Exponential Conference -- Opening Session

Exponential has arrived. The volunteers are amazing. The worship team from 242 church are leading worship. They are amazing. I wish I could put some of our worship team, like Dan & Nick, in touch with them. They are great.

Ed Stetzer, one of the godfathers of North American church planting, opened the conference. He did a great job. Here's some of the highlights from his talk and the panel discussion he led.

• Many church plants are moving away from a denomination backing to more of a local church focus.


• Churches that plant aggressively: expect church planters to raise 50-80% of their support; provide less financial support to one church so they can support multiple churches; assign 10% or more of their overall budget to the church; had staff assigned to church planting; encourage their members to be involved in supporting church plants.


• Churches of 200 or less are 4 times more likely to plant than those of 1000 members or more.


• There's never a good time to plant a church, like there is never a good time to have children. Yet they are both very positive experiences.


• How awesome would it be if all our church plants were born pregnant.


• Neil Cole -- Your church is never better than the disciples you produce.


• Ron Sylvia -- Learn and return. What we learn from God, we are going to return to His kingdom work.


• Randy Pope -- They (people in the church) are going to seek what you celebrate.


• Ron Sylvia -- You are doing some of the greatest work. You are involved in the extreme sport of ministry.