Commonwealth: Unleashing Entrepreneurial Saints for the Public Welfare and General Good of the City – The Justice Conference
The session presented by Steve Carter was about seeing the people who sit in your pews and chairs, as a blessing for the general welfare and public good of the city. He mentioned how Home Depot has a slogan that the church should adopt “You can do it and we can help” versus what the church usually is known for which is “We can do it and you are going to help”. He shared how people usually talk about the kingdom of God only in ways that relate to Sunday, but the church should be empowering people to go out and have an effect. The church should see itself as a resource to help people see where there calling will have the most effect and connect them to the people who can help them.
How many people in our communities are sitting with a dream? They feel they can only be a part of something if they go to Mexico or lead a life group.”
“People are sitting in the pews and don’t feel like what they have to offer is being encouraged or drawn out in the communities they are in. How are you giving them a picture of what they can do? They need a space to process and talk about these ideas. Example: Redeemer in New York hosted a business plan competition.”
“Pastors should see themselves as recruiters. Tell me about your story.. Let me connect you with… When you are sharing testimonies talk about the Gospel in holistic ways i.e. ‘This is what God is calling me into and this is how I have been encouraged in the community’.”
Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it. - Michelangelo
“The statue is in there you just have to cut away the dead pieces. The image of God is in everyone, believer of not. See with God’s eyes. Ask God to let you discern and help you draw it out. We were created in the image of God, to be a follower is to create. Many followers of Christ are blocked creatives.”
Call it overstatement but I’ll say it anyway: it was easier for Hitler to start World War II than it was for him to face a blank square of canvas. – Stephen Pressfield
“The job of leaders and pastors is to give courage and draw out the gift for the benefit and blessing of the city. People will begin to take notice.”
“We want the credit for empowering people. Send them out whether the church get’s the blessing or not. What you truly care about is the city being blessed.”
Strategies:
· Partner/ network with like minded people who have ideas, begin to talk and dream. What are the specific needs of your city and how do the gifts in your church play a role in meeting these needs? Churches should know how to shepherd business owners and creative entrepreneurs.
· Set money aside to bless the city. They give away 10 cents of every dollar they receive. This enables them to breathe life into ideas through capital and mentoring.
· Start young. Example: They started a microfinance program with their high school students. Giving out $1,500, people were so inspired they ended up bringing back in $19,000.
· Founded a community non-profit so that all of the churches could work together, to help eliminate competitiveness by working towards the common good of the community.
· Look for ways to utilize your artists to help tell the story. Stop printing the bulletin. The medium is the message. With our church buildings/etc. what are we saying about how we value: money, creativity, etc.
· Engage in your city’s art walk.
Speaker: Steve Carter the lead pastor of rockharbor fullerton. One of the organizations he talked about was SolidT.
Image source: http://claralieu.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/michelangelos-unfinished-slaves/
