ConvergeUSA Blog

Lessons from the book of Jonah by Mark Doebler

Last Sunday, I spoke on the book of Jonah.  It’s a familiar story, but like some of our favorite movies, it’s worth going back to on a regular basis.  One of the primary elements of the story of Jonah is the unwillingness of Jonah to pursue the mission God had given him.  Those of us familiar with the story like to throw Jonah under the boat on this one, but most of us are doing the same thing.  God calls EVERYONE into mission.  But most of us run the other way.  There were two reasons that I mentioned that cause us to do so:

1. We don’t want what God wants… if anyone has a track record or being right…it’s God…just sayin.
2. We are afraid… the “what-ifs” start multiplying rapidly, the excuse of “I can’t” is heard by everyone we know, the fear of failure grips us.

It’s number two that I want to focus on with this article.  Most of us feel ill-equipped to do the things God has asked us to do.  Honestly, we’re not sure we have what it takes…God must have confused us with someone else.  Heck, we’re not even sure that it was God speaking…probably just that burrito from last night, right?  But over and over again, the Bible tells us stories of how God brings all the resources to bear to accomplish the task for someone willing to give themselves to the pursuit of his mission.

That’s where this business book review comes in.  Tony Morgan is a church leader and strategic thinker I’ve come to admire and respect from a distance.  He frequently reviews current business books and shares his review on his blog.  The most recent review is of a book titled Ten Steps Ahead.  Tony shared a list of his top ten ideas from the book.  Here are two that caught my eye:

1. “People frequently make better decisions with less information.”
2. “Visionaries almost always work at the edge of our understanding, where information is scarce or nonexistent and where intuitive decisions are often the only choice.”

I don’t know about you, but this sounds a lot like “walking by faith” to me.  And this is the part that really scares most of us and keeps us from following our divine GPS (God’s Positioning System).  We don’t know where we are, we’re not sure of where we’re going, and we don’t have enough information to get there.

So, here’s my question to all of you…. does the idea of being a “VISIONARY” help you sort out the challenges of walking by faith?  Does it inspire you to follow Jesus to places you don’t know by thinking of yourself this way?  In a way, visionaries are nothing more than people who walk by faith, and not by sight.  Does this inspire you to quit running and embrace the mystery of what you cannot see…of what God is calling you to pursue?  Does this help you stop running and start pursuing?

Jonah didn’t start as a visionary, but God turned him into one.  Whale gastric juices can do that to you.  What will it take for you?

Mark Doebler is the church planting pastor of Second Chance Church in Peoria, IL

When Shepherds become Wolves by Steve Mizel

I wrote here a while back on the importance of protecting the church from wolves.  My thinking was stirred on this subject again a couple weeks ago when I attended Scott Thomas' Gospel Coach training.

Scott compared the process of gospel coaching to the biblical mandate to shepherd the flock.  To coach, then, is to know, lead, feed, and protect individual sheep in the flock.  Since wolves are an ever-present danger to the sheep, we, as Christ's under-shepherds, must be always ready to use the staff to fight off these predators.

Scott led us to consider again Paul's warning to the Ephesian elders in his farewell address:

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20:28-30)

I have read this many times, but something grabbed my attention this time that I didn't see clearly before.  Paul's first admonition isn't to protect the flock, but to pay careful attention to myself and the other leaders around me.  Why?  Because, Paul says, wolves will rise up "from among your own selves ... speaking twisted things, to draw away disciples after them."

This was a new thought to me.  I have to pay careful attention to my own heart - not just because I am a candidate for burn out or because I might slip into performance-based ministry or into some familiar sin - but because I might become a wolf.  While I am diligently protecting the flock from all those idiots "out there" who want to come in and steal influence away to themselves, I have the potential to become the chief danger to those whom I lead.

Pastor, you have the potential to become your people's greatest danger.

Sometimes we, the leaders in Christ's church, forget we are under-shepherds and try to steal God's glory for ourselves.  We preach not to point people to Christ, but to gain an audience and hear applause.  We lead not to spread the influence of Christ's kingdom, but to build our kingdom and expand our influence and to make our names great.  Even as we open God's word we are thinking more about our words and how we can use the Bible to further our agenda.

Instead of being being faithful under-shepherds, leading the sheep to Jesus the Great Shepherd, we are in danger of using Jesus as a way to pridefully draw disciples away after ourselves.  If I allow this pride to creep in, how long will it take before I start twisting God's word to my own agenda without even realizing it?

This is why I need to coach others in the gospel and why I need to be coached.  This why I cannot afford to become isolated in leadership.  This is why I can't look at guys who have done stupid things and lost their credibility to lead in God's church and think, What were they thinking?  I know what they were thinking - and I am in danger of thinking the same thing.

I need to "pay careful attention" to my own heart.  I need others around me who will help me and challenge me to do that - and I need to do it for them.

Steve Mizel is the church planting pastor of Trailhead Church in Edwardsville, IL

Spiritual Warfare: Blinding People by Gary Rohrmayer

This week is our final post in addressing the question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

14. Blinding People

“A leaders gentle reaction and sound instruction are their greatest weapons” – Gary Rohrmayer

Text: 2 Timothy 2:26 - Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Problem: “Satan blinds people to truth”. J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “Gently persuade people winning them over by manner as well as truth”. J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• What are some of the natural responses to opposition?
• How can the enemy use our natural responses to add to the problem?
• How can the enemy use youthful passions to derail leaders?  (II Timothy 2:22)
• How can the enemy use quarrels to deceive people? (II Timothy 2:23-24)
• How can the enemy use quarrels and controversies to distract the church?
• Why is gentleness so powerful in these situations?
• How many of the qualifications of elders have to do with emotional maturity? (I Timothy 3:1-7)

Prayer:

Father in Heaven, Gentle Savior, sanctify our hearts through trusting You rather than our own inclinations. May we be empowered through the spirit of gentleness and our trust in the truth of God rather than the force of our personalities.  Father, save us from the temptation to trust our natural inclinations and overreact under pressure.  As we humbly trust You, set people free who are captive to the enemy's will, break the bonds of spiritual death and divisiveness.  In the strong Name of Jesus, Amen.

View the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Free NextSteps Webinar on Missional Alignment by Gary Rohrmayer

Announcing the NextSteps Webinar Series! The NextSteps Series interprets the research from the Natural Church Development Paradigm by Christian Schwarz in a missional context.

The next event in the series is scheduled for Wednesday March 9th at 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific.

Presented by CoachNet Global, Gary Rohrmayer is leading a free webinar series for pastors, church planters and leaders.  The goal of this session is to bring some theological and practical clarity to the issue of vision, values and systems alignment within the context of a missional paradigm.

Some practical questions:

• Does your vision breathe the mission of God?
• How easily measurable are your values?
• How well are your systems achieving missional outcomes?

The bottom line is:  How do you bring missional alignment to vision, values and systems?

In this 60 minute webinar--where you don’t have to travel or spend any money--Gary Rohrmayer will be joined by Jonathan Reitz of CoachNet.  You will:

• Discover what vision is and isn’t
• Learn how you can make you values measurable
• Gain a better understanding of how systems work in the local church

You can expect to learn:

• How to articulate you vision in light of the great commission
• How to measure the operational values that your church teaches
• How to bring alignment with your vision, values and systems

Learn more about the NextSteps for Leading a Missional Church

Register Here

Spiritual Warfare: Immaturity and Pride by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

12. Immaturity and Pride 

“There is nothing worse for a young convert than to be thrust into leadership without mentoring and ongoing coaching because the devil relishes these vulnerable souls.” – Gary Rohrmayer 

 Text: 1 Timothy 3:6 - He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 

Problem: “Satan can take a young leader out of ministry due to pride.” J. Robert Clinton

 Antidote: “Potential young leaders should not be placed into leadership responsibility too soon.”  J. Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:  

• How would you and your church define spiritual maturity?
• How would you and your church define spiritual leadership?
• What are the avenues for spotting potential leaders in your local church?
• What are the pathways for mentoring new converts into leadership roles?
• Do you have a training process for equipping and mentoring deacons?
• Do you have a training process for equipping and mentoring elders?

Prayer Response: Father in Heaven, protect our church from thrusting recent converts into leadership roles carelessly.  Show us how to nurture, equip and mentor these recent converts in the areas of spiritual, emotional and relational maturity.  Raise up an army of leader makers, like Barnabas, who will invest countless hours into the lives of potential leaders.  Lord of the Harvest, grant us success in spotting, engaging, and mobilizing these workers into Your mission field.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Next Post: False Teachers

View the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Where do I start? Read these 3 church planting manuals by Michael Clark

In the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to speak with several people who have expressed a call to plant churches or at least a strong inclination that this might be what God has for them.  However, after recognizing God’s call it is often difficult to know where to start.  There are so many resources on church planting that it is difficult to know where to start.

If you are starting out the church planting process or have a strong inclination to do so, we would recommend that you begin by reading three church planting manuals.  All three manuals have been invaluable to Sojourn and its leadership.  These manuals will provide a rich theology of church planting, as well as practical information about what is involved in planting a church. Most importantly, the manuals will guide you on where to start.

The first recommended manual is The Reedemer Church Planter Manual developed by Tim Keller and J. Allen Thompson at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York.  The manual “is an extensive compendium of outlines, lectures, essays, exercises and other materials that prepare learners for church planting especially in an urban setting.”  Unlike some manuals which are too general or too context specific, the Redeemer Manual is designed to “equip the reader to think creatively about how to start churches in any context, culture or people group.” The manual is divided into five parts: 1) Owning the Church Planting Vision, 2) Learning and Planning, 3) Launching the Church, 4) Spiritual Renewal Dynamics, and 5) Changing the Fabric of the City.

The second recommended manual is First Steps for Planting a Missional Church by Gary Rohrmayer.  Rohrmayer’s manual is a comprehensive workbook for planting a missional church developed out of FirstSteps Seminars on church planting.  Robert E. Logan, who wrote the forward to the manual, explains the title of the manual.  He states that “The idea of ’steps’ is an important concept, because it is a double entendre. The word evokes both movement and foundation … it explores the idea of moving forward to reproduce churches while being founded and grounded in the glory and mission of God.”

The third recommended manual is actually two manuals available through Global Church Advancement trainings directed by Steve Childers.  The first manual is Church Planting Foundations and the second is Church Planting Essentials.  At Sojourn, we recommend all church planters who are beginning the process to attend the GCA training.  The trainings and manuals guide the church planter through what GCA calls, “the seven seasons of church planting and multiplication.”  The first manual covers vision, calling, focus, prayer, learning, philosophy, purpose, values, styles, ministry model, discipleship model, planting model, finance plan, ministry plan, and personal plan.

These three manuals have played important roles in Sojourn’s development.  I hope that they may help you as well as you seek to obey God’s call and see the Gospel transform your life, your city, and the world. HT

Spiritual Warfare: Closed Doors by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

9. Closed Doors

"Hearing God’s voice is indispensable to moving through or around closed doors." - Gary Rohrmayer

Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:18 - For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us.

Problem: “Satan can block a believer’s guidance. So closed doors are not always clear guidance.” J. Robert Clinton

Antidote: “Get certainty guidance. Let all of the major guidance elements give weight to your guidance: God’s Voice in the Word; God’s Voice in the Heart; God’s Voice in Circumstances; God’s Voice in the Church.” J Robert Clinton

Reflective Questions:

• Is every closed door an attack from the evil one? See Acts 16:6-8
• How do you let the Word of God guide you in your decisions as leaders in the church?
• How do you slow down enough to hear God’s voice in leading the church? See Acts 13:1-2
• How do you interpret God’s leading in the circumstances you face whether good or bad?
• How do you as leaders hear God’s voice through the church?

Prayer:  Father in Heaven, give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church and through the church.  May our lives be so saturated with your Word that all our decisions will be based on your revealed purposes and promises.  Teach us how to seek you in our leadership meetings through worship and fasting.  Keep our hearts from being distracted from your mission because of our circumstances.  Grant us courageous faith to stand against the attack. (HT)

Next Week: False Signs and Wonders

View the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare: Lies, Half Truths & Unreliable Perspectives by Gary Rohrmayer

This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?

As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem.  See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.

8. Lies, Half Truths & Unreliable Perspectives

Text: Ephesians 6:10-20 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Problem: "Satan uses lies or half-truths to trick believers and give unreliable perspectives on their lives and situations."  (J. Robert Clinton)

• Satan uses lack of righteousness (on-going unrighteous things in a believer’s life) as an inroad into their life.
• Satan uses lack of presentation of testimony in a believer’s life to weaken that believer’s stand.
• Satan causes a believer to doubt God (character, dealings, truth, etc).
• Satan robs believers from the impact of salvation in their lives.
• Satan keeps believers from using the Word of God in their lives and in combating his tactics.
• Satan keeps believers from praying in the Spirit as they confront him in his tactics.
• Satan keeps people from being alert to his tactics and from discerning his involvement.

Antidotes: See the imperatives in Ephesians 6:10-20. (J. Robert Clinton)

• Be strong in the Lord - vs 10
• Put on the full armor of God - vs 11, 13
• Stand firm - vs 14
• Take up the shield of faith - vs 17
• Be alert - vs 18
• Keep on praying - vs 18

Reflective Questions:

• If Satan were to attack your life what area would he go after?
• If Satan were to attack your church what segment of the church would try to penetrate?
• What half-truths has Satan used to attack your church?
• What lies has Satan uses to attack your church?
• What false or unreliable perspectives has Satan used to attack your church? 
• What unconfessed sin exists both individually and corporately in your church?
• How are you educating your church and church leadership on the tactics of our enemy?
• How is the gospel playing a transformative affect on the lives of new and old believers? (Titus 2:11-14)

Prayer: Father in heaven, help us to be lovers of the truth, to live in the strength of the Lord and to actively put on the armour of God.  Father, teach us how to stand firm by daily applying the truth of God into our lives, by embracing the righteousness of God in our hearts and by being ready to engage in spiritual conversations at a moments notice. Righteous Father, teach us how to take up the shield of faith so that we can be ready defend the attacks of the enemy. Holy Father, teach how to use Your Word as a sword to defeat personal assaults of the devil. Loving Father, just as you have stood with the saints of the past, we know that you are standing with us and for that we give thanks, in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Next Post: Closed Doors

To view the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare

Free Church Planting Webinars by Gary Rohrmayer

In a desire to get critical training materials into the hands of church planters earlier in the process, I have provided in partnership with CoachNet.org a one hour, free, webinar through each stage of the FirstSteps Church Planting Process. Each webinar will bring some of the key missional principles found in the FirstSteps to Planting a Missional Church manual.

We will go through the Six Stages for Planting a Missional Church.

1. FirstSteps - part 1: Overview
2. FirstSteps - part 2: Relating with God and Others
3. FirstSteps - part 3: Networking and Gathering
4. FirstSteps - part 4: Building a Launch Team
5. FirstSteps - part 5: Designing Services and Ministries
6. FirstSteps - part 6: Preaching in a New Church
7. FirstSteps - part 7: Launching your Public Worship Service
8. FirstSteps - part 8: Establishing New Community of Faith

To keep informed on upcoming webinars 

Looking for a Live FirstSteps Training Event Near You

More information on The FirstSteps Network

Spiritual Conversations by Gary Rohrmayer

The Spiritual Journey Guide has sold over 1.2 million and after years of requests I finally wrote a book on my view of evangelism and on how to use The Spiritual Journey.

Spiritual Conversations: Creating and Sustianing them Without Being a Jerk! is a quick read, with a fresh prespective eternal conversations.

You will learn:

• Shifting face of evangelism
• Put conference in God and not a method
• How to create thirst in your conversations
• How build and sustain relationships
• Jesus' tool for finding highly receptive people
• How lorship and rapport work in our conversations

What are Leaders Saying About Spiritual Conversations

 

"This book is much more than the latest in a long line of inspirational Christian books. Spiritual Conversations is a book about evangelism. You hold in your hand a practical tool. Plenty of good books will impress you and inspire you. God can use the book to empower you. Your greatest days engaging the harvest and raising leaders for the harvest are in the future." 

Dr. Ed Stetzer

President of Life Way Research

"The title says it all: Spiritual Conversations: Creating and Sustaining Them without Being a Jerk. Far too many well-meaning believers stumble over the basic principles of engagement with unbelievers. The relational, process-oriented approach Rohrmayer takes opens up practical skills we can use, as well as exploring the deeper principles at work in our approach to these conversations. If you want a book on the loaded topic of evangelism that is both helpful and real, read Spiritual Conversations. Rohrmayer knows of what he writes."

Dr. Bob Logan

Founder of CoachNet

"The great Apostle asked, "How are they going to hear without someone preaching?" The reality is that the eternal gospel goes forth to people from people. And, by experience, most people "hear" the gospel through a spiritual conversation not a sermon. This book empowers normal people to share the gospel through intentional conversations."

Darrin Patrick

Lead Pastor of the Journey Church, St. Louis, Mo

Vice President of the Acts 29 Network

 

“If you are like me you are looking for ways and opportunities to have spiritual conversations; and now Gary Rohrmayer has given us an outstanding book to help us do this in our everyday lives.  You will be inspired by Gary’s experiences and you will learn from his clear teaching how to extend your circles of influence and to help more people find their way back to God.” 

 

Dave Ferguson

Lead Pastor of COMMUNITY, Naperville, IL

Author of Exponential: How You and Your Friends Can Start a Missional Church Movement

Order Now