Miscellaneous
This month's podcast is with Pastor Antoine Lassiter. Antoine is the Lead Pastor of Think Kingdom Church in Kannapolis. In this timely episode, recorded in the midst of the COVID-19/Social unrest moments of June 2020, has Pastor Antoine talking about some things that God is giving leaders the opportunity to "get right". 7 thoughts from a "Get-right" moment: Pray and ask God. Trust me...if your heart is pure.... you may find that the next move requires you to handoff and not control. David financed the temple but couldn't build it. Solomon did. Seek God for full understanding. His plan may include you becoming more of a facilitator than the feature. Resource churches beyond your own. There are under-resourced churches in the areas you see ripe for the gospel. God is already doing the work BEFORE your ministry shows up. Seek those churches and pastors out. Move beyond the denominational banner you wave. Cultural competency. Listen and be slow to speak. Understand that contextualization may not be something you understand fully. Seek to understand. Your experience is just that, YOUR experience. Having black or white friends doesn't make you an expect. Learn to mourn with those who mourn even if you don't fully understand it. Step aside and be someone's guide NOT the Lead. Make space for others. Surrendering your pulpits is only the beginning. Not the end. Diversity should be messy. And beautiful. Assimilation is never the answer. Diversity is a gift. We may not worship the same but we worship the same God. Jesus is the only way. Its NOT your way or mine. Gospel Essentials are important; but what works in suburbia may not work in rural. What works for middle class is different than low income. Often times we place prevailing church planting models as the standard. Nah bro..... COVID 19 has been disruptive...GOOD. Don't go back to the "attractional consumer" model. It will allow you only to treat these topics as events. Not lifestyle. Discipleship is murder to self-indulgence.