Last week over 40 church starters met in Winston-Salem, NC for a great weekend of learning, refreshing, and sharing. We had such a diverse groups from states and regions throughout the country. We were Anglo, African-American, and Hispanic; retired pastors and young seminary students; traditional churches and emergent communities. What held everyone together were the core values of CBF and the desire to reach those outside the church.

Seminary professor and storyteller, Tex Sample, enthralled us with his stories. I was reminded again that, as pastors, it is far better to tell stories that invite others to faith questions rather than offer explanations and answers. This is definitely true for those of us working primarily with people outside the walls of the church.  Tex helped us analyze our specific contexts in order to see how best to speak to those around us. It was a lesson that would apply to any of us.

We took in some big theories and also focused on some nuts and bolts on how to start a church. But the best part of our time together were sharing the stories of our churches – successes and failures – with one another. We quickly developed a community that supported and prayed for each other.

I’m excited about the direction of new church starts in the CBF movement. There is a growing passion among many pastors, young and old, called to this particular work of reaching those outside the church walls. If you’re interested in starting a church or sponsoring a church start, I’d be glad to engage with you in conversation too. Contact me at dking@thefellowship.info.