Disappointments and the Pastor’s Heart

Human beings disappoint us. Every single one of them will eventually; that is, if they haven’t already and probably many times over. Just give it enough time and it is bound to happen one way or another. Disappointment seems to be part and parcel of being in a relationship with anyone. To love and trust deeply means to allow myself …

How to plant a church with $375

Is it possible to plant a church with a budget remarkably lower than normal? I’ve done it–twice. Before I share that story, a brief look at church planting in North America over the past 20 years. Church planting has entered contemporary church practice as an attractive and practical way to address decline. Globally, church planting in countries like China or …

5 Steps for Creating a Discipleship Pathway

Here in upstate NY we have this beautiful region for climbing called “The Gunks”. The Gunks come to mind when considering discipleship. They are one of America’s premier climbing areas. It’s just minutes from New Paltz, a funky college town, and 85 miles from New York City. Climbing here is characterized by huge rock roofs that shoot over the trails, …

The V3 Movement Partners with the Inhabit Conference

At the V3 Church Planting Movement we get the question all the time “Why do we need to plant more churches?” It is a valid question. Certainly in most cities we can see a church edifice every couple miles and in some cities every few blocks. It might appear we don’t need any new churches. Additionally, the church currently does …

Beyond Colorblind

I sat down for lunch with a young woman from my church the other day. She’s a Sociology major with a growing heart for justice. As she shared with me about her classes this quarter she articulated a frustration that I think many feel. She had been learning about racial inequality, systemic injustice and ethnic brokenness and it was breaking …

How Do You Decide Where to Plant a Church?

Many future church planters ask, “where’s the best place to plant a church?” The most brilliant response? “It all depends.” Are you looking for the places with the fewest number of churches, the fastest growing, the most millennials, the largest retirement villages, the best college towns, the largest Asian population, the densest, walkable communities… or something else? This entry is …