Church blocking the peoples view of Jesus

There is a church that I have been listening to their podcasts for a few weeks now called City of Grace in Mesa AZ. And I have been enjoying their recent teaching series, the pastor has been doing a very a good teaching with some great insight as to how to live out the word of God as related to the series. But for the last two weeks he has talked about a new project of the church, they are seeking to buy a house next to the church that is occupied by a dental office. This house apparently bocks the church building from being seen well from the main road. And for some reason this house is seen as an obstacle to the churches growth, they seam to believe if the house was not there.... read more>>>

Why I go to church: Something every church planter should know!

A church planter should answer this question of themselves, why they go to church, the reason as a Christian. The answer as to why will determine what they invasion the church they plant is to be like for the members, what they will experience at the church gathering.

Why I go to church, I gather with other follower of Christ in order to: Read here>>>

Church planting, Why do you want to plant a church?

I have come to see that in church planting the First thing one must do is answer Why do you want to plant a church? And the Second is to define church. Because your definition of church and why you want to plant one is foundational to what you do, A.K.A. plant. They both combined will define what it looks like and how it functions and its purpose for existence. I have come to understand how these two issues are so critical, they will set in motion the chain of events that determine what is created, the answers will mold and shape what you do.

First, The Why? So Why do you want to plant a church?

First off one must understand Church Planting is about Jesus, about having a passion for the community life and reaching the lost. I have met so many “church planters” that the only place that they want to plant a church is in the rich parts of a metro area, I would say 99% of all new plants in the last five years have occurred in the rich areas of my cities metro area, and I believe that really reviles the planters heart and motives.

Like one young planter I challenged to plant in the poor or even the blue collar areas instead of the rich (high income) area he was targeting, he replied “there is no money in starting a church there” the truth came out as to the why he wanted to plant a church. It was all about money, he was approaching it more as an entrepreneur stating up for a for-profit business. Approaching it like starting a career to provide for him, in monetary ways, to fund his big material dreams of what a church is all about, and his personal desired income.

(I have an idea how about if we say that for the next few years we only plant churches in the inner city and blue collar areas of our cities.)

If you see church planting as a income providing career, something better to do than try and get a career in corporate America, to a be your own boss instead of working for and answering to someone else, you have a very wrong motive.

You must ask yourself, what is my motive. Why do I want to plant a church?

If your vision is a church of 10,000 with a Starbuck’s in it, see a mega complex starched and a nice six figure income with book deals in your future, you are doing it for yourself, only for self gain. You not only have the wrong Why you want to plant, but also the wrong definition, an un-biblical definition of church and motive.

I will continue this in my next blog. Read all at my personal website here.

I am now blogging on my personal site

I am now blogging on my personal web site, read it at

http://dennismuse.com/wpblog/

Why Missional, Missional church

A lot of people debate the term “Missional” and “Missional Church”, being Missional.. And that I do not understand, missional simply means on mission, or on a mission which ever you prefer. Missional is not a program, a movement or even a mythology. It is both a command and a way of life, way of living, and for someone to say the church is not to be missional, is in essence calling Jesus a liar.

We read in Mat 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” Here Jesus is sending His people, the church into the world with a mission to fulfill. We are to make disciples, baptize them and then teach them the word. There it is our mission, the life we are to live, the calling, purpose of our life in Christ. It was at that point the church was commanded to be Missional. Jesus gave His church mission, these marching orders just before His ascended to the Father.

Then just a short time later Jesus returns and tells His disciples Acts 1: 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” In today’s time this would read, be my witnesses in Kansas City, Missouri and America, and to the end of the earth.

So why do so many not understand this command of Jesus, the mission given to the Church? He could not have made it any clearer. Not only did the early church understand the mission, they focused on living out that mission their entire lives. That is the first characteristic we see in the first churches, they where missional, they where on mission, and no matter what anyone says, that was not something for them back then, but Not for us today, that is a deception of Satan.

Christians should not have to debate why be missional, it should be enough that Jesus said GO into your neighborhood, city, state and the entire world. What more do we need to know other than our Lord said GO, said make disciples, said baptize, said teach the word, that should be all we need to know, GO! And Do!

There it is our personal mission, the church is to be on mission, live on mission, the church is on mission, mission is not a department, a program, it is a way of life, a way of being. The answer to why be missional? Jesus said to!

Every Church should have the mindset that they are on a mission today, on Missio Dei, God’s mission. That they are to Go! That they are sent into the world!

I am now blogging on my personal site also

I am now also blogging on my personal web site, read it at http://dennismuse.com/wpblog/

On Mission today?

The word mission simply means on a mission.

Did you wake up today with the mindset that you are on a mission today, not just any, not your personal ambitions in life, but The Mission, Missio Dei, God’s mission?

Did you wake up thinking I am a missionary and when I leave my house I am going into my mission field?

My neighborhood is my mission field, my job or school is my mission field, my grocery store is my mission field, everywhere I go is my mission field today?

Did you wake up thinking God has something for Me to do today?

And say – God help me to accomplish your mission today!

What ever it is help me to accomplish it.

That is the mind set God calls us to. He said Go, proclaim the gospel and make disciples, this is the primary mission of all true disciples of Christ, there are no exceptions to this calling, sending out.

This is how I want to live my life for now on, every morning to wake up and ask myself those questions.

To wake up and say:

I am a missionary!

I am on mission!

God help me to accomplish your mission today!