Dare To Believe

"You shall dare to believe him for a thousand churches"

While sat in an airport lounge on my way to Dubai, I found myself talking on the phone to a dear friend about the state of church planting. Especially as it relates to Newfrontiers, the movement we both belong to. As I boarded the half filled A380 Airbus (being so grateful to find an empty row of seats to put my feet up) I began to recall the Stoneleigh bible week in August 1999 where John Kpikpi gave a remarkable prophesy about the movement planting new churches. The following extract gives the essence of that word -

“….believe him for 1000 churches to be planted throughout this whole nation (UK) through this movement. There’s a river that is flowing out from this place, there’s a river that is flowing. Wherever it goes this river is going to cause fruit to be borne. It’s a river that is flowing from this place and the river is in your heart. Wherever you go this river will bear fruit and the Lord is saying that those of you who don’t like agricultural imagery he says there are going to be new births of churches all around.

You have been used to planning before having births. God is saying there is going to be unplanned births as well. There’s going to be unplanned pregnancies leading to unplanned births because God is going to be bringing things that are not even planned or thought about. They will suddenly arise and spring forth in the end. You shall dare to believe him for a thousand churches through the work of this movement in this place, says your God.”

Years later this prophesy still resonates with me. I also realise that one of the most important elements of this prophecy was the statement “Dare To Believe”. 

Breakthrough Leadership

"I find that keeping optimistic and energised in mid life has become a major challenge"

I now find myself firmly in my fifties, pioneering a multi site church and in the early stages of a dream to build an arts academy in one of the poorest parts of Manchester. This academy is where we aim to give some of the most disadvantaged in our city access to high quality and socially motivated artists.

I find that keeping optimistic and energised in mid life, especially after spending the last 25 years starting new churches and projects has become a major challenge. Stamina is lower, cynicism is an ever-invading threat and living with the reality of success and disappointments is very frustrating. I find bible characters and business leaders a major source of encouragement and stimulus, as I look to stay motivated and on the cutting edge. In these next few blogs I want to look at different ways that enable leaders to achieve a measure of breakthrough and success while at the same time avoiding the energy and soul sapping experience of being on a long-term plateau, where nothing seems to change or move on.

To start with lets look at six rules for every CEO that Jack Welsh, former CEO General Electric, laid out in Fortune (1989) –
1.  Control your destiny, or someone else will
2.  Face reality
3.  Be candid with every one
4.  Don’t manage, lead
5.  Change before you have to
6.  If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete

Next blog: Face reality