Jeff Jackson Live

The reality is American evangelicals close more churches each year than we open new ones.  Like it or not, we are a post-christian nation.  This is why it is so important to plant churches.  I have read stories and met guys that had all the good intentions in the world for their church plant but for some reason or another they failed.  Here are three reason that contribute to the closure of new churches:

1.  Lack of Vision - Habakkuk 2:2-3 tells us to write the vision clear so it is easily understood and able to spread.  There are churches that I have walked into and no one knows the vision of the church.  No one can even articulate a version of the church’s vision.  Problem?  YES!  Vision is key to any church growth but vital for a church plant.  I heard once that if your staff is tired of hearing about the vision then your people will get it and if your people are sick of hearing the vision then your community will get it.  We want our communities to GET IT so preach it until you are blue in the face.

2.  Moral Failure - want to ruin your church plant?  Then have a moral failure.  NOT only you but your staff’s moral failures can ruin your plant.  It is important to have accountability in place to keep you clear of immorality.  Also since your staff can bring it down be slow to hire and give titles.  Your church  plant will thrive without fancy titles.

3.  Lack of Execution – Church planting is fought and won in the trenches.  This is probably one of the hardest components to church planting.  Most church planters are 60 foot view guys.  Let me explain, most guys are entrenched with vision and forget to seek and identify the steps to take to complete the vision which gives them a 60 foot view.  If you are a big picture thinker then you need to surround yourself with execution people, clipboard nazi and self proclaimed bean counters.

Church planting is our only hope so make sure you are ready for the pressures of church planting and educated yourself on the things that can bring it down.

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I believe we need to plant churches like it is going out of style not only because its biblical but because its our only hope.  Here my top 5 reason why we need to plant churches.

1. Hands down most effective evangelism tool - in major denominations around 80% of the recorded salivations came from churches that where younger than two years old.  What does this tell us…? Church plants are more effective.  This doesn’t mean that established churches don’t have there place, they DO and they can have a big impact on the culture of church planting.  Lots of larger and more established churches can fund church planting.
2. We are commanded too! -  the results of the great commission ministry is discipleship and discipleship leads to congregationalism aka church.  So, if we are making disciples we are planting churches.  Right?  Its a natural progression.
3. Lots of lost people - the last stat I read was that there were over 120 million unchurched people in the United States.  This make us the largest mission field in the Western Hemisphere and the fifth largest field in the world.  Hmm, think we should be starting new churches?  Especially since we close somewhere in the neighborhood of 3500 churches each year.
4. Church plants reach younger people – A key characteristic of church plants is that their attenders tend to be younger than churches generally, with more than two-thirds (69%) of adult attenders being aged 15-49 years, compared with only 48% at churches generally.
5. It is the most exciting thing to do on the face of this planet (yeah I’m partial) – need I say more!!!

The fact is we need a reality check.  If we don’t plant more churches than close each year our children won’t have a church to attend.  Actually we need a GUT check.  If you feel like God is leading you to plant then I encourage you to begin the process of becoming a planter.  Here are some good questions to ask yourself before planting.

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I am apart of a coaching network at Oak Leaf Church led by Michael Lukaszewski and a few sessions ago we went over a leadership lesson for completing a task.  I took this lesson and expanded on the concept.  When completing a task you can complete it three ways:

1. You Can Do It…out of desperation – There are times when, as leaders, we must just get the job done.  But this is not scalable and your ministry will not grow if you are always the one completing the tasks.
2. You Can Delegate It…out of dictation – Delegation is a common misconception in leadership.  We think we are leading if we are delegating our tasks out to someone else.  This is not biblical if you don’t believe me read Ephesians 4!  I understand that sometimes we have to delegate when we are in a pinch but this is not scalable.
3. You Can Develop A Leader…out of desire – When we are developing other leaders we are extending the life cycle of our church (and don’t kid yourself…every church as a life cycle) and its biblical, if you don’t believe me read Ephesians 4! Developing leaders will allow you to sleep well at night.

Do not hold the ministry God has given you with a tight fist.  “Do it” only if you have to, “delegate” on occasion and always “develop” other leaders.

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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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We all influence other people, sometimes it’s for the worse. I was sitting in Sam’s Club today picking up some tables for our Children’s ministry when I realized our circles of influence could be greater. Let me explain, I was in Sam’s Club for one hour and didn’t see one person that I knew. There is so much potential in our community to meet new people we just have to get of our spiritual couches and be intentional about meeting new people. Be intentional.

Jeff

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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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There is nothing more important to a church planter than his wife.  So keeping that in mind how do you sustain your marriage through the church planting years.  Hear are the ten rules you must live and die by to protect your most important asset.

1. Set the bar low, but set it somewhere – It is difficult to make time to spend with your wife, much less take a planned vacation.  No matter what stage your church plant is in, it will require 110% of your efforts.  Spending time with your spouse can be as simple as grabbing a cup of coffee together, without the kids, a short walk together, a date to the dollar movies.  Spending time together can light that refocus your passion and will also remind both of you why this church plant is worthwhile.
2. Turn off the iPhone (or Blackberry) – You have to make sure you wife knows that she is more important than your phone.  When I say turn your phone off, I MEAN OFF.  Even if your phone just beeps or flashes when a message comes in it can become the big pink elephant in the room.
3. When there is a critical decision in your church plant make room at the table for your wife - These big decisions can change the way of life for your wife and I believe she deserve the right to be heard.  Man, if someone had told me this during the first 5 years of marriage I would have made different decisions.  God speaks through our wifes, are we listening.
4. Engage your wife in her space -  This is one of most difficult things to do but I guarantee if you do this it will increase intimacy, communication and your wife’s passion for the church plant.  When you take interest in your wife’s passions the spotlight is taken from the church plant, because we all know that is what we talk about night and day, and onto your wife.
5. Answer the phone when your wife calls - Your wife knows that you are busy and that you field 100s of messages everyday so when she calls you it is important.  Stop what you are doing, pick up the phone and give her your full attention.
6. Don’t squeeze her in - She knows if you are just calling her to call her.  The drowning sound of a busy Panera Bread at lunch time or calling her 5 minutes before the meeting will communicate that she is not important.  When you call home make sure you are not rushed and that you have time to talk.
7. Treat your wife like she is more important than the first time guests at your church - don’t you ever let your wife feel that you pay more attention to complete strangers than you do her.
8. Share the spotlight - As church planters you will get lots of attention from your members and prospective visitors.  Set your wife up for success and bring her into the light.  Your wife is the volunteer of the year. She pulls more behind the stage stunts to keep your circus act a float than you give her credit for.  Publicly acknowledged her contributions.  This will help build her creditability with your people and will ultimately show her your dedication and love.  Some things go without saying…but not this!
9. Celebrate your wins - Spend time remembering all that you went through and where God has brought you.  You might have not always been in tune but your still playing together.
10. Make her feel special in front of her friends at church - must I say more??!!!

Take if for what it is worth…just don’t forget that you can’t do it without her for lots of reason but mostly because no one else will but up with you (all us church planters are crazy)!  For more church plant inspiration check out my interview with Dave Ferguson.

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Here is one of the reasons I like WordPress. I just downloaded the latest versin of WP for the blackeberry. This make blogging very quick and easy. I am now able to share my thoughts as they come. This is also great news for Church Planters and Pastors. Now next time you have a great idea don’t loose the napkin, blog about it.

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