Launch Meeting was a Success

What an incredible meeting tonight. It was totally different than anything we have experienced yet. We were in rented space. We had mostly new people. Most of our "regulars" couldn't attend. And it was very interesting night and it went perfectly. We called out for people to volunteer and they signed our Involuntary Involvement sheet. I am leaving you the outline so you can read the content for yourself if you missed it. Next meeting- Dec 7Th, 5pm, His Rock, Candlelight Communion and Worship. Don't Miss It. Check out these notes...

Launch Team Meeting #3
11/16/08
Assimilation Process

Scratch the surface to function as a team, Lina’s talk, Liz’s talk, encourage you to be involved, and then at the end we will take up a donation for HC and pray together.

HC is called to the unchurched, called to the transformation of the lives of others.

Vision-To Know Christ and Make Him Known
Will spend our life on self Indulgence, or give our lives away to a cause greater than ourselves?

Mission-incarnate ourselves among the brokenness of people’s lives, and help reshape a future that looked lost, lit by a glimmer of Hope, called the Church, the hope of the world, col 1:27 Christ in you the hope of Glory.
I want to invite you not to come to a church, but to be “The Church”, be the hands and feet and voice of JC and join in the struggles of others with God’s love.

We are at a critical time in our launch team

This could be the perspective…read The Little Red Hen…

The Little Red Hen
Here a story that made quite an impression on me as a little kid. It is the reality that every entrepreneur and visionary will have to face...
(A Golden Book, New York) Western Publishing Company, Inc, Racine, WI 53404
Once there was a Little Red Hen who lived in a barnyard with her three chicks and a duck, a pig and a cat.
One day the Little Red Hen found some grains of wheat. "Look look!" she clucked. "Who will help me plant this wheat?"
"Not I", quaked the duck, and he waddled away.
"Not I", oinked the pig, and he trotted away.
"Not I, meowed the cat, and he padded away.
"Then I will plant it myself," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
When the wheat was tall and golden, the Little Red Hen knew it was ready to be cut. "Who will help me cut the wheat?" she asked.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Not I," said the cat
"Then I will cut this wheat myself". And she did.
"Now", said the Little Red Hen, "it is time to take the wheat to the miller so he can grind it into flour. Who will help me?"
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Then I will take the wheat to the miller myself," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
The miller ground the wheat into fine white flour and put it into a sack for the Little Red Hen.
When she returned to the barnyard, the Little Red Hen asked, "Who will help me make this flour into dough?"
Not I," said the duck, the pig and the cat all at once.
"Then I will make the dough myself," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
When the dough was ready to go into the oven, the Little Red Hen asked, "Who will help me bake the bread?"
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Then I Will bake it myself," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
Soon the bread was ready. As she took it from the oven, the Little Red Hen asked, "Well who Will help me eat this warm, fresh bread?"
"I will," said the duck.
"I will," said the pig.
"I will," said the cat.
"No you won't," said the Little Red Hen. "You wouldn't help me plant the seeds, cut the wheat, go to the miller, make the dough or bake the bread. Now, my three chicks and I will eat this bread ourselves!"
And that's just what they did.
And the moral of this story is.................
Don't expect anyone to help you. They will wait until there is no work to be done and no risk to be taken. They will step up and expect you to share with them as if they helped you. duh!


Many think from their perspective that we have a lot of time before we launch, but on the contrary It has been my observation that it takes a minimum of 1 year for a church planter to build a launch/core team & make inroads into a community and begin to build the systems and leadership necessary to plant:

1. Assimilation process
2. Evangelism network
3. System to mobilize spiritual gifts
4. Build a children’s ministry team
5. Build a worship team and plan for the first public services, after you have done at least 4 “practice” services

Any great business starts with communication, assimilation and then production

I am looking for those that hold the urgency in their heart to see a great church launched to this community

There is a difference between a group and a team- a group is a lump but a team functions.

Ex: Football-head coach-calls plays, assist coaches, QB-follow HC, throw, run, defensive line- protect QB and push back offensive line- move the ball up the field

I believe we have the all the right ingredients that a team needs, it simply needs the baker to put them all together, in their right measures, and mix it all up.

Jim Collins in his book good to great says that you must get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seat on the bus.

Your area of giftedness is your sweet spot.

Ex: Golf club-hitting the ball in the sweet spot of the club

The Need for Workers
Mat 9:35-38 NLT
35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
John 4:34-38
34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe[e] for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”

Pass out Involuntary Involvement Card-Bring up Lina and Liz

Horizons: Our Ability to Succeed is our Willingness to Serve- to act function, wait on, be of assistance, meet a need, to put in play

Mat 20:28 I came not to be served but to serve others and to give my life as a ransom for many.

The way to engage in this life with Jesus is by serving others Involuntarily.

By default we serve because that is the DNA strand of Christ in us.
Financial Piece

Most people see a need for a church out there that can meet the needs of others.

PCI bid-not real estate, not utilities just equipment More than $126,000.

It takes the commitments of others to do that.

When people get mad at the church or a pastor the first thing to go is their money, and then later their body follow their money out the door.
When people first come after they buy into the leader, his vision, and the organization, the last thing to arrive is their money.

Kirk Gibson back in Oct 1984 hit the homer that caused the Detroit Tigers to win the World Series in Baseball. On the Front page of the Detroit Free Press was Kirk Gibson's pose hands lifted jumping and face contorted with triumph

-exclaiming this is what I was born for!

Scripture says that where your treasure is there your heart will be also.

Exo 35-36 Offerings for the Tabernacle
4 Then Moses said to the whole community of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded: 5 Take a sacred offering for the LORD. Let those with generous hearts present gifts to the LORD: gold silver and bronze
21 All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the LORD. They brought all the materials needed for the Tabernacle
29 So the people of Israel—every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the LORD had given them through Moses—brought their gifts and gave them freely to the LORD.
But the people continued to bring additional gifts each morning. 4 Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work. 5 They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the LORD has commanded us to do!”
6 So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. 7 Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project.

Thank You all who attended and gave tonight. God Bless You.
Those that couldn't come missed it!
December 7th is for you!

Horizons Launch Meeting Tonight!!!

Our meeting place is, His Rock, on the corner of 24 and Romeo Plank. The time is 5pm. The Ending time is 6pm. Invite all your friends neighbors family members pregnant ladies and everyone who wants to be counted for the greatest movement on Earth! Your kids are welcome with childcare provided and food provided by Liz Dinello tonight!!! I love my team. You guys are awesome. We will be taking our first donation tonight for Horizons Church. Let's climb this hill together and accomplish the plan of God! Nothing is impossible with God.

November 16th Next Big Meeting

Hi everybody! We have rescheduled tonight's meeting for only 1 meeting in November to be held on the 16th, next Sunday only. Those that have the original launch calendar would show Nov 9th for a meeting, but to repeat, we are only having 1 meeting this month, Next week!!! Call me if you have any questions 248-202-6990.
Next week Nov 16, 2008 @ 5pm @ His Rock on the corner of Romeo Plank and 24 Mile(new location due to growing attendance). Bring your families for an incredible time together. You will not want to miss this one!!! Then, Dec 7 @ 5pm @ His Rock, we will have worship and take communion by candlelight together to end 2008 strong. Don't miss this meetings. These will be crucial to our growth as we approach 2009!!! More this week!
God Bless.