3 Takeaways from October's Assessment Center in Prosper, Texas

1. We need to focus on methods of discipleship that impacts our next generation.

We can no longer assume we are making disciples. Current models of church planting focus heavily on “How” to church plant and often assume discipleship happens.  If we are to see this next generation rise and expand God’s Kingdom, we need to focus our resources on discipleship. Several years ago, I remember seeing a well-known pastor at the Exponential conference who traveled with a group of young leaders from his church. He was giving them the opportunity to see ministry firsthand and to be coached and discipled in their area of life. Jesus had the 12 who followed him everywhere, watched Him and heard His interactions with all kinds of people. Many of our current models only interact with us on Sundays.

2. We need to raise up the next generation of leaders in our churches.

When we look back at our history of how so may churches got started, we see a movement that began with pastors leading their congregations to consider giving their lives to ministry. The church today has all but exhausted the pipelines that held potential church planters. We need to broaden our search which will lead us to the people who attend our churches each week. Many people today are looking for a purpose for their lives and we can share and lead them to the greatest of purposes. Pastor, when is the last time you challenged your people to give up their current lives and discover how they might be used by God in full-time ministry? We must focus on raising up the next generations leaders!

3. We need to expand our thinking on models of church planting that will reach into areas and people groups we are currently not reaching. 

Growing up, one of my heroes was Walter Payton. His toughness and athletic ability earned him the name “Sweetness.” He was one of many great running backs of that era. Yet today, running backs seem to be less famous and the passing effectiveness of the QB is the preferred method of the game. Church Planting is similar. We don’t have to get rid of our current models, but we should add to our models for greater reach. Last spring while at a church planters assessment center in Turlock, California I met a young man who recently accepted Christ at a church that met in a park. Through that interaction I have had the opportunity to disciple him on an ongoing basis. Our church brought him to Iowa to meet us, share his salvation story and encourage him in his journey. I have given him books, spent time on zoom, text messages, phone calls, etc. to disciple him as God has been leading him towards ministry. He came from a small church that met in a park! God was obviously involved in his journey.
 
Can we start churches that reach into every area of our community? Can we start churches of various models in order to find those where God is moving? Oh, to be able to say we are doing everything we can do to reach and disciple all the people around us! No one left behind. I think we can. I think God is already speaking to people to do a new thing.