Jeff Jackson Live

What church is not…

Church is not a country club
Church is not a museum of saints
Church is not a democracy
Church is not political
Church is not a retail shop
Church is not for the perfect or proud
Church is not designed to accommodate your schedule
Church is not a business or a business meeting
Church is not comprised of programs

That’s all for now. What is your definition or lack there of for the church?

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I was recently challenged with a new idea for spiritual formation in the church. Most commonly, the church will do there best to “assimilate” their members into the church. This commonly happens when we connect people to small groups or a bible study. Churches have full time pastors on staff just working to assimilate or orientate their people into the fold. Lets just pause for a moment and consider we might have been doing this in the wrong direction….?? Yes, possibly we have been doing church wrong for years. The purpose of assimilation is to connect your people and for discipleship. What we we started asking people, “What talents has God given you that can serve the body?” or “What are you passionate about?” “What makes you move?” You see, maybe, if we started identifying peoples God given talents and passions and equipped them to live and operate within God’s structure instead of the church’s structure we might see more participation and more assimilation than ever in the history of church. I don’t know, I’m just a nobody in this mix but its time to start looking at how we do church and ask the tough questions. What do you think?

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We have so many talented people at Journey Church.  This week I had the distinct privilege to read  a very creative rendition of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28 by one our many talented people, Cole Harper.   I was talking to Cole prior to Sunday and we started talking about how the church in America has lost its first love and how we have distorted what the Great Commission embodies and have deduced the commission from our Savior Jesus Christ to something that is more focused on buildings, lights and HD videos cameras and a passionless life not focused on people who need Jesus.  Before all the emails and comments start coming in, I am not suggesting we can’t use buildings, lights and HD video cameras to promote the Great Commission but what is our motive, OUR kingdom or HIS Kingdom?  Without further ado, the American Spoiled Version of the Great Commission by Cole Harper.

Go therefore and make disciples of already lukewarm Christians, baptizing them in the name of cool buildings, consumerism and the fear of lost people, teaching them to ignore both the Gospel and that lost people go to hell. And behold, I am with you always [assuming your sound system is sweet] even as you pogo-stick aimlessly from church to church for the duration of your anemic, passionless lives.

Lets keep Jesus the main thing, shall we?  I can speak for myself and for Journey Church, we will not subscribe to this idea.  In fact, we will die flying the banner of Jesus Christ.  Who is with us?  The time is now.

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There is a show on TV called 1000 ways to die. It always catches my attention but I really don’t have a desire to see all the different ways to die. In fact it kind of freaks me out that there are enough people out there that want to fantasize about death but that is another post. We can focus on on the different ways to die or we can CHOOSE to focus on the one way to live. I chose to live, how about you?

I was recently motivated by a Bible study from the book of Philippians. Paul is in prison, in chains, and continues to preach the Gospel. Not worried about what the guards will think of him when he tells them about Jesus, he continues to preach (Philippians 1:13). Not concerned about the people preaching the Gospel with wrong motives, he continues to preach (Philippians 1:17). He wants to die but knows he will be used for the Kingdom if he stays the course, he continues to preach (Philippians 1:23). The one continuous theme we read through this chapter is that no matter what Paul is faced with he continues to preach the life changing message of Jesus Christ, crucified, laid to rest and raised from the dead. What is your message? What will you preach? I am convinced there might be thousands of ways to die but only one true way to life.

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I was recently talking on the phone to one of my good friends John Stamper and he reminded me of a story I told him one time about a personal experience I had growing up.  It’s funny how you will forget and someone else will remind you about yourself.  I told him a story one time about when I was working on a farm in High School.  I worked for an old school farmer who pretty much rigged everything he did.  We were walking a fence line one day repairing the barbed wire.  The old farmer would get me to place my shoulder behind the fence post and he would swing a SLEDGE hammer nailing the wire back to the fence post.  You can imagine that every time he swung I was praying that it would be the last because it would rock my world every time.  He was hitting me so hard that I kept falling down and all I heard him saying was “Buck Up Boy!” Swing after swing, “Buck Up Boy!” Its a funny story to laugh at now but the reality is the majority of people who call themselves Christians, need to “Buck Up Boy!”

Done are the days up pathetic Christianity.  I envision a group of believers not of afraid to speak the name of Jesus.  People who not afraid to stand up for what we believe in.  Dads, man enough to lead their families and do what is right no MATTER the cost.  DONE are the days but the reality is that we all need to buck up and take the bull by the horns.  Who will come with me?  Who will stand up and say enough is enough?  Now is the time, today is the day.

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Steven Furtick, from Elevation Church, has set a challenge to read the New Testament in 30 Days.  This is a bold challenge and one that will take some effort.  I want to pass this challenge on to you.  Who is with me?  You can download the reading schedule HERE.  Let me know if you will be reading the New Testament in 30 days.

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Thanks to google analytics here is a list of the 10 most viewed and talked about blog posts on my site in 2009:

10.  Interview with Dave Ferguson

9.  Its Time to Start Thinking Different

8.  Signs of a Dying Church

7.  Porn Again Christian

6.  25 Random Things About Me

5.  21 Questions to Ask Before Planting

4.  What I’ve Learned About Church Growth

3.  10 Rules for a Healthy Church Planter’s Marriage

2.  God, Religion and Porn!

1.  Is Being Gay Wrong

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Everyone likes a good new year’s resolution but have your ever made one for you church?  This is a great way to recast vision especially if you started to experience vision slippage at the end of 2009 (watch for a post soon about vision slippage).  The first objection to this resolution is that most resolution don’t stick or people don’t stick to the resolutions.  How can we make our church’s new year’s resolution stick in the hearts and minds of our people.

1. Make your resolution Reasonable – Don’t expect your members to automatically start bringing all their friends to church.  Lets start with a small obtainable resolution something that can be measured and celebrated.
2. Make your resolution Realistic – Lets not program God out of the equation but lets keep the resolution realistic.  Much like the first point we need to cast an expectation that your people can see.  Don’t give them a 30 thousand foot view but rather give them practical, daily resolutions.  A good way to accomplish this is to remove any will power that your people might need to exert in order to keep the Church’s resolution.
3. Make your resolution Rewarding – As stated before always make sure your resolution is measurable so you can reward your people when you stick to the resolution.  For example and I’m not against numbers but maybe you should have a goal of baptizing more people this year rather than saying we want to baptize 100 people this year.

Make 2010 be the best year the Kingdom of God has ever seen!

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First, I would like to express that I do not consider myself to be a church growth expert, although I would like to become one!! I wanted to share some insights that I have discovered from some of the churches that I follow. I love to follow churches that are experiencing growth that can only be explained as a work of God. Most of these church plants have been in existence for less that five years with the exception of a few churches by they are still thinking like a church plant and not a church (there is a big difference). I started seeing some trends between these churches and here is what I learned.

1. Document Everything – Nothing is worse that to have a great outreach event or baptism and not have the media to document the event.  If you need a great video camera and your on a tight budget I recommend The Flip
2. Celebrate the Wins – This creates great moments for casting vision and reinforcing what your church is all about.  You should celebrate big wins and the small wins even if they seem too small to celebrate.
3. Never Compromise the Truth – There is a generation out there that want authenticity and they appreciate truth event if it is not PC.  God will bless your ministry if you stick to this step.  The truth can hurt but you will reap a harvest that will be worth documenting and celebrating.

So that is what I have learned about church growth.  Here is a short list of some of the churches that I follow.  If you are thinking about planting a church here is some questions you might want to ask CLICK HERE.   If are interested in planting a church in Indiana hit me up HERE.

New Spring Church
Elevation Church
Aviator Church
Coming Soon Covenant Church

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