by Gary Reinecke | Sep 11, 2022 | Uncategorized |
In the next two blogs, we’ll be discussing two types of church plant models: the prevailing church and the micro-church network. This week, our focus is on The Refinery Church with Casey and Aimee Graves.
Preparing to launch in late September, Casey and Aimee are currently making disciples through the approach of the prevailing church model. Their call is nothing short of extraordinary as God has been weaving their story to reach the lost in the city of Temecula, California.
Discerning the Call
Casey and Aimee have been married for 19 years and have been faithfully serving in ministry together since the start. They are originally from the Pacific Northwest and were most recently serving at an established church. In 2019 both of them felt the call to church planting. The church where they served desired to plant other churches, and they partnered alongside Casey and Aimee to send them out into the mission field.
As they were discerning where to plant, it was very clear God was ordaining their steps along the way. Their call led them to San Diego and, eventually, to the city of Temecula situated between San Diego and L.A. As they prayed through the process, both Casey and Aimee felt their spirits were aligned and experienced a different level of peace. As Aimee states, “We felt God opened the door more than closed it.” After sitting on the steps of City Hall, they made the decision to go home and pray about the city of Temecula. It was then they felt a confirmation this was where God was sending them.
Discovering the Context
Temecula sits right in the middle of San Diego and Los Angeles. Unlike the major surrounding cities, Temecula has a more traditional feel. It is more suburban-like with many families (especially young ones) and many events for the community. Church is also not a foreign concept in this area, and many of the people they are trying to reach come from church backgrounds where they attended a weekly service.
Because of a context that’s familiar with the faith, it helped Casey and Aimee to discover their model and how they could best make disciples in their community. It was clear that the type of model this city needed was an established place to meet and one that would provide a place for families to join alongside one another in a corporate setting. In their community, Sunday church is a cultural piece. If they chose to go outside these bounds and create a “new” model, it may not have been received well, potentially hurting their witness. They knew they needed to meet the people where they were.
Currently, The Refinery Church is meeting in a local elementary school, which their kids attend. This prevailing church model speaks to the heart of what this city needs. By meeting in a central location like a school, it helps not only to create a space for people to gather but enables more families to find connection to one another in a place that is personal to them. This is one example of using a space as a tool to further reach people for the Kingdom of God and help them be transformed into His likeness.
Mapping out the Journey
The amazing benefit to having a public space to meet is the ability to plan for future steps. Casey and Aimee desire to care for everyone that walks through the doors of their church. Because of this, they see future movements happening within The Refinery Church in several months. On top of moving to two services to help members stay connected, they also plan to launch small groups this upcoming January. This will enable them to take their members to the next level in order to meet their spiritual needs. Their goal is to have a process in place to travel alongside them in their spiritual journey.
However, to create a culture of discipleship they are integrating simple, reproducible disciple-making communities to support the corporate gathering. They seized the opportunity to innovate and support the corporate gathering through groups of 2-3 that meet throughout the week in schools, restaurants, coffee bars, parks and homes with the flexibility larger groups lack. These groups will be strategic as we launch Life Groups in the new year.
Preparing the Heart
As Casey and Aimee have demonstrated, staying in step with the Spirit is vital to their health and well being – for the church and for themselves. They have learned several lessons along the way that can benefit any planter, regardless of the model they choose.
First, they’ve learned the power of being able to pivot. When it comes to planting a church, there needs to be room for flexibility. God can give us a vision, but we may not know how that vision is going to be carried out. This is being open to whatever and wherever the Spirit is leading so that when the time is right, we have the ability to discern where God is calling us to move. While interviewing Aimee she expressed the importance of “coming in with a plan but being ready for God to show us another way to carry out that vision”.
A second lesson has to do with trust. “Trust is one of the most important aspects when journeying alongside people in their faith.” They have learned they have to be willing to gain the trust of those around them and meet them where they are. This mentality has helped many people to learn how to commit and join them in making God’s Kingdom known.
Looking back and Reflecting
Whenever we look back at our journeys, it’s easy to see the things we could’ve done differently. However, everything plays a role in our transformation and in coming to see how God has been moving in our lives from the start.
One piece of advice Aimee would give herself at the beginning of this journey would be to “create space for the Holy Spirit and ask ‘where do you want me to go today? What do you want me to do?’ We need to leave more space for that.” This is a posture every church planter and ministry leader should take as they are sojourning this world and working alongside others. Without the work of the Holy Spirit and yielding to his leading, we will find ourselves outside of where he called us to be.
Celebrating what God is doing
It is great to plan and exciting to envision a future ministry, but one area we must not let pass by is the ability to see what God is doing right in front of us. Aimee and Casey have expressed how much they love seeing how God is changing the lives of those around them and building a team. They celebrate the deep relationships they’ve built with their team members and often get sentimental when thinking about them. This is a beautiful picture of how God birthed a desire in their hearts 3 years ago and brought forth a team they always dreamed of having.
Three ways to pray for The Refinery Church
- Launch is September 25 – pray that the Lord would bring whom He has invited
- Team – continue to forge collaborative, meaningful and effective relationships
- Discipleship Culture – that everything we do results in disciples making disciples
5 DISCIPLESHIP COACH HABITS COHORT
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by Gary Reinecke | Sep 5, 2022 | Uncategorized |
In the fall of 1986, at the age of 26, I entered seminary. I remember vividly a retreat that was held for incoming first-year students hosted at the epic Forest Home Christian Campground founded by Henrietta Mears*. I had a conversation with a fellow student who invited me to participate in an exciting new church plant he was envisioning to reach 18-25 year-olds. I was intrigued to learn more; that began my journey into church planting.
Have you felt the call to plant a church? The invitation to begin this journey can be intimidating and thrilling at the same time. With this exciting call typically comes the process of discerning what type of church model you and your team will pursue. The array of models can be overwhelming, but one of the most important decisions you will make as a leader. Choosing a model comes down to knowing your community, its culture, and your giftings.
If you ask any church leader, you may get several responses when it comes to the different types of models for a church plant. Regardless of their title, you will find the most models fit into one or more of the following categories:
- Launch a large corporate gathering
- Satellite/Multi-site Campus
- Virtual Church
- House Church (5-20 people)
- Marketplace/Missions Church
- Disciple making movements
- Life Transformation Groups
Although each model is unique, there are some key similarities that help us place them into two categories; micro and prevailing. Below we will examine the pros and cons of each model and how to embrace your giftings not only to where God has called you but to whom God has called you.
Prevailing Church
Benefits
- Leadership – established staff/trained team
- Critical mass – requires 30-60 members in the launch team
- Stability – financial model requires partners to launch
- Tools – “portable church”, equipment and resources
- Centralized- depends on a facility of some sort to launch a worship service
Challenges
- Complex – worship services done with excellence requires a team of specialists
- Upfront cost – equipment, facility, marketing, community events, etc.
- Person power – need many people to help run the church
- Mission drift – keeping the mission at the forefront
- Change management – the pioneer team you start with will be replaced with the settlers
The prevailing church model has been the traditional model for ages. The church I was instrumental in planting was a prevailing model. We started in an apartment, grew to about 3 small groups and then launched a service in an elementary school cafeteria. I remember set-up and tear-down, meeting in apartments and homes for small groups, and coaching leaders. The prevailing church model is the most common strategy used in the U.S. to establish churches within communities. Having a large launch team enables you to reach a larger number of people. The ability to be well funded also enables a pastor/staff to be salaried and focus full time on the church. This is the ideal but, of course, not the norm.
Like with all churches, however, there are drawbacks and challenges along the way. The complexities of a large church can bring pressure. Leading a congregation can often feel like “herding cats” (e.g. managing many opinions of people with different views). Because of this, it is important to always have the vision at the forefront and convey that vision from the start, repeating and reiterating often. This will help you and your team to be aligned with one another in unity and remember that disciples making disciples is the goal.
Micro Church
Benefits
- Relationally based – everything rises and falls on relationships
- Missionally focused – to make more and better disciples with everyday Christians
- Simplicity – minimal events and programs
- Accelerate the mission – rapid disciple making
- Low cost – the up front costs are minimal because leadership is co-vocational
Challenges
- Time – leaders need to be bi-vocational
- Attitude – potentially draws people who are frustrated with the established church
- Elitism – potential of exclusivity
- Counter-cultural – in a culture that champions largeness
- High expectations – amazing stories about how this works elsewhere
Micro churches have been on the rise for the last several decades. God has used catalytic leaders like Paul Yongi Cho** who introduced the cell-based church to the rest of the world, illustrating that churches can be large AND small at the same time. Both environments are critical to the health of a congregation. Whether micro churches are a response to the frustrations of the megachurch model or the desire to live out Acts 2, it’s clear there is a longing for simplicity in this world. The micro church model offers a simplistic approach that invites people into relationships with one another in order to grow in their faith. This centralized focus helps people feel known in a smaller setting and engage in deeper communion with one another. Because of this, disciple making tends to happen quicker than in larger churches.
Although the micro church is on the rise, there are weaknesses to look out for. There is a great benefit of being bi-vocational in regards to building more relationships with those who are outside of the faith. However, the potential for burnout can follow close behind if one doesn’t carefully manage their time. Additionally, because of its small nature, exclusivity can be a temptation as any group of people become close, especially ones that do “life” together so regularly. Just like we stated above in the traditional church model, it is vital to church health to remain faithful to the vision God called you to. Seeking the lost and sending out disciples must be at the forefront.
Most of us have a hard time breaking from the model we are most used to. As you journey on this call, it’s important to ask yourself a couple of questions:
- Are you coming out of an experience that has left you biased?
- What model best fits the context of the community God has called you to serve?
- What model helps you to express the gifts God has given you specifically?
In the next two blogs I will be interviewing leaders from each of the models highlighted above that are in similar stages of launching their church. Join me as we explore the realities from the perspective of church planters and discuss the highs and lows of the church planting journey.
5 Discipleship Coach Habits Cohort
ONLY 1 WEEK TO GO!
September 12 is right around the corner, and you know what that means… Our 5 Discipleship Coach Habits Webinar is finally launching! After putting a lot of time and effort in creating this training approach to disciple-making, we are so excited to finally begin this journey with anyone who feels ready to take the next step in their discipleship coaching. The cohort launches on September 12, 2022 from 10am-3pmPST.
LEARN MORE
*She had a profound impact on the ministries of Jim Rayburn (Young Life) and Billy Graham (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association) with her clear Gospel message catered specifically to young people. She is believed by many theologians to have directly shaped Bill Bright’s (Campus Crusade), Four Spiritual Laws, which defined modern evangelism. Her What the Bible Is All About (Regal) has sold over three million copies.
** Yoido Full Gospel Church (Assemblies of God), the world’s largest congregation, with a membership of 830,000 (as of 2007).
Photo by Nikko Tan on Pexels
by Gary Reinecke | Aug 29, 2022 | Uncategorized |
It’s no surprise the world of virtual communication is becoming the prominent form of teamwork in today’s culture. From remote working to mobile offices and video conferencing, the trajectory of team communication seems to be heading towards–if not already arrived at– an entirely virtual world.
In January 2000 I joined a virtual team. This was my first experience working virtually. For the next 7 years I learned and grew to appreciate the integration of technology into my daily routine. One early takeaway was that I needed to build a strong social network as most of my working day was spent alone, connected to a phone or computer; unless I was meeting in person with clients. I still lean into some of the friendships I developed over two decades ago today. While there are certainly strengths and pitfalls to the virtual approach to ministry and work, it’s become our everyday norm.
The question we’re now faced with is this: how do we embrace this virtual norm while avoiding its pitfalls? Whether you lead a church plant, an established congregation or serve in a network role, I would imagine that your work utilizes technology differently than it did pre-pandemic. Let’s discuss some of the models and tools–as well as the challenges–that accompany virtual communication.
Models
As a leader and coach, I’ve found it necessary to provide the tools for my team’s communication. Without a clear understanding and expectation of how we will communicate, details can get lost and messages can get crossed, especially when you’re not meeting face-to-face. It is important to establish the mode in which you plan to communicate with your team members and commit to using that specific method for internal communication.
Some of these tools include Slack, Trello, Asana, and Basecamp, to name just a few. Each of these platforms enables you to communicate internally, assign tasks with deadlines, and share project ideas in one space with your team members.
Benefits
The appealing nature of the virtual world is the array of benefits that come with it. Some of those benefits include:
Flexibility: The ease of choosing your own schedule and working style from a number of different locations. This can boost your productivity and focus. When one works in the same space everyday, it can be easy to become mentally “stuck.” A lot of virtual and remote work can enable one to choose their own hours, thus bringing more balance to work and personal life – especially if one has other commitments with family or loved ones.
Fewer Distractions: Many people thrive when working with others, but others need to be able to work alone to complete tasks. Not being in a shared workspace can help some team members give their full attention to a project.
Cost/Time Effective: Without an office or on-site workspace, there is no need to pay for a building or office location. One can simply work from any location, including their home. Less time and money is wasted because there is no commute time to work, no overhead, and greater balance for team members, allowing them to work more efficiently.
Challenges
Lest we forget the pitfalls, there are plenty of challenges that virtual teams face when it comes to working efficiently. Understanding these challenges ahead of time will help to prevent these issues from causing major disruptions in teamwork and productivity.
Some of those challenges to virtual teams include:
Decreased social interaction/team experiences: We noted above that many people work well in solitude. They have fewer distractions and can thrive when given the space to use their creative skills. However, some teams are more creative when people are working together and interacting with one another on a daily basis. Working with a team in a physical location helps to build strong bonds and strengthens the team as a whole. Many team members that thrive on social interaction can often find themselves feeling isolated and lonely as they spend each day working without people around them. It is essential to evaluate the needs of team members on a regular basis.
Accountability/self-discipline: Along with working alone comes the reality of unmonitored work time. Because of this there is often the need to self-motivate to get the work done. There is a tremendous amount of responsibility to be self disciplined when working on a virtual team.
Missed communication: Even with the most up-to-date platforms, there will be times when communication is lost or overlooked. When team members do not meet regularly, there is opportunity for deadlines to be missed and for ideas to be misconstrued. The dependence on technology can pose a challenge that limits teams from being consistently on the same page. Communication is a major factor in healthy teams and must be prioritized in order for teams to operate efficiently.
Let’s return to the question we asked at the beginning: “How do we embrace this virtual norm while also avoiding its pitfalls?”
I believe if we commit to being aware of the challenges and take into consideration how team members operate on an individual level, our teams will thrive. When we see red flags and challenges that arise, addressing them immediately can prevent burnout and miscommunication.
Here are three questions to help you to reflect on and consider the best way to serve your virtual team:
1. What is your current team model?
2. What is the ideal team arrangement for your team and its ministry?
3. What benefits do you see in working virtually? What do you need to watch out for?
Photo by Eduardo Dutra from Pexels
by Gary Reinecke | Aug 21, 2022 | Uncategorized |
I was speaking to a friend recently about how we make life decisions. We discussed the importance of looking at a decision from God’s perspective vs. a human perspective alone. The difference is stark: when we make a decision based on the human intellect alone we might come away with a “good decision”; in contrast, when we consider God’s perspective on a matter we engage the spiritual dimension. This leads us down the path of prayerful decision making.
Early in our marriage, my wife and I were discerning where we wanted to live. At the time we lived in an apartment on the outskirts of Phoenix, AZ. As time went on, we sensed God calling us to move downtown. We wanted to move specifically into a poor, multi-ethnic community where we could connect with people who were far from God. Little did we know where we would land.
I’ve been learning some things about discerning God’s voice from other voices. I want to share with you some of what I’ve learned in the hope that in the quiet, you can better hear God’s voice too.
Borrowing from St. Ignatius (1491-1556), I have adapted the process he used to discern God’s will when making a decision. This is a process you can use personally or apply to help others. Gina and I applied many of these steps when we were discerning God’s plan for our move from the suburbs into the inner city.
1.State the problem
When we can clearly and succinctly state a problem, it’s already partially solved. Take time here to thoroughly understand the problem so you can concisely articulate it. A clearly understood problem is a problem 80% solved.
2. Unpack options
You will almost always have at least two options, if not more. Understand each one and its implications so that you can make an informed decision. The energy you put here will be well spent and will pay dividends later.
3. Pray for inner freedom
For Ignatius, “inner freedom” meant “indifference” to the outcome. Not ambivalence, but earnestly desiring God’s will, whatever it may be. Once His will was discerned, he would be wholly committed to leaning in and following through.
4. Do you need any other information to make a decision?
To gather all relevant information needed to make a prayerful decision is an important next step. What do you sense Jesus wants you to know in order to make a prayerful decision? The answer to this question will direct you down a path that might lead you to an unexpected outcome.
5. Pray for inner freedom – again
This can’t be overstated. The goal is to begin at a place of indifference and arrive at a place of acceptance. It’s easy to slide back and forth from a human place to a spiritual place.
6. List advantages & disadvantages
Surprisingly, I’ve overlooked this step more times than I care to admit. A simple list of the pros and cons can reveal the wisest choice. Make certain you have taken ample time to slow down, pray, and reflect on this step.
7. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages
Now – compare and reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of the options before you. I would encourage you to think through opportunities and threats when making big decisions. This can clarify nuances you may not have considered.
8. Test your reasoning with your imagination
Ignatius engaged his imagination in the Spiritual Exercises using the Gospels in particular. Engage scripture and allow yourself to imagine that you’re in the scene with Jesus. Ask Him, “What do you have to say about this? Then ask yourself, “What was that like?”
This is where I am still learning. Use your imagination to project where you will be 3, 6, 9, and 12 months down the road with each option. What sensations are you experiencing physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and in your “gut”? Check in with your body: what do you sense is going on?
9. Make a tentative decision
In a way, this is testing the water before you finalize your decision. You can apply different tools to help you at this juncture. One tool I use is called the Objective Prioritization Process. Simply take your options and compare them against one other. For example, if you have four options, number each one and “match” all the various combinations (such as 1v2, 1v3, 1v4 and so on). Then choose which option you prefer under each and total the number of 1s, 2s, 3s and 4s. You will then have your top choice(s).
10. Confirm the decision
Decisions can be confirmed in a number of ways. Individually, you might need to sit with the decision for a season to determine how it feels and whether it makes sense. You might want feedback from trusted friends. Or you might simply move on once you affirm this is the direction you want to take.
11. Make your decision even if you aren’t certain about it
When I choose to make a decision I like to think I’ve made it prayerfully based on the information I had in the moment. Situations do change; but when I do my due diligence I can be sure the Holy Spirit has also done His.
Gina and I employed much of this process in discerning where we would move. Eventually, we landed in a townhouse in the middle of an immigrant community. People from all over the globe would settle there as a means to establish some stability in their lives with the hope of moving up and out. Over the 12 years we lived there, we started our family and found wonderful opportunities to see God work.
Discerning God’s will using a prayerful process made it possible for us to recall why we had moved there, especially during tumultuous seasons.
Photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash
by Gary Reinecke | Aug 15, 2022 | Uncategorized |
You’ve been coaching for a while now. You may have even completed coach certification, but you feel there is something more… Are you coaching at your optimal level or could you be a better coach? How do you really know how well you’re doing?
First published on CCT
Sure, there are always some obvious red flags when your coaching isn’t effective. But don’t wait for your clients to start dropping off the face of the earth; instead, consider these 5 signs that you could be a better coach.
How to Know When Your Coaching Needs to Improve
1. People aren’t knocking at your door.
If you are functioning well as a coach and helping those you serve, word will spread. People you have coached will start sending others your way because they know how helpful you can be. The influence you have will be expanding because of the quality of what you’re offering. If you’re not experiencing those word-of-mouth referrals, it’s time to assess how well you’re really functioning as a coach.
2. You don’t ask for specific feedback.
If you don’t regularly receive specific feedback from clients, you aren’t getting the constructive critique you need to grow. Most coaches are afraid to ask for feedback about how they can be. Those who do ask are the ones who keep improving. Even for those who are good at reading the room, no one really knows how clients are actually experiencing them. To really find out, you’ll need to ask–and you’ll need to ask for specifics. A general, “How’s everything going?” is unlikely to yield anything constructive. Don’t let insecurity prevent you from continuing to grow as a coach.
3. You’ve stopped checking your mirrors.
If you think you don’t have blind spots, you will eventually crash. Thinking you already know it all or you have nothing left to learn is the classic trap of overconfidence. Even if you’re at the top of your game, there is room to grow and sharpen your skills. In fact, coaches who are prideful often receive the most negative feedback from those they have coached. Be sure you’re not thinking more highly of yourself than you ought (Romans 12:3). Overconfidence leads directly to complacency…and then to lower and lower performance levels.
4. The thrill is gone.
Sometimes when we’ve been doing the same thing for a long time, we experience a drop in our level of excitement or our enthusiasm plateaus. If you’re not looking forward to your coaching sessions or they begin to feel burdensome, it’s an important indicator that you’re going through the motions and need to find a way to effectively fill your tank.
5. You don’t have time to grow.
If you haven’t participated in intentional growth training of some kind in the last 18 months, you may not be prioritizing your coaching. Practitioners in almost all fields are required to engage in ongoing training–and for good reasons. Working with people has profound implications, and when you try to improve and learn by yourself, it doesn’t have the same effect as doing it with others. It requires humility and intentionality to keep stretching and growing.
Feeling uncomfortable?
If one or more of these signs have hit home, it’s time to renew your commitment to grow as a coach.
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Robert E Logan and Gary Reinecke Christian Coaching Tools Co-Founders.
Photo by Kalle Kortelainen on Unsplash
