Harbor Network

Momentum2010 - gain traction in your church

What: Our hope is to see the work of Jesus Christ in life transformation through the ministry of the local church.  We hope to inspire, equip, empower, resource, challenge, and encourage you as you lead in your area of ministry.

via www.momentum2010.org

Haiti Relief Efforts

At this time, Fair Haven Ministries is primarily responding to the crisis in Haiti in two ways:  financial gifts and the provision of hygiene kits.  On Sunday, January 17, Fair Haven received $14,343.30 in a special relief offering and assembled 678 hygiene kits in an effort to provide immediate assistance.

via www.fhmin.org

Curing Christians' Stats Abuse by Ed Stetzer

I was facing a room full of reporters in a Religion Newswriters Association session at the Washington Post building in D.C. They had invited me to explain the difference between good religious research and bad. It's a real problem. News reports are always batting around some new bit of bad research. And sometimes a snippet from good research gets pulled out of context, then mangled, garbled, and spewed all over.

via www.christianitytoday.com

Tim Keller on The Multi-Site Model

Recently Redeemer was featured prominently in a USA Today article about multi-site churches. Outside of the fact that Redeemer doesn't 'do video,' the differences between our approach and others were not referred to. And in much discussion on line after the article, it was clear that all multi-site churches were being Lumped Together. Just for the sake of clarity, it might be helpful to know these facts about why and how Redeemer does the multi-site.1. First, we did not go to multi-site because it was more economical or efficient for us. When we began meeting at multiple sites ten years ago, we were already holding a morning and an evening service at a single site that was quite large. It would have been much more cost-effective to multiply to four or five services in that single location. Moving to other sites meant greatly increased costs for rent, for children's ministries, for music and many other things. 2. Second, we did not go to multi-site to quickly reach more people. The auditorium where we began meeting 10 years ago seats over 2,000 people, and other spaces that size are not available. The spaces we have rented in other parts of the city are far smaller. If we had stayed in that space and multiplied services there, we would have reached greater numbers more swiftly. So what were the reasons that we adopted the multi-site model?1. First, we sent our services out into different locations so that people could worship closer to where they lived. People can become more deeply involved in the community and can more easily bring friends if they attend services in their neighborhood. This was an 'anti-mega-church' move, since huge churches create a large body of commuters who travel long distances to attend church. We wanted to resist this tendency and root people more in their locales. 2. Second, the multi-site model is a transition design for us. Redeemer has a timetable for turning each site into a congregation in its own neighborhood, with its own pastoral leadership. I was the main preacher at all sites, but two years ago we went from four to five services at three sites, which is too many for me to preach in a Sunday. Rather than beaming me in by video, we determined that other pastors on the staff would always preach at least that fifth service. When we get to six and seven services, about two years from now, each site will have its own Lead Pastor who will share the preaching with me.We will then transition from a 'multi-site' to a 'collegiate' model. Though still under one unified board of elders, each church will have its own pastoral team, elder team, and set of lay leaders. Other collegiate models in our PCA denomination include Harbor Presbyterian in San Diego and Brooklyn Presbyterian here in New York City. I was careful in my interaction with the USA Today journalists not to criticize other multi-site churches. I do not know what motives other churches have for using the multi-site model, but those are ours.

via www.redeemercitytocity.com

Giving Friday Nights to Jesus

Fasten your seat belt, friend, because this is the most high powered approach we have. I do not know anything that works better than giving Friday nights to Jesus. Giving Friday nights to Jesus will reach more people in less time than any method I know. In fact, if you give Friday nights to Jesus and your class does not double in two years or less, it probably can't be done.

via www.joshhunt.com

9 reasons that you should care about starting new churches everywhere!

1. New churches reach new people.

2. New churches reach new generations

3. New churches open doors to those no one else is reaching for Christ

4. New churches are cost effective

5. New churches generate new opportunities for leadership

6. New churches come in all shapes and sizes...there is something for everyone to get behind

7. New churches are great places to meet new people...everyone is new!

8. New churches are dynamic communities

9. New churches are just plain fun!

So...everyone should care about new churches...enough to pray for them...share resources with them...join them...or help lead them.

The Power of Multiplication

Whenever a ministry, church, or group begins to multiply itself it releases spiritual and social and emotional power in several ways:

1. People start to make room for others.

2. People start to get uncomfortable which causes disequilibrium and ultimately change.

3. The new group, because it is more permeable, welcomes new people and ideas.

4. Some people feel threatened by the the new group until the new group proves not to be a threat but an asset.

5. Resources are stretched and generosity and sacrifice are stimulated.

6. The parent group goes through a grief process.

7. The new group becomes an "old" group rather quickly.

8. Organizational "messiness" occurs" and Organic growth and momentum occurs.

9. Can you think of more 2 to 10 more?

Thou Shalt Offend Pharisees

I have a mantra: thou shalt offend pharisees.Isn't that the example Jesus set? He didn't have the time of day for self-righteousness. Seems like he hated nothing more. The Pharisees turned everything into an argument. They found something wrong with everything--even miracles. And they were all about image. They looked totally righteous on the outside. They said the right things. They did the right things. But Jesus called them whitewashed tombs.Abraham Lincoln said, "You can please all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can't please all the people all the time."So good. So true.So here's the question: who are you offending?Most of us are far more concerned about offending Pharisees than offending sinners. But is that the example Jesus set? He didn't offend prostitutes or tax collectors. He shared meals with them. He restored their dignity. But he wasn't afraid to call a pharisee a pharisee.Having said that let me say this: make sure you have people in your lives that can speak the truth in love. You need accountability. Why? Because no one is above reproach or above rebuke. So make sure you listen to the voice of the prophet. But don't listen to the self-righteousness pharisee. Don't dialogue with them. Don't listen to them. Don't give them the time of day. Why? Because Jesus didn't.Hope that helps someone who is fighting Pharisees.

via evotional.com

Great Quote on Spiritual Battle

Argentinean leader Ed Silvoso said, "The Church in the West today presents too easy a target for Satan. We do not believe we are at war. We do not know where the battleground is located, and, in spite of our weapons, they are neither loaded nor aimed at the right target. We are unaware of how vulnerable we are. We are better fitted for a parade than for an amphibious landing."

From the ConvergeUSA Newsletter

May the celebration of His Incarnation inspire us to plant churches that give flesh and blood witness to the truth of His Gospel!