I’m In!!!

After some calendar swapping and deciding that I need to be there, I have committed to attend the National New Church Conference in Orlando at the end of April.

Anyone who knows me knows that I eat, drink, and sleep church planting. I believe with ALL my heart that starting new churches is the single most effective way to reach unchurched people.

Since the first day of our church we have made church planting a priority. A large amount of our time is spent talking with planters, we host them almost every Sunday, we provide the Ridge Stone Backstage blog for them, we are supporting one of our former staff guys in the planting of Pine Ridge Church, we are part of a church planting network where I will be leading up the coaching aspect, and we are currently working on some things we will do that are on our own. Along with that we will be partnering with the planting of Heartland Church in Calhoun, Georgia later this year and we will be partnering in some way with JR Lee in the planting of Freedom Church in Acworth some time next year. I love church planting and we will actually be making church planting something our church body will be embraching in the future.

I said all that to say this: I love church planting. I have never prayed to be a “major player” in any aspect of the church world. I could care less about that. However I pray that we can be a major player in our community and in the area of church planting.

It is for that reason I am excited about heading the National New Church Conference. I will be part of a session that will be a Bloggers Roundtable. I will be at the roundtable with Ben, Tadd, Shawn, Dave, and Mark (the godfather of church blogging). I am honored Todd Wilson has asked me to be a small part of the largest gathering of church planters in America this year.

As a bonus, I will be taking the family down with me for a mini vacation. It will be for them any way, I’ll be at the conference.

BTW, Check out the National New Church Podcast. The latest one with Mark Driscoll is GREAT!! I look forward to seeing you all there, email and let me know if you are going!!!