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Church Planting Resources that Drive me Crazy

I know this is probably going to upset a few people (Mostly non-church planters), so let me say sorry right up front. But I find that many of the guys writing books about church planting have much to say about demographics, sociological issues, trends, and what's hot, but many lack one key ingredient: they've never planted a church. So when we started CCML, I read all of these books about how to plant and healthy church. Then I realized this was all theory. Surveys can help to a degree (If they are done in your area), cultural changes are very important for every pastor to aware of, and trends can give us an perspective we never thought of. But I want to learn from people who have done and are still doing it. We are not a purpose driven church in the traditional sense (No baseball diamond or 101, 201, or 301 classes), but I highly recommend Rick Warren's book to every guy who's going to start a church. Why? Because it gives us the opportunity to learn from someone who is doing it. That's why "7 Practices" was such a powerful book for me. It wasn't Andy's theories about church. It was the cold, hard, facts about what they are doing and how God is working in their church. Do we take everything they say and implement it? Of course not! In fact, with the 2 books I mentioned, while both of them agree on many points, Andy And Rick have 2 totally different views on how to plant a church. Simply: Andy's focus is keeping things simple with 1 target for everyone which is getting people into groups. Rick's desire is to have a ministry for everyone, so no one can ever say, "Saddleback didn't have anything that could meet my needs." Both are seeking to accomplish the same goal, but going about it in 2 totally different ways. But you have to decide what God is calling YOU to do. I think that's why I liked Ed Young & Andy Stanley's "Can We Do that?" book so much. They both would give completely opposing views on things like marketing, ministries, and teaching style. It forced every reader to think and be 'Fully convinced in his own mind." I like books like that. But I just don't find a book full of facts and figures very helpful because it's not experience that's drawling the conclusions as to what will work. It's the gathering, sorting, and interpretation of data from churches of all denominations and styles from all over the country. I've just found that those books don't really help me very much. So if you're planning to plant a church, save your pennies and buy the best books. What are they? I will post a list of my favorites soon...

Reading is FUNdamental

One of the ways I train my staff is through giving them books to read. In nearly every staff meeting we have, the fist hour is spent either watching a DVD or discussing a book we are reading together. I know this is nothing new, but I decided to mix it up recently. I gave my staff totally different books to read and we are discussing the various books together. I've found that is a more beneficial way to train for a couple of reasons:

#1 - More Conversation - If we're reading the same book, there's only so many insights a single chapter can yield. As we discuss a chapter in a book only 1 of us is reading, it gives us plenty of opportunity to strike up conversation and ask questions about what someone else is reading.

#2 - More Focused Training - Different staff members have different strengths and different ministries to oversee. So I have tried to supply them with books that will shore up weaker areas but also strengthen them in their core ministry areas.

#3 - Individuality is Respected - My staff has responded better to the "personalized" books I have given them than when I bought everyone the same book. I believe they feel it shows what I see in them and that I am thinking of their development.

So what are they reading? Here's what we've been reading and discussing recently:

The Likeability Factor by Tim Sanders
First Impressions by Mark Waltz
Refining Your Style by Dave Stone
How to Think Like Leonardo Di Vinci by Michael Gelb
Developing the Leaders Around You by John Maxwell
Simply Strategic Volunteers by Tim Stevens & Tony Morgan
7 Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley & Reggie Joiner
Seizing Your Divine Moment by Erwin McManus
The Emerging Church by Dan Kimball

Planters Nuts?

I think church planters are the oddest bunch of people on the planet. Since I am one, I feel I can speak freely on the subject. One reason is because we see every building as a potential church. I once sat and talked to my wife about how easy it would to turn a Pizza Hut into a church. I hadn't decided if the salad bar would need to be removed, but I could have worked with it. I originally wanted to start our church in a Kung-Fu studio. I thought it would be awesome. "HIIII! Welcome to Calvary Chapel!" I wasn't going to be called Pastor. I would be referred to as "Sensei." The children's ministry could be called the "Cobra Kai." It would have been glorious. Peter Cetera could have been the worship leader. I could have taught the book of "Daniel-son."...Anyway, the point is that church planters have this ability to see potential in places where others don't. That's probably why God calls us to go start churches. But I've seen a lot of weird places get turned into church facilities. I've seen your standard issue schools, hotel ballrooms, libraries, movie theaters, funeral homes, warehouses, and other church facilities. I have a friend starting a church in the basement of a community center (Yes, Freddy Kreuger is planning on attending the service). But the oddest I have ever seen was a bowling alley converted into a church. So mad props to the bowling alley church! That's just genius. If you know of a stranger location, please let me know. I'd like to know what my options are...

A Special Weekend

This Sunday was special because it marked 12 years that my wife and I gave our lives to Jesus. Carey and I were just dating at the time and we visited Boston to see my dad and brother. My brother modeled a life that had been changed by God and as we inquired about Jesus and eternal life, my brother Billy shared the Gospel with us and we prayed for Jesus to forgive at the very moment. I had heard the Gospel a bunch of times before, but for Carey it was the very first time she had heard that Jesus died for her. So anyway, I was teaching at church and I couldn't help but get choked up when I saw all of the lives that are being touched because my brother decided to really live the Christian life. He's one of the finest men I know and I'm honored to be his little brother...

My First Memorial Day

Today is the first day I am really celebrating Memorial Day. I've always gotten the day off, but I've never been so thankful to all of the men and women who have given their lives for our great country as I was yesterday. My friend Joey was in Iraq serving his country and he came home yesterday! I saw him and hugged and couldn't let go. Tears filled my eyes as I told him how happy I was to see him and how proud I was of him. I don't think a day went by that I didn't pray for him and think of him while he was there. I know today is a day that we celebrate those who have died for their service to their country, but I'm so glad I'm getting to celebrate the living!

Can the Canned Jokes

Charles Spurgeon once wrote...There's a story that's told about Napoleon...Two frogs were talking one day... - Let's get real: Most people don't read Spurgeon. I don't. I read one Spurgeon book in Bible College, 'Lectures to My Students." To this day, it's probably one of my favorite books of all time. Probably because of the story he tells about a student that he wouldn't let into his Pastors' school because his tongue was too long! I wonder if he went on to play bass for Kiss? But we don't read Spurgeon's writings. Let's be honest, we read Bible Illustrator. Sorry, the secret is out. It's true, we weren't alive to hear the speech Oliver Cromwell gave 200 years ago. We got it from Bible Illustrator or a quote book. Why we tell adults stories about animals that have conversations is absurd! I look back at old messages that I have given and why no one told me that the story about the 2 birds talking about flying south for the winter was dumb must be pure grace. People want to hear about our life. They want to hear that you go through the same stuff they do. This is the stuff that begins to connect the message for them. If they believe you live in another world, they disengage. But if you tell a story about being in the grocery store, they will say, "He goes to the grocery store too? Maybe what he has to say is relevant to me." If you want to quote someone, quote someone they've heard of like an actor, musician, or athlete. Most of the time what you want to say is the same, it will just have a greater impact than quoting some person who died 500 years ago. That reminds me of this story about 3 ducks...

2 out of 3 ain't bad!

Yes that's right, I just quoted Meatloaf! I never thought I'd ever use that sentence. But my weekend prediction was right. The Red Sox took 2 out of 3 from the Yankees in the Bronx (That's gotta sting)! But I feel great since the Red Sox out hit the Yankees 43 to 14 over the last 2 games. That's brutal! The Sox have proved why they are the World Champions ( I love how that sounds)!

Get to the Point!

I'm a huge fan of the 1-point message that Andy Stanley has made famous. It has totally changed the way that I communicate. I believe that I am a better teacher because of it. I came from the traditional homiletical style that I learned in Bible College. So when we started our church 4 1/2 years ago, I would walk up to the pulpit (I used one back then), and take out my notes that were in formal Roman numeral style and alliterate my points and sub-points. I have talked with many communicators about this and I was converted to the style of teaching 1 point for several reasons:

#1 - No one talks in alliteration - When was the last time you recounted a trip using 3 "P" letter words? We went to #1 - The Park/ #2 - The Pizza Place/ #3 - The Plane. Instead, be conversational in your communicating. The best communicators are people who you feel are just talking to you, instead of explaining their grocery list.

#2 - People don't remember much - It's Sunday evening and everything I taught this morning is already slipping away...and I wrote the message! Imagine the person who was trying to stay awake listening to me! I believe people will remember more about 1 point explained thoroughly, than tidbits about 3 points.

#3 - Wasted Time - You've got 40 minutes to teach life-changing truth. But we are stacking the cards against us if we are going to have 5 points that we need to introduce and transition from. Especially if the alliterated word doesn't totally fit (You're like me, admit it - You will make an "R" letter word fit if you need to), you have to explain how it makes total sense in light of the subject.

#4 - Bottom line the message - Sting once said that a song isn't really a song if you can't play it with just an acoustic guitar. I believe the same principle applies to communicating. Can I boil down the message to 1 phrase that adequately describes the text and subject matter I am teaching? People will not remember your whole message. They'll remember the story about your dog and the 1 line that you keep repeating over and over (i.e. "I have a dream" - Dr. King)

#5 - A.C.E. the acronyms (Acronyms Confuse Everyone) - What the obsession with acronyms is, I will never know. I have drawn a line in the sand that I hate them. They fall in the same category as canned preacher jokes (That's another blog in itself). Most of the time we have a word for 4 out of 5 letters, but we cram the last one in and end up spending the most time on that one because we had to explain how it really does make sense.

So there you have it. A 5-point post about how you should have a 1-point message. Very logical...

Name that Movie!

I've decided that each week I am going to pull from my arsenal of useless pop culture information and create some trivia for each of us to enjoy. So I will be posting a quote from a movie (Usually a cult classic 80's film) and our job will be to guess the name of the movie. If you are really daring give us the name of the character who said the line. So here's the first one (It's not easy):

"I've been going to this high school for seven and a half years. I'm no dummy."

Have fun...

The Names have been changed to Protect the Innocent

Our church is building out an 18,000 square foot facility 3 miles from our current location. It takes us outside of Miami Lakes which is where we started, so we want to change the name of our church so we aren't Calvary Chapel Miami Lakes, but in different city. Due to the size of cities in South Florida, we prefer a name that isn't tied to a location. We want to keep "Calvary", but I'd love some input as to what we should rename our church. So fire away...