Insights into the process of planting new churches.
I learned much about making disciples by watching an older man remain relevant to people much younger than himself. Nathaniel Van Cleave became my pastor at the height of my rebellious teen years. During his first sermon, he watched my friends and pried the gunpowder from a box of bullets and two shotgun shells while …
The last seven days were incredible. My wife and I first attended the 45th anniversary of the first Hope Chapel in Hermosa Beach, Califonia (www.hopechapel.org) . We hung out with Zac and Julie Nazarian who carried the church far forward while launching many churches. We saw friends we have loved from afar and got to …
Recently I was able to spend several hours hanging out with a church planter who is in trouble. It seems he called the wrong bunch when launching his church. This church plant was a congregation “hiving off” of a larger church that has a vision for planting churches. He had freedom to recruit anyone but …
Two young boys taught me the essence of “true” disciplemaking. I grew up in an environment where making disciples meant working with another person to fill in the blanks in a book focused on the Gospel of John. These guys put it back into the perspective of the New Testament. I mean, can you imagine …
Let’s consider making churches more easily reproducible. There are three costs involved in church planting. Each of which can be overcome by starting “simple churches” or “house churches” as some call them. The Education Factor The first cost is the expense associated with a seminary or even a Bible college education. Tuition costs are …
I just came away from a wonderful two-hour reunion with some old friends. We hadn’t seen each other for about three years. The wife is approaching the highest level of Alzheimer’s. The husband is 85-years-old and showing few signs of slowing down. Their family is full of love for the Lord and for each …
Think with me for a minute… A pastor touches 5,000 people each week in a country where churches average 27 in attendance! That’s just what Rob Flaherty does with humorous, biblical and practical YouTube videos. The videos are never more than six minutes long. He has a huge following which he uses to change lives and plant …