Losing Life

Leadership Community

So what gets me out of bed the first Saturday of every month for the last 12 years?   Leadership Community - a gathering of local church leaders who are being mobilized to change the world.

As best I can estimate, I have been to somewhere around 146 Leadership Communities.

Around 144 of these were at Community Christian Church.  The last 2 have been at Restore Community Church  I am 95% sure that without the first 144, there would not have been the last 2. 

See here's the thing, Leadership Community did these things for Troy and I:

• Challenged us to become leaders for the Kingdom
• Helped us to see a vision for our lives that was greater then what we could do on our own
• Developed our leadership skills
• Helped us to grow spiritually

I expect to attend at least 240 more leadership communities at Restore Community Church.  Please join me...but be careful, it is not for the faint of heart, it can be dangerous.

Here is Leadership Community November 2007, our Restore team being prayed over and commissioned by the leaders of Community Christian:

Taste of Small Groups

Everything's a competition.  Today, we had our "taste" of small groups. Every small group brought their favorite snack and shared with the whole church.  Of course, it soon became an "our snacks are better then your snacks" competition.  One group took it over the top, brought a grill and started grilling up hot dogs outside.

It was a BLAST....I am so proud of my leaders who will do anything to help others find a place of connection.

The Big ASK

If you have ever been the leader of a volunteer team, you have probably had moments when you said, "I just need more people."   And then you wonder why is no one joining the team? 

Time to make the ASK.  Making a successful ask for people to join your team of volunteers begins in your head long before you form the words with your mouth.  Start by changing your thinking from exclusive to inclusive.   

Exclusive Thinking:  Stuff we think that keeps us "in" and others "out"

• Being on the team is a burden
• A person cannot be on the team because....(saying "no" for someone before we even invite them in)
• Being on the team is mostly about getting the job done.
• How few people do we need to get the job done?

Inclusive Thinking:  Stuff we think that allows everyone to join the team

• Being on the team adds value to someone's life
• If a person cannot be on the team, they will tell me no (instead of us saying "no" for them before we even ask)
• Being on the team is mostly about building relationships
• How many people can we include?

Now go make the ASK.  I am quite sure that when you do, you will make someone's day by inviting them onto the team.

Broken People Change the World

Actually, God changes the world, but he often uses broken poeple to do it.  I know, because I am one of them.  And I am continunally amazed that God has invited me to play in his world-changing playground. 

A Church Home

It has been 8 months since we moved from Chicago to Kansas City.  It was a very weird time of transition.  Probably the longest period of my life without  regular Sunday church attendance at a consistent place with a consistent group of people.  I MISSED IT.  Now 3 weeks in a row, I have been to the same church.  It feels great.  I have a church home, and it is an awesome church.

Restore Community Church, my new church home.

Week 2...of 52 a year.

Week 2 of Restore Community Church leaves me so grateful again for God's provision and blessings.  You can't help but wonder as a church planter, "will anyone come back?"  So we were so pleased that over 320 people returned on Sunday.  I think most of them were 3 or 4 years old.  Check out Discovery Drive, our preschool room - which had 29 kids in it.  Wow...Thanks to Rose, and her many helpers, all went well. 

We increased the number of kids from last week and we increased the number of Jr. Highers from last week. 

Around 40 people attended our Starting Point meeting after service to get connected, learn more about Restore and ask some questions. 

It was a blast.  6 more days until next week.

What?? 46 people want to get in small groups?

46 people signed up for small groups on the very first day of Restore.  I wasn't expecting this so soon, but I am happy to say, my leaders are ready.  I better go now, I have some match-making to do.

UPS update #3

Today the UPS man brought the best package ever.  A church planter's care package from our good friends Pam, Jeff and company.  A CD of worship songs along with a note telling us how each song was being prayed for Restore.  Planters nuts for church planters.  Healthy snacks.  Not so healthy - home made fudge and fast food gift cards for planters on the go....oh my friends know me well.

Cool.  I'm feelin' the love....

10, 9, 8, 7, 6......

9 days and counting until we hold our first weekly public service for Restore Community Church.  I am so excited and so nervous and so at peace all at the same time.  I don't know who I am more excited for:  1. the people who will come to restore and find their way back to God, or 2. our launch team members who will have the priviledge of watching their hard work turn into to something that helps people find Jesus. 

Please pray.

UPS delivery of the day

Thanks to our talented and good friend Sherry Gossman, look what the UPS man brought today:

I can't wait to see what he brings tomorrow....