Being the Church Online

Westpoint Fellowship Church is utilizing discussion boards to engage people in spiritual conversation.  People from all over the world are responding including some who have tried to hijack the boards.   There are some interesting threads taking place right now.

No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a washtub or shoves it under the bed. No, you set it up on a lamp stand so those who enter the room can see their way. (Luke 8:16 The Message)

Christmas at Seaworld

Last night, I took my family to Sea World here in Orlando.  We enjoyed the Shamu Christmas show.  Yes, I said Christmas.  Included in the program were the songs “Away in a Manger” and “Oh Holy Night”.  It was a beautiful and inspiring presentation. I am glad to see that Anheuser-Busch is not afraid to say” Merry Christmas”.

Business Gets Evangelsim

Check out this excerpt from US News and World Report:

"Evangelism is about selling your dream so that other people believe in it as much as you do," says Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist for Apple Computer and one of the key people responsible for marketing the Macintosh in 1984. "Those people then, in turn, get even more people to believe. Just like Jesus was an evangelist who recruited 12 more evangelists." With corporate evangelism, the goal is to find and identify those customers who are already crazy about your product or service--who are actively talking it up in blogs or Web forums, for instance--and turning them with loads of personal attention into "customer evangelists" who then spread the word to others, who then--well, you get the idea.

Business has learned the value of word of mouth evangelism while church planters try to discover the latest advertising gimmick. What’s wrong with this picture?

Planting Revolutionary Churches

Revolutionary Christians don’t want to go to “church,” they want to be the Church, the body of Christ, in every day life.  New research by George Barna shows that if current trends continue, one-third of Americans will express their faith through alternative forms of church by the year 2025.  These new expressions of church are meeting in apartment, condo, and manufactured home communities; they meet in houses, in restaurants and coffee houses, in work places and on the internet. Many Christian leaders have identified this radical shift as a new Great Awakening that is sweeping the planet.  Church leaders have a choice to ignore the movement, stand against it, or embrace it.

You are invited to attend a Free half-day conference in the Orlando area on Saturday, February 11, 2006.  This event is made possible through generous contributions Greater Orlando Baptist Association, Cooperative Program gifts to the Florida Baptist and Southern Baptist Conventions.

For more information, contact Mark Weible at 407-293-0450, mweible@goba.org or register online at www.goba.org/cpn.

Orlando could soon be known more for Jesus than Mickey!

There is an interesting statement in Acts 19:10 that often goes unnoticed: This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. Did I read that right?  Did everyone in Asia Minor hear the gospel? How did it happen?  Can it happen in Central Florida?

When we read the rest of the chapter, we discover that Paul was in Ephesus, teaching at the school of Tyrannus.  It is not likely that everyone in Asia Minor had the opportunity to go to Ephesus to hear the gospel directly from the mouth of Paul.  They heard it in their own communities from people connected with local churches that were planted by the church at Ephesus and her daughter churches.

A church planting movement was sparked in Ephesus, a key metropolitan for reaching the entire region.  Paul and his team discipled missionary church planters in Ephesus and sent them out all over Asia Minor.  The result was that everyone in the province had an opportunity to hear the gospel.   What about Central Florida?  Could everyone here have that same opportunity? Absolutely!

Our theme for 2006 is “Acts 1:8, Who will it take?”  It will take Visionary Leaders who will pour themselves into empowering others to take the gospel to unreached people groups right here in Central Florida. It will take Engaged Churches that birth new churches in new and transitional communities.  It will take Transformed People who continually give themselves away so that others can come to know Christ.

It is possible that we will one day be able to say that all of Central Florida, both Christians and non-Christians heard the word of the Lord.  That means that Orlando could soon be known more for Jesus than Mickey.  In order for that to happen, there must be enough churches in every community to makes disciples of those who accept the message of the gospel.  That is why we are passionate about  planting churches.

Do you Wiki?

The information reformation is making new strides with the rising popularity of wikis.

The term wiki generally refers to a collaborative effort to assimilate information on the internet. The best known wiki is wikipedia.com, an online encyclopedia written and edited by its readers. Anyone can create and edit wiki entries. A relative newcomer to the waki wiki world is wikihow.com., a collaborative online how-to guide for anything from stopping a dripping faucet to becoming a Christian.

Wikis (along with blogs and podcasts) are just one aspect of what is being called Web 2.0. If the first generation of the internet was all about the dissemination of information, web 2.0 is about the collaboration of information. What Gutenberg’s printing press did for the modern period is nothing compared to how web 2.0 will shape postmodernity. (Checkout the ZDNet article on the impact of wikis).

A rapidly growing and powerful reformation is changing the way information is shared. It is conceivable that before this decade is out, information communities like wikis will replace traditional media as authoritative sources of information.

Web 2.0 will create great opportunities and challenges for Christ-followers. Some will feel threatened by the relativization of information. Others will realize the potential of communities of faith sharing the Truth with the world in the open marketplace of ideas.

Join me at
churchplanting.wikispaces.com
as we explore the waki wiki world together.

Mission Pine Hills Thanksgiving

We had a great time at the Central Florida fairgrounds on Thanksgiving Day. Here is a photo of volunteers sorting clothes before the big meal. Thanks, Mike Kimbrough for casting the vision and inspiring so many to serve others.

Check out the videos of the Mission Pine Hills Thanksgiving Fest.

Dad Time

I am hanging out with my son Zach and we are talking about online communities. Zach wanted to do a podcast to tell you about his new website.

...here is Zach just after launching his home-made rocket later in the day.

Billy Rollins

I am having coffee with Billy Rollins. Billy is planting a new church south near Kissimmee called The Vine.

Throwing Parties

Church planting is about creating communities of faith. Since communities are made up of people, doesn’t it make since that church planters need to meet people, a lot of people?

Church planters often use parties and events as a means of getting to know people. Derrick Shirley and Orlando Journey throw a big party for children and their parents once a month. Derrick is finding that Kids Stuff is an effective means for drawing a crowd.

Check out the comments on Alex McManus blog regarding throwing parties and spiritual conversation.


voxtropolis

Relief crews respond to Wilma

  
John Watkins and a crew from First Baptist Church of Kissimmee are headed today to Naples with the GOBA clean-up and recovery unit. At this time we do not know where they will be staged – will keep you posted as we get information.

Sam Walker from First Baptist Church of Central Florida will be leaving to go on Saturday.

Read Florida Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Update

Waiting for Wilma

Please pray for the people of South Florida as they brace for Wilma. I am hanging out with my family in the living room of our home as we anticipate the arrival of yet another hurricane.

We are way north of the strike zone for Hurricane Wilma, but we are beginning to feel the effects of the outer bands. We expect to have winds of 40-60 mph in Orlando. All area schools and several businesses will be closed on Monday. We will enjoy an extended weekend with our family.

I’ve been involved in several discussions lately regarding the extraordinary number of deadly natural disasters in the past couple of years. Some people claim that God is exercising a temporal judgment on sinful people. Others blame global warming. Still others say it is just a natural cycle. None of these view points offer much hope to people who are suffering from the affects of these disasters.

While helping with disaster relief work in Orlando last year, I realized how fragile humans really are. When a person looses their belongings due to a disaster, the media often reports that the person lost all that they had. I’ve often thought, “No they didn’t… they still have their lives, their families, other relationships, fond memories, etc”. However, I’ve noticed that even minor disruptions in a person’s life can make them feel like their whole world is falling apart. Jesus spoke of building one’s life on a solid foundation so that it would stand up against the storms of life. A person whose life foundations are shaken needs to know that there is hope.

There were no hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes or wildfires in the Garden of Eden. God created a perfect place for humans to live, but we rebelled against him. The natural consequence of our sin is that the earth received a curse (see Genesis 3:17). Natural and man-made disasters are indirect results of the curse.

Jesus came to earth to restore humanity to perfect humanness and promised that he would prepare a perfect place for us so that we could go to be where he is. When everything is fully restored, there will be no more curse (See Revelation 22:3). There will be no sorrow, sadness, pain, or death in heaven and Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes.

This promise brings hope. But, hope can only be wishful thinking if there is no basis for it. Those who become followers of Jesus Christ can know for sure that their hope is real They can know that they are building their lives on a solid foundation that will withstand the storms of life. This is an unmerited gift from God that comes through faith and not by working for it.

Sharing this message has brought more hope to people than anything else we try to do. Sure, there is comfort in giving a cup of cold water or a hot meal in Jesus name. Many people have been encouraged by a listening ear, a kind word and a compassionate prayer. But, nothing beats resting on the solid foundation that is Jesus.

GOBA Annual Meeting

Here is a review of the GOBA annual meeting from a non-baptist. Harambe

Camping

The kids were out of school for a couple of days last week, so we went camping in the Ocala National Forest. My 9 year old son shot this video (click image). What does this have to do with church planting?

Surviving Storm Stress

Here is a helpful guide for dealing with storm stress written  by Dwight  Bain.  This  guide was extremely  helpful to many folks here in Florida during last year’s heavy storm season. You have permission to pass this on to anyone who can use it. See Redistribution Notice at the end of this blog.
Surviving Storm Stress
A Guide to Dealing with the Psychological Trauma of Natural Disasters
By Dwight Bain, Nationally Certified Counselor

Table of Contents

• Guide Preface


• Storm Stress


• The emotions which follow the storm


• Don’t make a bad situation worse


• Big storms require a lot of time to recover and rebuild


• What are the dangerous warning signs of “Storm Stress Syndrome”?


• Storm Stress Responses


• Physical


• Emotional


• Behavioral


• Cognitive


• Getting back to normal


• Immediate tips which help bring calmness


• Reconnect in relationships


• Rebuild your routines


• Reach out for faith


• Retell your story


• Storm stress and kids


• How does a critical incident like this affect kids?


• What are some ways to help our kids talk about storm stress?


• Are there “hidden dangers” the in media that parents should be concerned about that might make storm stress worse?


• What can people expect in the weeks ahead?


• The Formula to Recover Faster


• Patience


• Attitude


• Trust


• Is it wise to involve kids in the clean up and recovery process?


• Is it okay to talk about what happened to our family with others?


• Why do some people become bitter or hateful after a crisis like this one, instead of just being grateful to be alive?


• What is survivor guilt and how does it negatively impact people?


• So many people are worse off than me— so how can I decide who to help?


• Evaluate Relationship


• Measure Resources


• Do the Right Thing


• Is there a Rule?


• Is it Responsible?


• Is it Reasonable?


• What should people consider when first returning to their homes after being evacuated before the storm?


• Final thoughts to encourage you through this recovery process

Continue reading…
About the author
Dwight Bain is a Nationally Certified Counselor in practice since 1984 specializing in solving crisis events and managing major change. He serves on the Critical Incident Stress Management team of the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orlando, FL where he lives with his wife Sheila and their children.
Redistribution Notice
You have the permission to copy, pass along or post this material in print or electronically if you believe that it will help others in your family, workplace, church or community; providing that you leave the authors name and contact information attached as follows.  For more counseling strategies from Dwight Bain on solving conflict, managing major change or rebuilding after a crisis check out the counseling blog at http://www.LifeworksGroup.org/ or call the LifeWorks Group in Orlando at 407.647.3900.

Tom Billings on "What Allison Taught Me About Katrina"

June 8-9 2001, Tropical Storm Allison dumped over 40 inches of rain on Houston and the surrounding area. The bayous overflowed their banks and much of the city of Houston was flooded. Tom Billings, Director of Missions for Union Baptist Association, learned more than he ever wanted to know about rescue and recovery. At ubahouston.org, Tom shares from his wisdom of experience...

Tom Billings on "What Allison Taught Me About Katrina"
"Tom, the office is flooded," she said. "You won't believe it." Sharon, our office administrator, called me late Saturday night June 9, 2001. Like many folks in Houston I had watched the rain from Tropical Storm Allison fill the streets of Houston. I heard reports of flooding across the city but never dreamed it would affect the UBA office.

I had no idea what to expect when I stopped by the office on the way to preach the next morning, but I certainly wasn't prepared for what I saw. It was devastating. The sights, the smells, the feel as I walked among the soggy debris … those are sensations that will be with me the rest of my life … sensations that come flooding back when I think of all that's happened along the Gulf coast this week.

The experience with Tropical Storm Allison taught me a few important lessons that I think will help me - and maybe you - as we reach out to folks impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

(1) No matter how bad you think it is, it's worse.
Folks fled the storm thinking they would return in a day or two. Now they know it will be weeks, maybe months before they can go home. Some never will. They thought they might lose their homes. Now many realize they've also lost their jobs and their livelihood. It takes a while for these things to sink in. That's good. If it all hit at once, it might be too much. To the folks going through it, it will seem like things just keep getting worse. Understand their grief and provide appropriate support.

(2 )No matter how long you think it will take to recover, it will take longer.
The day after the flood I received calls from folks wanting to help. In a classic example of understatement I said, "We'll be back up and running in a couple of weeks." At one level, we never missed a beat. One day to sort through the rubble and we were back at work helping others. But in reality it took several years to get back to where we were in 2001, and in some ways we are not there yet. These folks will need help for months to come!

(3) Helping needs to be a long term commitment.
There are two primary phases to disaster relief: rescue and recovery. We are in the rescue phase now. Folks need food, water, a place to sleep, health care, money … the basics. It is easy to respond now. But I want to encourage congregational leaders to think of helping as a long-term commitment. Remediation teams and construction teams will be needed for many months to come. We need to do what we can to help now AND we need to anticipate how we can help next year and the year after.

(4) God is gracious and his people are generous.
I am so glad. UBA could not have helped the churches we did or rebuilt our own offices without the very generous financial support of folks all across the nation. Now is the time to be generous. I commend all those who are donating time, food, clothing, toys, and money to help those in need.

(5) Use the established systems in place to help.
When Allison came I had a chance to see first hand how disaster relief agencies work and how they work together. One of the best things we can do is work with them and through them - Texas Baptist Men, Somebody Cares Houston, Red Cross, Salvation Army, and others. This is what they do. Let's help them do it.

For the latest information on what needs to be done and how you can help, visit our website at http://www.ubahouston.org/ and click on "what's new."

Westpoint Worship Gathering

Here is a video clip of today's worship gathering of Westpoint Fellowship Church near Winter Garden. The church which is sponsored by Church at the Mall in Lakeland and First Baptist Church of Orlando celebrated their grand opening in September of 2004. Jason Dukes is the lead church planter. Jason graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary where his father serves as a Dean. At worship gathering this morning, Jason shared how the church can reach out to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Click the image to view download the video.

Louisiana Church Learns How to Be the Church During Diaspora

Paul Smith, pastor of Life Church of Mandeville, Louisiana is learning how to be the church when you can't do church in the usual way. He and his family along with several from his church relocated to Houston while they wait for flood waters to recede. Entire life groups have had to find temporary shelter in other cities. However, they are still ministering in their home community as well as their temporary communities. It is awesome to see how God is working through them. As you can imagine, their financial needs are overwhelming. Cash flow has become a problem. Please consider making an online donation to help this church so that they can share the love of Jesus with other evacuees and folks back home. Check out Paul's Blog at lifechurchinfo.com.

Disaster Relief

The GOBA clean-up and recovery unit has been mobilized.  The volunteer crew will leave for Hattiesburg, Mississippi on Sunday, September 4. Please pray for our crew as they join SBC disaster relief efforts along the Gulf coast.

Storm Refugees

Good News!

I just got off the phone with a pastor from Houston. Their church family is offering to provide housing for Paul and his crew. Praise God!

Displaced Families Need Help

Many of us know of people who have been displaced from their homes due to the effects of hurricane Katrina...  I’ve been in touch with a friend who is a pastor in Mandeville, LA and has relocated to a hotel in Houston, Texas.   There are 20 adults and children with him from his church.  They are in need of temporary housing and basic necessities.  I am attempting to connect them with churches in the area.  Please pray for Paul Smith, his family and those with him.  

Our hearts are heavy burdened for those who have been affected by this storm and its aftermath.  We can pray, give and volunteer to help those in need.  Here are some suggested prayer items:

1. Healing and health for the injured.


2. Wisdom and strength for relief workers.


3. Consolation for those who have lost loved ones.


4. Peace and comfort for those who are displaced, particularly those housed in the Superdome.


5. Cessation of looting and a spirit of lawfulness on the part of all.


6. Restoration of power and water supplies.


7. Food and water to come quickly to those stranded and homeless.


8. Swift and efficient implementation of aid by government agencies.

If you would like to make a financial contribution to the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Fund, make checks payable to the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and mail to: NAMB, P.O. Box 116543, Atlanta, GA 30368-6543.
To make a donation online,  Click here.
For volunteer opportunities, check the following websites:
SBC Disaster Relief Operations
Florida Baptist Convention Disaster Relief

Godcasting and Spirtuality

Today, I would like to draw your attention to a couple of news article that I think are relevant to reaching our culture.  

The first is the cover story of last week’s Newsweek magazine about Spirituality in America.  The “God is Dead” movement has been dead itself for a long time.  Americans are seeking experiential relationships with God, while most churches are still trying to prove that He exists.  

The second is the International Herald Tribune’s article on “Godcasting.” Podcasting is proving to be an effective medium for reaching busy people with the message of Christ.  

How are you changing your message delivery system to reach a changing culture?

Odyssey Worship Gathering

I had an awesome time with Odyssey Community Church today. Here is the video I shot while I was with them in worship. Odyssey is sponsored by East Orlando Baptist Church. Byron Kirkpatrick is the church planter.




If the video does not play immediately, rick click on the link and save it to your hard drive. This is a 160MB file.

Visionary Leader

I am enjoying a couple of days with the NAMB church planting mentoring team here in Atlanta. We are considering revisions for Church Planter Basic Training for 2006.


After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:10)

It is the leader’s job to cast a clear and compelling vision. If he can’t do that, he should consider letting someone else lead. Paul received the vision and shared it with his team. The team discerned that the vision was in line with God’s character and that Paul wasn’t off his rocker. Once the vision was confirmed, they acted on it immediately.

Followers are looking for leaders to set the agenda, to have direction and to present it in a clear, consistent and compelling manner. Nobody wants to gamble their precious resources on a leader who doesn’t know where he is leading. However, team members want to be consulted, included in the decision making process and have an opportunity to weigh in on the vision.

A Godly vision becomes obvious to followers of Jesus Christ. Those who live by faith don’t need much time to respond to God’s call for a change in direction. To borrow a phrase... they Just Do It! Make sure it’s real… make sure it’s clear… make sure it’s from God.

Vision Harmony

I am in the Orlando airport waiting for my flight to Atlanta. I will be participating in a workgroup with the Mentoring Team of the NAMB Church Planting Group. We are in the process of developing a Basic Training resource for sponsor churches

Re: Vision - A clear and compelling vision is what unites team members, core groups and congregations. In Acts 16, Paul received a revelation from God. The vision came from God to Paul, he shared it with his team, they concluded it was from God and they adjusted their plans immediately. It is interesting to note that Luke uses the word “we” for the first time in this passage. Obviously he bought in to the vision and made it his own. The result – the gospel was introduced to Europe!

Check it out…

During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:9-10)

Are you suffering from double vision?

Have you ever noticed that vision is the root word for division? According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the prefix di means “twice, twofold, double.” So, couldn’t we conclude that division in a church or organization stems from competing visions? This was a problem for the church at Corinth:

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." (I Corinthians: 10-12)

Vision harmony is a challenge for many church planters. This is especially true when a core group is developed with people from differing backgrounds and traditions. We will talk more about this tomorrow. For now, I am interested in your thoughts...

Acts 1:8 Who will it take?

I am sitting in a meeting with our ministry staff and the question has been asked, “Who will it take to fulfill Acts 1:8.” One of our pastors has suggested the following:

Visionary Leaders - Getting the vision into the church

• See it clearly
• Say it continuously
• Show it creatively

Engaged Churches - Getting church into the culture

• Locally
• Association
• Globally

Transformed People - Getting God into your world

• Home
• Neighborhood
• Marketplace

What do you think?

To the Ends of the Earth

I'm currently reading...



I am really enjoying this book. It is long overdue. Get more details at imb.org

New Podcast

Westpoint Fellowship Church, a mission of Church at the Mall in Lakeland and FBC Orlando, is podcasting weekly news and events about doing life together. Check it out at http://feeds.feedburner.com/wfclife

Greetings from Atlanta

I am in Atlanta this week for the Church Planter Missionary Forum hosted by the North American Mission Board. NAMB is rolling out some new resources for sponsor churches. Most of these church planting tools are available for download from The Church Planting Village. I am excited to see a shift in focus toward sponsor and partner churches. I think these new resources will go a long way toward fanning the flame of church multiplication movements. While you are at the Village, check out the webcast version of Church Planter Basic Training.

Currently Reading...

UpRising: A Revolution of the Soul

Podcasting Update

Apple just made it easier to automatically download podcasts!

Downloading Podcasts
Christian Podcast Directory
Creating Podcasts


Podcasting is one step closer to going mainstream thanks to Steve Jobs. Apple released itunes 4.9 today with a built in podcast catcher. (For windows users, itunes is like your windows media player.) It allows you to download, play, and sync media files to portable devices like ipods. This means that podcast listeners only need to use one application for managing their podcast subscriptions.

Before today, only a true geek would go through the trouble of downloading ipodder, su
bscribe to a podcast and actually synchronize it to his/her ipod. Now that podcasting is built right into itunes and the itunes music store, average computer users will become more likely to listen to portable radio shows known as podcasts.

Podcasting is a media reformation that rivals the invention of Gutenberg’s moveable type printing press. Anyone (including yours truly) with a computer and a microphone can create their own virtual radio station and make it available to world via the internet. Podcasts are not limited by geography, radio frequency, time of day or broadcast facilities.

Just as the Bible was the first book to be printed on Gutenberg’s press, “Godcasting” has made its mark as one of the most popular podcasting genres. “Godcasting” is a buzz word among podcasters to describe the phenomenon of so many pastors converting audio recordings of their sermons into mp3 files and syndicating them on the web via RSS feeds. A few savvy Christians with the gift of gab have gotten a little creative with podcasting technology and produced some Godcasts specifically with today’s internet users in mind.

Use your imagination. If you could create your own podcast, what would it sound like? How would you get your message out to the world? Post your comments and let me know.

imosaic

This is an official buzz: imosaic is coming. If you're interested in linking up with the iMosaic community register at imosaic.org --a community of bloggers and bohemians.

Church Planter's Network

We had an awesome time at the HolyLand Experience in Orlando yesterday. Twelve church planters gathered for prayer, networking and encouragement. We even enjoyed some great Mediterranean cuisine (if you count "Goliath Burgers" as Mediterranean). The staff at the Holy Land Experience were so hospitable to us that we cannot thank them enough. They provided us with a conference room for our meeting, served us coffee and gave us a tour of the park. After lunch, a few of us went through the Scriptorium, definitely my favorite attraction. The church planters
network meets the 3rd Thursday of each month. Locations and meeting times vary. For information on next month's meeting, email me - mweible@goba.org.

Blogging your life away

Find out what a typical week is like for a church planter. Jason Dukes of Westpoint Fellowship Church in West Orange County, FL is blogging his week:

"Well…I promise right off the bat that I am not delusional and full of myself. I have simply had a few people in the church family wonder what a typical week is like for a pastor. So, I thought I would share this week with you from Sunday, May 22nd through Saturday, May 28th. Here goes:"

Read the whole blog

Video: Downtown Orlando

Here is my first vlog from downtown Orlando.



Click Here to view the vlog.

Video: Reverse Migration

I shot this video of David Taylor talking to our church planter's network about reverse migration in downtown Orlando.



Click Here to view the videocast.

The Church in Her Most Beautiful Form Part III

The Church in Her Most Beautiful Form Part II

The Church in Her Most Beautiful Form Part I

Multiplying Legacies

Legacy

This past week, I participated in the Origins experience in Los Angeles. While in L.A., I was able to visit my aunt who is in a nursing home. Aunt Kathy is 83 years old and knows that she will soon leave for paradise. It had been years since I had last seen her, but it didn’t take long to renew our relationship. As we talked, I remembered that Aunt Kathy and Uncle Guy gave me my first Bible less than a month before I became a Christ follower. They also encouraged my unchurched parents to connect themselves and their five children to a local church.

I realized I was standing in the presence of a woman who lived her life in obedience to Christ and that I am a product of that obedience. I introduced Aunt Kathy to Jason Dukes, a church planter that I serve. I shared with Aunt Kathy how God is working through Jason to plant a church near Orlando and how this church will be a part of starting 11 new churches in three countries during their first two years of existence. I don’t know if she realized it, but I wanted her to see that she was leaving a legacy. Indirectly, Aunt Kathy is a part of planting churches around the world. Thank you God, for Kathy Fowler and those who influenced her.

Greetings from the Origins Experience in LA

Organic Church Planting

Welcome to the church planting blog! My name is Mark Weible and I serve as the Director of Church Planting for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association in Florida. My role is that of encourager and coach to churches and the people they send out to start new churches.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

I believe in organic church planting. Throughout the New Testament, the church is described in organic terms (body, field, bride, etc.). Answers.com defines or·gan·ic adj.: Of, relating to, or derived from living organisms: organic matter.

1. Having properties associated with living organisms.
2. Resembling a living organism in organization or development; interconnected: society as an organic whole.

A church is an organized organism. That means that churches have organizational structure and organic properties such as birth, growth, reproduction and death. Healthy churches are birthed by healthy churches. As soon as a single cell is developed, an organic church is legitimate, although not necessarily viable. I will explain more later, for now check out the article by Julie Belding entitled “Church Planting that Works” at goba.org/cpn. This is a simple story about a church planting movement in Thailand. Throughout the story you will see concepts like [energy transformation] in brackets. These words and phrases are known as biotic (organic) principles. These principles are the dna of organic church planting.