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The Theology of the Local Congregation: What is the Church?
The Theology of the Local Congregation: What is the Church? In the previous article, we addressed the question, “why is a theology of the congregation necessary in church planting?” The answer is simple, you have to know what something is before you attempt to...
The Theology of the Local Congregation: A Primer for Church Planters
The Theology of the Local Congregation: A Primer for Church Planters I have been asked to contribute a series of articles focusing on the theology of the local congregation. These articles will be written through the lens of Georg Sverdrup, a 19th century...
Lessons Learned in a Church Plant
Lessons Learned in a Church Plant "Pastor Elden Nelson served as a previous AFLC Home Missions Director for many years. That time was a unique time of growth in the AFLC as Lutheranism was shifting dramatically across the United States. In this time of opportunity,...
Lessons Learned in Rural Church Ministry
Lessons Learned in Rural Church Ministry Near the beginning of his classic biography on Martin Luther (Here I Stand), Roland H. Bainton writes something you may not know about Luther. He writes, Returning from Rome, Luther came under new influences due to a...
Why is an Intentional Formation Strategy Important? (Part 2)
Why is an Intentional Formation Strategy Important in a Congregation? (Part 2) “Repetition, repetition, repetition.” We are formed through the liturgy. The expression and importance of the church year is realized through each individual worship service. Each...
Why is an Intentional Formation Strategy Important? (Part 1)
Why is an Intentional Formation Strategy Important in a Congregation? (Part 1) “Repetition, repetition, repetition.” This is an old adage that has been applied by teachers to their students throughout the centuries. The idea is that to truly learn something, one must...
Making Room for People
Making Room for People The highs and lows of making new friends isn’t just a rite of passage we associate with childhood or the tumultuous waves of middle school. I’ve found that each new life stage brings with it a surprising “aha” moment that building new...
Four C’s of a Church Planter (Part 5: Competency)
Four C's of a Church Planter (Part 4: Competency) In this final blog, we are diving into the hardwiring and gifting of a planter. As I wrote last week, every person is unique, and every situation is unique. An obvious aspect of life is that there are unique giftings...
Four C’s of a Church Planter (Part 4: Chemistry)
Four C's of a Church Planter (Part 4: Chemistry) As this series continues, a very important aspect in church planting is chemistry. Now, we aren't talking physical science, but rather chemistry in terms of fit between pastor and congregation. This is very important....
Four C’s of a Church Planter (Part 3: Character)
Four C's of a Church Planter (Part 3: Character) Last article, we dove into the foundational issue of Calling for church planters. Without a call of God, one should never enter into planting ministry or ministry in general. If you have missed the introduction to this...
Four C’s of a Church Planter (Part 2: Calling)
Four C's of a Church Planter (Part 2: Calling) In the first article, I introduced the Four C’s as a conceptual framework to help individuals and congregations assess potential planters. This framework is also very important to consider for those interested in planting...
Four C’s of a Church Planter (Part 1: Introduction)
Four C's of a Church Planter (Part 1: Introduction) A common question that I have been asked is, “How does one know they are to plant a congregation?” It’s a really important question given the unique realities of starting something from nothing. There is a pretty...