10 Things I Really Care About part 3

Hey Discover Church I hope your week has been influential!  Remember you are a leader, the question is will you be a good leader or a bad one?  This blog post comes at a good time in our journey through Nehemiah because a key element in good leadership is the willingness to take off our "crowns" of authority and pick up a "towel" of service.  This is the third thing that I really care about, it is through sacrifice that the Kingdom of God is advanced.  


I am sharing these things with you because I hope that you will:
1.  understand who we are more completely
2.  see this in who we are as a church
3.  work hard to align yourself and your practices around these things
4.  help us improve in these key areas


We need these reminders because it is NOT a natural function of a strong leader to embrace sacrifice and servant-hood.  However, this was one of the reasons that Jesus stated He came to humanity.  He wanted to display what true spiritual-leadership looked like.

Matthew 20:25-28  ²⁵ But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. ²⁶But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. ²⁸ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

It is in this sacrificial example that we are too follow and yes to even lead.  One of the reasons that I think the American Church has slowed in its influence today is because we have embraced too much of a CEO mindset.  The teachings of Jesus and the examples displayed by the early Church are anything but hierarchal.  The men and women who sacrificed the most were the ones who had the greatest influence.

Not only as leaders but simply as disciples of Jesus I challenge all Discover Church'ers to not resist sacrificing but to display to the world in the same way that Jesus did that they are worth it.  Let's "pick up our crosses" and thrive through a daily, voluntary, death to self and live for others. 

10 Things I Really Care About part 2

Hey Discover Church, Merry Christmas to you and I look forward to sharing a "Not So Silent Night" with you Saturday night at 6pm!  Here is the second thing that I really really care about.  Remember I am sharing these things with you because I hope that you will:
1.  understand who we are more completely
2.  see this in who we are as a church
3.  work hard to align yourself and your practices around these things
4.  help us improve in these key areas


The second of the "10 Things I Really Care About" is Leading Through Teams.  Ministry in the local church is not intended to be like tennis but rather like baseball; it's a team sport! We are dependent on other team members in order to succeed.  See, God has wired us as relational people and intended us to function in coordination with others.  The apostle Paul described how Christians should function by using the human body as an illustration.  

Ephesians 4

¹⁵ Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. ¹⁶ He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Stating the obvious, a body is dependent on the other parts of the body to be healthy and to work properly.  We are able to do far more together than anyone of us could ever accomplish on our own.  Not only can we more done but it will also be far more complete.  


Think of it this way, each of us have unique talents, skills, abilities and spiritual gifts that have been entrusted to us from God. As each of us are involved in the work of the ministry we are able to pool our collective gifts, talents, etc together and present a more complete picture of who God is.  The opposite is also true.  If only a select few are involved in ministry then only a small portion of gifts, talents, etc are visible.  


I intend on leading every Discover Church'er towards discovering God's unique purpose for your life.   I know every one of you desire for your life to matter and to see this world changed by the power of Holy Spirit at work through you.  In order for this to occur you must tap into God's gifting for your life and offer it to the church body.  I believe in leading through teams because it is what is best for you and best for the church!  I do not want you to get involved in ministry to get a job done but rather for the job to get you done!  So what do you say?  If you are interested in getting involved in a deeper way email Leslie Smith, Director of Volunteers at Leslie@DiscoverChurchPBC.com and tell her you're ready to be a contributer and not simply a consumer!


You can click here to read Part 1 Commitment to Strong Biblical Teaching.

Feeling Unproductive?

There is a huge difference between "busyness" and "productivity".  Here is an article by Brad Lomenick, Director of Catalyst, called  The Way I Get Things Done.  This contains several helpful ideas to upping our productivity! Invest 5 mins in reading it, 5 in implementing it to work for you and get way more done than you thought possible.

Is Your Church Pro-Family?

Every pastor I know, is gripped by the challenges facing today's families.  We are all too aware of the statistics that describe the state of the American and even the Christian home.  So how does the church, mobilized by the Spirit of God, undergird the family so that we are partnering with parents and not replacing them?  As a REALLY young, small church we have structured what we do around being pro-family.  In an attempt to make this effort more than lip service we have implemented these 6 verbs:

1. FUND IT--quality, safe, clean, engaging children's space does cost $.  In no way does spending money on sound, lights, cribs, toys, books, etc ensure a quality spiritual experience for a kid.  However, if the environment is less than what a parent would provide for their own child it certainly diminishes the reality they will entrust him/her to you again.  To do this we have dedicated a large percentage of our budget towards Discover Kidz.
2. PROMOTE IT--we have assembled a video that allows the adult Gathering attender to get a sneak peak of what Discover Kidz is all about.  We do this in attempt to make this person a fan of Discover Kidz without ever experiencing it.  We also place this on our website so parents and kids can get a taste test prior to showing up on a Sunday.  In addition to the video we intentionally give Discover Kidz a prominent, visible space on our website.
3. STAFF IT--Stephanie (Discover Kidz coordinator) gets first access to prospective volunteers to make sure those working with our kids are highly qualified and are not simply baby sitting.
4. SECURE IT--This is essential!  There are too many churches I am aware of who do not take this part as seriously as is warranted.  Every one of our kids volunteers are nation-wide background checked prior to serving in the ministry.  We have a check in and check out process that we LOVE called Kid Check.  We highly recommend this process to up security, communication, and ease when parents are dropping off or picking up their children!  
5. ALIGN IT--This step requires a total church effort and therefore is where many churches fall short.  I, as the lead pastor, and Stephanie (Discover Kidz Coordinator) align our messages to cover the same texts and themes.  This is to promote the possibilities that mom and dad is more likely to lead a spiritual discussion in the car or around the dinner table if they have already heard a message on the same topic.  To further assist in this, each week Stephanie provides for the parents a handout with verses of Scripture and questions they could ask their children later in the week.  Also, we will be taking it to another level that involves our Connect Groups through out the week.  We will be encouraging parents to allow their children to participate in the Connect Group.  We call them "multi-generational" small groups.  Many times the church divides parents from their kids during all spiritual environments.  We try to find as many venues as possible to keep the family intact.  Yes, there are challenges with behavior, content, etc but we came to the conclusion we would rather fight for something we believed in than have ease in an area we were less than thrilled.  
6. TEACH ON IT--As the pastor I involve the family into every message that I preach.  I will regularly bring application/illustration of the text to the family in an effort to display how the Bible is relevant to today's home challenges.  Also, there is a place on my preaching calendar every year for a series on the family.  

Lessons from the Journey

1 Corinthians 4:17-21

Paul desires that the Corinthians become imitators of him. Not only does he provoke that challenge with words but sees to it that they have a living, breathing example in Timothy to lead them. In order to set the table for Timothy’s ministry Paul gets real serious with the reader. He apparently had been hearing some bad things about the Corinthian church so he aggressively defines for them that spiritual vitality is not equated in words but in power. Matter of factly, he explains to them that words can be faked but power is the evidence of authenticity.

The evidence of God’s hand on your life is not that you can say the right things or win at a game of Pictionary Bible edition. But rather, the mark of a spiritually vital life is that the power of God (Holy Spirit) moves through the human vessel with ease and authority. This cannot be manipulated or coerced and it is unmistakable when someone has “it”. This “it factor” catapults another person to levels of effectiveness that only God could do through him/her.

Lessons from the Journey

Sorry this post is more selfish than anything. As many pastors with much more experience than I will tell you, "there are good days and bad days". Here is some ammo that was very helpful to me today during one of the later days...

"Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.

But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul."

Hebrews 10:35-39.

Lessons from the Journey--Life @ A Sustainable Pace

As a leader of a church it is my responsibility to not only build a darkness penetrating, sacrificial, outwardly focused church but also to do this in a manner consistent with a balanced, healthy life. The first part of my job description as listed above is on most pastor's radar but what about the second part? We all know that it is impossible to be unhealthy and yet produce something healthy!

As the cultural architect of this young church it has been heavy on my mind and heart lately that Discover Church must start at a sustainable pace that works for your God and your family. Is this a possibility? Most of the stories I hear that are equated with success are of all the "sacrifice" and pain that is infected into families in the name of "God's calling". As I attempt to lead Discover Church through this VERY difficult balance here are some thoughts that I am implementing to create a culture of health and balance. I am really just digging into what this could look like. Please feel free to add your own suggestions or ideas...

• We must keep church life simple and healthy
• The Gathering (our worship service) must not ask so much of people's time that it ends up reinforcing the "busyness" cycle of unhealth
• Sacrifice is expected but should not come from essentials (family, time with God, etc.)
• Leadership Team must model the health wanted replicated in the church
• Their must be an atmosphere of trust/accountability/vulnerability to assist in maintaining healthy pace
• Everyone of our team members MUST be a part of one of our Gatherings (Discover Kidz or Adult)
• Set up/Tear down environments MUST NOT be beyond our ability to complete in a reasonable amount of time (preferred 1 hr)
• Pursuit of "health" is not a viable excuse for the lack of the hard work and sacrifice expected of a follower of Christ.
• If I lived a balanced/healthy life how much time would be a sacrificial offering to present to God?

Lessons from the Journey--what I am learning

More lessons learned starting Discover Church

1. in our largely unchurched area (95%) most of the people who could be "core team" material are already invested significantly in their church.
2. it is extremely challenging to find people willing to consider leaving their existing church for a church start. Many do not desire to put forth the effort necessary to get a new church started and succeeding.
3. church planting is very hard.
4. God is very good.
5. in details, preparation, communication, etc present yourself and your church for where you are going not for where you currently are.
6. pray with your wife every night before you go to bed
7. if there is any way to have a true mother church then do it! They can help you overcome so many hurdles ($, core team members, facilities, insurance, accounting procedures).
8. investigate the "pool of potential" core team members in the area you will be going and adjust expectations accordingly. Things to investigate: % of people who attend church, % of claiming being "born again", % of those who live within 20-25 mins of area, and divide by .25 [amount of churched people willing to sacrifice enough to leave an existing church to be a part of a plant].
9. so many things are uncertain (people, $, locations to meet, etc.) spend time on what is certain (time with God, committed people, core team meeting prep).

Lessons from the Journey--what I am learning

Some of the lessons I am learning as I start Discover Church...

1. Under promise and over deliver. Disappointment comes from unmet expectations, resist temptation to raise them too high or spend a lot of time encouraging your core team.
2. No model will fit you perfectly.
3. God provides!
4. God has been bringing people into the community for years in preparation for your church.
5. Keep dreaming.
6. So comforting to remember that Jesus is the One building His church not me.
7. Planting with a team is essential
8. Be prepared to step up your commitment to spiritually lead your family.
9. Closely connect the dates for your community serving event and your Vision Cast. We waited about two weeks in between and it was too long. Lost momentum.
10. Make sure you have fun with your team. Church planting is so serious, taxing and sacrificial it's more important to have a blast too.
11. You must hemorrhage your vision for your people to bleed it.
12. My faith is weak.
13. Vision leaks, constantly revisit it again and again.
14. You must spend money to raise money.
15. Stay flexible on non-essentials especially if you are in a more transient culture.
16. Personal time with God is mandatory for confidence, wisdom, peace, vision, and compassion.

Lessons from the Journey--Jesus wants the rose

Lessons from the Journey--John 2:23-25

What was it about Jesus' leadership that He was willing to lay down His life for sinful humanity but yet was still resistant to entrust Himself to them? Here are a couple of thoughts that attempt to bring some understanding to the text.

1. Jesus death was "for me" but not "to me"

2. Maybe "entrusting Himself to them" would have carried with it an essence of influence?

In other words, Jesus limited what the people's influence on Him would be because He knew all men and what was in them. As a result of Jesus limiting the people's influence on Him He ensured and protected three dynamic things:

1. His vision was intact

2. His value was intact (many leaders look for their people to validate them)

3. His mission was unwavering

Lessons from the Journey

It seems with more and more regularity there are men whom God is using greatly that make poor decisions and disqualify themselves from the ministry that God was blessing.  This has happened recently with a church planting pioneer and this should serve as a reminder to all of us that little decisions matter.  Big decisions are made more palatable when little decisions have been given in to along the way.  One of my mentors and Discover Church advisory team members Matt Willmington has provided some great insight on and questions to reinforce purity and allegiance to our wives.  I highly recommend this read from his blog...

Lessons from the Journey

Here are some more thoughts on what Ive found during weeks two-three while starting Discover Church.

1. There is never the money you have hoped and planned for.
2. Fundraising requires creativity.
3. Place sabbath periods of rest as immovable objects during your week.  
4. Discouragement comes.
5. Discouragement is a tactic of the enemy; respond to it with the spiritual weapons available to us as Christ-followers (prayer, God's Word, faith).
6. There are far more well-meaning, cooperative pastors than territorial mean-spirited ones.
7. Fight the temptation to judge success by the scoreboard.  Especially early on, numbers are not an accurate determination of success. (see #4)
8. Your spouse needs to be your chief encourager.  Her words carry far more weight than most anyone else's.
9. Take as much pride in your study prep for 8 people as you have done for larger numbers of people in the past.
10. Find blogs, books, people that are not too far ahead of you and remember the early stages of a church start.
11. Stress on your teammates quickly becomes stress on you. Proximity enhances contagion.  

Ed Young on methodology transplants

Real good stuff from Ed Young and some of his team.  Be wary of attempting to transplant someone else's method for reaching people.  Look at the reason they did what they did and ask yourself if that is applicable to your vision and direction.

Lessons from the Journey

Been in Jupiter, FL now for over a week and focusing on starting Discover Church on a committed basis for 7 days.  I by no means have figured anything out and truthfully have learned how much I have yet to learn but maybe this will be helpful to those who come behind me next week or next year.  If so, I will try to keep these coming on a semi-regular basis.  These are some of the things I have learned/relearned during my first 7 days starting Discover Church...

1. A supportive, enthusiastic spouse is essential and I have the best!
2. Having an advisory team of experienced, wise, talented, Christ-pursuing pastors prevents blind-spots and is catalytic.
3. Establishing a prayer network months in advance of relocation prepares the way in immeasurable levels.
4. Planting in your hometown or a place with significant familiarity is tremendously helpful as it cuts down on the learning curve and allows you to "be" the area quicker and more streamlined.
5. Network, network, network--somebody always knows someone who knows somebody.
6. Be flexible in methods and in schedule but dogmatic when protecting the vision from day 1.
7. Listen to those who have gone before you very carefully (see #2).
8. Don't forget that this is also new for your spouse (and kids in applicable). Careful, intentional communication has been very important for us.
9. Connecting with area pastors provides great wisdom and networking.
10. Connecting with area pastors can be discouraging but resist becoming jaded.
11. Spend time building relationships with potential core team members.  Each person adds texture, connections, and credibility (not to mention tithe) to a new start (see #5).
12. Plan for a separate environments for core team and seekers--seems simple but a mistake I have already made.
13. An intentional vision/plan for multiplication of churches disarms people who immediately assume church planters are about building their own kingdom.
14. Work hard--set a schedule and keep it like you would if are working for someone else.
15. Planting a church with a team allows for much more to get accomplished in a more effective manner and is MUCH more enjoyable.
16. Share your vision as often as possible; it is God's stamp of legitimacy and limits the sting of discouragement that will surely come.
17. Visit area churches and learn from what is going well and what is not.
18. Communicate with your spouse about the day you plan to begin to shift from unpacking mode to church planting mode.
19. Prayer walks are powerful for vision, compassion, motivation.

Lessons from the Journey

As a good leader it is incredibly important to see the need to involve others into making things happen (mainly for me because I am sorely limited).  A quality leader MUST recognize that he/she is unable to do everything on their own... so I need to delegate and trust others to do what they say they will do.  However, if you are anything like me you find yourself incredibly frustrated when you were expecting something to be taken care of and it does not happen as it was stated it would.  So, now there must be follow up and when he/she is approached there are always reasons (some valid and others not) as to why "said commitment" was dropped.   But what do you do when there is a repeated history of excuses?  How should a leader who sees the value in being compassionate, understanding, and flexible yet experiencing the tension of responsibility for accomplishing tasks and maintaining momentum, etc. approach these repeated conversations?  In many cases, excuses are simply misplaced accountability.  In other words, the excuse gets the blame instead of the individual. Here is where I will let you in on somethings I have learned lately:

1. Consider the history of the person
2. Remind yourself leadership is both a privilege and a process
3. Pray for wisdom and discernment to see beyond the moment
4. Temper frustration of the moment with the appreciation of the person
5. Act in best interest of person and organization/church (both mercy and discipline can be in person's best interest).  Don't act until you are able to lead in a direction that you are confident is best for both.  Sometimes best thing for the person is correction.

Lessons from the Journey

Next level leaders maximize their time more efficiently than others.  Some leaders are more intelligent, some possess greater charisma, others better looking, but all have the same time in each day.  A leader's value is determined by what is accomplished with that common denominator.

Lessons from the Journey--"But when God"

Galatians 1:1-11-17

Paul wants the Galatians to know that the things he has taught them (ie: the gospel of Jesus Christ) was not something made up by man but rather revealed to him directly by God.  The evidence of this divine message was the severe life change that was visible in the life of Paul.  Previously to this miraculous encounter he was excelling and advancing in Judaism passed all of his peers. Then one of the most fabulous transitions in all of the Bible occurs...

"But when God", this changed everything!  The passions and priorities of Paul were drastically and forever changed in an instant by his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.  

Jupiter and Palm Beachers, I see this very story occurring all over the county! "I was excelling in so many areas of my life that I found valuable 'but when God' called me to Himself I found my life taking a drastic turn from the traditions that have long controlled my family to the priorities of God."  

I can hear it as if it being said right now!  Pray that God will begin to soften the hearts of those needing to experience this transformation and discover life in Jesus Christ!

Lessons from the Journey--Who is the leader responsible to?

Small church or large church, new or existing one of the greatest tension points is how much freedom does the pastor have in making decisions and leading the church.  Is it an autocracy?  Is it more of a democracy?  The way I see it the real issue is how the pastor leads and more specifically to Whom he sees himself accountable.  Though I do not theologically connect the role of a pastor to the role that the Apostle Paul played in the early days of Christianity there is great value hidden in his personal introduction to the church in Galatia.  As he was preparing to lead them by his writings he laid out for them under whose authority he spoke.

"Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead) and all the brethren who are with me" (1:1-2)

There were certainly special circumstances in Paul's calling to which very few of us, if any, could relate (Acts 9:1-19).  However, one irreducible truth is that everyone of us called into the ministry has responded to a call that is derived from the same location as Paul's, "Jesus Christ and God the Father".  So why is this so important?  How does this simple parenthetical phrase impact how we lead as pastors today in the twenty-first century?  Whoever establishes you is to whom you are accountable!  This understanding fleshes itself out in several levels.  

One: when you are not appointed by man, you do not ultimately answer to man.  This is a liberating truth when it seeps deep into our hearts because I no longer have to seek after man's approval.  

Two: when you are appointed by God, you are fully accountable to Him.  This is a refining truth because I am answering to the One who sees all and knows all!  If I were answering to man I could attempt to manipulate, persuade, or mislead but now I report to the One whose knowledge is perfect.  

As pastors (and Christ-followers), we have the high calling to represent God before man and having the knowledge of the standards and expectations of the One that we report to will change the manner in which we lead.  The churches challenge is not how much power to give or not give to a pastor but rather to whom does he really see himself reporting?  This is not a license to be reckless and disconnected from the people but rather a mandate to lead in Jesus' example and as Peter lays out for us...

"Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:1-3).

Free Resource

Free audio download of Donald Whitney's Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life.  Great book on making spiritual progression a priority.  And its free...