thursday may 25 2023

Often church leaders have been encouraged by some well-meaning mentor in the past to practice spiritual disciplines that may be a poor fit for their personality. For instance, while journaling is a wonderful tool for spiritual growth, asking someone who thrives on movement and creativity to spend significant time sitting and writing is unlikely to produce positive results, even if you provide colored pencils. On the other hand, this person may enjoy body prayer or liturgical dance—practices that might frustrate someone who prefers structure or needs to spend significant amounts of time in silent meditation. Unfortunately, many people believe that prayer means being seated with hands folded and head bowed—and must always involve words.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. —Acts 16:25

wednesday may 23 2023

Does it make a difference if we learn to appreciate one another within our congregations across theological and cultural differences? Today it is essential, not a luxury. I’ve come to deeply appreciate any practice that puts some space between our quick reactivity and our actions. A few decades ago, such practices were demeaned as self-absorbed navel-gazing. Quite the contrary, such practices are essential to break the imprisonment caused by naming anyone different from ourselves as “enemy.” We must examine such attitudes and break their power over us in the name of Jesus’ calling to compassion

[Jesus said] Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. —Luke 6:36

sunday may 21 2023

Church planting is hard work. When you are in the middle of what is going on in the church plant, it is exciting for the most part but frightening at the same time, just like riding a roller coaster. It brings unspeakable joy, especially when changes are happening in the lives of people and even greater joy when the collective work of the church brings about transformation in the community and society in a powerful way. … Although it can be hard to start a new church, [remember:] You don’t have to live in fear of failure or rejection, because no matter what happens, you’re never, ever in this alone.

Come, let’s sing out loud to the Lord! Let’s raise a joyful shout to the rock of our salvation! —Psalm 95:1

thursday may 18 2023

Effective leaders come in a variety of styles with different strengths, but they all understand their style and adopt practices to fit their style to the leadership needs of their team and situation. Some leaders are encouragers, constantly connecting with and cheering on their teams. Some leaders are strategists, with a thousand ideas and contingency plans to help their team achieve its goals. Some leaders are caretakers, making sure all the members of their team have all that they need to fully express their own strengths. Some leaders are drivers, always casting a compelling vision of a changed tomorrow that propels their team into action. There is no single preferred leadership style for a successful planter.

Since you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, use your ambition to try to work toward being the best at building up the church. —1 Corinthians 14:12

tuesday may 16 2023

The world needs the gospel of Jesus. The gospel has the power to change not only the human heart but also the world itself. Taking the gospel seriously will help us to be clear about one thing: It is God, not us, who changes the lives of people and transforms the world. As church planters, we must plant, water, and cultivate the gospel in the hearts of women and men, children and adults, rich and poor.

Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good. —2 Timothy 3:16-17

monday may 15 2023

The movement Jesus led more than 2,000 years ago is still making a huge difference in many people’s lives, as well as in many communities and nations throughout the world, even to this very day. That is why we are in the mission of forming new disciples of Jesus Christ, so that the work of changing lives and transforming communities will never cease. As we focus our efforts on making new disciples, those new disciples will then form new churches. We make disciples who will plant new churches that will transform the world! It takes disciple-making and church-planting efforts to sustain this transformative movement of the gospel.

Jesus came near and spoke to them, “…Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you.” —Matthew 28:18-20

saturday may 6 2023

You can and will play an important part in strengthening and healing our faith communities. If you are willing to take a wise, honest, and informed look within yourself and at the people and events surrounding you every day, you will be an agent of change; you will be doing God’s work in the world. Be willing to embrace your most courageous self and move toward your discomfort rather than away from it. Though it sounds counterintuitive, when we sit in our discomfort and become familiar with it, we learn how to live with discomfort rather than deny or minimize it. This is when we all become our strongest and most capable selves.

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. —1 Chronicles 16:11

friday may 5 2023

The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior. My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender.

—Psalm 18:

thursday may 4 2023

The personality of a church is shown through the way people interact, the care they have for one another, the nurturing fellowship, and the sweet fragrance of respect that permeates everything. Even the architecture, windows in every classroom, open spaces in the pastor’s study with an administrative office nearby, speaks to openness and honesty. The presence of two teachers in every classroom, the sign-in and sign-out sheets for parents with children in the nursery speak to accountability. These are neon signs that shout, “We care about you, we want you safe, we hide nothing here.” This is the kind of church people want to join because there is a promise of openness and honesty, a promise of boundaries and safety.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. —Psalm 37:3

tuesday may 2 2023

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of
a sound mind.
—2 Timothy 1: