What I believe about church determines how I do church.
Do not be conformed to the pattern of the American church.
1. A movement will never be safe, predictable and clean.
–the church must become dangerous again.
–We are unintentionally inviting people to a better life. When you read the NT you see this die to your self, hardcore faith.
–Preach a dangerous message, the full Gospel. Not necessarily edgy, but challenging. Preach Christ crucified.
–We must invite people to experience the power of Christ.
–It must never be about the package. It’s about HIS presence.
–Just because you believe in Jesus does not mean you are following Jesus.
–Let the church become dangerous again.
2. A movement will never be about your ministry but about His kingdom.
–build your church on what it’s about, not what it’s not about.
–build it on what you are, not what you are not.
3. You will not lead a movement on the old measurements of success.
–The scorecard has changed.
–Old – attendance, offering, baptisms, small groups – these are still important but…your identity can’t be wrapped up in the numbers
–Don’t blame yourself for the declines because you will be tempted to take credit for the increases.
–You will be tempted to preach messages to bring people in. You will be tempted to beg them to stay instead of blessing them by giving them permission to leave.
–”When you think of 4 billion people who need Christ, we can’t say we are ‘big’.”
–If you think you are big you will start moving slowly.
–People don’t want to know how many people you are going to bring in. They want to know how many people you are going to send out.
–3 levels of buying into the Gospel:
—believe enough in it to benefit from it – line #1
—believe enough to contribute comfortably – line #2
—believe enough to give my life to it – line #3
–as God gives you success you are tempted to fade back
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