Rusty Kennedy
People keep asking me about what I am going to be doing. I've said from the beginning of this adventure (December '06) that we know God is calling us to lead a ministry/church. To do that, we had to end our 18 years of service at Northside. Then I know that we are to separate ourselves from Northside. That is the season that we are in the midst of right now. If you think that is confusing for you, it definitely is for us. It is not easy to put space between your church family that you have committed almost half your life to. And of course... everyone has an opinion of what that should look like.
But as we move toward our next step, the questions come flying at us. One question that I really struggle with is "What model of church planting are you going to use?". I'm just not there. Why would I want to model a plan? Why do I have to do it like someone else? Can't I make my own mistakes? Can't you just speak the Truth and let it be? Do I have to market the Truth to plant a church?
Billboards, web sites, yellow pages ads, newspaper promos, CDs, brochures, yadda yadda... Marketing plans? What are we marketing? Jesus or the church? My lunch partner today reminded me that the church is not a business... it is something that is orchestrated by God. Or at least it should be. I'm not against these things (obviously you are reading my website). There is a difference between communicating and teaching Truth versus marketing Jesus and the church.
The church talked about in the New Testament didn't promote itself. Peter told the people to repent, be baptized (placed into Christ) for the forgiveness of their sins and they would receive the Holy Spirit. In one day, 3,000 people received those words and were baptized. They continued listening to the Truth, hanging out, eating and praying together. There was a sense of awe in the community. Amazing things began to happen. They had all things in common and shared all their possessions with each other. They consistently ate together while praising God and everyone liked them. Click on the above link and read it for yourself!
Sounds like a plan for me... speak Truth, people repent, the Spirit changes their lives, rejoice, pray, hang out and eat! How can we mess up that plan? Sound a little "idealistic"? Nah... just another unexplainable adventure!
Jesus isn't for sale. He came to give salvation for free and it cost Him His life!
Rusty
But as we move toward our next step, the questions come flying at us. One question that I really struggle with is "What model of church planting are you going to use?". I'm just not there. Why would I want to model a plan? Why do I have to do it like someone else? Can't I make my own mistakes? Can't you just speak the Truth and let it be? Do I have to market the Truth to plant a church?
Billboards, web sites, yellow pages ads, newspaper promos, CDs, brochures, yadda yadda... Marketing plans? What are we marketing? Jesus or the church? My lunch partner today reminded me that the church is not a business... it is something that is orchestrated by God. Or at least it should be. I'm not against these things (obviously you are reading my website). There is a difference between communicating and teaching Truth versus marketing Jesus and the church.
The church talked about in the New Testament didn't promote itself. Peter told the people to repent, be baptized (placed into Christ) for the forgiveness of their sins and they would receive the Holy Spirit. In one day, 3,000 people received those words and were baptized. They continued listening to the Truth, hanging out, eating and praying together. There was a sense of awe in the community. Amazing things began to happen. They had all things in common and shared all their possessions with each other. They consistently ate together while praising God and everyone liked them. Click on the above link and read it for yourself!
Sounds like a plan for me... speak Truth, people repent, the Spirit changes their lives, rejoice, pray, hang out and eat! How can we mess up that plan? Sound a little "idealistic"? Nah... just another unexplainable adventure!
Jesus isn't for sale. He came to give salvation for free and it cost Him His life!
Rusty
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