Francis Chan Session 1

Simon Says…Jesus Says

I was deeply moved as God spoke through Francis Chan, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Semi Valley, California and author of Crazy Love. Chan began by asking the Verge participants to forget they were in a conference and instead to simply be people gathered in the presence of God. He encouraged our passion for God, more than for mission, reminding of Moses’ words, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us…” (Exodus 33:15).



Chan echoed something many of us have said, that God is moving and speaking the same messages into lives around North America that do not know each other. Chan asked, “How in the world can all these people be saying the same things…hearing the same things from God…responding in similar ways?” It must be clear that God is calling His bride to a fresh love with Himself and new abandon to His purpose.

At the outset we agreed with Chan that the Verge conference was born as a response to what God was already doing in developing missional communities. “It is not our place to initiate a movement. That is God’s doing.” Disciples did not get together and organize the day of Pentecost. It wasn’t a plan. It was the Holy Spirit of God doing something. The disciples were along for the ride.


Chan challenged those present to make sure that what we are doing is theologically right. He suggested that “If we just read the scripture and follow what it says, we would make disciples.” We would obey.

He said, “When I was young we played, Simon Says. All of us have played it…well maybe not the younger generations, because there are no app’s for it. Someone would say ‘Simon Says’ and we did it. But when ‘Jesus says,’ in church we act like ‘You don’t have to do it…you just have to study it and memorize it.’ If I tell my daughter to clean her room, she doesn’t come back in an hour and say, “Okay Dad, I memorized what you told me to do.”

Jesus told us to love one another. No one out there has ever seen God, but if we as the Body would really love each other, they would get a glimpse of His love. When we love each other in unity, the world will believe that Jesus was sent from God. It is not through our apologetics that the reality of Jesus will be known, rather through our love.

When the early disciples experienced Jesus alive again after His death, everything else took a back seat to obediently sharing the Good News of Jesus with others. “Stuff” didn’t matter anymore when death was conquered and Jesus’ Spirit came upon His church. Jesus changes everything. And we are invited to join His mission of loving the world to Himself.

*Photos provided by the VERGE 2010 Media Team

Missional Living

I was blessed in reading the blog of Terry Timm, Lead Pastor of Christ Community Church of the South Hills in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvaina. Terry is teaching a missional church course for which my book Shaped by God’s Heart is the text. In one of his blog posts, he quotes Dianne Bergant speaking on Advent life. I have adapted her words and copied some of Terry’s comments. Together I think they are a beautiful description of the missional life:

“The [missional] life does not necessarily require unusual behavior on our part, but it calls us to live the usual unusually well. It affects the everyday events of life; it directs the way we interact with people; it informs the attitudes that color our judgments and motivations. It is as ordinary as the birth of a child; it is as extraordinary as the revelation of God.”

Jesus calls us to live the usual unusually well. This reminds me of Eugene Peterson’s translation Romans 12:

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.”

God is not looking for extraordinary and unusual acts of faithfulness, courage, daring or sacrifice. Worship is offering our everyday, ordinary lives back to God for the life of the world.

What would it look like for you to live the usual unusually well? And how might God take our simple acts of faith, hope, and love – infuse them with His Spirit and use them in the establishment of His kingdom here on earth?

Verge 2010 P1

Over the next days, I will be posting insights from Verge 2010 Missional Community Conference which was held February 4-6, 2010. It was my privilege to be part of the Social Media team for the event.

Matt Carter, lead pastor of Austin Stone Community Church said missional community may be what this generation of believers is remembered for during session 1 at Verge 2010 Missional Community Conference in Austin.


Missional Community has the potential to be what this generation of believers is remembered for; that which historically defines this generation. Grandparents were remembered for Billy Graham and Navigators; parents for mega churches and contemporary Christian music and worship. I believe missional community is the long awaited structure that the American church has needed desperately to release every day believers into the mission God has intended for them in their everyday life.

There is a growing tension as everyday believers wonder why what they read in the book of Acts is not occurring in their own church experience. “When do I get to get in the game? When does the Holy Spirit get to manifest himself in and through me?” Missional Community has the potential to awaken the sleeping giant of the church.

There is also a danger that missional community is what we will be remembered for rather than our love for Jesus. The danger in that kind of community is that we love our mission more than our savior. If you love your mission more than you love your savior, then your savior will have no part in your mission.

The church at Ephesus was a church that exercised discipline, held true doctrine, persevered for Jesus’ sake. Yet, this was the church of which Jesus said, “I have a serious problem with you. You have left your first love.” After having identified five good things they were doing, Jesus said, “You have lost your relationship with me. I am no longer the first thing in your life.” In other word, you love your mission more than your savior.

The consequence of that failure was the removal of the “lamp stand.” For us the question becomes: If Jesus took everything away from you, never had one shred of success in ministry again; never saw a dream come true, would Jesus alone be enough?

*Photos provided by the VERGE 2010 Media Team

Pray for Boldness

The new year has already shifted into high gear. So much is happening around the world; tragedies and victories, depths of pain and wonderful causes for celebration. As 2009 ended, I reflected on our need for boldness in this season. My thoughts ran to the first century church, the challenges faced, and her desperation for God's gift of boldness. This brief video captures some of my thoughts. It begins with a reminder of the upcoming Verge 2010 Missional Community Conference in Austin. I trust that you will join me in asking God to gain glory through that gathering!

Compassion Channels for Haiti Relief

My partners in ministry at Jacksonville Baptist Association have an ongoing Haitian ministry to orphaned children. Now housing families left homeless. Details and online giving at www.jbahaiti.org. I have personal knowledge of the long term impact and integrity of this ministry.

Long term relationship with Texas Baptist Men Disaster Relief ministries yields my absolute confidence in their intervention as well. Water purification already on the way. Info at http://www.texasbaptistmen.org/DNN/.

My Growing Vision for a Missional Church

After more than twenty five years of ministry as pastor and then consultant servant to church leaders, I came to realize that most churches in North America were highly active yet minimally effective in impacting their world. I spent years assisting churches in identifying ministry opportunities in their communities, pathways through which congregations could serve unchurched persons in ways they would receive. We believed churches that matched gifts and skills of their church members with ministry opportunities in the community would establish relationships with people who were open to the Good News of the Gospel.

In reality, only a handful of people in most churches would become part of those servant ministries. Most would applaud developing ministries, provide financially to enable those ministries, but few would become servants in these new “touch points.” New ministries were “added” to the already busy schedule of activities in most churches. Many members were already involved in as many church events as they deemed possible with their busy schedules. Adding something else was just not realistic. And because the other activities were deemed important, discontinuing these was not an option. So, the church calendar continued to fill.

I became convinced that no amount of corporate ministry initiatives would ever result in true effectiveness. Further, I knew that most churches struggle to define effectiveness in the first place. For many, effectiveness is measured by comparing attendance in Bible Study and worship this year with attendance in preceding years. Or perhaps, some might compare annual baptismal numbers. Hardly any churches think in terms of measuring the impact the church is actually having in its community. Few measure the number of new disciples who are equipped.

I saw clearly that churches must not simply do what they do better, but be different. Continuing existing programs would doubtless continue to produce similar results. Without new ways of thinking and acting churches would be isolated from and irrelevant to many people in their communities. Unless the church began to impact the lives of those in the community at the points where they naturally intersected, it was doubtful that they would have significant influence and impact on those lives. While corporate ministries are important and needed, true impact would only be realized through the everyday influence of members living as servant reflections of Christ in their own spheres of influence. True impact will not be linked to more calendared events, but to greater care and involvement in the lives of people at the office, in the classroom, on the course or field, and across the fences that ensure our personal privacy.

Instead of isolating ourselves from the world, or spending more hours talking about how we might reach the world, it is time to be Christ in the world. Not a select few, but all members of the Body of Christ are to live as sent ones.

Please share your thoughts: As a follower of Christ, what do you need most from your church to equip you to live as Christ’s servant and messenger among your friends, family, work associates and neighbors? As a church, how do you measure effectiveness? What is your best practice in preparing followers for effective mission lifestyles?

Verge 2010 – Austin – February 4-6

For those of you who have been asking, “no” I am not speaking at Verge. So, why do I keep encouraging you to register? Why do I keep saying, “I look forward to seeing you there?” Because I believe in the dialogue that Verge will foster. I believe in being part of the community of faith on this missional journey. It is not about me. It is not about the “speakers.” It is about God, His mission and our part in it.

While I will not be “on the platform” I will be in the dialogue. So will you, if you join us. For Verge is about more than hearing a few people speak. It is about community, family, networking. It is about what God wants to say through you and me as well as to you and me.

The day before Verge 2010 begins I will conclude three days of keynoting a west coast conference for pastors and spouses where we will explore the missional leadership challenges they are facing. From there, I will join you in Austin where we will continue the same dialogue in a different context. We are all learners on the journey. God is the guide. His church is the vessel sent to live and proclaim His Kingdom. Let’s gather to hear His voice at the Verge of this decade!