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Romeoville 10th Anniversary Celebration

Ten years ago, Community Christian Church became a multisite church.  I had the privilege to be the Campus Pastor when the Romeoville Campus launched and 552 people showed up on that very first Sunday in 1998.  That was one of those days completely marked in my memory.  Today at the Romeoville Campus, they celebrated the last 10 years.  I didn't get a chance to be there, but I was able to send this video message.  I can't wait to see what the next 10 years bring to COMMUNITY and the Romeoville Campus.

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Signs, Signs, Everywhere are Signs

Patrick O'Connell worked a sweet deal with Lamar Advertising to get a spot on this digital billboard on I-29.  60,000 cars per day pass this sign and we will have it for at least four weeks.

Also we have 20 small roadsigns out along Barry Road.  Janet worked with Sherry Gossman to design these little beauties and bought them from Victory Store for around $5 each.

I was at Einstein Bagels yesterday picking up a dozen bagels and since I had bought about six dozen in the past month, the manager asked me what I was buying them for.  I told her I was buying them for the post office guys where we drop our postcards.  She asked why I was sending out postcards.  I told her we were starting a new church here in the Northland.  She said are you with..is that...Restore Community Church that I see the signs all along Barry Road..  I said yes.  And then invited her to come.

This is really fun.

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Innovative Churches

Outreach Magazine has published their 2008 list of most innovative churches.  Check out the top 15 at churchrelevance.com.  My mentors and friends at Community Christian Church (#13) are on the list again as well as my very good friend Scott Hodge and Orchard Valley Community Church (#24). 

Also there is a great article on how innovative churches are reaching a changing world.  Read about it here.

Someone to Watch - David Crosby

This morning at "Bootcamp" I got the chance to hear David Crosby talk about staffing in a new church.  Over the last couple of days I have spent a lot of time getting to know David and his heart and ministry.  He is a way cool guy.

Five years ago, David planted Pocono Community Church in the booming metropolis of Pocono Summit, PA.  Actually I think the population is around 2,200 people in the entire town.

In five years that church has grown from 75 to over 1,000 in weekly attendance with many many conversions.  Probably the coolest thing about this church is that it is truly multicultural.  There are over 40 nationalities represented in this young church and the staff is reflective of that diversity.  God is doing some great stuff in PA.  I can't wait to see how the Kingdom is expanded through this church.

Go Dave Go!!!!

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Church Planters Bootcamp #2

We are in the second full day of bootcamp and unlike what Janet posted in her blog, Josh and I are working very very hard.  As a matter of fact, Josh does his push ups every morning and I help him count.

Actually we are getting some phenomenal inspiration and affirmation.  Yesterday I got the chance to share Restore's Philosophy of Ministry.  It was really fun to talk about what God is up to in KC and how He is inviting us to play.  I also got a chance to share some multisite stuff from the NewThing practicum.

Right now I am listening to Vince Antonucci talk about the chaos of doing church that radically reaches lost people.  Vince has been a good friend for many years and he is one of the most passionate leaders and communicators on reaching people far from God that I have ever met.  You cannot be around Vince for more than a few minutes without feeling convicted, then challenged and then inspired to do every you can to be Jesus to people who don't know the Truth.

I am committed to do everything I can to ensure Restore is relentless about helping people find their way back to God.

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Reproducing Church

A new friend of mine, Brian Bliss, invited my family to attend the public launch of the new campus of the Vineyard Church here in the Northland.  They launched their Brighton 152 campus in the Northglen 14 theaters in KC.  Brian is the guy playing the acoustic guitar.  They did a great job and I know this new location is going to make a difference in the lives and eternities of many people.

After being a part of leading or watching 7 campuses launched at Community Christian Church in Chicagoland, it was really fun to be there today for this launch.  It is our dream at Restore Community Church to be a reproducing church.  To launch new campuses in the metro KC area and to send out church planters across the country.  How fulfilling to see God working through so many different churches to create a movement to change the spiritual landscape of Kansas City.

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People to Know

Today was the last day of the CMA Elevate07 conference at Indian Creek Community Church in Olathe KS.  I got the chance to meet Mo Hodge and Chris Mishler and their team from the Bridge Community Church.  They are a multisite church with locations in Decatur, Anderson and Muncie Indiana...and one in Bihar, India (crazy story).  They have a vision to start 25 sites in the US (most in middle to small sized cities or towns) and 5 churches outside the US.  Not one of the cities where they have a location has a population above 50,000.  Since starting in 2000 they reproduced to three sites in IN, helped to start a church in India, and have grown from a group of friends to over 1,800 in weekly attendance. 

They utilize the Big Idea and have a highly collaborative environment.  By Mo's admission they are a high energy fun loving bunch of friends who love doing church together.  From what I see they are probably one of the best churches doing multisite in rural or rurban environments.  They are definitely a church to watch.

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