Hop on over to adamforney.wordpress.com to find me now:)

Well, here it is. I promised a new design and I think it’s done! Let me know what you think!

I just want you to know that I’m thinking about changing the blog design. Kind of working it through. Trying to get the header just the way I like it. Photoshopping around a little. So don’t be surprised if you come here one day and nothing except the content looks the same, because it’s going to happen. I’m just not sure when. I’m going for a more professional look.

Until next time.

Hey everybody,

Have you enjoyed the Twitter updates over on the left side? Just wondering. It’s a lot easier than writing a post. But I haven’t given up on churchfuse.

Twitter is just quicker and easier on my blackberry.

Until next time.

Let me start off by saying that Springfield was good. The trip had to be cut short because of the impending ice that was coming, making me leave about 2 hours earlier than planned. Any visionary can tell you that 2 hours can be alot of great ideas that were never thought up or came to fruition. Oh well, there’s always next time, right?

What does it take? Be prepared, this might get thick! I will try to keep the rantings to a minimum. Here’s the setup. I had a follow-up call of sorts on Tuesday. The planter from Saturday, we’ll call him Jack, had a meeting with other planters from his area and it turned into a gripe contest. These two planters told Jack how they were trying to be innovative and change the method without changing the message mind you. They keep getting turned down from doing amazing stuff by their district leadership because they haven’t done it that way before. Really, I’m not kidding, I know it sounds cliche, but that was the reason given. Honestly, no surprise there, the denomination is not known for thinking outside the box. My friend, Jack, was calling me about an idea he had posed at the meeting earlier that day to his 2 fellow planters. Let me say, it was a great idea! But it won’t happen in our denomination. I told Jack that best case scenario is his district takes the idea and puts someone else in charge, but what will probably happen is that they won’t be able to take the lid off the box of his idea and say no. I told him not to waste his time with the district and pursue area business leaders. Business leaders, especially business leaders who have started their own business, have the entrepreneurial spirit needed for this kind of idea, and aren’t afraid to throw some faith at it.

My question to you: When does not being innovative or creative with the method become a sin? Is it when we realize that we’re not changing to be current with the culture and really not reaching anyone, but refuse to change anyway? Even with our hymns of glorious praise and flanograph? Is that when it is? What has happened when I need to have a visionary pastor go to a business man, instead of his district leadership with a great idea? Anyone else see anything wrong with that? But that’s what it’s come to.

Here’s my rant for the day. You see, alot of young pentecostals are leaving my movement (ahem, sorry, fellowship) because they are not able to minister in the way they feel God has lead them. All four planters mentioned so far in this post (including myself) were once part of denomination and now are leaving or about to. I got an email from an old college roommate who’s in the beginning stages of planting a church in the south, who’s struggled with this issue. The denomination could have kept most, if not all the planters, who will have strong churches, just by trying something different. Why not at least try it. I have chosen to leave peacefully and not stay in a denomination and try to get them to think like me.

Here’s my issue. I’m starting a new organism called a church. I believe it to be the most effective tool to reach people who do not follow Jesus. During the beginning stages of church, there are alot of things that I have to think about, pray about, and decide on. Who am I going to reach? What kind of staff will I hire in the future? What kind of church government do I want to have? I don’t want to also have to wonder if I will get the support I need from my district leadership. I would rather know from the beginning that I won’t have any and then that’s one less thing I have to worry about. See my point? I have a million other things to worry about, whether or not my district or national leadership agrees with my methods is not something I want to think about.

And all this? This is just the tip of the iceberg for young pentecostals like me who no longer have a denominational home. What do you think?

Until next time.