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Reflections: May Meeting
Our May PlantR gathering was marked by a sense of possibility and a desire for collaboration unlike we have seen before. After the meeting, Blake McDaniel, US Central Region Director for ACMC, commented to Jonathan: “I love what is happening in this network. God has put some special men in this room. I’d love to see a PlantR in every major city in the U.S.” And that is happening: PlantR has been reproduced in the Brazos Valley and in Houston, and more are developing. And while we’re excited to see what is shaping up elsewhere, we have a growing sense of anticipation for how the PlantR network might grow to a church planting movement in Austin.
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?
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Reflections — Arts and Missions Panel
It might have been the panel format. It might have been the topic. I it was probably both — the Arts and Mission panel was one of the most engaging topics and discussion that I’ve been part of in a PlantR meeting.
The panel featured three local artists who are also deeply connected with local churches:
- Nate Navarro – a pastor at Austin City Life, and the founder of a non-profit called Music For the City. The vision for the Music for the City came out Nate’s desire to connect two passions he shares: the Austin music scene and the poor.
- Steven Bush – a staff member at Austin Stone leading a team of artists who tell stories through writing and photography. Steve is also a musician and a photographer.
- JJ Plasencio – JJ is a former member of two nationally recognized bands and a worship pastor with a strong heart for mission, inviting those who aren’t part of a church to play in his worship band as an entry into Christianity.
As each of these men shared, a few common themes emerged through their stories or the stories of those they have worked alongside:
- A disengagement with the church at some point in life, followed by a return through the arts.
- A longing for the church to be known for making great art, and not forming some kind of “crappy sub-culture”.
- A consuming desire to see the Gospel be made known and true through their artistic expressions and the relationships that come through them.
Out of the sharing of their hearts, a lot of great discussion formed around these questions:
- What does it look like for Christians and non-Christians to work together for the good of the city? This is the core question that Music for the City is exploring in their work, and one that all of us should be asking.
- How can the church engage with others for the good of the city and still give credit to Jesus through the collective witness of the church? Should that be publicly visible somehow, or come out of the relationships that happen through the work?
- What does it look like for artists and pastors to work closely together? JJ suggested Orbiting the Giant Hairball — a book about how the creatives and executives at Hallmark had to learn to work together.
- How can we engage with artists in such a way that they can express as more than just illustrations for the sermon? How do we show love to the artists? Love the artists beyond being a resource. Respect and support their art outside the church. At the root of all artists is an approval idol.
- How can the church re-engage burned artists to join them on mission? Teach them to be ministers first and artists second.
- Should we pay the artists? There is not an easy answer to this, as there are times when this seems appropriate, and times when it isn’t.
- What is the role of art in the Church? A visual story is often more powerful than a aural story. People weep over a scene in a movie before they would by hearing the story. Allow art to tell the story of the gospel.
All of the answers above only capture bits of the conversation. They may appear incomplete, and they are, as many of us felt like we hand only scratched the surface in this conversation. It’s one we will likely return to in the future.
Our time together ended beautifully, as JJ laid bare his heart in sharing his love and passion for the church. While he could be involved full-time in the music industry, it is to the church that he has given his heart. That is where lives are changed. Before closing our time by praying for us and our churches, he reminded us that our competition isn’t each other or any of the other churches in town…it’s the lake, it’s all the places where people are going to find beauty and life.
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January Meeting Reflections: Jonathan Dodson
While much has come from PlantR in the last few years, there is great hope for what God has yet to do in Austin. PlantR’s prayer is to be in the middle of that by helping to shape a movement of church planting. In a meeting this month, the PlantR board felt that there were two things that could happen in 2010 for PlantR. We could plateau as a network focused on connecting relationships, or we could continue moving forward to shape a movement of church planting. Without hesitation the board felt led to emphasize the latter.
With that emphasis in mind, Jonathan Dodson shared some thoughts on what needs to happen in PlantR in 2010 and beyond. Notes from his outline are below. We’ll follow up early next week with some action steps you can take immediately to help shape this movement.
The Vision of PlantR
- To catalyze a Christ-centered, context-sensitive church planting movement for social and spiritual renewal of Austin and beyond.
- None of us can plant a church that can change the city on it’s own. The renewal of a city requires a movement, not a single church.
Our strategy
What do we need to include in our strategy?- faith in God — and not in our practices and experience
- a stirring of the Spirit
- we need the gifts of church planters — are you participating in a lead team?
- partnership between churches
What do we need to remove from our strategy?
- a misplaced sense of identity — each of us is a disciple/Christian first, and a pastor/planter second
- a searching for personal glory
The Nuts and Bolts of a Strategic Partnership
- identify areas of need for the city — John Herrington and HCBC are partnering with Ed Stetzer to conduct an exhaustive survey of metro Austin
- partnering in the community — relationships with established churches and organizations planting churches in the city
- become an informational hub via the website, twitter, etc.
What Does a Movement Require
- it happens through community
- it happens through prayer
- it happens through your local context
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PlantR Churches in Giving City Magazine
Both Austin New Church and Soma Austin are featured in the latest edition of GivingCity Austin magazine. The article is called “Austin’s Church Plants” and begins on page 16. The PlantR network gets a mention as well.You can download a PDF of the issue directly from the GivingCity website.
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October Meeting Reflections: David Smith
Most of us are already aware of the generous spirit of the Austin Baptist Association since they host our monthly meetings. But in our October meeting, we got a look at just how generous that Spirit is as David Smith, the Director of Missions, spoke to us this month.
David began by sharing the heart of the ABA for church planting. Their vision for church planting is as follows: Utilizing cooperation, passion and innovation, the ABA will provide an environment to aid the local church to expand the Kingdom by planting local churches. According to David, Austin Baptists connect with about 1.7% of Austin on any given Sunday. The ABA recognizes that any work of the Kingdom of God is going to be much bigger than Baptists alone, and their heart is to connect with anybody and everybody who is sharing Christ in Austin.
David followed with some exhortations for each of us as church planters. His statements were simple, but needed reminders for each of us, to hold tightly to each of these practices:
- Read God’s Word – Specifically, read the whole thing every year. David gave each of us the annual reading plan from Discipleship Journal.
- Love God – With all your heart, soul, mind, and strength…with all of your being.
- Love your spouse – The most memorable advice he ever received from a pastor he deeply respected: “If you want to be a success in ministry, you love your wife.” David encouraged each of us to date our spouse at least once a week, and he put his money where his mouth is by giving everyone in attendance a $25 restaurant gift card.
I love David’s heart. But I know that he is one of many who have a spirit of partnership to see new churches in Austin. I’ve never seen cooperation like I see in Austin, and I’m thankful for what David and others do for the sake of our ministry in the greater Austin area.
