Unfiltered: Real Church Planting Conversations

It’s the end of an era for the Unfiltered podcast. We explain why and share what’s next.00:32 Lee lets listeners know this surreal episode to say good-bye is the last for Unfiltered.01:28 Lee explains a couple different reasons why Danny and Lee are hanging up the microphones. 03:19 Danny thanks Lee for his impact and investment in Converge’s church planting movement.05:10 Lee shares what the Lord has been laying on his heart when it comes to the connection between academia and pastoring.06:49 Even though the podcast is ending, it will still be available online. Danny asks Lee the best way future listeners can contact him.09:31 Danny asks Lee one last question. 12:19 Lee shares one last piece of advice for church planters.12:47 Lee thanks Danny and listeners for the Unfiltered experience. And with that, he signs off the podcast for the last time!

Starting anything new from the ground up can be difficult. Whether it’s a new business or a new church, nothing is 100% fail-proof. But why is church planting so difficult? Let’s pull back the curtain and have a real and candid conversation about it.0:28 Lee introduces the topic, which is a subject he and Danny deal with often. Why is church planting so hard?1:07 Danny has a theory that because church planting is so personal, it makes it difficult. 2:23 Danny reflects on when he planted a church and was asked how he was personally doing, he would report how the church was doing.2:45 Lee agrees with Danny that it’s easy for church planters to personalize every aspect of how a church is doing.3:22 Lee speaks to how spiritual warfare is a part of the challenges a church planter will face.4:14 Danny reiterates that spiritual warfare can get very personal not only for a church planter, but also for his family.4:39 Another reason church planting can be so hard is that when a church is small, everything is magnified, and it doesn’t take a lot for the dynamic to shift quickly.6:33 Unrealistic expectations can also play into the difficulty of planting a church.7:04 Lee compares launching a church to launching a rocket and how gravitational pull plays into church planting.8:03 Danny shares that money plus preaching doesn’t always equal success.9:40 Lee wants to normalize the difficulties of planting a church. He encourages church planters to enjoy the journey.10:18 Danny encourages church planters to focus on faithfulness. He explains what he means by that.11:10 Lee agrees with Danny’s perspective and encourages church planters that even though it’s hard, it’s worth it.11:35 Lee asks for more people to step up to be church planters, because they are needed!

Residencies – they’re not just for medical students. A residency in a church can be a very helpful season for a future church planter. But what should a residency look like? How can it benefit both a church and someone receiving an education in ministry? And what’s the difference between an internship and a residency? 0:29 Danny introduces the episode topic of church residencies and internships when it comes to ministry.1:00 Lee admits he’s passionate about the need for residencies and internships because of his background in his education and church experience. 1:20 Lee knows there are a lot of gaps when it comes to getting an education in ministry and executing ministry. He explains his view on this.3:06 What is a residency? Lee explains what it is and what it isn’t.4:09 Danny asks what’s the difference between an internship and a residency?4:19 Lee shares his thoughts on how an internship in a church is different from a residency.5:04 Danny wants to know what ministry residencies look like at Harvest Community Church, the church Lee pastors.5:25 Lee gives a run down of what completed residencies at Harvest Community Church have looked like and what’s going on with their current residencies.8:47 Danny wants to know if residencies are paid position, and if not, how does that work for the student?9:11 Lee explains the preference both Converge and Harvest Community Church have when it comes to paid vs. unpaid church residencies. 10:14 Danny touches on the benefits of raising support for church planting residents.10:39 Lee gives some tips on other non-monetary ways churches can invest in and support church planting residents.11:46 Danny wants to know: what questions should church planters ask churches as they consider completing a residency?12:01 Lee reveals the number one question church planters should ask.12:30 Lee talks about the second question that needs to be asked when considering a residency and when a church planter should walk away.13:36 Lee reflects on his time of practical learning before he planted a church.14:10 Do you have questions about finding a residency, opening your church to hosting a resident, or anything else? Email Converge to ask and receive some follow up!

As a pastor, it can be easy to slip into a comfortable rhythm and habit of preaching. And while change isn’t always easy, you should always be looking to improve and develop the way you preach. As the years in ministry slip by, it’s necessary at times to assess if your preaching could use some improvement; whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pastor. Note: There are three books referenced in this podcast episode. They are: Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson, Communicating for Change by Andy Stanley, and Preaching Without Notes by Joseph M. Webb.0:19 Lee introduces the question, “How do we improve our preaching?”0:53 Danny shares that he is still learning and adapting how he preaches.1:11 Lee asks Danny how he prepares to preach and how his process has changed over time.1:33 Danny reflects on how he was taught to preach via manuscript in seminary. But he didn’t stick with that style when he planted a church. He pivoted to more of a memorization style of preaching. And over time, the way he prepared notes changed, especially after going multi-site.4:03 Lee asks Danny if his manuscript is paper or electronic.4:07 Danny isn’t a fan of digital manuscripts because technology can fail. But he adds that if you prepare with a manuscript correctly, you should be going over it at least ten times. So, you end up memorizing much of it, without having to consult the actual manuscript very much.5:13 Lee asks Danny if he includes scripture passages in his manuscript.5:18 Danny confirms all scripture he uses is written out in his manuscript, but he still physically uses a Bible during sermons and explains why.5:46 Lee walks through his process in preparing for a sermon. He began with an outline, but as he planted, his process changed to a full manuscript. Preparing a manuscript helps Lee mentally, allowing the Holy Spirit to work as he preaches.7:26 Danny asks Lee why he uses an outline when preaching, instead of the manuscript he’s already prepared.7:37 Lee clarifies that even though he’s memorized his sermon manuscript, he doesn’t want to be tied to every word he’s prepared.8:04 Lee describes the physical space he likes when preaching: no lectern, just a stool and an outline paperclipped inside his Bible.8:42 Using a stool helps Lee preach a little more conversationally and less intensely.9:00 Lee ponders how pastors learn what works for them, when it comes to preaching. Two things helped him. The first is getting sermon feedback from trusted people, by asking specific questions. 9:55 Danny emphasizes asking specific open-ended questions to get helpful feedback.10:32 The second thing Lee does to learn what works, is to listen or watch his sermons to learn from it.10:54 Danny advises to watch your sermons back on video to find distracting mannerisms. 12:00 Danny reminds pastors to stay sharp on their exegesis. Not only should pastors be focused on the delivery of a sermon, but also that the structure is accurate to the text.13:10 Lee asks Danny what books have helped him develop his preaching.13:26 Danny recommends the book Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson, as it teaches authorial intent.14:12 Danny believes that preaching is the top discipleship tool. It teaches people how to read and apply the Bible.14:51 Lee reflects that a seasoned pastor coached him to have the perspective that people should connect the dots of a sermon days after hearing...

0:24 Lee introduces episode guest, Wes Pastor.0:40 Wes introduces himself and explains his connection to Converge1:36 Lee asks Wes how he became a church planter in Vermont.1:54 Wes shares that the reasons he planted in Vermont were because it’s an unreached area, it has a rich heritage, and there are lots of college towns.2:40 Because Wes stayed at the church he planted for 30 years, Lee asks what advice he would give a church planter when thinking long term ministry.3:30 Having a long-term mindset was important to Wes so that he and his family could put down roots in one place to provide stability.4:10 Wes shares that church planters need to be adaptable if they’re going to be successful. Churches change a lot over time when it comes to the non-essential or negotiable parts of a ministry.5:30 Church planting can be rough at the start. But the betrayals or issues that might come a couple decades into a ministry are the ones that are hard to get through.6:14 Danny asks Wes if he had a plan for multiplication right from the start of his church planting experience.6:45 Wes reveals that it was a plan to plant churches and a training center from the beginning.7:54 A great advantage of planting a church, rather than stepping into an existing church, is that church revitalization can be part of the church’s DNA from the start, according to Wes.8:10 Wes walks through the timeline his church went through to find a church planter.8:56 Wes recognized the need for long-term training centers for church planters, all they way back in the 90s, when church planting training was only for one week.9:56 Danny asks Wes to talk about how The NETS Center of Church Planting has grown from the beginning.9:59 Wes talks about the slow momentum and growth NETS has seen over the years and how a big breakthrough came 15 years into the program’s existence.11:20 A campus became available, and Wes tells the story of how NETS acquired it.12:43 Wes shares about the need for gospel preaching churches in New England, as a small percentage of the population attends an evangelical church.13:13 NETS has big goals for sending out church planters and they’re getting closer to those goals.13:36 Lee asks Wes what he’s looking for in a good candidate in a church planter that will be successful in New England.13:51 Wes runs down what NETS is looking for in the lifestyle of potential church planters.15:03 Wes covers what NETS is looking for theologically in candidates. And that they’re looking for leaders who are committed to spending the rest of their lives in New England.16:27 Danny asks if someone who wants to be a part of NETS training can be from other areas of the country.17:21 Wes confirms he recruits from seminaries in the south and anyone from anywhere in the US can check out NETS.18:15 Danny wants to know the details of it looks like for someone to be part of NETS.18:36 Being busy with a full schedule is part of the NETS experience. 19:24 Taking a real deep look at the marriages of those who come to NETS is part of the training. Many candidates have said it is very helpful for their marriage, even if parts of it are difficult.20:36 Another aspect is spending a lot of time preparing sermons, to condition candidates more than what was expected in seminary.20:56 Lee wants to know how long a...