What Do You Do With The Baby?

In order to fully understand the thoughts in this blog, I suggest reading my post called "Family Matters" where I talk about what I have formulated as the three types of ways to start a church.
If you haven't read it go to it now, then come back.
Go ahead, I'll wait.

The Parent.
The Step Parent.
The Illegitimate Child.

I want to clarify and make sure you understand; that when I say illegitimate child, I am in no way referring to the actual child of how we think in the natural. I don't believe there is a such thing as an illegitimate child, God has a purpose and a destiny for every person. It's been best said, "there are no such things as illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents."--Rick Warren.

When I use term illegitimate child--I'm referring to whatever reason starting a church without the blessings of the Pastor or leadership where you attended or served volunteer, staff at ANY capacity before starting your "new work."
For the rest of this post, I'll refer to the "illegitimate child" as "unauthorized church plant" for clarity sake.

Over the the last year or so as I've surveyed new church plants, a majority of them (not all of them) would fall into the category of unauthorized church plant. One or or two would fall under a church split acknowledgment, those that say they did not come out of a church split would also say they started without the open blessings of their previous pastor, regardless-----unauthorized church plant.

While surveying these unauthorized church plants, I've ran across a few (not all of them) that no doubt are doing great things for the Kingdom of God. It's clear they are impacting their city, winning souls and making disciples for Christ. Lives are being changed and I rejoice with them and cheer them on.

So my question is.....
Whether it's a messy church split that has had years to recover, leaving a church without that pastors blessings and starting a church or simply leaving the church you've attended for years and going across the street and starting a new work......does the end justify the means?

Or to put it in the context of a father/son, parent, step-parent mentality......what do you do with the baby?

Acts 18:4-11 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

A mentor of mine gave me that verse to ponder, and I have been. He was not advocating for starting a church next door to the church.
I guess the real answer has to come from the pastors and leadership that caused the unauthorized church plant to begin with, right?

I'd also like to point out that I do recognize two other major issues that are key in these verses that play an important role to a satisfying answer to the specific issue in those verses, you can tell me if you see them too. ;)

"What do you do with the baby?"
I'm all ears, give me some wisdom to think about how this plays out.
Thanks!

Yours for His Kingdom!

Family Matters

Leaders have to ask themselves, "what are we really trying to accomplish?"
A few weeks ago my Pastor asked me a question that caused me to really stop and think.
Thinking is good.

One of the things I've discovered as I've pursued the next step for us and planting a church....IS...If God asked me, "Son, I know you want to do my will; would you want to plant a church or transition a church?" I'd answer Him by saying transition a church.


I'm not saying that church planting is out.
I've written before that I view church planting as a "family" context. I've developed a formula in church planting thinking, in regards to a spiritual son/father---family mindset.
The Parent
The Step Parent
The Illegitimate Child

The "parent" is the church that plants for the reason they see fit.

The "step parent" is an origination that plants for the value of planting. Let me stress there is nothing wrong with this system.

The "illegitimate child" is the person who goes out and does their own thing without having a covering or blessing of the parent or step parent. Perhaps a better term would be "the unauthorized church planter." But you get the point.


I went to a meeting several months ago. It consisted of a couple dozen guys about my age who were looking to church plant.
One thing that stuck out to me is that everyone seemed to want to church plant to "fix" something.
They had a bad experience.
They just came off a church staff.
Their church had a split.
The church they were at wasn't doing something they saw needed to be done.
They wanted to reach a certain demographic.

I too found myself thinking, "that's why I want too as well."
That meeting was many months ago; at the beginning of our journey to one day pastor, since then I believe my reason no longer lines up with the above reasons.

In my longing to be used by God, I know he has guided my path. While on the path to pastor, I know it's important to fall in love with the church, not the perfect church, not your ideal church, not your "dream" church; but the church with all it's warts and imperfections.

This is where I think many have missed the mark in church planting.
The last thing I want to do is reproduce a church that is a reflection of deep rooted frustration.
I'd rather a church that is focused on bringing people into the family of God.
Church families reproducing other church families.

After all, "what are we really trying to accomplish?"

Blocks, Scaffolding and Rocks

During my time in the restaurant business; I managed with the mindset, "people are our greatest assets."
After all, buildings become outdated, tools need revamping, equipment breaks down; but people, people can learn, grow, bend, and adapt. People are our greatest assets.

Then along comes, Jim Collins with his book, "Good to Great" where he expounds on the thought with the "First Who then What" principle and explains that people are not our greatest assets---the RIGHT people are and furthermore the right people in the right spot.
At first glance this sounds like a heartless and even manipulative statement. But I've discovered it's mainly heartless and manipulative leaders who think that; because they interpret out of how they see. (Every one's toes okay? Whew good, I know that wasn't for anyone reading this anyway)

It's true. While we as leaders want everyone to run with the vision, the truth is not everyone will.
I've discovered there are three types of people who run with vision you have.
1. People who run with you.
2. People who don't run with you but hang out for the after party.
3. People who run with you for a while, then change tracks.

I love how my friend, Barry Morton, who church planted four years ago, puts it (as he quotes a mentor of his)
"Some people are like scaffolding; they're important and valuable for the beginning stages of the building, but eventually have to come down."

This is important to know when building, because some simply won't go the distance. They will find something "that needs their help" or "is just getting started"---and they will go.
Don't get discouraged with "scaffolding people."

In building; rocks, blocks and scaffolding all have their place. It's important to know what their place is and allow them to contribute to the level they can.

Getting the right people in the right spot makes all the difference as you lead with vision.

Starting Over

Man! What a rough night!

For those of you who know me, you know I'm a night owl and going to bed at 2:00am and up at 10:00am is the norm, not a good one I might add.
But last night I went down at 10:00pm and was up at 6:00am with what seemed like hourly awakenings.

I wish I could say it was because of excitement but honestly I'm think it's more out of a new realization. I'm starting over.

I meet yesterday with 20 plus other men and women my age who are exploring God's call for church planting. I introduced myself and gave my story. Afterwards I sat there thinking and listening to see if anyone else had a story was like mine.
It didn't appear so.
It was only afterwards that one of the men there (one of 3 over the age of 50) came up to me and said, "It's a sad thing that it's the church that chews people up and spits them out."
He said it like it was the norm.
That's the sad thing.

I think last night is when it really hit me. Starting over.

As a 18 year old working at Taco Bell, renting my first apartment and buying my own car...there was a feeling of excitement and new adventure.
Somehow, that same excitement is snuffed out as the overwhelming feeling is brought to realization that this time I'm starting over with a wife and two young ones.

The clock has begun.
Thirty days to move locations, find a job, find a church, find a place to live.

I'm ready for the excitement and adventure feeling to hit me.
I hope it comes soon.
Sleepless nights are not my thing.