Advance the Church Fall 2010 Regional Session 3: Steven Furtick

Here are my notes on the third session of the Fall 2010 Advance the Church Regional Meeting at Vintage21 Church, Raleigh:

Session #3: Steven Furtick, Elevation Church, Charlotte, NC

“Training Men to Multiply”

Furtick was inspired by reading Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala soon after salvation

Didn’t know anything about church planting or even metropolitan life when he felt called to plant a church in a major metropolitan area

Story about watching walkthroughs of videogames on youtube and how it is totally lethargic just watching someone else do it—point that training is not for us to watch, listen and possibly critique but to be about following in faith.

Four points on developing leaders:

I.  Create a leadership culture that is INTENSE and INTENTIONAL: (Acts 3:1-10)

At Elevation, they don’t apologize for their overall call from the Scripture or their specific call as a church

Began with a couple men who desired to see God work but with no money and little plans

Church leadership style is based on individual gifting of leaders, not trying to emulate what others are doing

Some of Elevation’s core values:

“Ruth’s Criss not Golden Corral”—focus on doing few things very well rather than doing lots of things okay

“Dress for the wedding not the gas station”—prepared not for where you are but where you’re going, like stopping for gas on the way to a wedding; walking by faith, not sight

“We’re all about the numbers”—of lives, marriages, etc. changed

Furtick would rather be bold and fail than wait until his chance has passed

II. Embrace the paradox called “perhaps” (1 Samuel 14:6, NIV)

Completely convinced of God’s promise but aware of potential to fail or fall

“If the size of the vision for your life isn’t intimidating to you, it might be insulting to God.”—from Sun Stand Still

Be honest about your little bit of uncertainty of where God is leading, because you’re never 100% totally convinced

III. Think INSIDE the box

A word for those who are waiting for circumstances to change to move: “Stop waiting for what you want, and work what you’ve got.”

Having ideas does not make you a visionary

Don’t talk about what you can’t do but what you can.

Don’t “think outside the box” because the box you live in is your reality, but work with what you have.

It is limitation and frustration that leads to inspiration in ministry

IV. Get really good at the art of “Find and Replace”

Just as a word processor can find a word and replace it with anything, we must replace the lie in our heart with the truth.

Remember: At the end of it all, all you need is Jesus

Don’t focus on those who have disappointed you or abandoned you

Ephesians 3:20 benediction