Sailors, Saints, & Sinners

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.}

Great sayings that have shaped me: PART III

“Less is more.”  {Andy Stanley; others}

This has defined so much of what I do and don’t do and what our church does and does not do. 

• We will do a few things well rather than a lot of things average.
• We will be focused, we will be simple, we will disciplined.
• This means we say ‘No’ to a lot of things so that the things we say ‘Yes’ to are done with excellence.

A lot of people have a hard time understanding this.  Typically, the church has tried to have a program or ministry or sub-ministry for everything under the sun.  The end result is everything can end up competing for space, dollars, and time.  The staff gets stretched too thin and committed members end up feeling guilty because they cannot be there every time the church doors open (which grows with every new ministry that gets started).  Ten years later the program that started with such excitement isn’t as exciting but you can’t kill it because “We’ve always done it that way.”

So at Rock Bridge we made a strategic decision.  We will only do a few things that fit our vision … the one God gave us almost five years ago … and we will do those things for the glory of God!!

Our “few things” include weekend worship, adult small groups/discipleship, children & students, and multiple campuses. (I once heard this guy respond to the question of ”Do you have a men’s ministry?” with the reply, “Yes, we encourage our men to come to worship every Sunday!” Whether that reply fits or not is up to each church but the focus, simplicity, and committment to doing only a few things well is refreshing and is proving effective in churches (see the book Simple Church by Thom Rainer) and in businesses (see the book Good to Great by Jim Collins).

I could be even simpler by saying we do two things: LARGE group and SMALL group environments for adults, students, and children modeled after Acts 2.

Great sayings that shaped me (PART II)

“Everything rises or falls on leadership.”  {John Maxwell; experiences in the Navy}

The Naval Academy was all about producing leaders.  I saw great and bad leadership in action and quickly realized that leadership is the difference maker in any organization.

• Throughout Scripture, God raised up leaders to accomplish His purposes.
• I thank God for the leadership we have at Rock Bridge.
• The level of leadership that got us where we are will not take us where we are going.  (i.e. — what it takes to lead a church of 100 is different than the leadership it takes to lead a church of 500, 1000, 1500, 2000 … etc.) Click here for a great post on this.
• I pray God raises up more leaders as our church grows and our influence expands.
• I realize the enormous responsibility God has given me as the lead pastor of Rock Bridge.
  • I have committed myself to continue to grow and learn as a leader.
  • As our church has grown so has my desire for and need to pray.  Spiritual leadership flows from time with God … period.
  • I know I need help.  I know I cannot do everything.  I know I am only good at a few things.  That is why leadership is not an endeavor that occurs in a vacuum.  We have a great staff, godly Elders, and awesome people at RBCC who help lead this church. 

Hanging Tough (Part 2)

Because ministry is tough we’ve all got to find a way to hang tough in order to last.  I hear so many stories of people no longing in full-time ministry.  The stats of people who enter ministry and then leave are staggering.  I want to be in this for the long haul.  I want to finish well.  I don’t want to be a “one hit wonder” (remember “Achy Breaky Heart“?).  I still have a lot to learn in this area but here are some things that have helped me.

• Celebrate wins.  Share stories of life change.  Listen to the people God puts in your path to encourage you and build you up.  I am convinced that the devil can make a few sound like many.   My tendency can be to get over critical and dwell on the stuff I/we messed up or on what the critical few are saying.  However, there is SO MUCH good God stuff going on that deserves celebrating … heaven throws a massive party every time someone gets saved … maybe there is a lesson for us down here on earth!?
• Staff well.  Boy, have we learned this one the hard way.  We allowed our staff to attendance ratio to get dangerously high and most of our staff was on the verge of burnout.  Staffing well allows for margin and margin is often where I hear from God and am most productive in my thinking. 
  • The Executive Pastor:  Let me say that for me personally as the Lead Pastor hiring Aaron Gable as our Executive Pastor was a great hire for both selfish reasons and strategic reasons.  First, he and I have great chemistry and think VERY much alike when it comes to church operations.  Our approaches and thought ‘processes’ are different (a good thing) but our goal is the same (also a good thing).  Aaron has freed me up to spend more time with God on the mountain, to focus on preaching and leading, and to be a better husband.  Here are the practicals of what Aaron does:
    • Oversees our discipleship and involvement processes including small groups and Inquirer’s Lunch.  (I used to do this and it got no where near the attention it deserved or demands.  Producing disciples is central to the Great Commission and churches cannot neglect this.)
    • Supervises the majority of the ministers on staff and the office/support staff.  (Again, I used to do this but the reality was I was not available to train, coach, mentor, correct, and encourage them like they needed.  Aaron leads most of our staff meetings on a weekly basis.  I lead a once-a-month all staff meeting.)
    • Oversees the hiring of new staff/personnel (and if needed, the firing of personnel).
    • Assists with any counseling, pastoral care, and meetings.
    • Leadership development and overall church strategies/systems to accomplish the vision we have as a church.
• Have a true Sabbath.  Early on in the church planting process, Beth & I carved out Mondays as our day.  90% of the time we do something together that has nothing to do with church.  We are very strict about this.  When RBCC first started I was going to go to seminary in Atlanta every Monday.  That meant waking up at 0430, driving through commuter traffic, going to class for 6-8 hours, and driving back home through commuter traffic.  That lasted 2 weeks.  I honestly believe that we would have lost either our marriage, our ministry, or our minds had I kept that up. 
• Get a hobby or have a ‘toy’.  Again, something that allows me to relax my mind (which tends to never stop thinking or strategizing about church).  I lift weights.  Beth is taking up horseback riding.  We have a Sea Doo   We like to watch movies.  Nothing complicated, but I think those ‘mindless’ activities are healthy and wise for us to remain strong in ministry.
• Wise Counsel.  Rock Bridge has been blessed from before we launched to now to have wise people on our team either as Elders, Staff members, or financial gurus.  Their collective wise counsel has helped us navigate many obstacles and cleared many paths for our church to continue to move forward aggressively pursuing God’s vision for us.  Many pastors have to worry about financial accounting, purchase orders, budgets, etc. — I don’t.  90% of any renovation project or remodeling we have done has been managed by non-staff members in our church — again this allows us to focus on ministry.  Also, our Elders have ALWAYS encouraged me and expected me to prepare, study, read, and pray BEFORE anything else.  They understand the role of a Lead/Teaching Pastor.  When my time in prayer and study ever slacked off to the growing demands in a growing church, we have hired additional staff. 
• Pray as God’s child FIRST.  Too many times I have spent time in prayer as a pastor first and as God’s child second.  This is both sinful and stupid.  I will always be God’s child.  I will not always be a pastor.  I have learned that being hungry and passionate for God on a personal level, precedes being passionate and hungry for God on a pastoral/leadership level.  (In other words, preparing for a sermon does not count as my daily devotional time.)  Personal prayer helps guard my heart, maintains my perspective, and keeps my focus on Christ above all else … when those things (heart, perspective, and focus) are right, then ministry is much easier and easier to be enjoyed like it should be.

Why I Love First Wednesdays

We have struggled for years regarding Wednesdays and what to do … if anything at all.   Finally, I think we have found what works for us, our culture, and our congregation.  We decided we would not meet every Wednesday but only the First Wednesday of every month (except for July and January … depending on where the 4th and New Year’s fall).  This has become a great environment for what I’ll call for lack of a better word, ‘insiders’ or the ‘home’ crowd.  The fellowship is great (we even wear name tags) and the worship is powerful.  I typically teach for 20-25 minutes through a passage verse by verse and try to cast a lot of vision and enforce our main values.  Then we take communion and end in a time of prayer.

I used to hate (well not quite hate) Wednesday nights because to me it was just “one more thing” on my plate and I did not do it with excellence.  My heart was not in it.  That has changed.  Here’s why First Wednesdays is a great service to me:

• The people.  Rock Bridge is all about people & relationships. and this service is easier to speak with people and talk to them.  We wear name tags to help out in getting to know each other. 
• Communion.  I grew up in Southern Baptist churches and I am convinced that taking communion once a quarter just is not enough.  While there is no biblical prescription for how frequently we should observe the Lord’s Supper, I think regular and intentional times to focus on the Cross are so important to any Christ-follower and to the Body of believers.
• Talking vision.  I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THE VISION of this church.  I love seeing our people’s faces when we talk about the next mountain God is asking us to climb or when we share what God is doing in our midst.  It’s awesome.  I am a BIG BELIEVER that you absolutely can never talk too much about God-given, God-glorifying vision!!
• Prayer.  We started ending every service by circling hands around the inside of the theatre and praying.  Last night our circle was too big!! But there is power, Acts 2 power, when we pray together … I believe it!!
• Special offering.  We take a ‘loose change’ offering … 100% of the money goes to support a local partnership that we have with Christ-centered organizations doing ministry in NW Georgia.
• Fun.  I have fun being a part of this church.  My job is a blast because our people are a blast.  We have fun every time (well, almost every time) we get together.  God’s people are awesome!  The people God has called together here at RBCC are awesome! It is the joy of my life to serve God alongside each of you!!