Tribe has been silent for nearly a month. There are a few equally important reasons for the dead air:

1. I needed to step back just to get a grip on the excessively polemical direction I was regularly trekking. It’s so very easy to fall into the routine of graceless disagreeing. I don’t want to fall into/live in that pit.

2. I needed to focus on my real-time responsibilities. My family and my ministry require more of me every day.

3. I simply needed a break from the whole “blogging” thing … It honestly became more of a chore than it was fun or edifying.

So, I took an extended break. I am preparing to return to regular posting soon. Much - if not all - of this future posting will be focused upon church planting, leadership, and all that I have been learning as our ministry steadily grows. I have so much to share and say about life, leadership, and church planting. Some of this will be good; some of it bad. When one plants a church, lessons are learned the easy way and the hard way, regardless of the preperation and/or approach. The point is to learn something, and I sure have been learning some things - so many things.

I’m looking through a few of the chapter titles in John Maxwell’s Leadership Gold. Leadership Gold is a compilation of over forty years of leadership experience, as experienced by John Maxwell, of course. The book is composed of 26 chapters of wisdom (aka “Gold Nuggets”) for leading. More than a few of the chapters immediately resonate with me, as I continue to plant this church and minister in the city. These nuggets are going into my front pocket: 1. If It’s Lonely at the Top, You’re Not Doing Something Right; 2. When You Get Kicked in the Rear, You Know You’re Out in Front; 3. The Best Leaders Are Listeners; 4. Don’t Manage Your Time - Manage Your Life; 5. Experience Is Not The Best Teacher; 6. People Quit People, Not Companies (or Churches!) 7. Those Who Start the Journey with You Seldom Finish with You. Read More »

Justin Carroll, of 3Circle Studio, has not only joined Inner Metro Green (a church plant in Lancaster City, PA), but also is unleashing his God-given gifts and talents in seriously edifying fashion. He is blessing - and continuously blessing - the art direction of Inner Metro Green in way that has been so desperately needed! Inner Metro Green’s art direction was virtually non-existent, but now there is a conceptual theme developing - as we speak - that will be uniformly expressed through the official logo, business cards, letterheads, envelopes and an upcoming new web site. The whole package naturally complements the color/image/symbol concept driving the church’s moniker. It’s what was needed! Read More »

One would think that recording live sermons would not be so difficult in these technologically advanced days we are living in at the moment. Well that one would be mistaken! The process of live recording sermons and distributing them through your church’s web site can be quite difficult, to say the least. Obstacles abound! If your attempt to inch slightly ahead of the learning curve you are introduced to by the technology involved doesn’t sink you, the seemingly never-ending electronics shopping by trail and error will. Hint: If you don’t know what you are doing, you don’t know what to buy! Sometimes all who wander are in fact lost! All of this wandering around the electronics store, and trying to do it by trial and error, only results in more work and time lost. Read More »

Planting a church is anything but easy. In fact, it is quite difficult. I’m sure the only reason people actually do it is because the intersection of God’s call and personal passion/gifting creates missional unction that can not be ignored. Why else would someone choose the personal and vocational insecurities that accompany church planting over a comfortably secure and salaried position at an established church? If you have ever planted a church, or are planting a church, then you know what I mean. There are great joys to be had in church planting, but there are also great trials and tribulations. It’s the nature of the mission; it’s a direct result of being on the bleeding edge of Christ’s expanding kingdom. The bleeding edge comes with all sorts of challenges, spiritual and otherwise. Overall, I have to say, that church planting is an exciting, joy-laden, and incredibly rewarding ministry, but it is not for the faint of heart.

I recently discovered a post by Dan Taylor, a church planter in Edmonton, Canada (h/t Mike Clawson), called “Why Church Planting Sucks.” It was a great read, and completely accurate! I’ve experienced everything on the list in five months time. The following are quick hit and miss excerpts of the most resonate and sometime humorous points raised by Dan in this fun and encouraging list. Read More »