One of the things our church has done, since the very beginning, is carve out one night a month for corporate prayer and song. We call it our monthly prayer night. This is a step-by-step guide to what that looks like.
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There isn't a lot out there to encourage church planters. Advice? Yes. Correction? Yes. Coaching? Yes. Comparing? Yes. Mocking? Sometimes. Encouragement? Not really. Some may say, "Well, if you're a church planter you shouldn't need kudos to stay the course." There's some truth to that, but that's not what encouragement is about. To en-courage is "to put courage into". Yes, our ultimate source of encouragement is the Chief Planter. Yet, the primary means by which we receive and experience his encouragement is through His people - especially from others who are in the trenches with you. So, to all my fellow church planters, this is my encouragement to you, as one among you.
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This post falls into the category of practical theology. How do I prepare for, and carry out, an informational meeting with someone I want to learn from? I did this a lot with others in the early the days of planting: local pastors, fellow church planters, non-profit directors, city council members and pretty much anyone who would meet with me.
Read MoreCities are places of transition. Seattle is no different. Many people move to Seattle for school, work or new opportunities. Moving to a new community is difficult. But, finding a church that loves Jesus, believes the Bible and preaches the gospel is even more so. Since launching in 2011 we’ve met many new-to-the-city Jesus-following transplants in search of a church to call home. That search is not as easy as it might sound, particularly in Seattle. What follows are questions I encourage others to consider when in search of a new church family. There's no such thing as a perfect church or a church that will fulfill everything you wish a church would be, but there are a number of things that should be non-negotiable as you consider partnering with a local body of Jesus followers...
Read MoreI'm about three years into planting a church, which means I'm not an expert. However, I do trust my Bible, love my Jesus and have some battle scars. I know first hand many of the things, internally and externally, that compete for the church planters heart, mind and soul. Unfortunately, the reality is that many, if not all, of these can threaten to eclipse the very thing that our people need most from us.
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The early stage of church planting is a unique season that comes with its own share of opportunities and obstacles. We're familiar with the obstacles, but what about the opportunities? Because everything is so new and fresh (and frightening) at the beginning it is an opportune time to network. With who? With anyone who is willing to meet with you. Anyone. I'm not a natural networker, but I found the following to be incredibly helpful.
Read MoreI have the privilege of meeting with 2-3 potential church planters every month and one of the central questions asked is, "What books should I read?" One of my hopes is to be of help to those that are (1) considering planting, (2) in the early stages of planting, or (3) looking at becoming a church-planting-church. Given that, I plan to regularly provide an updated list of books and resources that every church planter should read. I'll update the list as I come across newer/better resources. This post builds off of a previous one here. I'd love to hear from you if have additional recommendations. There's a much longer list than what is provided below, but if you're planting you need it narrowed down. Let's look at the top nine...
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I have lost track of how many church planting books I have read. I have attended conferences. I have read blogs. I have listened to sermons, workshops and seminars. I have talked to seasoned planters and pastors. I have done my homework. As a novice church planter I was told to focus on: converts, leadership development, missional communities, connecting with city leaders, contextualization, strategic planning, social networking, engaging preaching, membership development, and contemporary worship. Those are all good, even needed. I agree with (most of) them. Yet, in focusing on so many things, it is easy to lose focus on the main thing.
Read MoreThere are few things that get me as excited as seeing normal, Jesus-loving, Spirit-filled men lay down their lives to plant/replant a church. For every pastor whose name is nationally known, there are 1,000s who are faithfully slugging it out in the trenches whose names you will never know. In fact, the overwhelming majority of churches throughout the history of Christianity have been planted and pastored by such men.
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