Church Planting Franchise Style (part 2)

As stated in the previous post I am going on vacation. The answer to question I posed "So why would or should I or anyone else for that matter get angry about Northpoint franchising itself and placing its product only in large metro areas so that people are changed??" will have to be answered sometime this coming week if I get access to a computer. In the meantime Red and Black had an interesting and in my opinion accurate description of the specific example of the north point partners. Anyone else care to chime in on the specific example or even church planting in general?

Vacation Smokes

The picture of the Rocky Patel's a couple of posts down got me thinking of the vacation cigars I'm going to have the opportunity to enjoy this coming week. I don't have a large collection by any means. But what little I do have I thoroughly enjoy. It looks like this week I'll be enjoying a couple of Gurkha Fuertes and an Edge by Rocky Patel while I read good theology on the sandy shores of Fernandina Beach. Who is jealous?

Church Planting Franchise Style

For the past several days I've been doing some reading and thinking about church planting. But be forewarned and note that I have not read best-selling books on this subject, nor have I formally interviewed any church planters. Essentially all I have read is the ministry philosophy and general information behind a few church planting organizations, and I have talked with a couple friends who know more and have some experience in church planting. I'm not an expert, nor do I claim to be. I just have been rolling these things around in my head for a few days and wanted to share some thoughts.

Specifically the one church planting organization that sparked my interest in church planting philosophy is northpointpartners.org. This is Andy Stanley's church planting division from his organization known and branded as Northpoint Community Church. After reading through their faqs and some blog posts from one of their "strategic partners" "lead pastor" I'll be honest and say that I became a tad angry.

This is childish and immature right? There was no reason to be upset and there is no reason to be upset now. After all, lives are being changed and people reached- approximately 30,000 at all of the campuses and strategic partner locations each week. They are "winning" and successful. "I’ve found a model and a set of systems I believe in, I fit in and I chose to commit myself to....and I'm going with that."As the "lead pastor" from Cumberland says in this blog post "I’ve found a model and a set of systems I believe in, I fit in and I chose to commit myself to....and I'm going with that." And "... are we seeing people becoming more intimate with God? Are we seeing believers in our churches connect more meaningfully and regularly with other believers? Are they changing and maturing to be more like Jesus? Are we seeing the committed core in our churches leveraging their influence in the lives of those aren't in church anywhere and are disconnected from God? Are they strategically and boldly inviting their friends and neighbors into the right environments we are creating together, so that they can discover the life-changing message of Jesus Christ?"

So why would or should I or anyone else for that matter get angry about Northpoint franchising itself and placing its product only in large metro areas so that people are changed?

The answer to that question at least from my perspective will be forthcoming...until then though does anyone else have any thoughts/comments/rants/praises on church planting in general or the above example specifically?

New Link

I found this blog The Red and Black Redneck while taking a look at Phil Johnson and company's Pyromaniacs. I guess I won't hold a grudge against him for being a Georgia Bulldog fan and add him to my roll. Nobody is perfect right?

I read through a few posts and it seems to live up to the description "commentary from the deep South on life, football, religion, and politics (not necessarily in that order.)" There are some helpful insights as well as a couple of things I can really relate to like reformed theology, SEC football, and fine hand rolled goodness. Or for the visually stimulated...

RTS Bound...

I received word the end of last week that I was accepted to RTS. I'm super excited and thankful for the opportunity.



God has been most gracious in the journey to this point, and I know he'll continue to be. Also, my wife has been such an encouragement. God has really used her in so many ways. I'll probably never know most of them, but am grateful and longing to spend the rest of my life finding out. She is such a blessing and a treasure that without her strength, motivation, and compassion I'd be far worse today than I am. The Lord has used her in a mighty way and will continue to do so as we grow in our marriage to God's glory.

I just wanted to give thanksgiving to God for His faithfulness and His plan. He really does know what He's doing even if I don't have a clue.

A new perspective on Piper...

I saw this on Josh Harris' blog. I thought it was hilarious. Piper representin'.

Tupac would be proud.

Criticism and Affirmation

If you've read any number of the somewhat substantive posts on this blog I'm sure you've picked up on the fact I lean more toward the criticism side of the fence. To be honest it is a little more than a lean. You could probably describe it as a full fledged encampment on the critical side of the fence only ever so often glancing over in the direction of the affirmation side.

Why?

That's a very good question and one that I've been asking myself lately. Am I critical because I love truth and hate error? Or maybe it is because there are too many weak and cowardly men that refuse to stand for what is right and call error error? I wish I could answer so righteously and courageously to say yes without reservation. But I cannot.

I do love truth and hate error, and I do think there too many weak and cowardly men. But I am one of the cowards. I am overly critical because it is easier to take a stand against something than it is to take a stand for something.

So I cower because of my ignorance and lack of faith. To all the men who may read this I pray that we will not just stand against something but that we'll also fight and affirm what is right and holy and good.

Ignorance or Apathy?

The recent post over at Contend Earnestly has encouraged me to post again. Seth admits to having a bit of a dry spell physically and spiritually. I can definitely relate to that.

The biggest problems for me are the two things in the title of this post. And the funny thing is that God used a sports radio show to point that out to me. The radio show has several intros and outros with the famous voice over movie guy or at least it sounds like him. Anyway, the one that got my attention went like this...

"Which is worse ignorance or apathy? Here at the Finebaum radio network we don't know and we don't care..."

I laughed at first because I thought it was pretty clever. But then the ole conviction started kicking in. I realized that described me better than it did a sports talk show. I just wanted to confess that and say that the Spirit is working in me and changing me slowly but surely for His glory and my good.