Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe is on the move!

The Bible college originally began at the castle in Austria which was purchased by Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa more than 25 years ago. As nation after nation began opening up to the gospel with the fall of the Soviet Union, CCBCE then moved to Hungary with a strategic vision to bring the gospel to Eastern Europe. With many of these countries now having national pastors and leaders at the helm of mission-sending churches, the frontier of missions for CCBCE is now moving further East.

Where is CCBCE going?

The country of Georgia is located in the Caucasus mountains—a place where east meets west. Georgia is strategically positioned as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Seventy-six percent of Georgia’s population belongs to the Georgian Orthodox Church. Georgia was the second country in the world (after Armenia) to adopt Christianity as the official state religion in 326 AD. Georgia borders Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. It is in close proximity to Iran, Iraq, and Jordan where visitors from these nations are welcome to travel freely to and from Georgia for leisure, education, and business.

Doors are opening wide.

Georgia is surrounded by nations that have historically been difficult to reach with the gospel. And yet, the doors of many of these places are now shaking. God is doing a work throughout the world and we believe that He is going to continue using CCBCE to train pioneering leaders to venture into these places and beyond with the gospel. Five years ago, Jed Gourley and his family moved to Tbilisi, Georgia to plant a church. Now three and a half years later there is a growing body of believers. CCBCE will work in conjunction with and under the umbrella of Calvary Chapel Tbilisi.

When is CCBCE moving?

Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe will move this summer. Our Fall 2020 semester will begin in Tbilisi, Georgia, in September.

What will it look like?

The first year of classes will be an experience like no other. As foundations are being laid in this new country, opportunities for CCBCE students abound. By living in Georgia, students will interact with, and serve those who have access to places we as foreigners seldom do. Along with new opportunities that will arise being a part of this new church plant, students will be raised up and discipled in the Word of God through the Bible college programs. Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe will continue to welcome students from all over the world.

CCBCE Programs

ASSOCIATE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES: 2-year Calvary Chapel Bible College program with an emphasis on missions

SCHOOL OF MISSION: 1-year program of cross-cultural training and equipping for missions and church planting

A VISION FOR LIFE: 40-day summer youth discipleship program

Students can apply now!

We are now accepting applications for our Fall 2020 semester at ccbce.com

Yes, this is really happening! Beginning this fall, CCBCE is moving to Georgia. As you pray for us, should the Lord put it on your heart to be more involved in this endeavor, please feel free to contact us.

To God be the glory, great things He has done and wondrous things He is about to do!

Apply Now!

Start Watching Missions 2020 Archives

Why plant churches?

This question will be addressed at the Calvary Chapel Global Missions 2020 Conference and will go in depth about what church planting is, why its worth it for the Church to invest in missions and more! As a movement that has been missions-minded from the beginning, Calvary Chapel is excited to have you come and see how the Lord will speak and move! The conference hosts many missionaries from around the world, so this will be an opportunity to personally meet, talk and pray with them!

The conference speakers have 20+ experience in the mission field and are excited to be a part of this conference! It will run from Monday, January 6, to Friday, January 10, at the Murrieta Hot Springs Christian Conference Center in Murrieta, California.

Please join us in Southern California at the start of the New Year for a time of edification, fellowship and refreshment.

REGISTER

There is an unspoken divide within the church today, and that is between the big church and the small church. This divide is unspoken because it is often so personal for pastors. (As a small church pastor, I know!) Church size is often how pastors let other pastors know how they are doing – they are doing well because their church is growing bigger, or their church is struggling, which pastors don’t necessarily want to divulge because their church is still small.

But what if we are looking at this issue from the wrong angle?

The approach Karl Vaters takes in his book Small Church Essentials is that the small church can be an effective church; the small church “is not a problem, virtue, or an excuse.”¹ Karl’s approach is compelling. For one thing, he doesn’t lazily use the shortcut of demonizing the big church to get to his goal, rather he says,

1. “[Small churches] have to believe they can be great.

2. They need to see what a great small church looks like.

3. They need resources designed for great small churches.”²

Pastor Vaters is no stranger to church growth. He tells a story of his church growing over 10 years from 75 to 400 congregants, but then suddenly shrinking over a number of months to less than 75! There was no scandal. There was no split. Long story short, it was simply a small church, and that is good, or rather, it can be good. The stats³ say that 90% of churches in America, across regions and denominations, are small churches, which are churches less than 200 people. These small churches are not a problem; they are the bread and butter of American Christianity. To be clear, big churches are not a problem either. Small and big churches need each other, “but no church can be a great church if they don’t know they can be a great church. Too many small churches and their pastors are laboring under a false impression—a lie, really—that their church can’t be great until it becomes bigger.”⁴

To help small churches become great, Karl reframes the issue and asks, “What does a healthy small church look like?”

Small Church Essentials is broken up into four parts: First, it tackles the important truth that “Small ≠ Broken.” Due to numerous reasons, bigger is better has become the prevailing mantra of pastoral expectations. Here the book carefully rephrases expectations so that small church pastors neither think being small is a virtue, nor an excuse, but an opportunity to make something great. Second, the book deals with “Thinking Like a Great Small Church.” Here the book carefully crafts a better definition of church growth, because every small church needs a metric of measurement. In part three, it’s about “Bringing New Life to an Existing Small Church.” Here the book blossoms as it tackles important issues like vision casting and starting/stopping ministries, issues not often contextualized for churches smaller than 200. Finally, the book looks at “Becoming a Great Small Church.” It’s always important to have practical takeaways, and here the book gives some good ones, on topics like hospitality and small groups.

Recently, I attended a seminar led by Pastor Vaters hosted by Calvary Arlington, which is located in northern Washington State, just outside the beautiful Mt. Baker National Forest. I brought a friend with me, who’s a recent church-planter (by the way, every church plant starts as a small church!) and from the seminar’s beginning, my friend kept reiterating that more people need to interact with this vision for small churches. After reading Small Church Essentials, I wholeheartedly agree. It’s not that I agree with everything the book says, for instance, Mr. Vaters’ view of small groups is limited to one philosophy for small groups – for fellowship. There are other philosophical reasons to have small groups, but I agree with Mr. Vaters, small groups must be contextualized for small churches.

Small Church Essentials is an invaluable resource for the small church pastor and an important addition to the broader conversation in the American church.

The divide between the big church and the small church is a false dichotomy and is often indicative of a deeper illness within the American church, but by reframing conversation the way Karl Vaters does, perhaps any-size-church will be inspired and endeavor to be great.

Karl Vaters’ book, Small Church Essentials, can be purchased from Moody Publishers. Also, check out the Small Church Seminar at Calvary Arlington.

Notes:

¹ Karl Vaters, Small Church Essentials: Field-tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of Under 250, Moody Publishers. 2018.

² Ibid.

³ Fast Facts about American Religion. Accessed 2019.

⁴ Ibid.

^{The CGN International Conference is focusing on this year’s theme, “Commissioned: Urban Ministry in a Post-Everything World,” on June 24-27, 2019. Visit cgn.calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com for more information.}

Henry David Thoreau once described cities as “millions of people being lonesome together.” Have you ever considered how important cities are theologically? It is fascinating when you begin to realize God’s heart for cities.

Let’s take a brief journey and unpack just how important cities truly are to the glory of God:

The Scriptures begin in a garden and end in a city. The Bible begins in the book of Genesis with the creation of a glorious garden in Eden and culminates in the book of Revelation with the city of Jerusalem coming down, a new heaven and new earth.

The cultural mandate in Genesis 1:28 is an urban mandate. Timothy Keller writes:

“Even in the midst of the garden setting of Genesis 1-2, [urban] perceptions emerge. A perfect creation completed by God and unmarred by sin stood poised to begin its historical development. And in that setting God calls Adam and Eve and their future descendants to rule the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28). This calling has been aptly termed the cultural mandate. It is a calling to ‘image God’s work for the world by taking up our work in the world’ (Spykman 1992:256). But it could just as easily be called an urban mandate.”

God’s plan for cities was twisted by sin. So much so that cities can be built specifically to express our independence from God and “make a name for ourselves.” Babel is literally and figuratively the apex of sin in Genesis 1-11. Timothy Keller says:

“The quintessential City of Rebellion is Babel. It’s the original sin city. The first skyscraper is built in clear defiance of God. The original mandate of God to humankind was to be ‘miners’ of all the riches of creation. They were to turn to the natural resources of the physical universe and the personal resources of their own creation in the image of God. They were thus to be culture builders, developing science and art and civic life, building civilization that glorified God as its source and ground. Now we have a city dedicated to ‘mining cultural riches’ for human glorification and to show its independence of God.”

God responds to this apex of sin in Genesis 11 by graciously calling a man named Abram in Genesis 12, through whom God would bless all nations. Contrary to the rebellious city of Babel, Hebrews 11:10 says Abraham “was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”

When Israel entered the Promised Land, God appointed 48 specific cities to be set up. Keller continues: “Compassion, justice and righteousness were to mark the teaching to come from these forty-eight cities. They were to be Torah centers of instruction by the Levites… They were to exemplify the larger Israel’s vocation to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests (Ex 19:5-6).” Some of these cities were cities of refuge, where people could seek asylum when they committed specific acts like manslaughter.

The geographical center of God’s activity on earth in the Old and New Testaments was not just a region or a country, it was a city – Jerusalem.

Psalm 107 shows the sorry state of someone without a city, and God’s grace in placing people within cities: “Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in” (Psalm 107:4-7).

Jesus was born in a small village, but the expansion of His ministry clearly moved in an urban direction, ultimately journeying to the great city of Jerusalem.

Jesus’s love for the city is expressed not only by his death but in his tears. Keller again says, “Reading through the Gospels, we find only two times when it is recorded that Jesus wept: once over the death of his friend Lazarus, and a second time over the city of Jerusalem. The spiritual condition of the city moved the heart of Jesus. He himself was born in a village but died in a city.”

The spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ was strategically aimed at cities. When you study the book of Acts, you see a particular mission strategy aimed not primarily at suburban or rural contexts, but in the larger metropolitan and cosmopolitan areas beyond Jerusalem.

Paul’s missionary journeys and his ensuing letters were focused almost exclusively on the major influential cities of Asia Minor. Even at the end of Acts, we read of Paul’s great desire to journey to the most influential city of the day, Rome.

Our eternal dwelling is neither open countryside nor cloud-based, but an urban setting. Abraham sought the city “whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Revelation 21 describes and depicts the apex of God’s redemption, as a city! His redemption is building us a city – the new Jerusalem…and the current Jerusalem, The Holy City would be the shadow of the great city to come, where Jesus would reign eternally on David’s throne.

Fascinating, isn’t it?? In fact, when you start studying this, you find that the word city is cited some 1,250 times in the Bible – 160 times in the New Testament (polis in Greek) and 1,090 times in the Old Testament (ir in Hebrew).

The Greek word for “city” (polis) is where the words “polite” or “polished” come from. Greeks considered people who didn’t live in the city to be unpolished and impolite. The Latin word for city (civitas) is where we get the word “civilized.” For the Romans, to live in the city is to be civilized, whereas people in the country were uncivilized.

The city is home to both the politician and the poor, the collegiate and the criminal, the businessman and the beggar. People throughout time have both fled to the city for refuge, protection, commerce, philosophy, education, fashion, political power, judicial decisions, and industry and fled from the city for serenity, solitude, and retirement. The city is a melting pot of diversity—not merely in race—but also in religion, theology, politics and socioeconomic differences. Those who live in the city are bound by its successes and failures, must live an integrated life where they eat, live, work and play all in one unified territory.

In 1900, 10% of the world’s population was urban. By 2005, more than 50% of the world’s population had become urban. And the trend is accelerating. 2007 was the tipping point, where for the first time in all of eternity, more people lived in cities than in rural areas. And that trend will never reverse.

HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE?

4 WAYS CHRISTIANS IN THE CITY MUST LIVE

1. Intentionally, not Accidentally

That encompasses how we pray, where we work, play, shop and recreate. Do you work intentionally to best steward the Gospel in the context of your city? Would you be willing to switch professions in order to better steward the Gospel? Those who live in the city must live with a Gospel intentionality. Whether we are on public transportation, in an Uber, working in a co-op or grabbing artisan coffee with other professionals, we should have a focus on bringing Christ into the dark places we encounter on a daily basis.

2. Distinct, not Divorced

Think of how we typically approach the world. Christians are so freaked out about the world, and I understand it. There are evil people out there, and germs, and we have to do SOMETHING. But notice how we approach the world. It’s usually one of four ways:

Lighthouse: The rhetoric these Christians use is that the church, like a lighthouse, is a shelter from the rocky, dangerous and pervasive evil that lurks all around, like a ship in a harbor. The lighthouse beckons all those desiring to live righteous lives to come and seek refuge from the storm. The church, therefore, acts as a functional bunker protecting the church from the sin (and the blessings) of the city. The church as a lighthouse has difficulty bringing redemption to the city because it is not participating in the cultural, social, political, economical, educational or philosophical amenities the city prescribes. Often these churches will have their own private schools, their own soup kitchens, their own ministries that attempt to bless the city; but they fail to come alongside civic programs that are making great strides, simply because these lie outside of the established church. The emphasis is to be a shelter from the city.

Picket Line: Taking the mentality a step further, the church as a picket line sees the city as wicked, depraved and beyond repair or redemption. This church would reject anything the city contributes like art, music, education or holistic civic programs as beyond redemption and erroneously work against the city, rather than embracing what can reflect the goodness and glory of God. Christians who live this way galvanize themselves and create a dividing wall of hostility, often taking strong political stands in both moral and nonmoral issues. The emphasis is to be separate from the city.

Mirror: On the other end of this continuum is the church that acts as a mirror to the city. This church takes all its cues and commands from the current culture. It is the church that only longs to be relevant at the price of Biblical truth, to be comfortable at the cost of being righteous, to be ecumenical at the expense of having convictions. Christians who “cut/ paste” the world’s system have difficulty expressing the redemptive nature of the Gospel and rather emphasize a social gospel that lacks a spiritual Gospel. The emphasis is to be the same as the city.

City on a Hill: Jesus employed this analogy to speak of His preference to how Christ followers should live in culture. A city on a hill stands out and cannot be hidden or separated from the world. It is a high and lofty ascent of splendor, holiness and majesty. It is a beacon of hope for those in darkness, despair or lost on a weary journey. In the midst of our city, we are to stand out as a city within a city, one that stands apart and is desirable and redeeming to all those who reside nearby.

In fact, go back and reread what Jesus said about being salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). Jesus wasn’t saying we need to be saltier and more lit. He said we already are the light of revelation and redemption in a dark place. We are the preservative agent that brings flavor to a dull and dying world. We don’t have to try harder—intrinsically this is who we already are.

3. Attentive, not Oblivious

How many of your coworkers grew up in Christian homes? What is God doing in your neighbors’ lives to draw them closer to Christ? Who in your classroom is in a place right now that could use steady, persevering prayer on their behalf? We must be attentive, not oblivious in the context God has placed us in.

4. Toward Need, not Toward Comfort

God’s desire is that Christians would be in the city, to be a light shining in the dark places of crime, fear, injustice, poverty, disease and brokenness. His followers, living as His ambassadors, will model His communicable attributes and speak of His unfailing love and grace expressed in the cross of Christ. As salt, Christians can preserve and bring flavor to the bland rhetoric and empty philosophies of this age. We can love our God and our neighbors as ourselves, as we surrender our rights and desires and lay down our lives to bless the city.

Does God want to do something great in our lives? Perhaps. Does He want to do something great in our city? For sure. And He desires to use us collectively to further His kingdom. So we have to wake up to this reality and stop sleeping in the light and hiding out like a terrified cell group.

Aaron Coe, a former NAMB missionary church planter and current executive director of the Send NYC church planting advocacy organization in New York, said a key factor is that Christians simply need to return to the cities with their families and influence:

“If people move back in, live out the gospel, see people come to Christ and plant churches, then we’re going to start to see massive transformation happen. We’ve got to cast that vision, let people know that there are opportunities…it’s not for the cities’ sake, it’s for the whole nation’s sake. Because what happens in the city…so goes the rest of the country.”

May we see the need and be willing to plant our lives, the Gospel, our families and even new churches in the hardship, joy and beauty of urban centers.

10-Minute Seminary ReLaunch

We are excited to relaunch our video training series, 10-Minute Seminary!

In this first installment, Pastor Phil Metzger shares some quick helpful insights on church planting in diverse cultural contexts.

We thank Phil for taking a few minutes to share some of his experiences from planting churches in cross-cultural settings.

I have the rare perspective of having planted two churches and having two very different experiences. In our first church plant, my wife and I did everything and did it alone. In our second church, we raised up a team and have worked together with the team to reach our community. In both churches, God did amazing things, but when we raised up a team, more abundant fruit has grown in a faster amount of time because of God’s favor and grace.

Here are five practical steps to go from the Lone Ranger to The Magnificent Seven.

In Exodus 18, Moses had just led the children of Israel out of Egypt. We know the story well, and now they are in the wilderness. A new venture. Uncharted territory. Moses has been leading sheep in this area for decades, but now the situation is different: He has people. Both sheep and people need guiding. Both sheep and people will follow a confident leader. Both sheep and people get hungry and thirsty. But when that happens, sheep begin to “bah,” and people complain against one another. So to counter this, Moses merely got in the trenches and worked and worked and handled all of the various issues by himself. That’s when Jethro, his wife’s father, showed up. He exhorted Moses to build a competent, qualified team to help handle the day-to-day demands of ministry (Exodus 18:13-24).

Notice from this passage the benefits of a team versus working alone: working alone is not good (v.17). There is too much work for one person (v.18). You will wear yourself and your people out if you lead alone (v.18). God will be with you when you raise up a team (v.19). It will be easier for you (v.22). Others will bear the burden with you (v.22). You will be able to endure (v.23). People will be in peace around you (v.23).

There is something amazing about church planters. They are kind of like decathletes. A decathlete can do 10 different Olympic events but normally doesn’t stand out in any one area. I am amazed when I see church planters because often they are leading worship, teaching, casting vision, setting up/tearing down, doing the website, creating graphics, making the bank deposit, teaching home fellowships, teaching a mid-week, calling new visitors back, making the coffee, organizing the outreach events, even teaching the youth. It’s like a one-man band: the guy who plays the tuba, while kicking his foot on the drum and using his elbow to strum the ukulele. Last time I checked, there’s not a lot of people paying big money to see a one-man band at a concert hall. These are just people on the street making a lot of noise and doing everything alone. Listen: It’s wrong. Do we need to wear various hats? Yes. But we will wear ourselves out. And worse, we may discourage people from getting involved when we are locking them out of ministry opportunities because of fear, selfishness or pride.

In my first church plant, I moved to an unknown city and started from scratch. Zero volunteers, except my wife and I. I threw her into the kids’ ministry, and she was open to it and enjoyed it (I think…). I led the worship and taught. I handled all the graphics. She followed up with new people. Neither one of us touched the offering, but we together made most of the financial decisions. And the church was hindered because we had our four hands all over it.

I remember we were so exhausted one night that we took some people to dinner and literally begged them to help us get the church organized and going. They say 10% of the people do 90% of the work? Well we had 20-40 people, so that meant 10% was my wife and I doing all the work!! So we realized first-hand that we needed to let go and listen to Jethro’s advice. You can’t do it alone, at least for very long. You need a team. But first you need to be worthy of following.

1. Be Worthy of Following

President Eisenhower said:

“In order to be a leader a man must have followers. And to have followers, a man must have their confidence. Hence the supreme quality of a leader is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, on a football field, in an army, or in an office. If a man’s associates find him guilty of phoniness, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity and high purpose.”

Before we consider leading a team, we need to be men who follow Jesus. Who live lives of integrity and stand before God and for people unashamed and unhindered. Then, we need to raise up our team by prayerfully and carefully selecting who belongs alongside us. Every Doc needs the right Marty. Every 3PO needs the right R2.

2. Choose the Right People, Slowly

“Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness” (Exodus 18:21).

Does this not remind you of Acts 6? When the apostles were holy busboys and needed to raise up deacons? They were looking for similar qualifications.

At our first church plant, I mentioned that we went to some people in desperation for help, and we ended up laying hands on some men very quickly. We didn’t know their background but later found out they had caused division in churches prior to ours. Raising up the wrong leaders will cause a tremendous amount of hardship and destruction to the body. It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever endured, so I admonish church planters to take things slowly.

Find out the testimony of those who want to help in ministry. Don’t give titles but give assignments. Inquire of the team on what they thought about the service, about the study, the event, the church in general. See what they say. Ask them questions and take your time before giving them a role. Jesus prayed all night to select His disciples, yet He still ended up with a Judas.

At one time, Andrew Carnegie was the wealthiest man in America. He came to America from his native Scotland when he was a small boy, did a variety of odd jobs and eventually ended up as the largest steel manufacturer in the United States. At one time, he had 43 millionaires working for him.

A reporter asked Carnegie how he had hired 43 millionaires. Carnegie responded that those men had not been millionaires when they started working for him but had become millionaires as a result.

The reporter’s next question was, “How did you develop these men to become so valuable to you that you have paid them this much money?” Carnegie replied that men are developed the same way gold is mined. When gold is mined, several tons of dirt must be moved to get an ounce of gold; but one doesn’t go into the mine looking for dirt – one goes in looking for the gold.

That’s exactly the way we pastors need to view our people. Don’t look for the flaws, warts and blemishes. Look for the gold, not for the dirt; the good, not the bad. Look for the positive aspects of life. Like everything else, the more good qualities we look for in our people, the more good qualities we are going to find.

3. Train People

Once the right people are in place, we need to train them in the tasks we expect from them. Jethro said to Moses in verse 20:

“And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.”

One of the biggest mistakes we can make is just to throw people into the job and expect them to figure it out. We must teach the Scriptures, and we must impart vision; but we also need to give the how-to’s. Notice the three aspects of Jethro’s advice:

Teach them the statutes and laws: (Doctrine): Orthodoxy

Show them the way in which they must walk: (Philosophy): Philosophy of Ministry

Show them the work they must do: (Practice): Orthopraxis

You have to teach all three. If you have someone on your team that is reading prosperity gospel content, you have a doctrinal issue. Do you have someone who is right on doctrinally, but they don’t understand why kids can’t just be in the service on Sunday morning? That’s a philosophy of ministry discussion. And you can teach the Bible verse-by-verse for decades and impart lots of vision, but that doesn’t mean people will learn how to roll sound cables correctly or nail ProPresenter or how to stack the chairs, so they don’t lean like the tower in Pisa. Those are practical ideas.

At our church, it is the responsibility of our team leads to ensure everyone is trained and doing their role on their team. It is the responsibility of the team members to show up and execute when they are scheduled, and if they can’t make it, it is their responsibility to find their own replacement. And they are also the ones recruiting for their team, to find people to replace themselves. Then the lead of each team can be seeing who is faithful, so they can also replace themselves. So we have three tiers for every team in our new church plant. That isn’t just for practical training. It is also how we view discipleship and spiritual growth in our church.

Is this not what Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2?

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Did you catch that? Paul taught Timothy. One tier. Timothy committed the teachings to faithful men. Second tier. The faithful men taught others. Third tier.

4. Delegate, then Delegate Some More

You can’t do it all alone, which means, like Moses, you need to delegate (v.21). By delegating, Moses now was freed up to take the most important or difficult cases and could lead the people and not be bogged down in the details. In Acts 6, when Stephen and the other deacons were appointed, the practical ministry was handled, so they could focus on prayer and preaching.

The definition of delegation is: to entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person. Notice that word “entrust.” Usually pastors don’t delegate because they don’t trust. How many of us have said this, “Well I don’t want to give this to others because I can do it better myself. It takes more work to get others to help and to train them.” I would say, “Yes, in the beginning there is more work. But in the long run there is exponentially less work.”

Delegation looks like this in my ministry:

What is a list of all the things that MUST be done for the church? (List out all the verbs, like “print bulletins,” etc.) What are the things that ONLY I can do? I have identified this list as the “3 P’s: Prayer, Preaching, People Development.”

Who can I assign to handle all the items left on the to-do list?

Have I made the expectations for this task clear? What would make this a “win?”

When is the deadline for these tasks to be done?

We use an app called Planning Center Online to handle our volunteers. We also use a free online app called Asana to do any bit of event or project management. Literally, every week I know exactly who is scheduled for each ministry in the church, and for an event, I know what we have completed and what is left to accomplish for the event to be successful. Every task is listed and assigned to a person’s name. I may still follow up and equip and come alongside, but notice now I’m not the one doing the work—I’m the one equipping and teaching. I’m shadowing and giving feedback, so people can grow. I’m being the educator not the worker. I’m working on the church not just in the church. And the team is growing and becoming stronger, which means the church is growing and becoming stronger. Is this not a beautiful picture of Ephesians 4?

5. Don’t Lose Heart

Some reading this may feel alone and discouraged and not sure where to start. It isn’t going to happen overnight, so don’t lose heart; and don’t give up on people. The truth is, many of us aren’t alone: We are just loners. Let’s stop bearing the weight by ourselves like Frodo and start inviting the Samwise’s of our churches to share the load with us! (Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto).

Welcome to the Horizonte Ensenada takeover week on CalvaryChapel.com! We are looking forward to seeing how the Spirit of the Lord is moving in Mexico!

The world is a crazy place. There are so many issues surrounding the American church at this moment that it would be extremely easy to become inwardly focused. Focused on the fact that Christianity in America is on the decline, church attendance is at an all time low, and that there is a general lack of interest in the culture regarding the church. But now is not the time for nostalgia about “the good ole days.” Now is the time to realize that God is still working, the church is still growing, and Jesus is still saving globally. Many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are seeing huge growth in Christianity, and near the top of those countries is Mexico.

When you watch the news, almost all of the media coverage is painting Mexico in the worst of lights. It would be easy to think that Mexico is a blood thirsty, violent and nearly hopeless country. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, there is corruption and crime, but there is also so much untold hope and growth. The people of Mexico are hungry, hungry for change, hungry for growth, ultimately hungry for Jesus. From 1970 to 1990, Christianity grew from 1% of the population to 4%, from 1990-2010 it exploded to 9%. Many estimates believe that Mexico will be 20% Evangelical Christian by 2025. We are talking about MILLIONS of people being transformed by Jesus, falling in-love with Jesus, serving the local church and changing communities.

There is an awakening brewing in Mexico.

Most of the churches I come in contact with are growing. Many of the pastors I come in contact with are excited about what God is doing in Mexico. There is an awakening brewing in Mexico.

Calvary Chapel is a part of that awakening.

There are close to 100 Calvary Chapel churches in Mexico, many of them impacting important urban centers. God is using us at Horizonte to work these Calvary Chapels, and we couldn’t be more thrilled by what God is doing! On top of that, there has been a huge expansion in solid, biblical churches that we get to work with. We have taken conferences around Mexico and have seen first hand the hunger that there is to know more about Jesus.

God is up to something.

What I want to accomplish with this small post is to encourage you. Jesus is still King, the church is still unstoppable, and we still have a purpose. Please pray for what God is doing in Mexico. There is a need for hundreds of churches to be planted, thousands of churches to be served and millions of people to be reached.

To see more from Horizonte Ensenada visit their website.

Pete and I have been a part of many church plants over the years. We have known many ups and downs in the process. We have come alongside others as they have planted, we have church planted in the United States, and we are currently venturing out again to church plant abroad in Australia. I have hopefully gleaned some lessons over twenty-five years in the ministry that I may pass on to those just contemplating a new venture of faith in church planting.

FAITH IN GOD’S LEADING – BEING UNITED

First of all, it is so important that a husband and wife are in total agreement about the call of God. This is vital so that once the hard times and battles come, you can reflect on God’s call with great assurance. Abram went out by faith in God’s Word to him and was “assured of what he hoped for, and confident of what he could not see” (Hebrews 11:1). And Sarah followed his leading by faith (1 Peter 3:5).

Do you know that God has called you? Do you have His Word on that calling personally? Does your husband have a similar personal confirmation from God’s Word? If so, then together you can remember those words to you and strengthen each other in God’s call on your lives. If division is there at the onset, I suggest you wait and pray, because a house divided against itself will not stand (Mark 3:25).

As Pete and I look back over our journeys, we have the blessing that in each of our moves, we can say with confidence that God spoke to us both personally and individually confirming the next step. We moved out with unity and confidence in God’s purpose. This did not save us from the many battles and struggles ahead, but it kept our faith firm in many dark hours.

PRAYER & GOD’S WORD

It almost goes without saying, but still needs to be said, that personal time in prayer and God’s Word daily are essentials to life, and to a church planting team! As a pastor’s wife, I find that the spiritual battle is too great to make it without the daily help and presence of Jesus! I need my own consistent devotional life with Jesus, as He is my supply. I recommend that every pastor’s wife find that devotional place and time every day, to make Jesus your all-sufficient resource. He will guide you and comfort you and strengthen you for the road ahead.

And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” (1 Kings 19:7)

“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5)

The point of these verses is the battle is too great and the race too long to run it on our own. It’s impossible to keep up with horses while on foot! God is essentially saying, “What I am calling you to is impossible without Me.” Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

WARFARE

Warfare. Expect it. Know it will happen. Be prepared with prayer and God’s armor (Ephesians 6:10-18). For some reason I seem always to be surprised at the fierceness of the battle and in the arenas of my life it takes place! I shouldn’t be. The Bible is full of warnings about the spiritual battle we are up against.

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13)

Jesus has given us everything that we need to overcome the world, the flesh and the Devil. We will be victorious as we abide in Him.

SERVE

God has given each of us unique gifts. Be who you are. Don’t worry about the expectations of others. People have all kinds of ideas about what a pastor’s wife should be and should do. These expectations have never held much sway for me. I love teaching and I love working in children’s ministry. I do it because I love it. I feel gifted and equipped by God to teach and to help. I would never do it just because someone else thought I should. Pray and seek God for clarity in your gifts and callings. Christ is the Head of His body, the church, and He will show you your unique role in His body.

SUPPORT

As a helpmate, women have such an important role as a supporter. Women are uniquely gifted as helpers. Your role in supporting your husband through the difficulties of pastoring and church planting cannot be overstated. Even though wives are many times serving behind the scenes in comparison to the public ministry of their husbands, their role is no less vital. In so many ways, he could not do what he does without your support! We need to be there in that role for our husbands. At the same time, we cannot minister to our husbands without the daily fellowship and strength we receive from Jesus! Again, God’s strength and His Spirit are the supply from which we draw.

GRACE AND FLEXIBILTY

Finally, expect the unexpected! We have learned that things usually do not turn out as we had imagined. The first time we went to Sydney in 2012, we did not think we would be coming back to America. Pete and I both had a clear word from God about leaving our country. It did not make any sense to us when after one year, there turned out to be no way to renew our visas. Now, almost four years later, we absolutely marvel at the plan of God. He had to bring us home in order to prepare us and to send us out more permanently. We could not have qualified for the visa we now obtained without the work experience He gave us after leaving Australia in 2013.

God has a sovereign plan that is much greater than you can understand. Hold on to Him and trust Him for each step. Have grace for each other and lots of flexibility. You never know what God has in mind or how He would work His plans out, but He will. May God’s grace and power be upon you.

And may the Lord add to the church daily those who are being saved (Acts 2:47).

Planting a church is a big deal. Jesus ordained the Spirit-empowered Church to be His vehicle through whom to reveal Himself to the world. The Church with a big C is the universal gathering of believers of all generations, cultures and styles, redeemed by Jesus. But the Church with a big C has always gathered in local expressions. Each of these local expressions should be deeply biblical and highly contextualized for their location, generation and mission.

If you are reading this article at all, you are interested in planting a local church in the 21st century. Since you are reading this on CalvaryChapel.com, you are probably interested in either planting a Calvary-styled church or at least learning from one of the largest, organic church planting movements of the last half-century. So I am going to write from that perspective. My hope is to be really practical in how to plan your first public gathering.

However, before I begin, you have to remember that while most of us want to pastor and teach the Bible, church planting is about pioneering. Before you can pastor and teach the congregation, you need to gather people together. Please don’t make the mistake of thinking that all you need to do is hang out a sign and everyone from the community will flock to hear your erudite biblical exposition. That rarely happens! So you have to think like a pioneer. You need to meet people, lots of people. You need to share the gospel and about the church you are launching. Too many church plants are just designed to reach already churched people. That isn’t really a church plant—it’s a church move. With the numbers of Christians in America going down and the number of church plants going up, we need to make sure our pioneering is of the lost multitudes and not of the already saved. I always say that you can tell the success of a church plant, not by the numbers in attendance but by the number of baptisms. A true church plant does not recycle Christians. It makes new Christians.

Launch Team

Before you “go public,” you have to know who you are going public with. Your first gathering is your introduction to your community. As the old advertisement goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” So when you go live, you need to have things together. Much of this is taken care of by a solid launch team. I always tell people that you need “the big three” on your launch team. And no, not the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Absolutely you need the Triune God. And Lord willing, God is on your launch team! It is God’s church! The big three is someone to teach the Bible, someone to lead worship, and someone to teach the children. At the very least in our generation, that is what people expect from a Sunday church gathering: Bible teaching, worship, and age-appropriate children’s ministry. Don’t get me wrong—you can go live without those, but you don’t want to. Trust me! Been there, done that! Sure, you can have someone double up on those roles (where two people can fulfill the three roles). But the big three are important to going live. Also you will need a few more support people to greet, run the sound and lyrics presentation, and set up and tear down.

Space

Let’s talk about space. If you are having a public meeting, you will need to be meeting in public. As our culture has become more skeptical, people are stereotypically less likely, unless they are believers, to join a home study that will launch into a church. So a public space is needed! This can often be the hardest part of a church plant. To rent public space takes money, which is often severely limited. Renting public space is always a step of faith. But here are some space considerations:

Are you called to the area in which you have found space? Location will be a major factor in the type of ministry you do. So don’t neglect where you plant your congregation.

Is it sufficient space for what you are trying to do? Are there at least a few rooms—one for the gathering and one for the children/nursery? Is it too big? Is it too small? Will anyone be able to find you? Can you place way-finding signs to help people find you? Remember, it is hard for people to attend a church that they can’t find! It is also hard for people to stick with a mini-church in a huge space or a church crunched into a room like sardines. Carnal, you may say? But it’s a reality nonetheless.

Finally, is your space consistent? One of the biggest issues young churches have is the lack of consistency. It’s hard to reach, nurture and build a congregation when you are always moving around. Whether we like it or not, people want stability. Finding consistent space is essential.

Advertising

I realize that the term “advertising” or “marketing” might seem like a dirty word to some people. But here’s the deal. No one will ever come or join a church that they have never heard about! So if you are planting a church, I assume that you want to actually have church, which means people. And if you want to reach people, that means at some point, in some way, they need to hear about the church. And friends, people hear about the church through advertising! Now, without a doubt, the best advertisement for the church is word-of-mouth invites from people who love the church. But if it is your first public gathering, then you probably don’t have that yet. So you advertise.

For me, I will use whatever means necessary (excluding sin) to let people know about the church. So use little handouts, social media, print media, bulk mailings, radio, t-shirts, signs, billboards, give-aways, etc. Really, whatever you can think of and can afford. Do it! For your first launch, use anything and everything that you can to let people know about the church!

Conclusion

There is much more I could talk to you about, things like planning a good order of service, making sure you have lyric presentation for worship, making the space nice by using tablecloths and fresh flowers, going the extra mile to make a brand-new church feel like home, and doing amazing follow-up after the first meeting. But I am out of space and time. In conclusion, go all out for your first gathering. Do all of it as unto the Lord, and trust Him to build His church. But as Keith Green was known to have said, “Do your best, commit the rest, and then pray that it is blessed!”

Words are powerful. They give meaning and value and relay a variety of information and ideas to the listener. Words are the building blocks of language and carry the potential to enhance or dampen human relationships. Without the use of words vibrating off of our tongues and sending our conceptual thoughts into the air and then landing on an open ear-way, life as we know it would end up being more shallow, suspect, and overall, silenced, wouldn’t you say? Wait! You need words to answer that!

The Bible teaches, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6 NKJV).

As a church planter, pastor, and evangelist, I certainly love to jump on any opportunity to share the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. I am convinced that words carry great influence to change lives and bring people together, unless, of course, a language barrier gets in the way.

It has been said that the message given is not always the message received. Without a common language, our words may mean something very different to those we are speaking. Thus, words conceived still need to be received. You understand? Comprende? Capisce? Comprenez vous?

Language barrier is not limited to people who speak different languages but includes those of the same language who come from two entirely different cultures. Diverse cultures create certain barriers that give way to the same words having different meanings and causing different reactions. In Isaiah 36:11, we see that the men representing King Hezekiah were concerned about the reaction of the people, so they asked the Assyrian commander to speak only in Aramaic instead of the Judean or Hebrew language.

After eight years of serving the Lord in Cambridge, England, I learned that the English and the Americans are separated by more than just a large body of water, but by a more complex river that fragments with a common language. It seems that new words and meanings are always floating to the surface. For example, I have learned to say “trousers” instead of “pants”, since pants refer to undergarments to the English. I often say “mate” as an affectionate term instead of “bro” or “buddy,” which I had grown up with. I have also learned to use the Queen’s English when writing and to adjust my ways of communicating by lowering my volume, being more selective in my language, and sometimes even ending my statements with the British proverbial question, “Isn’t it?”

In order to adapt to the culture we live in, we must turn barriers into evangelistic opportunities. When a Brit hears my accent, I am often asked what brought me over to England. This serves as a great open door for any foreigner to share their faith and to connect people with the real Jesus that religious facades often misrepresent. Thus, my intention is not to interfere with daily life but to influence daily life with the authentic reality of Christ.

Regardless of our cultural background, we must fully embrace our new identity in Christ and replace our former ways of thinking. We must learn to adjust our background, beliefs, and behaviors to what the Bible says, and not the other way around. Since Jesus came to the earth as the servant of all (although He was a true citizen of heaven), we must follow His example and take the lowliest position to reach people from every walk of life.

The apostle Paul understood this well when he wrote, “Although I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant of all, that I might win the more” (1 Cor. 9:19). I had to learn to be like the “Brit” to win the “Brit”. If we are to win souls in cross-cultural situations, we need to distinguish what the Bible actually teaches from what our cultural lens sometimes assumes the Bible is teaching.

When sharing Christ in foreign countries, I have learned to speak more slowly, simply, and clearly for my message to properly translate. When Christ’s love and cultural alertness are joined together, we are able to bridge the gap of any cultural divide.

Here are a few essential tips in overcoming language barriers.

1. LEARN, OBSERVE, AND LISTEN TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE CULTURE (LOL).

In order to avoid offending someone or causing someone to laugh out loud, try this version of LOL instead, and find out what people are saying, what they value, and the meaning behind unfamiliar words.

2. HONOR OTHERS AND “BEND” TO THEIR CULTURE.

As a foreigner, you will never be able to perfectly blend into the culture since your differences will always stand out to the locals. But you must learn to bend to the culture by intentionally respecting its values, even when people automatically stereotype you up as soon as you open your mouth. The Proverbs tell us that “before honor is humility” (Prov. 18:12 NKJV), so humbly seek to treat people the way you want to be treated and greeted––with respect and honor.

3. POINT PEOPLE TO YOUR CHRIST RATHER THAN YOUR COUNTRY.

Do not try to make people become more like you or the culture from which you came, but seek to make them more like the Jesus you worship. Your calling is to make them citizens of heaven, not your country on earth. So don’t draw additional attention to your cultural background and preferences.

4. ABOVE ALL, VALUE THEM AS THE OBJECTS OF CHRIST’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

As Romans 14:15 reminds us, “Do not destroy with your food [or whatever] the one for whom Christ died.” It is easy to get irritated by cultural differences, but we must see cross-cultural experiences as an opportunity for the love of Christ to supersede our own preferences and comfort zones. We must believe that “love bears all things” and “never fails” (1 Cor. 13:7-8). Isn’t this what Jesus modeled for us? He left His glorious throne in heaven to dwell among fallen sinners on earth to reconcile us to God so that we “through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).

The gospel truly breaks through every language barrier and rolls every stone away so that the living Christ can be seen and praised in every tribe, tongue and nation. The message of the cross is the only cross-cultural message that breaks the greatest of all barriers, which is sin, bringing eternal life to all who put their trust in Him.

Now that’s a word the whole world needs to hear!

The Bible says, “And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.’” (Acts 18:9-10).

God loves people, and people are moving back into cities.

According to the United Nations Population Fund: “The world is undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history. More than half of the world’s population now lives in towns and cities, and by 2030 this number will swell to about 5 billion.”

The historical trend for many churches has been outside the city. Many great movements began inside the city but inevitably moved out to the suburbs.

Cities create challenges for church planting.

Big cities are diverse. Chinatown, Little Italy––these are reflections of that diversification. You want Indian food? There are five restaurants in walking distance! Theater? No problem.

At any given crosswalk you will see a homeless guy, a lawyer, the gay couple, and just about every race or color you can imagine. You aren’t going to find one cultural language like you might in the suburbs. Talking about your children’s soccer game won’t make much sense when the large majority of people living in cities are young and unmarried. There are very few common shared values in the city.

Big cities are liberal. The large majority of people moving back to the city are young professionals. They want to be close to work and closer to the parties! They don’t necessarily share the same political, moral and spiritual views of the generation before them. Ranting against the President or liberal media won’t connect. Chances are (and if you are lucky) government officials and media come to church! City service requires a re-think of what is conservative and liberal.

Big cities promote opportunity. “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere”––so sang Frank Sinatra and he was right. Whatever it is, you’ll find it in the city, for better or worse. Most likely you will be ministering to the widest possible range of human potential you can imagine. From the overachieving businessman to the guy with mental issues who talks to himself. Cities promote and create opportunity. Learning to minister to the driven as well as the destitute will be a challenge.

It is these diverse cultural and economic possibilities that bring people into the city at the fastest rate in history.

I believe that the movement of Calvary Chapel, up to this point, has largely been a suburban work. This is not a negative but an observation. It’s what God was doing in us for many years.

Recently we have been hearing more and praying more for cities. I believe that God is giving us His heart because God’s heart is for people. And where God’s heart goes, we must go too.

We have a call to the city because people are there. I believe just as God spoke to Paul, He is speaking to us today: “I have many in the city.”

I grew up in the suburbs. When God called me to Hungary, I planted churches across this country in small cities. Every once in a while, but only when absolutely necessary, I would go through Budapest. I hated going through Budapest because it’s a big city with over 2 million people living in a small space.

I would get lost every time I drove up to the city, spending as much time in traffic as I did driving from my small town to get to the city! Frustrating.

Then God called me to pastor a church in the city and when I say “in the city,” I mean IN THE CITY, in the very heart of the city.

And I absolutely love it. I am privileged. God’s heart for people has changed my perspective. Where else could I go and have the potential to reach as many people as in the city?

Let’s consider our missional priorities accordingly.

It requires risk-taking. As so many Christians are leaving the “liberal” city, God is still calling some, not just to make a stand, but to fight for the souls of men. A prostitute’s story can end differently when Christians take risks for the sake of the gospel. That young professional’s life can be transformed when Christians take risks for the sake of the gospel. God told Paul to go on speaking and not to be afraid. Cities can be scary and overwhelming; we will have to take great risks.

City churches are messy. I don’t mean physically, though that can also be true. Lives are messy in cities; they give us a microscopic view of the world. Racial, social, economic and psychological issues come to the forefront more evidently in the city.

But the rewards are amazing. When the prostitute gives her life to Jesus, you know that God is amazing, not only because He saved that girl but because He let you be a part of His work. Usually the rewards of city service are small but it is so meaningful.

In many ways, cities are the heart of a state or nation. What flows out of the city will make its way into the suburbs and towns. We cannot avoid the cities. The facts are in: people are moving to the city and where the people are, God’s heart is too.

I pray that you will be willing to go wherever God sends you.

There are several different types of Christian missions. Humanitarian missions focus on either short-term or long-term care through humanitarian means. Social missions focus on serving through orphanages and adoption agencies. Youth missions focus on reaching young people in schools and English camps with the gospel. As I wrote earlier, there are many forms of missions.

In Calvary Chapel our primary focus in missions is church planting. We go out to the world and seek to establish a new Christian fellowship on the principles of God’s Word. We usually move into a city where there is either no evangelical church or a great need for another one and church planting begins on the streets.

We spend our days and nights praying and preaching the gospel with the hope that God is going to save people and build His kingdom. He never disappoints though it may not be an avalanche of new believers! Sometime we labor for years with very little fruit to show for it. In these situations it’s hard not to wonder about your own calling. “Am I really called to start a church?” I know a slew of godly men who have asked themselves that question more than once!

It has always been a comfort to missionaries to think of the great missionary William Carey who spent 7 years in India before one person came to Christ! Many a missionary has thought, “If it took him that long, then maybe I’m not doing so bad.”

Missionaries go out to the world not because of what is happening, but because of what they believe is going to happen. By God’s grace, there are those who respond to the gospel and a little fellowship is formed. Usually this little group starts to meet in someone’s apartment- it’s free! We have been kicked out of a couple of apartments for having too many people come over. Now that’s a good problem.

Church planting is relationship building. The Bible calls it first and foremost to discipleship. It is our ministry to continue to preach the gospel and now with these new believers, to help them to grow in their faith. We have always believed in getting Christians involved in reaching their community from day one. We take them out to share where we go whether it’s on the streets, in the orphanages, elderly homes or wherever God opens doors. In the early years we try to walk through every open door possible and not limit church planting to sitting in a cold apartment with 3 people on Sunday morning.

Discipleship happens through the teaching of God’s Word in a relational way. Because it’s a small group there’s no need to emphasize formality. We are not there to play church but to plant one. Titles are irrelevant, roles are unclear, and services are usually messy. We don’t need neat and tidy; we need genuine. We need the presence of God.

Church planting overseas is not that different from the United States. We are all in need of the same things: grace from God, conviction in our calling, vision, character and a passion to see people know Jesus.

]]> https://calvarychapel.com/posts/organic-vs-strategic-church-planting/ Fri, 19 Sep 2014 07:00:00 +0000 https://calvarychapel.com/2014/09/19/organic-vs-strategic-church-planting/ For more information or to register for the 2014 Re-Engage Conference please visit their website.]]>

For more information or to register for the 2014 Re-Engage Conference please visit their website.

Like it or not, when something you’ve done for a long time becomes the mainstream, you are not viewed as the trendsetter, but just another “band-wagoner”.

You may well have been born and raised a Seattle Seahawks fan, but if you wore the hat or jersey while they were sailing through the playoffs toward the championship last year, you were labeled a band-wagoner. It’s just the way it is.

You may have liked Pectoralz when no one knew who the band was. It may have bothered you when they changed their name to Starfish. But once they had hits and toured under their final name, Coldplay, you were just another lame follower.

Calvary Chapel was all about church planting when it wasn’t hip.

In fact, Calvary Chapel didn’t even know that they were identified as a church planting movement, because they weren’t planning to, or trying to be a church planting movement. But they became just that by simply doing what Jesus commissioned His disciples to do!

Today church planting is the cool thing among young American Christians. In the last decade, dozens of books have been written and nearly every denomination or group has their own opinions, positions and conferences on the topic. It’s mainstream. But one of the unfortunate hazards for early followers and fans is they are inclined to become disgruntled when their thing becomes the thing.

In a nation such as ours, given to extreme excesses, there is one thing that America could use a lot more of- churches! We, as a family of churches, cannot succumb to the temptation of being irritated that others are now engaged in the work of propagating the Gospel through church planting. Sadly, in the last several years that has happened among a vocal minority in our fellowship of churches.

Anyone who is not against you is for you.

In the Gospels, both Mark and Luke record that John came to Jesus and said, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group” (Luke 9:49 NLT). So many of us know the rest of the exchange, and our familiarity can sometimes cause us to gloss over the important application. Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you” (Luke 9:50 NLT).

Redeemer, City to City, Verge, Sojourn, Exponential, Acts 29, Triangle, ARC, PLNTD, Kairos, Launch, Sovereign Grace, New Breed, Stadia, and Spanish River are not in “our group”. Yes, some of them baptize babies, others have a less charismatic expression in worship, and nearly all of them hold differing views on eschatology, ecclesiology and polity (i.e. church government). But they’re definitely not against us, so may it be that God blesses them as He blesses us in the work of proclaiming the Gospel through church planting.