2010 Happenings in Central Florida

Central Florida has become the hub for several church planting events. Here are a few slated for 2010:

Global Church Advancement (GCA)
North American Church Planting Conference
Orlando, FL: January 26-29, 2010 (Tues-Fri)
http://www.gca.cc/Seminar_Overview.htm

ReproducingChurches.com
Discovering Church Planting One Day Events
Lakeland, FL: Feb 22, 2010
Miami, FL: May 11, 2010
Lakeland, FL: August 16, 2010
Tallahassee, FL: November 16, 2010
http://acteva.com/go/rcn

Florida Baptist Convention Church Planting Course
Mariana, FL: February 15-18, 2010
Gainesville, FL: April 26-29, 2010
Ft. Myers, FL August 9-12, 2010
(Lake Yale) Leesburg, FL: October 4-7, 2010

To Register for Florida Baptist Convention Events: Call the Church Planting Department at 800-226-8584, ext 3117

Exponential Network
National New Church Conference
Orlando, FL: April 19-22, 2010
http://www.exponentialconference.org

ReproducingChurches.com
The Live Sent Conversation
Lakeland, FL: September 17-18, 2010
http://reproducingchurches.com

Reggie McNeil: From What to Who

The Church is the body and the bride of Christ. She is a Who and not a what or an it. We can't go to church, have church, or do church. We are the Church. Check out this video from Reggie McNeal...

Reggie McNeal // Moving from the "What" to the "Who" from Todd Rhoades on Vimeo.

Have we gotten too complex?

I am looking forward to a time when simplicity returns to church or the Church returns to simply being who she was created to be. I am tired of seeing people burned out and becoming cynical toward God and others while trying to make the Bride of Christ look like a model. Christ loved her and died for her in her inglorious state.

Check out the following quote from Linda Berguist and Allan Karr in their new book, Church Turned Inside Out



How about church that prays without ceasing, worships daily and gives 100%.

Let's Get Together on Tuesday at 6 pm

Ride Discounts and Free Grub for Church Planters and Their Families...

A group of church planters from ReproducingChurches.com and their families will be hanging out together at Fun Spot in Kissimmee on Tuesday, October 20th. There will be free pizza and drinks for those who RSVP at http://orlandochurchplanting.com. Fun Spot is offering discounts on their unlimited ride arm bands for those who serve on a church staff (proof of church employment is required).

Learning to love

Christoph Schalk talks about improving loving relationship as a church...

• Love is not a romantic feeling, it is a decision.
  
• Love doesn't happen automatically.
  
• Christ commands us to love God, one another, and even our enemies.
  
• Love can be learned. Discipleship is a learning to love process.
  
• Loving relationships can be cultivated

Listen to Christoph talk about improving loving relationships: http://www.coachnet.de/ncdvideo/audio/lr.mp3

Blogging Facebook and Twitter Oh My!

I am creating a new website that brings together blogging, facebook and twitter in one place. Check out OrlandoChurchPlanting.com and join the More than Mickey movement.

'What Would Google Do?'

Search engines are changing the way people find, collect and share information. Online search is also affecting the way people interact and do business offline. In his new book, Jeff Jarvis asks, 'What Would Google Do?':

Give the people control. Do what you do best and link to the rest. Small is the new big. The mass market is dead; long live the mass of niches. There is an inverse relationship between control and trust. Be honest. Be transparent. Free is a business model. Middlemen are doomed. Simplify, simplify. Don't be evil.

Sounds like good church planting advice. I would like to translate it this way:

• Start small with little to no overhead - no rented buildings and no paid staff.
  
• Decentralize - pastors should act like trainers and not priests
  
• Network with other churches - you can't do it all alone, but together we can reach a region
• Be real - let people see you for who you are, warts and all
  
• Be relational - let evangelism flow out of love
• Be flat - no hierarchial leadership
  
• Take it easy - don't over complicate things
• Don't be evil speaks for itself
  

Keeping up with the Joneses

I saw this commercial on tv and immediately thought about church planting. If this commercial is reflective of what people really want, then there should not be so much disconnect from the culture and the church. The problem is when the church trying to market itself as keeping up with the Joneses.

Just Normal People

If you were on a church leadership team and had to prioritize spending cuts, which would you cut: seminary trained pastoral staff or lawn and maintenance services? I am aware of lots of churches that are laying off “professional” ministers. Lawn and building services seem to be a higher priority. Why? Couldn’t these services be provided by volunteers? Evidently not, it seems that lawn and building maintenance requires the work of highly trained technicians. Ministerial services do not require as much training and can more easily be handled by volunteers. Do you find that to be the case where you are?