What You’re Not Being Told About Church Planting That Could Kill You!
1. Today’s most successful church planting models took a few years to engineer, and with the pace of the movement of the culture, adopting a “popular” model today means you’ll have an old model in 3 years. Go for DNA. Go for things that supersede the model.
2. Globalization is no longer flowing out from the U.S. but now pushing in on the U.S. The result is that global forces are shaping the church in the West like never before. Ignore them to your own peril and irrelevance.
3. In this world knowing “why” and thinking is far more critical than knowing “how” and mimicking. Learning isn’t a nice option for when you have time, but today it is a critical discipline of survival.
4. Doctrine matters more today than ever before. (Did you hear that Stetzer!) With all religions in all places we have to be able to give simple, practical, explainable information about who God is (the Trinity) and what difference it makes. “It’s a mystery” is insufficient for this world.
5. The church in the West has gone about as far as it can go without prayer and spiritual disciplines. That’s why we’re now declining. It’s time to FIRST get a word from God and not from your favorite religious guru. And the word, by the way, should first be about what Jesus “wants to do in me” not how to hit it big for God.
6. Differentiate between truly successful models and exceptionally charismatic leaders - all of us are who we are. Trying to be someone we are not will lead to spiritual and emotional psychosis.
Anything anyone else would add?
Blog Categories
Search Glocalnet
Support
Partners
Comments
Apr 29, 2009 at 06:10 PM
A lot of our current ways of doing things in the west are dependent upon money. If the money is removed then the "church" dies. Don't think this should be the case. Why would we allow our methods of "church planting" and disciple making to be limited by, or dependent upon money?
SO, YOU'RE NOT BEING TOLD THAT:
-You don't need hundreds of thousands of dollars to "plant a church".
-You don't need buildings, staff, and programs.
-Heck, would I get in trouble if I said you didn't need a weekly worship service in the very beginning to plant churches?
Apr 29, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Motive is everything, and the only motive that matters is people. The days of being the coolest guy pastoring the coolest church in town are over. It always looked silly to the unchurched, and it only really attracted people from other churches. Since there aren't a lot of people in churches to draw away with "cool" ministry, church planting must involve the hard work of reaching actual lost people and discipling them. If you are only in it for "cool", you wont be in it for long. If you are in it for people, God will be in it.
Apr 30, 2009 at 09:11 AM
Money never has driven the church - only religious establishment. Money is used by God to do what he wants done - it's his anyhow. Loving people, serving the poor, engaging a nation - all require money. But as Peter Block who just wrote Community writes - things are changed not by people with big pocket books or people with org charts - but people with vision and passion. It's the parable of the talents - God always provides what he calls you to do - and never back away from anything based on money. Keep moving forward Aaron proud of you.
Wes, I like what you wrote - people matter. You can't love God without loving people. You can love people without loving God - I always try to mesh those two.
Apr 30, 2009 at 09:30 AM
Bob,
Thanks for the talk at Exponential. It was eye opening and challenging. Let me ask you a question about your post. I agree that doctrine is important in this culture. But you said mystery isn't good enough. I've always considered the theme of mystery to be a part of my doctrine. We are only human and the God is much bigger than we are. If we can fit God in our heads with doctrine, then God ceases to be God. There are some things God reveals and some things God doesn't. We need to be clear on the things he has revealed. I think the culture can appreciate a sense of mystery without having all the answers. In fact, I've found that not claiming to have all the answers is just seen as being real and authentic. Mystery points to something bigger than us. I love worshipping a mysterious God. Though when I get to heaven I sure hope God explains a few things.
Apr 30, 2009 at 10:24 AM
This is a terrific post, Bob. And so important. Every church planter should read this once a week! I'll twitter about it too.
Apr 30, 2009 at 10:32 AM
I agree with you Doug - there are mysteries and there is a mystery about the Trinity. All I'm saying is, we just can't blow it all off as mystery and incomprehensible or we loose credibility with those we would reach. The cross is a mystery - yet we share with people what effect the cross must have in their life. The Trinity is a mystery - but what effect does it have in our personal walk with Christ. I'm coming from my perspective of not always thinking deeply enough about theology and the world until the past few years.
Apr 30, 2009 at 01:20 PM
Aaron you might get in trouble for saying it, but that doesn't make it wrong.
Bob, great post, so true. And great talk at exponential. I have to admit I was overwhelmed and a bit discouraged coming out of it (your talk), but distance and processing with Brothers and the Holy Spirit have gotten me excited again.
Thanks for all you are doing for the Kingdom and allowing God to speak through you.
May 1, 2009 at 01:00 PM
Love the post Bob.
I don't hear much about hearing from God in American church planting circles. I think hearing God's voice is at the core of planting. --Have I heard from God? Is my core group of disciples hearing from God?
A church planting leader from Saudi Arabia recently described to me the core difference between the believers prayers in Saudi Arabia and those in America. He said, "In America you push God. In my country, God pushes us." He also said that "prayer in Saudi Arabia was a matter of life and death, but in America it seems like prayer is an option."
Secondly, I think making disciples has been ignored. I met with two guys in one month that said the same thing regarding disciples. They both said that they do not count the number of churches they have planted, but rather, the number of disciples that have been made. I like that.
May 6, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Bob,
your writing is a breath of fresh air...
the rock star model and example in church planting is getting stale. we are turning off young missionary guys who love Jesus and authentically love people because they don't have the "look"
Get on your face til you get a fresh Word from God
Go out and make a friend and share Jesus
Hey Bob...keep on keepin it real brother!
May 6, 2009 at 01:29 PM
Hi,
Great stuff,
Spend time ministering to Jesus and then;
listen to what the Holy Spirit says and then obey. Can't go wrong.
I have spent too much time trying to figure out what God wants me to do instead of ministering to Him. Big regret.
Tim
Leave a Reply