Timber Ridge V.O.W.

This week's Timber Ridge V.O.W (Volunteer of the Week) is Tyler Gilbert. I'll never forget the first time I met Tyler. We were still meeting at the hotel and a mutual friend had introduced Tyler and I via Facebook and recommended our church to him. He sent me a message to get some info on the church and found out we started setting up around 5:45am on Sunday mornings. A couple days later, on his first Sunday to ever check out Timber Ridge, he showed up at 5:45am to help set up chairs! He hadn't even been to a church service & he was already serving.

From the set-up team during our portable days, to currently serving in our Timber Ridge Kids ministry and on our Guest Services team, Tyler makes a big impact at Timber Ridge. He has a heart to serve others and make a difference...and that's why we keep him around even though he's an OU fan!

We love ya' Tyler! Thanks for all you do to serve God & serve others! 

Tyler & Pastor Nic

(If you attend Timber Ridge and would like to put your time and talents to use in serving God and serving others, you can get connected by clicking here.)

More Vs. Your

There's an interesting dynamic in leadership that I've noticed in leading and in working with church planters and pastors over the last few years. Here it is: Lots of leaders want MORE responsibility.

Let's be honest: We're all busy. Our schedules are all swamped. If it's not a work meeting, it's a kid's soccer game. If it's not a soccer game, it's a neighbor's birthday party. We've over committed ourselves. It's the nature of the beast of the world in which we live.

So it's almost counter-cultural for leaders to crave more. More responsibility. More areas of ministry. More opportunities to lead and stretch themselves.

But leaders know this truth: More ministry means more impact. And that's why good leaders choose to lead in the first place. They want to make an impact. They want to contribute to something bigger than themselves.

If you're a leader who constantly finds yourself wanting more, can I offer you the very best way to get more influence, more leadership, and more responsibility in your organization, business, church, or group? 

It's a very simple principle: If you want MORE leadership be faithful in YOUR leadership.

The best way to get more influence in ministry and more opportunities to lead is to be faithful with the ministry and leadership you've already been given.

If you want MORE responsibility, then rock out YOUR responsibility.

When you're leading and raising up other leaders in a faithful and consistent way with the responsibilities you've already been given, more leadership is sure to follow.

3 Lessons For Every Church Planter

As we have planted Timber Ridge Church over the past two years, I've been fortunate to learn some solid lessons about church planting. Some I've learned from generous guidance and wisdom poured into me from other pastors and planters. Some I've learned the hard way...from life experience.

As I think back to some of those most important lessons I've learned, here are 3 things I would say to every single church planter out there.

#1: You will greatly overestimate what you can accomplish in the short term and greatly underestimate what you can accomplish in the long term. I have a great friend and mentor who reminds me of this truth often. In his words, "Church planting is a marathon. Not a sprint." 

#2: Church planting is hard...but it is worth it. Planting a church will be far harder than you can ever imagine. It will require sacrifices from you, your spouse, and your family. It will mean facing criticism, making difficult decisions, and challenging yourself in ways you've never imagined. It's hard. But Jesus will change lives...and that is so worth it.

#3: God's love for you isn't based on your growth or success as a church planter. Probably the most significant lesson I've learned in planting a church is this: Before we were ever called to the ministry, before we were ever called to plant a church, we were called to Jesus. That is our most important calling. And the love of Jesus has absolutely nothing to do with our performance - even in church planting.

(If you are interested in church planting, but don't know where to get started, please contact me at nic at timberridgechurch dot com. We love to help church planters!)