Man School

Church-planting is a strange gig, but for no lack of information. The planter (me) has access to all sorts of ideas how to go about getting a new church started. Some of those ideas come from church-planting friends (ideas that work, at least somewhere else.) Some other ideas come from me (ideas of how not to do things, based on past experience.) And there are lots of ideas available from books and websites and blogs and conferences and countless other sources, usually written by successful practitioners who have earned the right to headline conferences and write books, websites, blogs and those other sources.

Church planters suffer no lack of available information. But different priorities and different methodologies lead to different kinds of churches. And the sad reality is, not every concept, not every method, not every idea is transferable; or should be.

To "exegete" the culture means to identify the histories of people who make up the city, to observe the rhythms of the city, to note the idols of the city, and to humbly "prescribe" the KIND of church the city needs, even if the city doesn't necessarily agree it needs a new church, or any church.

Every church-planter (at least the ones I know) really wants their church to be centered on Jesus. They want their people to know the gospel, and they want their people to live out the gospel. Every church-planter wants to see their people living in community with other believers, on mission. And every church-planter knows he needs to raise up other leaders who will in turn multiply other leaders.

Here in Juneau we (today) began the process of raising up and equipping church leaders. It may be these guys will never be a part of the new church plant (that exists still only in my mind), but they will be equipped to lead a church somewhere here in town.

We met this morning at 7:00 AM in a restaurant with an owner kind enough to open it up to us hours before they open for real. He believes in what we're doing. We're using two different resources (see paragraph #1.) We're beginning our journey together studying the Book of Acts, the record of how and why new churches get started in new places. We've assembled a group of men who love Jesus and have exegeted our city enough to know our city (and its churches) needs more gospel leaders who will raise up and equip other leaders in the gospel. We call it "Man School."

Is this church-planting? I don't know. Depends on the definition I suppose.