tis a day for thanks, or the day before a day for thanks, so i’ll do mine today.

anyway, thanks to friends that remain true and loyal. thanks to family that loves me in spite of me, thanks to God for provision, protection, possessions, and position (job, but i needed a P).

shame we are only thankful one day a year. seems like our blessed lives, especially in America, deserves more. Thanks, may tomorrow be full of love and laughter, food and fun, faith and faithfulness.

jim

last week i was invited to a meeting of denominational leaders and churches that are exploring planting churches. i appreciated the invite and it was good to meet the folks from about 5 different states.

but, i am reminded again how unusual WRC is when it comes to church planting. only 15% of churches in America actually have anything to do with church planting. and truthfully there is a lot of overlap in that so the percentage is probably less. for instance we encourage the church planters from WRC to develop partnerships with other churches. there is no way we could go this alone.

here is a couple of my takeaways from last week:

1. you can’t go it alone. the church in America (and the world) needs to multiply, not add. WRC is partnering financially with 15 churches this year in America. we are at our limit. if we gave those church planters a living wage we couldn’t make it. we would plant one church each year instead of partnering with 15.

2. church plants and church planters do not need 1,000,000 bucks. in fact several studies indicate that there is a tipping point at which the church planter/plant has too much money. too much money takes away dependence on God and any amount of faith. don’t get me wrong i don’t want anyone to go hungry but i also believe there is a little motivation in wondering how God is going to provide for one’s needs.

3. every church can provide something. i know a church of about 200/250 0ut west that has planted something like 40 churches, some that approach 1000 in attendance, but the pastor has a heart to see churches planted and a heart to stay small to pastor a people. if you think you cannot provide total funding (we can’t and don’t) partner with some of the brothers out there and work together.

4. it’s about evangelism. to be totally honest i believe a pastor is lying when he says he is “all about evangelism” and he is not planting churches. if you’re about evangelism, then why aren’t you doing the most effective thing to evangelize people. i am proud that some of the most successful church plants of WRC have been right here in our backyard. some are small, some are large but they all are reaching people that WRC might not reach. we think it is time to go multi-site. we will do it in our community first. but i hope we don’t forget there are some people in our county that won’t attend WRC and that we continue to partner with a church planter or two that will do something different to reach the people of Paulding County. 100% saturation that is what I pray for.

5. it is about raising up leaders. a church planter does not have to have a seminary degree. i don’t downplay education, but you can get a lot of what i got from seminary on line. i want someone with a passion for reaching people and a leader of men. he can learn the theological stuff. i sometimes complain that this generation of church planters are weak in theology but if they have a passion for people, i’ll help them answer some of those theological questions when they arise.

6. while raising up leaders, we need to raise up indigenous leaders. home boys is what we need. i truly believe that most (rick warren being one exception) church planters will do best in a culture much like what they grew up in. you don’t have to travel across country to be a good pastor or church planter. in fact you may be more effective in your home state than in a far away land. i applied for years to be a missionary in Europe, in Montana, in Chicago, in Baltimore…you know where i finally got a missionary appointment – Dallas, Georgia. 2o miles from where i grew up. i don’t know, others will have to be the judge, but i feel God planted me and appointed me in the right place. this is especially true in “pioneer” areas.

7. people with leadership gifts still need training. church planters should always be learning about best practices. no one has all the answers. training to LAUNCH, coaching to the NEXT LEVEL, mentoring for PERSONAL HEALTH, consultation to MAKE THE RIGHT MOVES. the wives of church planters need to be included.

8. it works best in teams. i will never forget my first associational pastors meeting. one, at 37 i was 20 years younger than the next guy there. two, these pastors accepted me in but  hey didn’t have a clue as to what i was doing and why i was doing it. three, i think there was an assumption that i was planting a church because i couldn’t get a “regular church” to call me. i was a very lonely guy. at that time i had no coach, no mentor, and my sponsoring church was supportive but unsure of what to do with me. don’t go it alone.

9. church planting is best done locally. WRC has sent out church planters to 14 states now. i encourage everyone of the church planters to find a network of other church planters, even find a mentor/coach in their area that will help take them to the next level. i know Atlanta (the burbs anyway) about as well as anyone. i know the culture of different communities, i can give you populations and figures, but i don’t know Orlando or Charleston (our latest church plants away from the ATL). those guys need to learn from some locals. i can offer them the basics. someone from those cities needs to take them further.

10. if you ain’t praying, you ain’t gonna make it. i had a conversation recently i won’t reveal any names. the church planter says to me “i’m pretty sure i can get 400 at launch without trying too hard, so we’re praying for 200. we only want the ones God will send us.” now me here’s the way i would pray that prayer, “God i know i can’t get 400 in my own power, but would you show up and give us 800.” i don’t want less than what i can do, i want God to do more. He is able.

lessons learned. hope you get ‘em.

yesterday was quite an experience at West Ridge Church. Brian spoke about money. in fact he is doing a 3 week series called “FEARLESS” all about trusting God with our (His) money.

Brian was bold yesterday and talked about the tithe, giving regularly, starting with the first fruits, etc.  made people a little tense. i thought the lady in front of me was going to walk out. could see anger in her face. i had never seen the family before, i assume they were guest.

at the end of the sermon, Brian showed two large buckets filled with money. he challenged anyone with money (the folding kind, no change) to give. THEN, he invited anyone with need to come to the bucket, put both hands in and grab whatever you can, no questions asked. can i just say WOW!

here is a smattering of stories:

and btw: the angry family got lots of money, returned to their seats crying.

my wife saw a lady at WalMart later buying groceries, she told the clerk she had just gotten the money at church to buy groceries.

one African American gentleman, sitting with a pile of money on his lap, just weeping. i prayed with him afterward. he had not been to church in years. happened to pick WRC this weekend to begin his journey back. he told me, “i’ve been under hard times lately.” when i left 45 minutes after the service he was still sitting there crying.

one lady, who was about to lose her house, needed $700.00, she walked away able to pay the mortgage.

in one service the buckets ran out of money. families went to the front and started writing checks and handing them out with no names attached, just an amount to bless others. below is one of those stories.

here’s an email the pastors got this morning: “I want to thank the gentleman that walked up to me during the second service and gave me the money after it had run short. I am so sorry I didn’t thank you then. Even among my West Ridge family, I wanted to get out of line so badly. Standing up there visible to all was so terribly difficult. I remained, however, for my family. I will honor your sacrifice by ensuring that it is wisely used. When I have a job again, I vow that I will once again help other people as I did before losing my job. I will help with the same heart that led you to help me. I will never forget how this layoff has impacted me personally and my family. The lesson will not be lost. God bless you for helping my West Ridge brother.”

some comments: “i’ve never seen anything like that in church” “that was amazing” “that was truly the church this morning”

on top of that WRC helped CAYA hand out over 800 turkeys on Saturday. a men’s group did not attend church Sunday morning handing out 200 turkeys and trimmings to families.

imagine what would happen in the church if we gave like that everyday. would we need all this government stuff we complain about. let the church be the church, let the people rejoice and your taxes would go down.

thank you God for daily bread, and a church that get’s it!

as of today at 5 p.m. i’m out of here for a week. will post upon my return.

sharing at a meeting next week out of town. looking forward to it. doing nothing upon my return until i’m back in church on the 22nd. looking forward to it.

need the rest.

pastor Brian challenged the staff todaywith some bhag’s that will rock the world of northwest Atlanta. I can’t wait until he shares them with the church. just thought i’d get you to thinking.

second thing, had lunch today with a  couple of guys that are going to lead their journey group to do some really cool things in the next year. they will impact church planting for someone. discussion tonite toward their direction. i’m praying that God will give them clear direction and then provide for their BIG dreams.

pray for Revolution Church. pastor search process is in progress. i met with them last nite and i am encouraged by how well things are going. great discussion, great input, spiritual challenge. God is alive and well in Canton and Revolution is still leading the way. great job, Tim, Preston, Thad, and Chad.

gonna be on vacation next week, sorta, get to speak at a conference in New Orleans, then return home for a couple of days off.

if you attend WRC and you miss the next 3 weeks you are gonna slap yourself in the future over missing these weeks. FEARLESS, a spiritual challenge concerning finances. here is something i heard one time, wonder if its still true: “if every Christian in America were to have to go on welfare and foodstamps but tithed off of that welfare income the budget of the church would more than quadruple!” makes you think doesn’t it.

just think of all the church does: worship, discipleship, life care, benevolence, missions – foreign and domestic, community makeover, students, children, building, crisis intervention, counseling, relationships, deliver good news: salvation in Jesus Christ. Folks, that is bang for the buck. don’t miss it.

my intention for today was to conduct a mini-probe of a local county to consider WRC options for multi-site. but the weather here is really lousy and i didn’t want to be out driving. so i’m doing the next best thing. i’m doing some map work.

map work: creating circles around potential sites. interpreting demographic data, mapping industry, new growth, churches in the area. i love this stuff. don’t know why. i have no background in it except having picked up an interest when i was working with the GBC. i love looking at communities and interpreting culture from the numbers and from a drive through, meeting people in the community, talking to community leaders and then helping a church planter or church make decisions related to growth/multi-site, etc.

seeking to discover what Rick Warren made famous as Saddleback Sam, i love discovering Paulding Paul and Paula, Hiram Hal and Helen, or Dallas Dan and Danielle. in my next life i may study this stuff in college (just in case i know this is my only life).

anyway, today, doing what i love. hope someone finds it useful.

Dr. Bryant Wright, Wright from the Heart Ministries, Pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church wrote an article for the Christian Index. The Christian Index is the state newspaper run by the Georgia Baptist Convention. He wrote a great article on the funding of the Cooperative Program. The Cooperative Program is the combined mission efforts of all Southern Baptist Churches. It is what ultimately makes a Baptist Church a Southern Baptist Church. Because in THEORY we are all autonomous churches giving as God leads, going as God leads, reaching, teaching, and preaching as God leads.

I grew up in an SBC church. Have always belonged to an SBC church even when I worked in another denomination I maintained a relationship with an SBC church. Why? Two things, theology and practice. I believe that most of what the original framers of the Baptist Faith and Message framed as a theological structure for cooperation is correct. Secondly, practice. I believe it is wise to have a comprehensive mission program and not have every program having special offerings every Sunday. How wise would it be if we ran our churches like that?

But, I believe strongly that more money ought to go to the International Mission field. It is ridiculous that, according to Dr. Wright, that only 16% of dollars given reach the foreign field. I believe that the North American Mission Board ought to focus on church planting and quit hiring evangelists to run church planting programs and strategies.

Evangelism is a local church initiative. I believe in personal evangelism. I am trained in EE, CWT, 4 Spiritual Laws, Becoming a Contagious Christian, and almost every other personal evangelism program in the last 40 years. But I was trained in the local church. I don’t need a national initiative to tell me to witness. I need a heart and passion for the lost.

Because I have a heart and passion for the lost I focus on church planting. Why?. Because EVERYONE who knows church growth, knows that Church Planting IS the most effective evangelism there is. Not revivals, although they are fine. Not crusades, although I am not against them. Not EE, CWT or the next personal evangelism course. But church planting. Why?

Glad you asked. I think that church planting is a great evangelism tool because people get excited when they see God at work in building something new. When new converts are made disciples, not just won to Christ and forgotten. When new disciples become new leaders. Those people seeing God at work are like the Samaritan woman who after encountering Jesus went to her tribe and said, “come and see.”

As a lifelong SBC member I encourage change in the SBC. Give more to IMB, Focus NAMB’s efforts on Church Planting. Let the local church lead in evangelism and community transformation. Send, Go. Serve. Then I believe that more church planters would give to the CP instead of run away from mandates from on high.

it’s been one of those weeks that a pastor never wants. i got to speak at Crossview on Sunday. the congregation laughed at the right places, and didn’t throw stones so i guess it was okay. Danny Echols has done such a good job of leading those people. i joked that “I taught Danny everything he knows about church planting.” to which someone shouted “Well you did a good job.” in reality anything Danny learned from me was probably by accident. he was going to be successful with me or without me. glad i had a little part in his success.

today i am participating in the second funeral of the week. helped Brian with the first one. i am conducting the second. i also visited a family at the hospital that will likely lose a baby in the very near future. what a heartbreak for this young girl. to go to term and not know there were any problems but to have to sign paperwork to give permission to allow the child to pass. she is now in contact with our Early Flight ministry, a group of ladies that have similar experiences. it is good to have someone walk with you through heart ache.

hate the circumstances we find people in often, but so glad i get to walk through life with people. makes life so much more interesting than sitting at home watching tv or reading a newspaper.

just heard on the radio that the new Pelosi sponsored “public health care bill” creates 111 NEW government agencies. that is 111 new directors, assistant directors, state field reps, staffs, secretaries, etc. etc. each of these agencies will now be applying for your tax dollars each year. here’s an agency that we cannot live without, “The Office of No Child Left Un-immunized.”

i try to stay pretty neutral on political issues because i know that there are folks in our churches that are passionate about both sides of any issue. and if there aren’t then shame on you. i don’t want a republican church or a democratic church. i don’t want a pastor telling me how to vote. i want to be part of a church where the people pray, seek wise counsel, and vote their conscience. that is what a republic is supposed to be about.

i am a fundamentalist at heart. believe the bible from cover to cover. (may disagree with the commonly held version of the creation story oops!, but I believe God did it but not through commonly held beliefs about evolution either {it was Martians }. be glad to discuss my wild ideas with you. stimulating conversation.) but i digress. politics is about personal conviction as much as faith in God.

anyway, where’d i start, oh yeah – public health care. i think it’s a bad idea. 1. don’t want someone else making decisions about my care. 2. i don’t think the country can afford the bill, and 3. the government has a LOUSY record of running the programs they do run. private agencies have consistently shown the ability to do with half the money the same programs that government does. when the government puts my social security money in a true trust fund and quits running off of it then i might trust them.

but that’s not the point either. the government runs somewhat like a lot of churches. the pastor is afraid to say no to the people and so there are dozens, yea maybe 100’s of programs that keep people busy but may not be leading to life change, or numerical growth. to me, if you can’t meet those two critiria the church should not be doing them. we have a governmental mentality that the government ought to meet all my needs. not so. the church ought to meet all your needs: if people gave the way they should (perhaps they can’t give because of excess tax) then we could cover health care for our community through the church, we could afford feeding and clothing the needy, we could afford schooling without private school prices and allow everyone a premium education. i could go on-and-on. but the bottom line is i want to be director of the Office of No Child Left Un-immunized.” sounds like a great job.