What were the early days of North Point really like? You would think that becoming the largest church in America (according to Outreach Magazine) would be birthed out of an easy start. But that wasn’t the case. Lane Jones walks us through the backstory on the founding of North Point, its early struggles, why they didn’t quit, and the initial strategic decisions North Point made that ultimately led to its exceptional long-term impact.
Welcome to Episode 91 of the Podcast.
Guest Links: Lane Jones
Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication
Seven Practices of Effective Ministry
Links Mentioned
William Vanderbloemen; Episode 19
Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
Search: The Pastoral Search Committee Handbook
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About
3 Things You Can Do Right Away
In the mist of controversy and ambition of launching a new church came resiliency and prosperity. Lane Jones discusses the vulnerabilities of developing North Point during its foundation and how his team overcame conflict.
- Refine the mission and clarify the vision. As you make long-term preparations to grow, look ahead to the future season. Navigate through the tough conversations, and resolve the messy conflicts. When you map out plans to grow, you’ll lose some people, those who realized they didn’t really want to be part of what God has in store for your mission. And you don’t have to look at is as something negative; it will offer clarity.
- Acknowledge practical limitations. In the beginning, Lane knew they didn’t have a building for Sunday school, but they knew that community was built in a more relaxed environment. Practicality was important, and a lack of resources led them into a more permanent philosophical decisions long term. You have to ensure you’re on board theologically, and you have to prepare accordingly.
- Prepare for criticism. It’s important that you stand by your vision in the midst of disagreement. Lane says he was convinced that what they were doing was the direction God called them to go in. There was so much to do, and so little time to do it, looking at the negativity wasn’t productive to the mission. People will only see what you’re doing in the present, and they won’t understand what you’re doing for the future.
Quotes from this Episode
CNLP 091: Lane Jones on the Ups and Downs of the Early Days of North Point Click To Tweet
CNLP 091: Lane Jones on the Ups and Downs of the Early Days of North Point Click To Tweet
CNLP 091: Lane Jones on the Ups and Downs of the Early Days of North Point Click To Tweet
CNLP 091: Lane Jones on the Ups and Downs of the Early Days of North Point Click To Tweet
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Next Episode: Adam Duckworth and John Garippa
As many leaders know first hand, starting a church isn’t easy. Carey has an honest conversation about the ups and downs of planting a church with Adam Duckworth and John Garippa, six months into planting Downtown Harbor Church in Fort Lauderdale Florida.
