WOW!
I just found Steven Furtick online. He is the Pastor at Elevation Church.
Just in quickly reading over some of his latest posts He really made me think!
Looks like I am going to become a reader of his!
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Monday, October 24, 2005
Outward Focused: Winning Cities for Christ
Steve Sjogren: Session 3 Notes on "Winning Cities for Christ"
We are more than just a 'church' - more than winning a neighborhood - we are winning Cities for Christ!
- When you are winning a city - planting a church - you have to engage in conversation. Tell your story - sell it everyday to 5 different people.
When planting the Vineyard in Cincinnati, God spoke to Steve and told him - "You are Small irrelevant and boring"...and he spent many months figureing out how to not be small irrelevant and boring.
Many churches have a 'Come and See mentality'. Until Christ returns, no church should be come and see. Because nothing we invite people to come and see is relevant, big, or exciting.
Churches should be "GOING and DOING"...Going and doing acts of love is what makes church exciting and relelvant. We are in danger every week of being small irrelevant and boring, unless we go and do.
LOVE PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
We are more than just a 'church' - more than winning a neighborhood - we are winning Cities for Christ!
- When you are winning a city - planting a church - you have to engage in conversation. Tell your story - sell it everyday to 5 different people.
When planting the Vineyard in Cincinnati, God spoke to Steve and told him - "You are Small irrelevant and boring"...and he spent many months figureing out how to not be small irrelevant and boring.
Many churches have a 'Come and See mentality'. Until Christ returns, no church should be come and see. Because nothing we invite people to come and see is relevant, big, or exciting.
Churches should be "GOING and DOING"...Going and doing acts of love is what makes church exciting and relelvant. We are in danger every week of being small irrelevant and boring, unless we go and do.
LOVE PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
Outward Focused: Equipped for Outreach
Steve Sjogren: Notes on "Equipped for Outreach"
Most evangelism programs are "linear" - trying to win an argument. Evangelism is about creating an 'atmosphere'. An atmosphere of Love - enabling the Holy Spirit to work in peoples lives.
Create a Buzz in your city! - Read Seth Godin's All Marketers Are Liars...
If we give away love, we (church) become associated with what we DO, not by what we say, write, or where our building is.
The best way to figure out how to love people, is to talk to the people God has given you. It's how you figure out what type of outreach might work.
Practice!
DO outreach for several months. (doing it willy-nilly does not work)
We should be all about Acts 10:38 - doing good to all kinds of people!
We should be about acceptance, and not approval (we accept - God approves)
People were accepted by Christ - yet, Jesus did not approve all of them.
We are all in Process!
We can accept people, even if they don't change. The rest is between them and God.
We can't put a dealine on our love - we have to love continually - not just for a set amount of time, then give up.
We should love until God gives up on loving.
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
More :Outward Focused: HERE
Most evangelism programs are "linear" - trying to win an argument. Evangelism is about creating an 'atmosphere'. An atmosphere of Love - enabling the Holy Spirit to work in peoples lives.
Create a Buzz in your city! - Read Seth Godin's All Marketers Are Liars...
If we give away love, we (church) become associated with what we DO, not by what we say, write, or where our building is.
The best way to figure out how to love people, is to talk to the people God has given you. It's how you figure out what type of outreach might work.
Practice!
DO outreach for several months. (doing it willy-nilly does not work)
We should be all about Acts 10:38 - doing good to all kinds of people!
We should be about acceptance, and not approval (we accept - God approves)
People were accepted by Christ - yet, Jesus did not approve all of them.
We are all in Process!
We can accept people, even if they don't change. The rest is between them and God.
We can't put a dealine on our love - we have to love continually - not just for a set amount of time, then give up.
We should love until God gives up on loving.
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
More :Outward Focused: HERE
Outward Focused: Horizontally and Vertically Smart
Steve Sjogren: Session 2 Notes on "Vineyard Leader Meeting"
Read Re-imagine! by Tom Peters!
Big Churches have 3 things that small churches don't - Power, Heart for Service, and Marketing.
If you are small - look for artists in church to provide art for marketing...don't always go with the pre produced piece...(you can't always do that)
--------------------------------------------------------------
On Teaching...
Plug your listeners into something that is Practical in their lives.
Practical Applications should be the speaking points of your teaching...they should be the beginning points to teach biblically from...
--------------------------------------------------------------
On Worship...
Israel Houghton Worship...Good stuff!
...When we gather the people at our churches on the Weekends...are we having a celebration/party or are we having a funeral?...
---------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
More Outward Focused: HERE
Read Re-imagine! by Tom Peters!
Big Churches have 3 things that small churches don't - Power, Heart for Service, and Marketing.
If you are small - look for artists in church to provide art for marketing...don't always go with the pre produced piece...(you can't always do that)
--------------------------------------------------------------
On Teaching...
Plug your listeners into something that is Practical in their lives.
Practical Applications should be the speaking points of your teaching...they should be the beginning points to teach biblically from...
--------------------------------------------------------------
On Worship...
Israel Houghton Worship...Good stuff!
...When we gather the people at our churches on the Weekends...are we having a celebration/party or are we having a funeral?...
---------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
More Outward Focused: HERE
Outward Focused: Stories about the day I died
Steve Sjogren: Session 2 Notes on "The Day I Died"
Steve has a new book arriving early next year talking about the day that he actually died. ON the operating table, his heart completely stopped, and was dead for 7 minutes.
During that time, he had an encounter with God.
Steve explaings it as abook that will more than likely 'piss Christians off'! The book is actually not intended for a Christian audience, but for the Not yet Christians - as a tool to lead them to a better understanding of who God is.
There were many things that God spoke to Steve that day, and I can't do justice to the whole encounter ( you'll have to buy the book!), but he did give two specifics of things God wanted him to change. He did say that he was rebuked,and knew he had to change, yet felt encouraged and loved by a Holy God.
A couple things he heard that day:
1. Stop moving like a rabbit. Move like a turtle.
As a church planter, Steve was working over 100 hours a week. Several lunches a day, several meetings a day. God clearly told him to slow down. The Rabbit life doesn't pay off in the end. He lives that out since that day, and in his next church planting experience, hopes to continue a more turtle pace. Slow And Steady!
2. What are the names of your kids friends?
God spoke to him about getting to know his kids friends. During that time, they would be over at the house, but Steve never took the time to get to know them, to love on them, and be a good father figure, and Godly influence in their lives.
From his experience that day, Steve wanted to encourage people that there should be no fear in death. Many have fears of death, and from his 7 minutes (which to him felt like much longer) he knew he was in the presence of a loving God who cared for him.
After his experience, he spent many hours finding our what went wrong, what doctors did and didn't do. He has gained much wisdom about the experience. He encouraged all the men at the conference to take care of themselves, and be wise about their helathcare, adn ask many questions. Live with the Wisdom of Solomon!
Steve said he read a chapter of Proverbs a day for the past thirty years and Prays that "God would let him live out that wisdom is his life".
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
More :Outward Focused: HERE
Steve has a new book arriving early next year talking about the day that he actually died. ON the operating table, his heart completely stopped, and was dead for 7 minutes.
During that time, he had an encounter with God.
Steve explaings it as abook that will more than likely 'piss Christians off'! The book is actually not intended for a Christian audience, but for the Not yet Christians - as a tool to lead them to a better understanding of who God is.
There were many things that God spoke to Steve that day, and I can't do justice to the whole encounter ( you'll have to buy the book!), but he did give two specifics of things God wanted him to change. He did say that he was rebuked,and knew he had to change, yet felt encouraged and loved by a Holy God.
A couple things he heard that day:
1. Stop moving like a rabbit. Move like a turtle.
As a church planter, Steve was working over 100 hours a week. Several lunches a day, several meetings a day. God clearly told him to slow down. The Rabbit life doesn't pay off in the end. He lives that out since that day, and in his next church planting experience, hopes to continue a more turtle pace. Slow And Steady!
2. What are the names of your kids friends?
God spoke to him about getting to know his kids friends. During that time, they would be over at the house, but Steve never took the time to get to know them, to love on them, and be a good father figure, and Godly influence in their lives.
From his experience that day, Steve wanted to encourage people that there should be no fear in death. Many have fears of death, and from his 7 minutes (which to him felt like much longer) he knew he was in the presence of a loving God who cared for him.
After his experience, he spent many hours finding our what went wrong, what doctors did and didn't do. He has gained much wisdom about the experience. He encouraged all the men at the conference to take care of themselves, and be wise about their helathcare, adn ask many questions. Live with the Wisdom of Solomon!
Steve said he read a chapter of Proverbs a day for the past thirty years and Prays that "God would let him live out that wisdom is his life".
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
More :Outward Focused: HERE
Outward Focused: Putting a dent in the world
Steve Sjogren: Session 1
Notes on What Steve has learned as a Church Planter/Pastor/Writer/Speaker/Teacher
1. People have a desire to Change the World. Sometimes, their desire to change the world is even more deeply rooted than their desire to get to know God.
- We should be World Changers! We should be radical ALL of our days. Not just until we are 35.
We should always focus on loving the untouchables, the outsiders, the nobodies, the hurt and broken - the people no one wants! Thats what Jesus did. And He is our model.
2. To do the Stuff that Jesus Did - You have to have to engage people.
- Doing the stuff is as easy as leaving an above average tip (30 percent instead of fifteen!). Compliment your server at a restaurant, then call the manager over and compliment your server again!( I saw Steve do this personally - and it blows people away - because the manager expects you to complain. He didn't know what to say when Steve kept lavishing on the compliments of this server)
Buy someone Coffee behind you at Starbucks. Buy the next person in line behind you at Taco Bell lunch. Buy Tic Tacs and give them away!
Each of these is simple and easy, and gives an opportunity for the Kingdom of God to show up right there - in that moment.
Mat. 13:1-23 The SCATTERING of the seeds.
Jesus told the parable of Scattering - Not Planting- seeds. Of course, the seed fell on all types of ground. But the point is not the ground, the point is the abundance of seed that was thrown. We can constanly look for opportunities to scatter the seed of kindness and let the Holy Spirit do the work of 'plowing' in peoples hearts.
- God will grow you into an extrovert. Spending 25 hours preparing your message behind the computer is a cop out. There are better things to do with our time. (There is ENOUGH TALK about God...Let's DO SOMETHING to show His Love to People!)
How do we get people "OUT THERE" -> "IN HERE"?
Many churches can't anwser that question.
We have to BRING and INCLUDE.
Watch our Vocabulary - not "Visitor" - "Guest" is better - "Newcomer" is best...
We make people feel like there is a great chasm between "all of us who are already in the church" and those who are "Not Yet Christians". Yet, if we don't watch our vocabulary,if we don't include, we'll never bridge that huge gap.
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
More of :Outward Focused: HERE
Notes on What Steve has learned as a Church Planter/Pastor/Writer/Speaker/Teacher
1. People have a desire to Change the World. Sometimes, their desire to change the world is even more deeply rooted than their desire to get to know God.
- We should be World Changers! We should be radical ALL of our days. Not just until we are 35.
We should always focus on loving the untouchables, the outsiders, the nobodies, the hurt and broken - the people no one wants! Thats what Jesus did. And He is our model.
2. To do the Stuff that Jesus Did - You have to have to engage people.
- Doing the stuff is as easy as leaving an above average tip (30 percent instead of fifteen!). Compliment your server at a restaurant, then call the manager over and compliment your server again!( I saw Steve do this personally - and it blows people away - because the manager expects you to complain. He didn't know what to say when Steve kept lavishing on the compliments of this server)
Buy someone Coffee behind you at Starbucks. Buy the next person in line behind you at Taco Bell lunch. Buy Tic Tacs and give them away!
Each of these is simple and easy, and gives an opportunity for the Kingdom of God to show up right there - in that moment.
Mat. 13:1-23 The SCATTERING of the seeds.
Jesus told the parable of Scattering - Not Planting- seeds. Of course, the seed fell on all types of ground. But the point is not the ground, the point is the abundance of seed that was thrown. We can constanly look for opportunities to scatter the seed of kindness and let the Holy Spirit do the work of 'plowing' in peoples hearts.
- God will grow you into an extrovert. Spending 25 hours preparing your message behind the computer is a cop out. There are better things to do with our time. (There is ENOUGH TALK about God...Let's DO SOMETHING to show His Love to People!)
How do we get people "OUT THERE" -> "IN HERE"?
Many churches can't anwser that question.
We have to BRING and INCLUDE.
Watch our Vocabulary - not "Visitor" - "Guest" is better - "Newcomer" is best...
We make people feel like there is a great chasm between "all of us who are already in the church" and those who are "Not Yet Christians". Yet, if we don't watch our vocabulary,if we don't include, we'll never bridge that huge gap.
Steve Sjogren is the founding Pastor of Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, and loves servant evangelism.
More of :Outward Focused: HERE
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Outward Focused: A week with Steve Sjogren
What a great weekend at Camp Garner Creek! The Tennessee men's retreat was a blast, then this morning, Steve Sjogren spoke again at Franklin Vineyard.
This week, I am going to go thru my notes and post some of the best, and most thought provoking things for me from this weekend retreat.
This week, I am going to go thru my notes and post some of the best, and most thought provoking things for me from this weekend retreat.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Steve Sjogren at Vineyard Men's Retreat
Late this afternoon, its off to the Vineyard Tennessee Men’s retreat at Camp Garner Creek. I am really excited. This two day getaway is much needed!
Very cool: Pastor and Author Steve Sjogren from the Cincinnati Vineyard will be speaking at several of the sessions.
I have no way to blog while there, but I’ll take notes, and post some thoughts when I return!
(He’s also speaking this weekend at Franklin Vineyard, about the 7 minutes that he actually passed away, and God spoke to him. – His new book on the subject comes out soon)
Very cool: Pastor and Author Steve Sjogren from the Cincinnati Vineyard will be speaking at several of the sessions.
I have no way to blog while there, but I’ll take notes, and post some thoughts when I return!
(He’s also speaking this weekend at Franklin Vineyard, about the 7 minutes that he actually passed away, and God spoke to him. – His new book on the subject comes out soon)
Friday, October 07, 2005
High Touch
Brand Autopsy is running a series about Starbucks and how their brand became what is it today.
High Touch trumps High Tech. It’s a great thing to remember as I continue to do ministry.
Doug Fields Says the same thing in Your First Two years in Youth Ministry.
90% of youth ministry is relationships. The kids won’t remember my best message. They’ll remember that I loved them and hung out with them, and was a good example for them.
Starbucks tried to go high tech, and the audience response was negative. The personal element was lost when the customer was able to order without talking to a barista.
Is the personal element lost when we go too high tech in Youth ministry? I am sure God uses High Tech. I just don’t want to get lost in the glitz and glam.
I know about smoke and mirrors – I am in radio!!
Do we do High Tech because the pressure is there to try and impress?
Are we High Tech to ‘keep up with the Jones’? (the Jones’ being the big church down the street)
I actually like High Tech. I like a good performance, and a good message. I believe in Creativity with presentation, not in interpretation, of the Word.
There does have to be a balance. Right?
Because people desire High Touch.
High Touch trumps High Tech. It’s a great thing to remember as I continue to do ministry.
Doug Fields Says the same thing in Your First Two years in Youth Ministry.
90% of youth ministry is relationships. The kids won’t remember my best message. They’ll remember that I loved them and hung out with them, and was a good example for them.
Starbucks tried to go high tech, and the audience response was negative. The personal element was lost when the customer was able to order without talking to a barista.
Is the personal element lost when we go too high tech in Youth ministry? I am sure God uses High Tech. I just don’t want to get lost in the glitz and glam.
I know about smoke and mirrors – I am in radio!!
Do we do High Tech because the pressure is there to try and impress?
Are we High Tech to ‘keep up with the Jones’? (the Jones’ being the big church down the street)
I actually like High Tech. I like a good performance, and a good message. I believe in Creativity with presentation, not in interpretation, of the Word.
There does have to be a balance. Right?
Because people desire High Touch.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Great Stuff From Evotional.com
Since I found Mark Batterson’s Blog a couple weeks ago, I have really enjoyed it, Today, I was knocked on my butt by several things he had written in his evotional! Great stuff! I feel like part of NCC long distance!
The section on Reproduced Illusions really got me. Here are a few quotes:
our perception of ourselves is based on others perception of us. To a large extent, we become who other people think we are. Psychologists call it "the looking-glass self."We live up or live down to the expectations of others!Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world."In other words, don't live down to the world's standards. Live up to God's standard.There never has been and never will be anyone like you. That isn't a testament to you. It's a testament to the God who created you. You are absolutely unique. That is the way God designed you.All of us start out as one-of-a-kind originals but too often we end up carbon copies of someone else. We try to be like someone else instead of trying to be the person God has created us to be. We settle for conformity instead of originality.
Let me try to say it as concisely as I can: if you base your identity on the opinions of other people you're worshiping their opinions.God's opinion is the only opinion that counts!Conformity is living down. Worship is living up.Here's the bottom line: you become what you worship. If you don't like who you're becoming you're worshipping the wrong things! Identity problems are worship problems. Start worshipping God and you'll become the person God created you to be.
Romans 12:2 says, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." You can't always change your circumstances, but you can always change your mind. Studies have shown that, at any moment, eight million bits of information are streaming into your brain. You've got to determine what you pay attention to.The Message translation of Romans 12:2 says, "Fix your attention on God." That's what worship is. You stop focusing on what's wrong with you and you start focusing on what's right with God.
The section on Reproduced Illusions really got me. Here are a few quotes:
our perception of ourselves is based on others perception of us. To a large extent, we become who other people think we are. Psychologists call it "the looking-glass self."We live up or live down to the expectations of others!Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world."In other words, don't live down to the world's standards. Live up to God's standard.There never has been and never will be anyone like you. That isn't a testament to you. It's a testament to the God who created you. You are absolutely unique. That is the way God designed you.All of us start out as one-of-a-kind originals but too often we end up carbon copies of someone else. We try to be like someone else instead of trying to be the person God has created us to be. We settle for conformity instead of originality.
Let me try to say it as concisely as I can: if you base your identity on the opinions of other people you're worshiping their opinions.God's opinion is the only opinion that counts!Conformity is living down. Worship is living up.Here's the bottom line: you become what you worship. If you don't like who you're becoming you're worshipping the wrong things! Identity problems are worship problems. Start worshipping God and you'll become the person God created you to be.
Romans 12:2 says, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." You can't always change your circumstances, but you can always change your mind. Studies have shown that, at any moment, eight million bits of information are streaming into your brain. You've got to determine what you pay attention to.The Message translation of Romans 12:2 says, "Fix your attention on God." That's what worship is. You stop focusing on what's wrong with you and you start focusing on what's right with God.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Share Winning Stories
From Mark Batterson’s blog:
Here's one practical tip
We start every staff meeting by sharing wins.
The "old school" word is "testimony." Sharing wins gets us focused on the positive things God is doing. It has become part of our culture. It sets the tone for everything we do!If you're pastoring, put "wins" at the top of every meeting agenda. It's positive reinforcement.
You need to celebrate what you want to see more of.
It doesn't matter whether it's a boardroom, classroom, or locker room, sharing wins is one small step/one giant leap towards creating a positive environment. Sharing wins can revolutionize a church culture, family culture, or work environment.
Cool thought – and it is a thought that is echoed in the book I am reading – The Leadership Challenge ( good read – not a tough read – but I am really taking my time with it, making notes, underlining and highlighting to re-read again!)
…telling stories forces you to pay close attention to what your constituents are doing. Telling stories about others give you the chance to reinforce that “everyone is a leader.” Hearing or reading a story about similar people (people they can identify with) is also the most effective type of role model for stimulating an audience to learn how to take such actions themselves. (p.100)
Here's one practical tip
We start every staff meeting by sharing wins.
The "old school" word is "testimony." Sharing wins gets us focused on the positive things God is doing. It has become part of our culture. It sets the tone for everything we do!If you're pastoring, put "wins" at the top of every meeting agenda. It's positive reinforcement.
You need to celebrate what you want to see more of.
It doesn't matter whether it's a boardroom, classroom, or locker room, sharing wins is one small step/one giant leap towards creating a positive environment. Sharing wins can revolutionize a church culture, family culture, or work environment.
Cool thought – and it is a thought that is echoed in the book I am reading – The Leadership Challenge ( good read – not a tough read – but I am really taking my time with it, making notes, underlining and highlighting to re-read again!)
…telling stories forces you to pay close attention to what your constituents are doing. Telling stories about others give you the chance to reinforce that “everyone is a leader.” Hearing or reading a story about similar people (people they can identify with) is also the most effective type of role model for stimulating an audience to learn how to take such actions themselves. (p.100)
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Rob Bell in Dallas Morning News
There is a great article/interview with Rob Bell in the Dallas Morning News. I was reading Scott Hodge, who happened upon it thru Jordon Cooper.
Here’s a quote from the article:
In the Scriptures, belief works in tandem with action. Our actions are reflective of our beliefs, but our beliefs drive our actions. So what I'm interested in reclaiming is the importance of these two together.
Sometimes faith becomes all about what people believe, and how you act doesn't really matter. But in the Scriptures, how you act very much matters. Like it says, what does God require of you but to love justice and mercy and to walk humbly? Those are all actions.
Velvet Elvis is on my list to read before the end of the year!
Here’s a quote from the article:
In the Scriptures, belief works in tandem with action. Our actions are reflective of our beliefs, but our beliefs drive our actions. So what I'm interested in reclaiming is the importance of these two together.
Sometimes faith becomes all about what people believe, and how you act doesn't really matter. But in the Scriptures, how you act very much matters. Like it says, what does God require of you but to love justice and mercy and to walk humbly? Those are all actions.
Velvet Elvis is on my list to read before the end of the year!
Thursday, July 21, 2005
great post from awhile back
saw this on www.Churchmarketingsucks.com
False Advertising
"The greatest challenge the church faces today is to be authentic disciples of Jesus. ... That's one reason why the statistics on Christians generally don't differ from the statistics on non-Christians. We're not living a different life." -Dallas Willard (RelevantMagazine.com)
Christians are walking billboards for the church, and too often it's a case of false advertising. Church marketing sucks, but so do we. We're a sinful and broken people, but half the time we can't admit it. We put on an air of perfection, forgetting that in our brokenness we are complete. The church is for the broken, not the perfect.
Yet rather than accept our imperfection and live lives transformed by grace, we pretend to be perfect and wallow in our sin.
good point, and so true.
False Advertising
"The greatest challenge the church faces today is to be authentic disciples of Jesus. ... That's one reason why the statistics on Christians generally don't differ from the statistics on non-Christians. We're not living a different life." -Dallas Willard (RelevantMagazine.com)
Christians are walking billboards for the church, and too often it's a case of false advertising. Church marketing sucks, but so do we. We're a sinful and broken people, but half the time we can't admit it. We put on an air of perfection, forgetting that in our brokenness we are complete. The church is for the broken, not the perfect.
Yet rather than accept our imperfection and live lives transformed by grace, we pretend to be perfect and wallow in our sin.
good point, and so true.
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