Ever have a person that you wanted to talk to, and really meant to talk to, but didn’t talk to? First you forgot, then you got busy, and time kept passing and passing and it felt more and more awkward to just pick up the phone and call or hit send on that email and talk to them. Well, that’s sort of how I’ve felt about this blog thing. So I’m back for now, and for the dozen or so of you who recognize my genius I’m back with specific purpose.
By far the most read item here is Church Planting Sucks, and even though that piece is years old people still keep finding it and, strangely, finding it helpful. So I’m going to write something new for you all. Here’s why. A little while back there was a conversation on a couple of blogs about how to form missional communities and how difficult and tenuous it can be. Some questions were coming from a church planter in the early stages, and another from someone who had closed his plant down after a couple of years of toil, and finally one of the big names in missional circles. I didn’t participate in the conversation because, well, I don’t participate in online conversations. (I’m just a better human being since I quit reading blogs and comments a year ago). But I am four years into an urban church plant and we’re surviving. We’re growing, both numerically and spiritually. My marriage is doing okay and my kids are healthy and don’t hate church. I feel like I’ve got something to say about this subject.
So, over the next four or so posts you’ll see my church planting story and whatever nuggets of wisdom I’ ve gleaned thus far. Perhaps you can spot something I’m missing. I warn you, reader, this will not be an inspirational tale of success and #winning. However, If you follow it exactly I guarantee you too can grow a church from zero to forty in four and a bit years.
Okay, not really, I guarantee nothing. But this will be the story of how a real live church plant got started and survived. And how one community is growing; warts and all. And probably most of all how I was changed on the way.
Plus, If it’s really good, might get asked to lead a breakout session at Re:Call 2011
See you tomorrow
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