Pizza, Pitbulls and Power the of God
Is My Family Suffering Under a Generational Curse?
Top 10 Things I Learned In Church Planting
Panel Session: Planters in the trenches
Called to Disciple Men in the Urban Context
Called to Seek The Peace of the Urban Context
One of the greatest challenges of being an African-American pastor planting a Reformed, missional church in Camden, NJ is the conflict with the traditional African-American churches already located in the city. This conflict takes place on both the institutional and individual levels. This conflict, as it is experienced by individuals, I like to call
“being stranded.”
Three days ago I was sitting on a plane waiting to take off. We were heading home, back to Atlanta, and I was ecstatic. I’d gotten the exit row, the one right by the entrance door, so there was lots of legroom for the 6’ 5’’ guy. I couldn’t wait to see my wife and my daughters. This flight couldn’t have started any better than this. Then, as I’m sitting there the pilot approaches the cabin door to begin greeting people. Immediately an older lady jovially asks, “What are you doing back here; who’s going to fly the plane?” And the pilot’s response unexpectedly unnerved me. “I’m going to let my young first mate fly us home today. I can’t take ‘em all. That would be selfish.” Read more
1. You’re a Limited Leader (Exodus 18:18)
People will want you to be the omni-gifted leader and you’ll be tempted to believe it. It’s important to know who you are and who you are not. The only thing worse than the people wanting you to be omni-gifted is the pastor who believes he is, this will quickly drain you of the joy of shepherding people. Embrace your limits and work your strengths.
In a world of Facebook status updates and 140-character one-liners, it’s easy for us to drift further and further into an electronic personality and identity void of authenticity.
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Pastor Blake Wilson moderates a panel of speakers in reference to planting churches in the urban context.
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Do you always have to win?
With your employees or employer? With your kids or your spouse? Do you always feel it necessary to win because you can, and if you don’t, then you wouldn’t be showing courage? Next time you encounter conflict, remind yourself of the most courageous man to ever walk the earth: Jesus. Read more
You’ve seen them. They attend your church “frequently.”
But frequently, as they measure it, is once every 6–10 weeks, some every 6 months, others are content with just Christmas and Easter. And if you are a leader who’s active in the community and you see them out at a coffee shop, bar, or store they may even introduce you to friends, coworkers, or neighbors as their “pastor.” They are the anonymous attendees, and your church is the place they come for inspiration, temporary healing, assuaging guilt, or instant relational gratification with low output and commitment. Read more
What do young professionals, singles, college students, church hoppers, and the mobile poor all have in common? Transiency! Transient, by Webster’s definition, means “passing through or by a place with only a brief stay or sojourn.” There is seasonal transience and perpetual transience. Seasonal transience describes those who serve in the armed forces or college students. Perpetual transience is often seen in those whose lives are built around what serves them versus God’s mission. Read more
