Acts 29 exists to see Churches Planting Churches. In that vein, below are lists of Acts 29 churches (members and candidates) added last month. Let us celebrate together what God is doing in our cities — advancing the mission of Jesus and seeing more and more lives changed by the power of the Spirit for His glory.
November Snapshot
New Members: 9 (97 in 2011)New Candidates: 6 (81 in 2011)Total Churches: 420 (152 in 2011)
New Members
New Candidates
Brad Keller | San Jose, CAJohn Bryant | Bakersfield, CASean Brown | Nashville, TNAndy Lawrence | Frankfort, KYJordan Stinziano | Syracuse, NYTy Neal | Las Vegas, NV
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Acts 29 exists to see Churches Planting Churches. In that vein, below are lists of Acts 29 churches launching this month and members and candidates added last month. Let us celebrate together what God is doing in our cities — advancing the mission of Jesus and seeing more and more lives changed by the power of the Spirit for His glory.
September Snapshot
New Members: 8 (81 in 2011)New Candidates: 6 (67 in 2011)Total Churches: 416
New Members
New Candidates
Timothy Stewart | Elk Grove, CARoss Lester | Johannesburg, South AfricaBrian Anderson | Rancho Cordova, CAKevin Hsu | Oakland, CARyan McCoskey | Wichita, KSChris Jones | Bloomington, IN
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Spiritual, Physical and Mental Health of the Planter and Family
Planting a church places a heavy burden on planters and their families. Most planters indicate that planting is one of the hardest things they've ever done. Those who survive are quick to highlight how discouraging and lonely it can be. The result is a fragile foundation for dealing with the discouragement and loneliness of church planting.
Unresolved relationships and weaknesses in the marriage will often surface in the church-planting season. Simmering problems in marriage and family began to boil with the added pressure and stress of planting a church. A planter’s faith and commitment is challenged. God often uses the challenges for good to grow the planter and his family or Satan can use to bring them down.
A ...
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Posted in: Spiritual Vitality, Marriage and Family, Emotional Health
Tags: church planting, pastor, health, mental, physical, spiritual, vitality, top issues, planter's health, church-planting journey, coaching, burnout
Evangelism and Discipleship
Church planters can do a lot of things wrong and God can still bless the new church. All pastors will confess that God often blessed in spite of their frail leadership and strategies. Still, planters need to lead and strategize for carrying out the mission of God.
Evangelism and discipleship is one of those mission critical issues that needs a planter’s attention. Evangelism does not automatically happen in a new church. Too many planters think the reason that lost people have not come to Christ is because they have not found the right church yet. Thus, a mythological equation is formed: lost culture + relevant church plant = instant harvest.
Planters sincerely set out with a new approach that will fill the local middle school gymnasium or movie ...
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Posted in: Leadership, Disciple Making
Tags: evangelism, discipleship, church-planting, church, pastor, church planter, top issues, challenges, disciple-making, missional
Casting Vision and Avoiding Mission Drift
Church plants often lose sight of their direction, vision and resulted in mission drift in several different ways. Planters may struggle with pressure from "churched" people to stray away from the mission; discerning between "good ideas" and mission critical ideas; making decisions consistent with mission; defining priorities for growth; and balancing evangelism and discipleship.
Five Key Considerations to Avoid Mission Drift
1. ClarityThe concept of "drift" implies leaving a clearly defined and understood standard. Planters mistakenly assume their expectations for the rest of the team and body are as clear and compelling in their minds that they are in the planter’s mind.
2. Core ValuesMost planters have a strong sense of mission and ...
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Posted in: Leadership
Tags: church planting, pastor, church, planting a church, church planter, mission, vision, mission drift, vision casting, leadership, clarity, values, ministry, philosophy
