Pastorpreneur

Love is Here-Easter triumphs!

What an amazing Easter celebration we had at CVC.  We had 8 services on our Minden campus and 3 services at our Dayton campus with combined attendance of over 4200 people.  This in an area where only 100,000 people live within 30 miles of us and typically only 5% attend church on a given weekend.

Today, I was just given a list of 488 "barrier" cards that were dropped into a chest at the foot of the cross during our 8 services at the Minden campus.  UNBELIEVABLE.  I will be reading and praying over that list for quite some time....believing God for His working in the hearts and lives of the hundreds who made decisions to name and surrender the barrier that was keeping them from experiencing the love of God in Christ.

We are humbled and awed at the stewardship of these lives; pray for this weekend at CVC as we start a new series called, Jesus in Da Crib.  We'll be looking at how Jesus radically alters our relationship map.

Love is Here...NOW!

I grew up going to church every Easter (multiple services!) so I relate most easily to those for whom the Easter expeience seems like an annual experience without much personal impact.  SO...every year I pray that history will become HIS STORY and therefore make it OUR STORY.

This year at CVC we are doing our human best to demonstrate the connection and personal impact.  We've already had our first two services on Friday and have our next two today (4:30 and 6 p.m.), followed by 4 on Sunday (8,9:30,11,12:30).  Pray that we will be faithful to the TRUTH and to the STORY of the RISEN KING!

Join with followers of Jesus around the world in celebrating the Risen Christ this Easter!

Pastorpreneurs say God is not Dead!

Several years ago I coined and trademarked the term Pastorpreneur.  Here is what I wrote in the first edition of the book in 2003 (a new paperback version of the book has just been released by Abingdon Press

As I have shared the concept of partnerships with a number of pastors, some have called this “an entrepreneurial strategy for churches.” It combines the aggressive goals of business with God’s heart for people. I later merged these ideas and coined the term pastorpreneur. A pastorpreneur is a pastoral innovator, a creative dreamer who is willing to take great risks in church ministry with the hope of great gain for

Chris

t and his kingdom. Like any good entrepreneur, this kind of leader isn’t wild-eyed and foolish. He assesses goals, opportunities, and risks very carefully, but he is willing to attempt great things for God. His path is checkered with successes and defeats, but his successes touch many more people than if he had chosen to play it safe, and he learns from his failures so even they are stepping-stones to future gains.

Since that time, the term has appeared in a number of places including online definition soure sites, Christianity Today,  Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox, and in The December 2005 Edition of The Economist.  Most recently, John Micklethwait, the Editor in Chief of The Economist and Adrian Wooldridge, the Washington Bureau Chief of the same publication, wrote in the April 7th, 2009 edition about the fact that "God is not dead" (whew..that IS good news!) in response to the Newsweek article of April 13, 2009 declaring "The End of Christian America".

In the article, the writers cited Rick Warren and      Bill Hybels as positive examples of Pastorpreneurs.  Both men have positively impacted my life and ministry and I'm excited about their Kingdom Impact.

Pastors and Entrepreneurs AND Pastorpreneurs...all for the glory of God!

Thrive 2009 Sold Out-Studio Seating Now Available!

Well friends...I'd been warning you that Thrive 2009 would sell out.  And, it has.  BUT, in order to squeeze in more people, we are going to provide up to 600 additional seats at a RECESSION BUSTING price of $50!!  Oh my goodness...you still get to experience all the amazing stuff of Thrive (I was in a programming meeting yesterday and you better get your seatbelt on)...and catch all the breakouts...for about 80% OFF the base price. You can register here for the $50 Studio Seating