Cornerstone Pastors Network

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

– Victor Hugo

Preaching on Easter is said to be the equivalent to the pastors Superbowl.

Every pastor struggles with how to approach Easter. This is especially true for those who have been preaching on Easter for a number of years.

Dr. Blomberg completed his PhD in New Testament, specializing in the parables and the writings of Luke-Acts, at Aberdeen University in Scotland. He received an MA from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a BA from Augustana College. Before joining the faculty of Denver Seminary, he taught at Palm Beach Atlantic College and was a research fellow in Cambridge, England with Tyndale House.

“Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.”

– Will Rogers

Many churches are on the right track but they are just sitting there.

For a variety of reasons, they are content with the mundane – the normal, common place and routine of day to day operations. They lack momentum – that strength or force that moves them beyond the mundane to an ongoing position of moving forward.

According to Dan Reiland, executive pastor at 12 Stone Church and nationally known as “The Pastor’s Coach,” creating and sustaining momentum in the life of a church is one of the most important, but often under-developed, skills of church leaders, especially pastors.

Dan Reiland will launch Cornerstone Pastors Network’s 2015 Pastors Resource Call series and discuss how to develop this skill and apply it to your unique church setting and context.

In 2014, The Pastors Resource Call has hosted eleven outstanding pastors and ministry leaders. Pastors Larry Osborne, Dan Southerland, Gene Getz, and Jeff Jones joined with ministry leaders Neil Cole, Dan Reiland, Ed Stetzer, Lance Witt, Brad Leeper and Phill Martin to share their insights on leadership, being missional and taking care of one’s soul.

On the December PRC, the Cornerstone Team of Bill Nicoson, Warren Schuh and Carol Childress will review key learnings from the 2014 calls and preview the 2015 PRC schedule.

The landscape of the American church is shifting and the results are re-shaping the form and practices of the church today and more importantly the church of tomorrow.

No longer is the church viewed as a “privileged community.” How people connect to the church is changing. So are how churches communicate, fund their mission and staff their ministries.

On the November PRC, Phill Martin will discuss these shifts and their implications for pastors and church leaders. In his role as the Deputy CEO of The Church Network, Phill brings a national perspective of working daily with churches of all sizes and a wide variety of denominational affiliations.

Faith can’t be rushed. A “faith-cultivating environment” is about creating the kind of place and experience in our churches, especially in worship services, that results in evangelism.

According to Dan Reiland, “In our church, we want the worship service to be a place where a person can pursue, discover, and ultimately commit to faith in God. We are also intentional to ensure that our services inspire believers to grow in their faith.”

On the October PRC, Dan Reiland, executive pastor at 12Stone Church and nationally known as “The Pastor’s Coach,” will discuss six elements of creating a “faith-cultivating” environment.

12Stone Resources for Church Leaders

“Generosity is not a silo. It must be a thread that runs through your entire church. People do not have a giving problem. They have a giving to your church problem.”

In his role as a Principal and now President of Generis, Brad Leeper, has worked with thousands of pastors and churches of all sizes to help create a culture of generosity.

He’ll be leading Cornerstone’s “Growing Generous People” DIG that begins in October but this month, he’ll be discussing five keys to help pastors, regardless of the size of their church, to grow a generous congregation.

How can pastors connect with gifted lay leaders in their church? How can they leverage this relationship to be on mission together?

Larry and Bob Osborne (and yes, they are brothers) bring a unique perspective on the answers to these questions.

For three decades, Larry Osborne, senior pastor at Northcoast Church in Vista, CA, has engaged and involved talented and gifted lay leaders in his congregation for Kingdom ministry. Through his books and frequent speaking to pastor groups, including the PRC, he has provided strategic insight and encouragement to pastors across the nation.

Bob Osborne has been one of those gifted laypersons, serving for almost four decades through his church, Grace Church in Glendora, CA. He’s done everything from working with pre-schoolers to teaching adults to serving as an elder for 20 years, including 10 years as Chairman of the Elder Board. His “day job” was serving as a Commander with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department where over the course of his career, he led the Major Crimes Bureau, the Detective Division, and the Homeland Security Division until his retirement in 2012.

Bob’s passion to see local churches be led by healthy leadership teams is now being lived out as the Director of Church Leadership and Organizational Development for the Western District of the EV Free Church.

The format of this PRC will be a little different in that it will be more of a “give and take” conversation between Larry and Bob in response to pastor’s questions.

“The order of these words is important. Pastors have become so leadership focused that we aren’t living well. The greatest gift you can give those you lead is your own authentic walk with Christ.”

Lance Witt understands the challenges that come with being a pastor, regardless of the size of the church. He has lived it, written a book about it, and now leads Replenish, a ministry committed to helping pastors stay healthy and “finish well.”

On July’s PRC, Lance discusses the importance of pastors taking personal responsibility for the health of their soul, the toxins that poison one’s soul, how to find personal space and rhythm in soul care and spiritual practices that help a pastor live well in order to lead well.

The internal culture of a church is more powerful than its vision when it comes to making disciples and transforming your community and the world beyond.

Internal culture is shaped by a church’s unique DNA. But sometimes pastors and church leaders find it hard to describe their uniqueness and then communicate it to the broader membership and community.

Jeff Jones, senior pastor at Chase Oaks Church, in Plano, TX, describes their internal culture as “What Makes Us, Us.” “Our uniqueness doesn’t make us better than another church, just unique. It is who we are.” says Jones.

Over the last 18 months Jeff has led his church to both identify and communicate their uniqueness. They profiled ten DNA “markers” that shape Chase Oaks’ culture and are finding ways to communicate their culture throughout the life of the church from Sunday sermons to Life Group discussions to hands-on missions.

Jeff will discuss “What Makes Us, Us” and creating a healthy internal culture on the June 19th Pastors Resource Call.

“Developing Men As Spiritual Leaders In Your Church”

Spiritual leaders in your church don’t just happen. Identifying them and helping them grow is both biblical and intentional. One of the leaders in recognizing the importance of developing and equipping men as spiritual leaders in today’s church is Dr. Gene Getz.

It was an important foundation for the churches he planted and pastored through the Fellowship Bible Church network, a part of his teaching as a seminary professor and now a part of his role as a mentor to other pastors and church leaders.

Dr. Gene Getz is the pastor emeritus of Chase Oaks Church in Plano, TX, President of The Center for Church Renewal, author of 27 books and General Editor of the new Life Essentials Study Bible.

Developing men as spiritual leaders is the topic of the May 15th Pastor Resource Call with Gene Getz.

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