Exponential 08

Pastor Bobby and I returned last night from the Exponential Conference in Orlando, Florida. The weather was incredible (sunny and 85) and the conference was even better.

The focus of Exponential is on church planting. The conference really reaffirmed the importance of what Living Hope Church did a year and a half ago. Living Hope went multi-site, extending into the community of Rice.

I learned that churches of 200 or less are four times more likely to plant a church than churches of 1,000.

God really challenged me in the area of intentional investment in the lives of others, growing mature Christians who reproduce the process of discipleship in someone else.

Focus on building people, not the church. God will build the church.

I realize that it is time to develop a systematic process that allows attenders of Living Hope to progress in their walk with God, enabling them to become more like Jesus.

I have pages and pages of notes but I will not put them all here. I will however leak them out from time to time as I refocus my ministry and my call.

Andy Stanley

I am at the Exponential Conference in Orlando, Florida, where more than 2,000 have gathered to learn about church planting. This afternoon Andy Stanley shared on the topic, "Making Vision Stick".

Here are a few notes from Andy.
Mental Picture of what could be fueled by passion of what should be
-it begins with a burden
-the challenge for those of us in leadership is what is clear in your head has to be clear to everyone else
- they have to know what the win looks like
- they have to know what success looks like in your vision
1. State it simply
- can you state it quickly and memorable
What is the one sentence job description that explains your church
2. Cast it convincingly (nehemiah 2)
define the problem
offer a solution
and explain why now
(if people don't feel the weight of the problem they will never buy into the solution)
What would go undone if your church ceased to exist?
3. Repeat it regularly
Find out what the rhythm of your church (when do the most people come) and tell them the vision of your church ALL THE TIME (Vision doesn't stick, it leaks)
4. Celebrate it systematically
- put people in front of the congregation that demonstrate and embody that vision (testimonies)
5. Embrace it personally and publicly

Snow Days

I love snow days, I just prefer that they not be in April. I woke up to a foot of snow and another 4-6 inches on the way. The positive-my family desperately needs a fun day together. Life has been a little busy lately. The negative-golf is on hold, at least for a little while.

This day actually reminds me of the snow storm Little Falls experienced on October 31, 1991. At the time, I was the Youth Pastor at Living Hope and we were taking the youth to the Whiteheart concert in St. Cloud. As we drove down in the church van, we passed several vehicles in the ditch. By the time we arrived in St. Cloud, we found ourselves to be among a small handful of people who made it. Whiteheart sang a couple of songs and then said. "We're out of here". As I look back on that night I wonder, "What was I thinking". It was a scary ride home. The really stupid thing about it is that Darla was only two weeks away from giving birth to our first child. Hey, she really liked Whiteheart. The reason this storm reminds me of that is because last night my daughter Kelsey went to St. Cloud to hear the Newsboys in concert. She made it back to Little Falls but spent the night at her friends. It sounds like it was a tough ride back.

Well, I need to go. Time to play!

Triple Header Sunday

Today is a first for me. It is the first time I have ever preached the same sermon three times. So this is what an evangelists feels like.

At Living Hope Church our Little Falls location went to two services last week. They are at 8 & 10:45. Our Rice campus service time is at 9:30. As soon as I finished the first service in Little Falls I drove to Rice and arrived just as they were starting the service. (This was the plan). When I finished preaching there it was 10:30 and I drove back to Little Falls, arriving in the middle of worship and completed the triple header.

It always amazes me how I can have the same message but somehow in each service the Holy Spirit puts a little different twist on things. No two, or in this case three, sermons are alike; even when using the same notes. I believe God knows what words that someone needs to hear for that moment in their life.

If you weren't able to attend today or if you do not live in the Little Falls/Rice area you can check out the message at www.livinghope.podomatic.com

I need to get to my nap now, after all, it is the day of rest. Take care and God bless.

The Four Elements of Success

I just finished reading "The Four Elements of Success". The subject of the book is about personality profiles. Laurie Beth Jones, the author, divides people into four basic categories using elements that we are all familiar with; Earth, water, wind and fire. She calls this the "Path Elements Profile". As you read through the book you begin to figure out which element(s) you are and once you are able to identify your own personality profile, you begin to understand not just yourself but you also learn how others see you.

The author uses these four ways to discover your personality profile
Do you love challenge? You might be a passionate, fire personality type.
If your gift is in producing a refreshing kind of harmony, your primary style may be water.
Do you thrive in chaos and change? Your personality may be characterized by wind.
And if your strength is in creating order and structure, earth is your dominant style.

If you would like to do a more comprehensive test to discover your Path Elements Profile, you can go to www.lauriebethjones.com (Please note, there is a charge for this)

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is in a position of influence or leadership. Not only will you understand yourself better, but you will also be able to have a deeper understanding of the people you work with and how to assemble a team that consists of the various personalities.

One interesting portion of her book really surprised me. "Recently the Gallup Organization surveyed one million workers in 110 countries and asked them, 'What percentage of time do you get to use your greatest strength at work?' Eight out of ten respondents said, 'Never.'"

Wow! That is a lot of unused talent in the world.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about this with the church I pastor, Living Hope. Are the people involved in ministry, serving in an area that allows them to use their greatest strength? How many are not serving at all because we haven't assisted them in discovering what their personality and greatest strengths would enable them to be successful at?

If you attend Living Hope Church and have an interest in knowing more about discovering your strengths and personality profile, let me know.

Other books by Laurie Beth Jones include; Jesus, CEO; Life Coach; The Path; Jesus in Blue Jeans; and Teach your Team to Fish.