I mentioned a couple of weeks ago a meeting of churches that are planting churches in the Atlanta area. We are not going to call this a network we are going to call it an Alliance, thanks to Bob Cargo of Perimeter Church for the clarification. 19 church pastors or staff members attended. Baptist, Presbyterian, Holiness, Vineyard, Christian, Non-Denoms, and Interdenoms. Some churches have been at it for a long time, some have just begun. Some churches give a lot of money, some give training and prayer. Some churches give people, some pray for your people. No one does it the same. But in general these are churches that are being successful at sending church planters all around the world and all around Atlanta. It was actually a pretty cool gathering to see and hear just a bit of everyone’s story.

The idea is that we pray for one another, encourage one another, and listen to one another. We do not seek to change what anyone else is doing, but applaud one another that we are engaged in the most important work in the world. By meeting together our intent is that we also learn from one another. Lots of questions that church planters always ask. Perhaps someone in the group has an answer.

The news outlets made a big deal this week of reports that the SBC didn’t baptize as many people as in the past and that membership has shrunk like all the other mainline denoms. The good news is that worship attendance is UP! Anyway, the idea of an alliance is that we can get it done when we work together. That’s cool when it really gets to be about the Kingdom and not us! Join the alliance, start a church!

I’m sure I’ve addressed this before, but…here goes again. As most of our church planters know and those that know WRC, Matt Willmington is leaving our staff to return to the promised land Thomas Road Baptist Church in Virginia. We will miss him here at WRC. He has shown much wisdom, even more biblical knowledge, and has been a great pastor to many.

We have decided not to replace the position but we have to make sure all the jobs are covered and for several weeks we have been just listing jobs, listing who was responsible in the past and who will be responsible for those jobs in the future. It has been a laborious and boring task. But it has really brought clarity to us.

That being said I now supervise some of the work of the church besides church planting. It is very different being responsible for the ministry of others. First I think that most church staffs go beyond the call of duty in time and in tasks. Secondly, if I am managing well, then I just listen to their hearts and help them accomplish their vision. The interesting for me being a successful manager means I help those above me accomplish a vision and I help those around me accomplish a vision.

Lots of meetings now. But I like the people I work with. I hope in the future they will say the same about me.

That’s a fancy title to say that a bunch of guys are getting together for lunch today to talk about church planting in Atlanta. Leadership Network is buying the fancy grub and Bob Cargo of Perimeter Church and I are privileged to be leading the proceedings.

Nineteen churches have signed up to show up. Some big players in church planting in Atlanta. There were a few invited that did not respond but we hope to snare them for the next meeting. We especially need African American churches like Peace Church in Decatur and Green Forest in Dekalb County to jump on board.

We are not asking for money or partnership. We are offering prayer, encouragement, and peer learning. If you might be interested in future meetings here’s the criteria. You have to be a church that is planting other churches, not the one you are currently planting, but are actively supporting another church plant in Atlanta and the surrounding community. If you’re interested give me a shout. jima@westridge.com

We hope this will grow into a major meeting of major players that will start a major movement to reach the most influential city in the Southeast!

Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.

Needless to say I am like almost everyone else, I hate tax day. I understand there is a need to fund the essentials: protection (military, police, fire, and emergency services), some administration of these services, and what else is essential? I am convinced that we really don’t need a congress. Let’s send them home and pay them to go back to Washington only in emergency. Imagine the savings 535 times $175,000.00. plus office staffs, plus buildings, plus committee staffs. Is it really necessary that we build a bridge to nowhere in Alaska? Is it really necessary that we fund museums and art projects? Is it really necessary that we fund academic “scientific” studies like the one that asked “why do people kiss” that concluded that “kissing is pleasurable.” DUH!

The greatest thing the government can do for me is tax me only for the necessary. Imagine if you did your church budget the way the government spent your tax money. Do you think the senator from Iowa is ready to investigate that spending the way he is pursuing non-profits and church ministries?

I guess I fit the Obama profile, a religious guy that is bitter over government waste. The truth is if the church had been doing their jobs all these years, providing social services, providing education, and providing for the widows and widowers we wouldn’t be in the shape we are in. Enough complaining.

I am thankful that I live in a country that allows me to rant. I live where I am free to disagree with elected leaders without fear of reprisal. I am thankful that no religious zealot of any kind can order my life and I am allowed to live as I understand the directive of the Holy Spirit in my life. In spite of taxes I am thankful.

Took a few days off. Lots to do upon returning. 1000 emails in spite of the new Blackberry. But it feels good to be back in the saddle and getting stuff done. Busy week with CP class coming up this Saturday. Meeting Thursday on behalf of Leadership Network meeting with other church planting churches in ATL. Exciting to see God working.

CP class Saturday is going to cover planning. Especially worship and equipment and events, and how do you do them well. Looking forward to hearing from the guys.

More tomorrow when I’m not so fried.

On his blog the other day Bob Roberts of Northwood Church in Keller, TX asked, “What does a church for men look like?” The responses were interesting, especially the ones from the women.

Here are a few responses Bob got, “sometimes I offend women in my speech,” (he goes on to explain that offended women will stay, unchallenged men will not); rocking music none of those sissy songs about loving Jesus; healthy competitive sports teams; poker (for money by the way and yes they say they are SBC, just don’t tell the Missouri Baptist); interior of church dark wood, leather furniture ( a nice place to sit and have a cigar he says although he doesn’t smoke, me neither unless someone has a good Cuban cigar available); no pastel colors; more music about taking up the cross and less about love songs to Jesus; a call to action; and one from a woman “challenge men to lead their homes.”

One guy even confessed to having a poodle. I must make that same confession. My daughter is allergic to dogs and supposedly poodles are non-allergenic. Surprisingly this little dog is the most athletic dog I’ve ever owned. But I’ll rejoin the man club now.

How about you? How are you attracting men to your church? What does your music say to men? What do the colors and sets say to men?  What about your sermons, how do they challenge men to be men? How do they challenge men to stand up and be counted? What kind of mission are you giving them? What about your advertising? What would attract men to your church by reading your next direct mail communication? What about sermon titles, series titles, event titles?

I believe Jesus was a man that hung around with a bunch of menly men. He wasn’t afraid to stand up for right, speak to hypocrites, and call it as he saw it. Oh for a 1000 more churches that would accept the challenge of calling men back to manhood!

Comments: How do You call men to be men?

I love the planning process. That’s probably one of the reasons I love church planting. It is a constant adjustment. Constantly trying to figure out what will work and what doesn’t. How do we word this document so that it will get the desired result. Constantly asking “who the audience is?”

Today I’ve spent some time with the WRC church planting intern. He has a meeting tomorrow with a potentially serious funding source. Before you ask, this is his contact and no I won’t give it out. We’ve been going over the wording of his presentation, reading, refining, redirecting. After spending some time reading the stuff Adam has written he received a copy of the guidelines this group wants in the presentation.

First Adam had done a pretty good job of anticipation of what the group wanted. He had to add very little to what he had already written. Second isn’t it easier to write something when you know what the expectations are! I hope they triple what he is praying for and expecting tomorrow.

Now here’s the lesson, there’s always a lesson. Everyone works better when they know what the expectations are. If I aim at the sky I’m gonna hit something, it may not be what I want to hit, but surely I’ll hit something. But when I aim at a specific target and hit that target I most often get the result I wanted not what others wanted for me. When working with volunteers or staff: Be clear about what you want. Don’t leave any gaps in their understanding, especially if this is a new project. Verify before publishing or approving the results, don’t be afraid to check people’s work. Don’t complain if you don’t do these things.

Do something unexpected this week that will reach a bunch of people for Jesus!

I got a new phone this week. I didn’t go for the iphone mostly because that is way too much technology for me. I don’t download a boat load of music and my eyesite is too bad to watch a video on a screen that small. So why waste the money?

I did get a Blackberry. Just enough technology to confuse me but not enough to make me give up. I am of that generation that generally loves the benefits of technology but hates to have to learn how to use it. Why can’t instructions be simpler? Why do I need a degree from the hated GT (just in case I haven’t said it recently GO Dawgs) to get some of these things to work? And now we are changing the phone system at the church. Way too much information, but it sure looks cool.

You know I have to make application. When planting a church follow the KISS principle. Keep It Simple Stupid. In the beginning you need to find the one, two, or at the most three things you can do as well or better than anyone and do them. Don’t get bogged down trying to do everything the 50 year old church down the street is doing. You likely don’t have the people or the resources to pull it all off.

If worship is your open door do it the very best you can and work to make it better each week and better than anyone around you. If small groups are your open door then do the same thing with small groups, do more and do them better than anyone.

We just completed the REVEAL survey from Willow Creek Church. A shout out to our children and youth ministries, the positive responses to these ministries as an outreach program and teaching program scored in the 20% above average range. If children’s programs are the thing, then do it better than anyone.

I think that’s biblical or something, “Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord.” Great wisdom in that.  

I was raised in one of those families where we didn’t go to the doctor much. First of all we didn’t have insurance when I was a kid so it had to be an emergency. Secondly we were told to tough it out. One time when I was playing I nearly cut my finger off. When I bent my finger the joint would pop through the skin. Anyway I was told to put a butterfly bandaid on it and quit crying. The scar is still there 45 years later.

This brings me to a personal issue. My sister was admitted to the hospital this week with an apparent heart issue. She is getting a pace maker put in today. What she had not revealed to anyone was that for over a year she has had a lump in her breast and was afraid to go to the doctor. She is likely in the advanced stages of cancer. ANGER!

Why does a normally intelligent person go into denial when it comes to health. I know that almost my entire family has the same issue. (I am one of nine children.) I hate to go to the doctor, but when I have an obvious issue I go to the doctor even if begrudgingly.

Folks, if you don’t take care of yourself then it is nobody’s fault but your own. I know I will not live my “normal” life because of life choices. Diabetes, heart, cancer, high blood pressure, drugs, alcohol, and thyroid problems all have been present in my family history. And still I love gravy on almost anything edible. In fact it makes most things edible.

Why can’t I break the cycle? This is a Roman’s 6 – 8 issue, the things I want to do (exercise, eat right, study, live a godly life) I find myself not doing, the things I don’t want to do (eating Varsity hotdogs, gravy by the boat load, krispy kremes, sitting and watching tv) I find myself doing. OH WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM! But I then use that as an excuse. Pray for me that I quit using excuses. Not that I will never eat another Varsity Hot Dog, but fewer and walk and exercise more. I ask for your prayers and encouragement. I need the accountability and the responsibility or my wife will be a widow or remarried for a long time.

Get Healthy!