BASECAMP Part 5 – Next steps and conclusions

So that was Basecamp, a “very full-on” weekend with and for church planters. It was probably the best weekend conference I have attended in my Christian life so far and I would fully recommend anyone who is thinking of being involved in or leading a church plant to go on the next one in 2010.

I guess in this final post about it I should share some of the take homes that we came away with and some of the answers to questions we went with.

Over the last year we have become surer that we have been called to be involved in a church plant in Canada. This has come through many hours of prayer, listening to Father receiving prophecies, and asking questions, while waiting for the answers. We went to Basecamp with a number of questions that we were looking for answers to. These include where, when, how and what the next steps for us would be.

Having now shared our experience with the elder team at our church we are able to be a little more open about our plans for the future and what we got out of Basecamp.

The first thing is that we are called to lead a church plant. In the past we were unsure if we were called to lead or be part of a core team. Both leading up to the weekend and during the weekend we received a number of prophecies about this and God has also ‘spoken into our hearts’ about it. We now feel sure that is what we are called to do.

The next question is where we are called to lead this church plant. We do feel called to south eastern Ontario in Canada (around Toronto, when I say around, around in Canadian is about a 600 mile diameter!) but as yet we are not sure as to where exactly that is. This again was confirmed over the weekend.

Over the weekend we were able to discern a way forward thanks to our church planting coach. The first of these is for MrsBeatthedrum and me to attend the New Frontiers Canada leader’s conference in January which is in the death of winter (constant  -10 to -15 C temperatures). This will allow us to build relationships up with people in Canada, get to know people, experience the full horror of a Canadian winter and mix with other church leaders in Canada.

Following that we are going to have a family holiday in Canada in summer 2010 so we can have a scout about and have a look at a few places and for the kids to experience Canada.

From there things will probably pick up pace with the plan to move to Canada and settle for a short period of one or two years,in an already established church so that we can culturally acclimatise to Canada before striking out on our own.

So that’s the big picture, the local picture is a lot more complex. We need to learn a number of skills while still here in Durham and implement a number of things into our lives. These include skills such as

1. Preaching
2. Leading and multiplying small groups
3. Being involved in alpha
4. Leading and developing a ministry in the church
5. Learning to build many relationships outside of the church
6. Hospitality

These are going to take a lot of time and effort but will be worth the effort of we can gain a harvest for Jesus in Canada and indeed in Durham

On top of all this we came away with a question to ask our elders, “What character issues do we have to correct before we go….” now that one is a biggy and may take all the time between then and now to sort out!

So that was Basecamp, fully worth the time, money and energy we spent on it. Thanks again to all those who served us on the weekend and I hope and pray that Jesus will see a huge harvest from the workers who attended.

Base Camp Part 4 Q & A and what sort of church are we to build

The final session of the Saturday was a questions and answer session where the delegates got to grill the hosts on various aspects of church planting. There was a great deal discussed that holds true not only for church planting but also for any church which wishes to be missional into their community.

Here are a handful of the questions and some of the answers……

1. How can you birth a church in the supernatural
   1. Are you doing it
   2. What do you have faith for
   3. Preach baptism in the spirit

 

1. How do you set the church ‘mode’ to “the longer you stay in this church the more non Christian friends you will develop”
   1. Must be encouraged
   2. It’s a continuous battle
   3. YOU have to model it and the leadership team HAS to model it
   4. Who do you make heroes? People will emulate those who are shown to be a good example
   5. The church ‘filter’ needs to be set to mission, nothing gets through if it is not missional
   6. when having events have a competition to see who can invite the most people
   7. Really think your small groups through and make them missional

 

1. One of the health checks of a good church is that they plant out new churches, how do we invest in church planting
   1. Focus on raising up leaders
   2. Get healthy first
   3. Reproduction is the goal not just church planting

 

1. Getting from 0 up to 50 people is the hardest part of church planting how do you do it
   1. Cast vision, be able to give it well as

                                                              i.      30 second version

                                                            ii.      3 minute version

                                                          iii.      30 minute version

1. Constantly cast the vision
2. Meet people where ever you can
3. Draw people in with “God is Good, and I am Ok” events

 

1. How do you choose you launch site in your location
   1. Population Groups
   2. Who is not being reached
   3. Where can YOU reach the most
   4. What are your past successes
   5. Be clear on who you are called to reach
   6. Where should the core team live

                                                              i.      NOT TOO CLOSE TO YOU!!!!!

The final session of the weekend was a look at the type of church we are to plant. This was based on Isaiah 61. There is sooo much good stuff in there that it would take a few blog posts t go through it all which I don’t have the time for right now, but I may come back to it at a later date.

However here are the verses used in ESV. They are amazing. This is the type of church we are to raise up for Jesus and how He will in his sovereign grace and mercy work in and through us.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion– to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

 

The emphasis is mine and if you add those up you get the role of the church in our community.

 

There were two words of caution given in all this

1. Don’t do too much too soon
2. Do what you are able to do well

 

Wise words I think, next post will be on what our next steps are on our journey, following n from BASECAMP and will be the last Basecamp post

It’s raining; it must be time for (Together at) North09!

I’m looking out of my office window at home watching the rain fall from the sky a sure sign that we are about to leave tomorrow for the (Together at) North09, the NFI conference for the North of England and for some of our cousins north of the border.

Over the 4 or 5 years they have been on  we have struggled through many challenges, grass that was nearly waist high, an auditorium that bulged at the sides and had the same air system as a sauna, rain, ground so wet we had to use 4×4 and tractors to get the cars off the site, porto-loos that were not emptied often enough, toilets that would not flush, no showers, more rain, baking sun, even more rain…. a catalogue of disasters and issues.

But we struggled on we would not give us (although we did come close a couple of times) and we persevered. And God blessed us mightily.

Each year we have seen God move mightily in our family at North09. I’m not sure why it happens there but if it is going to happen then it will happen there!

The first year my wife hated it but she would not go until God has blessed her, she was not leaving, even though she hated almost all of it until He touched her. So on the second morning that is what he did. He moved powerfully and she was a changed person. I believe that this was down to her pugnacious, I am not going, I will persevere, I will n0t give up mentality!

The following year my eldest son gave his life to Jesus as an after effect of North09

The year after that he was baptised in the Spirit, God came down so powerfully on Him that I had to carry him back to the tent here he stood swaying drunkenly with a bemused look on his face. He has not been the same since.

Another  year after my daughter similarly was baptised in the Spirit in a powerful way.

So we are looking forward to this year. We know it is going to be a challenge to camp in a muddy field, we know the facilities may not be excellent, although Carl who owns the farm is a truly awesome bloke and give it his all to ensure we have a great time we haven’t forgotten the 24 – hour water delivery he made during the lack of water year, but we expect God to be there.

Of course one of the great joys of North is spending an extended time with our family in the church. These are times where relationships grow, the church stands closer together, friendships are forged and memories are made. Over the years we have had things like the kite that tried to garrotte my daughter, the day when James didn’t (BUT HE DID) have sunstroke, the peanut flicking fight etc etc. Things we look back on and smile.

Also due to our pan-church friendships we will see a number of people we only see once a year that being at North. You know the sort of people who you see and you say we will give you a call when we get back and we can get together… but never do. We have friends in churches in Newcastle, Northumberland, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Sheffield, Cumbria, Dundee, Perth, Darlington and Teesside, so for us it’s a big reunion.

 This year however we are going with additional excitement, we are as you know in the process of working out where we are to ‘go’  and church plant. A few months a go we were given a prophecy from someone we trust that filled in a huge number of gaps for us and brought a gret deal of clarity to the whole situation. Part of that prophecy was that something significant was going to happen at North that would bring additional clarity and direction. So we go in faith knowing the God will talk to us.

So bring on the rain, bring on the proto-loo’s bring we are going we are staying and we are not leaving until we have heard.

Oh it is my hope to be able to blog for North on a daily basis tune in for short updates!