Bootcamp Lessons (Pt. 2)

Jesus was strategic (Israelites, not Gentiles), so was Paul (Jew first, Gentile second). We have to be as church leaders. Our understanding of strategy and planning is better than every before . . . it is the American way of doing church (and mostly good). But it bothers me sometimes. At Bootcamp, David Crosby shared the following with me.

"Christianity began as a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

When it went to Athens, it became a philosophy.

When it went to Rome, it became an organization.

When it went to Europe, it became a culture.

When it came to America, it became a business."

Too much truth in these statements I think. May we ponder where to say no to such a focus on effeciency.

Featured on newchurches.com

Bootcamp Lessons (Pt 1)

The Multi-site revolution is now a part of our church planter bootcamp (www.church-coaching.com). At our recent bootcamp, we invited some of the New Thing leaders to share on multi-site and their reproduction DNA (Troy McMahon and Brian Zehr). As a result, one of the teams was a multi-site team that received strong encouragement, one planter wants to first spend a few months at Community Christian Church, another planter is considering going multi-site with his old church (40 miles from the new plant), and one of the observers at the bootcamp - David Crosby, an Assembly of God leader - is seriously looking at going multi-site in his 4.5 year old church. It turned out to be a helpful part of bootcamp to include this component - it helps everyone to put the DNA of multi-site in their early vision.

Featured on newchurches.com

Church Planter Bootcamp

Church Coaching Solutions just finished our fall bootcamp for church planters. I led the bootcamp with my friend Todd Wilson. We put on the bootcamp for Stadia planters . . . and now other groups are also joining us regularly, including the Nazarenes and the new (conservative) Anglican Communion Network. It was a really good event - according to the feedback forms eveyone filled in on the last day. We had top speakers - Ed Stetzer, Vince Antonucci, Todd Wilson, Bart Stone, etc.,. We added a multi-site component to this bootcamp - Troy McMahon and Brian Zehr from New Thing and Christian Community Church did a great job. The highlight of the week was Wednesday night - when about 30 people came over to my house. We divided the men and the women into two groups and talked about how leaders have to be tough in the midst of spiritual warfare. We ended with a good prayer time. In the next week I will add a few posts on what we learned in this bootcamp.

Featured on newchurches.com