Church Planting Expectations

David Fitch, hits the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned:

TEN THINGS ANYONE WHO JOINS IN A TWENTY FIRST CENTURY MISSIONAL CHURCH PLANT SHOULD NOT EXPECT:

1.) Should not expect to regularly come to church for just one hour, get what you need for your own personal growth and development, and your kid’s needs, and then leave til next Sunday. Expect mission to change your life. Expect however a richer life than you could have ever imagined.

2.) Should not expect that Jesus will fit in with every consumerist capitalist assumption, lifestyle, schedule or accoutrement you may have adopted before coming here. Expect to be freed from a lot of crap you will find out you never needed.

3.) Should not expect to be anonymous, unknown or be able to disappear in this church Body. Expect to be known and loved, supported in a glorious journey.

4.) Should not expect production style excellence all the time on Sunday worship gatherings. Expect organic, simple and authentic beauty.

5.) Should not expect a raucous "light out" youth program that entertains the teenagers, puts on a show that gets the kids "pumped up," all without parental involvement. Instead as the years go by, with our children as part of our life, worship and mission (and when the light shows dim and the cool youth pastor with the spiked hair burns out) expect our youth to have an authentic relationship with God thru Christ that carries them through a lifetime of journey with God.

6.) Should not expect to always "feel good,"or ecstatic on Sunday mornings. Expect that there will ALSO be times of confession, lament, self-examination and just plain silence.

7.) Should not expect a lot of sermons that promise you God will prosper you with "the life you've always wanted" if you’ll just believe Him and step out on faith and give some more money for a bigger sanctuary. Expect sustenance for the journey.

8.) Should not expect rapid growth whereby we grow this church from 10 to a thousand in three years. Expect slower organic inefficient growth that engages people’s lives where they are at and sees troubled people who would have nothing to do with the gospel marvelously saved.

9.) Should not expect all the meetings to happen in a church building. Expect a lot of the gatherings will be in homes, or sites of mission.

10.) Should not expect arguments over style of music, color of carpet, or even doctrinal outlier issues like dispensationalism. Expect mission to drive the conversation.O AND BY THE WAY… Should not expect that community comes to you… I am sorry but true community in Christ will take some "effort"and a reshuffling of priorities for both you and your kids. Yes I know you want people to come to you and reach out to you and you’re hurting and busy. But assuming you are a follower of Christ (this message is not for strangers to the gospel) you must learn that the answer to all those things is to enter into the practices of "being the Body" in Christ, including sitting, eating, sharing and praying together.

So it's been a while again...

Ya, so.... huh.... We've been doing a lot of praying about how to go about our ministry lately... SO many things have changed... We are looking for a NEW core team... and we are going to take things pretty slowly... What is a core team you ask? Well it is a group of people who will support our ministry with their time, talents, their hearts and who will do this because of their passion for Christ and not for popularity or to simply make us happy... We are in the process of getting our charitable status (man it's a long process) and we need to submit our new plan before September. This means that we will need to spend a lot of time praying and seeking God's plan for The Lion's Den... I do believe that God wants us to keep it small (we aren't trying to be a mega church by any means...) We were a successful house church for about two years... but it's funny (not really) how people just didn't consider us a church because firstly we were located in our home.... (no pews, pulpit, etc) and secondly, we were only a group of 10-15 people (sometimes more... man was that ever squishy! lol) Success of a church should never be measured by numbers but by the accomplishing of God's will for that ministry. Are we living up to our/God's vision for the church?

Please pray for The Lion's Den, that we can find the appropriate leaders, those with a true passion for the furtherance of God's Kingdom... People who truly want to love others... People who have the desire to be a part of a strong community for Christ... People who are not judgemental... People who are striving to be Chritlike and not striving to be "Christian".... People who understand that regardless of how long you've been a Christian, no one is perfect... People who are willing to embrace our differences and see that we are all a part of the body of Christ and that we were made differently, to serve....to serve a purpose together for God and for the furtherance of His Kingdom. Remember the Great Commission... when Jesus said:

Matt 28:19-2019 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." NIV

Are you one of these people? Have tou prayed about what you can offer to God with your gifts, talents and passion? Email us if you feel that you might want to be a part of the Lion's Den team. Pray about it. God knows who is supposed to join our team and he will impress those feelings on your heart... So far we can see those that God is moving...


GOD IS GOOD!