History in the Making

Last minute thoughts before heading to Atlanta

This is my last post for a few days. Ains, Wy and I are off to the Timothy Barnabas School tomorrow morning in Atlanta, and I probably won't have internet access all week...

Sunday Service
Incredible service this morning. Matt prepared the whole thing... graphics, worship, message, and a powerful video at the end. It was one of the most well designed services we've had... and it's a good thing. Lots of new guests ~ especially young couples, which is really exciting. Also, Matt's small group was serving en masse this morning. We had first-time volunteers in our welcome center, greeters and nursery -- mostly from Matt & Tricia's small group. Incredible!

SBC Annual Meeting
A leader in the Southern Baptist Convention asked me to speak for an hour at this year's Church Planters Conference at the SBC's annual meeting in Greensboro. I'm completely perplexed by this, but excited about the opportunity.

BaseCamp Software
A friend of mine introduced me to 'BaseCamp' software on Saturday morning at Panera... which might be the answer to a challenging 'virtual office environment' at History when we bring-on our third staff member. BaseCamp is a web-based project collaboration tool for people who don't share the same physical workspace.

The E-Myth becomes the CP-Myth

I'm getting ready to read Michael Gerber's next work: The E-Myth Mastery.

Here's a question for church planters... What if you started a church, but didn't actually know how to do any of the ministry? This scenario, Gerber says, is ideal because you would be forced to create a system by which ministry gets done without trying to do it all yourself.

Most new churches struggle to survive ~ not because the planter doesn't work hard enough, but because he works too hard for too few results. This is the problem Ephesians 4 resolves [equipping the saints for the work of ministry]... but we struggle to live it because we know how to do the work... and do it the way we like it!

This morning, as I watched the History Church team pull of an exceptionally high-quality service with absolutely no involvement by me... I was filled with so much joy. I thought, I could die tomorrow and never be missed at History. But if I'm still around... I could do this for the rest of my life without getting burned-out.

More about the 'Village Center' vision

I haven't spoken much lately about our church's vision for creating a 'Village Center' because it's still a long way off. However, creating a "welcoming environment" is at the core of everything we do... and will eventually lead, Lord willing, to the fulfillment of this dream.

If guests never return to History Church, I want it to be because they're rejecting genuine friendships that have been offered to them... rather than the style of music we have, the service elements, or even my preaching. When people find true community, the issue is no longer relevance. For example, when you come over to my house for dinner, you don't evaluate the experience by my table decorations. You're there for the friendship.

And that's a much harder thing to reject.

Starbucks knows this; that's why they say they're not in the coffee business... they're in the business of building community. Customer anonymity is a business killer for them.

One of my core beliefs is that people are converted to community before they're converted to Christ.

Below is an architectural drawing of Living Word Family Church in Naples, FL ~ which is creating an environment focused on building community with outsiders. It's not a single, large building that says "no trespassing" to outsiders between Monday and Saturday. It's an inviting, welcoming environment with outbuildings, courtyards, outdoor cafes... It beckons neighbors to share life with them. And this is what I'm all about!

Saturday morning cartoons

Moving Away From Direct Mail Marketing

I've been wanting to experiment with direct mail marketing, but I can't find a local marketing company who will let me go through with it. Apparently response rates are dropping well below the famed 2% mark that marketers have relied on in the past decasde.

By God's amazing providence, a local ad firm  with a Christian CEO just offered me some pro-bono e-marketing work, including targeted e-mail campaigns, on-line advertising and even help with our website. Apparently, History Church ranks #4 on Google's "linked-to" sites among northern Virginia churches... so we've got a pretty popular site up north here, eh.

Anonymous quote on getting your oganization to the next level

"To have something you've never had,
you have to do something, you've never done."

Have you ever wondered how anonymous quotes come about?

"Who was that guy?"
"I don't know, but he said something really interesting..."

"Some random guy interrupted our conversation and then just walked away!"

"That was amazing wisdom, masked man! For the love... tell us who you are!"

The time I stumbled onto a bank robbery in London...

I was amused by a story hitting the news today about a $43 million bank heist in Southern England. It appears remarkably like the plot of Harrison Ford's new movie FireWall playing right now... family kidnapping and all.

When Ainsley and I were in London in December, I ran five blocks away from our hotel to visit an ATM at midnight. [not smart, I know... but we needed cab fare the next morning]. As I came around the corner, there was a hooded guy with an electronic contraption stuck in one of the ATMs. My card was already in the ATM slot before I realized what he was doing... hacking into the bank! He got nervous, threw everything into his bag, and jumped on his bike... I, of course, was hyperventilating.

I love England!
Made me feel like Oceans 13...

How to build affordable high-quality carts for your set-up team

In response to my request for rolling cart schematics, Scott "Power Tool" Friggard wrote, "Plans? We don't have no stinking plans!" Dave "Precision Hands" Kruse was much more obliging. Here's the information he provided. Keep in mind that this is the first bin for our preschool area ~ each one will be designed specifically for each ministry area in mind.

"This diagram should give you an idea of what we built and how. If you want to duplicate this, you will need 2.5 sheets of plywood, 24 feet of either 1x2 or 1x3 pine, 4 heavy duty casters, drywall screws, bolts/nuts for the casters and handles, glue and the parts listed below. The initial cuts of plywood can be done when the plywood is bought. Tools needed are: a circular saw (with a straight edge guide), jigsaw, drill, stapler, and wrench/socket set. Either a router or a rasp can be used to round over the corners of the outside edges." ~Dave

Black carpet to cover the carts [here]
Streamlined handles for the carts [here]
Corner bumpers for the carts [here]

I'll shoot some photos of the prototype cart this weekend. In the meantime, if you'd like any more insights, you can e-mail Dave directly at davekruse@pol.net.

Bait-and-switch church marketing

I was thinking about how many of today's churches use "lures" to "fish for men." Fishing has evolved since Jesus' day. The disciples used nets, which didn't require "bait" or "beckoning." Rather, they went to where the fish were. Sometimes they came back with no fish to show for their efforts. But one thing's for certain... There were no misunderstandings... no bait-and-switch... no angry fish.

Take THAT Portable Church!

We couldn't afford any new Portable Church equipment after all... but we're better off. Two great guys on our leadership team ~ Dave and Scott ~ spent the weekend constructing a heavy-duty, carpet-covered, rolling cart prototype for our set-up team... and it's better than anything PCI ever pitched us.

I talked to my friend Robb in Va Beach today who said he called PCI and told them he was actually offended at their high prices. He asked them... "Have any of you even been part of a church plant? You know we don't have any money, right?" Robb doesn't mince words with anyone.

Anyhoo, Scott and Dave just bought some new power tools to begin rolling out a complete line of History Church rolling carts. These things are pieces of beautiful craftsmanship... and it's all for the glory of God.

Coming soon: another story of God's miraculous provision

I'm on the home-stretch to the Timothy Barnabas school in Atlanta next week. Matt speaks this Sunday, so I get to complete a stack of administrative chores that have been sitting in my in-box for weeks... things like incorporating our church, planning for Easter, and starting the interviewing process for a children's director.

We're getting ready to see ~ quite possible ~ another jaw-dropping story of provision in History Church's remarkable journey. [Matt was the first] We're talking with a gifted children's director who contacted me the morning after I prayed passionately one night for God to help us reach more families for Christ. Can't say any more than that for now, but will provide updates in March... your prayers would be coveted.

Speaking of Matt, he's got a great post about our small groups on his blog today. Every single one of our groups is thriving this semester... and we're truly making disciples. No one is getting better at fly fishing, and I'm really proud of that. =)

If you're not reading, you're not leading

There's no way I can contain all the insights I'm gleaning from The E-Myth in a blog post. But for the past week, I've really enjoyed standing back to work on our church, rather than in it. Here's one insight that may be of some help to other planters...

Get rid of personal preferences if they interfere equipping others.

For example, History Church's website is the first one I ever created. And the current version is the product of 4 years of tweaking and adjusting to refine its appearance. I've held onto the control of it for the sake of visual quality. Trouble is, I'm not supposed to be a web designer for living!

Although it's painful for me, we may move toward a less graphical site so that we can utilize the creative and technical talents of others. There are some great looking sites out there that aren't quite so graphically demanding.

In other book news, Steve McCoy's review sold me on Mark Driscoll's forthcoming book: Confessions of a Reformission Rev. Great stuff. Added to the Wishlist.

I am now officially a lomographer

Before today, I was just a wannabe. But this morning, Ainsley and Wyatt presented me with their Valentines gift ~ a fish-eye Lomographic camera. Get ready for creativity to break forth.

History Church reunion at Starbucks

Matt and I were meeting at Starbucks in Reston this morning when Scott came in to do business with someone at a nearby table. A few minutes later, Leah came into to study for her dental school classes. Fun little History Church reunion.

February 17

Ainsley and I are celebrating Valentine's Day tonight since I was out of town earlier this week. It's also my father's birthday (Happy Birthday Dad!)... along with Michael Jordan's. =)

A book that is changing my life

I've been listening to the E-Myth, an audio book given to me by Jason Boucher, and it's changing my life... wow... more to come...

What to think about people leaving churches

I read something in Joshua 1:11-15 that helped my thinking about people leaving churches because I've had some good friends leave History for no apparent reason. It's always baffled me... and discouraged me at times. Scott Hodge posted some thoughts about this too. But listen to this...

"[To Joshua] Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.' But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, "Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: 'The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land.' Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise."

There is no apparent reason why these tribes were willing to fight for the Promised Land, but had no desire to enter it. If you look back in Deuteronomy where they originally asked Moses to remain outside the land of milk and honey... it baffles Moses. He gets angry at first, threatens God's wrath. But in an act of mind-boggling selflessness, the people offer their blood, sweat and tears to help the rest of Israel enter it. Moses complies with their request.

Sometimes God uses people to build a great church who never see its completion. They prefer to stay east of the Jordan. They're like the scaffolding on a building project. They serve a great purpose at the beginning, but then they're removed once the walls are constructed.

Their efforts leave no room to condemn them... in fact, I'm so thankful for their short-lived contributions. It's so baffling... but all I can say is... I'm glad I get to be the one who enters Promised Land.

Off to Richmond for three days...

Snow Day

Fairfax County schools shut-down today, cancelling our service for the weekend. Our headliner comedian got stranded at a Chicago airport, so we had to cancel our Comedy Night as well. On top of this, our server went down, so we had a really hard time communicating the change of plans on our website. Rough day.

Back from the south

Had a great time at First Baptist Woodstock this week with Ed for the evangelism conference. Ains, Wyatt and I will be returning to Atlanta at the end of the month for the Timothy Barnabas School... unless the pending Delta airlines strike takes effect. =( Below is the Johnny-dome. You've got to see this thing in person to believe it. They could put a Gap in there and do just fine. From the ground to the steeple is 12 stories. The floor seating alone accommodates over 4,000.