glocalnet t-lounge

Connecting

Church planters...hello...hello...anyone there? Lesson number one in gathering people? Answer your  stinkin' phone! I can't tell you how often (probably 75-80% of the time) when I call a church planter I get a voice mail. Wanna know why you struggle to gather people. This is a strong clue. Guys...you must be reachable. People don't want to talk to your voice mail...they want to connect with a human. You need to connect with as many people as possible. There is absolutely no reason why you can't at least forward your calls to even a volunteer who can answer the church phone number. Think this through. Anyone have any thoughts on this issue?

Church Planter Internship Cohort

We are still looking for about 3-4 more guys/couples who are interested in joining us for 9 intensive months of training beginning in September. It's still not too late to joing the cohort that is forming. We already have 8 awesome guys and their wives who are in the new cohort. If you are personally interested or you may be a leader who would like to send someone here for us to train and you send them out...contact Lance:  [email protected].

Frank Page and the SBC Firestorm

Hey guys...how do you feel about the election of Frank Page? The media credits the young blood bloggers with his installation. Agree/disagree? Really don't think it matters? Post your thoughts.

Community Development Begins With Worship

Community Developers look for ways to help people get together and work to better their circumstances and others. When Joshua and Zerubbabel and their colleagues surveyed the situation at Jerusalem, they began their community redevelopment efforts by calling the people together for worship (Ezra 3:2-11) Many of these leaders were priest, and to a priest the first priority in a plan to renew community life was to reestablish worship and rebuild a worship center. Therefore, even before the city walls were rebuilt, an altar was set up and temple construction was begun. The leaders realized that worship celebrations help to mobilize a community while giving glory to God. This challenges us to place a priority on seeking the Lord and worshipping him as we launch projects aimed at community development.

Church Growth Strategy called "Externally Focused"

The church in the West is waking up from her slumber and coming to terms with the fact that evangelism and social action are for more closely related to each other, both conceptually and in real life. In March of this year I attended a gathering of churches that are serious about this issue. We are all involve in social action, community development and wanting to become better at it. It was incredible to see  and hear what God was doing all over the place. Here is my concern “Is this movement of Externally Focused Churches just another church growth strategy”? How I can grow my church by serving? Or is it birth out of  biblical revelation that without moving beyong our four walls and serving others we are missing the essence of what the church is.  The question is "why do I want to be externally focused? Proverbs 16:2 says "All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.”

I recently came across an article about philanthropy in America and in that article Mr Gregorian of the Carnegie Foundation wrote “Why they give is not important, the act of giving is what matters” referring to those who were giving away large sums of money to help the poor, it sounds correct, but is it really? Mr. Gregorian was saying that motives are not important. Let me refute that comment by quoting 1 Corinthians 13:3 “If I give all I possess to the poor….but have not love, I gain nothing” What is God saying to the externally focused church. Make sure you have the right  motives, but how can we know if we have the right motives?

Engaging the Domains of Society

In 1996, we began to expand beyond traditional approaches of outreach by thinking in terms of how a convergence of our vocations and ministry might enable us to impact the world both locally and globally. As we combined our gifts and abilities with our passion to engage the world, we began to witness a transformation. We saw that through our vocations, we could have a significant impact on the domains of society. These domains represent the gates to any city or culture. It is within these gates that our laypeople work daily, exercising specific expertise. Here they not only serve and minister; here they find true purpose and meaning.

Summer Slump or Heating Up?

Okay Leaders and Planters...what are your plans to not only avoid the "summer slump"...but to actually emerge from the summer with momentum. Share your ideas...what has worked in the past? What are your churches doing on the fun and reaching out front this summer?