I just finished Bob roberts Jr.’s The Multiplying Church.
I hope it’s on the to-read list for every church leader in North America.
It’s not quite as technical as Stetzer’s Planting Missional Church’s, less dense and cerebral than Hirsch’s Forgotten Ways, and a bit more strategic than Cole’s Organic Church (All of which are excellent books btw).
The [...]

Posted in Books, Church planting 1 Comment »

I was at the new suburbia conference this past week. I’m not sure how true the conference was of its title, it was mostly about Christian community development in an urban setting, gentrification of city slums, and indigenous leadership empowerment.
There was some good material in there. However, I felt some of us gathered [...]

Posted in Church planting, Community, Toronto 6 Comments »

There’s quite a bit of uncertainty with what I’ll be doing next in life.  I’ve got two more major projects to hammer out, and hope to figure out some next steps by May.  The possibilities seem endless.
I’ve spent the past seven months helping out at a church plant that is now just entering its sophomore [...]

Posted in Church planting, creativity 1 Comment »

I’ve got a bit too many notes from the conference, but here’s a few random thoughts.
- Kudos to the Willow Creek Association for risking and attempting a new type of conference.  I’ve been avoiding conferences for quite a while, but I still do see an incredible need for leaders being continually equipped and inspired.
- It [...]

Posted in Church planting, Leadership No Comments »

I’f you’ve been living solitude the last day, check out Barack Obama’s major speech on race recently delivered (2 million views on youtube in less than 2 days!). Much of it is in response to his former pastor Jeremiah Wright’s outright racist comments, but it’s so much more. I suspect it’s stuff Obama’s [...]

Posted in Church planting, Culture, Leadership No Comments »

Recently I finished a relatively old urban ministry book - Ray Bakke’s “a theology as big as the city“. This book rocks, and is filled with insights on God’s love for the city and our roles in it.One practical and disputable insight I’ve been mulling over comes from this quote of his “The local [...]

Posted in Cause, Church planting, Leadership, Toronto, mission 4 Comments »

This past weekend I was in Iowa connecting with a new church plant in Ottumwa called, The Bridge.
Yes, Iowa. When I was going through security at the airport the officer looked at my boarding pass and said “Iowa?” rolled his eyes and sarcastically muttered “you’ll be having a really good time there”.
He couldn’t have [...]

Posted in Church planting, travel 1 Comment »

Some excellent resources I just stumbled across specifically for spouses of church planters…
Free downloadable book, “My husband wants to be a church planter“, discussion guide as well here.
(The book includes chapters by wife of Bob Roberts of Glocalnet, Niki, and wife of Erwin McManus of Mosaic LA, Kim.  HT: Truly Captivating.
Planterwives.com for current or future [...]

Posted in Church planting, resources 2 Comments »

Do you believe in Beincarnation?
I heard this creative term a number of years ago and it’s never left me.
Similar to my post on tantric preaching, beincarnation co-opts another traditionally ‘Eastern’ term - Reincarnation. I’ll assume that’s okay since Jesus was an eastern teacher…
Reincarnation is driven by the cosmic judgment of your deeds in [...]

Posted in Character, Christ, Church planting, Culture 3 Comments »

I just received an advanced copy of “The Tangible Kingdom - Creating incarnational community” from Leadership Network by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. I have so many other things to read, but I haven’t been able to put this one down.
Without giving away too much of the content, let me just say it’s refreshing [...]

Posted in Books, Church planting, Community 5 Comments »