GlocalNet

I’m asked all the time what do I look for in a church planter.  There are so many assessment tools - personality tests - leadership profiles, and I like them.  I look at those for every single planter that we check off on - but there are some things that also have to be present that if I don’t see, I back away.  Here they are:

Entrepreneurs: The one to jump
Why is this so important?  Courage and risk are brothers that cause a handful to prosper while others live in poverty.  It’s true, you can jump and wind up on the rocks instead of the water BUT, if God is telling you to jump, you hold on to him and enjoy the flight.

Evangelists:  Great conversationalists about Christ.
The only way we will ever see people come to Jesus is to live it and serve them.  It’s great to talk about what’s wrong with the church and everyone else - you’ll pull a band of disgruntled people around you.  People who change the world are excited and have something to offer - Jesus - and people are hungry for that.  Most people are angry, and most are attracted to fads - in both cases they wear off or kill each other in the end, only people who are pumped about who Jesus is change the world. 

Mystics:  Seeing and thinking in ways others don’t.
God speaks to me most days in reading his Word in the presence of the “Word” as John understood it.  A mystic sees the dots connecting in relationships, infra-structure, and in one’s personal life.  Mystics swim deep in the mystery of who God is and filled with awe of that.

Designers:  Learning from a world of knowledge.
When you combine the other traits - and you have someone who is a cross-disciplinary learner - that changes everything.  They have the ability to flex with what needs to be done and at the same time not compromise.  Every church planter should read business, read biographies on people like Lincoln, Jefferson, Madison, Churchill, etc., read sociology from people like Bellah, read current events from people like Friedman, Zacharias, Sacks, read science from people like Brian Green, novels from Grisham . . . . all of that gives you a broader picture.  And yes, for the spiritutalist out there I already said Bible in the previous profile. 

This Sunday we are having a dedication time for our seniors in the worship service.  One of the things I’ll be driving home to them in the sermon is that God has a call for everyone and it’s tied to their character - you can never escape your character.  God also has a way he wants us to do things.  But the greatest test is not that you start something - everyone does that - but that you finish it. 

Wednesday I spoke to a group of business leaders in Naples, Florida.  It was a lot of fun.  It was on my book Glocalization and how to use your job to impact glocally.  Everyone there was successful in business or sports or medicine or something.  Many were young, but many were older - and all were wanting to make a difference.  Some had found their spots, but many were still looking how to make a difference.  When it was over a NFL player came over and sat down where I was sitting.  His question - “How do I use this job, a NFL football player to serve God?” I told him, you can kneel after each of your touchdowns or achievements on the field - which is nice - or you can use the social “capital” God has given you to make a difference.  He asked me, “What would you do?” I asked him, “What are you passionate about?” He said, “I’m not sure.” I challenged him, “Find your passion and run hard.” He’s in his mid-20’s - and would make a great church planter!  He was huge and from LA, looked kind of like a massive Samuel L. Jackson.  I think he’ll do something with himself.  I told him, “You have perhaps 8 years max in the NFL but a whole life-time after that - use everything you have now, to position you for later.” That’s exactly what a church planter does - that’s exactly why they have to be able to live those four roles.