What church planters taught me...

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  Over the last two weeks, I have been involved in a couple of conferences; one in Atlanta and today, I'm in Orangeburg, right outside of Charleston, hanging at The Sticks with Artie Davis and crew. In both conferences I've had the privilege to speak to young church planters, as well as guys who have been in the game for a  long time. 

   I have been a lead pastor for over twelve years now, yet I still find myself learning from everyone around me. Here's a few things that young church planters reminded me of over the last two weeks.

 1. Passion is Contagious: I loved sitting and talking to these guys and hearing their hearts. They're excited about Jesus and ready to conquer the world! As I sit and listen to their story, my own passion became rekindled. These young planters reminded me that passion is contagious. May we never lose our love, excitement, and fervor for what we do. 

 2. Love souls, not stages: Last week I spoke at Planting the Gospel. I was so impressed with the heart of those who attended. They were not there looking for a platform or a stage; they were there to lean how to become more effective in reaching people with the gospel. They were there for souls; not stages or microphones. We must always guard our hearts and keep our focus so that we celebrate souls for Jesus over stages about Jesus. 

 3.  Simply Jesus: Lastly, I have learn to listen closely to the people around me. The reality is, God is notorious for teaching us things through the mouths of babes. Oftentimes it's the simplicity of Jesus that we veterans pastors somehow lose focus of. Church planters get that because they're broke, hungry, and ready to change the world...and if you ask them how they're going to do it, their answer is one, Jesus. May we never forget that. 

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