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At the recent Acts 29 AMBITION conference at Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY, I had the opportunity to sit down with Matt Chandler and talk about a number of topics.

In part two of our conversation, we discuss celebrity, diversity, burnout and the “one thing” he would tell church planters. As you would expect, Chandler does not disappoint.

Listen, learn, and link, tweet, facebook, blog…whatever. Help us get this great content out there to as many folks as we can. Don’t forget, there are 15+ more great interviews with church planters and movement leaders coming soon, including Dave Harvey, Ed Stetzer, and Darrin Patrick. I am humbled to have been entrusted with this amazing content.

Click here to watch Part 1 of this interview.

For more from Dustin Neeley, check out his ministry Church Planting for the Rest of Us.

Re:Train

We are launching The Resurgence Training Center (Re:Train) to prepare leaders for ministry locally and around the world. Additional details and downloadable application form here.

At the recent AMBITION conference in Louisville, I had the opportunity to sit down with Matt Chandler and talk about a number of topics. In part one of our conversation, we discuss success in church planting, preaching, and leadership. As you would expect, Chandler does not disappoint. Listen, learn, and link, tweet, facebook, blog…whatever. Help us get this great content out there to as many folks as we can. There's more coming from this interview, so stay tuned.

In addition to pastoring Crossing Church and writing for the Resurgence, Dustin is also the founder of "Church Planting for the Rest of Us," a ministry aimed at encouraging and equipping small and medium-sized church planters and pastors. For more information, please visit www.cp4us.org.

Resurgence Literature

Re:Lit is a ministry of Resurgence. There you will find a growing line of books to help guide the resurgence of the new reformed. Find out more.

5 Hard Truths for Planters series: Click | View Series

Emergency Room

Christmas Day of 2006 I received an odd present—I went to the emergency room.

My sweet wife sat quietly and pensively in the corner, while my two kids crawled around on the ER floor. Doctors and nurses poked me like a pin-cushion while they performed a battery of bloodwork and tests. They thought it was my gall bladder in revolt. The pain continued for days.

A week later I was sent to get an ultrasound. This made me feel more like a pregnant woman than the bullet-proof church planter I thought I was.

When the dust settled, the ailment was not my gall bladder. It was stress.

Stress Kills

Stress kills many marriages, ministries, and the men who lead them; and it was on its way to killing me. And if you don't kill it, it will eventually kill you. WebMD says that 75–90 percent of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints. Deadly stress is an all-too-real reality for the typical church planter.

4 Steps to Kill Your Stress

Kill your stress before it kills you. Here are four ways:

1. Live your Bible.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:33-34).

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

"Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases" (Psalm 115:3).

We believe these Scriptures. We teach these Scriptures. But do we live these Scriptures? The reality is that most of us don't.

In seasons of stress, meditate specifically on passages that remind you of the truth and not your perceived reality. Look for the sins behind the sin for why you can't relax—sins like control, unbelief, or your worth rooted in your identity as a church planter. As you see the discrepancy between what you believe and how you live, confess, repent and pray for God's help.

Make it your goal to live the goodness of the gospel and not just believe it.

2. Listen to your body.

You know that burning in your chest at the top of your stomach? That's not supposed to be there! That, and other symptoms, are the “God-installed” ways your body has of telling you to slow down and trust him. Listen to your body’s signs, and let them be a reminder to trust him with your life, family, and church. You don't want somebody else raising your kids. If your body is telling you to slow down, do it.

3. Listen to your wife and kids.

If you are married, your spouse is likely your best ally in your ongoing battle with stress. Chances are, she and the kids (if you have them), are going to be who God uses to make you laugh, go to bed, and take a day off. Don't ignore them! If she thinks you are stressed, you probably are, even if you don't. If your kids make comments about why daddy is so tired or mad, listen to them and make changes.

4. Learn your limits.

Pastor Wayne Cordeiro has a great principle called "The Plate." Every leader has a certain-sized plate based on their skills, gifts, life season, health, etc. Not all our plates are the same size, and that is the way God designed it. Trust that God made you who you are to do what you can do and leave it at that. Realize that a lot of your stress comes from the fact that you have a salad plate stacked with a buffet plate's amount of food. Repent. Resize. Repeat.

To be continued.

Re:Sound

The musical arm of the Resurgence offers music that is theologically unified, stylistically diverse, and musically excellent. Find out more.

In case you missed it, here's all the audio from the 2009 London Boot Camp. Speakers included Steve Timmis, Scott Thomas, Jeff Vanderstelt, and David Fairchild.

Q&A with Steve Timmis – Steve Timmis

Acts 29 Church Planting – Scott Thomas

Being a Church That Plants Churches – Jeff Vanderstelt

How To Plant a Church (Part 1) – Steve Timmis

How To Plant a Church (Part 2) – Steve Timmis

Keeping a Gospel Heart – David Fairchild

Being a Leader Who Grows Leaders – Jeff Vanderstelt

Keeping a Gospel Church – David Fairchild

The Acts 29 Network exists to start churches that plant churches. Listen to the Mission & Vision of Acts 29 by co-founder and president Mark Driscoll.

Death By Love

Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears tackle some of the most serious redemptive aspects of Jesus' work in these twelve letters of counsel to individuals. Find out more.

5 Hard Truths for Planters series: Click | View Series

Good Guys, Bad Guys

Yes or no? Black or white? Football or Polo?

Most of us prefer a world in which the good guys wear white hats and the bad guys wear black hats, but that's usually not the case. The truth usually lies somewhere in between.

I believe the same is true when it comes to church planting.

In today's world where interest in church planting has exploded, many movements and denominations market their brands as "the way" to get the job done. However, because of our fallen world, none of us are entirely right about anything.

Additionally, church planters are notorious for sizing each other up. At any given gathering, it is not unusual to hear guys ask one another, "So are you a Piper guy or an Andy Stanley guy?" or "Are you a house church guy or a big church guy?" Once these types of questions are answered, we immediately form an opinion of our brother and the "legitimacy" of his ministry in light of our own presuppositions, and consequently cast doubt on anything else he might have to say.

I believe the Scriptures set appropriate boundaries for what is and isn't acceptable in the name of gospel ministry. And we could all debate the legitimacy of pulling a tank out on stage to illustrate one’s point. But my fear is that we spend so much time figuring out which "tribe" we belong to that we fail to listen and learn from tribes other than our own. Sure, you may be against certain elements of another pastor's ministry, but does that mean that anything that comes from his ministry is automatically discounted because of its point of origin?

Think Hybrid

I would encourage taking a different path: THINK HYBRID.

Dictionary.com defines a "hybrid" as "anything derived from heterogeneous sources, or composed of elements of different or incongruous kinds. For example, a hybrid of the academic and business worlds."

I believe we can effectively employ this kind of thinking in nearly every area of life and ministry—from contextualization, methodology, and philosophy of ministry to preaching and small groups. “Thinking hybrid” is about drawing from a number of wells instead of just one. In doing so, we are able to maximize the strengths of our heroes while minimizing their weaknesses, instead of reproducing them in our own ministries.

For example, my own church planting method has been influenced by everyone from Mark Driscoll to John MacArthur to Andy Stanley to Mark Dever to Neil Cole. These are names that you typically do not hear in the same sentence, unless it includes "in a steel-cage death match," but all of these brothers have something to teach us and we would be wise to consider and heed their counsel.

Be Humble and Learn from Others

To move in the direction of "thinking hybrid," I would encourage the following disciplines:

1. Read and listen widely.

Church planters and pastors tend to only listen to those they agree with. While this may seem initially gratifying, it can stifle creativity and reproduce the same kind of "blind spots" in ministry that are held by our heroes. Be bold. Read a book or subscribe to a podcast by someone outside your tribe to see what God might teach you. Draw what you can and leave the rest. As you do, allow the process to sharpen your own convictions and thinking.

2. Befriend someone from another "tribe."

It's one thing to disagree with a book written by someone you will not meet until heaven; it is another thing to have breakfast with a guy like him. Schedule breakfast with a guy in your city who you know is not like you, and see what God might teach you through that encounter.

3. Be humble.

The men I respect most are those who have great conviction, but who are also open to correction. Could that be said of you? Or is your own insecurity so strong that you couldn't be questioned? If so, read Philippians 2 and pray for humility in your life and root yourself in gospel reality.

As you do, I believe you will be more able to “think hybrid” for the glory of God and the good of the world.

To be continued.

Mars Hill Global

Serving the church and spreading the gospel. Help support this effort by giving to the Global Fund. More info at MarsHillGlobal.com.

5 Hard Truths for Planters series: Click | View Series

I can't tell you how much time I’ve wasted in the first five years of our church plant comparing myself to others. If I could have preached like Driscoll or Chandler or led like Darrin Patrick…The comparisons were endless—and deadly.

This kind of un-redemptive comparison is dangerous on several levels:

• First, it causes us to undervalue what God is doing in our midst and not rightly praise him for his sovereign work.
• Second, it opens the door for greater discouragement (as if there isn't enough in planting already), which is a serious hazard for all parties involved.
• Third, comparison can lead us to have unrealistic expectations, which can lead to additional stress and toxicity in our relationships. Having served as an elder at another successful church in our city, I naturally assumed that I would simply do what I knew worked there and see similar results in my context. This was not the case. This kind of false thinking neglects the obvious truths that I am not that church's leader, we don't have that church's resources and that our context is different. To expect two churches to see the same results is like expecting one of your boys to be exactly like his brother. None of us would counsel that kind of parenting, because we know the kind of dysfunction it produces. The same is true in church planting.
• Fourth, and perhaps the most dangerous, comparison reveals our deeper idolatry. When we are comparing ourselves to others, we are looking for something other than Jesus to satisfy our souls, namely our own success. If outreach goes well, we feel good. If giving goes down...massive crisis. If our spiritual and emotional health fluctuates based on "how things went on Sunday," then our ups and downs likely indicate that we are searching for our identity in our role as a church planter and not in the cross.

So you may be saying, "I get it, comparison is bad. In fact, it is a sin. But it seems almost innately human. How can I prevent it?" Consider the following alternatives.

When you are tempted to compare yourself to someone else or their ministry:

• Praise God for what he is doing there. Pray for that leader, church or ministry. Pray that God would continue to bless them and purify your heart for your own jealousy towards them.
• Allow it to expose your idolatry for what it is. We all too often try to rationalize away the gravity of our sin in the name of leadership development. But the fact is, if we are coveting the gifting and success of another, we are in sin and must repent.
• Preach the gospel to yourself. This is not just a pithy saying people use since Keller became a household name—it is a matter of life and death for a church planter. Get Growing Your Faith by Jerry Bridges. Study gospel-centered discipleship. Memorize gospel-identity Scriptures. Do whatever it takes to replace the enemy's lies with the truth.

If we stop trying to be someone else and simply be who God has made us to be, it will bring him more glory and help us be more effective in serving our cities.

To be continued.

Vintage Jesus

A theological journey chasing Jesus through Scripture and pop culture. Timeless answers to timely questions about the most important man who has ever lived. Find out more.

5 Hard Truths for Planters series: Click | View Series

Church planting is harder than you think. Church planters don't just say that—it actually is.

Over the past five years, I have been disappointed, disillusioned and just plain dissed by various people and problems. However, by God's grace, here we stand as a church that is not just surviving, but thriving, and planting new churches.

One of the keys? Resilience.

Good, old fashioned, gospel-driven "sticktoitiveness."

A quality that, in my experience, I have seen lacking in far too many church planters. Many men are interested in having a cool website, a Mac, and the latest Driscoll book in their messenger bag, but how many are willing to stay the course even when the going gets tough? Far fewer. In fact, I believe the absence of resilience is why so many church planters flame out, shame out, or tap out in the first five years and close down their churches.

Acknowledging that resilience is a necessity for missional success, what can we do to grow it within us?

• Recognize that God commands it.
  In Paul's first letter to his apprentice Timothy, he writes "As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Tim. 4:5). He says the same to us today. Be disciplined. Stay the course. Fulfill your ministry through the power of God at work within you.
• Learn to take a punch.
  It has been well said that wise men turn their critics into coaches. As we grow in the gospel as leaders, we are wise to look for the "diamonds in the rough," even among the most stinging criticism, and seek to learn from (and not repeat) our mistakes.
• Consider the examples of those who have gone before.
  The "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11 is such a great encouragement for church planters. To see that we share the same mission as Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and all of the other heroes is a great encouragement in times of trial. Suddenly, in the light of a man being asked to sacrifice his own son, being kicked out of your building doesn't seem so bad.

There are many, many things that I would change about the last five years of planting.

But one thing that I would not change is how God has grown resilience in me through the hard times. May he do the same in you.

To be continued.

Pastor Mark

Get the latest content from Mark Driscoll, the preaching pastor at Mars Hill Church. See More.

Replanting Series [Part 5 of 5]: Click | View Series

Seriously explore a name change (Prov. 22:1; Eccl. 7:1).

1. A name change can communicate a change in focus, in approach, in product. A change in name can be effective if the product lives up to the change.
• If the only change taking place is the name, it will not produce the desired results.
• Changes need to be in place (or ready to launch) prior to a name change!
• What does your name communicate to the community in which it ministers?
2. Do you believe your denominational label (or lack of one) is contributing to or detracting from your mission?
• Determine the cultural valuation of a denomination. Is it honored or dishonored in the community?
• This could be the greatest point of conflict in an existing body that has associated itself with a denomination both corporately and individually. Members of a church are prone to say, "I've been a Methodist (et al) all my life."
• Likewise, a person may be adamant about not being a particular denomination. Neither position is healthy. With whom will your church be affiliated?
3. Leading a church through a name change must be led by the mission statement. If your mission statement is "Retaining Our Members for Life," you may not want to explore a name change. If it is "Penetrating the Darkness - Sharing the Light," a name change may be imperative.

Determine if a relocation is profitable.

1. Is the church located in a growing area?
• Where is the fastest growing area in your community?
• What are the most densely populated areas in your community?
• What are the demographics of the ten-mile radius around your meeting place?
• How equipped or called is your church to minister to the residents in your church location?
• What are the three most desirable locations for a meeting place for your church?
2. What equity does your church building have?
3. Would relocating create more opportunities for ministry and outreach?
4. Would relocating free assets for ministry or place a greater financial strain on ministry?

Fearlessly Lead the Replanting Process (1 John 4:18).

1. Prayerfully determine if God has called your church to enter a replanting at this time. Do you feel God is calling you to replant your church?
2. Once affirmed, lead fearlessly through the rough waters, people jumping overboard, seasickness, and mutiny among the crew. Many people (including leaders and even spouses) will become disoriented, discouraged, and dissenting. Lead the body patiently, lovingly, but firmly—just as Jesus would. But don't lead fearful of losing popularity, friendship, or a comfortable, secure job. A manager is a pleaser of people. A visionary leader is a pleaser of God.
3. Do you have the visionary, God-called leader in place?
4. If so, does he have the support of the leadership?
5. If not, where will you begin to look for a shepherd leader with the skillset to replant your church?

Center your faith in God (Matt. 17:20).

1. Reject the temptation to have faith in your resources, your givers, your buildings, or even your idea. Have faith in God's ability to honor his name by his body becoming more obedient to the principles of Scripture.
2. Follow God's calling even if it threatens being tossed into the lion's den (Daniel 6). God will shut the mouths of the hungry lions (and disgruntled members) if he is calling you to replant a missional church for his glory. It is his church—Christ is the head.

Editor’s note: This series is adapted from a previously-published article by Pastor Scott Thomas, Director of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network.

Resurgence Literature

Re:Lit is a ministry of Resurgence. There you will find a growing line of books to help guide the resurgence of the new reformed. Find out more.

Replanting Series [Part 4 of 5]: Click | View Series

Define Church Leadership

1. Identify the top three or four lay leaders of the church.
• What will each of their roles be in leading change?
• What resource or encouragement do they need to more effectively help guide the ship?
• Do they fully understand the vision for replanting a missional church?
• How could they lead organized groups of men as you work through this process of change? Try to identify at least six key positions of leadership.
2. Staff Leadership
• Does the staff (if applicable) need to redefine their job descriptions to accommodate the changes desired?
• What role will they play in the leading of the body?
• What knowledge or encouragement do they need to be effective in their redefined roles?
3. Board, Officers, Elders
• Identify the governing structure of the church. Is it congregational rule, elder rule, deacon/trustee rule, pastor directed?
• Determine if the structure is a biblical model and if it is functionally healthy.
• Examine the qualifications of the church officers according to 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, 1 Peter 5. Work through the process for purging the existing appointed leadership if necessary.
• Whom do you believe God has appointed as lay leaders in your church?

Establish a Clear Mission (Prov. 29:18)

1. Write (and rewrite) a mission statement that is easily understood and easily repeated, and that reflects exactly what will guide the church when determining the value of ministries (establishment and continuance). An example of a mission statement is adapted from Willow Creek: "Turning unchurched people into fully devoted followers of Christ." Another example is "Making True Disciples" (our former statement) and "Penetrating the Darkness - Sharing the Light" (our current statement).
• What are the values of the church that could be incorporated into a mission statement (evangelism, discipleship, worship, etc.)?
• Write out a first draft:
• Can it be recited easily?
• Is it easily understood by non-theologians?
• Who could be given the responsibility of forming the mission statement?
2. The mission statement acts as a filter for all ministries. Is this specific ministry contributing to or taking away from the God-given mission statement?
• How will ministries be dissolved without creating division among the body?
• How open are the leaders of ministries to exploring other ways of doing things to be more effective in your mission?
3. Communicate your mission statement often in as many avenues as you can.
• Publish it on everything (bulletins, business cards, letterhead, websites, pens, etc.)
• Preach the mission statement in detail at least once a year. Exegete every word. Include it in preaching regularly.

Determine Core Values

• Your core values are the foundations which allow you to build all other ministries. Core values are expressed by the term "We will," not "We might." For instance, we will worship God passionately. We might have communion.
• Think of ways you could creatively and visually express those core values to the body.

To be continued.

Editor’s note: This series is adapted from a previously-published article by Pastor Scott Thomas, Director of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network.

Religion Saves

Check out Pastor Mark Driscoll's newest book: Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions. Find out more.

Replanting Series [Part 3 of 5]: Click | View Series

Envision

Envision what the church could be if no pre-existing traditions existed. Dream big. Now add God to the equation. Dream again. Then dream short-term to see the immediate needs of the body.

1. Envision what the worship gathering could be (Acts 2:42-47).
• Attitude of body during worship
• Music
• Prayer
• Teaching
• Communion
• Children
• Exaltation of God
• Incorporation of arts
2. Envision what the evangelism could be (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).
• Who can you reach immediately?
• What attitudes toward evangelism need to change?
• Where or how could you boldly make an impact with the gospel?
• What steps of faith need to be taken to reach the unchurched and the unsaved?
• How could your youth evangelize?
• How could households evangelize together?
• What worldwide impact could you make as a body (i.e. foreign missions)?
• How are you going to be an eternal value to your community?
3. Envision how education and discipleship could be effective (Acts 2:42).
• How will it become a passionate pursuit of the body ("continue steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine," Acts 2:42)?
• What resources (people, qualities, gifts) do you have in place to launch greater disciple-making?
• How will the fathers and heads of households (single moms, etc.) be trained to be the priest and spiritual head of their homes?
• How will the older men and women teach and interact with the younger men and women? (Titus 2)
• Will the age groups be segregated (children, youth, singles, college, married, etc.) or will they be integrated into the body?
• What role will small groups play?
• What training will be needed to help develop disciples who are passionately pursuing Christ?
4. Envision an Acts 2 commitment to fellowship (Acts 2:44-45).
• In what ways will the body seek to meet the needs of one another (spiritual, social, financial, physical)?
• What attitudes need to change to be sacrificially generous with time, money and resources for the encouragement and edification of the body?
• How will the body serve one another actively and responsively in an unprompted way?
• What will the membership requirements be? How will it communicate a covenantal commitment?
5. Envision an effective youth and children's ministry.
• Will they be integrated into the church ministry? If so, how?
• How will families be strengthened through the student ministry?
• How will the youth be encouraged and trained to evangelize their friends?
• What role will the heads of households play in the student ministry?
• Who (person or groups) will lead the youth and children's ministry?
• What facility changes are needed to communicate the value of children and youth?
• What other positions of leadership need to be filled to be effective?
• What leadership development with the students will be put into place?
• What programs or customs need to be extracted from the youth and children's ministry to avoid distractions from the ministry goals?
6. Envision an equipping staff (Eph. 4:11-13).
• What changes need to be made with the staff (paid or volunteer) to meet the church's goals?
• Are the staff members doing the ministry or leading people to do the ministry? If they are doing the bulk of the ministering, how will they develop the body to do the work of the ministry?
• Are you over-staffed or under-staffed to meet both financial obligations and the development of lay people (taking responsibility for ministry)?
7. Envision a body not reacting to finances to determine God's call (Matt. 6:24).
• How will faith in God calling a body to reach out to the community and world be weighed against financial responsibility and stewardship?
• If mortgages or debts exist, how will they be paid off in a realistic way over a reasonable time period?
• What attitudes or practices about money and finances need to be changed?
• Is a budget in place? Is it a true reflection of the church's giving and spending (balanced budget)?
• What expenses can be cut immediately to be redirected toward the church's mission?
• Is the body (especially the leadership) making decisions based on finances or on God's calling?
• What creative ways can you generate more income without sacrificing resources, biblical principles, or expending paid personnel?

To be continued.

Editor’s note: This series is adapted from a previously-published article by Pastor Scott Thomas, Director of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network.

Mars Hill Global

Serving the church and spreading the gospel. Help support this effort by giving to the Global Fund. More info at MarsHillGlobal.com.