I Am Brad Henson

This Sunday is a special weekend for the people of Four Rivers Church’s Paducah Campus.

We have long sought to reach out to our surrounding urban community and continually become a church of our community and in our community.

This weekend will be helpful.

Along with Christian recording artists Canon & BrothaTone… worship at 4RC Paducah will be led by 270 North this weekend.

I will be speaking with a continuation of the exciting series “Once Upon A Marriage.” And together, we will experience a truly unique worship experience.

Look me up…

Brad

Over the past year, Four Rivers Church has found great success in planting smaller, relationship focused gatherings at unique times and places. We have also experimented with video driven worship, smaller children’s ministries and meals for everyone at these gatherings. Each of those experiments have proven to be helpful in reaching new individuals and families.

And so we press on…

One of the hopeful goals during 2012 for the staff and pastors of Four Rivers will hopefully be to launch at least one new worship gathering at each of the three locations of the church.

Presently, Four Rivers holds 3 worship gatherings in Paducah (1 on Wednesday Evening & 2 on Sunday Morning), 2 gatherings in Calvert City (Both on Sunday Morning) and very soon 4RC Eddyville will begin meeting every week (most likely on Sunday evenings.)

The present grand total is that Four Rivers presently holds 6 weekly worship gatherings.

We would like to see that number climb to 9 by the end of 2012.

So, speak up. For those who presently attend 4RC and would benefit from a different worship gathering time… for those who would like to attend a 4RC gathering but have not yet connected with one of the present time slots… or for those who are simply interested in helping plant a new 4RC gathering in one of our three present locations… I need to hear from you.

I am looking to you for advice on which times/places would be most missionally successful. Feel free to speak up.

Here are my questions…

1. What time makes most sense to reach new & disconnected people?

2. Who, specifically, are we intending to reach with the new gathering you are proposing?

3. Explain why you think that a gathering at this time would be successful.

I look forward to reading your thoughts. And I sense that suggestions from this blog could prove to be extremely helpful in seeking out the steps that God would have us to take in the next stage of the growth of this great church.

Thanks,

Brad

Some are saying that the worship band this past Sunday put together one of the best all around musical experiences at Four Rivers in the history of the Paducah Campus. As you know, we are so blessed to always have such great music at every campus. But this was a very special day.

It had so many special parts to it.

Thanks to the folks of Plan Z for contributing to this in such a great way… Great job everyone.

Brad

In this video, Brad and Tiffany Chandler share their personal story of how God saved their marriage during a very difficult trial time of life.

I also then look at the Scriptural story of Jacob, Leah & Rachel and how God worked in their relationship.

If you are married, dating or hope to be married one day… this teaching is for you.

If you are seeking greater health in your relationships… this teaching is for you.

If you have experienced loss, frustration and worry… this story is for you.

Let me

Check this out. I know Christmas was a few days ago… but I’m still singing these songs.

I hope you are to.

I hope this video adds to your holiday experience. Have a wonderful Christmas time as we remember the great things about the holiday. Jesus is born. God’s plan has begun. God is with us. And we are saved by Him

Tonight the people of Four Rivers Church begin with 2 of our 6 worship gatherings this week as we approach and applaud Jesus this Christmas season. One of the highlights of the night will be a music video of OH HOLY NIGHT which is certainly one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time.

The lyrics of this song are powerful.

Check this out…

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Til He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees!
O hear the angels’ voices!
O night divine,
O night when Christ was born;
O night divine,
O night, O night Divine.

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord!
O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.

As I read the lyrics, I can’t help but anticipate the excitement of worship with the people of Four Rivers Church this Wednesday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 5:30 at both the Paducah & Calvert City Campuses…

Hope we see you there.

Brad

About six years ago, I became overwhelmingly excited about the potential of multi-site churches. A multi-site church is basically a church that organizes worship gatherings in more than one location. That’s the basic idea.

Over the years, as I have dabbled in multi-site leadership, investigated many multi-site churches and read everything I could find on the topic… I’ve learned some very helpful things, made lots of mistakes and gotten even more excited about the potential of multi-site ministry.

There are basically 3 active models of multi-site churches.

1. House Church Networks: These are small house churches that group together for larger impact and operate under one centralized brand or style. Their leaders are usually networked together relationally but not necessarily responsible to one another formally. They are sometimes but not always connected to one leader or group of leaders in the movement.

2. Centralized Multi-Site Churches: These are congregations that are ultimately led by a centralized staff. The brand, mission and strategy are highly centralized and the local campuses are all intentionally similar or even identical. These congregations are run with varying levels of local/central control.

3. Branded Church Planting Movements: These are groups of leaders who work together to plant indigenous and autonomous congregations under one name or brand without being centrally controlled or inspected.

That is a very brief overview of multi-site churches in America.

I have personally seen all three of these approaches work very well. In fact, the church I personally lead tends to pull value from each of the three primary approaches.

I get so excited to see any of these approaches. All are valuable in the Kingdom of God as ways to effectively reach our ever-growing unchurched American population.

What is frustrating is to see any of these approaches abused or utilized by leaders who haven’t done their homework and counted the cost. Seriously, it’s a big problem.

On a regular basis… in fact, recently, a daily basis… I seem to be receiving phone calls and emails from people who are frustrated by the way their congregations are approaching multi-site.

Images of overly controlling senior leaders or under resourced local campuses keep rolling in. Other stories of conniving local campus leaders who split multi-site churches and cause trouble are equally troubling.

Churches with zero tolerance for adaptation and learning along the way simply cause more trouble than they bring missional value. Yes, it can be a big problem.

So… if you are going to attempt a multi-site ministry. Please do your homework.

May I suggest you read these first…

A Few Blogs You Could Follow…

www.withoutwax.tv
www.jennicatron.tv
www.swerve.lifechurch.tv

A few Books You Could Read…

The Multi-Site Revolution
A Multi-Site Church Road Trip (both by Geoff & Greg Surratt)

Hybrid Church by Dave Browning

For the City by Darrin Patrick & Matt Carter

Exponential by Dave & Jon Ferguson

The Rabbit and the Elephant by Tony and Felicity Dale

Killing Cockroaches by Tony Morgan

And there are several other good reads for those who are interested in the motivation behind and the missional effectiveness of the multi-site church.

You may also want to check out TransforMissional Coaching by Steve Ogne and Tim Roehl.

This will help you as a leader think about the ways you can empower those you lead in the process.

In conclusion…

Please don’t lead your church to do multi-site without doing a great deal of research and planning ahead. Don’t let ego guide you down that path. You could cause a great deal of trouble by trying to do this without knowing what and why you are doing it.

It’s certainly not a bandwagon upon which everyone should jump…

But it is, in my opinion, a wonderful way for some churches to reach out to their regions and beyond with the gospel.

I am thankful for the multi-site movement. I am blessed to be a part of it.

I am humbled by its potential.

Brad

Francis Chan deals with the topic of Hell as the place of torment for those who are not forgiven of sin by the blood of Jesus. I find this video very interesting. And specifically some of the things that he says help remind me of the attitude I should take when looking at the Scriptures on topics like this.

Check it out.

I had all I could take. I’ve checked Facebook a few times today only to see that so many people are hating on Albert Pujols. OK, I’m as big of a cardinal fan as you are. I’ve gone to and watched more Cards games in my life than anyone would care to remember. I have a section in my closet of red/white clothes just for the occasion. I love being a cardinals fan.

I’m also a loyal Pujols fan. I think he’s a great player, but more importantly, I think he is a great man. He loves his heritage, his family, his game and his God. Albert Pujols has done nothing but good for baseball, St Louis, the Cardinals organization and for his home country of the Dominican Republic.

Through the ‘Pujols Family Foundation’ Albert has donated and raised millions of dollars to care for those with Down Syndrome, support for families with children who suffer from Downs as well as feeding the hungry and caring for the poor in his home country of the Dominican Republic.

He has also been involved in many different projects aimed at spreading the gospel of Jesus to those who didn’t know it or have not yet had a chance to respond to it.

The dude is pretty much a saint.

So today when I saw so many people hating on him about taking a job which will pay him about 30 additional million dollars over the next ten years I couldn’t take it without writing something back.

To those of you who see Albert as an opportunist who is greedy and money hungry…

Pay attention here. Albert desires to make more money so that he will have more to GIVE AWAY.

Good men who make the kind of living Albert has don’t simply think about what that money will do for them and their families. Albert sees himself as God’s tool to provide for an entire country of poor and hungry people and for a world of people and families suffering from Downs Syndrome. It is his calling in life.

He took that job for them. And that is a very good thing.

And the truth is, most of those venting on Facebook would change jobs within their field for 2 additional bucks an hour. Wouldn’t you? No one would be angry with you about that. Its probably a wise choice.

So lets go a little easier on Albert. Sure, I’m disappointed that it didn’t work out for him to remain in St Louis. But in his shoes, I think that most good men would have done exactly the same thing.

A lot of hungry and sick kids will benefit from this decision.