The six reasons he lists are…

1. Isolationism. One-fourth of 18- to 29-year-olds say church demonizes everything outside church, including the music, movies, culture, and technology that define their generation.

2. Shallowness. One-third call church boring, about one-fourth say faith is irrelevant and Bible teaching is unclear. One-fifth say God is absent from their church experience.

3. Anti-science. Up to one-third say the church is out of step on scientific developments and debate.

4. Sex. The church is perceived as simplistic and judgmental. For a fifth or more, a “just say no” philosophy is insufficient in a techno-porno world. Young Christian singles are as sexually active as their non-churched friends, and many say they feel judged.

5. Exclusivity. Three in 10 young people feel the church is too exclusive in this pluralistic and multi-cultural age. And the same number feel forced to choose between their faith and their friends.

6. Doubters. The church is not a safe place to express doubts say over one-third of young people, and one-fourth have serious doubts they’d like to discuss.

Your thoughts? Would you add any?

But often our hearts are growing colder and colder toward the person that is far from God.

Luke 5

30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

I’m telling you, when a church loses that vision it’s in real trouble.

When a church starts caring more about their own personal agendas.

When a church starts caring more about their own preferential style.

When a church starts caring more about their own comforts.

That church is in death mode.

I don’t care how many great programs you’re offering.

I don’t care how amazing your music is.

I don’t care how amazing your building is.

At that moment you’re in death mode.

How’s your heart for those far from God these days?

Philippians 2:3-7

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

As I was reading over the passage I thought about a blog post I read the other day from my friend, Brad Lomenick.  His post was entitled “Do You Have Ego Leak?”

He wrote…

Here is a simple solution: LET YOUR EGO LEAK.

EGO LEAK is a GOOD THING, when it’s focused in the right direction.

Squelch your own ego by focusing ALL of your bragging, arrogance, pride and boasting on and around OTHERS. Talk constantly about your team, about your children, about your spouse, about your family, about your friends, and about your staff.

Brag on God, on Jesus, on the Church. On His goodness and grace.

Let your Ego leak freely on behalf of building others up.

If you are like most of us who consider ourselves to be leaders, your ego will leak out regardless, so you might as well put it to good use, bragging on those around you.

As God continues to expand your influence as a leader selfish ambition and vain conceit can be two ugly monsters that will attempt to railroad your mission to serve others. You’ll be tempted to make it all about your ego-driven, self-centered needs and wants. I can’t think of a better way to shed the selfish ambition and vain conceit than practicing ego leak.

I’m so thankful that we have such an amazing example in the foot washing, cross bearing, life giving Jesus.

Do you have any “ego leak” tips?

The first is of our most recent Cross Point campus that was planted in India. The small group of believers that we’re working with there asked us a couple months ago if they could plant a new church called Cross Point that would follow our church values. It’s our smallest campus but maybe the one I’m most excited about right now.  They just moved to their second location to accommodate their growth. This is the first Christian church ever planted in this particular village. First one EVER!

The second picture is a moment I’ll never forget. 10 years ago when we moved to Nashville, Brandi and I bought a house in a neighborhood that would provide us some cool ministry opportunities. Over the past several years God allowed me the privilege to baptize 4 out of 5 of the guys who lived in our cul-de-sac.

Until Sunday.

Sunday I was blessed to baptize the 5th one.

10 years of prayers. 10 years of conversations. 10 years of up and downs, but God was faithful.

Never, ever, ever give up on someone. Anything is possible with God.

Calling all church planters. Join me for a Backstage Leadership discussion on ChurchPlanting coming up on November 30th. Come enhance your leadership. Spend 90 minutes learning with Mark Batterson and yours truly. Bring your best questions, and we’ll spend our time in Question & Answer dialogue going deep on the inner workings of church planting. Whether you’re in the early stages of building a team, or a year into weekly gatherings, any church-planting question is free game. Backstage was started for those questions when you don’t need a book or conference on the topic, just a specific answer from someone with experience on the issue. Since Backstage Leadership is a distance learning program, you get all this great content without any travel! You can register for the event HERE.

Morgantown is a city of about 3,000 people in the city limits and an addition 9,000 or so in the entire county. I’ve always had a real heart for the Rural church in America. While often overlooked, it’s these churches that are positioned to make a real difference in our country today.

That’s one of the reasons I’m excited about a new book by Shannon O’Dell, entitled, “Transforming Church in Rural America.” If you pastor or lead in a rural community you need to pick this book up.

I’m excited to give a few copies of this book away over the next 24 hours or so. Just leave me the name of your church and the rural community you lead in.

Then  on Wednesday and Thursday I’ll be in Lexington, KY  speaking at the Uprising Conference with my buddies Perry Noble and Pete Hise.  If you’re within a days drive of Lexington and you’re a pastor or church planter you would be crazy to miss Uprising. God’s doing some amazing things through Pete and his team and it’s going to be an incredible time for all of us to learn together.

• Every registrant is automatically put in drawing for a free iPad (must be present to win)
• 700+ registrations already
• Pre-Conference (April 14)for the low price of $10
• Current ticket price: $89
• Discounts for Senior Pastor spouses, church planters, and groups of 5+

The very generous guys over at Quest Community Church have given me 10 MORE TICKETS TO GIVE AWAY. Just leave me a comment and I’ll randomly select 2 individuals today who can bring themselves and 4 guests along (I think conferences are always best with your teams).