Now to confuse the living daylights out of everyone before turning on the light and wrapping up this whole series.
Lofty goal? You think?
We’ll see.
First the confusion. Core groups can be good and launch teams can be bad.
What?!
What’s wrong with you, pastor?! You’re talking out of both sides of your mouth!
Easy now. Let me explain.
Believe it or not, it still goes back to the whole idea of properly infusing the right DNA. If a core team got it then they will be AWESOME no matter how many natural roadblocks are understandably built into planting a church with the core group approach. On the other hand, you can actually launch with hundreds of people, a ton of excitement, $500,000 in savings and five people already on staff and be dead in the water within three years.
I’ve actually seen this happen. I met with some folks from a church plant about 10 years ago that had 400 people on the very first day. Did you get that? 400 people on day ONE! Most churches in
Well, no.
They no longer exist.
“What happened pastor Rob?! You said a launch team was guaranteed and a core team would only fail!!”
Actually, I didn’t say that. Not even once. Go back and read the entire series here, then here, then here.
Wasn’t in there, was it?
Ok, now that you have been properly reprimanded let’s continue. In yesterday’s post I outlined why I believe a core team naturally runs into problems with unity and entitlement and vision hijacking while a launch team approach is far less likely to run into these same problems. However, there is one thing that can assure the same sad result for either approach and that happens when whichever starting group you choose actually does not share the vision DNA with the pastor.
BTW, when that happens, guess whose fault it is 99.9 percent of the time?
The pastor’s—and I’m not playing. He is responsible for making sure the vision gets transfered. If he blows it off. It won’t happen.
Let’s face it, if the captain of the USS Bliss is steering one way—even if the passengers are thrilled with it—and the crew wants to go another that ship will soon need to be renamed, “The Bounty,” because it’s only a matter of time before there is some kind of mutiny. Unfortunately I have seen churches that resemble the Titanic as well.
So, how do you assure this does not happen? How do you pass on the DNA to the crew and volunteers?
For that I will bow out and let Bill Hybels wrap this thing up:
Not surprisingly, Jesus was the master when it came to this. He played out countless scenarios with His followers in order to reinforce the values He believed must be characterize His kingdom movement. Through His actions, Jesus showed His followers that things such as courage, and humility and perseverance would be rewarded. And that selfishness, pride and judgment would not.
Jesus affirmed those who were making DNA progress and reprimanded those who were headed in the wrong direction.
And you and I will have to do the same if those we lead are ever going to get it. We will have to do more than cheerlead for God. We will have to model what we love, teach what we have come to know and introduce constantly those who are far from God to the one who carries the perfect spiritual genes.