Monday Morning Rewind: A Model for Church Planting

Yesterday’s message focused specifically on the apostle Paul’s ministry in church planting. The focal point in the Scripture came from Acts 9 – 19, as we surveyed his growing understanding and impact in service for the Lord.  Paul grew to realize that the influence of his life and ministry can and should grow to touch and influence more lives all the time, even extending beyond his lifetime.

How can we do that in our lives as the apostle did many years ago?

It starts by being missional (9:19b-22). Paul’s encounter with Jesus and subsequent call are shared in this chapter that begins in earnest the focus on Paul that will continue for the remainder of the book. We learn quickly that Saul (his Hebrew name, as he is still called at this point in the book) is passionate about being “on mission with Jesus” (a very simple definition of “missional”). This lifestyle characteristic is all about IDENTITY. Because its focus is on being AND doing, not simply one or the other, the apostle discovers his purpose here, as he grows vertically in relationship with his God. By living out that purpose, many people in Damascus and Jerusalem are impacted by his focus on Jesus as the Son of God. In fact, his ministry results in churches being strengthened and encouraged, growing in size, because they lived in fear of the Lord (9:31).

Second, we have to be incarnational (11:19-26). Saul (Paul) and Barnabas, along with the entire Antioch church learned to “be flesh among them,” to live as the hands AND feet of Christ. Here in this city, believers were first called “Christians,” and while the term was likely meant to be derisive, it demonstrates that people were seeing evidence of Christ’s own presence and life through them. This “touch” factor is all about MINISTRY, as followers grow horizontally to love and serve their neighbor as themselves. That can only happen when we get out among them and live the Christ-life before their eyes. For the Antioch church, this resulted in more evangelism impact (12:24) and even ushered in the first missionary endeavor of the early church (13:3).

Third, Paul teaches us the value of congregationalizing people (14:21-23). Paul (his Roman name) and Barnabas, now on their first missionary journey through Asia Minor, learn the importance of having the new believers they are reaching with the Gospel begin to “share life together” as a new family of faith. This grouping of people is all about COMMUNITY and enables the churches (plural) to grow stronger, more interdependent and stable, in order to do the work of the Lord. This is important: they did not grow inward (spiritual “navel-gazing”) but internally (strengthening the core, the foundation), for the future work of outreach. In fact, these congregations are both the church gathered AND scattered, as they live for Christ 24/7. As a result, the churches grew qualitatively and quantitatively (16:5).

Finally, we must be exponential (19:8-10). By exponential, I mean “reproducing at an ever-increasing rate.” Paul on his third missionary journey seems to come to the realization that the previous work he did on journeys 1 and 2 enabled reproduction to happen only by addition. On this journey he shifts his strategy, staying in one place–Ephesus–and focused on multiplying disciples AND congregations. This “x” factor realizes the need to be Kingdom-minded and grow beyond where we are in order to reach others who are different geographically, ethnically, socio-economically and even generationally. This characteristic is all about LEGACY and what will outlast and out-reach the extent of our own life or church’s ministry. By becoming a training center for future church planters, Paul and the church at Ephesus was able to start so many churches (see Revelation 2 and 3 for many of these) that the writer of Acts was able to say “ALL the Jews AND Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (19:10b). Now that’s impact that outlasts any one life or ministry!

This RIPPLE EFFECT–from being on mission with God to living lives among the people who need Jesus to congregationalizing new believers to multiplying efforts exponentially to impact those we may never actually meet–is at the heart of the lessons Paul learned though his ministry. History records the results and the countless lives that were changed by Christ as a result.

How about us? Have we learned and applied these truths, too?

Fridays are for Friends & Family 09.25.09

Friday is here, and with it my weekly review of some of the things I’ve come across on the web. This week I’ve been blogging on The Upstream Collective’s JetSet Vision Tour of Asia, headed up by Ed Stetzer and Larry McCrary. While there, Stetzer released a post on his site that transcends the work of just this vision trip. It’s a challenge to “missional” (self-designated) churches that are not involved in global missions. Stetzer’s article suggests ways to correct this “great omission,” as well. You can read his article by clicking here.

A unique time is lining up in my tribe, the Southern Baptist Convention, with the announced coming retirements next year of Morris Chapman (Executive Committee) and Jerry Rankin (IMB), along with the previous resignation of Geoff Hammond (NAMB). Ronnie Floyd, chairman of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force says the presidential search committees should be mindful of the GCR group as they deliberate future leadership in their organizations. You can read his comments in the Florida newsjournal, the Baptist Witness, by clicking here.

Shaun King, planter/founding pastor of Courageous Church in Atlanta, Georgia, posted an excellent article this week on “10 Free Resources for Church Planters,” on his website. He states, “these 10 FREE resources have helped me lead @Courageous more than any gadget we’ve purchased.” It’s an article every church planter should read. Check it out on his site by clicking here.

Heads up, if you live in the Baltimore/DC area! Catalyst One Day is coming our way. This popular “road trip” tour will be in our area at Grace Community Church, Fulton, Maryland, on November 16. The keynote speakers will be Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel. Church planters and missional pastors will want to get to this event, if at all possible. You can register by going to their website by clicking here and possibly win a Kindle, too!

My daughter, Sarah, has continued to have new writing opportunities in her work. During the summer she was published in a couple of newspapers in Surrey and with an online news source. Now she’s got an article in her own university’s online school newspaper. You can check out the article here, dealing with nursing student aid and other programs that have been cut in the British Columbia province.

Finally, my favorite sports team, the Boston Red Sox, will clinch a playoff berth sometime in the next few days; the Yankees already have. They play each other this weekend in what could be a preview of the upcoming playoffs. The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo suggests five things each team can work on as they prep for the postseason in an photo-journalism piece online today. You can check his ideas out here...and GO, SOX!!!

Reaching those Around the World without Jesus

How do you reach the people of this Taiwan with the Gospel? How do you get beyond the darkness of religion to reveal to them the Light of the World? The key is indigenous contextualization and intentional witness.

Check out this video with Ed Stetzer interviewing Pastor Chen about the ministry of evangelizing Taiwan with the Good News.

The Upstream Collective continues to expose church planters and pastors to the global need of the Gospel and ways that you and I can be directly involved in supporting people and churches like those mentioned in this video. Maybe God’s calling you to help out in Asia, or perhaps, another part of the world.

Pray. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest field. Then talk to The Upstream Collective about how you could partner with them in this effort.

Religion is not a Relationship

Have you ever visited an Asian country? If you have, you know that the way life is lived is different from what we here in America experience. Taiwan is one such place.

American missionaries have had a large presence here for many decades. However, the country is far from Christian! People in Taipei, the largest city in the nation, are extremely religious, but their hearts are far from God. They substitute all kinds of things for a relationship with the King. The sad reality is that many of them don’t even know that the Almighty God sent His Son to die on their behalf to rescue them from religion and give them a relationship with him. Check out this video on the spiritual state of Taiwan from The Upstream Collective.

Amazing, isn’t it?

“U.S. Christians spend more on dog food than they do on global missions.”

Wow.

What does that say about us?

Open Your Eyes to the Possibilities

Missions is at the heart of the Great Commission. “Make disciples of all people groups,” Jesus said (Matthew 28.19). Taking the message to the peoples of the world requires determination, commitment and obedience. The motivation to do the same requires more; it requires love, the love Christ demonstrated for all humanity while He walked upon this earth.

Because of this, I have always been passionately involved in missions. I’ve served with a missions agency off and on over the past 30 years and have personally embarked on missions trips to continents across the oceans to the east and to the west. So when I see church planters and pastors who are eager to get involved directly in missions endeavors themselves, it excites me. Why? Because I know that not only will their lives be changed forever for the better; I also know that the Kingdom will grow because someone put the love of Christ above comfort and convenience.

That’s why I’m so excited to be a part of the blogging team of commentators for The Upstream Collective’s JetSet Vision Trip in Asia. I’ve known Larry McCrary for the past decade and Ed Stetzer several years longer than that. I know their hearts for the unreached peoples of the world. And I know that the hunger of their hearts is for you and me–for the church today–to share the vision of Christ for a lost and dying world. “Open your eyes and look at the fields,” Jesus said, “for they are white to harvest” (John 4.35). When you do, then you will begin to see the possibilities!

What are the possibilities, you ask?

Possibility #1: You’ll learn about how God is at work in the world beyond your arena. You’ll realize that the Spirit has gone before you to convict people of sin, righteousness and judgment. You’ll see the evidence of God cultivating receptive hearts, eager to hear the message of Good News. You’ll discover the transforming power of Christ in the lives of native believers, who are often “laying it all on the line” for our Savior and Lord.

Possibility #2: You’ll learn what Satan is doing to try to thwart the Kingdom and our King. Obstacles and hindrances abound. The darkness of sin engulfs many. False religion is everywhere. Hopelessness overwhelms individuals. Ignorance of God’s love and provision in Jesus is plentiful. This enemy must be confronted with the Light of Life!

Possibility #3: You’ll recognize that you have a part to play in the unfolding drama of eternity. Every believer has within him or her the Spirit of Christ and the transforming, resurrection power of the Gospel! Each of us has received the call of God to “go and tell.” Some of us need to tell our neighbors or co-workers. Some of us, though, need to go overseas with a group like The Upstream Collective to see the needs and to reach people who may not ever hear the Gospel unless you and I are willing to go.

How are you going to be involved in the harvest of God?

Through the next week, join me as we “virtually” experience the work of God through missionaries and fellow church planters and pastors as they travel the streets of Asia. As you do, listen! Hear the voice of God as He calls out, “Whom shall I send and who will go for Me?” (Isaiah 6.8). And be ready if and when He calls to respond, “Here am I; send me!“

Monday Morning Rewind: Eager Witnesses

Yesterday we made it to our final stop in this series of ten characteristics of effective churches found in the early chapters of the book of Acts (chapters 1-8). The focus was on being a witness for Christ, the very thing He mentioned to the disciples in His final words before the Ascension (1.8). This word “witnesses” becomes a focal point in the early declarations of church leaders, typically “we are witnesses of these things,” in chapters 2, 3, 5 and 10. In addition, the disciples show what it means to be a witness for Jesus through their actions, like in this, our focal passage, chapter 8.26-40.

In this passage we see the live of Philip, one of the Seven named in chapter 6.1-7, as a servant leader (deacon?) in the early church. We learn from his example that effective churches–and disciples–eagerly share the Good News of Jesus with everyone they can as they are led by the Holy Spirit.

Philip certainly did! After the subsequent persecution of believers following the death of Stephen, he headed to Samaria, a most-hated and scorned place and people, to share the Gospel with them. God’s Spirit brought tremendous revival to the city as a result of his ministry and proclamation. But even as the work there progressed, God had another assignment for Philip. This assignment required him to travel a long way, cross racial and cultural barriers and to release his success with many (the community of Samaria) for the need of one (the Ethiopian)…would we be so willing?

Note the three stages in his process of sharing the Good News. First, he was willing to go (vv. 26, 29). The Spirit came to him and told Philip to get up and go to the desert road in Gaza. What did Philip do? The Scripture very clearly says he got up and went (just that clearly!). When he got there, the Spirit pointed out to him the chariot he was to approach; Philip in turn RAN to the chariot. Now that’s an eager witness! Throughout the process Philip was Spirit-led and specifically-directed. He was zealous to share the good news with anyone God led to cross his path.

Second, he “stayed near” this man (v. 29b). This is the relational aspect of witnessing. He literally “attached” himself to this man and his entourage. Soon, he was invited into the chariot with this Ethiopian leader and there he had opportunity to “go deeper” and to understand better was he was experiencing. Philip listened to the man as he shared and asked pertinent questions to discover his issues and concerns. The man revealed his heart because Philip “stayed near.”

Third, he shared the Good News (v. 35). I love this verse! It says that Philip started exactly where the man was and told him the good news about Jesus. That’s the key to the process for you and me too. We need to rely on the Spirit’s direction, knew the Scripture and ultimately be willing to verbalize the Gospel message when given the chance. Someone’s eternity may depend upon it! Philip brought the man to a point of decision, a decision in which the man committed his life in becoming a follower of Christ. We need to be ready and willing to do that too.

Today there are billions of people in this world like the Ethiopian who need to know the truth. Some of these people intersect your life regularly. Again, like the Ethiopian, the Holy Spirit has prepared their hearts for a witness: someone who will testify to the Good News and its reality for them, too. Are we Christ-followers eager, like Philip was, to have the opportunity to share with them this life-changing truth?

The world is waiting. Perhaps YOUR world is waiting for you. Jesus said, “Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4.35).

How will you be involved in the Harvest?

(This is the final message in a series of ten characteristics of effective churches–and disciples–found in the first eight chapters of Acts. My message notes on the earlier ones are found on previous “Monday Morning Rewind” posts over the past three months, starting in July.)

Fridays are for Friends & Family 09.18.09

This has been one of the most intense weeks of training I’ve ever experienced! CRM has kept us busy all week learning how to assist others in achieving their God-given potential through the skills of coaching. There have been countless ways they have helped us learn this craft: through practice, presentation and activity, to name a few. In the midst of the week, they showed us this video…and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. It’s such a great example of what a coach needs to be. The setting? Portland (coach Maurice Cheeks) and Dallas (coach Don Nelson) are in the NBA playoffs in 2003. Before the game, 13 year-old Natalie Gilbert is preparing to sing the National Anthem…she actually won a contest to earn the right to sing at this event. With that in mind, watch the video and see the difference a “coach” can make.

What do you think is the worst thing you can do “to” a church planter? Paul Watson, who is one of the leaders of the CityTeam crew actively pursuing church planting movements in North America, has an idea about that. This week I came across his interesting post that I think those of us who are involved in the ministry of church planting might need to ponder. You can check it out here.

On the other side of the church equation from church plants is mega-churches. Yesterday, USA Today newspaper posted an article on the largest churches in America, drawn from the research of Outreach magazine and LifeWay. They noted that these super-sized churches are “evangelical, contemporary.” Check out that article and the largest churches in our country here.

In my “tribe” some of our best ministry has been through the impact of the International Mission Board. This agency has been led by Dr. Jerry Rankin for the past 17 years. The Baptist Standard, a denominational newspaper in Texas, reported yesterday that Rankin has announced his retirement. You can read about that here.

Finally this week, if you’re into the social media market, that this is for you! Mashable, which bills itself as the social media guide, has posted a guidebook to Twitter, the micro-blog tool that is quite the rage these days. You can get to that guidebook here. Whether you’re starting out or an old pro who tweets regularly, send me a DM sometime; I can be found at bcmddavid.

Cul-de-Sac or Intersection?

A few years ago when my brother bought his first house in the Richmond, Virginia area, his family located a property on a cul-de-sac that they wanted. At the time, it was quite in vogue for young families with growing children to desire a cul-de-sac home.

There are many reasons why. There is limited traffic on a road like this. Since it’s a dead end drive, rarely does anyone drive onto a cul-de-sac road that does not intend to go there. Limited traffic means limited noise, too. This inevitably is much more convenient for the neighbors who live on the street. In fact, it tends to improve the quality of life for those who live there. Safety is another contribution that living on a cul-de-sac makes to families that live there. Especially if children are growing up in the home, this is an important value that parents want. Cul-de-sac homes also grow in property value over time, since they afford all of these benefits and more.

Intersections are the mirror reverse in reality. Always busy with lots of traffic and its accompanying noise, intersections are dangerous places to live. They are never as safe. Instead of valuing property, they tend to value people. In fact, people by the thousands are always coming and going, never stopping and staying. They are on a journey somewhere, and the intersection affords them  opportunities to choose. More than that, it offers them a way to discover their destination.

Which is your church more like—a cul-de-sac or an intersection? It has occurred to me that too many churches in the world today are more like a cul-de-sac, seeking to play it safe in an all too dangerous world. It doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways to get off the cul-de-sac and intersect with people where they are. Consider the following:

Start a different kind of worship experience. A new worship opportunity will attract new people. This is especially true if the service is held on a different day  of the week or in a different part of the church facility. Different styles of music and preaching will also connect with a different crowd. Some churches may go so far as to use this strategy to start what is called a “church within a church.” This idea revolves around the concept of having a new and different congregation forming its own identity (and often leadership from the church staff) in a symbiotic relationship with the main congregation. This can be a daring move, since the new congregation may eventually outgrow the relationship and move on. But it’s a Kingdom move that puts reaching new people above anything else.

Add a multi-site campus. Another way of reaching new people is to go to a new place to begin a worship experience. Placing a worship opportunity in a location near the group of people you are trying to reach makes it easier for them to participate in your church. While this approach is usually more expensive than the first approach listed above, it has the potential to connect with many other people, too. Why? Because you’ve gone to them where they are, instead of expecting them to come to you. While multiple worship experiences as mentioned above will eventually reach a point of saturation on your church campus, multi-site campuses can be added over and over again.

Try a video venue. Another way of adding congregations with lower overhead than a church plant and more “sameness” than a multi-site campus is known as a video venue. This strategy can be done either on the campus of your church facilities or off campus at a new and different location. Either way the venues are intentionally developed to reach different groups of people by the way they “do” church. Music usually varies, the focus is on different age groups or lifestyles, and the atmosphere can be more or less formal. But in a video venue, the  message remains the same. While the speaker is seen live in one setting, he is seen on videotape or a video screen in the others. Surprisingly, this strategy has worked very well with younger adults and with large churches whose membership is scattered over many, many miles.

Plant a church. The ultimate method of living dangerouslyand intersecting with others is to plant a new church. This approach releases and empowers people to serve as local missionaries sent out from your church for the express purpose of finding new people and establishing a church just for them. It is a challenging undertaking, but one filled with excitement and adventure for the entire church. The advantage it has above all the others here is that it brings into being a second autonomous entity, which can in turn do what your congregation has done, and multiply itself. As such, it has global possibilities today, just as it did in the days of the apostles.

Don’t be a dead-end church. Be a church that lives where the people are, multiplies itself time and again, dares to be different and is dangerously on mission for Jesus Christ.

This post was previously published in my book, PlantLIFE: Principles and Practices in Church Planting. You can secure more information about the book or purchase it by going to the publisher site here or to Amazon.com here.

Monday Morning Rewind: Grounded in the Word

Yesterday we looked at the ninth characteristic of effective churches (and disciples): they are grounded in the Word of God. The early church certainly was, and there is no better example in the beginning chapters of Acts than the speech of Stephen before the Sanhedrin court (Acts 7.1-53).

We were introduced to Stephen last week, as one of The Seven chosen to assist the early church congregation, especially the Hellenistic widows, through service (Acts 6.1-7). Later in the chapter he is shown to take the lead among these seven in (1) the work of miraculous activity pointing people to God and (2) in teaching, as he debated the “synagogue of the Freedmen” and showed wisdom they could not rival. As a result they brought false charges against him, in an attempt to discredit him. These charges focused on blasphemy against Moses and against God (v. 11), by speaking against the “holy place” (Temple) and the law by claiming Jesus would destroy the Temple and change the customs handed down to them.

Stephen’s “defense” is found in chapter seven, where it reads more like a summary of 1,000 years of history or a summary of Scripture, rather than an defense for his actions. It is the longest speech in Acts, which should tell us something of its import and significance. In it, he focused on four periods in Old Testament history, the lives of Abraham, Joseph, Moses and David/Solomon, to make his case. In so doing, he points out that (1) God is a sovereign ruler, (2) He has always had a plan, (3) He is present leading His people wherever–Haran, Egypt, Jerusalem–they may be, and (4) His ultimate resolution to our need is Jesus.

Stephen used the Scriptures exclusively for his defense. Nothing else. As such, he reminds us that effective churches and disciples rely solely on God’s Word for truth and guidance.

What do we learn about the Bible from the way Stephen uses it? First, we learn that the Word of God is authoritative (vv. 2-3). For Stephen, history was not just a story; it was reality. When God spoke and commanded His people to act, it was based on the facts of His revelation. His command “settled” the issue for His people; they were to obey. This is because God’s Word is given primarily for our transformation, not our information. Thus, our heavenly Father’s revelation to us brings change to our lives…we cannot ever remain the same and follow Him. It requires our obedience.

Second, the Word of God is sufficient (vv. 38-39, 42). Stephen cites no other source, poet, philosopher, historian, etc., in order to make his case. The Bible alone (Sola Scriptura!) is all that’s needed to make his case. He says they are “living” words that affect lives. At least nine times in this speech he refers to the Scriptures, recognizing that we have been told all that we need to see how God has worked with His people down through the years. What has been written equates with life! As such, we can be content and secure in knowing that God’s complete revelation has been given to us; we don’t need other books, new visions, etc., to tell us something else from God. His Scripture (what we call the Bible) is complete and sufficient for all our needs, by itself.

Third, the Word of God is applicable (vv. 48-49). Stephen deduces from the history lesson he recites and the prophecy of Isaiah that his teaching about God’s presence is right: He’s not limited to a building made of stone! He has always been with His people, leading them and now indwelling them. He shows that the Scripture bests interprets itself. He demonstrates that the past touches the present, as the experiences of others before us should impact the way we live our lives. Stephen recognizes the practical nature of the Scripture and how it is relevant to all concerns. He helps us see that God’s Word has our every need in mind.

Finally, the Word points to Jesus (vv. 52-53). Stephen culminates his speech with the recognition that the coming of Christ was foretold years before. In fact, even Moses had prophesied Jesus would come (v. 17, from Deuteronomy 18:15). He reminded the Sanhedrin that the work of God through history led to Jesus, “the Righteous One,” whom they had rejected. Here, Stephen gets to the point that all of us must ultimately acknowledge: it’s not enough to know the facts (the Sanhedrin did that); you have to obey it in your own life. Stephen declared that Jesus is the only solution for our heart condition; we need Him–the living Word of God–to save us from our sins.

Electricians tell us that something is grounded when it is “securely bonded to the ground (i.e., that on which the stand) for safety reasons.” The early church knew the importance of God’s Word; they were grounded to it, because it was the foundation on which they stood. Their “safety” depended upon it. Ours does, too.

(The prior eight messages on characteristics of effective churches can be found posted here on my blog, by looking back over the Monday Morning Rewind posts of the past two months.)

Fridays are for Friends & Family on 9.11.09

Welcome to Friday everybody and with it the uniqueness of the day we commemorate. On September 11, 2001, two thousand eight hundred and nineteen people lost their lives in the tragedies of the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the farmlands of Pennsylvania. As a result, our nation was changed forever. Many of those who died were rescue workers, whose courage and determination remain an example of selfless sacrifice to those of us who remain.

One of our church planters at the time, Dave Cowan, traveled to New York in the first couple of weeks after the tragedy of 9/11 and recorded a moving tribute on film. He has since posted it on YouTube. Some of us have used it with our church; others find it a private opportunity to grieve for these innocent victims. You can watch it below.

We must never forget: “God is our refuge and strength, an EVER-PRESENT help in trouble” (Psalm 46.1).