What does John Harris know that you don’t?

He’s grown a church from 2 people to 400 during Covid and on Facebook. But that’s not the most crucial part of this interview. Post-Church Christfollowers and “multimodal” church are.

John left a career as a military chaplain to join the staff in a large California church. After more than a decade, he began noticing that most church dropouts come from among the 20 percent of super-committed Christ-followers. The doers and givers are leaving churches in significant numbers.

So, in 2019 he departed his job as an executive pastor to launch a coaching ministry designed to help pastors keep their most influential members.

Then Covid struck!

Forced to move his business online, he never missed a beat. The coaching platform has grown in size and productivity but still left something to be explored.

Seeking to understand better why key people leave the church, he decided to start an “unchurch” to reach them. He doesn’t call it that. I do. It presents as an “online Christian community.” Intent on avoiding the word, church, he began by reaching people who feel they just escaped one.

Then there is the evangelism element. As people get excited about personal growth around the father-love of God, they talk about it. Evangelism happens without prodding.

The story goes on. So you need to listen to it if you want to understand “multimodal church” or why I found myself coaching a church growth coach. 

You can learn about the coaching business at https://www.jharrischurchconsulting.com/ to check on the unchurch, you’ll need to take notes as he explains the path to observe what he’s doing in part 2 of this fascinating interview.

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Ron Johnson is a seasoned church planter and multiplier with 44 plants launched since 1985.

He's also a good friend and one whom I greatly admire. Mostly for his courage and insight. Struck with confusion when the pandemic first hit, he and his team soon morphed into the microchurch network they had sought prior to the tragedy.

The church numbered around 550 in weekend attendance in 2019. Now there are more than 600 in microchurches along with a waiting list of 120 who have returned to the building but hunger for the intimacy developed by leaders who saw opportunity in technology for intimacy--even without a physical presence.

During the interview spoke of our need to raise our sails so the Spirit can fill them with his wind. For Restoration Church, raising sails includes intentional disciplemaking, a well-defined 8-point training device for leaders, Discovery Bible Study and a balance of technology and relationship.

Along with so many other success stories this one begins with prayer. Specifically asking the Lord of the harvest for more labor. Not limited to a staff, this prayer is foundational to every disciplemaking member of the congregation.

What began with me interviewing Ron spun to him interviewing me about half the time.

I think you'll enjoy these two episodes.

You can learn more at https://rst.church/simplechurch

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Ron Johnson is a seasoned church planter and multiplier with 44 plants launched since 1985.

He's also a good friend and one whom I greatly admire. Mostly for his courage and insight. Struck with confusion when the pandemic first hit, he and his team soon morphed into the microchurch network they had sought prior to the tragedy.

The church numbered around 550 in weekend attendance in 2019. Now there are more than 600 in microchurches along with a waiting list of 120 who have returned to the building but hunger for the intimacy developed by leaders who saw opportunity in technology for intimacy--even without a physical presence.

During the interview spoke of our need to raise our sails so the Spirit can fill them with his wind. For Restoration Church, raising sails includes intentional disciplemaking, a well-defined 8-point training device for leaders, Discovery Bible Study and a balance of technology and relationship.

Along with so many other success stories this one begins with prayer. Specifically asking the Lord of the harvest for more labor. Not limited to a staff, this prayer is foundational to every disciplemaking member of the congregation.

What began with me interviewing Ron spun to him interviewing me about half the time.

I think you'll enjoy these two episodes.

You can learn more at https://rst.church/simplechurch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the third installment of a highly informative interview.

Following a near-fatal car accident at age 17, pastor's son Jarrell Flowers got serious with Jesus. That set him on a path toward fruitfulness in the commercial music world as well as in ministry.

He's involved in live concerts, music production and community engagement. His songs are featured in both mainstream and Christian markets. Jarrell aspires to make music that brings people together in a unique blend of hip hop, pop and rock music. He pioneered the Freedom Music Group as an indie network building artistic communities that make disciples of Jesus who intend to change the world.

After a dark bout of depression, Jarrell put the word out through social media asking musicians and other artists if they felt isolated and in need of spiritual support. The response was immediately overwhelming. Over time a movement was born. Rise microchurch communities emerged from the mix.

An interesting aspect of this interview is Jarrell's interest in whatever parallels might be found between the Jesus Movement of the 1970s and the renewed awareness of social and community needs facing younger people today. Rise communities are highly missional. One group of musicians has made it their job to provide an interface between a local police department and people living in the neighborhood. I came away impressed that this is not a movement of friends self-congratulating about their mutual interests. These people are out to bring Jesus into a broken world.

You can learn more about Jarrell at freedommusicgroup.com. To connect with the Rise movement click on https://freedommusicgroup.com/riseconnect.

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This is the second part of a three-part interview.

Following a near-fatal car accident at age 17, pastor's son Jarrell Flowers got serious with Jesus. That set him on a path toward fruitfulness in the commercial music world as well as in ministry.

He's involved in live concerts, music production and community engagement. His songs are featured in both mainstream and Christian markets.

Jarrell aspires to make music that brings people together in a unique blend of hip hop, pop and rock music. He pioneered the Freedom Music Group as an indie

network building artistic communities that make disciples of Jesus who intend to change the world.

After a dark bout of depression, Jarrell put the word out through social media asking musicians and other artists if they felt isolated and in need of spiritual support. The response was immediately overwhelming. Over time a movement was born. Rise microchurch communities emerged from the mix.

An interesting aspect of this interview is Jarrell's interest in whatever parallels might be found between the Jesus Movement of the 1970s and the renewed awareness of social and community needs facing younger people today. Rise communities are highly missional. One group of musicians has made

it their job to provide an interface between a local police department and people living in the neighborhood. I came away impressed that this is not

a movement of friends self-congratulating about their mutual interests. These people are out to bring Jesus into a broken world.

You can learn more about Jarrell at freedommusicgroup.com. To connect with the

Rise movement click on https://freedommusicgroup.com/riseconnect.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following a near-fatal car accident at age 17, pastor's son Jarrell Flowers got serious with Jesus. That set him on a path toward fruitfulness in the commercial music world as well as in ministry.

He's involved in live concerts, music production and community engagement. His songs are featured in both mainstream and Christian markets. Jarrell aspires to make music that brings people together in a unique blend of hip hop, pop and rock music. He pioneered the Freedom Music Group as an indie network building artistic communities that make disciples of Jesus who intend to change the world.

After a dark bout of depression, Jarrell put the word out through social media asking musicians and other artists if they felt isolated and in need of spiritual support. The response was immediately overwhelming. Over time a movement was born. Rise microchurch communities emerged from the mix.

An interesting aspect of this interview is Jarrell's interest in whatever parallels might be found between the Jesus Movement of the 1970s and the renewed awareness of social and community needs facing younger people today. Rise communities are highly missional. One group of musicians has made it their job to provide an interface between a local police department and people living in the neighborhood. I came away impressed that this is not a movement of friends self-congratulating about their mutual interests. These people are out to bring Jesus into a broken world.

You can learn more about Jarrell at freedommusicgroup.com. To connect with the Rise movement click on https://freedommusicgroup.com/riseconnect.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second part of this interview, Dustin brings advice to others in "God's waiting room." He specifically addresses those who might not be in a situation as good as his. You may hope to plant a church, but your current church isn't warm to the idea.

Dustin and I get into the possibility of planting a church bivocationally while keeping your job in your home church.

Finally, we discuss avenues of permission, even when permission is withheld. You should find this creative and enlightening.

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Dustin Anderson is on deck to plant a church - but he's been there a while.

Dustin leads community outreach and disciplemaking groups in a thriving Southern California church while anticipating an eventual plant. For some, that feels like living in God's waiting room. His experience may parallel your own.

This is also the story of an exciting young church broadening its footprint during the pandemic. Coming out of the mess they have a larger cadre of seasoned leaders than when it all started. The leadership team is seeking direction for whatever next steps lay ahead.

Dustin is a little unusual in that he's been mentored for several years by Randy Wier, one of our first members in Hope Chapel back in the early 1970s. Randy helped launch two highly successful churches before moving to Ventura, CA to plant a church bivocationally. A successful building contractor, he led that congregation for several decades before coaching younger leaders.

This interview is a mix of new hopes and mature wisdom.

You can learn more about, or from, Dustin by clicking on https://journeythechurch.org/about-us/staff

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Meet my friend Joe Mabe. He's a fourth-generation church planter from my days in Hope Chapel Hermosa Beach.

We sent 20-year-old Jeff Fisher to plant what became Hope of the Valley Church with a bunch of his surfer buddies. Our youth guy, Dale Yancy, accompanied him as staff pastor/babysitter. A few years in Jeff and company sent Dale to plant a Hope Chapel in Nashua, NH. Dale later sent Tom Johnston to plant and he sent Joe to Keene.

The church is fruitful and its leadership, faithful. They enjoyed church multiplication success in their early days. In fact, the chain of churches planting churches reaches at least nine generations. In many cases, the planting pastor met Jesus in the congregation that would later launch him. Multiplication has slowed over time and Joe addresses that in a manner that will give you hope.

Beginning bivocationally, the church eventually demanded full time and the fruit shows that it was a worthy decision. You'll find Joe practical and down-to-earth. Enjoy!

For more about Joe click on hopechapel.us

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This is the second part of a hugely instructive interview.

While many young pastors minimalize or even erase, the history of a church; Steve chose to build on the heritage of the church he pastors.

Planted by two young women on bicycles in nationwide poverty immediately following World War 2, the church had suffered a leadership crisis on a seven-year cycle until Steve recognized and broke it.

This is a rapidly growing congregation in a country where that is a rarity--yet the pastor recognizes the need to release people is more important than building big. Young, refreshing and challenging, you'll enjoy learning from Steve as he continues to learn from the Spirit. If you care about church multiplication and wrestling through problems bigger than you, this podcast will light your fire.

For more from Steve you can find him at steveuppal.com or allnations.org.uk.

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