what every church planter should know, v2

8/14/2019 What Every Church Planter Should Know, V2

1/52


2/52


3/52

HELLO!

For the better part of a decade, I have been dedicated to helpingthe efforts of church planters and portable churches through mywork at Portable Church Industries. This ebook is Volume Twoin our Church Planter series and is a compilation of essays, storiesand words of wisdom from respected church planters, pastors andleaders.

We have so much to learn from one another, and I pray that you willbe as blessed by these essays and stories as I was.

God Bless You,

KENDRA MALLOY | Creative DirectorPortable Church Industries800.939.7722

e: [email protected]: @kendramalloyf: facebook.com/portable.church.industriesw: portablechurch.com

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR >

WHAT EVERY CHURCH PLANTER SHOULD KNOW, VO

Kendra Malloy is the Creative Director of Portable Church Industries in Troy, MI.She is responsible for communicating the vision, capabilities and solutions of the companyto church planters, multi-site churches and mobile ministries worldwide.
http://MAILTO:[email protected]/http://twitter.com/kendramalloyhttps://www.facebook.com/portable.church.industrieshttp://portablechurch.com/http://portablechurch.com/https://www.facebook.com/portable.church.industrieshttp://twitter.com/kendramalloyhttp://MAILTO:[email protected]/


4/52

05 Everyone Wants To Be Peter On Pentecost07 Dont Go Alone09 Creating Ministry Space for Children With Special Needs11 The Importance of a Name13 Movies Every Church Planter Should See15 Accountability Is Useless16 Measuring What Matters: Inuence18 What I Wish I Had Known20 The Community Card22 5 Lessons Learned While Starting New Things24 Its All About the Story25 Advice to Church Planters26 Leadership Is Key28 A Scary Tale30 How to Minister to Your Wife While Planting a Church31 Learn How to Fish34 5 Misconceptions that Hurt Your Leadership Development Efforts 36 Building a Generous Culture from Day One38 12 Lessons Learned in 12 Years40 A Tale from the Other Side: Four Things I Wish I Got Right42 Planting Pregnant44 Understanding Employee Burden Costs46 How to Listen to Yo ur City49 12 Ways to Bring Your Best to the Table50 A Shift in Discipleship

INSIDE THIS ISSUE >



5/525

WHAT EVERY CHURCH PLANT ER SHOULD KN OW, VOL 2

When Paul was nished speaking, were the people cutto the heart? Did someone call out, Brothers, whatmust we do to be saved? No, the next line says, Someof them sneered Who wants that?! Now it does say, but others said, We want to hear you again on thissubject, and we learn that ultimately a few peoplebecome believers. And that is cool, but not compared tothousands of baptisms.

Everyone wants to be Peter on Pentecost.

Its easy to speak to people who grew up in church withthe same language and customs and who share much ofthe same thinking and beliefs. When we moved to Las

Vegas, wanting to reach the lost people of Sin City, wedecided to live here for over a year and conduct overthree hundred interviews so we could understand thepeople and their culture. Thats not easy.

Not only is speaking to people who grew up in churcheasier, theres also a better chance we get the glory. Imsure news of Peters sermon in Jerusalem and the 3,000+baptisms spread like wild re. I doubt many peopleheard that Paul gave a sermon in Athens to whichpeople sneered and only a few ended up converting. Ifyoure Peter on Pentecost, people invite you to speak atconferences and write books. They read your blog andfollow you on Twitter.

Everyone wants to be Peter on Pentecost, and you canchoose that. You can start a church in a really dif cultplace, like Atlanta, or Chicago. You can start a churchin a place with no churches like South Carolina, or

BY VINCE ANTONUCCI

Brothers, what must we do to besaved? Their reaction to Petersmessage was, You dont need to doan invitation, well invite ourselves!Forget doing an altar call, were callingourselves to the altar! And thousandswere baptized that day.

There is no more effective strategy for reaching the lostthan church planting

..but most church plants are not effective in reachingthe lost.

Church planters confess it to me all the time. RecentlyI spoke at a conference and a guy leading a rapidlygrowing church plant told me he had no idea howto reach a lost person. His church was bringing in

Christians. He had worked previously at two large,famous growing churches and con ded that he hadnever heard a single conversation about reachinglost people.

Why?

The problem is that everyone wants to be Peter onPentecost. In Acts 2 Peter had a crowd of thousandsready to hear what he had to say about God. They allhad a Bible background, so Peter didnt have to explaineverything to them. In fact, the reason they were in

Jerusalem was because they were spiritual seekers.They were in the crowd for religious reasons. So its nosurprise that when Peter ends his sermon the peoplewere cut to the heart and yell out, Brothers, whatmust we do to be saved? Their reaction to Petersmessage was, You dont need to do an invitation, wellinvite ourselves! Forget doing an altar call, were callingourselves to the altar! And thousands were baptizedthat day.

What pastor doesnt want that?! Everyone wants to be

Peter on Pentecost.Compare Peter on Pentecost to Paul in Athens. In Acts17, Paul goes into a foreign city. He doesnt live thereor know the culture, so he has to take time to study it.Finally, he gets a chance to speak to the people but hehas to be careful because its a complicated situation.Whereas Peters sermon was 22 verses long, Pauls is 9.Whereas Peter quoted Old Testament prophets, Paulquotes Greek poets.

EVERYONE WANTS TO BEPETER ON PENTECOST >
http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.portablechurch.com/stories/download-church-planter-ebook-vol-2/http://twitter.com/home?status=Just%20read%20VOLUME%20TWO%20of%20What%20Every%20Church%20Planter%20Should%20Know%20from%20@portablechurch.%20Check%20it%20out!%20http://bit.ly/DownloadCPBook2


6/526


it changes the equation.

A second reason to follow Pauls example is becauseit is the mission. The mission isnt, Therefore go andmake disciples of people who are already disciples.

Jesus didnt say, Go into all the world and preach thegood news to all the people who already believe. Hedidnt say, But you will receive power when the HolySpirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses tothe Baptist Church down the street, and in all the littleMethodist and Luthern Churches in town, and to theends of the earth. No, the mission is to seek and savethe lost. To make disciples of people whoarent disciples.

It is the mission, but not many church planters really

engage in it, because everyone wants to be Peter onPentecost. Maybe you could choose to follow the pathof Paul in Athens. I mean, someone has to. So why notyou? It wont be easy and may not make much senseand God will get the glory instead of you, but it will alsobe the greatest and most rewarding adventure of yourlife. In our church weve seen pimps and gang bangersand atheists and crack whores and tattoo artists andMormons and leg breakers and strippers and crystalmeth addicts come to Christ. We havent had thousandsof baptisms, and you havent read about us in a list of

biggest or fastest growing churches, but I wouldnt tradewhat were experiencing for anything.

The truth is that not many will choose the path of Paul,but Im praying youll join me on the lunatic fringe.

Alabama, and you can send out postcards promising,Heart-Felt Worship! and Dynamic Teaching! andFun, Age-Appropriate Classes For Your Kids! andwatch all the Christians ow in because they realize yourchurch is better than the church they go to. Then, youwill have a huge crowd of people who are like you andwho understand because they have a Bible backgroundand are ready to hear what you have to say about God.Theyll probably be cut to the heart by your messageand everyone will hear about all the baptisms you had.

Is that wrong? No. Peter wasnt wrong, but maybe youcould do something different. Maybe you could choose tobe Paul in Athens.

Its not easy, and you likely wont get glory, which is why

choosing Pauls path isnt for the faint of heart. So whywould you do that?

You might object that its absurd to reach less peoplewhen you can reach more people. That the numbersdont add up. Thats true, the math of my propositionsucks, but God sucks at math. I know that soundsblasphemous, but its not, and its true. All through theBible we see God teaching and God sharing stories thatwould make a mathematician raise his or her eyebrows.One example is the parable of the lost sheep. Ashepherd, who represents God, has one hundred sheepand leaves ninety-nine in the open eld to go after onelost sheep, who represents a lost person. An accountantwould never agree, but when youre talking aboutbringing one of Gods lost children home to his arms,

Vince Antonucci started and pastors Verve, an innovative church in the heart of Sin City, for thepeople who work on and live around the Las Vegas Strip. Hes passionate about introducingpeople who are far from God to Jesus, and inspiring them to live an authentic and adventurouslife of radically following Him. Vinces rst two books, (I Became a Christian and All I Got WasThis Lousy T-Shirt, 2008 and Guerrilla Lovers, 2010) were published by Baker Books. Vinceleads mission trips around the world, speaks all over the country, does stand-up comedy in Las

Vegas, but mostly loves spending time with his wife, Jennifer, and their two kids.

www.vinceantonucci.com

VINCE ANTONUCCI >


7/527


London during the 1980s in an area which had massivesocial deprivation and poverty. We quickly realized thatwe could not do it alone, and therefore took with us ateam - our oikos of 10 other people. We still found thistime to be incredibly dif cult and challenging, however,and we would have not made it even through the rstyear without this extended family. We encouraged oneanother, prayed for one another and held one anotheraccountable.

Another key biblical principle for church planters tounderstand is the one of the person of peace. In Luke10:5-6 it says, When you enter a house, rst say, Peaceto this house. If someone who promotes peace is there,your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.Jesus message to his disciples was, and still is today, isthat as we are walking in this world, we are to be on thelook-out for a person of peace.

Who is this person of peace and how do we recognizehim? A person of peace is a person who welcomes you,receives you, walks towards you, likes you and wantsto serve you. It is easy to spot this person because therelationship is usually easy and not forced. By this youknow that the Holy Spirit has already gone ahead of youand prepared this person for you.

Because the Holy Spirit goes ahead of us, we know thatthe people of peace will often be the gate keeper into

BY SALLY BREEN

Luke 10:5-6 it says, When you enter a house, rst say, Peace to this house. Ifsomeone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, itwill return to you.

Having been a church planter (been there, done that,got the t shirt and the scars), the rst piece of adviceI have for you is, Dont go alone! It is way too easyto think that just you and your wife - you and yourhusband - or you and your best friend from college areenough to make this happen. The truth is, planting achurch will take you to the very end of your capacity andresources and possibly mental health! It will require youto be physically, emotionally and spiritually strong. It willrequire you to be highly accountable.

It is always a good idea to go back to the Bible and seewhat the rst plan was, rather than the 21st Centuryindividualized plans that we manage to come up withtoday. The original plan for us all was to be part of anoikos (extended family/ household) as referenced inthe Book of Acts.

This summer, having read Rodney Starks Book - The Riseof Christianity, I was particularly struck by his detailedresearch into the role of both women and the extendedfamily. His belief after thorough research leads him, andothers, to believe that without the protection of theearly church within the household of a noble woman, theearly church never would have survived persecution andchange. If it worked for them, I am certain it will work forus in 21st Century America.

For Mike and I, our rst church plant was in inner city

DONT GO ALONE >
http://twitter.com/home?status=Just%20read%20VOLUME%20TWO%20of%20What%20Every%20Church%20Planter%20Should%20Know%20from%20@portablechurch.%20Check%20it%20out!%20http://bit.ly/DownloadCPBook2http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.portablechurch.com/stories/download-church-planter-ebook-vol-2/


8/528


spiritual, physical and emotional, so that once you haverecognized them you can invite someone to hold youaccountable to grow in those areas.

If Mike and I had known all of these things when we rst

began, I am sure the places where we planted in ourearly years would have had far more lasting and long-term fruit. So, it is now my privilege to look back and tohope and pray that you can learn from my mistakes.

a whole network of relationships that you otherwisewould have had no access. They will be a person whoopens up their coffee shop to let you meet there or theschool teacher who allows you into her classroom, the

shopkeeper who spends time talking with you.

If you can learn to nd and identify these people ofpeace, church planting can actually be a lot less tiringand you will waste a lot less time. It is amazing, if welet God do the work of building the church, rather thanourselves, how successful He can really be.

Church planting can be an amazing adventure inunderstanding the faithfulness of God or it can be an

unbelievably frustrating experience of understandingour complete weakness. Usually these two things gohand in hand. I cannot over-emphasize the need tounderstand your own weaknesses in the areas of the

Sally Breen and her husband Mike have been innovators in leading missional churchesthroughout Europe and the United States for more than 25 years. In their time at St Thomas

Shef eld in the UK, they were one of the original pioneers of Missional Communities, mid-sizedgroups of 20-50 people on mission together. The result, less than 6 years later, was the largestchurch in England, and ultimately, one of the largest and now fastest growing churches in thewhole of Europe. In 2006 Sally and Mike were approached by Leadership Network to lead aninitiative into church planting. Through this partnership, more than 750 churches were plantedin Europe in just three years.

Today, they live in South Carolina, leading 3DM, a movement/organization that is helpinghundreds of established churches and church planters move into this discipling and missionalway of being the church.

Blog is at www.sallybreen.me

SALLY BREEN >

Church planting can be an amazingadventure in understanding thefaithfulness of God or it can bean unbelievably frustratingexperience of understandingour complete weakness.


9/529


I can tell you that storage isnt a problem. Special needstools can travel well; they can pack up neatly and aRubbermaid tub or two can be stored each week in yourspeci c case or trailer. The greater challenge is whatgoes in those tubs and who will be using them?

Begin praying that if God sends you families, then he willalso equip you and bring those who have a deep desireto welcome them. Just like us in Thru the Roof, we openthat door each Sunday.

I have found that some children require only one buddy.Some only require a buddy in the classroom space just incase there is a need for support. Other children requirea one-on-one buddy that NEVER leaves his side (a lotof children are runnersor what we like to call elopers..who like to explore parts of the campus). A Buddy helpskeep these children safe, secure and in the right place.

In Mark 2:1-5, we learn of the buddies that broughtthe crippled man to Jesus through the roof. At yourchurch, they will not have to open the roof; they will bewelcomed through the front door as they should be!

BY DENISE BRILEY

Here are Some Ideas for Establishing Your Own Special Needs Ministry

Create a Buddy System. Having buddies(a volunteer that shadows alongside the childwith special needs) is a great place to begin.The Buddies can report to the ChildrensMinister for guidance and support.

Recruit Buddies from your student ministryto serve on a rotation along with adults whomay teach in Special Education settings.

Equip Buddies with an information sheet oneach child that they serve

Nothing makes my heart sing more than knowing thata family with a special needs child can get in their car,drive to church, and arrive where they can attend asa family. God has given me many opportunities towatch that happen over the past 30 years as I havecared for children. For you who are creating a spacefor children, I truly commend you for stepping out infaith and following Jesus! You are doing your very besteach Sunday to prepare for the typical children in yourcommunity.

Now that I serve at Houstons First, which in itself is ahuge church campus, I continue to tweak and re ne eachweek what would be best for each individual, child andfamily. A question I often ask is, How in the world canwe do more than we are already doing?

In a church body of believers, we should be preparedin advance to expect anything and anyone to join us tohear the word of God preached and taught. In the Bible,Jesus usually showed up where the crowd was soonto follow. There were people from all walks of life whodesired to hear what Jesus had to say. In these times,Jesus speci cally spent a great deal of time with peoplewith disabilities.

You cannot get to the book of Acts unless youdeliberately step over four men Matthew, Mark,Luke and John. These men often write of those withskin disease, the lame, the blind, the paralyzed bodies,paralyzed hands, those with seizures. There are evenstories of parents who often felt cursed - felt as if theyhad done something to cause their childs disorder.

As a mom who had a child born with special needs, this

sounds very familiar. It also relates to so many familiesespecially today with the rise of Autism. When I beganin special needs ministry in the church setting back in1994, 1 in 1000 children were diagnosed with Autism.Today, autism is affecting 1 in 88 children (according towww.tacanow.org). As a church body, we have to gainknowledge and be prepared for those little ones wemay have in our nursery and preschool areas. The nextchild who joins our ministry may be that statistic.

How are you going to serve them in a portable churchwith limitations of space, staff and volunteers?

CREATING MINISTRY SPACE FORCHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS >


10/521


Small In atable Pool with balls or a small ball pitfor sensory issues

Small tent with a blanket inside also for sensoryand calming issues

Noise Cancelling Headphones (reduces stressfrom loud noise and music)

CD Player or iPod Dock for music

DVD player for movies ( nd out their favoriteand use it as a reward for good behavior)

Bagged snacks like gummy bears, skittles,starbursts (reward for good behavior)

It will not be the items in the Rubbermaid tubs thatwill make the life changing difference in their lives!It will be that life changing difference that only JesusChrist can bring. Just like in Mark 2:5, it was whenJesus saw the friends faith, the crippled mans sin wasforgiven. He was spiritually whole!

Go forth mighty warrior and peel back some roof tile! You will not believe the difference you can make in thefamily! They will begin serving and loving because of theway you served and loved on them!

Here Are Some Important Things to Haveon Hand:

Gluten -Free snacks

Soft paper towels (viva) for wiping mouths anddrool

Musical toys

Legos

Puzzles with knobs

Veggie Tales movies

Mats to sit or lay on

Bean bag chair

iPad (these children are beyond gifted to showyou how it works)

Non-latex gloves, baby wipes: some of them willrequire diapering/pull-ups

Train sets, play cars, trains

Board books that are able to be wiped down

Bible story sheets that are laminated

Denise Briley began working with special needs children in 1981 as a babysitter. HoweverGod had much broader plans for her life. She became the mother of Clayton in 1983 who wasborn with severe cerebral palsy and medical and physical needs. While raising Clayton, Laurenand Dillon joined the Briley family. As Denise and her husband Thad relocated to Tomball, Txthe need for a new church home surfaced. There were not many churches in the early 1990soffering care much less a class for children with special needs. Denise founded The JOY

Ministry in 1994 and grew that special needs ministry in Tomball until a couple of years afterClayton went to Heaven. Denise and her husband Thad are now members of Houstons FirstBaptist Church where Denise is on the Childrens Ministry staff as Special Needs Coordinator.I love it! Seeing families have a place to worship and where siblings can say they like mybrother there! Denise is a gifted conference speaker and has written a book about her journeycalled Feathers From Heaven. Nothing makes my heart sing than to know a family canworship and not worry about what their child with special needs is doing or may do.... churchshould not be hard.

Twitter Handle: @DeniseBrileyfacebook page: facebook.com/ThruTheRoofPersonal or Church Website Address: www.houstonsrst.org

DENISE BRILEY >


11/521


BY KYLE COSTELLO

THE IMPORTANCE OF A NAME >

I didnt know what fellowship was and I didnt want tond out. I had no interest in worship music nor did I want

my political af liation de ned for me. Once I shut mymouth, however, and started listening to His people, itbegan to be quite apparent that, through these brokenpeople, God was bringing to life His Kingdom.

First, people were being incredibly patient with me.They didnt laugh when I mixed up the Book of Mormonand the Bible. They patiently talked me through what

it meant to respond to God in service and obedience.They didnt excommunicate me when I made fun of RickWarrens shirts during our Purpose Driven Life SmallGroup.

What God was teaching me in those moments proved somuch more effective to me in church planting than thelatest book or the best demographics. God will rst andforemost shape you in your relationship with Him. Hisname reigns supreme. As you plant, his name must berevered above all. He must be the rst that you repent

to, the rst that you cling to, the rst that you trust in. You arent the savior, and you are being shaped by thisgreat God so much more than you will ever shape yourchurch plant.

What God taught me 12 years ago proved to be mymost valuable asset in church planting. I learned thatnames matter. When people like Bart and Catherinesuffered my immaturity, those many years ago, as wemet and prayed and talked about God, they wereshowing me that Gods church cared about me. Theycared about me for me. I wasnt a problem to x oran asset to exploit, but rather a fellow disciple toencourage, rebuke, and train up. I found that they caredfor their neighbors, whether they were Christians or not.They served them and loved them. They did not forcethem to come to church, but showed them a love bornout of abundance rather than scarcity.

It may sound simple or pedestrian, but that is how wehave gone about planting Missio Dei .

As you plant, his name must berevered above all. He must be the

rst that you repent to, the rst thatyou cling to, the rst that you trust in.

When our moving trucked rolled into Salt Lake City onJanuary 29, 2010, I had a countless amount of strategies,philosophies, and dreams for our church plant. I amsure I bored the life out of anyone who would listen as Idiscussed the who, what, where, and when of Missio DeiCommunity. I was ready to deploy my game plan on thatincredible city nestled against the Wasatch mountains.Little did I know that my church planting lingo andstrategies would mean close to nothing when comparedto words like; Joe, Ron, Grace, Isaac, and Justine.

I didnt grow up as a Christian. I was a Utah Mormonwho would have struggled to tell you who Billy Grahamwas. When I rst encountered Christianity, the only thingthat I was interested in was the short worship services.Rarely did much of it impress or intrigue me. In fact, theonly idea that really captured me was the idea that inChristianity we are called into a relationship with Godand, through that, into a relationship with one another.

Its dif cult to describe a relationship in words, but both

before and after conversion, God was working on me.He opened my eyes to a Bible that I would have said Ihad known my whole life, but in hindsight had no clueabout. God walked me through His Scripture, sometimesdelicately and sometimes with the delicacy of a nineiron to the chest. He showed me Jesus like I had neverseen, taught me words like pursuit and brought to liferedemption. God always seemed to be around me. Hewas with me in doubt, struggles, successes, accolades,failure, and tragedy. He was a long suffering God.

My relationship with God came much easier than myrelationship with church. When I became a Christian, Ididnt really want anything to do with the church.



12/521


Those other names I mentioned at the beginning all havestories attached to them. Some are Jesus followers andsome arent, but they are all people who we believe Godwants to woo, redeem, love, heal and bring into thegreat news of the Gospel.

Names matter here.

Who really is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Whoreally is Joe, Grace, Isaac, Justine, and Ron? How can Ibe known more by God and my community? How can Iknow my community and God more? Those questionshave seemed to go a lot further than my strategies andarguments about church planting philosophies.

Those names in that rst paragraph are all people that Imet soon after moving here.

Joe is a coffee shop owner who is no closer to acceptingJesus than when we moved here. He loves profanityas well as his agnosticism. One thing Joe knows forsure is that he is loved by our community and that welove Jesus. He knows us by name, trades life stories,parenting stories, offers music suggestions with us ona daily basis and has quipped more than once how heappreciates our love for the city.

Grace is an incredibly gifted nurse who loves Jesus. Imet her through some insane circumstances and she

jumped in with our motley core group. She studiedEugene Peterson with my wife and talked to me oftenabout her dream of the American Church serving locallyand globally in a sel ess manner rather than an imperialone. She eventually left Salt Lake City for Gonaives, Haitiwhere she runs a medical clinic in a slum built on a trashdump.

My wife and I didnt recruit Grace with a yer. Rather,we learned her name and the life behind her nameover Americanos, Ethiopian food and Contra Dancing.We didnt sweet talk Joe into liking us. Rather, weremembered his name, prayed for him often, and soughtto bless him and his business.

Kyle Costello lives in Salt Lake City, UT with his wife Joy and his son Isaiah. He is the LeadPastor of Missio Dei Community, a church located in the urban core of Salt Lake City, that wasplanted by the Orchard Group and Imago Dei Community in 2010.

Twitter Handle @kylecostellofacebook page https://www.facebook.com/KyleCostello11Personal or Church Website Address http://missiodeislc.com

KYLE COSTELLO >


Some are Jesus followers and some

arent, but they are all people who webelieve God wants to woo, redeem,love, heal and bring into the greatnews of the Gospel.


13/521


transformation by the gospel. Acritical skill of church planters is to beable to share some of the dangerousstories they have been inspired byand that encapsulate their vision forcommunity transformation.

THE WOMEN ON THE 6 TH FLOORThe Women on the 6th Floor, a 2010French lm, shows a rich conservative

couple in 1960s Paris who havetheir lives turned upside down bygetting to know Spanish maids.Monsieur Jean-Louis Joubert (FabriceLuchini) is a share trader who lives acomfortable bourgeois lifestyle withhis socialite wife Suzanne while theirboys are at boarding school. Whenthe family gets a new housemaid,Maria from Spain (Natalie Verbeke),Jean-Louis becomes fascinated withhow Maria and other housemaids

live. They are literally above him, onthe sixth oor, in one room tenantedbedsits. Previously he hardly knewwhat the maids did when theywerent cooking his breakfast eggand ironing his clothes, but he comesto realize they have challenges inlife greater than ensuring hiscomfortable existence.Jean-Louis starts on this incarnational

There is power incollecting and sharingdangerous stories.We face a worldthat needs ongoingtransformation bythe gospel.

BY DARREN CRONSHAW & KIM HAMMOND

MOVIES EVERY CHURCHPLANTER SHOULD SEE >

Movies are a terri c source ofinspiration for church planting. Theyhelp us engage with our culture andthey give us conversational pointswith our neighbors. The best moviesresonate with our longing to be partof a bigger story that seek to makethe world a better place. The bestmovies resound with our search for atribe; they join us as we persevere instruggles, overcome injustice, nd thelove we long for and discover causeto which to give our lives.

Here are three movies we enjoyedover the last year that (we think)every church planter shouldknow about.

THE HELPThe Help, a 2009 novel by KathrynStockett and 2011 movie, narrates

the story of young white journalist,Eugenia Skeeter Phelan (playedby Emma Stone) and her relationshipwith black maids in early 1960sAmerica. While the country islegislating equality at a macro level,Skeeter writes the stories of whatlife is like at a local grassroots levelfor black household workers. Shetells the stories from the perspectiveof the maids (called the help),revealing the racism and derogatorytreatment they endure. The maids areinitially hesitant to disclose, let alonemake public their stories. They thenrealize the book allows their storiesto be heard and understood. Theyhope their stories will help changetheir world buffeted by racial tension. There is power in collecting andsharing dangerous stories. Weface a world that needs ongoing

journey of getting to know themaids culture, advocating fortheir rights and becoming friendswith them. He inquires where theycome from. He pays a plumberto unblock their communal toilet.Realizing they have money savedand hidden under their mattresses,he offers investment advice.Seeing one of them is batteredby her husband, he arrangesalternative accommodation.When they want to celebrate as agroup, he joins in with their dinnerparty. He becomes fascinated andattracted to their simple love oflife and enjoyment of friendship.The romantic fantasy of the movieis that he is also falling for Maria,sadly dissatis ed with the upperclass existence of his marriage.Aside from that mixed motive, the

beauty of the story is in his interestand care for this group of womenas people of worth.

The challenge of the movie for usis how and where can we reallyget to know, care for, advocatefor and learn from people whoare so different from us? This isa challenge of church plantingto engage authentically with ourneighborhoods and especially our

neighbors who live close.

LARS AND THE REAL GIRLLars and the Real Girl is adelightful 2007 lm about sociallychallenged Lars and his graciouscommunity that fosters a safe,healing place for him. Lars (RyanGosling) lives in a garage behindhis brother Gus and pregnantsister-in-law Karins house. He


14/521


Darren Cronshaw is passionate about training and resourcing leaders and missionaries through

his work as Mission Catalyst Researcher with the Baptist Union of Victoria and as Pastorof AuburnLife in Melbourne, Australia. He teaches as Associate Professor in Missiology withAustralian Colleges of Ministries (Sydney College of Divinity), Honorary Research Associatewith Whitley College (MCD University of Divinity) and Director of Theological Studies withForge Mission Training Network. Darren is also Editor-in-Chief of UNOH Publications. Otherpassions in Darrens life are being husband to Jenni, proud Dad to three children, and lover ofgood books and movies.www.buv.com.au/witness/blogger/listings/darren-cronshaw www.auburn.org.au

Kim Hammond is National Director of Forge America and Director of Missional Imaginationat Community Christian Church in Chicago. Kim is an inspirational communicator who hasspoken around the world and is passionate about mentoring and mobilizing leaders and theirmissionary movements, and championing those who live the mission of God on the edge.Before moving to America in 2009, Kim worked with a team of mission-minded friends to plantthe Junction missional community and lead Forge in Victoria, Australia. Kim loves stand upcomedy, coaching his boys play basketball, having people over for BBQs, but mostly he lovestaking his three boys swimming or his wife Maria to the movies and dinner.www.kimhammond.com www.forgeamerica.com www.communitychristian.org

Kim and Darrens forthcoming book is Sentness: Breaking the Bonds of Consumer Christianity(forthcoming with IVP 2014). http://www.sentnessbook.com/

DARREN CRONSHAW & KIM HAMMOND >

presents as a nice, albeit quirky andisolated bloke who avoids everyoneincluding his pretty co-worker Margo.Karin and Gus are delighted when he

nally accepts an invitation to sharea meal and, furthermore, wants tointroduce them to his new friend he

met on the internet, a missionary ina wheelchair named Bianca. To theirastonishment, Bianca is a life-like sexdoll that Gus relates to as his newgirlfriend. He asks his family if shecan stay with them.

With the advice of their familydoctor/ psychologist, the family andthe whole town, accept Bianca forGus sake. The doctor suggests Gusimagines Bianca as real, a delusion

with some purpose. So Bianca stays

in Karin and Gus guest room. Thechurch welcomes her to their Biblestudies. The school includes her as avolunteer. The beautician gives her amakeover. As they accept Bianca, Lars

nds himself relating with more ofthe town. We learn that because Lars

mother died during his birth, he isfearful of having children. Thus, he isanxious about Karins pregnancy andany possibility of a real relationshiphimself. Over time, and in the safetyhis family and community offers, Larscomes to a new place of healing. Larsdependency on Bianca shifts and witha surprising twist, he gives himselfpermission to get to know Margo.

The movie shows us the power and

grace of a church and community

functioning at its best, supportinga needy member with grace andacceptance right where theyare. Whatever other shapes ourchurches take as we plant them,they need to be safe places forpeople like Lars as they grow

towards wholeness.Often movies need critique you cant accept their valuesuncritically - but we reckon everychurch planter can learn frommovies. Besides, apart from whatwe learn, they can be good funand enjoyable, and Church Plantersneed enjoyable outlets as muchas anyone.
http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.portablechurch.com/stories/download-church-planter-ebook-vol-2/


15/521


circles of accountability and unless you are 100%transparent in at least one of those circles, implosion ison the horizon.

I am not saying you should be 100% transparentwith everyone, but I am saying you should be 100%transparent with someone. There are two people in mylife to whom I give 100% truthful answer no matter thequestion they ask. I withhold nothing. I know if I amstruggling, need to confess something or am in a dark

place, I can share that with these two people.One of the biggest mistakes I made in my life, mymarriage and my ministry is I substituted accountabilityfor transparency. Accountability without transparencyis useless. It is easier in the short term to offeraccountability and it seems more spiritualbut youexperience more of the grace and mercy and love ofChrist when you offer transparency.

In fact, when you are willing to offer transparency, youwill nd you dont need to be held accountable.

BY JUSTIN DAVIS

When my wife Tricia and I rst got married and enteredministry in 1995, I took pride in being a person who wasaccountable. I was accountable in my choices: I wouldntcounsel with a woman behind a closed of ce door. Iwouldnt give a teenage girl a ride home from churchwithout another person in the car. I wouldnt do lunchwith a female without my wife or another male at thelunch. At all costs, I wanted to be accountable.

When we started a church in 2002, I knew that

accountability would be of utmost importance. I soughtout a guy in our core group and asked him if we couldmeet each Wednesday morning to hold each otheraccountable. As a church planter, I had a churchplanting coach. He and I would meet every Thursdaymorning and he would ask me questions about myrelationship with God. He would ask me questions aboutmy marriage, my struggles, my weaknesses. He wantedto hold me accountable. I had a group of Elders that Imet with once a month that were the spiritual leaders ofour church, and I was accountable to them.

So with all of these boundaries and all of these safeguards and all of these great leaders and friends holdingme accountable, how could I ever be unfaithful toGod and my wife? Thats not possible, right? But I wasunfaithful, despite all of my accountability.

What I discovered is accountability is useless.

Accountability is only as valuable as the transparencyyou and I offer in the context of that accountability.

We have a unique ability as humans to B.S. each other.It is easy for me to fake you out. It is easy for you tolie to my face. It is easy to pretend like your marriageis better than it really is. It is easy to offer just enoughaccountability to make yourself look spiritual. Atthe same time that partial accountability can be sodangerous because you are not only fooling me, you arefooling yourself.

The truth is you and I can meet every Wednesday andI can lie to you. The truth is that you can have several

ACCOUNTABILITYIS USELESS >

Justin is one of the campus pastors for Cross PointChurch, recently named the 6th fastest growingchurch in the country. Justin received his BAdegree in Christian Education in Lincoln and Trishalater earned her degree from Indiana University.Heand his wife Trisha run a blog and a ministry calledRe neUs. Their rst book, Beyond Ordinary: Whena Good Marriage Isnt Good Enough, is availablenow from Tyndale House Publishers.

JUSTIN DAVIS >


16/521


attracted great numbers of people, but becausewe continue to exercise great faith, courage andsacri ce, setting aside personal preferences inorder to walk, work and worship God togetheras one so that the world would know Gods loveand believe. Indeed, pursuit of a multi-ethnic andeconomically diverse congregation is somethingthat even non-believers recognize as intrinsicallygood or the way church ought to be.

Dont be discouraged, then, or surprised, when

seeking to build a healthy multi-ethnic church,if rapid numerical growth is not something youexperience early on or ever at all. Keep in mindthat the multi-ethnic church, as movements go, iscurrently in a pioneer stage; and early-adoption ofthe Biblical mandate, core commitments and bestpractices of a diverse congregation may still be tenyears away.

THE TRUTH BE TOLD, I REALLY LIK

AND HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALLWITH, A LARGE CHURCH SETTINGI left a church of 5,000 or so to start Mosaic, andwould be thrilled to see our church soon advancebeyond the 500-600 people we currently engageon Sunday mornings. Yet, theres something evenmore interesting that Ive come to realize whencomparing the size of a multi-ethnic church to itspotential signi cance.

When the 5,000 or so people of my formerhomogeneous church are dismissed to leave ona Sunday morning, they largely head back to thesame neighborhoods and of ces, the same athleticfacilities and country clubs, the same schools andsocial settings. When the 500-600 people of ourmulti-ethnic church are dismissed for the week,they literally leave to permeate every quarter ofthe city.

BY MARK DEYMAZ

Dont be discouraged, then, orsurprised, when seeking to build ahealthy multi-ethnic church, if rapidnumerical growth is not somethingyou experience early on or ever at all.

Sometime in the winter of 2002, only eighteenmonths after we had launched Mosaic, someonewho was writing a book on church plantingcontacted me. Fascinated by the intentionalitywith which we were developing a church for allpeople, he asked if he could feature our workin one of the books chapters despite the factthat we had only 150 or so people attendingat the time. Soon after the books publication,a local magazine in Little Rock also ran a storyhighlighting our unique vision. In April 2005, apicture of our gospel choir (all eleven members)was published in a sidebar article discussing ourchurch and published that month by ChristianityToday. The cover read, All Churches Should BeMultiracial.

In no way do I share such things to boast. I sharethese things to point out that early interest inour church had nothing to do with large numbersor explosive growth. Rather, it had to do withthe collective heart of our people. Quite frankly,

nothing has changed.In other words, what I have found is that anymeasure of encouragement, in uence orsigni cance that Mosaic has had to date, within

our own community or beyond, has not comeabout because of the size of our ministry, butbecause of its scope; not because we have

MEASURING WHAT MATTERS: INFLUENCE >


17/521


Whether you are in a large or smaller congregational context, know that thepursuit of the multi-ethnic vision matters to God and to your community.

The homeless return to their camps, while othermembers return to homes in the hood, the barrios,the suburbs, and everywhere else in between. Manyof our immigrant members hold jobs in serviceindustries, while other members run for politicalof ce. From hospitals to corporate boardrooms,

from working maids to small business owners, I havefound that such diversity has carried our messageand in uence much farther and wider than our sizemight otherwise suggest.

Mark DeYmaz is the founding pastor of the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas (www.

mosaicchurch.net), a multi-ethnic and economically diverse church where signi cantpercentages of Black and White Americans, together with men and women from more than30 nations, walk, work and worship God together as one. He is the co-founder of the MosaixGlobal Network (www.mosaix.info), a contributing editor for Leadership journal and an onlineeditor for Outreach magazine. He is the author of Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church andLeading a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church. His latest book, Real Community Transformation:Beyond Rhetoric to Results for the Glory of God was recently published by LeadershipNetwork as part of its Leadia line.

Twitter Handle @markdeymazfacebook page facebook.com/markdeymazwww.markdeymaz.com www.mosaicchurch.net

MARK DEYMAZ >

So whether you are in a large or smallercongregational context, know that the pursuit ofthe multi-ethnic vision matters to God and to yourcommunity. Indeed, it is helping to shape the futureof the American Church and, therefore, the advanceof the gospel in an increasingly diverse and cynical

society.


18/521


BY BILL EASUM

WHAT I WISH I HAD KNOWN... >

My education has let me down over the years. The only thing I use on a daily basis from High Schooland nine years of college, seminary, and graduate work is typing (and I use all my ngers, not just mythumbs!). Even spelling is done by a spell checker. All in all, I feel greatly let down by my education.

My superiors (Im United Methodist) werent much help either. In fact, most of their advice was totallywrong. Like - dont do anything new in your rst year. Just get to know them rst. Perhaps thats someof the worst advice ever given because most church turnarounds come in the rst year of a pastorstenure. That was one piece of advice I didnt take. I knew it was dumb.

That gets me thinking what do I wish I had known when I restarted the church I stayed at for 24 years?

Here are a few of the things that would have saved me lots of heartache.I wish I had been taught how to hire and re people. I tried to save my rst pastoral hire. He was agood man, but he was a chaplain type and I needed a self starter. I was told to do whatever I could tohelp him succeed. I did for three years. I wish someone had come along side of me and said, Askthe Bishop to move him, right now! I nally did, but my waiting to do so cost the church three years ofgrowth.

I wish I had known that most churches need a program/pastoral type paid person for every onehundred people in worship including children and youth. We had solid growth for 24 years but it tookme ve years to become acquainted with this ratio. When I nally made use of the ratio, the church grewmuch faster, retaining more people due to the relationships the staff formed with new people.

I wish I had known that it was better to stay in crowded conditions and add more worship servicesthan to build as soon as possible. We had three services, two of which were full so I felt we should build.The problem was we had to build small because we didnt have the money. Now, as a consultant, I havelearned that some of the largest churches remained in cramped quarters, putting money away, so thatwhen they did build they could build for a longer future.

I wish I had known that it was easier to retain people than to attract people. If I had known this, I wouldhave instituted a small group system earlier than we did. People have to be involved in something morethan just sitting in worship or going to programs (that brings up another thing I wish someone hadtold me that programs werent the way to go) . I wish I had known that the more I got people involved

in the community, the more people we would have in worship. Oh, we did many community projects,but not every week. Most of the growing churches today have their people out in the community doingministry almost every week.

I wish someone had told me that there are only four processes that grow a church. You have to bringpeople to Christ or the church. You have to retain them. You have to grow them. Then you have tosend them back out to be backyard missionaries. By the way, my partner and I write about these fourcore processes in our new book, Effective Stafng for Vital Churches: The Essential Guide for Findingand Keeping the Right People . If I had known this, I would have eliminated any program that did notcontribute to one of these four processes.



19/521


Bill Easum has been the senior consultant for 21st Century Strategies since 1993. Prior to thathe was a pastor. Bill has consulted with over 700 churches. He also spends much of his timecoaching individual pastors. Bill is the recipient of the prestigious Donald McGavran award foroutstanding church leadership and is the author of over 20 books.

Twitter Handle @easumfacebook page www.facebook.com/21stcenturystrategieswww.BillEasum.com www.effectivechurch.com

BILL EASUM >


I wish someone had told me a church didnt need an elaborate structure in order to thrive. This isthe one thing that cost me years of growth in my church. In 1986 we had 360 people on Boards andcommittees all mandated by my denomination for a church our size. I lived with it for several years. Ittook months of lobbying to get anything done. When Bil Cornelius and I wrote Go Big, we comparedthe time he spent getting new things done to the time I spent. Bil had a Board of three people, noneof whom were church members, and no committees, and I had a Board of 150, plus over two dozencommittees. His church grew to eight thousand in ten years and mine grew to 2000 in twenty four years.We concluded that I had lost 6-8 years (out of 24) trying to get things through committee and pastthe Board. I spent more time lobbying the larger we became. This sort of reminds me of our Federalgovernment today. In late 1986, we eliminated our Board and all committees and the church explodedwith growth.

Finally, I wish I had known how and when to start a second service. I started a second service my rstyear but the way I went about it was all wrong. I put it at 8:30 to avoid con icting with Sunday Schooland I didnt treat it like starting a new church, with advertisements to the community. It wasnt longbefore I realized that Sunday School for adults was on its way out, so I started a service at the same timeand it quickly became the second largest service out of our three.

These are the things I wish I had known when I started in ministry. I hope these lessons will serve you inyour new church plant.


20/522


_________ the best city it can be. Please know weare praying for you this year and if there is anyway you know of that we can better serve ourcommunity, please let me know.

I change the content of the card every year, butthat is basically what it says. I professionally havea card made with this message on it. I sign everycard. We nd the addresses and we mail them.Simple.

My intent in this process is to let these leadersknow our church cares for them and that we arehere to help them any way we can. The reputationoutside the church is that few churches reallycare for their community. You know that, right?The perception is that they say they love theircommunity, but that few do anything about it. Iwant our leaders to know that our church is readyto help make our community better.

I send the card to anyone I consider a leader. Thatincludes local and state (from our area) electedof cials, school administrators, chamber of cialsand anyone considered a key in uencer in ourcommunity. In my case, that includes collegeadministrators, athletic of cials and coaches. Inmost cases, it has been less than 200 cards eachyear. (I told youits a cheap idea.)

BY RON EDMONDSON

Thank you for your leadership in our community. Our desire is to be of assistanceto you in making _________ the best city it can be. Please know we are prayingfor you this year and if there is any way you know of that we can better serve ourcommunity, please let me know.

I almost hesitate to share this idea with you. Its notthat I dont trust you, and I certainly believe in youas a Kingdom builder and church planter. Its justthat this idea is so good. And, so cheap. And, sosimple. And, so effective.

I almost hate to lose the specialness of this idea ifeveryone starts doing it.

Its that good.

But, since you like simple ideas and you are achurch planter who has little money with which todo fancy campaignsand since I have been thereand done that myself, I guess I will share it withyou.

Do you promise not to tell anyone? Promise?

Are you ready? This is going to blow your socks off.Trust me.

Every year, at the beginning of the year, I send apersonal card to every key leader in my community.

Wow! Did you catch that? Deep, isnt it?

Heres how it works. I create a message I want toconvey to our leaders. It goes something like this:

Thank you for your leadership in our community.Our desire is to be of assistance to you in making

THE COMMUNITY CARD >


21/522


that you do, but if these same leaders never see orhear of you doing anything in the community theywill be less likely to take your card seriously thenext time you send it.

It may take a few years for some community

leaders to respond, but be consistent. In time, theywill see you as a partner in the community. You willbe known as a church that truly cares. You will havea seat at the table of leadership in your community,simply because you took the time to reach out.

The response?

Well, I knew you would ask. The response has beenamazing. Over the last ten years or so of doing this,we have engaged with school and court systems,mayors, council members and state representatives.We have had some of these leaders visit our churchafter receiving the card. Some continued to attendafter their visit. We have been given opportunitiesto serve our community. In fact, we have organizedentire ministries as a result of one contact from acommunity leader.

It seems these leaders are so surprised that achurch would take an interest in them that theywillingly reach out to us with opportunities.

One word of counsel I must give you - You have toback up the card with action. You may not be ableto do everything these leaders suggest or request

Ron is pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church and a church leader passionate about helpingestablished churches thrive, planting new churches, and assisting pastors and those in ministrythink through leadership, strategy and life. In addition to his role as a pastor, he consults withchurch and ministry leaders.

Twitter Handle: @ronedmondsonfacebook page: ronaedmondsonFind him on the web: http://www.ronedmondson.com/ http://ibclex.com

RON EDMONSON >

It seems these leaders are sosurprised that a church would takean interest in them that they willinglyreach out to us with opportunities.


22/522


BY DAVE FERGUSON

5 LESSONS LEARNED WHILESTARTING NEW THINGS >

2. STRATEGY LESSON: FIT IT ON A NAPKIN.

If something cant be explained on a napkin, it is toocomplicated. Make sure everything - from your slogan toyour process for disciple-making to how you will createa movement - can be explained on a napkin. Just thismorning I was meeting with two of my apprentice leadersat Caribou Coffee. I wanted to explain our process for

developing leaders and then our leadership path. I simplypulled out a napkin and wrote it out for them. Manyleaders never have a following because the vision andstrategy cannot be explained simply. If it is simple andreproducible, you can mobilize the masses.

3. FINANCE LESSON: MONEY ALWAYS FOLLOWS VISION

People give money to a compelling cause with a clearvision. When economic times are hard, leaders aretempted to reduce the budget and shrink their vision,but its when economic times are hard that you need toincrease the vision. The money will follow. It was LyleSchaller who once told me, Dave, you know who is goingto get the money? Then he answered his own question,The leaders who ask for it! Never forget God is alwaysat work and vision is free!

4. INNOVATION LESSON: LEAD WITH A YES AND AHOW LATER

If you want to lead in bringing about innovation, you mustlearn to lead with a yes and not how. When othersapproach us with new ideas, our rst reaction is oftenno or how? What people need is af rmation of their

It was twelve years ago that Community Christian Churchstarted a new campus for the rst time. Since then, wehave started a total of twelve campuses and have #13and #14 in the queue for next year. Seven years ago,Community planted our rst new church and went on toform NewThing. Since that time our networks outreachhas grown from one church reaching a couple thousandpeople to twenty networks of churches reaching tens ofthousands in three movements. During the last decadeour passion has been about starting new things newcampuses, new churches and brand new expressions ofGods ecclesia. During that time, we have learned somelessons about starting new things.

1. VISION LESSON: THE GOD-THING OFTEN COMESBEFORE THE VISION

If you wouldve asked me a few years back how changeis initiated, I would have said it starts with a compellingvision from a gifted leader. While that is true, its notthe whole truth in my experience. I didnt really have thevision for being a multi-site church. God did! It was aGod thing! I often get the credit for being a visionaryleader, but what is closer to the truth is this: God didsomething extraordinary and I share what God has donewith the rest of the church as the vision; and peoplefollow. When you are able to share where God is working,that is always a compelling vision that people will wantto follow!

When you are able to share whereGod is working, that is always acompelling vision that people willwant to follow!


23/522


Dave Ferguson is the Lead Pastor of COMMUNITY (www.communitychristian.org), aninnovative multi-site missional community who is passionate about helping people nd theirway back to God. CCC has grown from a few college friends to thousands every weekendmeeting at twelve locations throughout Chicago and was recognized as one of the most

in uential churches in America. Dave provides visionary leadership for NewThing (www.newthing.org) whose dream is to be a catalyst for movements of reproducing churches. Heis also the co-founder of the Institute for Community (www.instituteforcommunity.org), whopartner with real estate developers and apartment communities to accomplish their missionof helping people build quality relationships where you live and work through the power ofgenuine community. He is the author of The BIG IDEA (2007), Exponential (2010) and On The

Verge (2011). Next to Jesus, Dave loves his wife Sue immensely and his three terri c kids Amy,Joshua and Caleb.

Twitter Handle @davefergusonfacebook page davefergusondaveferguson.org www.communitychristian.org

DAVE FERGUSON >

dreams and space for them to gure out how to makethem really work. People are born with dreams from Godand they want to make a difference. What they needmost is a leader who will say yes when they ask for

permission to give it a try.

5. REPRODUCING LESSON: TAKE RISKS ON EMERGINGLEADERS.

Resist the urge of telling young leaders to wait a fewyears; they need and deserve opportunities to lead. Youwill always have young and emerging leaders who willcome to you and want to do a new thing. You can either

dismiss it or you can bless it. Bless it! What we needto do is take risks on young leaders and give them ourblessing.

THE GOD-THING OFTEN COMEBEFORE THE VISION.

STRATEGY SHOULD FIT ON A NA

MONEY ALWAYS FOLLOWS VISIO

LEAD WITH A YES.

TAKE RISKS ON EMERGING LEA


24/52


25/522


BY DERWIN GRAY

Several times a month, a church planter emails and says, Im about to plant a church.What advice would you give?

Here is how I answer that question:

1. LOVE JESUS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. From the over ow of His love, you willgrow in your capacity to love your wife, children, congregation, and those who have yetto receive the love of Christ.

2.TRUST GOD TO DO RIDICULOUS THINGS THROUGH YOUR MINISTRY. If your visiondoes not scare you and the people you lead, why bother?

3.CAST A VISION that causes people to say, If I dont join this movement or give to itnancially, Im missing out!

4.DONT UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ORGANIZED! Systems andprocesses matter! People dont follow disorder and chaos.

5. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LEADERS SMARTER AND MORE GIFTED THAN YOU. You will only soar as high as the leaders that surround you.

I pray this advice helps as you journey with Jesus on the great adventure of churchplanting!

ADVICE TO CHURCH PLANTERS >

Derwin L. Gray is the founding and Lead Pastor of Transformation Church(www.TransformationChurch.tc). He is considered to be one of Americas leading voiceson multi-ethnic, multi-generational, missional ministry. In their rst two years of existence,Transformation Church was recognized as one of the top 100 fastest-growing churchesin America by Outreach Magazine (2nd on the list by percentage for 2010). Derwin hasbeen married to his best friend Vicki for 21 years. They have two children, Presley andJeremiah. After graduating from Brigham Young University, he played for six seasons in

the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts (1993-1997) and the Carolina Panthers (1998). Derwingraduated from Southern Evangelical Seminary magna cum laude, with a Masters of Divinitywith a concentration in Apologetics, where he was mentored by renowned theologianand philosopher Dr. Norman Geisler. Hes also recognized by many as the EvangelismLinebacker.Derwin is also the author of Limitless Life: You Are More Than Your Past WhenGod Has Your Future (Thomas Nelson, September 3, 2013).Learn more about Derwin at www.derwinlgray.com.

Web: http://www.transformationchurch.tcBlog: http://www.derwinlgray.comBook: http://www.embracethehero.comTwitter: @Derwinlgray

DERWIN GRAY >

2


26/522


My point is simply this: We watch

an exceptionally gifted leader startand grow a ministry (not alwaysnumerically) and we automaticallyproclaim that this leader hasdiscovered the new, cultural wayto reach the new generation. Ifthat leader grows the church in anunconventional way or in a way thatsmacks against the norm of theestablished methodology, then weproclaim that a new era has arisen!We mark the birth of this newmovement as proof that ourculture has changed.

Heres a few examples.

If only we would teach pastors tobecome bi-vocational, then we wouldexperience greater ef cacy. Ifbi-vocational ministry was the issue,then we should already bewinning the war. The greaterpercentage of pastors today isconsidered bi-vocational.

Maybe we should stop throwing somuch money at a church plant and doit on a shoe-string budget, then wewould have greater success. If thatwas the solution, the Church aroundthe globe should be knocking it outof the park. The average church

It seems that everytime a new, God-Ordained churchplanting successshows up, everyoneproclaims, This isthe new way. Followthis way and you,too, will succeed.

BY STEPHEN GRAY

LEADERSHIP IS KEY >

There can be no more fundamental

step in the process of watching achurch become healthy than ndingthe right leader(s). Leaders who arecalled of God, prepared for ministryand wired to plant new life-givingchurches. Whether you are plantinga fast-growing church or a moreorganic house church, who leads isoften the most important issue to bedetermined. While many proclaimthe desire to plant, helping anindividual discover Gods shape fortheir ministry is more complex than asimple nod of the head or pat on theback. As Jim Collins wrote in Good toGreat, it is about getting the rightperson on the bus.

Over the last decade, the war hasraged on in the church-planting worldover models and methodologies.We have clamored for the latestand greatest way to plant a church.A myriad of solutions have beenoffered in an attempt to suggestthe right way. It seems that everytime a new, God-Ordained churchplanting success shows up, everyoneproclaims, This is the new way.Follow this way and you, too,will succeed.

One week we celebrate a neworganic church explode across cityand multiply it like wild re. Church

Planting Leaders blog about theirnew success and the pendulumswings in a different direction. Acrossthe state, someone else launches achurch as a bi-vocational pastor andexperiences great success... and thependulum swings again. Then out ofnowhere, a planter rises up throughthe ranks as a social justice leaderwithout any intention to plant achurch. He experiences great successand the pendulum swings.

around the world works with paltry

sums to do ministry.

The clear answer must be thatwe should simply become betterdisciple-makers, then we could seea real move of God. This is not anew problem just now plaguingthe Church.

While all of these issues areworthy of a discussion, are theythe primary, foundational issue?The problems are many and farmore complex than reducing it toa simplistic model or methodology.In fact, there is a whole plethoraof issues we could bring to thetable. Models and methods on howwe do church have been elevatedabove everything else.

I believe we have focused for toolong on the wrong issues. I woulddare say that ninety-eight percentof the speeches you have heardabout doing churchplantingcenters around how rather thanwhy and the call of planting. Wehave failed to stop and look at oneprimal issue: The leader!

Jesus said in Matt 9:35-38Jesus went through all the townsand villages, teaching in theirsynagogues, proclaiming the

good news of the kingdom andhealing every disease and sickness.When he saw the crowds, he hadcompassion on them, because theywere harassed and helpless, likesheep without a shepherd. Then hesaid to his disciples, The harvestis plentiful but the workers arefew. Ask the Lord of the harvest,therefore, to send out workers intohis harvest eld.


27/522


In these three simple verses, Jesusshares the dilemma we, too, face.The harvest is still plentiful today, butthe workers are few! The problemis not model-speci c, nor is it abouta methodology. The issues we facetoday are not new to the Church.

Rather than discuss the issue of how,lets spend the time discovering thewho and helping them to realize howGod has wired them.

I feel pretty safe proclaiming that themost foundational issue concerningministry leadership is the CALL ofGod on a persons life. The call placedon an individuals life is tantamount.Furthermore, as we look at ministryleadership beyond the initial call,

there are three more foundationalmatters which must be considered ifwe are to experience greater ef cacyin the church planting world. If wedont consider these issues, I believewe can quickly misalign called leadersand set them up for potential failure.

In order to position called leaders forsuccess, we need to concentrate onthe following:

You will notice that methodologyhasnt even been considered. I feelwe must spend more time focusingon who is leading new churches andless on how to plant the church.

1. Leadership Capacity

2. Strategic Placement of the Leader(which involves determining the conditionof the soil, as well as matching the personsGod-shaped experiences and environment)

3. Developing Proper Expectations(keeping in mind leadership capacity andthe place determined to plant).

Stephen Gray, D-min has spent the last decade of his ministry helping plant new churchesand restart dying congregations. He is recognized as one of the of leading church plantingand church growth experts in the U.S. Over the last 27 years he has been involved inpastoring, transitioning, restarting, and planting new churches. Dr. Gray is an alumni of AsburyTheological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, where he received both his Master of Divinityand Doctor of Ministry degree. Stephen presently he serves as Superintendent of the OasisFree Methodist Church, and church planting consultant for the Western Region of the FreeMethodist Church (USA).

Twitter Handle https://twitter.com/StephenTGrayfacebook page https://www.facebook.com/stephentomgrayBlog Address stephengrayonline.com

STEPHEN GRAY >


28/522


BY STUART HALL

A SCARY TALE >


One would think that the young mans heart and lifewould have become hers wholly, completely. After all,she was the most beautiful of the beautiful, the fairest ofthem all.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. Thisyoung man found his heart constantly wandering toother girls, other interests, other beauties, whether be itthe opposite sex, intoxicants, sports, friends, or the like.

He hated this about himself. He knew that his heartshould be completely consumed with her, and hequestioned why he could not fetter his heart to hersalone. In fact, he resolved to do everything in his powerto make his heart love her. He set his alarm every dayat 4:00 am so that he could awake and read the loveletters she continued to send him, even despite hiswaywardness. He separated himself from those friendsthat tended to bend his behavior in a way that he feltwould disappoint her. He actually obeyed his parents,despite their prehistoric ideals, because he knew thatthis beauty loved her own father and would neverdisobey him. He tried as hard as he could to becomesel ess, to be ever-so-conscious of his choices, to notallow himself to wander into places and with peoplethat typically caused his heart to utter like a leaf in afall breeze.

As well intentioned and valuable as these character traitsand disciplines proved themselves to be, they did notsecure his heart to hers. They certainly made him morelovable, trustworthy, more mature and more accepting ofothers; alas, their ultimate goal, an unyielding love and

Once upon a time, in a land not too much unlike theone you and I inhabit today (unless you live in Tahitior Malibu, in which case, we are all jealous and wantto come visit), lived a teenage boy. He was a typicalteenager, full of bravado and himself, quick to run toa good time and always in search of a new adventure.He was not from the wealthiest of families. To be quitehonest, he was PO, which is much worse than beingpoor, because you dont even have enough to afford anO or an R. He understood his social plight, but refused

to allow it to deter his zest for life. In fact, he learnedhow to leverage his dire straits for his own gain. Hisquick sense of humor and prose made him a magnet toany and everyone his age.

As is usually the case with most teenage boys, thisyoung man was also infatuated with a girl. Not justany girl, mind you. We are talking about a portrait ofall that is good, beautiful, charming, and lovely. Shewas exquisite, even as a young woman. Her laugh?Contagious. Her smile? Bright, inviting. Her appearance?Only the imagination can conceive of such a breath-

taking array of lines, curves, and features too grandto articulate by pen. Furthermore, she was from thegreatest, wealthiest and most respected and powerfulfamily in town. She never lived in want. Even in herexalted position in life, she was kind, considerate, agreat friend to any and all she met. She was a picture ofperfection.

One fateful day, upon the invitation of a mutual friend,the two were introduced at a party. The young manwas in awe of her beauty. The young woman marveledat his wit, zest for life and unyielding potential. She

immediately found her heart becoming his property.Despite their obvious social and positional differences,there was a connection unlike any other.

She fell madly in love with this boy. And she told himso. In letters too moving to include in this story, in actsof sel essness too many to count, this beauty began topour out her heart to this young man, in hopes that hewould become her one and only.

One would think that such a revelation of passionatelove would have been received with unshaken devotion.

She fell madly in love with this boy.And she told him so. In letters toomoving to include in this story, inacts of sel essness too many to

count, this beauty began to pourout her heart to this young man, inhopes that he would become herone and only.


29/522


Stuart provides vision and leadership for two highly effective non-pro t organizations (XP3: ADivision of the Rethink Group & DASH INC) and deeply desires to develop spiritually in uentialstudents that engage culture, partners with great organizations like the Fellowship of ChristianAthletes to develop students as leaders. He travels and speaks to thousands of students andleaders each year, has coauthored three books (The Seven Checkpoints: Seven Principles EveryTeenager Needs to Know, MAX Q: Developing Students of In uence and Wired: For a Life ofWorship, Leaders Edition), is working on authoring one or two more, laughs incessantly, loveshis beautiful wife Kellee and their children with every ber of his being.

@nunsr

STUART HALL >


that has gone to every length to sing a love song to thedepths of our heart.

I do not want to be a part of contributing to the apathy.Perhaps this story is my therapeutic way of dealing withthe guilt I feel for my own divulgence into the ridiculousnotion that duty equals devotion.

Call it what you will. What I know to be true is that weall desire, as leaders, to see lives of passion, wonderand discovery nurtured, welded and forged underour in uence. Tangible markers of devotion may bedesirable, but they only reveal a fraction of our story.

When our daughter Cameron was ve, she looked at

me one day while we were snuggling and said, Daddy,I love you. I asked if she knew what it meant to lovesomeone. Her ve-year old mind, vocabulary and heartstruggled to articulate love.

And you know what? I still struggle to articulate love,and I am forty something years old. Love is a hard thingto describe, isnt it?

never-changing devotion to the only one really worthy ofsuch devotion, never came to be. He still could not resistcounterfeit beauties. These discrepancies created doubtand confusion. What must I do to deserve her love? hethought. Why cant I love only her in the way she lovesme? His doubt began to grow into apathy and lethargy.The young man, once full of life, became a walkingzombie, afraid to feel, refusing to trust others, especiallyhimself, void of passion for any and all

Sound familiar? It may not in the realm of fairy tale. Itis, however, a scary tale, a very familiar yet disturbingstory to all of us who pour our lives into students. Thecountless numbers of teenagers we have watched itterinto apathy because their heart would not or could notremain true to its Maker. The means by which we haveconvinced students that the devotion and commitmentthey so desperately desire can be achieved.

What has it birthed? Apathy. Confusion. Lethargy. Anadulterous lover who has not been so shaken, moved,

oored, despondent, amazed and bewildered by thelove that Jesus has lavished and proven as ours. A tiltedview of the beauty, grandeur, power and might of a God


30/523


HOW TO MINISTERTO YOUR WIFE WHILEPLANTING A CHURCH >

needs of the pastor? That opportunity primarily belongsto my husband. When he acknowledges and af rms myministry to him and to others around me, he waters mysoul, helping me grow and blossom in my role.

This need that pastors wives have isnt irrational or theresult of a wrong focus. Proverbs 31 describes a husband

who is well known in the community, sitting among theelders of the land. At the gates of the city, he receivesrespect and af rmation. His wife also offers him heradmiration and honors him by how she lives. Where doesthe godly wife receive encouragement? Her childrenrise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and hepraises her: Many daughters have done well, but youexcel them all. Proverbs 31: 28-29

Just like the Proverbs 31 husband, water your wifethrough speci c praise:

I was feeling discouraged but your words helpedme persevere. You and your gifts are vital to our ministry. You are more important to me than the church. Thank you for the sacri ces you make that allowme to do my job well.

Church Planters - like you, your wife continually gives toothers. Many people dont think about or understandher needs or the demands on her life. You may be theonly source of encouragement your wife receives on acontinual basis and her well-being will have profoundin uence on your success. Through your words ofblessing, you have an opportunity to minister to yourwife in a way that no one else can, especially through the

rst grueling year.

BY CHRISTINE HOOVER

Words of encouragement to a wife are like water toa plant.

When I read that quote recently, I thought about howtrue that statement is. Every wife needs and cravesencouragement from her husband.

My husband is masterful at showing me love. He plansdate nights, he gifts me with a box of Junior Mints justwhen Im withdrawing, he lovingly engages our children,and he leads our home well but there is nothing likea well-timed word of encouragement from him! HearingKyle say that Im a good mom, that he appreciates mycooking, that Im beautiful, that he sees God using methose words will reenergize me for days.

There is another reason why his words of encouragementare necessary: my husband is a church planting pastor.For the past three years, God has used us to build achurch from the ground up, work that has been both

grueling and rewarding. The rst year of church plantingwas especially dif cult for me because of the uncertainty,instability, and magnitude of the work. Without myhusbands verbal encouragement and attentiveness, Icould not have made it through.

Your wife, too, will face unique challenges in yourrst year of church planting. At times, she will feel

discouraged, overwhelmed, and even resentful of thetime and energy your job requires of you. As you seekto nurture your wife, there are many things you can do.

Draw clear boundaries between ministry and home lifefrom the very beginning, protect her from essentiallybecoming a second staff member, and strive to easeyour own worry and distraction so you can give her yourundivided attention but there is nothing you can dothat equals the effect of your encouragement.

After a sermon or a church outreach event, my husbandreceives a pat on the back or words of af rmation athow God has used him, but who encourages me in myrole as the pastors wifethe one with the focus on the

Christine Hoover is the wife of achurch planting pastor and the momof three boys. She is the author ofThe Church Planting Wife: Help andHope for Her Heart and a bloggerthat encourages women in ministryto live and lead from grace.

CHRISTINE HOOVER >

Twitter Handle @christinehooverBlog Address www.gracecoversme.com

3


31/523


I believe Jesus used the shing

analogy because there are principlesthat translate into the church;principles that can help us keepparalysis out of our mission ofcatching people with the gospel. Inthe days of Jesus, the local shermenused nets. In Kentucky where I live,we seldom sh with nets, but giveus a creek bank, a shing pole, and abox of night crawlers and well catch

sh all day long!

Although American shing differsfrom the days of Jesus, the conceptis the same. Heres three things thatwill help your church become a sherof men.

One of the biggest mistakes churches

make is shing in the wrong places.A goo

what every church planter should know, v2

Documents