Category Archives: National Community Church
Be Led. Go Lead.
We are currently accepting applications for our 2013-2014 class of NCC Proteges. The Protege Program was launched 5 years ago to develop the next generation of leaders in the character they need to sustain their calling and in the gifts … Continue reading
Rules of Engagement
Team D. It’s the group of people I get to serve, lead, and work with every day. Some of us are thinkers; others are feelers. Most are verbal processors; others are internal processors. A few of us engage debate as … Continue reading
Leadership 101.4- Semester System
I’m posting content, videos, and questions from our online Leadership 101 training for new leaders. This is Part 4: The Semester System. At NCC, we do groups on the semester system. This allows groups to follow the natural rhythm of … Continue reading
Leadership 101.3- What Are Small Groups?
I’m posting content, videos, and questions from our online Leadership 101 training for new leaders. This is Part 3: What Are Small Groups? This video describes what small groups are and why we do them: God exists in community so … Continue reading
Geeks and Geese
Looking for a small group? We’ve got one for you! Whether it’s geeking out over a challenging study or building friendships over games, we want to create environments where people can connect and grow. This is Part 2 of our … Continue reading
Leadership 101.2- NCC Story
I’m posting content, videos, and questions from our online Leadership 101 training for new leaders. This is Part 2: The NCC Story: As a part of NCC, you are a shareholder in our church-wide vision. You are a part of … Continue reading
Leadership 101.1- Go Make Disciples
I’m posting content, videos, and questions from our online Leadership 101 training for new leaders. This is Part 1: Go Make Disciples. Leadership is the call to discipleship. In the Great Commission, Jesus commands us to make disciples, not find them. … Continue reading
Leadership 101
We train our new leaders online. For a few years, I resisted that strategy. I thought it was important for potential leaders to be together in one room, for me to have face-to-face interaction, etc. But it was becoming harder … Continue reading
Princess Parties and Football Games
Find a small group for you! We believe that community develops best around shared interests and activities– whether you are a princess or a quarterback. This amazing promotional video was developed with Team D Protege Andy Backus, Visual Storyteller Andy … Continue reading
IF…
When I came on staff at National Community Church in January 2002, my first responsibility was to plan our first ever Leadership Retreat. A decade later, I am now heading to my eleventh leadership retreat. I’m pretty sure it’s the … Continue reading
Online Leadership 101
Two years ago, we blew up our small group system in a project called Operation Kaboom. One of the changes we made was in the way we offered initial training to potential small group leaders. Under the old system, potential … Continue reading
God Anthology Album
The God Anthology Album releases on 11.22.11. I can’t even begin to say how excited I am or how proud I am of our worship and creative arts team. Here’s the back story. At our Annual Staff Planning Retreat in … Continue reading
Guns and Legos
Yesterday, my schedule included, “Leadership Covenant training, lego construction, gun range.” Yep, I’m a discipleship pastor. Here’s the deal. Our 3-hour Leadership 101, the initial online training that all NCC small group leaders are required to complete, is being updated. … Continue reading
The Mr. Potato Head Altar
Boxes. Packing tape. Bubble wrap. And files that go back ten years. NCC staff moves into new office space today, and that means I’ve spent the better part of the last 48 hours sorting, sifting, and packing my stuff. It’s … Continue reading
Leaders Must…Be Healthy
For the past 8 years, I have spoken at every Leadership Summit we’ve hosted at National Community Church. This year, I’ve changed the game. At our last Leadership Summit, we did a series of TED Conference styled talks. Six Leaders. … Continue reading
Leaders Must…Live in Rhythm
For the past 8 years, I have spoken at every Leadership Summit we’ve hosted at National Community Church. This year, I’ve changed the game. At our last Leadership Summit, we did a series of TED Conference styled talks. Six Leaders. … Continue reading
Leaders Must…Be Present
For the past 8 years, I have spoken at every Leadership Summit we’ve hosted at National Community Church. This year, I’ve changed the game. At our last Leadership Summit, we did a series of TED Conference styled talks. Six Leaders. … Continue reading
Leaders Must…Leave a Legacy
For the past 8 years, I have spoken at every Leadership Summit we’ve hosted at National Community Church. This year, I’ve changed the game. At our last Leadership Summit, we did a series of TED Conference styled talks. Six Leaders. … Continue reading
Leaders Must…Fail Well
For the past 8 years, I have spoken at every Leadership Summit we’ve hosted at National Community Church. This year, I’ve changed the game. At our last Leadership Summit, we did a series of TED Conference styled talks. Six Leaders. … Continue reading
Leaders Must…Find Gaps and Fill Them
For the past 8 years, I have spoken at every Leadership Summit we’ve hosted at National Community Church. This year, I’ve changed the game. At our last Leadership Summit, we did a series of TED Conference styled talks. Six Leaders. … Continue reading
Why You Should Be in a Small Group
I can tell someone they should be in a small group until I am blue in the face. I can stand up on a Sunday morning and speak commandingly and convincingly of the theological and sociological need for community. But … Continue reading
Leadership Summit…TED Style
Once a semester, we host a Leadership Summit at NCC. A gathering of all ministry leaders and small group leaders for the purpose of sharing vision, worshiping together, encouraging one another, and ongoing training and leadership development. Usually, I stand … Continue reading
God Anthology
We are kicking off a new sermon series, CD project, and small group curriculum at NCC this weekend. The God Anthology. Check it out here.
Natalia’s Story
“If slavery isn’t wrong, nothing is wrong.” -Abraham Lincoln This is why I am in Greece with 14 NCCers this week. We are joining the new abolitionist movement. These things should not happen.
Easter Baptisms
This is one of my favorite parts of the job. On the night before Easter, we baptized 18 NCCers. Having the opportunity to walk with them through their preparation and the sharing of their stories is priceless. Easter Baptisms at … Continue reading
The Story…2
For about six years, I’ve been leading something at NCC called The Story– through the chronological story of the Bible in three nights. Tonight, I’m going to continue The Story with the second part. The Story of the Church. Bruce … Continue reading
The Preaching Calendar
At NCC, we map out our sermon series in a gathering of the creative and teaching teams at a weekly meeting called Big Idea. We talk about branding, content, music, and other creative ideas. This summer, we are doing a … Continue reading
The End of Garden to City
This year, NCCers journeyed through the Bible together from Lent to Lent. We called in From Garden to City. I may blog some reflections later, but for now, here is a video I shot for NCCers to close out the … Continue reading
The Gambler
Our worship team did a little re-mix of “The Gambler” for Leadership Retreat. All. In. NCC’s Gambler Remix from National Community Church on Vimeo.
When Going All In is Going Too Far
For the Leadership Retreat, Andy Pisciotti and Amanda Giobbi created a series of videos, “When Going All In is Going Too Far.” This one was probably my favorite. Amanda joins the Worship Team from National Community Church on Vimeo. Here … Continue reading
Poking Fun at Mark Batterson
In the vein of not taking ourselves too seriously, we always like to poke a little fun at our lead pastor, Mark Batterson. Two years ago, we created this little gem. Last year, Amanda Giobbi masterminded this little bit of … Continue reading
Putting the All In at Leadership Retreat
One of the things that is a huge priority for us at Leadership Retreat is to have fun. We don’t take ourselves seriously. But we do take God seriously. And we are serious about our fun. And when it comes … Continue reading
Build Momentum For It
The event of Leadership Retreat 2011 may have ended on Saturday night at 8pm, but the work God began there is only beginning. Here is the next in the series of posts about Leadership Retreat. Build momentum for it. We’ve … Continue reading
Invest In It
The next in the series of blog posts about Leadership Retreat: Invest In It. To steal the theme from this year’s Leadership Retreat, we go All In. We invest in Leadership Retreat in a big way and we spare no … Continue reading
Leadership Retreat. The Method. The Madness.
Well…in case you’ve missed all the commotion on my Twitter and Facebook, we are in the final sprint to our Annual Leadership Retreat. In 2002, I came on staff “part-time” at NCC (that’s when Mark Batterson’s scheme to trick me … Continue reading
Spirit of Peace
We’ve entered into a season where we start to feel the “Spirit of Christmas.” For Ryan and me, it started on Thanksgiving night with a family viewing of Elf and continued with a tour of the Christmas lights at the … Continue reading
Unplugged
I’m getting excited about the upcoming Unplugged event at National Community Church on November 13 and 14 Registration is free. Unplugged is a relaxed no-frills, weekend that will provide an opportunity for church planters and leadership teams to get an … Continue reading
(re)Vision Recap
Last weekend, we held our first women’s event at NCC- (re)Vision. The name carries with it numerous meanings. We all need to be in a process of revision as God shapes us and forms us. And we want to revise … Continue reading
(re)Vision
Calling All Girls! This Saturday, we will be hosting our first (re)Vision gathering for women. We will talk about influence, community, and discipleship, but most importantly, it will be a time for connection. Join us at Ebenezers Coffeehouse on Saturday … Continue reading
Praying and Playing
Each year, the NCC staff goes on two retreats. One is a planning retreat in the fall, where we brainstorm, scheme, and visioneer for the upcoming year. The other is Pray and Play in the summer. Best. Time. Ever. We … Continue reading
Discerning the Call
Last week, I shared my story of ministry “calling” with about a dozen folks who are discerning God’s call on their own life. We’ve got so many amazingly gifted people at NCC that Mark Batterson and I decided we should … Continue reading
Operation Kaboom- Connections
We blew up the small group structure at NCC, and when the dust settled, we discovered we had formed three teams– Connections, Coaching, and Training. The Connections Team oversees the logistical operations part of small group ministry. Will Johnston leads … Continue reading
Operation Kaboom- The New Teams
Okay, back to my Operation Kaboom posts…it’s been a few weeks. So we blew up our small groups at National Community Church. After a process of re-thinking, re-imagining, and re-orienting vision, we decided to split NCC small group efforts, roles, … Continue reading
Operation Kaboom- The Process
This is Part 2 of a series on NCC’s Operation Kaboom– our systematic dismantling, revisioning, and rebuilding of our small group ministry. The first step was to fire all existing zone leaders and team leaders. That sounds a bit harsh. … Continue reading
Operation Kaboom- The Backstory
I’m going to start a series of posts about NCC’s Operation Kaboom– the systematic dismantling and rebuilding of our small group structure. The genesis of Kaboom was probably our Zone Leader/Team Leader retreat in November 2008, where we candidly discussed … Continue reading
Pilgrimage to West Virginia
I’m leading the Sacred Roads Retreat this weekend. And also going on a personal pilgrimage of sorts. We decided to keep the participation small and head to Mt. Zion Retreat Center in Harpers Ferry, WV. In Fall of 1999, I … Continue reading
Sacred Roads Retreat
Team D is gearing up for our first ever Sacred Roads Retreat. We are going to explore the historical paths of discipleship and help participants discover their unique path– Relational (growing closer to God as we grow in community with … Continue reading
Five Reasons I Love the Protege Program
One of our Proteges, Jenilee LeFors, blogged her top ten reasons for loving the Protege Program today. That inspired me to blog my own list. Granted, hers probably comes with a higher level of credibility for potential protege applicants since … Continue reading
Training Module 2: Building Biblical Community
Creating Biblical Community from National Community Church on Vimeo. This is Module #2 of NCC’s Semester One Coaching Program. Watch the video (~12 minutes) and answer the following questions. Email your answers to your coach and schedule a coaching appointment … Continue reading
Training Module 1: Leading Yourself Well
Leading Yourself Well from National Community Church on Vimeo. This is Module #1 of NCC’s Semester One Coaching Program. Watch the video (~12 minutes) and answer the following questions. Email your answers to your coach and schedule a coaching appointment … Continue reading
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