Jesus was the ultimate Church planter. He gathered a core group of followers, navigated the nuances of leadership and effectively started a movement of the Gospel that continues to thrive today. While He didn't plant a "church" per say, He did plant THE Church by planting the Kingdom into the hearts and lives of people.
Throughout Scripture the marriage relationship is used as a picture of God's relationship with His people. The bride and groom imagery highlights not only the covenantal love of God for His people but also their position within that relationship as the beneficiaries of His redemptive pursuit.
In 1973, John Darley and Daniel Batson, two Princeton University psychologists, conducted a social experiment inspired by the biblical story of The Good Samaritan. This New Testament story is a familiar one - a lone traveler has been beaten and left for dead by robbers on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho.
Several months ago a newborn baby girl entered our lives and changed us forever. She was born the victim of heinous abuse, the defenseless recipient of an agregious crime. On what would have normally been just another Wednesday night, we now sat at the kitchen table signing papers with child protective services...
Here's a few things I've learned of myself, of Jesus, of the Gospel and of the call to care for the oppressed, marginalized and orphaned children in this world. It's a scratch on the surface of the depths of what there is to know, but I'm grateful that in His mercy God grows us as He sends us - and He sustains us along the way as we pursue His mission.
Last night as I rocked our baby girl to sleep, the reality of our future with her hit me. The fact that she may not live with us forever has always been true, but as I looked around her room last night - her crib, her dresser, her folded pile of pj's and blankets on the nightstand...
I knew I loved my wife within 30 minutes after meeting her. True story. After walking her to class on our college campus and wrapping up our first conversation ever with one another, I knew she would be my wife. It was only a matter of time.
Many think, "If I preach it, they will come". Yes, some will come, but some will leave as well. There is in inherent offensive to the Gospel, in particular its implications for life, mission, ministry, values and sacrifice. Many will be attracted by the freshness and purity of the message of Jesus, and many will be detracted by the implications of what it means to truly follow Him.
Inherent in all church plants, and church planters, are certain liabilities that will actively work against their vision and ultimate success. Perhaps it’s personality issues, a lack of gifting in certain areas, organizational ineptness or more seriously, chronic sin issues.
Defining clear vision is essential in church planting. In most cases planters are starting something from nothing. You may not have people, money, a name for your church or a clue what you are doing, but you do have vision. The most basic, fundamental resource you have at your disposal is vision. Upon it everything is formed.
The older I get the more I learn to knock on wood when I say the word NEVER. Like, "I will never have TV screens in my car for my kids" or "I will never pay someone to mow my yard". Both, at this stage of life, have become essentials...
