Lessons From a Church Launch: Lesson Two

Accept Anyone and Everyone Who Arrive

The second lesson I learned from the launch of Vertical Church is that they accepted everyone no matter what. I've seen in many churches that have a regular attendance after a while they seem to be picky about who comes into the Church for service. I do understand that every church launch just want people to come to their services. This should be the same mentality of every Christian Church in the world. To get everyone in to the service so they can experience Jesus Christ and be forever changed.

I believe the established Churches get complacent and to comfortable, and the moment someone new enters they get agitated. Why? Because this means that they have to get out of their comfort zones and meet someone new, love someone new, plug someone new in, etc. It means that they actually have to get up and be the Church God created them to be. The moment a Church congregation turns away new visitors is the day the Church, in my opinion, begins to decline.

We must rise up away from our compromises and comfort zones the pews and chairs have put us in, and remember what it's like to just want people to come in and experience Christ and not judge them for who we think they are but Love them because Christ loves them. Let's act every Sunday like a Church Launch and everyone and anyone walking through the doors and let God take care of the rest.

Lessons From a Church Launch: Lesson One

Launch Team Needs To Be A Family

To have a successful launch as a church and a functional group of leaders to minister with you must be like that of a functional family. I say functional specifically, because honestly growing up my family was not completely functional. A functional family is one that loves one another through the great times and the tough times. Nothing holds their love back from one another. Also when an onlooker sees "the family" they say to themselves, "that's something I would want to be apart of."

Attending Vertical Community Churches launch this past Sunday, that's what I saw. I witnessed a group of men and women of God working together to accomplish the Will of God, but doing so with love and acceptance. I didn't know anyone there very well, but they accepted me as one of their own throughout the morning.

Those you work with in ministry must not be looked at as just employees or ministry leaders, but people you love and care about. People you are willing to spend time with outside the walls of the church and are pouring into. Your leaders are just as important as those who attend your services, because if they are not built up and empowered, those who they lead will not be either.

We must be the family that people are looking for. Marriage statistics are terrible and people are looking for a group of people they can look to for guidance and encouragement to be who God created them to be. This will never take place, however, if the team you are apart of or lead are not the family, the Body of Christ.

Lessons From a Church Launch

This past Sunday I had the privilege of attending Vertical Community Church. It was great to see one's God-given vision become a reality. As I attend I was able to be there during the set up process and help during the service a little. It was great getting a chance to be apart of their launch and to all there at Vertical, thank you. Thank you for letting me be apart of what God is doing and for not laughing at me when I got in the way or did something incorrectly.

I learned three things watching this amazing groups of leaders prepare for the power of God and also how they reacted to God moving in the service. Over this week we are going to bust out three lesson I believe every person on the face of the earth needs to learn from a Church Launch.

Confession: I Sometimes Second Guess My Leadership Ability...

I know many leaders want to appear that they have it all together, but the truth is sometime I think I stink and do not deserve to lead. You know what thats the best place to be. That way I'm not relying on my own self to lead people to be who God created them to be; it keeps me aware of how much I need God to lead me. I am where I am because this is where God has placed me. I want to let you know that it's ok if you do not feel qualified to do what God has called you to. That insecurity will help us to depend upon God rather than our own ability and talents. Focus on being who God created you to be and when you feel like you are qualified remember who you are in Christ and do and be who you are called to be.

Time to Confess

I have something to confess, I'm not the leader I want nor God wants me to be. At times I am lazy and all I want to do is nothing. I want to make a commitment to all of you who read this, if anyone does. I desire first to be a man of God and second is to be a man of God to my wife. Then and only then will I be able to be the leader He created me to be. Until I make this a model in my life I will be no better leader as Bill Gates is my father. I want to be all that God has created me to be, and I vow to do that God's way because my way will always fail.


-- Be Who You Were Created To Be

Get Plugged In

You can't do it alone. God has purposed you for greatness, and God will place people in your life to help you achieve greatness. When I say 'get plugged in' I'm not just talking about a church or getting involved in serving in a ministry; I'm talking about get involved and join together with great men ad women of God that speaks to your potential AND pulls it out of you. There many that are great at building you up but terrible at challenging you to be more than you are. Put people in your life that will encourage you, challenge you, and help to turn potential to reality. Get Plugged In.

-- Be Who You Were Created To Be

People: Can't Live With Them, Can't Lead Without Them

We need people. Without them nothing gets done and the vision dies. The only way to accomplish your God-given vision is to empower the people God has placed around you to get up and move forward.

It's hard to live with people; they complain when it goes wrong and when it goes right, it's not good enough. Then again, there is no way to lead without them. As leaders we must realize we can not lead Alone.

Let's forget the negative conotations of leadership and focus on casting our God-given vision in such a way that people become a springboard of victory and not an anchor of complacency. We need people and the moment we get them in on how God can use them, the quicker the vision will be complete and they will feel apart of what God is doing. After all isn't it about be unified in Christ anyways?