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
Why did God create us with a cycle of rhythm?
1. It teaches us to rest.
2. It teaches us the Gospel.
3. It demonstrates God’s sovereignty.
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” Genesis 1:14-15
You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. Deuteronomy 5:15
Questions for Reflection:
Am I personally experiencing the Sabbath rest for which God ...
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Posted in: Spiritual Vitality, Emotional Health
Tags: rhythm, rest, sabbath, why take a sabbath, can pastors sabbath, pastoral burnout, burnout, tired pastor, exhaustion, overworked, ministry, recovery, church planter, church planting, pastoring, pastoral
by Scott Thomas, Acts 29 President
Pastors Leaping into Sexual Immorality
I am concerned about the number of pastors falling (or more likely, leaping) into sexual immorality. It is not a new problem. The Internet seems to have exposed some of these formerly quiet indiscretions hidden in the walls of the church out into the public. I spoke with two wives recently whose pastor husbands left them for a younger woman who was employed in the church. These wives were both devastated over the tragedy and they were full of anxiety about how they were going to provide direction and provision for the young children at home. In both cases, the pastors had carried on their immorality for an extended period of time. This raised the question about their personal accou...
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Posted in: Spiritual Vitality, Marriage and Family, Emotional Health
Tags: scott thomas, acts 29, acts 29 network, church planting, accountability, sexual immorality, sex, pastors, pastor, scandal, fallen pastor, fail, fall, fallen, sexual sin, ministry, leader, pornography, affair, emotional affair, adultery, preacher, teacher
Killing Ourselves in Jesus’ Name
By Habitual Sabbath-Breaking Pastor Scott Thomas
July 23, 2009
[for a PDF version, click here]
I am driven. As far back as I can remember I wanted to excel, to accomplish, to produce and to be successful. As a teenage kid in my backyard, I shot basketballs strategically, religiously and sacrificially until 11:00 pm most nights. I dreamed of playing college basketball because my only perceived avenue to get to college was a sports scholarship. I played college basketball on that scholarship, and with my degree and sports accolades in hand I set out to succeed as a pastor.
As a driven pastor, working seventy hours a week was common. Days off were notional. I felt justified to work non-stop because the need was ...
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