Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.
I’ve just been looking today at this year’s LAUNCH church multiplication catalyst event as we GO VIRAL – planning and preparing for what I’m asking the Lord to make the best one yet.
First the bad news
Where I live, the word crisis has featured on the front page of just about every newspaper somewhere for the last few weeks. Few would argue with the contention that the world right now is suffering from a crisis of leadership and we see the evidence all around us. Fear rises. Everyone is effected.
I don’t know whether or not the oft quoted suggestion is true that a Chinese word for crisis is also the word for opportunity, but I certainly believe it in practice.
And I do know that the kingdom of God is never in crisis! That’s why now is no time for the church to retreat – thinking ‘one day we’ll fly away’. This is our opportunity to stand out by getting stuck in – with a renewed conviction that the gospel is as good as ever; the news that too many have yet to hear in a way they can relate to.
What’s the Good News?
I read good news every morning when I open my Bible, and I hear more every day from the people and movements I’m connecting with. Globally more and more people are not only giving their lives to Jesus, but living their lives for Him – as the Holy Spirit still moves in power and calls us to join him.
That’s why once more LAUNCH will gather practitioners who think, live and act differently to bring us inspiration from around the world. We will look, listen and learn together to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying, see what the Holy Spirit is doing and go where the Holy Spirit is sending.
FROM INSPIRATION TO IMPLEMENTATION
My friend Alan Hirsch tells me he much prefers teaching a small group than a large one, because that’s where true leaders learn. As we look through feedback from previous years its interesting to read how many report the real change in their practice has come not just from the main stage, but from the seminars – where we shift the focus from inspiration to implementation.
This year promises even more such paradigm shifting moments. Many of our keynote speakers will also feature again in those more intimate settings of course, but we have others coming to challenge and help us. I’m so excited looking through the list and I’ll highlight a few below.
If you’re coming already perhaps you could start to think about what topics you’re meant to get in the room for? If you haven’t booked yet or would like to bring more team please decide to soon, we’ve sold out every year, cap the numbers before rooms get uncomfortable – and don’t want you to miss out.
Among the seminars we’ll see;
LEADERSHIP LABS with Bishop Ric Thorp – himself a pioneering church planter now heading up planting for the Church of England draws out for us lessons on multiplying missional movements. He’ll engage with leaders like Neil Cole (100movements), Sarah Small (Eden), Bishop Oscar Muriu (NewThing Kenya) and Josh Howard (NewThing India)
J.John’s Preaching packs a punch. 23,000 recently gathered to hear him preach the gospel at a UK event and around the world he gathers crowds even larger in stadiums. This interactive masterclass from the UK’s foremost preaching evangelist who has just celebrated 40 years on the front line is one not to miss.
Kate Coleman equips and sharpens the leadership of those she coaches from the inside out. The ‘soul shift’ this seminar introduces will help clarify your mission and strengthen your church or organisation for fresh possibilities.
William Vanderbloemen knows that the people closest to you can make you or break you. Having pastored for many years he founded his Search Group to help build healthy team cultures to achieve your God given mission. Having helped huge churches and smaller ones recruit and retain the right leaders across the USA, he brings to LAUNCH a breadth of vital expertise that any leader can learn from.
James Emery White defines our mission as ‘the evangelisation and transformation of culture through the local church’ and brings the knowledge that has enabled him to write and consult extensively on engaging with new generations to this year’s LAUNCH.
Some don’t like to say it but most ministry needs money – and Chris Goulard leads financial ministries at Saddleback Church. He’s also Executive Director of their global PEACE program aiming to involve every Christian and every church in every nation in serving people in the greatest global needs. He will help us learn to see and communicate that stewardship is a deeply spiritual discipleship issue.
These are just some of the seminar options to whet your appetite. Just this morning I met to start cooking another one up I’ll do together with my buddy Andy Hawthorne on a seminar looking at how evangelists and church leaders can work together (like we do) to ADVANCE movements. LAUNCH is working with the Advance initiative now sweeping the globe to raise up, reproduce and release evangelists; giving everyone the wonderful problem of how to build and plant enough church communities for them to grow in.
We do all this because our conviction at LAUNCH is that it’s not about how many people are coming to your church, but how many people your church is going to that matters.
Book here now for the best possible deals. Over 400 delegates are already booked in, more are joining us every day until we’re full!