Yesterday, KingsWay said Sayonara to the Grange. It has been our house of worship for the past several months. It has also been the object of many questions like “What is that strange smell?.” While it served it’s purpose, we are glad to say goodbye. Sayonara, Grange.
I mean, really, what was that smell?
Maineville, here we come!
Jesus often talked to large crowds… when he did that, he generally did it from a boat. Ever wonder why? So people could hear him! Sound travels better over water. Genius. Jesus always utlized the best “technology” of the day.
I don’t own a boat, but I do own a phone. And so do many other people. And so on Monday, I’m making 30,000 phone calls. Actually, Tellstart is. It’s a phone company that will make calls to people, announcing our church’s presence in Maineville and will ask them if they want to be contributors to what God might do in our community through KingsWay. I’m pumped about this!
In August, we’ll unleash another 50,000 calls asking people to attend our Launch!!! All for the purpose of creating more disciples of Jesus– who Worship God, Grow in their faith and in relationship to each other and are Sent into the world to love and serve.
Utlizing every possbile means to create disciples!
I have a Core Conviction: Leaders are learners.
How do you keep learning and growing?
If you don’t keep learning, you will fall woefully behind in whatever trade/skill/career you devote your life to. The world changes too quickly for your diploma you hung on the wall 5 years ago to mean ANYTHING!Zig Ziglar says “The well educated person of today is adequately prepared for a future that no longer exists. It’s only those who keep learning that will be able to survive and thrive in the changing world of today.” I think this is what has happed in most churches. Pastors/teachers/leaders wake up one morning and figure out it’s not the 70’s/80’s/90’s anymore. Most seminaries need to figure this out, too.
So how do you keep growing?
I’ve got a university on wheels, thanks to the folk at apple who invented the ipod/itunes and podcasts (“radio” programs that you download). Wherever I go in my car, I’m listening to something that will help me grow as a leader. Nelson Searcy, Pastor in NYC says something like “if you’re hands are busy, but your mind is free, redeem that time for learning.” My 15 minute/30 minute/ 60 minute commutes are redeemed.
How do you keep growing?
Here are some samples of my podcast playlist
General Podcasts on my ipod:
Focus on the Family
Just Thinking, Ravi Zecharias
Leadership Podcasts
Catalyst Conference
National New Church Conference
Maximum Impact
Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast
Church Leader Insights
Churches/Pastors on my list:
Mosaic, Erwin McManus
National Community Church, Mark Batterson
NewSpring, Perry Noble
North Point, Andy Stanley
I don’t listen to these every day, but whenever I’m in car, I click on one of these and get better at what I do.
How do you keep growing?
We’ve been working on a new logo as a part of the overall re-launch/re-everything phase we are going through right now. I’ll (re)veal it VERY soon.
We just finished week two in “Just Walk Across the Room.” We talked about living in 3d: Develop Friendships. Discover Stories. Discern Next Steps.While talking about “develop friendships,” I said something that might be controversial. I talked about how we might not want to develop friendships because we are maxed out relationally. We don’t have time for additional friends. Anyone relate? I barely feel like I have time for the friends I do have.
Here’s the controversial part: I have no exact biblical text to back up what I said (exept for macro-models that Jesus gave us)– so I can admit to being wrong about it. I said something like “If you don’t have time for developing frienships with the unconvinced, then you need to free up some friendship capacity in your life and dump some of your christian friends.”
I didn’t say you could “never again” spend time with your Christian friends, but if you don’t have time to develop friendships with the unconvinced because you are spending all your time with the already convinced, then that is WRONG!
What do you think?
Men. Show me what you’ve got. Join the KingsWay Tourney Pick ‘em league and fill in your bracket.No Women Allowed!!! (unless you know your stuff)
Good Luck!
(Group ID:97804. Password: Michigan)
Vision Leaks.
That’s what Pastors Andy Stanly and Bill Hybels say. Add me to that list. Vision, indeed, leaks.
Imagine a bucket. You fill the bucket full of vision. Within hours, days or weeks, the natural propensity is for vision to be forgotten about-it “leaks” out of their lives.
It’s just the reality of vision.
I recently asked our leadership team if the three word vision statement created by the re-launch team, “Worship. Grow. Send.”, meant anything to them. “Do you know what it means? Does it inspire enthusiasm? Does it get your blood pumping? Does it get you fired up?”
“Nope”
It’s my fault.
Vision leaks.
It’s a failure on my part, as a pastor, communicator, and leader-a failure to keep the vision at the forefront of everything…communicated constantly-a failure to keep the vision understood and passionately pursued-a failure to constantly fill the vision bucket and keep it full.
No longer. That vision bucket will stay full from now on. Working on ways to communicate the vision creatively, freshly, and constantly from the first time guest who walks in to KW to long time attenders.
Heading out to the “Simple and Essential Church” seminar this morning…
One of my core convictions is that growing churches are lead by growing leaders.
Love the chance to sit and soak….learning a bunch
Just got done with a conference call from Church in a Box. http://www.churchinaboxsolutions.com/
Sound system…Nursery stuff…great smelling coffee…children’s ministry stuff… all organized neatly in 6 boxes inside a trailer. Being portable can’t get easier than this!
Anyone want to ride up to Michigan with Aaron and I to hitch it up and drive it home? April 3.
Found this great website of John MacArthur’s “Study Sessions.” Can’t believe it’s free!
Great for bible study leaders (and pastors) to get a good grasp of a passage in a reasonable amount of time.
