Spent a few days learning with 4,000 Church Planting Leaders at the Exponential Conf. A few notes from one of the Main Sessions: Dave Ferguson, Alan Hirsch, and Francis Chan:

Feruson and Hirsch:

• Times are changing: Church attendance is below 20% of the population of America. Those claiming “no religious affiliation” has doubled over the last 10 years.
• Potentially, 60% of the population are alienated from our current church models and strategies. All are eggs are in the attractional church basket.Many are not coming to us, we must go to them.
• Einstein on problem solving: Current problems will not be solved with the same kind of thinking that created the problems.
• We have been shaped by a certain way of thinking about church. Our thinking must broaden.
• Problem: It’s impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.
• Leadership frees people up or enslaves them. Leader job is to help people see themselves as God intends them to be.
• The people in your pews have incredible dreams, we must unleash them.

Francis Chan, Main Session #1: Incredible message about defying current expectations with real faith.

• Many expectations of leadership and church are not burdens that God puts on us.
• When you’re in them, crazy things make sense. Even when you see gaps between scripture and current practice, we start thinking, “Maybe, I’m nuts” “Surely everyone else is right”
• How can you be casual about something you really believe in?
• Realities: Church is supposed to be a family and every believer is to be a disciple maker. Today, what we do is meant to appease people who don’t want to be a family of disciple makers. Result: No light to the world.
• It makes no sense to bring people together into a room for worship, who have no intent on being disciples.
• Where do we get what we do in church from the New Testament?
• God will use you if you’re willing to be lonely and misunderstood.
• The moment you’re not willing to be lonely or misunderstood, you have nothing to say.