Christmas Reflections

I was asked recently about the naming of the SENT NE Multiplication Church Planting Network. I said that "SENT" is the simplest way to summarize the Great Commission. Jesus SENT His followers to the ends of the earth with a mission in mind-of proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God and its King, Jesus! He SENT them to MULTIPLY themselves in the lives of others that would follow after Jesus as well. As they did this, CHURCHES were PLANTED and the impact was global in nature. But before Jesus SENT His disciples, He Himself had been SENT. Being SENT is the basis on which He SENT His disciples as we read in John 20:21 "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." Notice the statement- "as the Father SENT Me..." for therein lies the way in which His followers are SENT.

The Christmas story gives us the first understanding of how Jesus was SENT to us, and how we live as those SENT to the world. The incarnation reminds us that being SENT is synonymous with being a servant. The entrance of the Newborn King went unnoticed by the multitudes of people in Bethlehem that first Christmas.No doubt it was the fast pace of life as people journeyed to their hometown for the census that kept His entry into our world hidden. But as time would prove, it was also because of the people's perception. They were simply looking for the Messiah in the form of a conquering king. No doubt, Jesus, the eternally existing King could have come that way. But that was not the mission of the incarnation. The mission was a mission of servant-hood. As such, God entered our broken, sin filled world as a baby King who would grow up to seek and save the lost by first serving them. The Christmas lesson of being SENT is that just as Jesus was SENT to serve, so He sends us-to serve.

Unfortunately I sometimes see those SENT, believing that they were SENT to be served, as if the very people they minister to are there to serve their vision. Disagree? Take a simple test. How often are we satisfied with those God has given us to serve right now? How often do we think or even speak negatively about those we serve in reference to the roadblocks we face in our vision? How often do we seek to communicate the success of our ministry based upon our weekly attendance averages? How often is the first thing we want to know about a ministry is- how many people attend that church?

This Christmas, if you are an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor or Teacher, be reminded that you have been SENT by Jesus to SERVE like Jesus.

Answers & Updates

Mid-November greetings! It's time for an update on the SENT NE Network. But before that, I want to take a moment and respond to a common question I hear when it comes to the planting of new churches.

Often I am asked- "why new churches?"  The question then typically flows toward either the notion that there are already enough churches, or that the dollars spent on planting a new church should be used to help revitalize existing churches. My answer to the question is: "yes!" Yes, there are already enough churches that are ineffective in their mission. If they do not go through revitalization, they will eventually die. Statistically, many do die. That however does not mean that we should not seek to help failing churches become successful in Christ's mission.

But having said that, new churches have a definite advantage in mission. For starters, new churches are often more appealing to those on the fringes of culture. As an example, there are several young adults in the church I lead that are pierced and or tattooed that would probably never step foot in a traditional church. Yet as they search for God, they would consider something new. Church plants also possess an advantage because they can from the start create ministry that bypasses years of tradition. It's not that tradition is wrong, but simply less meaningful to successive generations. So while many of our church traditions have significant purposes, most un-churched people simply don't get them. New churches don't have traditions and therefore don't have to focus their energy on traditions or overcoming them to reach lost people.

Ultimately new churches are not the end all, but they have been used by God as His primary method of reaching lost people since the inception of the church.

SENT NE UPDATE

Things are progressing well as we prepare to launch in January. The most exciting thing about recent weeks is both the interest and support I am receiving at this point in the journey. Already God is moving in ways beyond my ability to comprehend. 

Last week I was in Cortland NY. I grew up in Cortland. It was once, like so many cities, a manufacturing community. Very little industry remains today. While I was there, I met with a small group of people potentially interested in a new church coming to the area. I am excited about the possibility. Now to look for a potential planter!

SENT NE & 2020 Initiative Assessors at a recent training event 

Later this month I will be meeting with our team of assessors to finalize our assessment process. Planter assessment is an important part of the planting process as it helps identify calling, strength & weaknesses of potential planters before they launch a new church. Assessing also helps us know how to better mentor & coach church planters.

PRAYER


Here are some things to pray about on our behalf:

• Finalization of network details
• Development of prayer partners
• Recruiting of potential planters
• Partnerships with existing churches
• Raising of funds for potential plants

FINALLY- Considering planting? Watch this video before you do!

The Need Is Critical

The Northeast is the most unchurched region of our nation and now rivals post-Christian Europe.

According to the U. S. Religious Landscape Survey of 2008 released by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, less than 5% of the population in the Northeast is connected to an evangelical church. What's just as disturbing is that for decades, most Christian organizations and para-church ministries have stayed clear of the northeast deeming it a spiritual wasteland, not worth investing time and resources. It's time to stop looking at the spiritual deadness in the Northeast and start looking to the God  who will transform it!


That's why we are launching the SENT NE Multiplication Church Planting Network! Our vision is to strategically saturate the Northeast with new churches that will possess the vision and the training to plant new churches. Our goal is to foster a movement of a minimum of 20 new churches by 2020  which will grow to over 100 churches  by 2030.


To make God's dream a reality, we must develop strong partnerships. The SENT NE Network is  the most essential partnership as we go forth because together, a network of churches sharing the same vision while possessing similar Missional DNA will be much more capable of making God's dream a reality. For the same reason, we are also partnering with the Eastern Regional Conference Churches of God in their 2020 Church Planting Initiative. http://www.2020churchplanting.com


Just as importantly, we need to partner with people like you! In history past, the great movements for Jesus and His Kingdom were not great because of networks or denominations. While they supply structure and support, it's ordinary people like you and I that God used to advance His Kingdom. So, we need your help.


You can partner with us in several different ways. First, sign up to follow our Blog. That way you can stay informed. Second, share our Blog with others that you know would would be interested in our movement. Third, become a SENT NE prayer partner. You can do that by simply emailing me at mike@lifequestcc.com and  type: add me to the SENT NE prayer partners. Next, You can financially support our network by simply checking out the advertising links. The network receives income from each link that is clicked.


Finally, if you have a desire to learn more about planting a church in our network, feel free to email me as well at Mike@lifequestcc.com. Give me your contact information and I will get back to you.

Thanks for reading my our blog. Right now my goal is to blog at least on a weekly basis. So until next time, be blessed!


Mike


 

Welcome To The SENT NE Church Planting Network

This is the official blog for the SENT NE Multiplication Church Planting Network which will officially launch January 3, 2011.  Our mission is simple:

The SENT NE Multiplication Church Planting  Network exists as a movement of churches who believe that together we can be exponentially effective in our mission of reaching lost people in the Northeast by planting new churches, and by supporting existing churches.


As we move forward in the launch, this blog will keep you up to date on the latest developments as well as provide a greater understanding about our church planting movement.


For now, let me introduce myself. My name is Michael Smith, not Michael W. Smith, but Michael S. Smith. The great Christian music artist Michael W. is a distant relative dating back to Adam & Eve. As the Director of the network, I have the awesome privilege of leading a movement of churches that will have a growing impact upon the Northeast USA. 


I have been in ministry for over 20 years and have pastored both mid size and large churches. I am currently Lead Pastor of LifeQuest Community Church in Whitman, Massachusetts which my wife Brenda & I planted in 2002. I am also Northeast Field Director of Church Planting for the Eastern Regional Conference Churches of God, in a partnership with in the 2020Church Planting Initiative http://www.2020churchplanting.com/ . For the Northeast, our vision is to plant no less than 20 churches by 2020.


In the months to come we will be rolling out an exciting and informative website. In the meantime, you are invited to follow us on this blog.


Blessings!
Mike