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Are You Kidding Me?

Can you believe what God is doing in Charlotte, NC through Elevation Church?

6.4 million over two years...really? Holy smokes!

It's so easy to look at what's happening there or in Anderson, SC or Dallas, TX or Oklahoma or wherever else there is a church that you pay close attention to and want to capture it all in a bottle and bring it back to your place. The catch is...those guys refused to take shortcuts. They didn't look for quick-fix bottles from other places. They figured out what was already there and harnessed it.

Pastor Steven Furtick and the crew at Elevation worked, prayed, and fasted hard before they ever set foot in the city of Charlotte. And when they got there, they worked, prayed, and fasted even more. I know that for a fact. And look what all that work, prayer, and fasting has unlocked now!

Way to go, Elevation! Thanks for the example of what God does when we move in step with what He is already doing. Glory to God!

Come Alive

Just overheard a conversation shared between several government workers here in downtown Columbia.  You'll never believe the topic...how the government and society needs the church to "come alive."

There's something we don't hear everyday from the government.

The leader of the conversation talked about the lunacy of a church to think they are a contributing member to the "greater good" by offering a program here and a program there.  His summary question: when is the church going to move beyond its own walls?

Some questions I have:

• If every Christ-follower has a part to play in the Body of Christ and our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, then why don't we see expressions of "church" everywhere believers live, work, and play?
• Have we focused so much on doing church better within our walls that we actually further distanced ourselves from people who are truly far from God and a culture that is begging for our influence?
• At the same time, have we further distanced ourselves from the real needs of our cities/communities that can and should be met by the body of Jesus?
• How can we break our allegiance to purely attractional means of presenting the gospel in order to call out the missionary spirit God has put in every son and daughter He has redeemed

It seems that everyday, God expands my vision for what could be and should be in this city and maybe what could be and should for the church as a whole.  I admit, I have more questions that answers these days.  But, I am enjoying the tension and conversations that have resulted from my questions.

What thoughts/questions do you have?

Monday Mind Dump

What a weekend! Some thoughts and reflections...

The Hardwicks are now official residents of Columbia, SC! Feels good to have one place to call "home." Lara Beth is the master unpacker - when we went to bed Friday night, everything had found its place and no boxes were left. WOW!

The Gamecocks got away with a win in Chapel Hill on Saturday. After a first half in which they looked like a top 10 team, they played a second half that looked like a bad middle school team. A lot of that had to do with Jake's young and quickly improving Tar Heels. But, we still won. Every team that has a big year has one or two ugly wins. Hopefully that's what this will be for the Gamecocks.

Really enjoying preaching on Sunday nights at Center Grove Church in Clemmons, NC. One of my mentors, Dr. Steve Corts, has been senior pastor for just over a year and the church has doubled in attendance and seen hundreds cross the line of faith in that time. Along with preaching on Sunday nights, I am helping them better focus their strategy and systems and develop leaders.

Loving unChristian. Statistics get boring, but Kinnaman and Lyons did a great job making this much more than just a book of numbers and percentages. It's written as a means of creating conversation, raising tension, and offering possible solution to the definite image problem Christianity has in America.

Lara Beth and I are continually amazed at the people we are meeting and running into in Columbia. I have no idea who is going to come together to launch this church, but it's exciting to think of the possibilities that exist with the people we've talked to so far.

Midtown Fellowship is straight up rockin' downtown Columbia. Lara Beth and some friends have gone the last two Sunday nights and the vibe is incredible. Dustin and his team are doing an amazing job connecting with downtown culture - and, they are serious about seeing Columbia transformed. Check out what they are doing the third weekend in November. Great stuff.

That's all for now...

Dustin Willis & Midtown Fellowship

Lara Beth and I had the privilege of being the oldest people in the room among 225 people last Sunday night. No, we didn't eat at Chuck E. Cheese. We visited the most happening church in downtown Columbia, Midtown Fellowship.

The music was off the chain. I was a little sketchy about their location...the State Museum...but it actually was an awesome venue - sort of movie theater-like. Lead Pastor Dustin Willis and his creative team did something they've never done before. The message was on video, sort of Nooma-like, with small worship sets weaved in between segments. The crowd was big-time engaged and passionate in singing. Oh, it was stinkin' loud...not Elevation loud...but it was loud. And really, really good. They've doubled their attendance this summer when most of their "regulars" are gone. They'll easily blow past 400 when Carolina students are back.

Dustin is a new blogger, too. And, even though he's a Tater fan, I like him a lot and his blog is way sexier than mine. I love Dustin's heart for reaching Columbia - he's been praying for years for someone to start something in Northeast Columbia, which is where we are going.

Dustin and Midtown team...keep it up! I'm honored to come alongside you to turn Columbia on its ear. And, I bet we'll be LOUDER! :-)

Drinking From a Fire Hydrant

So today, I am going to attempt the impossible...I am going to do all I can to keep up with and learn from some of my favorite people in the world who happen to be one of the fastest-paced, hardest working staffs on the planet.

Yep, I am spending the day with my good friend Steven Furtick and his amazing team at Elevation Church.

The thing I love the most about the Elevation team is their success hasn't caused them to forget their beginnings. Instead, they can look at what God is doing now and point back 18-24 months ago to decisions that were made, lessons that were learned, and steps that were taken that paved the way for today's success. As Steven has said before, "every tree was a seed." Elevation remembers their "seed" days well and they freely share what they've learned with nearly anyone who cares enough to ask.

Hard to believe that the church God is calling me to launch in Columbia...a church that doesn't have a name, a website, a location, a launch team, a staff, a checking account, or a set of bylaws...will be impacted by the decisions that I make this week. And next week. And so on. People who I haven't even met yet will be impacted by decisions that I make this week...right ones and wrong ones.

One of my primary goals for the next 12 months is to drink deeply from churches like Elevation. God has blessed me with relationships like the one I have with Steven and their team and I want to leverage it for all that it's worth. There are lost people in Columbia, SC who are depending on me doing so...and I fully intend to do it as best as I can.

So today is not just a trip to Elevation to see how cool Steven's office is (but I am prepared to be envious :-))...or see what graphics Damion is cooking up...or what crazy ideas they're working on...today is about learning all I can and doing all I can to lay the groundwork for God to do the unthinkable in Columbia.

Pray for me...Pray for the thousands of lost people in Columbia who need Jesus...Pray for the things I learn today to be appropriately applied to plant the church God will used to reach them!

Two More Partners

Just added two more links on the left side of this blog for recently announced NPM Strategic Partners:

NorthBridge Community Church in Pittsburgh, PA
Ridge Church in Charlotte, NC

Both churches are building their respective launch teams now, so if you're in either of those cities or know people who are, now's the time to GET INVOLVED! Or, if you're a displaced Steelers or Panthers fan who loves Jesus and wants to reach lost people, maybe now's the time to move to the city of your beloved team! :-)

Jame & Chris...can't wait to see how God uses you and your teams to reach those HUGE cities! What a great opportunity for you and the cities God has called you to reach.

I'm just wondering when a Honolulu partnership is going to happen...:-)

No Man's Land

Today, I am traveling to a town in South Carolina that I don't even visit when the Gamecocks play football there every other November. My favorite joke about the town is..."Did you hear about the tornado that ripped through ________? Yeah, it did 3 billion worth of improvements." Crass...maybe. True...maybe. :-)

But today, this town will have about 90 minutes of value for me. Yes, I am traveling to Clemson today to have lunch with a pastor who is getting it done, Greg Oraham.

Greg is pastor of Foothills Community Church in Seneca, SC. Don't ask me where Seneca is because I have no idea. And, I know that I can't get there from here...

I do know this...Foothills is getting it done BIG TIME - they had over 1600 and baptized over 100 a couple of Sundays ago. Greg and I met at Unleash and I immediately knew he was a guy I needed to spend some time with. One of my goals for the next 12 months is to spend as much time as I can with 3-5 pastors who are leading churches that are about 3 steps ahead of Catalyst. Last year, I made a mistake and spent too much time with guys that are about 10 steps ahead of Catalyst...and that got overwhelming in a hurry. The fact that Foothills is growing like it is and being located where it is means God has to be ALL OVER Greg, the staff, and the people. Looking forward to learning.

And, I found out last night that Greg is a blogger...

Hopefully, I'll make it in and out of no man's land unscathed, but filled up with lessons, vision, and encouragement! :-)

You're Unbelievable

Spent the day yesterday in Alpharetta and at Buckhead. While my conversations with David are always stretching, encouraging, and helpful, the highlight of the day was getting a tour of the nearly completed masterpiece that is the new location for Buckhead Church. In one word...UNBELIEVABLE!

I had not been to the site since it was a hole with some steel beams rising up out of it. Now it is a place oozing with mission and vision, with a touch of amazing design and beautiful views :-). And, it's right in the heart of Buckhead where thousands of people walk and drive by daily.

No doubt about it...tens of thousands of people will meet Jesus in that building. It all starts on Opening Day, May 6!

I took a few pics with my Treo. There is still some set design and cosmetic work to be done in Waumba (preschool), Upstreet (children), and The Attic (students), so I didn't take any of those areas. But, I did get a couple of shots of the auditorium and their super-cool outdoor sign...

Makes me want to find 3 acres of land in downtown Greenville and do the same thing! Maybe one day...maybe soon...who knows!

Rock Point Community Church l Chattanooga, TN

If you live in or have friends who live in Chattanooga, TN, then you need to know what's happening THIS SUNDAY, March 25. The 11th NPM Strategic Partner, Rock Point Community Church, will launch large on Sunday night at 6:00 pm at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

Heath Bennett is the lead pastor at Rock Point. He has been the Middle School pastor at North Point since the beginning, so he has been around for all the amazing things God has done in Alpharetta. Now he's putting on his big boy pants and jumping in to church planting! :-) Heath and the team have done a great job building a core and now they are ready to roll.

If you know people in Chattanooga, make sure you invite them. If you live in Chattanooga, check out Rock Point's launch page and go check it out Sunday night.

Can't wait to see what God does in Chattanooga!

Access Has Launched!

Last week, I told you that Strategic Partner #10, Access Church in Jacksonville, FL, was set to launch on Sunday. Over 300 adults and 60 kids showed up for their first service! Way to go Rich and team! Can't wait to see what God continues to do in Jacksonville.