Planting, Counseling, Visioning & Fighting

Sorry I’ve been so quiet lately. A lot of things have been happening, which take priority over blogging, like counseling, preaching, teaching, studying, being on mission, writing a book(let) and board meetings. A few things I’m excited about:

PlantR: The continued growth and direction of PlantR, our local cross-denominational church planting network, is generating cross-denominational partnerships, missional impact, equipping and gospel advance! We will be posting video clips from George Patterson’s insightful address very soon.

Acts 29: We are currently developing an official Acts 29 Regional Network for Texas. The provisional vision statement is: The Texas Region of the Acts 29 Network exists to develop reproducing gospel-centered churches that engage the peoples of Texas. The Regional vision will be shared with all Acts 29 planters on May 11-12 at the Village Church in Dallas.

CCEF: I am currently taking the second of three courses for a certificate in Biblical Counseling. The course Counseling in the Local Church, is deepening my understanding and ability to apply the gospel to all situations and to create a culture of shared counseling in Austin City Life.

Fight Club: I am finishing up the book(let) Fight Club: Gospel-centered Discipleship. Thanks to all who voted on covers. I have also posted a table of contents here.

The first chapter lays out a brief biblcial thelogy of fighting leading us to the hope of having the Divine Warrior fight with and for us in the fight of faith. The second chapter shows how we have fought incorrectly as the church, fighting as wimps or bullies via cheap grace or legalism. A gospel-centered approach to following Jesus is offfered that emphasizes the role of the Spirit in making us like Christ. The final two chapters emphasize the role of community and actual practice of forming a Fight Club.

If You Invite Me to Church, I'll Probably Come

Luke Simmons notes: A few years ago I read a shocking paragraph in Thom Rainer’s book, The Unchurched Next Door:

82 percent of the unchurched are at least ‘somewhat likely’ to attend church if they are invited. Perhaps we need to pause on this response. Perhaps we need to restate it: More than eight out of ten of the unchurched said they would come to church if they were invited.

Well, a few years later, the research has shown Rainer’s estimations are slipping. Nonetheless, recent statistics are encouraging. A recent survey discovered that 63% of people are somewhat or very willing to receive information about a church from a family member and 56% are somewhat or very willing to receive information from a friend or neighbor.lwr_receptive

Some Implications for Austin City Life

So, invite people to our church gatherings. Better yet, be the church to them. Redefine the church for them by being like Jesus to them. Serve them. Love them. Hang with them…and invite them into your City Group, to City Group missional events, and to Austin City Life Sunday gatherings…for their eternal good and God’s everlasting glory!

Vote on my Book Cover

Vote on the proposed covers for my forthcoming Fight Club: Gospel-centered Discipleship here.

Fight Club – Table of Contents

Table of Contents


Introduction

  1. Why Fight?: Violence and Culture

  1. Fighting the Church: The Failure of Accountability

  1. Fighting with the Church: The Three Conversions of the Church

  1. Fight Club: Gospel-centered Discipleship

Appendix 1: Gospel-centered Resources

Appendix 2: …