One of the things that has really helped us is our willingness to listen to feedback.

We ask for feedback every single week - and we evaluate every thought that we receive.  We don’t have this thing all figured out - so to receive insight from others has been huge for us! 

Everyone on our team has a desire to be most effective! That can’t happen on our own.  We have to be willing to learn.  If we are not - then we need to get out of the way for those who are!  Embrace feedback and embrace those who are willing to give it!

I get the huge privilege of talking to church planters all the time.   I talk to guys who are doing a great job, guys who will do a great job, and guys who could go either way.  With that in mind…

One statement that I hear all the time is that “it’s easier to deliver a baby than it is to raise the dead”.  You definitely can’t argue against that thought; however, it doesn’t mean that delivering a baby is easy.   I don’t know, but I am assuming (based on how much it cost) that delivering a baby is a little complicated. 

The same is true of planting a church.  You have to do your homework, spend massive amounts of time with God, and learn from people who are ahead of you.   If you don’t - regardless of how “innovative”, “contemporary”, or “biblical” you think you are, your church planting journey will probably be a short one. 

For anyone out there looking to plant a church, but you still haven’t decided on a city….

Email me.  I have some great leads on some “undiscovered” territory with a TON of potential!

Much fun today!

Met with Jeff Murphy, a church planter, and had a great time.  He has, by far, the most unique name for a church I have ever heard!  I can’t wait until he announces what it is!  He will do a great job!

After the meeting, my bumper fell off.  Literally.  I must have been too close to the curb because when I backed up, I heard a strange noise.  I got out of the car and sure enough - my bumper was just hanging there.  Apparantly, my car is weird because it just snapped back in place and was perfectly fine!

Then, I headed off to meet Todd and Blake for an interview with the newspaper.  Everything went great!  I am looking forward to seeing how the hour long interview looks on paper!  Thanks Amanda and Rachel!

We took 13 people to Oak Leaf this morning at 6AM to help out and allow our set-up team to get a feel for what life will be like once January rolls around…

We had a great time! Everyone did a great job and I am excited that we all had the opportunity to help out.

They had a great service today! Check Michael’s blog for all the details! Cartersville had a great thing happen when Oak Leaf came to town! Thanks guys for letting us hang out!

One question we get asked alot is how we are able to recruit staff in our situation. Basically, how can you recruit staff members with no money? Good question. Here’s our story.

Freedom Church has 5 staff members. 3 full time. 2 part time (I use that term very loosely).

Our full time staff members are responsible for raising our own financial support for the first couple years. This is done through relationships with people and/or other churches/organizations. This is HARD! You definitely learn what it means to be God-dependant. Our part time staff members work full time jobs and are still able to give quite a bit of time to Freedom Church. These people are an invaluable resource!

We have been very blessed with an INCREDIBLE staff. For our entire team - it is not about money. It’s not a “good job opportunity”. It is about a calling from God and the opportunity to be a part of something that is bigger than us!

It is difficult! To say that it’s not would be a lie. That being said - it is more than worth it!

One of the challenges that exist in my world is to come out from under the shelter. Not once, but continuously.

Connecting with people involves going to them, not just expecting them to come to us. To intentionally engage real live people - in real live situations - sounds simple, but I am not sure how often it is getting done.

Let’s develop an expectation of engagement. Engaging people who are not like us.

There’s a lot of debate about how people “do” church, etc. I don’t have time to argue with random people, but I do have time to throw out my thoughts.

I believe that the Bible can and will change the lives of people. As a result, I am willing to do whatever it takes to enable as many people as possible to hear that life changing message.

This is why we are creative, innovative, or whatever other word you want to use.

Because the good news of Jesus Christ is so important - anything less than going all out to make sure people hear it - is irreverance.

I was asked a question the other day about whether I had gotten to the place where I was comfortable as a church planter. I thought about it for a minute, and realized that the answer is NO.

Here is the logic behind my answer.

I am learning to be comfortable IN Christ. I am who He says that I am. Period. That’s a very good thing because God speaks very highly of His kids!

I am comforted BY Christ. No matter what’s up - God’s there to walk us through.

I am UNcomfortable FOR Christ. I never want to be comfortable. I always want to be pressing forward, risking everything, and moving far beyond my comfort level for the cause of Christ.

Not sure if that’s the answer they were looking for…but that’s the answer they got.

Quotatious

“The work we do is a reflection of who we are. If we’re sloppy at it, it’s because we’re sloppy inside. If we’re late at it, it’s because we’re late inside. If we’re bored by it, it’s because we’re bored inside, with ourselves, not with the work. The most menial work can be a piece of art when done by an artist. So the job here is not outside of ourselves, but inside of ourselves. How we do our work becomes a mirror of how we are inside.”

The E-Myth Revisited