Tag Archive - church planting

Who to Listen to

As a pastor, I speak a lot. Naturally, sometimes I strike a nerve…which in today’s world seems to lead to extra emails in the inbox.

DELETE. Well, sometimes…let me explain.

Feedback is the breakfast of champions, but only when it comes from the right sources.

If the source does not matter, then the feedback becomes nothing but another confusing, discouraging, self-doubt inducing, stress causing waste of your life!

Feedback becomes the breakfast of champions when you start listening to the right people while simultaneously learning how to ignore the wrong people.

You have to install a feedback filter. Here are some things that are working for me:

Decide who to ignore. Try making a list that describes the kind of person you need to ignore. Its easy and fun! This will help you learn who to listen to. Just don’t fall into the trap of arrogance where you think you don’t need to listen to anybody. That’s called PRIDE. But that is a whole ‘nutha blog post…

Learn to pan for gold. Learn how to find and use the gold that is mixed in with the junk.

Know that usually, unsolicited feedback is coming from an insecure person. My favorite is when someone prefaces their apparently brilliant wisdom with the words, “Let me give you some friendly advice…” Wrong. It’s rarely friendly and it’s not advice.

Amy Grant had a song called “Who To Listen To.” Look at this portion of the lyrics:

You’ve got to know who to, who not to listen to.
Well, you know, they’re gonna hit you from all sides.
Better make up your mind who to, who not to listen to.

Are you willing to tune out people who don’t have your best interests at heart?

Feedback from the right people (and the humility to make necessary changes) leads to more people meeting Jesus. I dare you to stop exposing yourself to abrasive, unsolicited feedback and to start listening to the people who matter.

And here is a hint for ya: the people that matter aren’t always the ones with a seminary degree.

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Funded and Free

The number one question I DO NOT get from church planters is “how do I fund my church plant?” This should be question number one. Trust me. Revolution Church is six months old and I had no idea how much money it would take. There are so many things you don’t think about at first!

To make it worse, if you are a “lion” personality or A-type as many church planters are, you simply do not have what it takes to manage the financial side of your church on your own. The first step to growing a healthy church is to admit that you can’t do it all.

What’s the second step? Buy a book that just came out called “Funded and Free.” Casey Graham and Joe Sangl have teamed up to release this rocket style approach book that will help you become a funded church, free of financial worry.

I have been working with Casey for over a year now and there is no doubt that Revolution Church is reaching people because of his coaching on biblical financial management principles and funding techniques.

I called the approach of the book “rocket style” because each chapter is no longer than two pages and gets right to the meat of what you need to know. This is MY KIND OF BOOK. No fluff. No puff. No junk.

Here are just a few topics in the book that have helped Revolution the most:

  • Leverage digital giving (Number 1 help at Revolution!)
  • Fix the summer slump (HUGE!)
  • Create an obstacle and opportunity fund
  • Connect life change to giving
  • Haste makes Waste
  • Fund life change – not the squeaky wheel
  • Develop a generosity brand

There are 50 chapters total, each hitting an important topic with super practical and simple advice.

If you click here you can buy 5 books for $50 now. I recommend getting one for everyone on your staff and reading it together. Or, buy 5 books and give one to each church planter that your church supports. Seriously, this stuff ought to be REQUIRED reading for any church planter.

Trust me. The two pages on “fixing the summer slump” alone are worth thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. We have grown both financially and numerically through the summer just by praying our guts out and applying these simple principles.

One more thing. I know Casey Graham. I know his heart. This is the best part of this book. Casey has been in ministry and truly has a heart to see people meet Jesus in churches all over the world. This book isn’t about making money. Its about the Gospel. I tell every church planter I meet that dollars equal people you can reach. This book will increase your dollars so that you can reach more people. Its ALL ABOUT THE KINGDOM.

Don’t be prideful. Don’t be dumb. Get at least one copy of this book NOW and DEVOUR it.

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The Twitch that Turned into TWITCHES.

Last week, I blogged about a vision twitch I have been having. The twitch has turned into the TWITCHES. That’s right, multiple twitching going on here. I am losing sleep and being consumed by the twitch.

The first twitch has been almost like God is literally whispering in my ears: “Is our vision so big that we obviously can’t accomplish it without God?”

Still working through that one, both personally and corporately from the viewpoint of The Connection Church.

The new twitch?

What faith risk is God calling me to take?

Yikes…

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Monday…meh…

Today is Monday. This morning stunk.

I woke up late. I made a quick banana shake to take with me. I used the magic bullet blender.

When I finished and poured my shake, I noticed the big rubber seal ring was gone. Where was it? Hmmm. I must have just left it off. I took a drink. Yummy. Chunkier that normal.

I asked Amber if she had seen the seal. She replied “I bet you blended it.” “No way, impossible!” says I.

Another BIG drink. MMMMmmm…yummy. Chunky.

I kept looking for the seal ring. Eventually, I checked my cup. Amber was right. I blended it. So this morning I had a banana chocolate rubber chunk shake. I bet I’ll pay for that mistake later today…

Now, I have to go find a new seal for our blender.

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