Sailors, Saints, & Sinners

Back to the Basics

Today was a GREAT day for our church.  We had awesome crowds, great prayer time to close the FORGED series, a good Inquirer’s Lunch with a lot of people who were previously unchurched or de-churched, and a great SuperBowl Party for our students. 

As easy as it should be to simply celebrate and pat ourselves on the back, we will not be doing that this week at RBCC.  Instead, we will be taking a “round turn” (Navy slang) on how we operate and do ministry.  I’ve let some of our most basic and most important standards slip.  I’ve been seeing signs of this “slippage” for about 2 weeks now.   This week we’ll make some course corrections, get back to the basics, and filter everything through our core value of excellence.

God has blessed our church with so much and wants to do so much more that complacency is just not an option (while excellence honors God and inspires people). The stakes are too high!!

Leadership Development

Earlier this week I mentioned leadership development in a post.  This subject is getting a lot of attention in our church and our prayers right now.  Aaron will be working more in this area as he transitions out of small groups in a few months.  But what do I mean by leadership development?

Most churches have a plan for how someone becomes a “member” of the church with the end result being the person is on the church roll, maybe in a group or class, and perhaps serving on a ministry team.  We are talking about a process to help church members assume increased responsibility either in a small group context, over a ministry team, or in the church as a whole.  For example, I lead a small group but there was a time in my life when I only participated in a small group.  Over time I was able to begin leading a small group because of certain skills that I developed and certain passions I have for Christians community.  We are asking the question, “How do we help church members who have a passion for a particular ministry develop the skills to lead certain aspects of that ministry?” 

To help your imagination, think about this:

• How could a church member grow to become an Elder? A staff member? A campus pastor of a Rock Bridge multi-site?
• How could a host team member grow to become the leader of the entire Host Team Ministry?
• How could a high school senior grow to lead a small group for middle schoolers?
• How could a children’s ministry volunteer grow to oversee an entire department within the children’s ministry?
• How could a student ministry group leader grow to become the Student Minister over a Rock Bridge multi-site?

Fight the Right Battles

Great story in I Samuel 25 where David almost fights the wrong battle with a guy (Nabal) who refused to feed him and his men.  Well, Nabal’s wife, Abigail, intervenes and basically tells David that the reason he is so successful is that he fights the right battles, instead of getting distracted by less worthy battles.  This story is so cool and so right on for church leaders and planters.

There will always be more battles to fight than we have the time, energy, and ability to fight.  The key is to fight the right battles — the one’s God has designed, equipped, and (through the church) organized us to fight and to win.

Here are some battles that are probably not worth the effort:

• Trying to defend or justify the vision of your church to people who just don’t get it and don’t want to get it (i.e. the people who want to debate music styles, Bible translations, dress codes, use of technology, etc.)
• The people who criticize or question your church yet have never attended it
• The struggling church that wants to blame your church for their problems
• The parent who believes their kid’s problems are a direct result of the church’s children/student ministry
• The person who keeps contacting you to tell you they are praying for you because you baptize people in the “Name of the Father … Son … and Holy Spirit” (true story)

Here are some battles that are probably worth fighting:

• Keeping the vision alive and vibrant in your church.
• The core doctrines of the faith
• For opportunties to share the Gospel to more people
• The person in your church who has their own agenda, who is a gossip, who is living in blatant & unrepentant sin
• For yourself: your walk with God, your family, your time

Halftime Score

With one week to go before we make our 3-year pledge commitments for The Next Step Campaign we got some incredible news and momentum today.  We got together a group of people (about 100 families) in the church to make their pledges early.  This “advance” party consisted of staff, elders, ministry team leaders, small group leaders, highly involved church members, and anyone who responded to a bulletin announcement.

Last Sunday this group of 107 families got together and pledged $2,410, 598 over the next 36 months to the campaign!!!!!!  Talk about putting points on the board and being ahead at halftime … WOW!!!! When our top Rock Bridge “security” forces repelled into the Wink (that’s right, we had people repel into church today) with that number, the place went wild with celebration, excitement, and anticipation. 

Next Sunday (November 18th) is the second half and just like any sport, A LOT can happen.  Victory is within reach and our goal of doing the construction and renovation “debt-free after three” years is now very attainable.   Pray hard this week as hundreds of others in our church ask God to reveal to them their part in resourcing the vision God has given this church.  We are moving out with God and next Sunday our church takes The Next Step!!

Today’s testimony is the perfect example of how God will make a way for all of us to participate, for all of us to “step up” and “step out” in faith with God.  Here’s a summary:

• Single mom living paycheck to paycheck.  Began a personal relationship with Christ since she began coming to Rock Bridge 2 years ago.
• Wants desperately to participate in the campaign but had no idea how.  Asked God to show her and “reveal” a way for her to give.
• A few weeks ago her neighbor saw her taking her trash cans to the street for pick-up and offered the use of his dumpster so she wouldn’t have pay for “trash service.”
• Prayer answered!! She will pledge her “trash money” to The Next Step campaign!!!!!!
• Instead of sending trash to the dump, she’ll be helping send people to heaven … that’s what it’s all about!!

Great Conference

Last year a few of us attended the Churchplanters.com conference hosted at Mountainlake Church in Cumming, Georgia.  This is an incredible conference for those interested in starting a church OR for those needing inspiration and encouragement to do big things for the kingdom. Shawn Lovejoy and his team do a great job with this!!

Feb. 18-19 2008 is the date for the next conference.  We’ll be sending some of our team to it.

Who’s In the House?

When we started Rock Bridge 5 years ago we studied what other churches were doing and we looked at various models and methods for doing ministries.  Some people said you have to do music a certain way, do small groups, be casual, be creative, etc. etc.  I would say that those type of issues are important and to be be “contextualized” based on each church’s mission & vision. 

However, I think there is one thing that is much more important than traditional or contemporary music, casual or formal dress, live teaching or video, Sunday School or small groups, expository or topical preaching, etc. … it is what Moses was talking about here and David here – churches must be filled with the Presence of God.  

I have been so convicted at the amount of time I’ve spent studying systems, programs, the order of service, and staffing models versus the amount of time I’ve spent talking with God and seeking His Presence for my life and the church I am called to serve!  I’m not saying those other areas are not important and don’t have huge strategic implications for churches (because they do!) … but I am saying that above all else, the one thing I want most for my life and for Rock Bridge is to be marked by the Presence of God!! 

• We can be creative, contemporary and trendy but without God’s Presence what seperates us from Vegas or Disney? (Moses realized that only God’s Presence made Israel ‘distinct’ from the other nations.)
• Moses asked God for His presence and God granted it … WOW!! (I think this is a specific and special responsibility placed on church leaders, especially Senior Pastors.  At RBCC we’ve built this into our staffing strategy).
• The first ‘church’ was told to do nothing but WAIT until God’s presence arrived!!! (Acts 1:4)
• God promised to give His Spirit to those who asked with persistence and faith! (Luke 11:5-13)
• What do people in a lost, fallen, & broken world need most – to be restored to our “original” status … able to enter into God’s Presence!
• Most churches I know do some sort of review or critique of their worship services.  We ask what worked and what didn’t … everything from cleanliness to the sound mix to the attendance figures … when is the last time we’ve asked, “Was God in the house?”

Church Growth

This past week our Associate Pastor, Aaron Gable, gave me an article on how to break through barriers of growth.  The article got me thinking because frequently I get asked about the “secrets” of Rock Bridge’s growth.  So I thought I’d share some of the thoughts I’ve learned about church growth.

1)  God wants churches to grow!!  A lot of people think that if a church is growing then the Pastor never challenges the people, ‘waters down the Word’, or that the church is totally about consumerism and is completely compromising God’s standard.  How funny that we question something that God created to grow when it actually does grow!!  The first church grew by 3000 people in one day!  Jesus’ dream for the church was always to be continually expanding.  Therefore, we have permission to ask and expect God to grow His church and fulfill His dream!! 

2)  There is a price for growth.  Rick Warren says it best, “It’s not about you.”  The church is not about you or me; the preacher or a denomination — the church is about Jesus Christ, His purpose, and His glory.  So the price for growth is pride, egos and personal agendas.   It is easy for a church to become weighed down by people who have their own personal preferences and agendas … and the hard part people really don’t see it as their personal agenda. However, anytime the church focuses more on anything but Jesus and the people He died to save, growth becomes difficult.

3) The pastor cannot do it all.  From Day One our church has been committed to making sure that I have enough time to pray and prepare messages and manage the big picture/vision of Rock Bridge.  Many times pastors get weighed down with doing all the counseling, all the weddings, all the funerals, and all the hospital visits.  I’ll say it again, the pastor cannot do it all!!  If a church expects the pastor to be Superman and do everything, then the church is not expecting to grow.  Whatever your pastor’s limit is (and every pastor has one), that is where you church will stop.  If your pastor can effectively minister to 100 people, then your church will have about 100 people.  For some it may be 150-200 … but every pastor has a limit — but his limit should not be the limit to the church’s growth!!

4)  Vision + Passion = Commitment.  People want to be committed to something significant (we were created for it!).  People are attracted to big visions and passion.  What has a bigger vision than the church?  What is more significant than God’s church?  There is more passion and vision and thus commitment at most college stadiums on Saturdays in the Fall than most churches year round … and the church is celebrating AN EMPTY TOMB!!  I have a rule of thumb … if I can’t get passionate about what I’m preaching, then I shouldn’t be preaching it; if I am not passionate about where I believe God to be leading our church, then I shouldn’t be leading the way! 

5)  Prayer + Boldness = God’s presence.  The order here is important.  Prayer must take first place in the church.  Pray until God gives you something to be bold about and the boldness to do what He wants you to do … then watch Him show up and then people will show up to encounter Him!  This is the area God is working on me the most right now.  True prayer is admitting humbly that you can’t do it but acknowledging that God can … this dependence and faith moves the heart of God to respond, to move, and to show up.  People who are seeking God will go where He regularly and faithfully shows up … and that should be the church that He created.

6)  Make mistakes and learn from them.  The first implication is that you’ve got to take risks in order to make mistakes.  I’ve made so many mistakes as a pastor, preacher, and leader.  Most mistakes are not fatal, but all mistakes are excellent teachers.   God in His sovereignty has appointed the church to carry His message into the world.  The church is composed of redeemed sinners … thus guaranteeing that mistakes will be made.  Sometimes I think the church grows almost inspite of ourselves … but that way God gets the glory … and to be honest if I could adequately explain the reasons behind church growth, then it probably would not be of God.  I am humbled and amazed at God’s work and desire for His church to grow and storm the gates of Hell … even more amazing is that He uses the likes of me to play a small role in His work!!

BHAGs!!!

BHAGs = Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals

This week at staff meeting I asked the staff to share some specific dreams they have and what they said was unbelievable!!  They have goals that are SO BIG if God does not show up, we’ll never achieve them (and that is exactly what God wants!!).  These dreams are worthy of God’s glory!!  Our staff rocks!!

Here’s some of the things they shared … before you read these BHAG’s, please commit to pray for them!!

• To have 150 new people participate in Rock Bridge group life this Fall. (Aaron Gable, Executive Pastor/Small Groups Minister)
• To have 100 Youth leaders mentoring, leading, and assisting with Student Ministry (Gus Waters, Assistant Student Minister)
• To have a fully staffed, outrageously fun Children’s ministry where kids are learning about Jesus!  (Amanda Welch, Children’s Minister)
• To see The Next Step Campaign EXCEED our goals  (Greg Womack, Worship Pastor)
• To grow a big multi-media team (Jeremy Owens, Technical Director)
• To see 300 students from all the area schools participating in Rock Bridge Student Ministry (Beth Evans, Student Minister)
• To have 280 people attend Rock Bridge Calhoun … in Week #2!!!  {This is unheard of – most new sites and new church plants see a drop in attendance from Week 1 to 2. } (Carll Converse, Rock Bridge Calhoun Campus Pastor)
• To baptize 100 people in one day … real soon!! (Gail Waters, Assistant to Sr. Pastor)

The Next Step

Last week at First Wednesday I made a big announcement about our 5 year anniversary and what that means for our church.

As we turn five next month (WOW!), we will celebrate and remember, BUT we are going to focus more on looking ahead and asking, “What next?” Over the past five years,
–God has allowed us to serve an increasing number of people from all walks of life.
–We’ve seen faith in Christ reenergized, discovered, and deepened.
–The Bible tells us that to whom much is given, much is required.
–As we look ahead and ask “What is the next step for Rock Bridge?” … we believe it is to (finally) finish out our downtown Dalton Campus to make room for the numbers of people we are seeing and will see at RBCC and prepare ourselves to launch additional multi-site campuses.

Here’s why this is important:
–Did you know that in our 10:45 am service our children’s space is AT CAPACITY?
–Did you know that in our 10:45 am service our worship space is nearing 80% full (at 80% capacity people quit coming because they perceive their is no room … this is a national trend based on much research)?
–Did you know that we have had times when over 200 students were packed in the Gathering?

If your biological family is outgrowing your house, condo, or apartment … YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! As our church family has grow, we realized almost a year ago that we would soon have to do something.

Here’s what our leadership has decided to do:
–By the end of this year we hope to begin construction to make our downtown facility serve 1500 adults in worship: 1000 in the Wink and ~500 in a new worship center (using live worship and video teaching … this will occur in the old furniture building).
–We also have plans to create a new Wing (to the west of the Wink Theatre) that will be able to serve 250-300 birth thru 5th graders as well as include small group spaces for adults and teenagers.
–Our campus would effectively be able to handle >1700 people at one service time.
–To take our church through a special season to look at these challenges, dream BIG about the future, and begin taking steps to meet the challenges and make these dreams a reality {This will be called THE NEXT STEP CAMPAIGN}

As exciting as this vision is to make it a reality will require us all to step it up in our prayer lives, in our giving, and in our involvement in what God is asking us to do. The Next Step Campaign will help us together as a church do these things.

I’m pumped beyond belief at what God has done, at what He is asking us to do, and at what He is going to do as we step out in faith!! Our church will never be the same. We will never be the same … and our community will never be the same!!! Let’s get ready to take that step!!

Vince Dooley

Vince Dooley spoke at the Dalton Chamber of Commerce leadership lunch today … I got to go … pray … AND sit next to him!!  {Yes, the Vince Dooley … the Top Dawg!!}  He spoke on leadership and here’s a few things that stuck out to me (by the way he is a funny speaker with some great stories):

• I am part of all that I have met — everyone we meet influences and impacts us.  We should seek to learn from everyone we encounter.  Coach Dooley was part of a team!
• When I got the head job at UGA … I was too young to know the difference {that hiring him was a big risk} — so Coach Dooley went out and got a great staff and worked to gain credibility by winning, by producing results, by being honest, by leading with integrity.  Reminds me of this verse.
• Enjoy what you do — Coach never felt like he was going to work. 
• Great to be in one place for 40 years. — I love that thought!!
• All leaders make mistakes.  Good leaders admit them.  The leader cannot delegate responsibility.
• Leadership sets the culture … by what you say AND do.
• “Team Leader”  — a few of the only positive things reported by NFL scouts regarding Patriots QB Tom Brady (his negatives, according to the scouts, far outweighed his positives) who has won 3 SuperBowls
• Loyalty is a two-way street.
• Trust:  Followers have to have absolute confidence in the leader’s ability to make decisions that are in the best of the organization.  {This was said as he was talking about Mark Richt.}