Summer Thoughts

A few of you have noticed that I have not written in a couple of weeks. Actually, I have written but chose not to upload for one reason or another. Let me tell you a little about what has been occurring.

Recently, my middle child,Caleb, caught this 49" King Mackerel. You should have been there!

A number of new opportunities have arisen for LYNTYS to expand. I am excited about days ahead and the development of new resources.

In Baltimore we continue to experience the favor of God in our church starting efforts. One new work held their first preview service this past Sunday, and another had an excellent week of community ministry last week. A missions team from Georgia joined them, and in addition to the community service projects and block parties, they saw 10 folks repent and trust Christ.

New partnerships are also developing for Baltimore church starting. One of America's strongest Christian universities will be partnering with us. Great churches from several states are developing partnerships with our church starters. This evening I had a great conversation with the founder of one of the most influential missions mobilization ministries in US, and I will be visiting with him and his leadership in August to discuss a dynamic partnership.

Southern Baptists elected Johnny Hunt president of the SBC. Change must occur in my circle of believers and churches. I understand Hunt intends to bring change that will reengage many of the young leaders. It is important that change be substantive and result in fulfilling the Great Commission, not merely sustain or revitalize institutions. We have talked about change for several years, but substantive change after the "Conservative Resurgence" has been wanting.

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released a new report on religious beliefs in the US. Click HERE to see the report. It is being widely reported from this study that 57% of Evangelicals believe many religions lead to eternal life. The survey question leads to some ambiguity, but I have spoken to enough church members of evangelical churches to know this percentage has an element of truth.

So we wonder why the number of baptisms are down and church attendance is declining, even among Baptists. It is in part for the very reason churches we consider liberal are declining. We claim to be Bible-believing, followers of Christ, but many in our pews no longer believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Him. Even for some that hold this belief it does not translate into action because their belief is more tradition than firmly held revelation from God. Methods, programs, and events are not going to change this situation.

This weekend my family will spend a few days on vacation. We have tickets for an Orioles game, and we will go to Ellis and Liberty Islands and see the Statue of Liberty. I was looking at the registry of immigrants that passed through Ellis Island and learned two Russians with the family name "Bush" came through Ellis Island in the early 1900s. They were from a German settlement in Russia, one of many such settlements established during and after the reign of Catherine the Great.

Troy Bush

Have a LYNTYS Week

Todd Robertson, Associate Pastor, Missions, at Walnut Street Baptist Church, Louisville, KY, provided the following post. Todd is a dear friend, and he his wife Kim, along with their three sons, live LYNTYS. You can email Todd at trobertson@walnutstreet.org.

His post will also appear in his church's monthly publication. You'll benefit from his practical tips below.

I would like to offer you a challenge. Get a piece of paper and make a short list for me. I want you to write down some names of those that you know who are unchurched. Write one who lives within a block of you. Write one who is a family member. List one who works with you. List another who you see at least weekly in your typical travels. Finally write a name of someone new that you have just met. Great job. Now, “What’s next?” you’re asking.

I want you to make this list a prayer guide for the next week. Each day I want you to pray for those on your list. Pray specifically that God will help you to see how you might show a tangible expression of Christ’s love to them or meet a particular need. It may be something very simple or more profound, but make it something that you do motivated by your love for them and your love for God.

I am confident that at least one of the folks on your list is someone that you have known for sometime and that you have sought to help on many occasions. Hopefully, this person is someone that has already found you to be genuine and caring. I want you to look for an opportunity to share your story with them in the next week or so. What I mean is to share with them how Christ has been at work in your life. Tell them the good news of how Christ changed your life and continues to work in you daily. Remember, the most loving thing we will ever do for someone is to share the good news of Jesus with them.

So, there’s your LYNTYS challenge this week. We’ll be talking more about LYNTYS and how to develop this kind of lifestyle, but for now, let’s just keep it simple. I know there are a lot of “Big Gives” out there, but what we do has no cash prize at the end, only the eternal Kingdom reward of loving like Jesus loves.

Todd Robertson

Life Is Not Random

Lunch today was at a local restaurant. Earl Gray, Darnell Ranson, and I met to enjoy good food and to discuss a pilot project I proposed to them. Earl is the director of evangelism and leadership development for Embrace Baltimore, and Darnell is the director of community impact for Embrace. They are outstanding team members and a blast as lunch guests.

This pilot effort will be based on four truths:

1. Life is not random. Quite the contrary, God is active in our lives and in the lives of people around us.
2. God crosses our paths with people in whose lives He is at work.
3. God desires that people become disciples of Jesus Christ far more than you or I will ever desire them to become disciples.
4. God is pleased when we love people He brings into our lives, and He desires that we speak to them about the Good News we are experiencing.

Our waitress told us she is a student at one of Baltimore’s universities. Earl asked why she was so pleasant. She said she was in a good mood, in spite of the fact that she was facing several major exams and project due dates, and she was moving to a new apartment. It was clear she was not your typical student-waitress.

I asked if she attended a church. Her story was notable. Though in high school she had been active in a strong Baptist church, she had struggled to find a church after moving to Baltimore. We talked about some of the churches she had attended and suggested others for her to consider. I was encouraged when she questioned us about the beliefs of the churches we recommend.

We are planning to start a new church in the area near her university, so I asked if she would be interested in being part of that effort. Before she would commit, she asked if it would be a Baptist church. She also wanted to know if it would be a church that would engage the community and have ministries for children and youth.

Darnell had spoken earlier to us about how important it is for new churches to be involved in their communities. Now our waitress affirmed Darnell's words. When I told her this church would be involved in the community, she wanted to be part of it. Think about it. We have not even launched this church and it seems God has already brought us the first member. Maybe, just maybe, she will be like Lydia was to the church in Philippi.

I mentioned to her I believe God had crossed our paths. She agreed and told us even that morning her mom had called and prayed with her that she would find a good church to attend. She affirmed repeatedly how much she would like to be part of the new church we described and how her university needed a church that would engage it. We committed to stay in touch with her as our plans develop.

Amazing! We met for lunch to discuss a pilot project based on four truths, and God affirmed these truths right in front of us. Loving your neighbor and telling your story is not a method or a plan. It is God’s purpose for our lives, and He demonstrates His pleasure by crossing our paths with people in whose lives He is already working.

Troy Bush

Southeastern and Church Starting

This past week I spent a day at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC, to meet future church starters and speak in several classes. This was my first visit to Southeastern and it was long overdue!

Bruce Ashford is the director of the Lewis A. Drummond Center for Great Commission Studies, and he hosted me for this visit. He shared that seminary President Danny Akin has structured and led the seminary so that every course, not just the evangelism and missions courses, are Great Commission courses. If the future church starters I met are any reflection of this vision, I would say he is achieving his goal.

These students represented several disciplines, and they are preparing to start churches in strategic areas of our country, including Washington, DC. I was also encouraged to meet students from the Baltimore area that are interested in returning to lead existing churches or to start new churches.

During my visit I met professors David Nelson, Al James, and Josef Solc. At one point David and I, along with several students, discussed how no one could have imagined that Danny would today be the president of this seminary. I mentioned if anyone had ever attended one of Danny's marriage workshops, it is even more amazing he is still employed at the seminary. You would have to attend one to understand.

Troy Bush

Dreams

Yesterday was a day of dreams.

The Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware hosted Bob Roberts Jr. to lead a workshop for a group of church starters. Bob covered a variety of subjects, most coming from his latest book, The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting New Churches. You can learn more about Bob and his incredible ministry HERE.

Some might think this book would appeal to church starters only, when it is actually a book that should be read by anyone interested in the advance of the Kingdom. For example, Chapter 12, "Living as a Missional Family," applies to every family passionate about following Christ. Be forewarned. Bob’s words are clear and direct. He is focused on the King and the advance of the Kingdom. His message is refreshing and cuts through the clutter of life and Christian activities.

Sometimes, the greatest obstacle to achieving our dream comes when we clutter our lives and vision. Thoughts, wishes, plans, success, fears, things, experiences, failures, ministries, people, weather, buildings, memories, and an endless list of stuff can cloud our sight. Imagine driving down the road and being overtaken by a giant tornado where pieces of debris, sand, and swirling wind make it impossible to see the road before you.

Church starters are susceptible to being overtaken by hundreds of tasks and responsibilities they must perform to launch and lead a fruitful church. They, however, are not the only ones that find themselves unable to see the road before them. Pastors, deacons, and small group leaders also encounter blinding storms. Moms and dads can be overtaken by them. Young people end up in storms. Business leaders and school teachers can loose their way. Loosing sight of the road is akin to loosing sight of the path you are following to achieve your dreams.

Yesterday was less about church starting and more about dreams. Bob’s message was refreshing. Different from most church growth, church revitalization, and church starting conferences is that Bob spoke little of a model, a method, or a means. He shared a dream and a vision. He spoke about the King and His plans for the Kingdom.

I believe many in this gathering saw the road clearly. The path to their dreams was made clear.

Thank you Bob!

Troy Bush

Having Almost Everything

This past week a great team from Walnut Street Baptist Church, Louisville, KY, came to Baltimore to work with us. I thank Pastor Rusty Ellison for sending the team and Associate Pastor Todd Robertson for leading them.

The team worked several days at Catonsville Baptist Church. They also went into four communities and talked with people living and working in those areas. This work helped us understand better the need for starting new churches in those communities. I went to two communities with three of the team members on Tuesday, and what an experience it was.

I have included a few pictures from one of the communities to give you some idea of the folks living there. We found amazing homes, beautiful golf courses, top-rated private schools, exclusive car dealerships, and JJ's Everyday Cafe. I know about JJ's because we enjoyed a nice lunch there.

We asked our waiter if he would tell us about the community. He said he would and described most of the residents as "snooty." A couple was sitting across from us at another table, and the woman nearly fell out of her chair. During the rest of the meal she was was animated, and every time the waiter reemerged from the kitchen she stared him down.

We finished our lunch and and left the restaurant. The couple also finished about the same time and left just ahead of us. As we walked to our car, they passed us in their silver Mercedes, stopping suddenly.

The driver's window rolled down and the woman, who was sitting in the passenger's seat, leaned across her friend to speak to us. She wanted us to know her displeasure with the waiter. She said the folks living there were in fact friendly, and they definitely were not "snooty." I don't believe they left the waiter much of a tip.

I took the opportunity to ask them more about the area. He shared that he had grown up Catholic but was disillusioned with the Church. She was Methodist but had not attended a service in years. Most important to them was a church that engaged children and young people. It was interesting that they wanted a church that was not boring. I think this could be translated into a church that is authentic and relevant.

Our waiter had described the people of the community as having everything. Our friends in the parking lot helped us see their deepest concerns had nothing to do with golf courses or Maseratis.

Troy Bush

LYNTYS in Moscow

Misha Elchaninov is great friend in Moscow. Together we started the first house fellowship of a church in Moscow that now has multiple house fellowships and meets corporately each week. Eight leaders in the church are preparing to launch 8 churches out of it. God has blessed him with a wonderful wife, Natasha, and a beautiful daughter, Veronica.

Misha and Natasha helped us with LYNTYS when we were first beginning to develop it. I will never forget a Christmas party they hosted in their apartment where they invited several friends. It was a great experience as we fellowshiped with folks that did not attend any church and would not consider themselves followers of Jesus Christ. During the evening we were able to share our stories of God's providence and grace and develop new friends.

Misha, sent me a story last week that I want to share with you. He had been visiting with a friend and his family that are not believers. Sergei, his neighbor, is wrestling with the gospel and what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Misha said that night, Sergei came very close to yielding his life to Jesus.

Later in the evening they needed to go to the store and purchase a few items. Sergei and Misha went to the street and hailed a taxi. When Sergei went inside the store, Misha remained with the driver. He told Misha he was from the Ukraine, and immediately they connected. Misha is also from the Ukraine.

They talked about Moscow and some of the challenges there, especially the drug culture in which many young adults live. The driver told Misha about a friend whose children have become drug addicts and asked if Misha could help.

The church has acquired land and is building a facility outside of Moscow where they have already begun operating a drug and alcohol rehabilitation ministry. Last year I had the privilege of standing in the building and praying for God to bless it.

Misha told his new neighbor about the center, but he also told him that there was only one person that could rescue us. Misha said, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12, NASB ). In case you are wondering, Misha did not quote the New American Standard translation, but I did not think most of you reading this post could read Russian. Smile!

They continued to talk, and Sergei returned from the store. The driver and Misha exchanged phone numbers, and Misha is helping him love his friend and his drug-addicted children.

Pray for Misha and the ministry in Moscow. They have used a summer basketball camp and a summer baseball camp with great effectiveness in the past years. They are looking for teams to come to Moscow and conduct such camps. If you would like to help them or to send a team to work with them, you can contact Misha here: mishaelch@gmail.com.

Troy Bush

LYNTYS & The Louisiana Horse Whisperer

This week I took a few days off from my responsibilities with Embrace Baltimore. I have been in Orlando participating in the Florida Baptist Convention's Evangelism Conference, and it has been a blast.

I thank David Burton, the director of the evangelism department for the Florida Baptist Convention, for inviting me to lead sessions on LYNTYS. Several pastors and church leaders are planning to implement LYNTYS in their churches.

It was good to spend some time with Ed Stetzer and Thomas Hammond. Another friend in Orlando was Paul Daily, the founder of Wild Horse Ministries. Click HERE for more information.

I first met Paul in Pensacola while I was serving at Olive Baptist Church. A friend and partner in ministry, Buck Waters, suggested we conduct an outreach effort with Paul.

In the end two associations came together and co-sponsored the effort with us. We met at the Escambia County Equestrian Center and prayed for good attendance. In spite of rain earlier in the day and forecasts for rain that evening, nearly 7,000 people attended. Paul presented the gospel as clearly as I have ever heard it. More than 130 people responded to the message that night.

Here is the LYNTYS connection. We used radio, Internet, and print advertisements. More importantly, we printed tickets and distributed them to churches throughout the two counties, asking their members to give the tickets to unchurched neighbors. In spite of the mass media, the personal invitations from friends resulted in a record crowd.

It remains the largest equestrian event to have been held in Escambia county, and many, many of the attendees were not horse owners or riders. The Pepsi distributor called me a few days later to ask what happened. He said more Pepsi products were purchased that night than at any other event held at the center, even more than at a 3-day national rodeo. I told him it was a hot night, many people came, and they were very thirsty.

Paul and I talked about the results of the event, and we both agreed that such efforts are best used for seed sowing. We rejoiced in the immediate responses, but much occurred days and weeks later. For example, I told Paul I received several calls from people that said their friends had accepted Christ days after hearing Paul explain the gospel. One pastor told me about a couple living on his street that he invited to attend. They had not attended his church, but they came as a guest that night. The following Sunday, the husband yielded his life to Christ at the church. About 3 months later his wife yielded to Christ.

Paul shared that 3 days after the event a woman called to tell him a startling story. She had invited 6 of her friends. They all ride horses and wanted to see Paul tame a wild horse and ride it. We did not promote this evening as a Christian event, and leading businesses sponsored it publicly. When her friends realized that it was a Christian event, they told her they were leaving. You can imagine how disappointed she was.

She told Paul that the next morning one of those women had gone to the stable to ride her horse. She slipped and fell as she was mounting it, and her foot hung in the stirrup. Tragically the horse bolted, and she was killed.

The shock of this tragedy caused this group of friends to discuss what had happened and why. Though they left without hearing Paul explain the gospel, they heard it from a friend in a time of great need as they searched for answers and for comfort.

I was stunned as Paul told me about this conversation. None of us know what tomorrow holds for any of us or for our neighbors. We should love them and tell our stories of God's providence and grace--today!

Troy Bush

NAMB Church Planting and National Missionary Forum

I am in Atlanta attending the Church Planting and National Missionary Forum of the North American Mission Board. When you gather at one hotel some 300 missionary types from around the country, you will most certainly encounter interesting conversations with other hotel guests.

It was no surprise that one of the guests sharing an elevator ride with me asked, "What kind of group is here at the hotel?" I told her, and she said she lives in Cleveland and is Catholic. Her husband is Presbyterian, and they attend his church, which is a small Presbyterian congregation.

She told me they had a financial surplus from last year's budget, and they have been discussing how to use it. I was pleased when she said they decided to use it for missions! I told her the decision was great and encouraged her to ask them to use it to support a new church start.

For the next several minutes she explained how their church is dying. Their pastor has resigned. They have only a few members and the youngest are in their fifties. They are unable to find a full-time pastor because they can no longer pay a sufficient salary.

I shared with her the church starting work Southern Baptists have done in Cleveland through the recent Strategic Focus City effort. I told her if she were interested, I would put her in contact with one of the leaders in the Cleveland area. Randy Chestnut is a good friend with whom I have had the privilege of partnering to start churches there. Now, he is preparing to start on March 16 the Church of the Hills in Northfield, OH, just outside of Cleveland. Click HERE for more information about Randy and the Church of the Hills.

I gave her Randy's phone number and my number. She told me not to be surprised if someone called us for advise or to have someone preach at their church.

In Baltimore we have several churches like the one I described above. This week the remaining leaders of one of these churches took another step forward to plan their church's funeral . . . and the birth of a new church. Such actions require great courage and great faith from people that have been part of a church for many years. I commend them for their kingdom vision and for their generosity.

Imagine what would be possible if all of our strong, vibrant churches were to approach disciple making and church starting with the generosity, courage, and faith of these two dying congregations. Locally, nationally, and internationally, we could do much much more.

Troy Bush

How Can We Pray for You?

One of the great churches using LYNTYS is not yet having public worship services. Last November Brad Graves invited me to work with his church starting team in San Diego, CA. Brad, Becky, Nathan, and Noah (pictured to the right) are part of the team Brad is leading to launch Cross Church San Diego.

During my time in San Diego, I led their team through the LYNTYS Equipping Workshop. One element of LYNTYS is to expect God to bring people into your life so you can love them. The Graves certainly have not waited until they have a large church before they begin to expect God to bring neighbors into their lives.

When eating in a restaurant, I often say to the waiter or waitress when they bring the food, "We will pray before we eat. How can we pray for you?" In San Diego we had several amazing experiences as we demonstrated compassion through this simple act of prayer.

One evening I had the pleasure of eating with Brad, Becky, and their boys in a well-known California burger restaurant. When the food arrived, Brad spoke up before I could say anything. He asked our waitress how we could pray for her. She shared some personal concerns, and we prayed specifically for these matters before we ate our meal.

Brad wrote me this week to give this update:

"Right before Christmas we went back and asked to sit in her section. We asked her the same question, and she said she had money problems. We prayed for her.

Becky told me as soon as I finished praying that we were to be the answer to our waitress' money problems. I told Becky she misunderstood because I was asking God to bless our waitress in a way she would know it was from Him.

Anyway, we left a really big tip. When she saw it, she started crying and gave us a hug. We exchanged addresses and sent her a Christmas card. She replied with a thank you note.

Then we saw her again last week. She and Becky agreed to have coffee and talk today. Becky came home and said our waitress prayed to receive Christ this morning."

Becky purchased her a Bible and a resource for growing as a disciple. The Graves also invited this young woman and her husband to dinner at their home this week and they accepted the invitation.

San Diego and thousands of other cities need churches led by folks like the Graves. Brad and Becky are not only teaching their team to love their neighbors and tell their stories, but they are setting a powerful example by living these truths. Note these important tips from their story:

• The Graves are living this life, not using it as a method.
• When God crossed their path with someone in whose life He was working, they stayed connected with that person.
• They loved their neighbor generously and spontaneously when they saw a need.
• They were faithful to tell their story of God's providence and grace. They explained the gospel and saw their waitress become a disciple of Jesus.
• They are reaching out to the entire family.

Click HERE to learn more about Cross Church San Diego.

Troy Bush