7 things to take away from the Moore College Church Planting Conference:
- A lot of guys think church planting is like the glory boys in the Olympics 100m final. The reality is more like that of a marathon runner limping in to a small crowd. We are sent not to start the race but to finish. (Dave Sheath, Founding Pastor of the Lakes Evangelical Church)
- In thinking about structuring ministry teams, evangelicals go down the ‘office’ line (1 Timothy 3, Titus etc), charismatics go down the ‘gifts’ line (Acts, 1 Corinthians), but both miss the ‘fellow workers/brothers’ described in the end of Paul’s letters. Look there and you will see people without named gifts or offices who are gospel workers with Paul. Does this change the way we should structure our teams? (Steve Cree Southern Cross Presbyterian Church)
- We have got to revitalise existing churches and plant more. The big middle chunk of our churches are not growing. The biggest factor is leadership. We need to support guys and get the right guys in the right places and the wrong guys out (Al Stewart soon to be ex bishop of Wollongong)
- We need to do mercy ministry in a way that maintains the gospel. Preaching Christ needs to be strong and central but we need to ‘do good to all’ – this must be part of what we do (Justin Moffatt of York Street Anglican)
- The more you are like people – the easier it is to join but the harder it is for them to hear. (Archie Poulos of Moore Theological College)
- Build an expectation of change. New things reach new people. Change the service time and staffing to find new ways to reach people we’re actually not reaching at the moment. (Nigel Fortescue of Narremburn Cammeray Anglican Church)
- It is God who grows the church, not the planter. Be faithful. Pray the very scary prayer that God will refine you as a leader – especially if your church grows quickly (Paul Dale, Church by the Bridge)
This post will appear at sydneyanglicans.net on July 1, 2009
June 30, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Great stuff, Michael. Thanks for noting down these points.
June 30, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I agree, thanks Michael. These points are great for any church let alone minister.
June 30, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Most challenging insight of the day…?
July 1, 2009 at 7:23 am
don’t ask me to rank these Steve – it was all good.
Great to catch up with mates who are doing it tough but being faithful and plugging away.
also realised how the right team is crucial.
personally, the session by Phil Campbell talking about reform in the context of a denomination was the most streching for me. He’s a Presbyterian minister in Brisbane. May blog more on this later.
July 1, 2009 at 4:03 pm
What did Archie mean by #5?
July 1, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Well if you are Greek Australian and have a very Greek feeling church meeting and culture and experience then people will easily fit in – BUT – it may be harder for them to spot the counter-cultural gospel message. The times he has done stuff less culturally meeting people where they are at. those that stay have a better grasp of the gospel
July 1, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Cool, thanks.