Reflections

Multi-Site Exposed

Monday and Tuesday my wife, Jill, and I attended the Multi-Site Exposed conference held at Seacoast Community Church in Charleston, SC. I really enjoyed learning from some of the pioneers of this strategy. I particularly was encouraged to hear that Seacoast has started 13 multi-site locations and has started 65 new churches in the last 6 years. Whoa.

I'll be posting some of the take-aways. Today, it's about leadership. This is a consistent message in everything I hear and read about multi-site: The single greatest correlating factor in a successful site comes back to the Campus Pastor. Here is what Seacoast staff have leaned about the characteristics of a successful Campus Pastor...

5 Behaviors of Successful Campus Pastor

• Enthusiastic visionary leadership, inspires others to own the ministry, and someone who can carry the church DNA
• Great team builder who spends time with people 
• Self-starter, resourceful, and has a managerial work ethic 
• Genuine care for people 
• Good communicator (shares about 5 times per year live). Must be able to sell the vision. 

5 Behaviors That Will Sink the Ship

• Unavailable to people or other staff
• Non-delegator 
• Inflexibility 
• Laziness 
• Lack of passion

Obviously, to have started 13 multi-site locations and 65 new churches in 6 years, Seacoast is doing something very intentional about developing these kinds of leaders. They shared what they do in the session they called "The Leadership Pipeline". That will be the next entry... 

And for those interested, the presenters suggested that the main difference between a Campus Pastor and a Church Planter came down to their gifting and desires in the area of teaching. While Campus Pastors need to be very good communicators, the church planter's need to be gifted (to lead an attractional style church.) 

I would suggest it also comes down to two other things. First, are they passionate about teaching weekly? (Which often comes hand in hand with gift.) A campus pastor may simply prefer to take the 20 hours of sermon prep time and pour that into people and ministry development. Another reason seems to me to be the leader's level of desire to either stick with the ministry style/ brand of the sending church or to branch out with a different ministry strategy, approaches, theological emphasis', etc. A new ministry model will likely mean a new church. Either way, more churches get started, and more people are being reached. 

 

The Dream Builders Network

About six months ago I became friends with Kennan Burch. It began with a lunch at Smokey Bones where we found ourselves on similar paths in life. Both of us were raised in the church. Both of us had years of ministry and marketplace experience. Both had recently moved out of our secure market-place positions (me because I got moved out--him because he made the "leap"!) Both of us with dreams, passions, and uncertainties about the future.

Over lunch I was moved by Kennan's story and life. He clearly had freshly encountered God and His grace--something that before age 40 he claimed, understood, talked about, and even preached about. But, as God often does, He had more to show Kennan just how deep and wide His grace really is.

Built upon this deepened encounter, Kennan began meeting with a number of other men for simple purpose of encouraging each other to dream with God. The big idea is that God has prepared dreams for us in advance. Dreams that He wants us to do through us.

The 20 guys that make up "DB 1", (Dream Builders 1 Group) as they like to call it, began identifying their dreams and shared monthly in the highs and lows of seeing those dreams come to fruition. As I read the 3 pages of "Let there be..." statements (a catchy way of reflecting on God's creativity as seen in Genesis), I was moved to see men discovering the God-given purpose and work that He had in mind for them. I instantly connected with the dream of Dream Builder's. I share it.

For the past few years, a consistent question that I have had rolling around in my head is, "Why aren't more people bringing their talents, passions, and creativity to bear to advance the ball of God's Kingdom in this world?" I have a few ideas. But at least one of them is, I think people need to be encouraged to dream and given an occasion to step out in faith to see God show up. Dream Builders accomplished both.

On September 9th, Kennan is stepping out. After 3 years and lots of prayer and counsel, Kennan is launching the Dream Builder's Men's Network. I've seen "behind the curtain" at some of what has been involved in leading up to this point. Just today, Kennan told me of the many trials, difficulties, and challenges he's faced. But, he also shared that he expected nothing less--since this dream has such great potential for releasing the God-given dreams in the hearts of men around the world. I'll be there September 9th at 7p in the Amway Arena (downtown Orlando)...Dreaming with fellow dreamers about the possibilities and impossibilities God wants to do.

Some Churches and Ministries I Follow

Over the years I've had the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people around the world who somewhere along the line decided to step out in faith in hopes of making a difference in lives of people and in this world.

I've just added a sidebar item entitled: "Some Churches and Ministries I Follow". I could follow the story any number of churches and ministries. And I do. I check in with a bunch of them from time to time. But, the ministries I've listed are more personal to me. I have had the privilege to see them or the leaders up close and personal and in many cases I have developed a relationship with the leadership team.

So, this link is for you. And it is for ME. It's a convenience that let's me go to one place and just "click and go." Enjoy.

"Inflection Point"--Part 1

Last week I participated in a Trinity Forum event which was moderated by Dr. Bill Edgar, Professor of Apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary, and Dr. Luder Whitlock, the Executive Director of Trinity Forum.

The Forum's topic was "The Entrepreneur's of Life: Faith and the Venture of Purposeful Living". Our group discussed various passages from a study-book by the same title that compiled various readings as selected by Os Guinness.

This was a very timely and welcome experience for me. As I mentioned to my fellow Forum participants, "I am at an inflection point in my journey with Christ." Much more than "Job Hunting Continues" as my September post reads, in reality my search is far deeper. It is rather an exploration for the practical outworking of God's call upon my life.

I didn't go looking for another transition at this stage of my life. But, the marketplace realities hit home where I worked and it was time for me to move on. So, like many, I find myself asking "What next?" "Where next?" "What job should I look for?" "What should I do???"

International Justice Mission

"Effectively helping the poor is no longer a matter of compassion; it is a matter of justice." --Bono (of U2)

Last night I was able to attend a vision dinner for International Justice Mission (IJM), a human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression. Their story has been all over the news: 20/20, Dateline NBC, and even Oprah to name a few.

The President and Founder, Gary Haugen, was a former prosecutor for the US Department of Justice. Ten years ago he left that to begin IJM.

These folks are the real deal. Basically, working with the existing justice systems of various countries, they are the advocate for victims of horrendous violence; they track down the perpetrators and bring these bad guys to justice. I've attended all three vision dinners here in Orlando. Each time I was moved by the plight of the oppressed in our world. I also got fired up to see that someone is making a difference! Someone is courageously stepping into the gap and standing up against evil.

Evil. That is a strong word. But, what else do you call someone who moves to Cambodia with the goal of making little girls into indentured sex slaves for prostitution? (Some are as young as 5 years old.) They showed pictures of some of the perpetrators. I felt sick to my stomach as I looked at them--knowing what they had done. But I was also comforted to know that they had been brought to justice through the work of IJM.

Gary has written two books, "The Good News About Injustice", and "Terrify No More". Check them out to get a greater understanding of the scope of this problem throughout the world, and IJM's response to it.

When confronted with needs of this magnitude (i.e. experts believe there are 1,000,000 under-aged girls who are currently forced into sex-slavery); each of us must ask ourselves, "What can I do?" I know I can't run off to these parts of the world and expect to do much besides getting myself into a boatload of trouble. But, that is what IJM is for. They are experts: lawyers, law enforcement officials, prosecutors...So for me, I am looking for ways to support IJM.

I know that IJM staff members would first ask us to pray. They are involved in dangerous work and are at the forefront of the fight against evil. They need God to fight on their behalf. Also, they need funding to carry out this work around the world. My wife and I hope to give as we are able. I also want to get more educated (I have obtained a copy of Gary's book.) Check out their website to find out additional things we can do--they have a very helpful link to explore ways to get involved.

The painting featured above is how my daughter decided to express her compassion and concern. Last year she heard the story of the Invisible Children of Uganda. Around the same time, she was also inspired by our pastor, Isaac Hunter, who taught that "Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice." The result? Her painting: "Peace".