Podcast: Replant Bootcamp

EP 219 WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE YOUR REPLANT

Written on November 29, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 219 WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE YOUR REPLANT

00:00 / 24:31

Hey there Bootcampers, we hope you had a great Thanksgiving. One of the realities of pastoring is this: Sooner or later, someone in your church will decide they no longer wish to be a member of your church under your pastoral leadership. That can be difficult and discouraging, especially if you are early in the work of church renewal. How can you respond? The guys break that down in this important episode of the Bootcamp.

1. God brings sheep; God takes sheep

2. It’s difficult to keep the already departed.

3. Grieve their loss, but don’t despair

4. Send and bless those leaving

Here’s a blog on this subject.

Know this Bootcamper, you are not alone, we’re praying for you. We’d love to hear from you and offer a word of encouragement or counsel, just drop us a line, comment or hit us up on the Bootcamp hotline.

Need help with your website, branding, and online strategies? Look no further than our great sponsors at One Eighty Digital. They have you covered and they specialize in assisting churches to develop authentic messaging.

EP 218 – Grateful for you

Written on November 22, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 218 - Grateful for you

00:00 / 9:08

Hey Bootcamplers, we’re thankful for each and every one of you! We took a few minutes to pause reflect and share our thanks. Praying you have a blessed gathering time with church family and friends.

Jimbo and Bob

EP 217 – Multi-generational ministry

Written on November 15, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 217 - Multi-generational ministry

00:00 / 24:07

EP 216 WHEN CHURCH LEADERS AND TEAMS DECIDE

Written on November 8, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 216 WHEN CHURCH LEADERS AND TEAMS DECIDE

00:00 / 25:34

Hey there Bootcampers, happy Fall! We’re talking about how to make decisions as you lead your church toward renewal. Our topic is consensus, what it is, why it sometimes leads you to decisions that may not be the best for your congregation. Listen in and join in the conversation.

Consensus = a general agreement, to arrive at an agreement about a matter, thing, or initiative….

Three Challenges

100% agreement about something is impossible (stating the goal is arriving on something which you can all agree upon – may limit the best decision)
Arriving at agreement based on consensus may put us as the standard makers for decisions
Striving for consensus is good in principle, but it may leave room for people to withhold opinions and reserve judgment if whatever you decide doesn’t work out.

Three Correctives

The goal is the best decision that honors God and is consistent with his work and way. (it may go against your best-laid plans and best thoughts).
Getting to the best answer requires mutual submission.
Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit

What insights do you have? Has your team navigated the decision-making matrix? We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line, a comment, or a voicemail.

Make the right decision and get our great sponsor, One Eighty Digital, working on your social media and web presence. They bring their expertise and passion in an affordable way to your church’s message and platform.

EP 215 LONG TERM PASTORS & CHURCH RENEWAL

Written on November 1, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 215 LONG TERM PASTORS & CHURCH RENEWAL

00:00 / 28:33

Greetings Bootcampers. Today the guys tackle an important and oft asked question; “Can a long tenured Pastor lead a church toward renewal?” Characteristically the answer is usually a not affirmative. We want to push back on that a bit and stress, a long tenured Pastor might be able to lead a church toward renewal-but it takes some clear thought, a huge commitment and the power of God working through the Pastor and the congregation.

Here are some of the highlights.

There are 3 things involved in considering a church and renewal:

Pastor
Church
Culture

Pastor (he must become a renewed pastor)

Personal renewal comes first
Take a sabbatical (even if it’s just for a week)
Do some prayerful personal evaluation
Make sure you are ready to make the commitment to see this through
Get some perspective and insight from others
Decide what strengths you need to lean in on and maximize
Decide what weaknesses you need to focus on as growth areas

Church (it has to be willing to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit and earnestly desire to be renewed)

Ask the church to enter a season of prayer and anticipation
Do some strong evaluation (maybe get some outside help/perspective)
Rightly define reality and lead your church to holy discontentment
Build or enlist your leadership team to help you not do this alone
Decide on a plan and a direction (that is not the same direction you have been going)
Choose Bible Studies and sermon series that are about pursuing God’s will
Lead with the Word not force of personality

Culture (things cannot stay the same, or business as usual)

Define the new direction in a clear and compelling way
Amplify that message as often as possible. When you are tired of talking about it you may have started to get through
Create some small wins to keep the momentum going and celebrate them loudly
Setup a process of continual evaluation and adjustment where necessary

What do you think? Have you renewed a church as a long tenured Pastor? We’d love to hear from you. Why not drop us a line, a voice mail or a comment? While you are at it, get with our great sponsors over at One Eighty Digital-they have the know how to refresh and renew your church’s website.

EP 214 ASSOCIATIONAL LEADERS AND CHURCH RENEWAL

Written on October 25, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 214 ASSOCIATIONAL LEADERS AND CHURCH RENEWAL

00:00 / 26:48

Hey there Bootcampers! We hope your Fall ministry season is going well. Today the guys tackle the subject of Associations and church renewal. Both Jimbo and Bob are firm believers in the relevance of the local Association and recommend any church pastor considering engaging in Replanting or Renewal connect with the AMS and other Pastors in their local Association.

Here’s how AMS leaders can serve the churches in their area.

CORRECTLY DEFINE SUCCESS:
- Normative size church is a church with less than 199 in gathered worship.
- 91% of all SBC churches have less than 199 in gathered worship
- 79% have less than 100
- Every SBC pastor who preached to more than 2000 would fit on a regional plane. The could bring their spouses and fill a 737
- Less than 90 churches reported over 2,000
- Every SBC pastor who preached to less than 200 would fill a major league stadium

COOPERATION: Cultivate a culture of cooperation instead of competition.
- Churches in need of replanting will be far more open to receiving outside help from a church that they already feel they have a relationship with. Find ways to get churches to do things together – not just the pastors – but the congregations.

COHORTS: Another way that associations can help is to help their pastors grow in their leadership together through cohorts. Bring pastors together to learn together. Help equip them to be better pastors – but it is important that they do that together to help cultivate the community and culture of cooperation like I mentioned before.

CALL OUT THE CALLED & CREATE RESIDENCIES: We also can help churches setup residencies to train up men called to ministry so that we have guys ready. We can also help older pastors think through how to pass the baton well, maybe by having them help train up pastors in a residency to pass the baton to.

CONSULTING: Associational leaders can also help their churches by consulting and coaching them.
- Help them define and face reality

CRISIS INTERVENTION – Part of this is stepping in when crisis happens.
- Interim pastors

CELEBRATE: When you have a great story of revitalization or replanting – share it – celebrate it

Resources:

Partnership Profile Tool
Associational Replanting Guide
AMS Replant Lab Feb 19-20 registration opens soon

EP 213 – Developing a Discipleship Pathway

Written on October 18, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 213 - Developing a Discipleship Pathway

00:00 / 26:44

Bob has officially passed the Associate Director torch to JimBo.

On this weeks episode of the BootCamp we are discussing some things to consider when developing a discipleship pathway.

Things to consider

The Goal of Discipleship:

Spiritual Transformation
- In the context of community
- Confidentiality cultivates a community where we can be honest
- Through accountability
- Reproducibility

The Tasks of discipleship
- Scripture is consumed in context and in community
- Sin is confessed in mutual accountability
- Skills are developed
- Souls are prayed for

RESOURCES

Lost art of making disciples-Leroy Eims

Master’s plan for evangelism-Robert Coleman

Dangerous Calling-Paul Trip

EP 212 – MAKING DISCIPLES w/o OVERWORKING

Written on October 11, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 212 - MAKING DISCIPLES w/o OVERWORKING

00:00 / 22:57

Well, Bootcampers the guys are back at it again and talking more about discipleship. Here’s the deal, making disciples is a ministry mandate (Matthew 28) and it’s also something that many struggle to do. Jimbo mentions a great article by Karl Vaters on discipleship and how Pastors can go about it without overworking themselves. Check out Karl’s post here and listen as the guys break it down from their perspective.

Meet with every new Believer
Determine how a persons learns and grows-specific and unique to them.
Connect them with mature believers and the right resources (share in the disciple-making process)
Help them discover their gifts, be trained in them and use them in the church.
Call on developing disciples to develop disciples themselves.

What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear from you, give us your insights and experience and keep the conversation going.

While you are at it, connect with our great sponsor and friends at One Eighty Digital, they can show you the way to connect with your community and let them know about your church.

EP 211 – YEAR THREE-STAYING THE COURSE

Written on October 4, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 211 - YEAR THREE-STAYING THE COURSE

00:00 / 27:58

Greetings Bootcampers! Bob has settled the annual bet, donning the LSU pajama top once again as his Hogs lost to Jimbo’s Tigers. After the football banter the boys get down to discussing the reality that year three in a church renewal can be challenging and difficult making you want to leave. We break down some ways to look at the challenges and the years and we encourage you to preach, pray, love and stay.

Here are the highlights:

Yr 1 – Who are they, and who am I?

Pastoral visits
Self-Awareness and Growth

Yr 2 – I think this is going to be hard

Conflict-this isn’t what we want it to be
Stop changing everything

Yr 3 – I think I made a big mistake?

the dip and double dip (attendance and finances)
self doubt and spiritual warfare

Yr 4 – Okay let’s make this work……and get to work

Develop a plan and work the plan
Love and laugh
Cry and grieve
Execute plans not people

Yr 5 – 7 head down, celebrate victories, learn from mistakes, Pastor and love the church you have….

I see the light at the end of the tunnel and it’s not a train or Jesus calling me home.
People choosing to be part of your church because they found it and like it
walking in the confidence of the Lord, he’s got you and this.

Here are some other podcasts which are worth a listen.

Drop us a line and let us know how your doing. And, connect with our sponsor at One Eighty Digital, they can get you through the clutter of cultural noise and connect you with your community in social media and web presence.

EP 210 Congregational Theological Education

Written on September 27, 2023.

Replant Bootcamp

EP 210 Congregational Theological Education

00:00 / 25:25

Well Bootcampers, the Battle of the Boot is over, Jimbo and his LSU Tigers win again. Bob will wear the pajama top in Oklahoma. In this week’s EP the guys get down to the important business of discussion facilitating theological education for the church. Here are the highlights

Introduction

Spiritual maturity does not always correlate to age – the young can be spiritually mature, the seasoned immature.
We are often theologically educated beyond our level of obedience.

STUDYING God’s Word makes a major impact – more so than just reading it – but we need to teach our people how to STUDY God’s Word

Strategies for providing theological education (it is not a one size fits all scenario and there are multiple ways to layer this into the culture of your congregation):

Sermon series
Sunday School or small group series
Sunday night seminars
Guest speakers and workshops
Online resources like right now media, replant hub etc.
Utilize denominational confessions and creeds

What stood out to you? We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line and let us know what you think

Resources:

No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im
99 Essential Doctrines

Get equipped to connect with your community, our great sponsor, One Eighty Digital, can get you headed in the right direction. Call them today and let them know you are a bootcamper.

Episodes

Podcast: Replant Bootcamp