Breakout Churches

Last week, I read the book "Breakout Churches" by Thom Rainier. Loved it! A friend of mine recommended it and it could not have been more on time. This book is basically a carbon copy of Jim Collin's "Good to Great", but for churches.

Key takeaways for me:

• Vision is found when 3 things intersect: The passions of the leaders, the gifts and passion of the congregation and the needs of the community.
• I feel that God is saying that we are in a preparation time. It is a parallel journey for CCF and it’s people. I am seeing it all over the place. A time of intense spiritual growth, calling and preparation for the powerful future he intends. This hard work will take discipleship and TIME!
• God is wanting to give me personal long term perspective that will allow me to lead incrementally and patiently.
• When dealing with difficult decisions, remember: closure, compassion and communication. Beat the lies of the rumor mill with the publicity of the truth.
• It is a lie to believe that we can just put some catchy slogan on the wall and people will follow it.
• I think that we should feel and know vision long before we write it. It is birthed out of the good work of the Holy Spirit in this community of faith!
• We need to create a culture of permission and a climate of openness.
• We are not reaching our potential. There is so much more.
• Do we discover vision? Or does vision discover us?
• Everything takes time! The kind of transition and call to anointed ministry that I am sensing the Lord has for CCF will not be grown into in a short time. It will take years!
• Everything we do needs to be for the church of JESUS and IT’S future. Considering the church and the community we are in, it needs to outlive us...what we plant may be reaped by the next generation.
• No more rushing!!! Beware of dates and deadlines right now. But seek passionately, and reject any scent of complacency.
• CCF: What do we do? Why do we do it? How do we do it?
• No church can ever carry out ALL the passions of its leaders.
• Vision is dynamic.
• It is better for a vision to be lived out and not written, then written and not lived out.

There was so much more...lemme stop.