the    sides

This is part 3 of my notes from the Beautiful Day Conference.

Reggie McNeal is an author, church planter, and all around nice guy. The best book he’s done is The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church.

Most people want to grow, they just don’t know how.

I use the term People-Development vs. Program because the best discipleship is done IN THE MIDST of life, not secluded from it. Couple of problems most churches have - they’ve underestimated how busy life is. The culture is too packed for us to continue to have a “come and see” approach to discipleship. We must GO and BE. My wife disciples another young woman - while folding diapers, clothes, feeding babies, and picking up toys. Must equip our leaders to do life and discipleship IN THE MIDST.

As pastors you have to know that if left up to a vote, church people will vote to go back to Egypt.

You - personally, individually - have to BE what you want the church to BE and let that infect everything you do.

How to infect your church with the “others first” mentality? First and easiest thing to do is adopt-a-school. Bring people from the community in…interview them/pray over them. You have to start infecting your church with “the virus”…..in sermons, in the way you speak, in the place you focus your budget.

Over time, they will start to see that it is going to be part of the culture of your church. It takes time and is a slow process if you want it to be long-lasting. Flavor everything with missional ideas.

GE’s Takes:
I at first questioned the statement - Most people want to grow. I’m not sure of that - especially given the fact that if left to a vote, church people will vote to go back to Egypt. But there is some validity in that those people who come to Pinecrest and a Life Group probably DO want to grow. We’re hard to find, Life Groups aren’t convenient, they require some risk so that means those that come and are involved WANT something different in their life.

I love the term People Development. I realize it’s just a term but words matter and the emphasis is correct - on people not on the process or where the process takes place. Figure out a way to equip our leaders to do discipleship in the midst of life. Means that our ‘win’ may not be measurable by attendance on Sunday mornings.