Showing posts with label church planting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church planting. Show all posts
The Church Planter/Pastor...
I have reviewed Titus 1:1 again at lunch. What a powerful verse. This should be the life verse of every Church Planter and Pastor in the world.
Titus 1:1 - (NLT) - This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.
WOW... If you are a church leader let this one sink deep into your heart!
I think if I am ever asked to speak to church leaders this is my passage. Church Leadership 101.
Titus 1:1 - (NLT) - This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.
WOW... If you are a church leader let this one sink deep into your heart!
I think if I am ever asked to speak to church leaders this is my passage. Church Leadership 101.
GUTS...
Abram knew where his blessings came from. I am amazed and encouraged by the call he made here. Abram knew that he was supported by God and he made a difficult call. He turned away a big donation to prove a point. Think about that for a moment. That was a gutsy call.
My prayer is… God help me be this kind of leader.
One who will make the gutsy call.
One who will let You show off and shine.
One who will stand for You.
One who will say, with God, all things are possible.
One who will go and watch You show. (Gen. 12:1-2)
One who will have the courage to make God size decisions, so You may be known as the God who can and will.
One who will honor You with all I have.
My prayer is… God help me be this kind of leader.
One who will make the gutsy call.
One who will let You show off and shine.
One who will stand for You.
One who will say, with God, all things are possible.
One who will go and watch You show. (Gen. 12:1-2)
One who will have the courage to make God size decisions, so You may be known as the God who can and will.
One who will honor You with all I have.
Where did that come from...
Lots of people ask... "Where do you get your ideas from?"
1) The Bible - It has some cool stuff in it! Ask the question... "What would that look like today?"
2) Other Communicators - I listen to great speakers!
3) Jogging - For some reason I think of illustrations when I run!
4) Barefoot's Creative Team - These guys and gals will amaze you!
5) Reading - Some books I'm reading right now... Simple Church... again, Reveal, Making Vision Stick, and Chazown.
6) Looking - I am always looking for things to illustrate with... I think it is a preacher thing!
1) The Bible - It has some cool stuff in it! Ask the question... "What would that look like today?"
2) Other Communicators - I listen to great speakers!
3) Jogging - For some reason I think of illustrations when I run!
4) Barefoot's Creative Team - These guys and gals will amaze you!
5) Reading - Some books I'm reading right now... Simple Church... again, Reveal, Making Vision Stick, and Chazown.
6) Looking - I am always looking for things to illustrate with... I think it is a preacher thing!
Attractions...
I was riding home on Hwy 17 today… boy it’s busy out there. I was noticing all the people and the attractions that captivate them. People are everywhere! They flock to this city to enjoy themselves and break away from their routines.
Some of the main attractions:
1) Putt-Putt Golf - Those courses are packed.
2) Big Boy & Girl Golf - A little slower pace… but still packed.
3) Restaurants – Everywhere you look… people love to eat.
4) Beachwear Stores – Everybody must love beach clothes.
5) The Theaters – Lights, camera, action.
6) The Beach – Of course… It’s the largest swimming pool in the world.
I started thinking about the connection between the people at these attractions and Jesus.
Is there a connection?
Do any of these people know Jesus? I would think so… I do and I like to have fun too.
Does Jesus care about all these people? I think so… that is why He came to earth, to forgive us… the people… and reconnect us to the God of the universe.
How do we communicate this message… this Good News… to all these people who are attracted to the attractions?
If these things have their attention… maybe… just maybe… we should use these things to connect them to the unknown God. I think this is what a dude named Paul did in Acts 17. He took the idols that had people’s attention and introduced them to the One True God. He helped them find what they were looking for… a relationship with Jesus.
Missional minded churches do this! They look at the culture and find ways to connect people to Jesus by using what’s around them. If we go across the ocean or across the street… we’d better find a connection point. Jesus did it all the time… He was a master at this in His earthly ministry. The greatest demonstration of this is when He became one of us. That’s getting pretty relevant! Jesus was on a mission.
People need to see that Jesus can change their life and direction. Our job is to teach them this… Make Disciples… Followers of Jesus… but we have to connect with them first.
Then we have a chance for the mentoring process… that’s discipleship… showing them that Jesus can work in their everyday life. Jesus works in our marriages, careers, relationships and finances. Discipleship is about making Jesus the center of our lives… at home, work and play. I am glad to be a part of a church that get’s this.
Some of the main attractions:
1) Putt-Putt Golf - Those courses are packed.
2) Big Boy & Girl Golf - A little slower pace… but still packed.
3) Restaurants – Everywhere you look… people love to eat.
4) Beachwear Stores – Everybody must love beach clothes.
5) The Theaters – Lights, camera, action.
6) The Beach – Of course… It’s the largest swimming pool in the world.
I started thinking about the connection between the people at these attractions and Jesus.
Is there a connection?
Do any of these people know Jesus? I would think so… I do and I like to have fun too.
Does Jesus care about all these people? I think so… that is why He came to earth, to forgive us… the people… and reconnect us to the God of the universe.
How do we communicate this message… this Good News… to all these people who are attracted to the attractions?
If these things have their attention… maybe… just maybe… we should use these things to connect them to the unknown God. I think this is what a dude named Paul did in Acts 17. He took the idols that had people’s attention and introduced them to the One True God. He helped them find what they were looking for… a relationship with Jesus.
Missional minded churches do this! They look at the culture and find ways to connect people to Jesus by using what’s around them. If we go across the ocean or across the street… we’d better find a connection point. Jesus did it all the time… He was a master at this in His earthly ministry. The greatest demonstration of this is when He became one of us. That’s getting pretty relevant! Jesus was on a mission.
People need to see that Jesus can change their life and direction. Our job is to teach them this… Make Disciples… Followers of Jesus… but we have to connect with them first.
Then we have a chance for the mentoring process… that’s discipleship… showing them that Jesus can work in their everyday life. Jesus works in our marriages, careers, relationships and finances. Discipleship is about making Jesus the center of our lives… at home, work and play. I am glad to be a part of a church that get’s this.
Church Planters Have Weekly leadership Meetings?
I thought I would share the notes from our leadership team meeting today. It is insight to what we talk about each week. We talk about business... Growth Moments... Prayer... and celebrate what God is doing. I don't know if the structure or content helps any other church planters out there... but if it does by all means use it. We cast a lot of vision in these meetings each week.
Thanks Regena for taking such good notes while I talk. You are Awesome!
BAREFOOT COMMUNITY CHURCH
TEAM MEETING SUMMARY
May 21, 2007
1. Opening Prayer
2. Opening comments
o Leadership Training, Bob Wallace – Saturday, June 23, 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
o Team Impact – May 30 – June 3
o Discovery Class – May 27
o Check F1 contacts
o Post Completion requirements for First Impression Participants under Requirements. Questions, call Regena.
o Two services beginning June 24, 8:30 and 10:30
o Food & Drinks are prohibited in the auditorium to protect the attendee’s personal items that are placed on the floor from spilled drinks. This is what needs to be conveyed to attendees. We are not doing this to decrease clean up time on our part.
o This summer, Clay will take the Leadership Team through the book The Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger. Below is an excerpt from a reader review:
This book is a must read for all pastors and church leaders. It is not a book about another church model, but it is one to help us think through the process by which we do church. It helps us to see that church is not to be program-driven, but process driven. This book helps us sort through the many things that go on in church, and to ask ourselves if it is going to be part of a process to achieve an end goal, and how does each piece fit into the process. Being simple is not the same as being easy, in fact, I find that to execute the simple church as Rainer describes would take more out of the church pastor and leadership than to thrown in another program into the schedule. As Rainer puts it, "There is a big difference between simple and easy. Simple is basic, uncomplicated, and fundamental. Easy is effortless." They propose four main filters to help a church cut things that pull energy away from keeping it simple. We need to have CLARITY: "the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people". How does a church do what it has been called to do? We need to have MOVEMENT: "the sequential steps in the process that causes people to move to greater areas of commitment" When they understand the process, what do they do next and then... We need to have ALIGNMENT: "the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process". The church itself must arrange itself into where she is moving people through. She must only place people and energies where she is encouraging all to go. This keeps resources (personal and capital) strategically placed where they have the most impact. Finally, we need to have FOCUS: "the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process". This is where the rubber hits the road and following steps 1 -3 lead to this point. But if a church loses her focus then it will find itself where all our culture, society, and world will tend to go: chaos. Does the church have the guts to say no to good things for the best things?
3. Training Moment – Why we do what we do! Clay talked more about the Christ Centered “wheel” and how we should use it when we are asked about the purpose of Barefoot Community Church. Notes follow this meeting summary.
4. Closing Comments
5. Closing Prayer
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO (Clay's Vision Talk)
85% of people live on the outside of this wheel. We should work to help people to move to the inside of the circle to grow deeper with Christ in all five areas. All five areas should be consistently going on in their lives. We should use this wheel to see if someone is deficient in any areas.
How do we get people to church? Sharing! Personal invitation! Word of mouth!
Share - We are not looking for churched people; we are looking for the un-churched people, people who do not know Jesus.
Worship - We should create a WOW worship experience from the street to the seat. The church, inside and outside should be top of the line. We should push for excellence, be more than the message, more than the music. The worship environment should enable them to experience God. We need to ramp up the environment
Service - Jesus served then got others to serve. He connected and bonded with others. We should offer real, authentic relationships, get them involved with serving and connecting. Connect -
Community Group leaders should be a Shepherd to 8-12 people. The leader prays, cares for, teaches biblical principles, and does life with them! The leader should do everything to help the people in their group grow in all areas.
Grow -Doing all this, they will grow spiritually in Christ; become fully devoted followers of Christ. How do we know if they are growing? Their attitude, etc. will be more Christ like. They will reflect joy, peace and patience, be the fruit of the spirit; serve and love people.
Connect - What is the future goal of Small Community Groups? In the fall we will go through Starting Point as a church.
Thereafter, people completing Discovery Luncheon will move into a Starting Point Group. This group will build relationships which will form small community groups of their own. Each group will have a leader and co-leader. Each small community group leader will shepherd 8-12 people.
We are looking for a Training Pastor. This person will teach and train leaders how to lead small community groups. We are looking for this person now.
We must keep developing ourselves as leaders. We are changing people’s eternity – their eternal destination! This is why we exist. Do not lose sight of this because people matter to God.
Pray for the names on the wall. Pray that we find a Training Pastor.
Clay NeSmith
May 21, 2007
Thanks Regena for taking such good notes while I talk. You are Awesome!
BAREFOOT COMMUNITY CHURCH
TEAM MEETING SUMMARY
May 21, 2007
1. Opening Prayer
2. Opening comments
o Leadership Training, Bob Wallace – Saturday, June 23, 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
o Team Impact – May 30 – June 3
o Discovery Class – May 27
o Check F1 contacts
o Post Completion requirements for First Impression Participants under Requirements. Questions, call Regena.
o Two services beginning June 24, 8:30 and 10:30
o Food & Drinks are prohibited in the auditorium to protect the attendee’s personal items that are placed on the floor from spilled drinks. This is what needs to be conveyed to attendees. We are not doing this to decrease clean up time on our part.
o This summer, Clay will take the Leadership Team through the book The Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger. Below is an excerpt from a reader review:
This book is a must read for all pastors and church leaders. It is not a book about another church model, but it is one to help us think through the process by which we do church. It helps us to see that church is not to be program-driven, but process driven. This book helps us sort through the many things that go on in church, and to ask ourselves if it is going to be part of a process to achieve an end goal, and how does each piece fit into the process. Being simple is not the same as being easy, in fact, I find that to execute the simple church as Rainer describes would take more out of the church pastor and leadership than to thrown in another program into the schedule. As Rainer puts it, "There is a big difference between simple and easy. Simple is basic, uncomplicated, and fundamental. Easy is effortless." They propose four main filters to help a church cut things that pull energy away from keeping it simple. We need to have CLARITY: "the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people". How does a church do what it has been called to do? We need to have MOVEMENT: "the sequential steps in the process that causes people to move to greater areas of commitment" When they understand the process, what do they do next and then... We need to have ALIGNMENT: "the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process". The church itself must arrange itself into where she is moving people through. She must only place people and energies where she is encouraging all to go. This keeps resources (personal and capital) strategically placed where they have the most impact. Finally, we need to have FOCUS: "the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process". This is where the rubber hits the road and following steps 1 -3 lead to this point. But if a church loses her focus then it will find itself where all our culture, society, and world will tend to go: chaos. Does the church have the guts to say no to good things for the best things?
3. Training Moment – Why we do what we do! Clay talked more about the Christ Centered “wheel” and how we should use it when we are asked about the purpose of Barefoot Community Church. Notes follow this meeting summary.
4. Closing Comments
5. Closing Prayer
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO (Clay's Vision Talk)
85% of people live on the outside of this wheel. We should work to help people to move to the inside of the circle to grow deeper with Christ in all five areas. All five areas should be consistently going on in their lives. We should use this wheel to see if someone is deficient in any areas.
How do we get people to church? Sharing! Personal invitation! Word of mouth!
Share - We are not looking for churched people; we are looking for the un-churched people, people who do not know Jesus.
Worship - We should create a WOW worship experience from the street to the seat. The church, inside and outside should be top of the line. We should push for excellence, be more than the message, more than the music. The worship environment should enable them to experience God. We need to ramp up the environment
Service - Jesus served then got others to serve. He connected and bonded with others. We should offer real, authentic relationships, get them involved with serving and connecting. Connect -
Community Group leaders should be a Shepherd to 8-12 people. The leader prays, cares for, teaches biblical principles, and does life with them! The leader should do everything to help the people in their group grow in all areas.
Grow -Doing all this, they will grow spiritually in Christ; become fully devoted followers of Christ. How do we know if they are growing? Their attitude, etc. will be more Christ like. They will reflect joy, peace and patience, be the fruit of the spirit; serve and love people.
Connect - What is the future goal of Small Community Groups? In the fall we will go through Starting Point as a church.
Thereafter, people completing Discovery Luncheon will move into a Starting Point Group. This group will build relationships which will form small community groups of their own. Each group will have a leader and co-leader. Each small community group leader will shepherd 8-12 people.
We are looking for a Training Pastor. This person will teach and train leaders how to lead small community groups. We are looking for this person now.
We must keep developing ourselves as leaders. We are changing people’s eternity – their eternal destination! This is why we exist. Do not lose sight of this because people matter to God.
Pray for the names on the wall. Pray that we find a Training Pastor.
Clay NeSmith
May 21, 2007
The Local Church
Jesus Saves!!! He can bring life back into any circumstance, marriage, relationship, or soul. Having faith in Him is what really counts. I am convinced that God is at work and the church is his vessel. What God is going to do in the world... He is going to do through the local church. Bill Hybels coined the phrase, "the local church is the hope of the world"... how true this is because the church is the body of Christ with Jesus at the head. To all you pastors and church planters out there, cling to this truth. God is working through the church to redeem his people. WOW! What an opportunity... being a part of the Creators great plan.
I was reading today about the Kingdom of Heaven... Matthew Chap. 13:44-46, How valuable it is. When we get it... we should go all out to be involved. It's a privilege, opportunity, adventure, and the ride of your life to be involved in God's work. I want everyone I meet to find life in Christ. They will never be the same. When you find it you give like crazy. TIME, ENERGY, and RESOURCES. It is what it is... the most valuable investment you will ever make.
I was reading today about the Kingdom of Heaven... Matthew Chap. 13:44-46, How valuable it is. When we get it... we should go all out to be involved. It's a privilege, opportunity, adventure, and the ride of your life to be involved in God's work. I want everyone I meet to find life in Christ. They will never be the same. When you find it you give like crazy. TIME, ENERGY, and RESOURCES. It is what it is... the most valuable investment you will ever make.
"Church Planting for Dummies"
What a day at the beach! It has flat out stormed here today, from the time we arrived to get ready for the morning services until this afternoon. We had a great worship service in spite of the storm this a.m.... Attendance was down a little today due to the weather. However, some Awesome things happened... Some more people crossed the line of faith and many signed up for our beach baptisms in 2 weeks. The music today was off the chain, we had a new female vocalist today and she flat out rocked. GO AMANDA! Man, that "Rain Down" song is a worship experience in itself. And What about those New Lights!!! I think I serve with the greatest bunch of people in the state of S.C. ...You All create an atmosphere each week that allows people to experience God. May I just say... thank you.
Hey, any of you church planters out there who want to talk church planting just let me know. I am willing to share my heart with you and some things God has taught and is teaching us here at Barefoot. I would also love learning from you. All you guys who blog and share... I want to say... thanks... It's a huge help to me and the team here at Barefoot.
Over the next few days I want to share some thoughts on planting churches that can change the world.
Hey, any of you church planters out there who want to talk church planting just let me know. I am willing to share my heart with you and some things God has taught and is teaching us here at Barefoot. I would also love learning from you. All you guys who blog and share... I want to say... thanks... It's a huge help to me and the team here at Barefoot.
Over the next few days I want to share some thoughts on planting churches that can change the world.
- 1. I believe that where God is at work... God will supply! It all starts with PRAYER! The 1st thing we did was "Pray for positioning" this has been my prayer since the beginning of my journey with Christ. "God put me in the middle of where you are working." You have to be willing to go where ever God wants to take you. NO BUTS! God is into total surrender, not if you do this...I'll do this... Kim and I started this prayer long before seminary. We wanted to be in the center of God's work. God has direct our path over and over. We have stepped out of line a few times but He always gets us back on track.
- I find it funny on the other side of this church plant God was working in other people's lives at the same time... none of us lived in the location we planted this church. God hooked me up with some people who could supply the resources to get started and some key players here on the ground floor. What happened could not have happened in a million years if we would have planned it. It has been an amazing ride thus far and will continue to be as long as we are faithful. Remember, Pray for Positioning.
More on church planting in the next few days. Let me hear your thoughts on the above step.
learning as a church planter!
Scoreboard: 385 in the service today.
God continues to do amazing things. We talked about how God wants us to be His Bling Bling in the world today. We are his trophies and we are to shine in our community. So let's come out from underneath the trash and be the treasure that Jesus paid dearly for.
We are doing 2 services on Easter. 8:30 & 10:30. I am scared to death and praying like crazy for more volunteers. Pray for over 1100 people to come and hear the greatest message ever known to man.
God is teaching me so much right now as a church planter:
God continues to do amazing things. We talked about how God wants us to be His Bling Bling in the world today. We are his trophies and we are to shine in our community. So let's come out from underneath the trash and be the treasure that Jesus paid dearly for.
We are doing 2 services on Easter. 8:30 & 10:30. I am scared to death and praying like crazy for more volunteers. Pray for over 1100 people to come and hear the greatest message ever known to man.
God is teaching me so much right now as a church planter:
- To depend completely on Him for the vision.
- To get more radical for the name of Jesus.
- To build into the leadership team more and more. Team... you are amazing!
- To stretch and never give up. (Joshua 1)... Be strong and courageous. Vision takes courage.
- To encourage those around me. I have to be the biggest flippen cheerleader on the planet.
- To hang with the ones who believe we can conquer this city with the name of Jesus.
- To guard my family like crazy.
- To ask God what He wants for the people. By the way God is for the people!!!
Don't miss Next Sunday. We are going to do something 99% of the people have never seen done in church before... I am living in the sweet spot of God's success right now. It is Awesome serving at Barefoot Community Church with you all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)