Thank You

Chris Question Friday: Things I Wish I Had Known About Church Planting

QUESTION: What things do you wish you had known before you planted your church? (by Todd in Baltimore)

ANSWER: Good question, Todd. I was so naive when we planted three years ago. The sheer metric tons of stuff I didn’t know then that I know now could feel volumes of books. However, there are a few things that come to mind as great lessons I learned the hard way.

1. Half of your core team will leave you in the first year. I heard other church planters say this, but I didn’t believe it. Going into year two I had already lived it. At present we only have one couple from our original core group. Some moved out of town…others lost the vision…others never got it in the first place.

2. Never pick staff from outside the church. I kept trying to bring in staff members from the outside. They were already “ruined” by other churches and just couldn’t grasp the concept of what God called us to do. We have had much better luck by recruiting staff from within Compass Point.

3. You can’t build a church on college students. Our first year we had almost 70% college students…almost all unchurched. They were great….they worked hard…they grew spiritually…they developed into good leaders…they left town when they graduated. Christmas and summer got pretty ugly around Compass Point the first year! College students are wonderful folks to have on a church plant team…just know they are temporary.

4. Never count on the money until the check arrives. We met with the pastor of a mega-church (the parents of one our core team went there) and he did the whole “dog and pony show” while we were there. He kept saying that the church “would help us out financially” to give him a call when we needed it. We called…no reply. After a bunch of calls, emails and a few snail mail letters I finally got a note from his secretary telling me that they were tight on money and couldn’t spare any. Two Sundays before she contacted me they had raised millions of dollars (it made the state denominational paper) in a single day to fund several satellite video-venues in order to perpetuate the pastor’s “cult of personality”. Just a complete lack of integrity!!!

5. Recent church planters are your best resource. The greatest advice, financial gifts and friendship I have ever received is from guys that planted within the last several years. They will cry with you, rejoice with you and sacrifice for you. As long as I live I will remember the day that the pastor of local church plant (less than 3 months old) handed me their last $250 because another church (mentioned in answer #4) didn’t come through and we couldn’t pay rent (God bless you Hal). To this day other church panters are some of my closest friends and greatest source of inspiration. God uses them in mighty ways to speak into my life (God bless you Gary, Shawn, Travis and Adam).

6. You can always plant another church…you can’t always have another family. As much as I love church planting and shepherding people…I love my wife more. As a man with a divorce on his record, I can tell you nothing…I mean nothing…espeically ministry…should ever get in the way of your family. That also reminds me…if your wife is not on board with planting a church….don’t plant!!!

7. Spend more time reading the Bible than other books. Church growth, church planting, church strategy and church leadership books are great…but I spent way too much time pouring into them (at the beginning) and not enough time in God’s Word. The best church practices, strategies and leadership ideas can be found within the pages of the Bible.

8. Get out of the freakin’ pulpit every once in a while. Pastors have this idea that the world will fall apart for their church if they don’t preach every Sunday. I gotta tell you…preaching week after week without a break will dull your abilities. Taking a break every now and then gives other leaders a chance to step up and you a rest to get fired back up. Nothing makes me preach better than being out of the pulpit for a week or two. Nothing grows our leaders like me being out of the pulpit for a week or two.

9. Don’t fall in love with some else’s community, vision or calling. I got fired up by reading books by Andy Stanley and Erwin McManus. Unfortunately, I fell in love with their calling…and their community. God didn’t call me to shepherd the people of Los Angeles or Atlanta…he called me to shepherd the people of Lakeland, Florida. I wasted way too many days trying to be Mark Driscoll and Ed Young. Jr. when God just wanted me to be Chris Elrod and to love on the people of Polk County.

10. Pray, pray, pray!!! When things suck…pray. When things go well…pray. When thing look hopeless…pray. When things look successful…pray.

There is a bunch of other stuff…but the answers above are probably the most important lessons I learned along the way. Ultimately, seek God and His Word for your unique vision, community and calling. What worked for others may not work for you!

To Clear Up Some Things

I have received numerous private emails in responses to yesterday’s post "Chicken Little & The Starbucks Sky".  While all were positive, there seems to be a little misunderstanding from some of the folks that regularly read my blog.  I’d like to take a moment to clear up some things and to redefine why I post to this blog.

To answer the basic questions I’ve been getting lately…no, I have nothing against mega-churches, multi-site churches, video venues, purpose driven churches or attractional churches.  They have all been very effective in reaching disconnected people for Christ…and should be praised for their Great Commission efforts.  However, those kind of churches are the strategies, structures and styles of today and yesterday…not necessarily tomorrow.

The church I pastor was created in order to reach young 20-somethings…which we have done pretty effectively.  For this reason I am constantly studying culture, trends, statistics, other churches, people and…most importantly…Scripture.  All of the research combined spells out the end for some of the church styles mentioned above.  Younger disconnected folks are moved by authentic community and authentic truth.  By that very nature anything "seeker sensitive" and professionally staged is now in it’s twilight years…it still works in some places, but is fading fast for reaching tomorrow’s disconnected.

Unfortunately, book publishers, magazine editors and conference coordinators keep pushing the same ideas for church leadership and planting.  By and large they have failed to see the changing of the tide and have been slow to highlight newer ideas.  Thus, we have created a cloned way of launching new churches…a "one size fits all"mentality.  In many cases pastors no longer have a heart for their own community…but a heart for someone else’s community featured in a book on church planting.  Too many guys fresh out of seminary or a two year stint as a youth pastor are panting the churches in their head…not the ones that God has laid on their hearts.  Three years later when the church has folded they wonder what happened because they did everything "the book" or "the conference" said to do.

I post to this blog to introduce new ideas and to make the church planting/leadership world aware that we are going to have to color outside the lines in the days to come.  One size will not fit all and God’s calling to a specific community…not books or conferences…will need to dictate the style and strategy of the church.   I do not blog to create a "war" with those that are mega and attractional…many of those pastors are my friends.  As a child of God I praise the Lord when I read of any church baptizing 388 in a single month…no matter what the style or structure is.  However, I also know that change is evident if the Church is going to keep baptizing folks in the future.

I do not propose to be the ultimate expert on everything 20-something.  However, God has given me great insight into their world…and a burdened heart for reaching them for Christ.  It is from that insight and burden with which I write, blog and attempt to challenge others.  Ultimately, I do not want churches to have a limited lifespan because they became too attached to one style, structure, program or strategy.

Now to answer the other question I kept receiving yesterday…no, I have not heard from the folks at Starbucks. 

If You Wanted An Apple iPhone

The blogoshpere…particularly tech heads and church planters…has been all ga-ga over the new Apple iPhone.  I personally can’t see what all the fuss is about since no one has actually used the thing…so the jury is still out over whether it’s good…or a piece of crap.  Anyway…if you are one of the people that wants an iPhone you will have to have AT&T wireless service…at least for five years.

USA Today and Engadget are reporting that Apple inked a deal with AT&T Wireless to handle the iPhone exclusively in the United States for five…count them…five years.  That means that T-Mobile, Verizon, NexTel, Sprint, Alltel, etc. customers will not have access to the iPhone until almost 2013.  It is also reported that there is no way to unlock the phones…even if hackers could…the deal prevents Apple from developing a CDMA version for the five year contract…thus rendering unlocked iPhone useless on networks other than AT&T (which uses GSM).

If you are not a AT&T Wireless customer…sucks to be you.  If you are an AT&T Wireless stockholder…Christmas is going to be nice this year!

Chicken Little & The Starbucks Sky: A Cautionary Tale For Church Leaders

There are those moments in time where the sky begins to fall on something..someplace…some idea…and the world is a little slow to notice. A moment when things have been status quo…uneventful…comfortable. It lulls us into a sleepy kind of twilight and false sense of security where we don’t really realize change is taking place…that the sky is beginning to fall…until it bumps us on the head. The most amazing part is that there is always that one person…that one "watchman"…that one Chicken Little that has been saying "the sky is falling" to no avail. He or she is the lone voice in the wilderness…dismissed…whispering warnings that fall on deaf ears. It is only later…after the sky has dropped…that Chicken Little is heard.

The sky has begun to fall for Starbucks. They haven’t seen it yet…not even really aware…but it’s starting to drop. They began with the idea of creating an "environment" for the customer…an inviting place…an experience…that would make the consumer come back again and again. It wasn’t really about the coffee or the cash flow…it was about the customer. However, in the past few years quality has taken a back seat to quantity…and the bottom line. The new Starbucks goal? Take over the world. The new Starbucks plan? Have a Starbucks on every street corner…in every mall…at every discount store that has access to running water and electricity. In the process the customer has become an after thought…the experience no longer valued…and that lulled, status quo feeling is starting to kick in for management.

The Chicken Littles of the coffee world have taken notice and have begun to declare that the sky is falling. Blog postings around the world have been popping up all over the internet describing "watered down coffee and burned pastries. The cry from the customer for free wi-fi has been ingnored for fear of offending Starbuck’s corporate bedfellows. Complaints about rude staff and shrinking environments have been met by erie silence from management wannabes. The sky is beginning to crack…a few pieces have fallen…Chicken Little is talking…but no one at Starbucks is listening…yet! By the time that Chicken Little’s roar reaches a fevered pitch…it will be too late. The damage will be done…the name will be ruined…and the customers lost will have chosen a new brand to stake their lives on. By then the Starbucks Sky will have fallen…and the only thing left to do is to write the cautionary tale for Forbes Magazine or the Wall Street Journal.

The sky has begun to fall for evangelical churches. They haven’t seen it yet…not even really aware…but it’s starting to drop. They began with the idea of creating an "environment" for shepherding people…an inviting place…an experience…that would make the person come back again and again. It wasn’t really about the style or the structure…it was about the sheep. However, in the past few years quality has taken a back seat to quantity…and "one upping" each other with attendance numbers. The new church planting goal? Launch big…whatever it takes. The new church planting plan? Copy every other church structure out there so you can have a carefully cloned video-venue satellite church on every street corner…in every mall…at every discount store that has access to running water and electricity. In the process the disconnected have become an after thought…the experience no longer valued…and that lulled, status quo feeling is starting to kick in for leadership.

The Chicken Littles of the church world have also taken notice and have begun to declare that the sky is falling. Blog postings around the world have been popping up all over the internet describing "watered down discipleship" and burned relationships. The cry for community has been ingnored for fear of disrupting the style, strategy or structure. Complaints about non-accessible staff and impersonal environments have been met by erie silence from mega-church wannabes. The sky is beginning to crack…a few pieces have fallen…Chicken Little is talking…but very few in church leadership is listening…yet! By the time that Chicken Little’s roar reaches a fevered pitch…it will be too late. The damage will be done…the inlfuence will be ruined…and the sheep lost will have chosen a new flock…outside of the church…to stake their lives on. By then the Church Sky will have fallen…and the only thing left to do is to write the cautionary tale for Rev. Magazine or the Catalyst Podcast.

Chicken Little & The Starbucks Sky: A Cautionary Tale For Church Leaders

There are those moments in time where the sky begins to fall on something..someplace…some idea…and the world is a little slow to notice. A moment when things have been status quo…uneventful…comfortable. It lulls us into a sleepy kind of twilight and false sense of security where we don’t really realize change is taking place…that the sky is beginning to fall…until it bumps us on the head. The most amazing part is that there is always that one person…that one "watchman"…that one Chicken Little that has been saying "the sky is falling" to no avail. He or she is the lone voice in the wilderness…dismissed…whispering warnings that fall on deaf ears. It is only later…after the sky has dropped…that Chicken Little is heard.

The sky has begun to fall for Starbucks. They haven’t seen it yet…not even really aware…but it’s starting to drop. They began with the idea of creating an "environment" for the customer…an inviting place…an experience…that would make the consumer come back again and again. It wasn’t really about the coffee or the cash flow…it was about the customer. However, in the past few years quality has taken a back seat to quantity…and the bottom line. The new Starbucks goal? Take over the world. The new Starbucks plan? Have a Starbucks on every street corner…in every mall…at every discount store that has access to running water and electricity. In the process the customer has become an after thought…the experience no longer valued…and that lulled, status quo feeling is starting to kick in for management.

The Chicken Littles of the coffee world have taken notice and have begun to declare that the sky is falling. Blog postings around the world have been popping up all over the internet describing "watered down coffee and burned pastries. The cry from the customer for free wi-fi has been ingnored for fear of offending Starbuck’s corporate bedfellows. Complaints about rude staff and shrinking environments have been met by erie silence from management wannabes. The sky is beginning to crack…a few pieces have fallen…Chicken Little is talking…but no one at Starbucks is listening…yet! By the time that Chicken Little’s roar reaches a fevered pitch…it will be too late. The damage will be done…the name will be ruined…and the customers lost will have chosen a new brand to stake their lives on. By then the Starbucks Sky will have fallen…and the only thing left to do is to write the cautionary tale for Forbes Magazine or the Wall Street Journal.

The sky has begun to fall for evangelical churches. They haven’t seen it yet…not even really aware…but it’s starting to drop. They began with the idea of creating an "environment" for shepherding people…an inviting place…an experience…that would make the person come back again and again. It wasn’t really about the style or the structure…it was about the sheep. However, in the past few years quality has taken a back seat to quantity…and "one upping" each other with attendance numbers. The new church planting goal? Launch big…whatever it takes. The new church planting plan? Copy every other church structure out there so you can have a carefully cloned video-venue satellite church on every street corner…in every mall…at every discount store that has access to running water and electricity. In the process the disconnected have become an after thought…the experience no longer valued…and that lulled, status quo feeling is starting to kick in for leadership.

The Chicken Littles of the church world have also taken notice and have begun to declare that the sky is falling. Blog postings around the world have been popping up all over the internet describing "watered down discipleship" and burned relationships. The cry for community has been ingnored for fear of disrupting the style, strategy or structure. Complaints about non-accessible staff and impersonal environments have been met by erie silence from mega-church wannabes. The sky is beginning to crack…a few pieces have fallen…Chicken Little is talking…but very few in church leadership is listening…yet! By the time that Chicken Little’s roar reaches a fevered pitch…it will be too late. The damage will be done…the inlfuence will be ruined…and the sheep lost will have chosen a new flock…outside of the church…to stake their lives on. By then the Church Sky will have fallen…and the only thing left to do is to write the cautionary tale for Rev. Magazine or the Catalyst Podcast.

Three Guys Speaking Into My Life

There are three guys out there that God is using to speak into my life right now. They are Shawn Lovejoy, Ed Stetzer and Craig Groeschel and the stuff they have been saying, writing and blogging recently…is awesome. If you want to know what church planting and leadership will look like in the near future…do yourself a favor…read Shawn and Craig’s blogs on a daily basis…and go hear Ed speak!!!

Church For Men

Tonight I spoke at the “Church For Men” in Daytona Beach, Florida. Because of the Associated Press article and Fox News interview I’ve been lumped in with this ministry for a few weeks now…however I’ve never actually been to the event…until tonight. It was amazing and a very powerful ministry. They are reaching disconnected men for Christ, discipling them and getting them plugged into area churches. I’ll blog more about it tomorrow…but I wanted to get at least one photo up tonight.

Random Thoughts

It’s been a crazy week and…yes, Gary…I know I lied to a dead man.
Not much depth in this post…just a debriefing of the last couple of days and some random thoughts…

1. Got to hang out and listen to Ed Stetzer in Jacksonville Thursday. That guy really has a handle on what churches must do to reach folks in the future. He inspires me to blog and write.

2. Speaking of writing, I have a butt-load of writing deadlines…magazines…blogs…etc.

3. Looks like one of the book deals may have come through…more later…

4. I lost my voice on Wednesday…Denise’s prayers were answered.

5. Thanks to Mike Ellis of the “Church For Men” (I’m speaking there tonight) I’ve done a bunch of radio and newspaper interviews this week. I had a blast talking to the morning team at Rock 105 in Jacksonville the other day. Word has it they played some Guns N’ Roses in my honor once the interview was done!!!

6. Learning the value of true friends…and the value of when they don’t agree with you. Totally cool…

7. I’ve got to get up at 4:00 AM tomorrow to take one of my leaders and his wife to the airport. That is after I have to drive back from Daytona Beach tonight. I’ll be napping tomorrow…

8. I’m thinking about going to the SBC Convention in San Antonio next month. I’m waiting to see if Steve McCoy or Joe Thorn will be there…want to meet those guys.

9. In conjunction with #8…I’m trying to figure out…pray through…if I have a future with the Southern Baptist Convention. The Florida Baptist Convention hasn’t been all that friendly…or receptive…to missional bloggers. Their ideas on church planting and church multiplication some days seem pretty…yesterday!!!

10. School is almost out. For the first time in years I’m thinking about not substitute teaching. I don’t know what that may mean as far as my desire to see the future of church outreach…but the time to get everything done is shortening…

11. Florida is already hot. If I didn’t love the people and the community…I’d be planting in Colorado or Alaska.

12. Travis Johnson and his wife are going to have a boy. I’m going to buy the child a messenger bag!
13. The Bucs’ draft picks leave a lot to be desired. I’m tired of us fans getting hosed by Gruden…

14. I’m looking forward to writing with some pretty cool guys. I’ve always written alone…but I’m looking forward to having two heads in on some of the stuff.

15. I’m getting spiritually restless…that usually means God’s getting ready to make some changes…

I’m A Mac Daddy

I finally entered the wonderful world of Mac computing today. I broke down and bought me black Macbook. I started out on Mac years ago when I first started writing, but switched to PC in the mid-90’s. I forgot how simple things are on a a Mac. Why didn’t I switch sooner???