Church Planting – Reach a Higher Altitude

The Details

Not all church planters trip over details - most are too busy keeping the energies flowing, which in turn, keep the churches moving forward.  But somewhere "out there" church planters must address two critical issues:

#1:  What does a disciple look like in my church?  And, #2:  What does a missionary look like in my church?  These are looming questions immediately beyond the worship experience and the fellowship in small groups.

Don't overlook the details - define and create them!  It just might save your church!

Balancing Christ

Doctors will tell you that three things help a person maintain balance:  the inner ear, feet on the ground and clear vision.  Change to one of these will affect one's ability to stay balanced.  About five years ago I discovered my balance was being affected.  I went to the "balance doctor" and the diagnosis was that my inner ear is almost non-functional, but I had learned to adapt because I still have my feet and vision.  Good News:  I can ride any thing at Disney World, Six Flags, etc and not puke; go on a cruise and laugh at sea sickness; and never take Dramamine for flights on puddle jumpers.  Bad News:  I can't water ski, scuba dive, climb a ladder, or fly a plane in a cloud because my feet aren't on the ground and my vision would be distorted so much I would not be able to distinguish up from down.  I already possess an AARP membership card and wear bifocals, so I don't need to be falling up or down! 

What enables a Christ follower to maintain balance as a disciple?  I know I am balancing with Christ when conscious efforts are made in several areas:  growing - changing - learning - serving.  These are always in process and when any one area stops, I lose my balance.  Questions to consider:  How am I growing?  What is changing about my character?  From whom am I learning?  Am I serving God or gods? 

One Important Moment . . .

How many times did the team practice "the handoff?"  Probably more times than Taco Bell serves burritos!  This is a heart-crushing moment for the USA in Olympic history.  But, I think we will survive . . . we will run again . . .we will have another chance in a few years.

Last March I spoke to a group of directors of missions, state denominational leaders, and church staff members.  I was new at LifeWay as the Church Planting Specialist and the group wanted an idea of direction, vision, purpose - all those things that make will make church planting possible in an organization.  The presentation had several points, but my last thought to the group was, "My purpose as a Christ follower is to pass the baton.  I don't know if the next generation will accept it - but it is my responsibility to put it securely into their hands. I am concerned what the baton looks like and whether the next generation wants it."

Looking again at the one important moment in the relay race reminds me how critical church planting is, my role in it, and especially what the baton is.  Will my generation drop the baton?  We must keep practicing for the handoff . . .

OPEN RANGE

I love westerns - especially those with real heroes who always know on which hill to die. My favorite western: Open Range. A story of two cowboys, both "had been ridden and put up wet," but they were committed to the same thing. Robert Duvall's values were symbolized in friends, cigars, chocolate, and comfort paper Kevin Costner was more reluctant to be so expressive, but his "tea set" gift to the heroine gave the viewer hope in his redeemable qualities. But one thing guided them both: free grazing only because it was right. It was freedom. It was life. They fought for it and were willing to die for it.

Church planters resemble Duvall and Costner:  pioneers, mavericks and risk-takers - guided by what is right - or are you? What are your symbols? What do they mean? Where did they come from? They let others know your grit to commit. More specifically, several open range questions must be addressed by all cowboy wannabes and church planers: What will you live for? What will you die for? Do you know when to choose between the outcomes?