Organizational culture powerfully determines the success or failure of a vision, the flourishing or demise of the human spirit. [1] As part of a coaching process with a pastor of a large church in the southern United States, I asked Charlie to keep track of how she spent all of her waking hours. I encouraged her to write down how she spent every 30 …
Do church planters need a theological education? Should those of us guiding potential church planters encourage them to get a theological education? We’ve all heard the well-worn put-downs that seminary can be a spiritual cemetery and that people just need Jesus, not exegesis. There is some truth that seminaries can be ivory towers that are far removed from the realities …
One of the key characteristics most church planting assessors look for in potential church planters is teachability. Over the last three-and-a-half decades of starting churches and supporting church planters, three aspects of this trait stand out to me the most: knowing one’s self, practicing humility, and seeking wisdom. Knowing One’s Self A few years ago, I coauthored a book based …
Discipleship happens in a place, and should affect that place. At Praxis Gathering 2016, however, we are focusing on Shaping Disciples for Mission, but we do so with a “place-based lens.” We couldn’t do it without the help of our friend Matt Tebbe. Meet Matt Tebbe Matt Tebbe is a bi-vocational church planter who knows firsthand what place-based church is all about. …
“The Winning Combination for a Missional Vision” is the final installment of a three-part series created to help you set a vision for your church or organization and strategize for it. If you missed part one, “A Practical Guide to Having Missional Vision,” or part two, “How to Create Strategies for a Missional Vision,” you are encouraged to check them out, as they include both foundational material and practical exercises …
Discipleship is a lost love in our culture of “Go Big or Go Home.” At Praxis Gathering 2016, however, we will gather to recover the act and art of discipleship. This unique, annual church planting experience combines real-time practice with rich theology and deep reflection. Participants of all backgrounds, denominations and ecclesial styles will join together to plummet deep into the …
Discipleship is a lost love in our culture of “Go Big or Go Home.” At Praxis Gathering 2016, however, we will gather to recover the act and art of discipleship. This unique, annual church planting experience combines real-time practice with rich theology and deep reflection. Participants of all backgrounds, denominations and ecclesial styles will join together to plummet deep into the …
“How to Spot an Immature Teacher” is the fifth in a series of five articles on recognizing immaturity in fivefold ministry and what to do about it. If you have no idea what fivefold ministry is, check out Alan Hirsch’s brief descriptions here, or JR Woodward’s video introduction here. If you’ve ever planted a missional church, you know it isn’t exactly a …
By Josh Oxendine, Lead Pastor of The Grove Church I don’t know about you, but I have become an avid mixed martial arts fan. Almost every week there seems to be a new “great fight” to watch. What most people don’t realize is the amount of work that it takes for the fighter to get to the point of peak performance before …
Mark Scandrette actually takes Jesus seriously. He believes that Christ’s words are meant to be lived out in the everyday experiences of life. As such, he is a perfect fit for Praxis Gathering 2016: Shaping Disciples for Movement. At Praxis Gathering 2016 we are gathering to recover the act and art of discipleship, and we want you to join us. This unique annual church …