Update re Creating a Culture of Church Planting break-out sessions

The 3 "Creating a Culture of Church Planting" break-out sessions at this year's North America EQUIP (July 4th - 7th, Denver CO) will not be the how-to's for church planting. Rather, the sessions will stir leadership teams and churches to begin or continue the discovery of a shared set of values, practices and goals that will enable a passionate response to the invitation extended to us all to advance God's Kingdom by discipling all nations through church planting. Those prepared and ready to share include Tyrone Daniel & Terry Kreuger (Denver, CO), Steve Sudworth (Chicago, IL), Ian MacKellar (Singapore), Ashley Bell & Grant Crawford (South Africa). As a follow-on to these 3 sessions, Church in the City in Chicago will be hosted a weekend (Dec 8th & 10th) of training to further exploring "Creating a Culture of Church Planting". What a great King! What a great call! What a great privilege!


For more information on the North America EQUIP or to register click the link below.


http://equipnorthamerica.com/


Look forward to seeing many of you there 


Steve Sudworth 

Leadership Priorities – The Test of Time

Terry and Sandy Kreuger with three of their children relocated to Denver, CO in June of 2010 where they serve on the NCMI Trans-local team as well as the Church Planting / Leadership Team of Redemption City Church.

Leadership Priorities – The Test of Time

Psalm 90:12 … let us number our days aright … that we may gain a heart of wisdom

The original language here puts an emphasis on us weighing our time seriously

Wisdom and effectiveness will always result in time well spent and a sense of fruitfulness in our lives and in our ministery

I am convinced that each one of us has all the time we need to accomplish the full will of God for our lives

Time can never be retrieved, can never be hoarded – it can only be spent wisely or unwisely.

Our entire contribution to the King and the Kingdom hinges on how we use the hours allotted to us

How we use our time is really about priorities rather than weather we really have time to do the task or not. Lets imagine this: As a father I don’t have time to fix my sons bicycle. But I bet you if someone offered me $1000 to fix a friends bike I would find the time! Silly I know but it makes the point - the challenge is not really about time but about priorities.

Many of you who read this are bi-vocational. To you I say your challenge is even greater. The reality is that bi-vocational pastors do not have two part time jobs – they have two FULL TIME jobs. Your challenges are even greater. But they are simply that challenges that can be taken on and overcome!

Distraction always has been and is still a weapon in the hands of our enemy! If he can get us running busy with the wrong things or even with good things at the expense of better things he will severely limit our effectiveness and fruitfulness

I have made a quick list of priorities. This is in no way meant to be a checklist and it is not necessarily in order

Time with God

Acts 3:19  times of refreshing come from the Lord

1 Sam 30:6 says David found strength in his God (NIV) 

David encouraged himself in the Lord his God (NKJ)

Honestly after nearly 20 years in the saddle I have to say that there is simply no substitute for getting with God in word and worship and allowing Him time to speak, encourage and refresh.

Time to pray

Jesus is always our model and example and if He (Full of the Spirit Luke 4) (Full of grace and truth John 1:14) needed to withdraw often to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16) my guess is that we will need to

This time of prayer has to be more about intercession and petition, a time when we as leaders can call on God for His provision and resources to accomplish all that He has called us to do. This is not a task we will ever accomplish in our own strength and resources … we must tap into His!

Time to be married

Our time with our spouses cannot be the dregs of the day when the last people have left and the kids are finally asleep and we are totally depleted

A few pointers that have helped us

Create time to be together – need not be expensive but needs to be regular and consistent

Sandy and I are huge believers in an early bedtime for our children. Our children (16, 12 and 11) are on their beds by 8:30PM and lights out by 9PM! This creates some space for us for reflection and to catch up and catch our breath.

Time for your Children

We truly are the only people responsible for our next generation! We cannot be absent in this area! Our children need our presence more than our presents. Our time  with our children is critical to their future and ours.

Some pointers that have helped us

• When we are home we eat every meal together around the table. NO TV … NO phones. I can honestly say our dinner tables have been our sanity and our safety net. We have a simple rule at our table you can say anything or ask anything but it needs to be done with honor, love and respect!

• Time off is time out.

When we are taking some time out it is no email and no txt it is time out!

Time to Read

Reading needs to be broad and selective. Don’t waste time reading stuff that won’t help you. This will broaden our perspective and help us to keep growing and moving forward.

Allow me to add – when we must never confuse this with waiting on God for strategy and perspective for our city and context rather than reading a book about how God did it with some other guy in some other city.

Time for the Lost

I want of pause here for second. This is an area where we as leaders must lead by example. Luke 19:10 … Jesus came to “seek” and to save what was lost. Unless we are deliberate and intentional we will simply be drawn to spending all our time with the folk already in the life of the church. Dudley would always say that most of us spend all our time keeping the saved saved. Jesus has called us to be fishers of men and not keepers of the aquarium! Lets get out and get involved … leading be example we can have churches where people naturally give time to unbelievers trusting for opportunities for the gospel to be shared.

Time for Recreation

The God we serve chose to reveal him self to us first as a creator … “in the beginning God created” Gen 1:1 we represent something of that when we recreate! I said recreate not procreate (although we need time for that to!) Recreation refreshes restores and energizes

• Regular Exercise

We are in this for the long haul. Stress and depression are the diseases of our day. Getting outside and getting regular exercise will be of tremendous long-term benefit for us

• Time with friends in and out of our church – not talking church and

strategy but simply hanging for the sake of hanging

• Time to be yourself

Work hard play hard

• Vacation times

Preferably away out of your context

I trust these few practical pointers are helpful.

Would love comments and feedback

Yours in His grip

Terry Kreuger 

The Greatest Privilege (For the Ladies)(and the Men)

Steve and Debra Sudworth, along with their 2 girls, Rebecca and Hannah, arrived in Chicago in May 2004 in obedience to God’s call to church plant. They have been leading Church in the City (www.churchinthecity.us) since then. Their son - Cade - was born 2 years into the plant. 

Looking back on over the last 7 years, I cannot but marvel at the goodness of our God or  ignore that our God is a Church Planting God.

We have been a part of New Covenant Ministries for 15 years now and yes, church planting is one of our values – but our God is a Church Planting God. It is on His heart. When He calls – He comes through…time after time. Steve and I can truly testify with absolute conviction that Jesus builds His church. It is most definitely the case for Church in the City. Deut 1:6 says ⁶ The LORD our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. ⁷ Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. ⁸ See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the LORD swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”

We can see from this scripture that the timeless Heart of God is to break ground and advance.

We can also see from this scripture that God initiates and God commissions.

It may be simple but my belief and experience is that surely our Great Shepherd has a specific “land” for us to take possession of and shepherd His sheep. God is not in the dark. He is involved so intimately in our lives and knows that there is a nation/state/community of believers that need the gifts and abilities that He has placed in us for such a time as this.

Chicago is that place for our family. God knew that there were people here that were going to respond to the gifts and abilities that He has placed in us.

In 2004 when we arrived here, I knew that my God had called us, all of us to be here. Becca (6 at the time) and Hannah (5) never for a moment questioned why we moved away from every friend and family member they had ever known. They never questioned why they had to sleep on someone else’s couch for two weeks and then on the floor for two months while we saved enough money to buy them a bed. They never questioned why they did not have any friends or why 20 adults were at their birthday parties and not 20 of their friends.  They were SO excited and totally sold out for why and what God had called us to. Steve and I never had to convince or persuade. God had placed something in them, He had prepared them for the changes and challenges ahead. They also saw that their parents were absolutely convinced of the call, convinced God had spoken and that brought rest to our home – even with only $1800 dollars to our name and no place to stay, we were at peace because God had called. We were not only at peace we were HAPPY! Happy to picnic on the floor, happy to walk everywhere, happy to buy minimal groceries because we were in Chicago!!! Only God could have brought us here – from a tiny town in South Africa to Chicago!  Soon, we began to see the Hand of God fulfill and bring to reality the dreams and visions that had filled our hearts with for so many years before. What was just a promise that we had nurtured, like a baby in the womb, was birthed. For some reason, God had chosen us to love His people, the ones that He sings over, the ones Jesus intercedes for, He had entrusted to us. The Greatest Privilege.

I don’t want to pretend that there have not been tough times.  There have been struggles. There have been challenges.  There have been tears. But through it all, God has been faithful. I don’t want to talk about the struggles that we have had because they will always be different for different people. But I do like to talk about the future and the lessons Steve and I have learned:

1.     Husbands – please let your wife know that you love her more than you love the church – don’t presume she knows….

2.     Wives – find your security in God and not in the your husband

3.     Husbands – find the balance between family and church – create and stick to boundaries

4.     Wives – give grace

5.     Husbands – create room for your wife

6.     Wives – don’t hide behind your husband or children. You are called as much as he is – it may not be in the same role but church needs your giftings.

7.     Husbands /wives – BE FOUND IN GOD – don’t let ministry replace your first love! Never forget that it is first you and God – the river will stop flowing if there is no intimacy between you and God.

8.     Husbands/wives – Don’t spend time with God purely and only to hear Him for the church or for people – continue to deepen your relationship with Him because He is King.

9.     Moms – Don’t build your lives around your children, build around the King and His Kingdom.

Debra Sudworth 

Partnering to Plant Healthy Local Churches

Ivor & Jakki Lewis lead Trinity Christian Centre in Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, Canada. They have led the church for the last eleven years and have been on the NCMI translocal team for six years.

Phil 1:4&5 ‘... I always pray with joy because of your partnership ...’

·      The Philippian church is considered one of the most successful church plants of the New Testament.

·      A key is found in the opening chapter – ‘partnership’.

·      In Colossians 4 we see a number of partnerships that God has given us to build successful church plants.

Col 4:2-18

1.  Partnership with God

Verse 2 ‘Devote yourselves to prayer...’

·      Our most important partnership is with God.

·      He has positioned us to be completely dependent on Him.

·      Without Him we can do nothing that counts for eternity, but with Him anything is possible.

2.  Partnership with an apostolic team

Verse 3 ‘Pray for us …’

·      The ‘us’ is an apostolic team this church is in partnership with.

·      God has positioned local church leaders to need input from an apostolic translocal team.

·      Eph 4:11-13  ‘It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service …’

·      This partnership is needed to fully equip God’s people.

·      It is not a hierarchal relationship though.

·      Paul opens the letter with prayer from the apostolic team Col 1:9 ‘... we have not stopped praying for you...’

·      Then ends the letter asking for prayer for the apostolic team.

3.  Partnership with the gospel

Verses 4&5 ‘... that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ … Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders …’

·      We are all called to share the gospel – the apostolic team focused to the regions beyond and the Colossian church more focused to their city.

·      We need to recognize that it is not our cleverness that saves people but it is the power of the gospel. Rom 1:16  ‘I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes ...’

·      We are partners with the power of the gospel.

·      Every time we share the simple gospel it is a seed planted in a heart that will produce fruit in its time.

4.  Partnership with the grace of God

Verse 6 ‘... be always full of grace ...’

·      If God saved us by His unmerited favor He can save others and use them for His glory.

·      He calls us now to be full of that grace in all of our dealings with one another and everyone we meet.

5.  Partnership with leaders sent to you

Verses 7&8 ‘Tychicus … a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant … I am sending him to you ...’

·      Paul as team leader recognizes who on the team would be helpful to this church and sends Tychicus to them.

·      Not just a faithful minister and fellow servant but first of all a dear brother. We will need that kind of relationship to build strong teams.

·      This is the quality of leadership that gets released producing the same character in local church teams.

·      We are partners with an anointing to release strong leaders.

6.    Partnership with those failed in past

Verses 9&10 ‘... Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother... Mark, the cousin of Barnabas ...’

·      Two characters are highlighted to us – one who failed before coming to Christ and the other who failed after coming to Christ.

·      God wants us to build strong churches with both of these.

·      Onesimus was a slave of Philemon who stole something from his master and fled – which would have been considered a very serious infraction in that day.

·      Onesimus must have come to Christ and into relationship with Paul who is now recommends him to Philemon in that letter and here to this church.

·      Whatever you may think is the most horrendous crime today God wants to build His church with just such people and we must be willing to receive them.

·      The second character is Mark the cousin of Barnabas, the same man who as a Christian leader let Paul down, as recorded in Acts 15.

·      Mark must have repented and proved his character because now Paul is recommending him.

·      We cannot define people by their past whether before the cross or after it, nor allow them to define themselves by their past.  If God forgives and forgets then so must we.

·      Look around... this is who God has called us to partner with in building His church.

7.    Partnership with leaders from among you

Verses 11-15 ‘... Epaphras, who is one of you... sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you… he is working hard for you …’

·      We are not just partners with leaders coming to us but with leaders sent from us.

·      God has called us to plant base churches that will resource leaders to go out from us.

·      What an example Epaphras is – always wrestling in prayer and working hard.

8.    Partnership with other local churches of same values

Verse 16 ‘... see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.’

·      Although these letters from Paul were to specific churches they were meant to be passed around to other relating churches.

·      Paul was laying a pattern of not just Godly character and doctrine but also of how to build strong churches.

·      As we build relationship with other local churches of common Biblical values we are able to create a greater synergy for impacting beyond our own regions to the whole earth.

Before his closing salutation Paul includes an exhortation to ‘complete the work you have received’ 

We do not just want to start the race that God has called us to but to finish the race well. 

Working with the partnerships that God has given we have a far greater prospect of being successful in all that He has called us to in church planting.

Revelation, Adversity, Preparation & Release

Jody Romero leads a vibrant, diverse church in Los Angeles, Ca. He, Vanessa and their 3 children planted out of a relating church in 2009 to return to their hometown, "The City of Angels". Contrary to it's name Los Angeles is a broken city.  But through the power of the Gospel and the spirit of God, in their togetherness they are witnessing many SALVATIONS, BAPTISMS, TRANSFORMATIONS and RESTORATION!     

Revelation, Adversity, Preparation & Release

We are now almost a year into this Journey of planting [RE-PLANTING] in Los Angeles.  And after a year, I am still being amazed by the grace of God. He has proven himself faithful in every way. And because of that I can now encourage you.  Anyone who has planted a church will tell you that planting is NOT easy and it is NOT for everyone.  I truly believe that there are men and women out there who have planted churches that were never meant to.  But I also believe that there are men & women in churches who are ignoring the stirrings of God to be trailblazers for His kingdom.   

As I look at the progression of “God’s” plan to have His temple built, I believe there is a ton of wisdom we can draw from David’s experience as we progress in our journey to plant a churches. 

Revelation: 1 Chronicles 17

In this portion of scripture God reveals to David through Nathan the desire for HIS temple to be built. A temple worthy of the Glory of God.  

David’s desire to build a temple for the Ark of the Covenant was not enough! God had to repackage that revelation and give it back to David through Nathan. God’s plans and desires are always greater than ours. (Is 55:8-9) We cannot be afraid to allow God to confirm His revelation through others. We need to allow Godly men and women to breath life into what God has revealed to us. If God truly has said it will He not confirm it? And just as David was blown away by Gods heart to bless him and his whole household, we will also be blown away by what God want to do for us.

Adversity: 1 Chronicles 18-21

In between 1 Chronicles 17 & 1 Chronicles 22 we see nothing but adversity for David.  We read about battle after battle taking place.  Satan himself rose up against David and the people of Israel. (1 Chron. 21:1)  Why? The answer: Because David was preparing a temple that was going to bring glory to The Most High.  This had never been done before. So not only Satan, but every nation, every man, woman and child that despised the Lord’s people were not going to stand by and allow this to happen. 

If you ask any Church planter their story of planting, you are going to hear amazing testimonies of people who have stared adversity right in the face; and watched God come through in major ways.  The enemy will do ALL he can to insure God is not glorified here on earth.  Especially through Church planting.  This should not frighten you.  But it is a call to be prepared. And we can never start preparing until we have experienced victory over the adversities in our lives.

Overcoming Adversity is a mark of ALL great men & women of God.   

Preparation: 1 Chronicles 22-28

These 7 chapters in 1 Chronicles are dedicated to the preparation of temple. In his preparation David begins to administrate and delegate to insure he would have everything in order when it was time to build.

Someone once told me, “Once you know what God is calling you to, then every decision you make in your life has to line up with that call”.  That’s what being prepared means.  We start living our lives, like church planters.  I believe we need to administrate our lives like a church planter before we can ever plant a church.  David geared up his people for this amazing task.  We need to GEAR UP!

Release: 1 Chronicle 28 

After the Revelation, after the adversity and after all the preparation, David releases God’s plan to his son Solomon to build the temple.         

David was never called to build the Temple.  Solomon was.  And David had to turn over all of the materials, the blue prints and the deeds to the property so that Solomon could now do what he was called to do. 

As for you and I, we are not called to build the Church.  Christ is.  We are called to be faithful to the revelation God has given us. We are called to be victorious through adversity.  We are called to prepare the Church that Christ is building.  Some of us hold on so tightly.  This is MY plant.  This is MY church.  This is MY vision.  Really? Let me encourage you to RELEASE!  Let go. Open up that hand and let Christ build His church. 

Jody Romero

Passion for Planting - Part 2

Tyrone Daniel has led the NCMI Trans-local Team for the last 6 years and recently relocated with his wife Nicole and 3 sons to Denver Colorado. They are currently pioneering Redemption City Church, a church plant based in the City of Westminster CO.

It's often said while man looks for "methods"- God looks for" men"

It still amazes me that God has called and included us to partner and participate with Him in His plan here on earth!

We have been called to lead sinners to the cross and lead believers through the cross into all He has accomplished on the cross!!

While the obvious is that you have to be called to plant a church-there are some other things that I believe we should look for in a church planter:

1) Successful

- Have a measure of success already

- While we don't measure success through the eyes of the world, we do need fruitful people to go and bear fruit when they plant!

- If you don't do it in the safe country - you won't do it out on your own!

2) Submitted

- Exercise authority righteously!

Prov 29:2 When the righteous thrive the people rejoice, when the wicked rule the people groan

- Dont release guys who don't know how to follow - bad followers make bad leaders!!

3) Strong in the Lord

- God is looking for planters who are strong in the Lord not in themselves!

- Able to keep encouraged and full of faith!

- Dig your own wells and minister out of the overflow!

4) Success Orientated

- Your outlook is positive

- Your language is positive!

- You believe God wants you to succeed! 

If you aren't convinced-you'll never convince others!

5) Sincere

Personal integrity is essential for a planter!

- We need to know how to conduct ourselves in Gods household ...1 Tim 3:15

6) Sustained

- Consistency is key for all planters!

- You need to be well balanced if you going to lead people with big capacity!

- You can't be extreme/excessive if you going to lead a diverse people into a great future!

- When God emphasizes certain things in a season/church/region - it's not at the expense of all other truth!

- Don't plant out of reaction but rather revelation - then God can bless it!

7) Serve in/on team

- You need a proven track record showing that you know how to work in team!

- Healthy relationships are key for all planters!

- Sensitivity to others and what they feel is helpful for planting!

- You need to be strong and decisive but not rude!!

8) Surrendered

- Teachable and flexible!

- This is the biggest lesson I'm learning in our plant!

- If you can't be flexible, you'll never be fruitful in church planting!

- The only way to learn from people is to be teachable!

- When you plant you are going to learn a lot!

9) Secure

- Settled in who you are and what you are called to do!

- Once this is settled you can open your hands to release people who have bigger capacity than you and greater anointing than you!

10) Self Disciplined

- Must be in place!

- Prayer and study of the Word

- The things you expect of the people you are leading- you need to also be doing!

Please note this is not a checklist to cause doubt but rather a reality check for us to consider what we have been called to!

I believe church planting is not our invention but Gods intention for discipling the nations!

Let's live in it and let's live it out! Let's plant churches everywhere, all the time as He directs us! For our King and His Kingdom!

Becoming a Base Church

Steve and Debra Sudworth, along with their 2 girls, Rebecca and Hannah, arrived in Chicago in May 2004 in obedience to God’s call to church plant. They have been leading Church in the City (www.churchinthecity.us) since then. Their son - Cade - was born 2 years into the plant. 

What are base churches? Churches of thousands? Churches made famous by thier leaders who are conference speakers or best selling authors? Churches with budgets that rival corporations? Scripture suggests otherwise…

(1) A base church embodies the teaching that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive.

This epitomizes Jesus’ heart (Matt 20:28, “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”) and should therefore define ours and our church’s. Before we are church planters, elders, deacons, smallgroup leaders, business or community leaders, husbands, wives or parents we are servants of Christ – first and always.

How should our church serve our city and nations?

·      Be an apostolic household that heralds and proclaims the Good News.

·      Trust for supernatural signs and wonders to follow the proclaiming of the Gospel.

Samaria (Acts 8), Ephesus (Acts 19) and Thessalonica (1 Thes 1) are just 3 examples of cities broken open by the release of the supernatural power of God.

·      Don’t forget the poor (Gal 2).

Mercy ministry is not a “conscience-cleanser” for Christians but an opportunity for the Gospel to restore dignity, identity and value in everyone.

(2) A base church stands in the gap for its city and the nations through prayer

As Russ Doty so brilliantly taught our church last year during a ministry visit: “The kingdom is advanced through hearing the voice of God and partnering with God through prayer.”

In Eze 22 God “looked for a man who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land…but I found none.” I find it remarkable that God wanted just one man to intercede on behalf of an entire nation. Jonah gives us a snapshot of what can happen when one man obeys God and brings the word of the Lord to a city.

Intercession (in Greek, meaning “to meet with someone for the purpose of conversation”) is the partnership of God’s people with Him through prayer. It’s a partnership of…

·      RELATIONSHIP

Grace allows us to approach the Throne of Grace with confidence (Heb 4:16).

·      RULERSHIP

                        We worship…we wait on God…we hear His voice…we declare His will…we agree in prayer.

(3) A base church is diverse

We’re called to reach cities and nations, not just neighborhoods. Churches and leadership teams of diverse cultures – from all nations, for all nations, to all nations – and diverse giftings – not built around a single gifting, personality or theological emphasis

(4) A base church is a model

Jesus tells us that followers of His are “the light of the world” and “a city on a hill which cannot be hidden”. When our “light shines before others” they will “see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.”

(5) A base church is front-footed

It’s so tempting when facing trial, difficulty, persecution or hardship to want to close-rank and protect the ground we’ve already taken. I say no! Even in adversity the Kingdom is advancing…it always is! The church in Antioch was birthed out of the persecution of believers in Jerusalem (Acts 8), producing a tenacious, nation-minded, Kingdom advancing people.

(6) A base church is a gathering of saints who are united, trained and released to advance the Kingdom of God

A priesthood united: “All the believers were one in heart and mind” (Acts 4).

A priesthood trained: training is not the impartation of information, strategies or techniques but, within the context of community, training is identifying calling, shaping character, fashioning gifting, teaching saints to dig deep wells of intimacy with the Father and learning to be faithful with little in order to be entrusted with much.

A priesthood released: through accountable relationships of trust and a recognition and honoring of the gifts, authority and the anointing of others on the team. Philip working with the apostles in Samaria is a great example of this (Acts 8).

(7) A base church is a resource to others by releasing & receiving Eph-4 ministry

For the sake of time I encourage you to read Acts 14:21-28.

(8) A base church transforms cities

Acts 19 is a wonderful case study of a base church transforming a city. In Ephesus “the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor” and “the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”

As we plant churches may I suggest that we plant with the end in mind! That as we lay the foundation for our plant we are mindful of what the spirit of God is saying as well as the scriptural encouragement to have lasting impact and influence in the city or context God has placed us. It is my conviction that every church whether it truly becomes a base church or not can live and act by faith as a base church that resources, releases and refreshes ministry life in its context and beyond.

My intention here is not to create a “checklist” but rather a “faith list” that will stir and challenge us, as we plant, to always hold the big picture ahead of us.

Steve Sudworth 

North America Equip.

Trust you have all registered for our North America Equip Time. 

We are excited to host this amazing event here in Denver! As a one-time event we are doing a "North America" Equip, bringing the nations of Mexico, USA and Canada together! This promises to be a great time of worship and teaching as we focus on the King and the Kingdom. There will be a number of strategic breakout sessions including “Developing a Culture of Church Planting.”

Check out the link below for a cool video, more specific info as well as registration information. 

http://equipnorthamerica.com/

The Joys and Challenges of Church Planting

Russ and Mary Doty relocated from Australia to be the advance team in the Church Plant that has become Redemption City Church. They serve on the eldership of that church as well as the NCMI Translocal Team

The Joys and Challenges of Church Planting

When we moved from Australia to the U.S. with the idea of planting a church, I was faced with some unexpected challenges.  There are always challenges in church planting, that we are can expect.  The need for faith, connecting with new people, and understanding a new culture, are just a few.  What I didn’t expect, and what seemed to creep up on me unawares, was a huge focus on the natural in the U.S.  When we communicated that we would be planting, many friends recommended many books for us to read.  While most of them were really good, taken together I began to see a similarity.  They all focused on the natural.  They pointed out good principles for growing a church.  But none made any reference to being led by the Holy Spirit.  It was as if church planting were an endeavour that could be learned through education, rather than a partnership with the Lord who is building His church. 

Before coming to the States, I had heard the Lord say that the Kingdom of God is advanced in partnership with Him; by hearing His voice.  Since every place is different, every leader and every group of people is different, we need to be led by the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish His purposes.  John 5.19,30  are two of five references where Jesus says He did nothing of His own initiative.  He only did what He heard the Father saying, or saw the Father doing.  This speaks to me of partnership.  Doing something with God rather than doing something for Him.  Yet, much of what I read had the idea that doing something for God, like planting a church, was sufficient. 

To me, the excitement and joy of partnering with the King of the universe in every stage and step in planting, is what it is all about.  Early on while driving around the area we were looking at, we came across a Comedy Theatre.  One of the guys with us, felt something in the Spirit and said that would be a great place for a church to meet.  Many months later, that’s were we are meeting. This was God’s plan, and not ours.

It’s a joy to be led by Him, rather than trying to implement someone else’s good intention, or even what they heard God say to them and their situation. It also means that He alone is the One who says, “Well done”, based on His purpose, ways and strategies, and not a comparison to others.