Have you ever been on a Wild Goose Chase? There's something about the ancient Celtic people that just moves me deep in my bones. They saw the Holy Spirit not as a hovering white dove but as a “wild goose.” The wild goose is passionate, noisy, and courageous. The Celtic people saw how the Holy … Continue reading LIFE UPDATE
Category: Church Planting
Why Plant a Church with Converge?
I was talking with my new friend Chris about church planting at my office this afternoon. And by "office", I mean the Starbucks I work out of Monday through Friday. I love my Starbucks! (In fact, someone even wrote an article about it and called me "The Starbucks Pastor"!) So there I was at Starbucks, … Continue reading Why Plant a Church with Converge?
What A Year!
This week I've been thinking a lot about all that God has done in the last 12 months. It's been quite a journey to get to this point! After many years of wrestling with God’s call to plant a church, Kristin and I decided to face our fears and trust God and take the scary … Continue reading What A Year!
Planting a Church!
As I held that simple sheet of paper in my hands, I knew that this was it. Everything was about to change! And that was both scary and exhilarating! On the last day of 2014, I was given my official Call Letter to be a lead pastor/church planter with Converge North Central (Baptist General Conference). We … Continue reading Planting a Church!
Joseph, Dreams, and Getting Out of a Pit
I've been thinking a lot about Joseph this past year or so. Not Joseph, the adopted dad of Jesus. No, I'm talking about Joseph- the arrogant, young leader who had a vision from God. You probably know the story: Joseph shared his God-given vision with those closest to him and what happened? He ended up … Continue reading Joseph, Dreams, and Getting Out of a Pit
Excited for the Future
Every January, I look back to the last couple of years and I get excited about what the future might hold. Here's some highlights from the past couple of years: 2010: our son Joshua is born after 3 years of infertility! 2011: we move from Colorado to Wisconsin, help start a new church, and I start … Continue reading Excited for the Future
What A Difference 12 Months Make!
As I looked back over the last 12 months, I was amazed at all that God had done in our lives! He has proved himself faithful and walked with us through the dark nights and been there with us as we celebrated new life and growth and change. A few of the big changes in the … Continue reading What A Difference 12 Months Make!
Its Been A Wild Ride
This past Sunday our church went multi-site and we had over 200 people connecting or reconnecting with God! Less than two years ago, we felt God call our family to move from Denver, CO to Madison, WI to help change the spiritual climate of this city by planting churches. It has been a wild ride! … Continue reading Its Been A Wild Ride
10 Real Reasons Pastors Quit
More than 1,700 pastors leave the ministry every month. Wow. I ran across this blog that shared some reasons why good pastors leave the ministry: Here are 10 common reasons pastors quit too soon. 1. Discouragement. Fifty percent of pastors report feeling so discouraged they would leave the ministry if they could. Complaints speak louder … Continue reading 10 Real Reasons Pastors Quit
Dealing with Discouragement
We all face seasons of doubt and discouragement. Its just a natural part of the journey of life. As a leader and a pastor- I know its normal to feel discouraged but it doesn't make it any easier! Some thoughts for leaders (including myself!) who might be facing discouragement: 1.) We Have an Enemy Helping … Continue reading Dealing with Discouragement
ERIK LINDEEN 