Saying no: laziness or leadership?
To say “no” the leadership way, you must have your priorities clear. Then, you have the authority with yourself to say “no” to others.
Think Like a Pioneer
As a church planter, I am always thinking about ways to grow a fledgling young congregation. My team is always trying something new, looking for a different outreach idea or discipleship process. Is it because our current stuff is no good? No, in fact it’s the best we can get it (and we think it’s pretty good!).
The point is that as church planters we are pioneers. We have to be. We have to constantly be on the move, creating, tinkering, changing, adjusting. If we don’t, we fail. If we don’t, this church won’t make it.
In fact, I would say that no matter where you are in your ministry, if you stop pioneering, your church won’t make it either.
Every church should be a pioneer church. We should never stop looking for new ways to reach people, new methods to communicate the truth of Jesus Christ, new tools to disciple those we reach. So even if your church has been around for a hundred years, start thinking like a pioneering church planter.
Imagine you are pioneering a church plant in your city. You need to be effective in evangelism and discipleship to make it – to survive. What would you do differently than you are currently doing?
Whatever the answer is, go do that.
Standing in a Garage
A church is the people, not the building.
Going “there” isn’t it.
Being a part is.
Preparation is the Key to Spiritual Effectiveness
This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.– Mark 9:29
Here the disciples were questioning Jesus as to why they themselves did not have the power to cast out the demon.
They lacked the spiritual power because they lacked the spiritual preparation.
Before trying to tackle any task of major spiritual significance, spiritually prepare through prayer and fasting.
To Teach or Not To Teach
And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. – Mark 6:34
Throughout the Bible, the first reaction that Jesus had to the lost was to teach them.
This is not often our first reaction today.
Today’s church wisdom says that we should first build a relationship before teaching them. Or maybe we should entertain them for a bit and see how they like us. Or let’s not mention Jesus at all so they can see we are just normal people. Then, we’ll share the Good News in time….of course!
The compassion that Jesus had for the lost, and what He understood about their lostness, drove Him to teach them the Truth. Instantly. Immediately.
Let us be committed to finding new, creative ways….to teach.