DRIVE-ing it home

The DRIVE Conference closed yesterday with one of the most eye-opening, challenging,and anointed messages that I've ever heard. While Andy Stanley had prepared to speak on vision casting, he prayerfully decided to scrap that at the last minute for a more personal message entitled "random thoughts on leadership and ministry".

During this message Andy shared 5 quotes that he keeps in front of him (literally) during all of his study time at North Point. One of those quotes has so infected my spirit that I simply can't stop thinking about it. The quote is originally from Craig Groeschel (Pastor of THIS CHURCH). The quote is:

"To reach the people that no one has reached, you must do what no one else has done."

Think about that for a minute. That, in principle, is so simple and so profound that it's one of the most obvious yet brilliant things ever spoken in the arena of "church innovation". And what's more, IT'S SO TRUE...Think about it. We all know people who have no relationship with Christ who will never consider stepping inside of a church regardless of how cutting edge your production package, teaching style, worship style, or facility, etc. may be.

So, church, what do we do about that? Do we keep doing things the way that we've always done them improving upon our systems while never reconsidering our methods...and all the while condemning so many to hell...or do we start wrestling with the concept of reinventing our institution positioning ourselves to present the Gospel to as many lost people as possible? I, for one, think that there's only one Biblical answer to that question...

We must change. The method, that is, not the message...
I'm so convicted of this that I lost sleep over it last night. I tossed and turned in my bed for hours begging God to show me a vision of what that could look like for Charter Oak Church and its many ministries, and I'm going to continue praying that prayer. I'm going to continue praying that prayer because I'm becoming more and more convinced that the church who successfully reaches the "prodigal sons", "Samaritan women", and their strong network of associates is going to be a church that emphasizes, AT ALL COST, Christ, His Gospel, and His Word...not facilities, formats, or fruitless traditions.

God please give us the courage to break the rules for your Kingdom's sake. Give us the vision, the faithfulness, and the anointing to do what no one else will do so that we may reach those whom no one else will reach. In Jesus' name - AMEN

Grace and Peace

ps - the above pic is our Senior Management Team...pic was taken at the DRIVE Conference.