Tag Archive - church planting

Leading Change in the Church

April 15, 2011 in church planting, missional, Sending Church with 7 Comments

I have recently (Nov.’10) transitioned from an Executive Pastor role in a large evangelical church in the southern portion of the United States. I am still on staff with the same church, but now I am in a new position or role, as Church Planter/Campus Pastor for the W. Europe work we hope to start. I have the unique position of having walked in a world that many disdain. That would be a large, suburban, church from the United States that seeks to have a global reach and impact.

The particular church I serve could be categorized by some as desiring to “franchise” their brand of church around the world. That statement would be inaccurate and can only be made by someone who is not familiar with our church and the leadership. Has the church I serve made mistakes in making disciples, training, contextualizing and planting? It would be naive to think we hadn’t. Will we make more mistakes along the way? Yes, if I am one of the leaders? I am not perfect, nor am I the smartest guy to be doing what I am doing. But, we will try strategies, techniques and options to accomplish what we believe God has called us toward. Without risks and failures there will not be successes. The kingdom of God is worth the risk (humanly speaking) and the trying of many strategies.

As one who now lives in a post-Christian and post-modern context I have become very aware that there are differences between people who live in the US and people in my new culture. Their are language differences, living differences, thought process are different. The values I was taught directly and indirectly are different in some ways. Out political systems differ from one another. Our currency is different and our ideologies diverge in major points (though the US maybe getting closer to where I live).

But, there are many similarities that exist today in this new context with the people I ministered to in the US. People are relationally deficit. People have deep hurts. People long for community, but do not know how to express it. People grasp at the big questions of life but ask in different ways. People love their kids, have struggles in marriages, have financial problems, long for more free time, desire a better life and another one hundred similarities exist between those I used to minister to and those I seek to walk with today.

Now, I will get to the point….to lead change one must present a compelling vision of what can be with words, pictures, models and practitioners.

People are not motivated for long periods of time by need. Need will alert people to a problem, but only consistent visionary communication (with all means available) will effect long-term change.

I need to lose weight, so I begin working out. Need alone though is not enough to keep me working out. I must have a consistent picture of people who have made it (weight loss) to sustain the needed life change.

Sounding the need to change will only go so far…there must be practitioners pointed to as successfully modeling the preferred vision.

I believe (maybe naively) many in the US and other parts of the world realize many things need to change with churches in the US. But, there are churches that are knocking the ball out of the park when it comes to reaching a lost, post-christian, post-modern and urban society. Someone please point to them or go plant and model what others need to be doing.

We need to have real pictures that can be seen for people to understand what types of changes can to take place. Let’s show some positive examples that US pastors/leaders can gravitate toward, learn from and model after. I am talking about people who are practicing and modeling this type of ministry presently.

People and churches need good models and visionary leaders who are practitioners. That’s why books are written and conferences sell out. Leading thinkers are needed to sound an alarm, but it is always those who are practicing that lead change. If no one is implementing what the thinkers are espousing then nothing is going to happen. The church is looking for and needs practitioners they can see and learn from today. I believe they are out there…who are they?

Whether it is liked or appreciated,  I believe that’s why pastors like Warren, Stanley, Young, Surratt, and many others are leading change in the US church. Their books are best-sellers, their conferences are overflowing and change is happening. Whether it is a change you like or appreciate is not the issue. They are practitioners who have presented a vision of what it could be like for the future. Many can and will argue whether their vision is a good one or the right one. But, that is for another day all-together.

I want to posit the way to lead change is to have church-based practitioners pointed toward as examples for others to model after in leading change. Pictures must be presented for others to follow. Consistently pointing out short comings will not further the cause for very long. People will only grow cynical to the voices and turn away.

So I ask…Who are the practitioners (churches) that are modeling what ministry in a post-Christian, post-modern and urban context can look like?

Language Smanguage

January 11, 2011 in church planting, missional, Sending Church with 3 Comments

Hi, Hello, Hey Y’all, What up, Check it out.

I have trouble speaking English correctly. Sure, I can speak and get my point across in English but there are times it is less than pleasing to the ears of grammarians.

I started French classes this week and I am way over my head humanly speaking. As someone who has trouble speaking in their “native tongue” and now trying to learn a “foreign tongue” seems a little odd I’m sure. But, it is very important for me to be able to communicate on a basic level with the people I am trying to live among. After all, shouldn’t we learn the language of the culture we live in so we can effectively communicate who we are and what we are about in life. Even in the United States where I could speak the same “heart language” there were different dialects, slang and cultural cues I needed to learn to effectively communicate myself to others.

Please remember our family as we learn new sounds, words and phrases that will surely help us communicate more effectively what we are about and who we are.

Au revoir! (That’s good-bye in French for all my southern friends)

A New Day

December 8, 2010 in Belgium, church planting, missional, Sending Church with 8 Comments

Wow! I got on a plane in the United States and a few hours later I stepped into a whole new world.

We arrived in Western Europe exhausted after missing several flights and our luggage was somewhere we knew not of. We left with 20 something bags and arrived with 5. Thank God our luggage arrived yesterday and everything was intact. Our family is learning a new culture and a new way of accomplishing daily tasks. What seemed easy in the US is now more challenging due to language obstacles, no vehicles, little sleep and very cold weather.

But, God is incredible to bring us to a place we have prayed for and about for several years. He called us to follow Him and we have. He is the destination, not the country in which we now reside. This new country is just the avenue He is using to conform us into His image. He will use a new language, new customs, new people and cold weather as some of the things to teach us what it means to die to ourselves  daily.

In the process He will draw new people to Himself, build for Himself a people who will love Him deeply and reach others for His glory.

Right now though, it is cold, gray outside, I am walking way more than I thought I could and I am asking God for the gift of tongues interpretation.

Interview with Michael Carpenter of Matthew’s Table (pt.1)

August 11, 2010 in church planting, missional, Sending Church with 1 Comment

I would like to introduce you to Michael Carpenter, the pastor, of Matthew’s Table. The church he pastors is radically different than the other churches in Lebanon, TN., but I will let him explain what that difference looks like in reality. Michael is a leading thinker and practitioner in the area of missional engagement  of the church in its local context and the church today can learn much from what Matthew’s Table is experiencing.

How did you begin Matthew’s Table?

We began dreaming about Matthew’s Table about two years before we ever moved to TN. If one reads through the Gospels, they will find that Jesus spent a lot of time not only teaching, healing, casting out demons etc, but also simply sharing a meal with a group of people. Furthermore, many of his teachings occurred in the context of being gathered around a table. So, what we find in the stories of the Gospels, is how the lordship of Christ is not only revealed in his working or miracles or his casting out of demons, but his Lordship is also revealed in ordinary, everyday places. Nowhere else in the gospels is this more obvious than in how Jesus ate and drank and with whom he did so (ex: Matt 9:9-10).

But to answer your question, Matthew’s Table began very simply with a backyard bar-b-que with friends, neighbors, and relatives. On a June day in 2008, we cast a vision for a church community that is seeking to be a people who live Jesus centered, missional lives. The outcome being a transformational shift in perspective (faith), purpose (hope), and passion (love) evidenced in how we relate to enemies and friends, neighbors and strangers, our families and the world. Many gathered that summer day made the decision to join God’s mission through Matthew’s Table in Lebanon and the world.

What does a typical gathering of Matthew’s Table look like?

Food. Eating together is a central part to our gathering. Meals are a reminder of our common need for God and his faithful provision. The command Jesus gives in regards to worship is to remember him and his sacrifice for us through a meal. When we eat together, we commune around this truth. In doing this, we demonstrate the Gospel to each other week after week. So every time we gather together as a church community we eat and drink in remembrance of Christ – looking back to the cross and forward to his return.

Learning. For us, the Bible is the primary authority that shapes us for how we live as a community in the world. We believe that the story the Bible tells informs every aspect of our lives. Our reading of the text and preaching from the narrative each Sunday is a reflection of this value. Also, we take a very dialogical approach to preaching and teaching. So one can expect a lot of questions, answers, and questioning of answers. This kind of inquiry and reflection requires a patient, intentional process on our part.

Kids everywhere. We have a designated “kid’s korner” but children are included in every aspect of our gathering. Sometimes we have to pause until a baby stops crying or a another tattles on someone for not letting her use a crayon – typical family stuff – but Jesus did say “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” So maybe we have something to learn from them as well. Besides, children are not only God’s gift to parents, but also the church. In other words, we all take a vested interest in each other’s children.

How did you decide on Lebanon, TN for Matthew’s Table?

The short version is that we were given my Grandmother’s house to live in after she passed away in ’08. I grew up in Lebanon, but never thought I would come back here in order to plant our church. Up until the offer on the house came about, we had been praying and seeking to go to a city in the Northeast. However, Lebanon seemed like where God wanted to send us.

In Lebanon there are a lot of churches and most are doing a great job of reaching and serving the people they are reaching and serving. But there are also some pretty big gaps. Even with all the churches, only about 25-30% of the population is showing up to church on any given Sunday.  Furthermore, Wilson County is the fastest growing county in the state with a lot of young families who like the proximity to Nashville, the great school system, and the small town feel of Lebanon.

Which One Are You?

August 4, 2010 in church planting, missional, Sending Church with 6 Comments

What is your preference for the type of church you or your family attends or would attend if they meet with a church gathering?

More Traditional

More Non-Traditional

More Organic/Missional/Incarnational

Remember, all of these are preference based. So, you are not better, more spiritual or more righteous because you prefer one over the other.

Weigh in and let me know.

God’s Call to Belgium

March 23, 2010 in Belgium, Family, LifePoint Church, Sending Church with 1 Comment

Check out the new article on the Upstream Collective blog. LifePoint is seeking to be a part of a new movement in church planting and missional living and we are thankful for groups like Upstream who are helping us to follow God’s call as individuals and as a church.

Plant in The City

March 20, 2010 in Belgium, LifePoint Church, Mission, Sending Church with 0 Comments

LifePoint Church is sending out ten leaders (10) on a discovery trip to Belgium. They will search out the movement of the Holy Spirit and look for where He is leading the church to plant in the city. The team of leaders will meet with other leaders from organizations who are active in the country to learn from their experiences and  encourage one another. The leaders will also seek out how best to fulfill the calling that God has placed on the church and theses families to see a reproducing sending church birthed in Brussels that will reach new followers for Christ, train leaders to multiply their efforts and send out leadership to plant again.

Please pray for our team as we travel and listen.