What Do We Have?

So I’m in Orlando this week at the Exponential Conference. It’s a bunch of seminars and big group services for church planters. It’s pretty cool, and I’ll try to post some of my thoughts and experiences as we go. (You can also check out the Twitter feed).

Anyway, I just left the opening session where Louie Giglio laid it out. Louie is a songwriter, musician, and leader of the Passion Worship movement. He works with guys like Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder…you know, those guys. He’s also a brand new church planter and he had some powerful reminders for me about what church is.

When people meet me and find out I’m a pastor of a new church, a common question they ask is, “What kind of church are you?” You’d think by now I’d have an answer to that question that’s compelling and makes them want to come. I try my best, but how can you describe all of the complexities and all of the things I love about Harvest?

Louie opened up God’s Word and asked us about the early church in Acts 2. Every pastor I know wants to have an “Acts 2 Church”. But did the Acts 2 church know they had an “Acts 2 Church”? They had never even SEEN a church. They didn’t know anything about trends or resources or what the pastor down the road was doing. What would Peter have said if he was asked the question, “What kind of church are you?”

Louie pointed out that they had 3 things: 1) The teachings of Jesus, 2) The reality of the resurrection. 3) The Holy Spirit. That was it. And by being confident in the sharing of God’s Word, celebrating the resurrection, and operating in the power and leading of the Holy Spirit, they accomplished all of what Acts 2 had to say about them.

AND WE HAVE ALL 3 OF THOSE THINGS, TOO!

So why are we so quick to try and do church with other methods? Let’s just throw another program in the mix, we say. Let’s start a (fill in the blank) ministry, we say. Let’s spend $20,000 on marketing, we say. How about we say instead: Let’s proclaim God’s Word while we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death in the power and leading of the Holy Spirit? Isn’t that enough?


It’s more than enough. It’s the very power of God to build, grow, and sustain His church.

Wow.