, Micah was repeatedly firing a soft “baseball” with the Seattle Mariners logo at my back.
I’m not sure what that means.
In Indiana you can actually file online, which is what I did. I’d like the record to show that at the precise moment I was filing, Micah was repeatedly firing a soft “baseball” with the Seattle Mariners logo at my back.
I’m not sure what that means.
Indiana's Seeker Sensitive Muslims
Sunday, August 24, 2008 Filed in: The Heights
The al-Huda Foundation, a Muslim mosque and school in Fishers, Indiana, held their fourth annual Friendship Feast yesterday. The event was designed to “introduce themselves and their faith to non-Muslims.” Fishers is one town over from Noblesville, where The Heights will be located.
The feast offered “an ice cream truck and face painting for the kids and ethnic foods and a lesson in American Islam for adults.”
The Indianapolis Star reports on the variety of reasons that hundreds of people from our area attended this Muslim outreach event.
People are seeking.
Pray for God’s kingdom to increase in Noblesville and the surrounding area.
The feast offered “an ice cream truck and face painting for the kids and ethnic foods and a lesson in American Islam for adults.”
The Indianapolis Star reports on the variety of reasons that hundreds of people from our area attended this Muslim outreach event.
People are seeking.
Pray for God’s kingdom to increase in Noblesville and the surrounding area.
Repent
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Filed in: The Heights | Devotion
“Repent.” (Mt. 3:2 and numerous other places; ESV)
Perfectly good word. People don’t use it any more, voluntarily anyway. To our ears, it sounds insensitive, in your face, almost inappropriate.
As one example, Bill Hybels and Willow Creek recently expended a huge amount of energy responding to and denying the accusation that they had--it’s almost too terrible to say--repented. They were much more comfortable calling their recent change of direction a course correction. Read More...
Perfectly good word. People don’t use it any more, voluntarily anyway. To our ears, it sounds insensitive, in your face, almost inappropriate.
As one example, Bill Hybels and Willow Creek recently expended a huge amount of energy responding to and denying the accusation that they had--it’s almost too terrible to say--repented. They were much more comfortable calling their recent change of direction a course correction. Read More...
Missional vs. Attractional
Monday, July 14, 2008 Filed in: The Heights | Devotion
“Therefore go.” (Matthew 28:19; NIV)
In our launch plan, we describe The Heights as mission-focused. We could have chosen the trendier word, missional. I think it means pretty much the same thing. But to adopt that word would be to choose sides in a debate. Read More...
In our launch plan, we describe The Heights as mission-focused. We could have chosen the trendier word, missional. I think it means pretty much the same thing. But to adopt that word would be to choose sides in a debate. Read More...
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...
Devotion for Tuesday
Monday, July 07, 2008 Filed in: The Heights | Devotion
Two simple words define the essence of discipleship: follow Jesus. The trouble is that many people give the phrase a different meaning than Jesus did. Some think of following Jesus as getting saved or coming to faith. Others think of it as a relationship or a journey. While none of these are wrong, they don't truly capture what Jesus meant when he said "Follow me." 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...
An Address for the Heights
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Update: As of May 30, still no mail. Maybe I should offer a prize. A copy of our launch plan signed by every team member? Maybe not.
Just a quick note to tell you that The Heights now has an official mailing address:
The Heights Church
P.O. Box 355
Noblesville, IN 46061
If you hurry, you can be the first person ever to send mail to the Heights!
Just a quick note to tell you that The Heights now has an official mailing address:
The Heights Church
P.O. Box 355
Noblesville, IN 46061
If you hurry, you can be the first person ever to send mail to the Heights!
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...
