Below is a list of thirteen ways a church benefits by starting another church. The list is taken from Spin-off Churches: How One Church Successfully Plants Another by Harrison, Cheyney and Overstreet ********** Sponsoring keeps the church fresh and alive to its mission and vision and challenges the church’s faith. Sponsoring reminds the church of the challenge to pray for the lost. Sponsoring enables the church to welcome other people into the kingdom that it would not otherwise have assimilated. Sponsoring creates a climate open to birthing a variety of need-meeting groups within the sending church. Sponsoring provides evangelistic vitality and activity. Sponsoring encourages the discovery and development of new and latent leaders. Sponsoring encourages coaching, mentoring, and apprenticeship in ministry while providing a renewed understanding of how we are all part of a team effort. Sponsoring provides an occasion for church members to get to know missionaries personally. Sponsoring builds on the past and insures the future. Sponsoring…
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When we planted our church in San Diego in 2005 (yay LifePoint!), we intentionally started in a redeveloping community. Two years later we were privileged to assist in our own small way a new church plant in the heart of downtown San Diego (Citywalk Christian Church). Over the years I've become convinced we need to purposefully target urban areas, here in the United States and around the world. There was a time in American history when a majority of the population lived in rural areas. That is no longer the case. In fact, nearly 17% of the United States population lives in one of five metropolitan areas: New York, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. These same five cities are dramatically under-churched. And they are not alone. You could add to that list Denver, Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, and Peoria (I had to give a shout-out to…
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Tomorrow I have the privilege of preaching at LifeChurch in Aurora, CO, a church plant that began in 2008. Todd Sinclair, the lead pastor, and I share common threads in our background: we both lived and worked in San Diego at the same time, though we didn't know each other back then. Having planted a church myself (yay LifePoint!), I am honored to be speaking at another church plant. Simply put, I love church plants and church planters. I love the sense of mission that hangs in the air. I get energized watching the spiritually disconnected get connected. I enjoy the questions a searching soul asks. There is something special watching a person "get it." Starting new churches is the single most effective way to reach those who are spiritually adrift. Having lived it, I honestly believe that's true. We need more men and women who will help start new…
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How do you determine whether or not a person has leadership potential? It's simple ... watch what they do when they don't have to do anything. Last night at church we cancelled our children's program and adult classes due to a fierce snow storm that dropped on us. Within the span of about thirty minutes the street in front of our church building was snowed over and cars were spinning out trying to climb the hill. As I'm inside answering questions, three guys went out and began pushing cars. Even more amazing, one hadn't been at church but came when he noticed the snow storm. When I finally could, I went out and joined them. For the better part of almost 90 minutes, these three guys directed traffic, coached drivers, and crawled under cars. It was a sight to see! When we ask, "What does a leader do?" we're assuming…
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