That’s what this last week or so has been for me.  The tension of having a whole lot of stuff to get done AND an astounding amount of excitement about what’s upcoming.  I like to say that one aspect of the “abundant life” (John 10:10) that Jesus promises is that there’s never a dull moment!

Here’s some of what’s got me excited:

• Jeff preached on Sunday and did an awesome job talking about Naomi in our Heroes series (click here for the .mp3)
• We are getting all prepped and ready for an off the hook Easter Sunday service and the series that we’re kicking off that day
  
• I spent some time today with my father (and catalytic pastor) making plans for some of the crazy stuff we’re doing this summer (like the baddest baseball camp western Pennsylvania has ever seen – more on this later!)”
• We’re taking a team of ICC folks tomorrow down to upstate South Carolina for Thursday’s UNLEASH Conference at NewSpring Church - I am so looking forward to this!
• Dad is preaching on (Palm) Sunday about Moses to wrap up our Heroes series
• Easter is a week and a half away!!!

Here’s another reason some folks listed, the radio ad we ran for the last three weeks:
Iron City Church – TGIM Radio Ad – The X

I’ll post some pics from our billboards in the next couple of days, but that was another “how did you hear about us” answer.

As of this weekend, everything we’ve done to advertise ICC has yielded at least one new family.  I’ll post more another time on this topic, but it’s good to see things working.  Most of all, we’re gaining some serious awareness in this community among the people we’re trying to connect with.

“I have to work the next two weeks, but I definitely will be back as soon as I can”

“This is exactly what church should be like – it’s fun and people seem to care”

          and here’s the kicker -
“I feel like this church was designed just for me – I want to help grow this thing and I’ll be bringing some guys with me next week”

We’ve got billboards, radio ads, newspaper ads, newspaper articles, and all that helps.  But the best advertising we’ll ever have is from people like these who are fired up and excited enough to tell people.  And they tell two friends, and they tell two friends, etc.  This is how movement gets started — whenever it gets out of our control and into the realm of “only God could have done that.”  That’s my prayer for ICC: that it gets out of our control and into God’s.

 

Out of all the various advertising we’ve done thus far, these obnoxious yellow signs have gotten more people to venture out and see what we’re about than anything.  Best of all, it belies what we’re about: cutting the man-made religious crap to point people toward a relationship with Jesus Christ.

• I get to meet and get to know whomever is going to venture out once again to check out this crazy thing called Iron City Church
• I get to hang out with our launch team in full effect, serving like crazy because they’re sold out to be a part of what God’s doing
• I get to hear what the band has been working on for Sunday.  They’ve indicated to me that they are going to bring it this week like never before
• I get to stand up and share the message that God has laid on my heart from His Word.  There is nothing like doing what God has created and called you to do
• I get to see what the devil has been so upset about these last couple of weeks.  He’s been on the attack big time and that’s a good sign to me . . . I know he’s already been beaten and these are just his pathetic efforts to try to keep us from doing what God has already set before us.  Nice try, but we’re keeping our eyes on Jesus and staying focused on the vision He’s given!

If you’re in the Pittsburgh metro area and don’t have a place to go to church on Sunday, get up and come see us - wear what you want, we’ll bring the coffee!  You are definitely in for an awesome day!

On the other hand, God has also blessed me by bringing me into contact with a bunch of different churches (of all types, from all over) who are sold out for the cause of Christ and expanding the Kingdom of God.  On Friday night and Saturday we had a group of young people from the central part of Pennsylvania out helping us.  Just being able to spend some time with them and worship with their group on Friday night was so refreshing.  A group whose sole focus is to fulfill the greatest commandments – Love God and Love People!

Then last night the group from Clearwater Baptist Church in Athens, TN, showed up to help us out this week.  They arrived after midnight last night and crashed and got up and at it this morning by passing out door hangers.  I got them started and came into the office.  They called a little while ago and shared that they’re planning to take a short break to eat and then get back on it this evening.  They’re pretty sure they can finish up by tonight.

I love the fact that all these folks are willing to give of themselves to help out with this beautiful dream called Iron City Church.  I love the fact that they’re getting the chance to experience our city and community and they’ll have a lasting impression from here on out as they pray for us.  Especially I love the fact that this is a tiny glimpse of what the church could and should look like when we work together.  Thank you God for these groups and their heart to make your name famous in the Pittsburgh metro area!

But I’m back.  I had a great meeting today with an advertising guy from one of the local radio stations. I put him on notice of our plan to see the city of Pittsburgh turned upside down in the name of and for the sake of Jesus Christ.  He has some great ideas to help us as we continue to build “brand awareness” in the Pittsburgh “market”.   I thank God for Romans 8:28 and what that means for my varied life/career experience up until now.  It really helps to be able to speak the language of the marketing/advertising world.  None of what I’ve been through is wasted in God’s economy.

Then this afternoon I took off a couple of hours (why I’m working on some things tonight) and went with Amber, TJ, my mom, and my niece Christina to the Pittsburgh Zoo.  It was TJ’s first trip to a zoo and his little eyes were on overload.  If I ever need a reminder of God’s creativity, I just need to take a trip to the zoo.  Leopards, monkeys, elephants, penguins, zebras, polar bears (Pittsburgh’s newest residents), etc. — and I get excited when I come up with nifty sermon title.  Thank you God for YOUR creativity and for creating us in YOUR IMAGE! 

That being said, THE MOST STRATEGIC MARKETING plan isn’t enough to make a product (or a church) a hot commodity in and of itself.  For that to happen, there needs to be some BUZZ.  Ah, BUZZ: That hard to define, but easy to recognize quality that accompanies, even defines the latest, greatest thing.

In business its impossible to “guarantee” buzz.  It could be your product being used in a series of popular YouTube clips or TV shows.  It could be that a year after you wanted (and desperately needed) buzz, your product gets it because some celeb or athlete decided they suddenly liked it.  It could just be that it serves a double purpose you never intended for it.  The source, the final buzz generator, could be anything – or it just might not happen.

In church planting buzz is equally unpredictable.  However, the source in this case is the favor of God.  There are churches all over the country that are doing amazing things for God’s Kingdom by fusing creativity, innovation, authenticity, (insert your favorite church planting watchword here), etc. 

These are the churches whose blogs I subscribe to, whose pastors speak at all the big conferences, and whose unfathomable numbers reports baffle/inspire/disgust/overwhelm church planters nationwide each Monday morning.  They have – for whatever reason - found FAVOR with God and He is showing off through their ministries on a grand scale.

There is really no other explanation for it.  Meanwhile there are untold thousands of church plants and planters laboring away in anonymity — many doing a lot of the very same things that these other churches are doing, just without the astonishing fruitfulness.

What do we need to learn from this?  I think it was a Dwight Moody quote: we need to work like it all depends on us, and pray like it all depends on God. 

This is the prayer I’ve been praying for over a month now for Iron City Church (and especially this last week): That we would find favor with God.  That we would be faithful to do what He’s calling us to do and that He would reward that faithfulness with His incomparable favor – numerous lives throughout the Pittsburgh metro area transformed through the ministry of ICC – not for the sake of this church or me, but for the glory of Jesus Christ and for His Kingdom. 

I don’t know what it looks like, and I don’t want to share too much too soon, but I can already begin to see some possible signs that He’s doing His thing.  Hold on, join me in praying, and let’s see what happens….

Tonight the friendly UPS man delivered round two of our 3 rounds of sign orders. These are digitally printed interior directional banners for the lobby area.

Is there anything more frustrating than going to an unfamiliar place for the first time and finding inadequate signs?

Zooming out: I view a large part of my role as pastor of Iron City Church as removing as many obstacles as possible between the people we are trying to reach and God.

As petty as it sounds, there are people who walk away from their first visit to churches all over America frustrated and disappointed because of poor signage.

I pray to God that this will never be the case at ICC.