Comments for Brian Spahr

Comment on Launching a new church - How do we meet people? by Tom Lyberg

Tom Lyberg — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:23:14 +0000

I would recommend contacting Scott and Taryn Hofert at Watershed Church in Charlotte. They were on staff at Westwinds Church in Jackson, MI with Ron Martoia when I was visiting there to learn experiential worship (Len Sweet sent me there.) Scott and Taryn left - issues with Ron - but really the call to plant a mission in Charlotte, where they had never been before. They would be great people to meet and talk to and might even remember the Lutheran pastor from Ohio who hung out there.

On the Lutheran side of things, get in touch with Craig Bollinger at Christ the King, Charlotte. He would be an excellent mentor to add to your circle. He has been part of the Transformational Leaders Gathering, very innovative, and would be a good support.

Having been the son of mission developer in Naples, FL, I remember moving to Naples, knowing no one, and the first Sunday there were nine people - five from our family and four others. Pressing the flesh and knocking on the doors was the method in the 1970s. Still need the relational but you will need the net - but you get that already. I would suggest with your musical gifts, talk to Craig and do a Charlotte concert tour - youth groups, coffee houses, county and neighborhood fairs, etc… - and pass out contact information for the net, worship locations, bible studies, and you will get people coming to you.

Have a safe move and let me know if I can help.

tom

Comment on What to do when you have nothing to do. by Anjel Scarborough+

Anjel Scarborough+ — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:22:42 +0000

Good man Brian! It is weird to go from full throttle to stop in an instant (a bit like power shifting without the clutch … and sometimes missing!). Enjoy the rest for now. Always remember you are created to be a human BEING not a human DOING.

Comment on Who Stole My Church? by Beth

Beth — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:21:52 +0000

I loved this book; it’s the first book I have read straight through (in only 2 days!) in years. As the characters developed, I certainly recognized them as members of present and previous congregations. I have been frustrated with their convictions that the old way is the best way; but McDonald helped me to understand them a little bit better. I can now appreciate their reasons for wanting to hang on to what is familiar and, to them, sacred. I have more compassion for them, but I have to find a way to help them move into the future, just as McDonald did in the book. I have to be patient and work through a process, or I will be the biggest impediment to the very changes I want to see happen and that need to take place.

Thank you, Gordon McDonald, for writing this book. I plan to buy several copies and hand them out to my leaders.

Comment on Who Stole My Church? by Brian Spahr

Brian Spahr — Tue, 06 May 2008 23:12:51 +0000

Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comment. You are absolutely right. I have not read the book, my post was about the article alone. Maybe it didn’t come across in my post, but I was actually praising the article and the way MacDonald is modeling HEALTHY and NECESSARY conversation.

I encounter a lot of people who say they are interested in “conversation” but what they really mean is that they want to have a chance to talk…not listen. Those of us who are “emerging” leaders in the church miss out on a golden opportunity to learn from and be challenged by those who have gone before us. I’m not sure how Andrew jumped to “entertainment” from my post, or the article, or the book, but he did, and maybe he will be willing to clarify what he meant.

The only part of the article I didn’t like was his quip about young pastors wanting to start new churches since I am a person beginning that journey right now. Hopefully, however, I can find a seasoned pastor like MacDonald who will be willing to mentor me along the way.

Anyway. Thanks for you input.
Peace,
Brian

Comment on Who Stole My Church? by Peter Santucci

Peter Santucci — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:52:27 +0000

It’s obvious that neither of you have read the book. The “article” was simply one of the chapters in the book and didn’t deal with all of the topics the rest of the book does. Therefore, I disagree with Andrew. The book has so little to do with entertainment and so much more to do with how real people deal with real change. I just wish I were as wise as the pastor in the book …

Comment on What do we value? by Brian Spahr

Brian Spahr — Sun, 04 May 2008 06:59:23 +0000

Did you have any idea that you were eating your “Moons over My Hammy” on such hallowed ground?

Comment on Who Stole My Church? by Andew Perkins

Andew Perkins — Sun, 04 May 2008 05:55:35 +0000

Too much focus on ‘entertainment’ like music. How much impact will this book really have? This book is in vogue today and will most probably fade in the years to come. I can only imagine many book-worm pastors suggesting this book as a must read since it sidesteps the critical need to really care for one another and engage in true fellowship. We have become so inwardly focused….focused on ourselves…rarely truly caring about our congregates and definitely NOT those external to the church.

Comment on What do we value? by ray

ray — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:33:29 +0000

OMG, that’s my Denny’s! I used to live down the road from there and it was a frequent late-night haunt by me and my housemates.
Nostalgia….

Comment on What tools have you found useful? by Brian Spahr

Brian Spahr — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:54:50 +0000

Wow. thanks Swen. I feel honored to have made the cut with your iPhone.

Hope you are doing well bro.

Comment on What tools have you found useful? by swen

swen — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:01:19 +0000

I have found the following to be helpful…
1. my iPhone
2. my Living Room Tunes CD
3. this website
4. spahrdog