The Party

"We don't have much to say to the world until we can throw a better party."

Otherwise, what are we really inviting people to? If the party they're going to in the world is more fun, and they are laughing more, and they feel more accepted, and loved and more at peace and more fulfilled at the end of the night... if we don't have that same joy, what do we have to offer? Really? Our party should be the best because of Jesus...who offers real satisfying, peace-filled, joy-filled love and life to all. Now that's a party worth joining.

This summer and Fall, we want to demonstrate to Huntersville some ways we can throw a better party. We need all of you to help us plan those parties. We'll be putting together the details in the next 2 weeks. Good Times are here...because the Kingdom of God is here, now!

What I Don't Like About Starbucks

Everything except their house blend coffee, with an enormous amount of sugar and cream.

Other beverages - too expensive.

Internet - you have to pay. (unless you know the secret trick)

Outlets - where are they?

Me: do you mind if I plug this in here?
Old guy reading the paper: Uh. No.
Me: do you mind if I run this cord across your lap?
Old guy: Um…
Me: Do you mind if I share your chair?

Furniture - not comfortable or available. If I am lucky enough to find an empty seat AND be near an outlet, then I’m most likely stuck at a round table so small that my computer completely covers it up. This is ONLY okay because I already have four kids and not interested in having more children. Otherwise storing a cup of 1000 degree coffee between my legs would be unacceptable.

Milk Frothing Machine - a sound that people somehow don’t mind when they are reading. I know all coffee shops have these, but come on.

We're Moving

Starting Sunday, May 10th, Radiant Life Fellowship will be gathering @ The Birkdale Residence Clubhouse in Huntersville.
Sunday's from 10:30-11:30AM

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Orange

What does Radiant Life Fellowship and the color Orange have in common? They both believe the family is worth our investment.

Orange is a color that symbolizes INTEGRATION. It's the brilliant result of a merger between two more traditional influences - red and yellow. Just like something radically new happens when red and yellow come together, there is a different kind of culture that is established when the Church understands the value of a true partnership with the family. There is a different kind of culture that is established in a church that really values a compreshensive and integrated strategy. When church staff members step out of their silo-style departmental thinking and start playing together, it creates synergy. Your team must be intentional about alignment. You can never get on the same page if you don't spend quality time in the same room discussing the things that really matter.

Orange is a color that suggests CHANGE. It's the primary color for autumn, a season of transition. You might be thinking, "Don't things turn orange right before they turn brown and die?" Actually, smart leaders realize there's a life-cycle to any organizational model. Every innovative idea and creative program will ultimately grow old. Styles and methods need to change more frequently than we are willing to allow. That's because the idea of change makes comfortable Christian leaders nervous, and it keeps the Church lagging behind culture. As a result, we give a generation the perception that the Church and maybe even God are irrelevant. Churches are notorious for feuding over what is already dying while they lose focus on the timeless principles that really matter. Just remember, even the most ground-breaking version of today's Church will ultimately have to be redesigned and reborn.

It’s really quite simple. It’s three simple statements that are incredibly convincing.

• Nothing is more important than a person relationship with God.
• No one has more influence on a child than a parent.
• No one has more potential to influence a parent than the church.

At Radiant Life Fellowship, we are simply laying the groundwork for:
..creating a plan for handing off kids from preschool ministry to children's ministry; from children's ministry to student ministry; from student ministry into college ministry - a plan that works among these age groups to build a strong foundation of faith, grow it, challenge it and mature it before students leave your ministry to become independent adults in this world.

...equipping parents with kids at every age level to become the primary spiritual leader for their kids - to partner with them so that the one hour the church has with kids each week is multiplied at home.

...creating opportunities for families to invite their neighbors to a relevant and engaging environment at your church - to see what happens to their own faith when they begin investing in those around them.

This week, we have 7 of our leaders headed to Atlanta, GA for the Orange Conference. They are going to have a blast. This Sunday, they will overflow their contagious enthusiasm and new ideas onto us @ church. Looking forward to an orange Sunday, May 3rd.

Technology

Check out this handy-dandy piece of equipment. Our Radiant Life operators are standing by to take your orders. (check out the video clip commercial)

Good to be Surprised

Sometimes it's just good to be surprised.
Enjoy this video clip!

Don't Waste Your Life

Thought I'd throw in a cool video. Hope you're enjoying the incredible Spring day. God bless. (video enclosed)

Thoughts About Communication

I’m writing down some things I’m learning about leadership. Today, here’s some thoughts on communication. How many times have you said that the reason that something didn’t work right was due to a “breakdown in communication?” Yep…communication is one of the keys to good leadership.

• First, seek to understand. I heard Will Mancini say that Einstein was once asked what he would do if he found out the world would be destroyed in 60 minutes. How would he solve the problem? He said he’d take 55 minutes to understand the nature of the problem, and then he’d solve it in five minutes.
• When communicating big changes, it’s helpful to describe your thought processes, and then give relevant facts and figures. Sometimes, people need to know the WHY before they can understand the WHAT.
• The more complicated the information, that's communicated, the smaller the group needs to be.
  
• Good meetings are full of discussion, from all points of view. I want to have the culture where people can say anything.
• But if you keep pushing on something, then you’ll eventually alienate the leader who shares the risk. When the decision has been made, it’s time to get on board and stop communicating your reservations. And I’ve NEVER been in a situation where an “I told you so” was helpful.
• The most common assumption (and therefore mistake) I usually make about communication...is that it actually happened.
  
• No last minute surprises. As a leader, I can make better decisions when I get information in advance. If I’ve only got a couple of days to solve a huge problem, then that’s not good. Keeping a pulse on things, and spotting trends, is helpful to leaders.
• Get the facts, and then communicate those facts clearly.
• Proverbs says that one word ahead of time is better than two words after the fact.
• Use mottos, slogans, rallying cries, and phrases. People need memorable statements, not just bland facts.
  
• Andy Stanley says that we can afford to sometimes be wrong, but we can’t be unclear. Sometimes, when I’m meeting with people, I like to say “so to be clear” or “so we’re on the same page here…” and then summarize what we talked about or decided.
• Don’t say no for people. People might say “no thanks” when you invite them to church, but if you never invite them out of fear, then you’ve basically said no for them. Same goes for leaders who are thinking about making a “big ask.”

That's The Point

Watch this. It’s a guy named Matt Chandler speaking at a conference. Not only is there a great truth, it will help you understand the kind of people we desire to be why we do what we do at Radiant Life Fellowship.

At the Beach this week

It's time for the Thompson family to get away for a while. And we consider Cherry Grove, SC a little piece of heaven.

So this week, we'll play, laugh, take pictures, make sand castles, throw football, laugh more, jump in the cold pool water, go fishing, make cookies, laugh more and recover, renew and refresh.

This is a view from where we stay, thanks to Jenny's parents.

What do you do to recover, renew and refresh?

Where Should we spend our Time?

As a church plant, how should we spend our Time, Resources, Efforts, in order to plant a church with a high conversion rate?

I had the assumption that it should look like this:
70% -- working on the front door (website, band, children, signs, logo, teaching...all for the Sunday service)
20% -- leadership development
10% -- connecting in the harvest (increasing our influence in the community)

After lots of meetings with my coach Neal McGlohon, from the Cypress Project, I now realize a not so slight correction needs to be made in my thinking, and actions. (not surprising!)

This represents our shift.
70% -- connecting in the harvest (increasing our influence in the community)
20% -- leadership development
10% -- working on the front door (the Sunday service)

That's a lot to absorb. Now, we're going to make it happen.

Focused Prayer for New Location

As a church, we are praying.

Prayer is central to our relationship with God and with each other. Prayer is talking to God. It's also listening to God. Paul says we should be able to pray all the time.

So, as a church, we are praying.

One of the prayer focus areas for us, this week, has been centered around identifying a new location for our church through the summer.

• a place suitable for all RLF-ers and those yet to be RLF-ers
  
• a place that breathes new life into us
• a place closer to where most of of live
  
• a place that's economical

We've been tracking a potential location as we pray. The residential clubhouse @ Birkdale seems to be one of our possibilities. All the pieces seem to be coming together.

• $400 refundable deposit.
• $125 a week.
• We could start here Sunday, May 10th (Mother's Day)
  
• We have a family who owns a house in Birkdale (Phillips) who are willing to vouch for us.
• It's easy to get to.
• Lots of outside amenities (bball, volleyball, playground, swimming pool for baptisms)
• Set in the middle of a development with almost 900 homes.
  

As a church, we'll take a vote on this issue Sunday, April 19th.

So, we invite you to continue to pray together.
Next week, we'll present another prayer focus for us. Thank you for praying.