Intentional Discipleship

I was reading today about Palm Valley Church. They try to do the vast majority of their formal discipleship on weekends. As a result, they are very intentional about planning their weekends. Read the following snipit from Stirred Up Leadership

The Palm Valley team thinks differently about weekend services. Every week, they focus everything on one thing, and ask five questions before planning each service or sermon.

1. What do they need to know?
2. Why do they need to know it?
3. What do they need to do?
4. Why do they need to do it?
5. How can we help them remember it?

As a community of church leaders, there’s a lot we can all learn from what God is doing at Palm Valley.

I actually like this list as a list we should all regularly be asking about our efforts to help our people be discipled. However, I would add one CRITICAL question.

"How can they do it?"

Equipping doesn't stop with telling people what they need to do and then helping them remember what you told them? That is cognitive change, not life-change. The church must tell people what needs to change and the help them do it! That's true discipleship.

The Makings of the Perfect Church

A God Who is:

...sovereign
...revealed
...just
...involved
...loving
...merciful
...gracious

People who are:
...grateful
...trusting
...devoted
...loving
...faithful
...compassionate

Pastors who are:
...people
...teachers
...equippers
...counselors

Thoughts on Pastoring... Short Enough To Be On Twitter

if a pastor
SEES HIMSELF AS A KING
OR SETS HIMSELF UP AS A KING
isn't he now
in REBELLION
against the KINGDOM?

Love One Another

Love should be the defining characteristic of every small group (John 13:34-35). As you think about what it means to love one another, and how your group can work on loving one another; here are two lists that flesh out a bit how Jesus expects us to love.

The New Testament "One Another" Commands. A List of Specific Actions that Grow Brotherly Love:

John 13:34 -- Love one another.
Romans 12:10 -- Be devoted to one another.
Romans 12:10 -- Honor one another.
Romans 12:16 -- Live in harmony with one another.
Romans 14:13 -- Stop judging one another.
Romans 15:7 -- Accept one another.
Romans 15:14 -- Instruct one another.
Romans 16:16 -- Greet one another.
1 Corinthians 1:10 -- Agree with one another.
Galatians 5:13 -- Serve one another.
Ephesians 4:2 -- Bear with one another.
Ephesians 4:32 -- Forgive one another.
Ephesians 5:21 -- Submit to one another.
Colossians 3:16 -- Admonish one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 -- Encourage one another.
James 4:11 -- Do not slander one another.
1 Peter 4:9 -- Offer hospitality to one another.

An Outline of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Paul's definition of Love.

Love is:

• PATIENT
• KIND

Love is not

• jealous
• boastful
• proud
• irritable

Love does not

• demand its own way
• keep a record of wrongs
• rejoice about injustice

Love does

• REJOICE WHENEVER TRUTH WINS OUT
• NEVER GIVE UP
• NEVER LOSE FAITH
• ALWAYS HOPE
• ENDURE THROUGH EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE

A Buffet of Lists: What Makes a Church Healthy?

I came across a list of characteristics of a healthy church, and thought to myself, "I wonder how many lists like this are out there?" There are a lot.

Here are several of them. Many things are the same in each list, but some different things pop up in each list. If nothing more, it's interesting food for thought. Here are some of the lists:


Steven A. Macchia gives these 10 Characteristics of a Healthy Church

1. God's Empowering Presence
2. God-Exalting Worship
3. Spiritual Disciplines
4. Learning and Growing in Community
5. A Commitment to Loving and Caring Relationships
6. Servant-Leadership Development
7. An Outward Focus
8. Wise Administration and Accountability
9. Networking with the Body of Christ
10. Stewardship and Generosity

Mark Dever has suggested 9 Marks of a Healthy Church

1. Preaching
2. Biblical Theology
3. The Gospel
4. Conversion
5. Evangelism
6. Membership
7. Discipline
8. Discipleship
9. Leadership

Dr. Richard Krejcir gives this list of 12 Characteristics of the Healthy Church

1. the clear uncompromising teaching of God’s Word.
2. impacting worship.
3. passion for the Lord.
4. heartfelt Prayer.
5. Making Disciples.
6. love and care that is penetrating.
7. leadership development.
8. outreach and missions.
9. powered vision.
10. effective stewardship.
11. appropriate programming.
12. replication.

From the United Methodists, we have Eight Characteristics of a Transforming Congregation

1. Empowering Leadership
2. Gift-Oriented Ministry
3. Passionate Spirituality
4. Functional Structures
5. Inspiring Worship
6. Holistic Small Groups
7. Need-Oriented Evangelism
8. Loving Relationships

Andy Stanley has a best-seller: 7 Practices of Effective Ministry

Practice #1 – Clarify the Win
Practice #2 – Think Steps, not Programs
Practice #3 – Narrow the Focus
Practice #4 – Teach Less for More
Practice #5 – Listen to Outsiders
Practice #6 – Replace Yourself
Practice #7 – Work On It

Church + Giving = Offering (Right?)

Whenever you hear someone at church talk about giving you probably think about money, don't you?

Do you ever feel like giving and church are only connected by the offering?

Is "stewardship" just another word for financial planning?

I think we need a bigger view. To start thinking about giving and church in a new way, here's a list I published in our church's celebration guide last week.

10 Ways You Can Use the Resources God Has Given You:

• Give a hug to someone
• Give a meal to someone
• Give financially
• Give an encouraging email or facebook message
• Give your time to listen to someone
• Give your advice to someone who is asking
• Give your energy to another person's project
• Give an encouraging letter or postcard
• Give a shoulder to cry on
• Give an authentic greeting to someone you don't know

Truth is, we can all give a lot more than we think, and it doesn't even have to include our money.