We began by reviewing some of the key data that came out of the demographic study commissioned by ABBA. There was a general consensus that most of us weren’t surprised by the data. While many in Austin might name themselves Christian by religion, that isn’t consistent with a much smaller number who would say they have faith in Jesus. And a few of the anecdotal examples that were shared line up with that.

One metaphor that Ed Stetzer shared in the presentation the data rings true. Austin, as a whole, has just enough exposure to the Christian message to be inoculated. Many have experienced church first or second hand — just enough to feel that they understand what Christianity is. But those understandings, more often than not, fall short of a holistic gospel and the giving of one’s self to be a disciple entering into a life more abundant.

As PlantR seeks to be a church planting movement, there is, of course, a desire to help see more and more church planted in and around Austin. But another emphasis emerged as well yesterday. How do we do all that we can to help the churches that are already going survive and thrive? How can we partner with each other and established churches and organizations to this effect?

As we brainstormed those questions, these were the thoughts about how we can partner with each other to help existing churches build a sustained movement:

• Be a truly collaborative network of planters
• Encouragement for each other
• Helping to equip each other and other leaders
• Constructive criticism of our models and character
• Being financially wise
• Train missionaries to Austin
• Coaching
• Share and identify with more stories of local planters
• Identifying and strengthening our theological calling
• Soul care for planters

Let’s carry this discussion on in the comments. How have you seen the above list working itself out already? How, as a network of co-laborers, can we develop and provide these things to each other?

I met Pastor Charles Buregeya in January when I went on a Vision Trip to Rwanda. Charles pastors a church as well as leads an NGO called Africa New Life Ministries consisting of Orphan Care, Church Planting, and Theological Training. Charles is one of those rare visionary leaders who is playing an integral role laying gospel foundations in a rebuilding country. Charles will be in town this coming week (preaching @ our church this Sunday) and I hope you can clear 12-130 this Monday and worship to hear about the gospel in Rwanda.

Monday, April 12, 12-130 PM @ Austin Bible offices

Lunch is provided. You are welcome to bring other staff or key leaders. We just need a head count for food.

Please leave a comment below to RSVP.

Healthcare?
Business?
Sports?
Education?
College Ministry?
Orphan care?

At this Austin Stone 100 People Network Event: A Muslim World Connection, you will hear stories of how God uses people in these fields of work to impact Muslim peoples for Christ! You will have the incredible opportunity to connect with ministries to specific Muslim people groups from all over the world that need people in these fields of work to join them!

You will also hear from Carl Medearis, an international expert in Muslim-Christian relations and author of Muslims, Christians, and Jesus as well as Tea With Hezbollah (with Ted Dekker). Carl has had an incredible ministry in the realm of politics and development among Muslims. He will speak on what God is doing in the Muslim world.

REGISTER HERE.

Dates: Friday, Apr 30: 6:30 PM – 9:30PM
Saturday, May 1: 8:00AM- 5:00 PM

Location: Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church (Google Map Directions)

Registration Cost: $30 per person

WHO SHOULD COME?

You should come to this event if you fit any of the following descriptions:

• You feel God may be calling you (and your family) to GO to the nations to serve
• You feel God may be calling you to increase your role as a SENDER of others to the nations.
• You are looking for opportunities to GET PLUGGED IN with God’s work in the Muslim world
• You have SKILLS (e.g., in sports, business, education, etc.) that you want to use for God’s glory, but you are not yet sure how to go about that
• You are interested in LEARNING MORE about the Muslim world.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS EVENT?

We are aiming for 2 specific objectives for this event:

• For every participant to learn about the Muslim world, specifically at least one unengaged Muslim people group.
• To provide every participant a relevant opportunity to connect either as a GOER or SENDER with a ministry that is working in the Muslim world.

SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

Detailed overview of what God is doing in the Muslim world.
3 presentations by Carl Medearis, an international expert in Muslim-Christian relations and author of Muslims, Christians, and Jesus as well as Tea With Hezbollah (with Ted Dekker)
Extensive time to connect with ministries working in the Muslim world. These include ministries working in orphan care, education, sports, business, and healthcare!

REGISTER HERE!

Engage a host of subject matter experts including Tim Hawks, Brandon Hatmaker, John Herrington, John Reeves, and many thriving current planters for an eight-session training course– mondays from 9-3:30– designed to help you plant a high-impact, missional church.

Hill Country’s association has planted 19 churches (currently three planters in training) in greater Austin and has partnered with many others who are part of a like-minded, gospel-centered movement that has a sense of owning responsibility for the redemption and restoration of the whole city.

Their goal is to see one hundred churches planted in greater Austin by 2014, and they know they cannot do it alone. Last fall eighteen different planters from twelve denominations attended this instructive nuts and bolts learning opportunity.

Whether you are just getting started, or just want a refresher, Church Planting Essentials training will help you and your team …

• Think through the larger questions before you start
• Develop a network of fellow church planters in the city
• Exegete your community
• Learn how to enlist a team
• Think through your vision
• Develop greater self-awareness
• Refine your strategy
• Contextualize your evangelism
• Learn how to put together a tactical ministry plan
• Craft a realistic budget
• Develop an effective communication plan

RSVP via email to lcarlson@hcbc.com. Or for more information, call John Herrington at 512-331-5050.

We have embarked upon a mission to determine the spiritual state of our region.

• We are constantly asked how well our churches are reaching the city/region. The answer we always get is that 15-16% attends church. Every time I hear that number, I try to determine its origin. It is ancient history dating back to 1989. It has been tested a number of times, but on a very small scale.
• We need much more complete and current information!

PLEASE complete the survey for your church as soon as possible. You can respond online at www.lifewayresearch.com/austin. The completed surveys must be to Lifeway by March 31st. The individual responses will be held in strict confidence. This is a major undertaking costing over $50,000. We want to be good stewards of that which has been entrusted to us.

We will convene a general meeting of all church leaders where this information will be presented and the reports made available to all.

Here’s the story. We have contracted with Ed Stetzer, Director of Research for Lifeway to work with the churches of our region to accomplish the task of assessing the spiritual health of our region. Stetzer’s group is currently conducting in-depth interviews with a large sample of individual respondents bridging cultural, economic, and religious segments of our population regarding their receptivity.

In addition, Stetzer’s group has developed a comprehensive survey instrument for the churches of our region. The intent is to gauge the overall penetration and effectiveness of our churches in reaching the various areas and cultures of our region. It is our prayer that the entire church community of our region will greatly benefit by this labor of love.

Yours in the service of the King,

–Dan

Documents: Screening Packet | Budget From | Application | Background Check | Schedule

In the words of Alan:

Something special is happening in Austin. We’re not seeing this kind of partnership and momentum in other cities.

He followed that up yesterday when he tweeted:

“I think Austin might just be the US city furtherest along the missional road.”

I instantly felt both thankful – and honestly -a bit burdened (in a good way). I was hit by the gravity and responsibility that comes with stewarding even a shred of God’s movement. And I was thankful that PlantR is neck deep in trying.

God help us.

It doesn’t really matter whether you’re a part of the mega or micro-church world. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re at an established church or a planting pastor with a dream. What matters is if you’re in this city and whether or not you’re for God’s Kingdom in this city.

We need to take a moment and acknowledge – with thanksgiving – what God is doing in Austin. To realize that what we’re experiencing is just a glimpse of what can happen. Recognize that there were men of God praying for His Kingdom in Austin way before we were even here. Prayerfully consider what we need to do to not get in the way. And do whatever it takes to be a part of advancing what He’s already doing.

I think John Herrington (Hill Country Bible Church) put it best in his recent post:

“It is time to coalesce the incredible talent I see in the pastors of Plantr and release it collectively into the city. The idea of tithing our time and talents beyond our own plant changes everything.”

Brandon Hatmaker – Austin New Church
web: www.AustinNewChurch.com
email: brandon@austinnewchurch.com
twitter: @brandonhatmaker

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]]> http://www.plantr.org/life-after-verge-brandon-hatmaker/feed/ 1 http://www.plantr.org/four-simple-steps-to-help-shape-a-movement/ http://www.plantr.org/four-simple-steps-to-help-shape-a-movement/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:00:35 +0000 admin http://www.plantr.org/?p=465 As we begin to move deeper into our dreams for 2010 and beyond, it must be a movement of partnerships and cooperation from church planters across the Austin metro area.

John Herrington, a PlantR board member and Director of Church Planting at Hill Country Bible Church has this to say:

It is time to coalesce the incredible talent I see in the pastors of Plantr and release it collectively into the city. The idea of tithing our time and talents beyond our own plant changes everything. I am particularly excited about seeing us cooperate with Ed Stetzer in creating a well-researched spiritual map of the city. This is an effort that could elevate our church planting game enormously.

John will be sharing more about the upcoming research project with Ed Stetzer in the weeks to come. In the mean time, as we promised last week, here are some immediate and simple actions for each member of PlantR to take as we look ahead:

• Connect with a Lead Team: The actions and outworking of PlantR happen through the lead teams. Consider how you can contribute to one of these teams and get in touch with the contact person.
• Help Complete the Map: Understand where church plants are working around the metro area is one critical piece to our efforts in partnering. Please take a few minutes to confirm the location of your church on the map and others you might be aware of. Let us know if you see any information that needs to be added or updated.
• Help us Create an Informational Hub: Our hope is to shape the PlantR website into a hub for all things church planting in Austin. As you aware of events, stories, or organizations that relate to church planting, let us know so that we can make that information available to others on the website and PlantR calendar.
• Connect via Social Media: Networking is critical for our developinig partnerships. Connect with PlantR via Twitter, Facebook, the RSS feed, and the Google Calendar. Visit the voices page to follow the blogs and tweets of others who are part of PlantR.

There are tragedies that we stumble across on television, in magazines, online, and in the paper that we are able to process, despite how horrific they might be –- Hurricanes. Floods. Fires. Even the injustices that we ourselves perpetuate; things like war and poverty, we have somehow gotten used to.

But some tragedies seem to come out of nowhere and blindside us. That was how a group of us felt when we discovered that there are 27 million people in slavery in the world today. That those slaves aren’t just living in places whose names we can’t pronounce, but right here in the United States. Right here in Texas. Right here in Austin. It was a fact so shocking that we found ourselves initially paralyzed. It was a fact so shocking that those we told about it hesitated to believe it. It was a fact so shocking that we set out to discover what we could do. What might our response be?

As we engaged in conversation with those who know the issue and have history fighting this injustice, we decided that our first response would simply be to spread the word and raise awareness. We knew that people wouldn’t be willing to fight the problem until they began to realize the gravity of the problem. We formed a group called What’s Your Response? and began brainstorming possibilities for bringing attention to the issue of modern day slavery. And so, on August 8, What’s Your Response? took to the streets for our first “coaster crawl” to bring awareness to the issue of human trafficking in Austin. A turnout of nearly 50 individuals gathered at BookPeople bookstore, organized into groups, and went around town distributing free stacks of campaign coasters to various bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. In just a few weeks we have seen that the word is spreading and that people are wanting to know more about what they can do to end slavery.

The fact is that each person who becomes aware of the reality of modern-day slavery brings us all one step closer to helping prevent the horrors of it. And even though this first initiative may have been a crawl, it really was a big step in increasing slavery awareness in Austin.

What’s Your Response? is a grass roots movement and so every person and every response gets us one step closer to ending slavery. We need your ideas, your energy, and your time. We believe all people deserve freedom, dignity, and hope. We are committed to ending modern day slavery. We invite you to respond.