By Pastor Scott Thomas
Church planting pastors usually experience a painful crash course in leadership. Very few seminaries teach this well and very few churches model this well. So, young pastors, led by a vision and driven with passion often run into a leadership brick wall.
I remember the first church I led as Pastor and Chairman. The Board was more concerned about Robert’s Rules of Order than they were in Jesus’ Great Commission. I move that we postpone indefinitely the exclusion of the Holy Spirit in church leadership meetings.
I have used one leadership tool in my 30 years of ministry and 21 years as a chairman of a non-profit Board more than any other tool. Perhaps it may help you as you lead a newly formed leadership team or an official board of directors. ...
Keep Reading
Happy Birthday Tyler & Happy 5th Anniversary with Acts 29 Network
Tyler Powell is the Acts 29 Church Planting Strategist
by Derrin Thomas
In honor of Tyler Powell turning 34 today, I felt compelled to come up with this list of 34 reasons we love him:
He loves the Church
He loves his family
He treats his friends like his family
He is one of the most patient men I know
He brings his A game every day
He is the loudest singer in every church service
He’s still not allowed to pick out his own clothes
He orders his steak well-done and his fries extra crispy
He takes about 90 minutes to eat a steak and fries
He leads by example
He can’t speak in public without 90% of his blood going to his face and neck
He always goes first round in pick-up football
He’s ...
Keep Reading
"Our church in Oregon wanted to serve with the church in Missouri. If my biological brothers or sisters were in desperate need, I would step in no matter the cost, right?"
May 22, 2011 – An EF-5 tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri. Acts 29 planter Steev Inge and Mystery Church of Joplin created Mission Joplin to help rebuild the community. Less than two months later the world has moved on, but a beautiful thing has also emerged: churches are not only sending dollars, but people to serve and relieve Joplin’s devastated and homeless residents.
JOIN MISSION JOPLIN: GIVE | GO | PRAY
Who is serving in Joplin right now now? Church members from an Acts 29 church in Lebanon, Oregon. Patrick Bowler, church planter of Valley Life Church answered a few questions for us today.
Acts 29: ...
Keep Reading
Posted in: Mission
Tags: tornado, joplin, relief, help, how to help joplin, mystery church, valley life church, oregon, steev inge, patrick bowler, acts 29, church missions, mission joplin, relief, volunteer in joplin
Brevity of Sermons
By Pastor Scott Thomas
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit… I will be brief. ~William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Church planters generally have a lot of vision, passion, drive and urgency to communicate the Good News to others. How do these excellent characteristics translate into the sermon length—particularly for those of us who have a high view of Scripture?
The length of a sermon does not necessarily equate to a message centered on the Gospel. A good sermon may be long, but rarely is a long sermon good. Just because some great communicators preach for an hour, does not mean that it is the new covenant for church planters.
It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what other men say in whole books - what other men do not say in whole books. ...
Keep Reading
Church Planting Makes Disciples (and Sometimes Enemies)
By Pastor Scott Thomas
Church planting is still one of the most effective ways to make disciples. New church plants baptize twice as many converts per attendee than existing churches (McNichol, 1991). Jesus called the local church to make disciples of all nations. Those orders from the Head of the church motivate pastors to start churches all over the world.
Where many planters fail to prepare is the enemy attack as they lead others to follow the Great Commission. Relational casualties will come with close friends, board members, core group participants, and treasurers and sometimes from their own children. The Apostle Paul speaking to the elders in Ephusus said, “from among your own selves will arise men ...
Keep Reading
