Church Plant Lessons 101 – Page 5

Have Fierce Conversations with Your Bride

2011-10-25T09:07:45+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

After our relationship with God, our relationships with our brides are the most important ones we have. God himself said it was “not good”’ for man to be alone. God designed the marriage relationship to provide the deepest level of intimacy possible. Sadly, one of the top three reasons why marriages in America fail is because of a lack of intimacy, as a result of poor communication. Husbands and wives share facts, exchange opinions, but rarely do they share their hearts. God does not want us to just “talk”, neither does he want us to remain “silent”, he wants us to have fierce conversations with brides where we reveal our heart, and draw out hers. I'm am committed to moving beyond the charge to "be a spiritual leader" without equipping men to do it. With that in mind, below are the five things I taught at our last men's retreat [...]

Old Thoughts on a New Church

2011-09-12T20:15:11+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Random Thoughts|

***This is a blog I wrote several months ago right after the first public gathering of Communion. I don't know why I didn't post it. But here it is*** Tonight was the first "public" gathering of our first church plant, Communion Church. Intended as an "information-service", the evening was book ended with worship as Jim shared about why we're planting a church at all. And though I doubt he'd agree because he's that cynical and self-deprecating (as all lead pastors tend to be), he spoke very well to the honor Jesus and His bride the church. What an experience to see 45 people,some who go to Damascus Road, others who do not, all whom didn't know our church existed when was planted 4 years ago, stood worshipping Jesus together. And while some sat at home watching dancing with the Stars, I watched God begin to plant a new church in the [...]

10 Questions to Find the Idol You Worship (If it is not Jesus).

2021-07-04T18:01:45+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Note to Self...and Others, Theology 101|

Below are 10 thought-provoking questions. Questions like these powerful tools to help us discover the false idols in our heart. There are good and bad answers to these questions. If you want to discern the rightness or wrongness of your answers, check the textbook--the Bible. 1. What is the one thing, or person, you fear losing most? Beyond sadness, how would you feel if that thing or person were gone tomorrow? (What would such a loss do to your life?) 2. What gives you purpose? Where do you find your identity, significance, and meaning in your life? (What role, job, responsibility, talent, title, or position makes, or would, make you most proud of yourself?) 3. What is success? How will you know if your life is a success or a failure? (Who has proven to have a "successful" life in your view?) 4. What gives you hope for the future? What, [...]

We’re All Wieners, Addicts, and Idolaters

2011-06-15T10:38:05+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

Sin is so irrational. If someone had written a fictitious short story about a man with the last name "Bottom" who sent pictures of his "bottom" across cyberspace, no one would laugh. The ironic humor would be lost in obviousness of foolishness. On the other hand, laughter and shock abound at such irony in real life. Truth is always stranger, weirder, funnier, and sadder than fiction. That is probably why Reality TV is much more popular than today's Soaps and Sitcoms. I am still trying to grasp the incredible irony found in the sinfully stupid decisions of Representative Anthony Wiener. No one could have written a story to equal both the humor and the tragedy. The story teaches us much about the dangers of position, the power of technology, and the absurdity of the press. If nothing else, a happily married and successful man's decision to blast pictures of his [...]

Bizarro Church (1John 2.12-17)

2021-07-04T18:02:18+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Re:Sermon|

In last week’s passage, 1John 2.12-17, John addresses three different kinds of Christians that make up the church audience he is writing to. By different kinds, I mean, different stages of spiritual maturity in the Christian life—new believers (children), maturing believers (young men) and seasoned believers (fathers). Every church, our church, must have all of these present all the time. Without new believers, the gospel is either not being preached or new people are not being reached. The church is growing old and will soon die. Without maturing believers, the gospel is not going deeper and fans, not followers, of Jesus are being made. The church is energetic but shallow. And, without old more seasoned believers, the church lacks mentors to help shepherd the new and young believers with the wisdom that comes from years of faith. The church is in danger of becoming prideful and making reckless "youthful" decisions. [...]

Our Obedience…Part 2

2021-07-04T18:04:23+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Re:Sermon|

This is part 2 of the redo I probably shouldn't do. I write for myself because it is cathartic, I write for you because I hope to be clarifying, and I write for God to glorify him that much more through the one sermon. The reason for saying anything about the second half of this passage is not to retract everything I said, but simply to ensure that the right emphasis is made. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1John 2.10-11 Every sermon has an emphasis. Sometimes the depravity, or the problem, is emphasized more than the grace, or the solution. Sometimes it is the opposite. The hope [...]

Our Obedience…more than words

2021-07-04T18:04:13+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Re:Sermon|

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 1John 2.3-6 Pastors wrongly believe that it is possible to preach a perfect sermon. This false belief leads many pastors (at least this one) to replay the sermon in their minds Sunday afternoons, imagining how they might preach it "better" given another chance. This is stupid, at least if you believe in the Holy Spirit. The truth is, the Spirit God says what he wants when he wants to [...]

Why you’re not in a small group

2011-05-11T23:01:01+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Note to Self...and Others, Random Thoughts|

The Resurrected Life Looks Different

2021-07-04T18:05:14+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Re:Sermon|

Galatians 2.20 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Believing in the Resurrection means living a TRANSFORMED life, not for something different, but through someone different. It is GIVING up, the denial, the death of our old life as Jesus lives through us in a completely new one (not improved version of the old). And though I could describe what I think this life looks like, I've realized that trying to write blogs that speak for God's Word, instead of just stating what it already says, is kind of foolish. A resurrected life, therefore, is a life that looks like the life of a man named Paul who began as a [...]

Monday’s Obscure Bible Passage: Leviticus 10.1-3

2021-07-04T18:05:28+00:00By Sam Ford|Church Plant Lessons 101, Re:Sermon|

The Book of Leviticus isn't the first book you'll probably choose to read for personal devotions. Leviticus follows the last verses of Exodus which record the glory of God filling the newly constructed tabernacle. In a very tangible way, a Holy God now "dwells" with His people. Unholy Israel can now approach their Holy God, but only according to the God-ordained rules. The Book of Leviticus is filled with God's instructions for his priests to ensure the holiness of Israel through rituals, sacrifices, and festivals. Unfortunately, many people dismiss the book of Leviticus as irrelevant to our age of grace and, in the process, ignore the central truth of the entire book that will never change--God takes His Holiness seriously. I have been reading Leviticus as I am preparing for Easter. I came across this passage that, at first reading, will probably offend you: Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons [...]