Thanksgiving Cigars and Church Planting
October 19th, 2007 by Pastor Eric
Deep Thought: If you’re at a Thanksgiving dinner, but you don’t like the stuffing or the cranberry sauce or anything else, just pretend like you’re eating it, but instead, put it all in your lap and form it into a big mushy ball. Then, later, when you’re out back having cigars with the boys, let out a big fake cough and throw the ball to the ground. Then say, “Boy, these are good cigars!”
You can tell we are moving into the fall season with the smell of dead fish in the air from the Red Tide. Plus, it is raining for 3 days straight. It just makes me long for all the church Hallo-Boo-jah festivals’ and Thanksgiving. Sitting here thinking about this reminds of all the good things going in Shoreline right now.
- Really good vibe in church right now. Attendance is up. Not a big spike, just good, steady growth. It reminds me of a book I just finished by my friend Matt Keller, Up the Middle about church planting. It is not published yet, but I read the manuscript. Great book for anybody about to or in the process of planting a church. The basic premise is not everyone gets the long, touchdown game winning bomb in the church plant world. Chris Hodges (Church of the Highlands) and Steven Furtick (Elevation Church) are exceptions to the rule. Most of us have to go for the short 6 & 7 yard passes and runs up the middle that lead to 1st downs that lead to touchdowns. If you are interested, contact Matt at www.upthemiddle.org.
- Speaking of church planting, God has opened the door for us to speak into some church planters lives. We have been talking to or meeting with about 5 different planters in different stages of planting
- Meet with Tom Longfellow of Daphne, AL who is moving their church into a Rave over in the East Bay area. He came over last Monday and we went through the Rave and showed him and his associate what we do. We then had lunch at Hard Rock. Since then, they have met with the Rave over in Alabama and things are rolling along. We got to hang out with Tom in Colorado in Feb. at an ARC pastors retreat.
- I talked with another ARC planter that is planting in Vegas. Tim Jimmerson is planting Destiny Church there. He is an Alabama boy planting in Vegas; talk about culture shock.
- I spent some time on the phone with Ryan May who is a pastor at Seacoast and he is planting in Chattanooga next year, also in a Rave. I have kin folk in Chattanooga.
- I have been playing phone tag with Kevin Lloyd who just planted in Decatur, AL. They are doing well. You can check them out at www.epicchurch.tv.
- We are very excited about the series we just started, Shipwrecked. If you weren’t there for the 1st one, you can watch it at www.shorelinechurch.net.
- This last Tuesday, we had a great Leadership pipeline with some exciting direction for our church for next year. But I can’t talk about it now. Maybe later when we are out back having cigars with the boys I can tell you.
Until then, be thankful… be very thankful.
Coughing up stuffing and cranberry sauce,
Pastor Eric