I guess this series is starting to stir some emotions a bit.  GREAT! That will help us all grow and be stretched as we look to write a new manifesto for church planting.

Don’t forget where we started this series: I still believe that Jesus was a man of the “and“. Both the crowd and the smaller groups of people gathered and scattered.

So, if life change happens “best” in small groups, would Jesus agree? I don’t think Jesus would buy into that mantra.

I have listed this many times now [for those who think one way or the other is superior or more Biblical]:

This was Jesus Model:       CROWD —> 12 —> 3 —> 1

So answer one thing for me: IF YOU COULD SPEND TIME WITH JESUS LEARNING FROM HIM…how would you rather spend that time?

With the [CROWD —> 12 —> 3 —> 1]

With a crowd of people?: Good, but not as personal. [What would you pay to attend that conference?] And yes, many of you need to stop knocking the weekend gathering.

With the 12: You know you will get that talker or 2 who won’t shut their pie holes, but this would be better than the crowd level. And no, I am still not knocking “small groups”…explanation later.

How about the 3? Now you are getting scared because you can hide in a group of 12 can’t you? Can’t do that with 3, but 3 is better yet than 12 right?

How about 1 on 1? What kind of money would you pay to learn 1 on 1 with Jesus? [BTW: You can do that everyday, but that's another post.]

Yep, I think life change happens best 1 on 1 too. Discipleship is simply spending time with the Master, so if you think 1 on 200, 1 on 20, 1 on 12, 1 on 3, whatever you insert is “better”…then go for it. If it were up to me, I would hang 1 on 1.

When I travel the country and ask this question, most respond that it was someone [or a collection of someone‘s who made the biggest impact on them spiritually, and rarely is it in a group format [as good as they might be, they probably aren’t “best.”.

And don’t worry, we will get into talking deeper about “small groups/the 12″ later. But this point had to be made first.

And you…??

As we continue the church planting manifesto of change…it’s that time to jump into the “12″.   This was Jesus Model:       CROWD —> 12 —> 3 —> 1

Both/And remember? So, let’s introduce the level of the “12″

We were taught: “Life change happens best in small groups”? Do you agree?

Groups of 8-12 centered around the mission and ministry of the church. It sound[ed] good at the time and we bought into it.

In my humble opinion, life-change does NOT happen best in small groups. It happens, but I don’t believe “best.” This is why we need to stop “doing” small groups the way that we have always administered and operated them and start a new paradigm with how Jesus used this “12″ level.

Let’s talk this week about where “life change happens best” and where we should be putting our emphasis when planting churches. We will be tearing apart this “12″ idea and see where it goes.

Kick it off…What are your thoughts?

Ummmm, FAIL.  It doesn’t.

The Great Commission calls us to be a church of the “AND”. Both to build the crowds and build the core through discipleship.

Where do you stand? Here is a simple test:

Look at your staffing and structures.

At New Hope, we had 4-5 people pouring into the crowds [programming] and 1/2 pouring into the core. Literally, it was 1/2 of someone’s job description. EPIC FAIL.

I know of another large church and out of 200 employees, 6% of them are responsible for discipleship. Wow.

Jesus Model:       CROWD —> 12 —> 3 —> 1

But this would require that we leave our cushy offices and do the tough work of discipleship. It is much harder to disciple than it is to minister to the crowd.

It is easy to program services, but to push people takes times, effort and heart.

That’s what is on the agenda this week as we continue to modify the thoughts, bust some myths and get back to a Biblical discussion of Church Planting. Hit me.

Let’s chat about how to regain the Jesus of the Bible that the crowds couldn’t get enough of. Where people flocked to him for what he had to offer. What has happened today that people don’t flock to Jesus? He told us that he gave us the AUTHORITY and the POWER [Matthew 28/Acts 1]. Is Jesus impotent today?

I don’t mean in that way. Impotent is a 14th century word defined as: lacking in strength, power and vigor.

In the seeker-infused world of the American church, we have lost His authority and power that he gave to us. I love being sensitive to those seeking [and we have found a great balance here], but didn’t the seekers of the 1st century and previous centuries flock to Yahweh and then Yahweh in the flesh because they were truly GOD?

We have lost the power, the wonder, the mystery, the incarnation in many of our gatherings where we present Jesus.

I am not saying to not program services. Shoot, I would put the teams I have served with up against any in the country on that front. It’s the fact that we have begun limiting him to a formula, a set schedule, and to a clock.

I watch churches [from seeker-targeted to charismatic] run right past the mystery, the awe, the beauty, the reverence, the power of allowing God incarnate to work through us and the power he has given to us to accomplish the great commission.

I grow weary of being told when I preach out that it needs to be 30 minutes and not the 40 that God might have planned. And when/if it goes overtime, we skip the power. OK…sorry, we kept you for 75 minutes, let’s just all go home since we are short on time. No invitation, no prayer ministry, no chance to respond. Just the formula [and again, I believe there must be balance and not excess either way!]. This is just one example.

Dang…the day that we stop scheduling “revival services” and start scheduling the “power of God” to show up, and we expect Him to show up…crowds will follow. And crowds are great. If you don’t like crowds, it’s because you have either not read the New Testament, or you don’t believe that the world needs to come to him, or you have never seen his power poured out on a crowd.

Crowds are a main group that Jesus hung with, and so should we, and we should NEVER be afraid to say that we want 1 million people in our church. Are you going to bash that? I want people to stay out of HELL!

My deepest desire is to see the WORLD come to Jesus. And if that is in 27 billion house churches or an assortment of mega-churches, or 100 million churches of 100, I don’t care! I just want to fulfill the great commission in HIS power!

So, where has the power gone? Revival will come to your church when you allow the power and authority that are yours to rise us and spread like the fire that fell in Acts 2. [How much do we really listen? How much of a connection do we really have with the Spirit?]

People ask me…what did you do to see such power in a small community? Simple: We asked God what to do and we did it. NO EXCUSES! But my heart still hurt because in our community in Ohio 40K people were un-churched!

Power/mystery/awe/miracles/healings/ministry come when we submit to the Spirit and not the formula. And no, I don’t come from a charismatic background. I am just young and dumb enough to believe what I read in the Bible and ask God to do that through all of us. I believe!

This generation is crying out for something real, not programmed. Stop being afraid of the power that God gave to us through his Son and operating through his Spirit.Bring back HIS power without going to the excess, which is just as deadly.

So…hit me. What do you think?

Let’s break it down. Yesterday we talked about what it seemed Jesus did when He walked this earth. He seemed to walk with this in mind: CROWD —> 12 —> 3 —> 1.

Let’s breakdown the first one in detail today:

What has happened to the crowd? Was Jesus just a passing fad? What happened to 3,000 coming to know Him in 1 day? Why do the stats get worse and worse every year in America and almost non-existent in other areas? Why does it seem that in other parts of the world [China, South America, Africa, etc.] does it seem that the crowds are alive and well?

Do we need more and better programming/presentations?
I love programming amazing presentations of the gospel, but Jesus didn’t just do that.

Do we need more staff?
Jesus had 12 he counted on. At least 1 had a bad heart and the others were shaky at best.

Do we need more resources?
Jesus had nowhere to lay His head.

Do we need to be more sensitive to the needs of the people?
Jesus certainly was. But at times he blasted them and got angry.

Do we need to be more “missional” and “incarnational”?
Jesus certainly got with the people, but he also spent a lot of time alone with the Father and with the 12.

Let’s get at it: What were the crowds drawn to?
Jesus. They were drawn to Jesus. Period.

Jesus was love, forgiveness, freedom, and against the norm. He was radical and powerful, yet down to earth and humble. He made common sense, yet there was this profound mystery about him.

Here is my take: We have lost the Jesus of the Bible with our crowds. [Services/outreaches/gatherings/talks/experiences, whatever clever name we want to give them].

We go from fad to fad to fad. New idea to new idea. Program to program. I am not against any of these by the way. People call me to consult and coach them to new arenas of thought so that they might go to new levels, etc. I use “programs” and love new ideas.

Simply put: We need to regain and live out the Jesus of the Bible and the crowds will follow. Church plants, established churches, in our personal lives, wherever you find yourself today. We have to bring him back.

What does this look like to you? How do we do this today? What do you think?

Tomorrow: My thoughts with how I think we can regain this Jesus to the crowds, who was not just a passing fad, but we certainly have made him that in many circles today.

So here we go. If you missed the intro [I Held The Dying Bride in My Arms], catch it here.

We had almost half our town in church, Easter, 2008. We had 3 campuses regionally and 1 in China when we left New Hope, but there was always something that seemed like it was missing at the deepest levels.

That’s what I want to write about. How God is leading us to change everything. Not because we want to be “anti-attractional” and embrace the “missional model” [because it is the trendy thing to do right now, church-bash] but because the Bible tells us to. It tells us we have to live in both worlds. Living in just one or the other are epic fails in my mind.

Day 1: How Did Jesus Really “Do Ministry”?
After reading books in every camp, I decided to reflect a little more on Scripture as a whole. Always a good thing.

It’s simple to me. I see Jesus with 4 distinct “groups” of people. If you want a good paradigm for ministry, here it is:

1. THE CROWDS
Yep, He drew them. And we should too in His power. 12 people sitting in your house for the next 12 years will not accomplish the great commission.

2. THE 12
Jesus did spend his life pouring into the 12 though as well. Then 11 men [and their clans] went on to not just change Jerusalem, but the world. Something to be said here. But it wasn’t 12 people who came together at a “mixer” to study Jesus latest teaching. It was communitas. Do you have “small groups” or “house churches” living a dangerous mission together?

3. THE 3
He then poured a little extra into the chosen 3 with intense mentorship [mentoring is very different from discipleship]. Who are you pouring into? Jesus did this. Do you? You are probably too busy like I was programming services and talks because Sunday comes with regularity every 6 days without fail [or in our case every 5, with Saturday nights].

4. THE 1
The disciples got ticked when Jesus wanted to stop and be with the 1, remember that story? [Women with issue of blood.] Come on, the super-star had ministry to do, and can’t be burdened by the 1, especially this lady. But time and time again, we see Jesus 1 on 1.

And yes, 1 on 1 is and has always been the best way to pour into people. Do you do this form of discipleship? Small groups don’t accomplish this fully. Do you have a strong 1 on 1 push?

This is what Jesus did. He didn’t sit around with the 12, and he didn’t just prepare for the mega-crowds. If you want a peak into where this is all going, check this read out by my new friend Hugh that I met recently at a conference we were speaking at. He shares the same desire and is way more eloquent than I.

[more tomorrow...and please, WHAT DO YOU THINK? Light up my comments either way, good or bad].

I have been engaged in “vocational” ministry for over a decade now. I have read the church growth, church health, theology, polity, simple church, mega church, church history and church future books to name a few. But it wasn’t until I held the dying bride in my arms that everything changed for me.

God blessed our first plant in the middle of nowhere, cornfield, rural, small-town [2,800 people] Ohio. Our last Easter there, we saw 1,500 people just at our first campus, and we had 2 other regional campuses and 1 in China. Yes, God blessed beyond our wildest dreams despite our stupidity. [By the way, if you are called to the middle of nowhere, you might want to check out this gathering of radicals who are called to the same thing at THE STICKS gatherings.]

God has called us to do that all over again, this time in the fastest-growing state in the country…UTAH [not a typo], through MISSION WEST. There are 24+ cities just in the upper 1/3 of Utah found by leaving the main interstate by only 20 minutes in either direction that we have found without ONE CHURCH in them [non-Mormon of course]. And yes, that is UTAH, USA, not Pakistan or some other out-of-the-way place. And in cities as large as 22,000! I dread doing the rest of the research.

So why not? Let’s roll. We did it once [actually several times through multi-sites] through God’s power, let’s rock it again. We have the experience, we have the tools. Let’s roll this thing. Same thing, new location right? Until I held the dying bride in my arms.

You know all of those alarmist books that calls those of us in America to wake-up, to take notice, to understand that the future of the church is and will look much different, and we need to take notice NOW so we can prepare for it? I had read those, but working in the mid-west and the Bible-belt for a time, where cutting-edge music, graphics, programming, lights, cameras, action is still so new, hip, sheik and still working well to draw people to the Savior? Crap, we had half the town in church that last Easter, but something still felt wrong. Because I didn’t really get it until I held the dying bride in my arms.

January, 2010: I held the dying bride in my arms. On a vision/learning trip to London and surrounding areas, it happened. To my friends working in the UK/Europe, I honor your efforts [and many of you are KILLING it in Jesus name, and I salute you!] In just 1 generation, everything has changed in the UK you told me. 1 generation. And for those in the bible-belt, it’s happening here in the USA just as fast. You, like me just haven’t experienced it yet.

I now not only have read about it, spoken about it, theorized about it, but I have held it. And as a church planting coach, consultant, speaker, and planter myself…everything has to change, and it has to change not just to be trendy, not just to be hip, and not just to use “missional living” as the next big “program”.

Everything. You are like, no kidding Charles, how is this innovative? Where have you been? Awfully late to the party aren’t you? This is old stuff.

Oh, no, trust me…I’m not late. I travel the country right now a ton, and people might say they are living this out, but they are still stuck in one of several “forms” of ministry that are leading us to record decrease in the US, not an increase. [And many are still stuck in the good old days of yester-year, but that's a totally different story.]

We are 1 generation from being a very post-Christian nation such as they are in the UK and Europe. Matter of fact, we are easily on our way as I type this. But many of you, like me, have refused to change everything. Not just tinker with a few thing here and there. But radically overhaul everything. But that might cost you some givers, some momentum, might even cost you your job. You might not even know where to start. But you, like me, know something is wrong with this picture, no matter how “small or large” your church is.

This week I will be sharing my thoughts on how, why and what we must change immediately, now that I have held the dying bride in my arms. I believe we can turn this ship around in the name of Jesus!

I would love to learn with and from you this week as we discuss what needs to happen here in the blogosphere this week and beyond. Thanks for lending your voice. Also a big thanks to my good friend Greg Atkinson for allowing me to guest post this on his canvas.

Yep…plenty of discussion on beer and bible [www.beerandbible.tv], but this one took me by surprise, and made me blush a little bit.

I’ve heard about the whole ONE FLESH thing, but this might be taking “come as you are” a little too far. These dudes look like they should come to THIS EVENT.

What do you think about this “outreach”?? I definitely recommend grape juice and a separate children’s ministry:) And by the looks of them, I don’t think I would have much of a lust issue, so would I be sinning?…Just asking.

I don’t have the readership that Tim Stevens does…so I would love for you all to push back hard or offer words of support for the outreach(s) we are doing to reach this place for Jesus. We are offering www.beerandbible.tv as a chance to connect with common people at the common gathering space.

Yes, we are also doing Alpha [www.whyamihere.tv] as well, but that gets no pub of course. And the only pub we desire is on the ground out here…the blogosphere only gets a bunch of Christian response, which is great, but not why we did this. On the ground pub out here in this area is what we desire for HIS honor and Glory!

Help shape us, mold us, and make us like Jesus. That is where our heart is. Period.

We never did this to be cool, hip, trendy, or edgy. We did this because that is where the non-LDS people are hanging out and that is who we are trying to reach for Jesus. There and Alpha at community centers, cafe’s, wherever we can host them! No one seems to mind us in coffee shops. Isn’t that a drug? Oh well.

So head over to TIM’S BLOG and read the comments and respond either way [or start a conversation here if you wish,] then PRAY FOR US.

It’s all for JESUS!

OK…there are a few places that you will find non-LDS folks here in Utah. And by the way, that is our target. Well, actually we came to share Jesus with anyone who will listen. But for those Baptist warriors who think we came out to defeat the…blah, blah, blah…ummm, no.

Back to point…a couple places to meet non-religious common people here in sin city:

1. Places Where People are Drinking Coffee as a Main Beverage.

2. Places Where People are Drinking Fermented Beverage as a Main Attraction.

Since up to 80% of our area might be LDS [Latter Day Saints] we will go to where the non-religious crowd is gathered and build relationship and talk about Jesus. Kind of sounds like someone else I know who adopted this mission…[see Luke 19.10] of hanging out with those on the “fringes.” Darn non-conformists.

So we are running some studies where common people are in pubs, bars, community centers, maybe a coffee shop or 2 in the near future. The first one is called BEER AND BIBLE. Yep, you read right. The second one is for those who want BIBLE, but aren’t into BEER. It’s called ALPHA. A 10 week gathering that involves a meal, fellowship and discussion of what Christians believe in a very non-threatening way.

You can check out our campaigns here: www.whyamihere.tv & www.beerandbible.tv

Pray for us!!!!! We are advertising, networking, facebooking and sharing with whoever will listen and hear in the next few weeks. Pray that we will be Jesus to those who need HIM so desperately.

We are also allowing anyone in the valley to jump on our advertising and campaign and we will list your groups on our sites…if you want to run this, we will train you, market it with you and make this thing happen together. Hit me: chazzdaddy17@gmail.com