"Many Christian Leaders have found their experience in leadership frustrating at best and painful at worst. They began with a dream only to see it rejected or dismissed by fellow Christians. They believe that their dream or calling is from God, but for some unknown reason it has ended up on the “cutting room floor” of the church. They conclude that the church rejected them, God rejected them, they totally “missed God,” or a combination of all of the above.

It doesn’t make sense. So they return to a life without dreams, but with a nagging question that follows them around like a pet demanding to be fed: “What went wrong?” Their life seems to personify the proverb that says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”

The Ministry challenge can be likened to that of being a parent. Most of us had the physical ability to procreate at a very young age. However, that ability had nothing to do with whether or not we would be good parents. The outcome of being a good parent has to do with a number of “critical factors” that are completely divorced from the ability to procreate. Be encouraged! You were probably called to be a leader but for numerous reasons (critical factors) you were never able to see your dream comes to pass.

It’s not late for you! As you read the “10 Critical Factors” we encourage you to allow the Lord to speak to your heart. If this is something you have been looking for, give us a call!

1. The Freedom To Live Out Your Dreams Factor:
Many times believers end up living out someone else’s dream instead of their own. They start out young, highly creative and with a desire to do something that has merit; however, their church has another position that needs to be filled. They are persuaded to take this position for all the right reasons, but eventually they become frustrated and either begin to challenge the status quo or fade off into the sunset. Neither of these things needs to happen. The solution is to help people live out their God-given dreams by igniting their creative abilities, showing them how to tap in to what God has written on their heart and as a church, providing or finding relevant training for them. If this sounds like you, you need to check us out!

2. The Congruent Vision Factor:
This can seem in conflict with factor #1 but it isn’t. For example, if it was my dream to be a part of a liturgical church, and the church that I was considering was not liturgical, I need to recognize that this isn’t going to work. Many church conflicts have come by trying to merge two types of vision. The outcome is always pain and conflict. Both visions can be valid, just not in the same church. Everyone needs to recognize this reality and make loving decisions accordingly. It is ok to move to a church that is more open and in line with your dream. I have seen many dreams die on the seat of a pew because the person didn’t feel they had the freedom to move on. If we try to hold you back that would be controlling and selfish. We would be asking you to give up your dreams and vision for ours. We promise you, we will never try and hold you back!

3. The Functional Leadership Factor:
The objective at all levels is to lead without controlling. This is done through training, exampling, and “witness”. Our approach to leadership is quite different from what most people have experienced.

A. First, we do not believe in the egalitarian (everyone is the same) approach that grew out of the rebellion of the 1960’s. Many people, myself included, have tried this idea, and it simply doesn’t work. We believe that God does “gift” and “call” some people to lead, train, and equip people in the church. Many New Testament scriptures bear this out. Eph. 4:11-15 is the most commonly quoted one. Quality leaders must view leadership as both a calling and a responsibility. This new breed of leader doesn’t lead by control, rather by training and modeling (living the life).

B. If you seek advice from one of our leaders, you may be surprised with his/her response. Most of the time, the answer comes in the form of a question for you to work out in your own heart (see #4). We have a strong belief that people can hear God for themselves and we will do all we can to foster that process.

C. Many good leadership teams begin to break down when they judge, envy, and compete with each other. We will teach you how to be on guard and recognize this human proclivity.

D. Our promise to you is that we will do all we can to help you discover and live out your dreams as God has planted them in your heart.

4. The Individual Responsibility Factor:
You are responsible for you and I am responsible for me. Healthy churches make this distinction clear. When this distinction isn’t clear the result is often a religious codependency as well as a consignment to immaturity. We are about helping you establish your heart in a Biblical sense of self worth. When this begins to happen people will look to Jesus, not to others for value and worth. Many have experienced him pouring value and worth into their hearts for the first time. We have spared no expense, in order to get the tools into your hands that will allow you to live the Christian life in a way that you have only dreamed about. In the end though, it comes down to each person answering the question: Will I allow the Lord to work in my heart the way he wants to? If your answer is yes, hang on because you’re in for a ride that you didn’t think was possible.

5. The Believing Heart Factor:
Most Western believers think that if they know something with their mind, they know it. For the New Testament believer, knowing something intellectually wasn’t enough. To “know” it, they had to experience it emotionally and believe it in their heart. Few Christians know how to let go of believed lies and experience truth at this level. This is why most Christians experience so little functional growth after they get saved. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for out of it flows the issues of life.” Proverbs 17:20 says, “A froward heart findeth no good thing.” Most of us haven’t drawn a distinction between the truth that our minds believe and the lies that our heart believes. Abraham was able to receive the promises of God when he “persuaded” his heart to believe God for the promises. We are dedicated to giving you the tools to do the same. Numerous people have told us that they were amazed at how many of their questions about past frustrations were answered as we introduced this concept. You can be moved from condemnation and frustration to a place of dignity, worth, and hope!

6. Complete Confidence In The Finished Work Of Jesus Factor:
This sounds so simple but if you have been a Christian for a while you have probably discovered that it isn’t that easy. Most of us will acknowledge this truth with our mind but what we live out of our heart is the just the opposite. We do believe that Jesus completed the work for our salvation. However, we struggle to believe it at a heart level. This is because we do not experience it in our daily walk with God. It is exciting to see people finally live in the victory that Jesus has provided for them. This change is effortless, and we are hearing comments like “I have been born again, again” and, from a lady who had been a Christian for 64 years, “I have waited my whole life for this message.” We have allowed religion, tradition, and lies to be written on the “tablets of our hearts.” God is interested in changing all this for you!

7. The “Safe Place” Factor:
As a Church we must be a “Safe Place” for people. The metaphor that best describes a healthy church is that of a healthy family. Families are supposed to be safe and full of acceptance of one another. People aren’t valued in a family by what they do but rather by simply being a part of the family. Families are based on relationships that are born out of an atmosphere of realness and safety. We are committed to being such a safe place, that people find it perfectly normal to be open and honest about their struggles in life. They don’t have to hide anymore. Because of what they have seen modeled before them, they no longer fear being judged or rejected. They do not fear being condemned even if their own heart condemns them. No matter what happens, they know that they can come here and experience being loved and accepted. Few people have ever changed through rejection. People change through being loved and accepted. Maybe that’s why the Bible says “the kindness of God leads to repentance.” It is so freeing to know that you are accepted for being yourself, rather than an image that you have created that fits the accepted behavior model.

8. Being Established In The “Love of God” Factor:
Scriptures tell us that His perfect love drives out all fear. When people experience an abiding sense of the love of God flowing through their hearts they can’t be moved. Nothing in life compares to the safety and security of this experience. One of our primary goals is to move people from a place of condemnation, fear, and frustration to a place where they experience God’s love flowing through their hearts. No matter what circumstances you face in life, you can be so confident in your relationship with Jesus that you will have no need to look elsewhere for answers. That is the way the Christian life is supposed to be. Let us help you live it!

9. The Re-Igniting of GRACE, PEACE, and Righteousness, Factor:
To most people these are terms that have little to do with daily living. A few years ago I would have thought the same thing. Since then, I have discovered that these terms are loaded with power and meaning and are the foundations to everything we believe.

Grace - Man has never had the ability to free himself from the power of sin. That is why Jesus came. Moses brought truth but Jesus brought grace and truth (John 1:17). Grace is the power God supplies for permanent change in our life. It is supernatural and is released when we take God at His word. Grace is almost foreign to many Christians. This is because the scriptures say that Grace works through Righteousness (Rom. 4:21). Since most of us don’t truly believe that we are righteous, we seldom experience the Grace of God in our lives. We may believe it with our head but we don’t experience it in our heart. Romans 5:19 says that Righteousness is a free gift. We may start out believing we are righteous but at some point we get off track and move away from Grace. One of the chief reasons we don’t believe we are righteous is because we have not experienced the Gospel of Peace. At a heart level most of us believe that God is mad or disappointed with us. Most of us believe that he can’t completely bless us because we have failed him in some way. The truth is; He loves us unconditionally, and has made peace with us through the cross. Jesus did this by taking 100% of God’s anger and wrath on himself for every sin we have committed or will ever commit. Isaiah asks in the 53rd chapter, “Who has believed our message?” I will tell you who has believed it: Almost no one! One of our chief goals is to see people established in righteousness and experiencing the love and power of God in their heart. This only happens when people find and experience the God who loves them unconditionally. We desire above all things to help bring you into this kind of relationship with God.

10. Changing The Way People See God Factor:
God is the most lied about person in the Universe! People make him responsible for nearly every negative thing that happens in their life. Well meaning people tell us “God is testing you” or “He is allowing the devil to attack you at this time.” We hear so much of this junk it is a wonder that any of us are still sane. We see the promises outlined in scripture but in our heart we believe that we are unable to live them out. Add to this, the psychological beating we take from our culture and its no wonder Evangelical Christians are continually at the bottom of the self worth chart. As a group, we have no trouble believing what is wrong with us, but we have a major hurdle when it comes to believing what is right with us. Many of us believe in our heart that God is disappointed or mad at us. Many sincere Christians have hinted that God is the source of our pain and suffering. In the end we believe this junk and our heart “condemns us.” This church is deeply committed to changing the way people see God! We want you to experience Him the way He is, not the way someone told you He is. He has never brought pain and suffering into your life. He doesn’t test you to see what you are made of. He does not turn the devil loose on you. He is for you and not against you. He has nothing but good things for you. He hates to see you in pain and desires for you to see Him as the loving father that He is. He wants a loving relationship with you many times more than what you want from Him. We take a very Biblical approach to help you turn all this around. We will assist you to establish your heart in the love of God and He will pour value and worth into your heart. As you grow, you will find yourself not believing the lies anymore and will start discovering what God really thinks of you. As this happens you will gain a unique confidence because it will be based on what you are experiencing from Him and not what anyone says. You can be the person in God that you only dreamed about!!

More and more people are telling us that Christianity is no longer working for them. They are tired, worn out, and burned out. Many believe that it is too late for them and they feel lost in the maze of religion. They attend conferences, seminars, retreats, etc., hoping that this one will be different. After a week or two they are back to being the same person they were before the event. This is frustrating because they feel like failures and conclude that they must be doing something wrong.

Many of us know this from personal experience. We mistakenly thought, “It must just be me. After all, most other Christians are living happy effective lives for Christ…aren’t they?” Unfortunately, what should be the “normal” Christian life is not the “typical” Christian life.

We are giving you one of the greatest opportunities to make your life count that you will ever find in a church. Our approach is unique, in that it is free from Control, politics and the “buddy system.” We disciple all men and women to fulfill their dreams and make their life count.

God can use you! He qualified you and empowered you through the Lord Jesus. It is our job to equip you. If you want to be a part of something that gives you freedom, opportunity and Bible-based training you\'re at the right place!