Some Things I have Learned in Church Planting

Through the first 3 years of our church plant in Arlington (Mosaic of Arlington) I have learned a great deal from my friends, my co-leaders, the culture we are trying to impact and of course from the Spirit of God.

By no means is this list complete but I thought I would jot a few of these things down, in no particular order.

• My family both suffers and is blessed from my time as a church planter.  They are blessed because I get to make my own schedule so if they want me they can have me.  They suffer b/c my nights are filled with meetings, my mind is constantly preoccupied with the health of our church and even when we are 'away' on vacation I tend to think more of Mosaic than them.   
• Make sure you communicate with your wife first before we communicate with your elders, leaders and general community of your church plant.  There is nothing worse than having your wife hear/learn something from someone else, when she should have learned it from you.
• Read the Scriptures more than any other book (no matter how 'hot' that book is) and listen to the Holy Spirit in your prayer times more than any other podcast.  Believe me, if you don't do this you will be building on another leaders vision, not the vision God wants to give you for your city and the people He wants you to lead.  
• Guard your prayer time and your study time.   
• Exercise.  Don't look to me for the poster child of this but believe me.  The more you exercise the better you feel.  The better you feel the better you will lead.  (Plus it's hard to preach on Gluttony when you are 30 pounds overweight)  
• Be yourself.  Not the opposite of what you don't want to become.  Learn from Jesus and lead like Jesus. 
• Trust God for the growth you desire.  Pray and work hard.  Stay pure.  Lead as a servant.  But in the end it's God who will give the increase.  

More to come later, I am sure.