It is now the 18th week of this church planting adventure, and the key activity continues to be ... NETWORKING! But I find that most people don’t initially grasp the magnitude of this activity. Relationships and trust are the foundation upon which this community of faith will grow. Relationships near and not-so-near must be patiently nurtured for things to happen in the future. Let me give you five concrete examples from my pastoral work this last week. Although they are five very different forms of networking, they each have the potential to be significant contacts down the road:
(1) Jacob – the general manager of the local Caribou Coffee. Fantastic young guy! Quite musical (went to college on a full ride music scholarship on trumpet). Embraces the values of excellence and hospitality which Caribou is about. Brainstormed the possibilities of doing several joint events together (Hey! Why not have the best coffee at all our fellowship gatherings or hold Bible Studies at their place?!)
(2) Kelly – Director of Children’s Ministries at Brooklyn UMC. Sharp as they come, and a young dynamo of organization! Showed me all of the magic they have prepared for Vacation Bible School next week. We threw around the idea of sharing the VBS props with the other UM churches along the corridor. (Hey! Why not let every church have more by working together?!)
(3) Jennifer – a 45-minute phone conversation with an unchurched mom of young kids in Big Lake. I called as part of my Spud Fest volunteer-sign-up duties. Ending up hearing all about their exciting out-West vacation plans for 17 days over the 4th; lead into church-talk and an open-ended invitation to call and talk more about church stuff in the future (Hey! In-roads into a family’s spiritual life sometimes begin with volunteering elsewhere and talking about other things!)
(4) Lyle – retired United Methodist pastor serving on the Metro West Builders Association. No one does graciousness or hospitality better. Invited me to join the Builders for lunch and before I even knew what was happening, the entire group and I are talking about land, buildings, ministry dreams, and financing for half an hour (Hey! It may be worth much more than a free lunch down the road!)
(5) Joanie – looking for a job as a Worship / Music Director in a church near Maple Grove. Vivacious, experienced, and genuine. Were able to connect thanks to the MAC Bulletin Board (email version). Now, I am no where near ready to hold formal job interviews, but a shared cup of coffee now allowed each of us to share visions, passions, and faith-views long before deadlines are coming due (Hey! If she is not the right fit, she may know another who is and now she knows all about us!)
What do church planters like me do in the early stages of getting a faith community going? We build relationships which may or may not amount to anything. We go and scatter the seeds of God’s grace along the pathways of life, hoping that some will grow to bear much fruit (Matthew 13:1-9). In a nutshell, we do a lot of networking.
Know anyone you think I should talk to?
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