A Blog by Jason Salamun

Here’s a simplified overview of the biblical model of church leadership as best as I can see it.

Jesus is the Head of the Church. The Senior Pastor so to speak. (Ephesians 5:23)

The scriptures are the ultimate authority because Jesus is the ultimate authority. (2 Timothy 3: 16-17)

His agenda trumps the church’s…always. (Colossians 1:18)

In scripture, the church is not a business or even a non-profit organization.

The church is a family of believers who love God and people. (Acts 2:41-47; 1 Timothy 3:15)

The church is the very embodiment of Christ. (1 Corinthians 6:15)

The entire church are priests. (1 Peter 2:9)

Ministers of the gospel. (Ephesians 4:12)

Storytellers of the gospel. (1 Peter 4:10-11)

With their words and lives. (Matthew 5:16)

From the church body, a team of leaders are called to lead. (1 Thessalonians 5:12)

Key word: called. (Hebrews 13:17)

They are the elders/overseers/leaders of the church. (1 Peter 5:1-2)

They are all equal. (Acts 14:23)

But there is a leader of leaders. (Acts 15:22)

A first among equals.

Often their primary role is teaching and preaching. (1 Timothy 5:17)

Not just anyone can or should be an elder.

There are biblical qualifications. (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

And biblical responsibilities. (Titus 1:9; 1 Peter 5:1-4)

In short, elders lead the church by following Jesus. (1 Peter 5:3-4)

And equip God’s people for works of service. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Taking on various forms and functions. (Ephesians 4:11)

There are other leaders called deacons. (Philippians 1:1)

Their role is serving by leading ministries. (1 Timothy 3:13)

They have biblical qualifications and responsibilities too. (1 Timothy 3:8-12)

The structure of a biblical church is marked by humility, service, cooperation, accountability, prayer, love, and gospel community. (Romans 8:9-18)

Followers of Jesus are to be in community and have a role in it. (Romans 12:4-8)

We usually call them members, owners, or partners. (Ephesians 2:19)

They aren’t to be spectators.

Here’s the deal:

They don’t just have a part, they are a part. (Ephesians 5:30)

If a healthy church is following Jesus they are joining him in the renewal of all things. (Revelation 21:5)

Together. (Acts 2:42-46)

Momentum grows. (Acts 2:47)

So do the people. (Acts 4:33)

And Jesus is made much of along the way. (John 12:32)

May your church (and mine) be a biblical, healthy, loving church.

Centered on the gospel; expressed in community; on a mission from God. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8)

A shining city on a hill. (Matthew 5:14)

An unstoppable force. (Matthew 16:18)

Remembering Jesus is the hero and under him we are all equal. (Hebrews 12:2; Romans 3:23; James 2:1)

To the glory of God and for the good of our cities. (1 Corinthians 10:31; Jeremiah 29:7)

Brilliant author and thinker, Leonard Sweet, shares a remarkable story in his must-read book, “So Beautiful” on the longing for human connection.

“A missionary writes of a leading a mission trip to the South African country of Namibia. The first thing his team noticed in the local village in which they were staying was that women had to walk every day to a well with a huge heavy bucket on their heads to fetch water.

“We immediately decided to do something about it.” he said.

Within two weeks flashy new water pipes were delivering water to every little hut in the village.

Within a week after the installation of the plumbing, the villagers removed all the pipes and piled them politely on the outskirts of the village.

When the missionary asked why they had plundered the plumbing and undone all their hard work, the Namibians explained that it is customary for women to walk to a well with other women sharing their experiences about life. Carrying heavy buckets on the head while chatting with friends. “It’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing.”

When the walk to the well was taken away and life was made “never so good,” life was really made ever so difficult.”

Never underestimate the power of relationships.  We’ll go to great lengths for them- even carry buckets of water on our heads.

We get this from God. After all, He is in relationship with himself as Father, Son, and Spirit. When He created humanity, He designed us for relationships- with Him and one another. It’s in the fabric of our being.

We were never meant to do life alone.

The unchanging truth of the gospel is like a kaleidoscope. It can be viewed in many angles and can be seen in every aspect of life.  It’s not just a historic act of yesterday but a living force that’s at work today. May we have eyes to see the gospel in all things.

Each Christmas we celebrate the incarnation.  When God broke into human history and left heaven for the messiness of earth.

When we Christians become escapists from culture and divide everything by what’s good and bad, we forget the incarnation. We forget that he set an example of what we are to do.  We forget the words of Jesus in John 17:15 when he prayed, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”

Jesus entered our story in order to change the story.  He has called us, his people, to do the same.  How will anyone know what’s good news if we refuse to engage a world full of bad news? Our call is to be shaped by the gospel and then shape our culture with it.

In the everyday, we can see examples of the incarnation.

The friend who sits beside her friend in a waiting room while she awaits word on if the tumor is cancerous.

The big brother who plays toys with his baby sister in her room.

The church who throws a block party at a trailer park full of kids who are often forgotten.

The dad who could easily stay late at the office but chooses to be at home with his children instead.

The teacher who could teach in a cushy private school but instead teaches in the troubled public school.

If you want to change a story you must enter it first. This is what Christ did by stepping into human history to redeem it and what we do by stepping into the stories around us.

All around us are shattered hearts, broken lives, and fractured stories.

Clearly, this world is not as it should be.

Have you ever felt like there was more you could do?

Me too.

As a human being, I want to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

As a recovering hypocrite, my aim is to decrease the gap between what I believe and how I live my life.

As a communicator of the gospel of grace, my desire is to follow the example of Jesus and not just proclaim good news but also be good news.

During a recent teaching at my church we came across Matthew 25:35-40 where Jesus talks about the least of these.

How when we feed the hungry, give a drink to the thirsty, take in a stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those behind bars, we’re essentially doing it for Jesus.

Or as my 7-year-old daughter puts it, “When we give people a hug, we give God a hug.”

How right she is.

I reflected on that passage, looked at myself, and thought, “There’s gotta be more I can do.”

I looked at myself even more and thought, “I’m fat and need to get in shape.”

So I started thinking through this idea:

What if I set a goal to lose weight and get in shape in the next 3 months, and during that time, encouraged others to donate a dollar for every pound I lose directly to a cause relating to Hunger, Water, Shelter, Clothing, Sickness, and the Enslaved?

So this is my mere attempt to be what I believe.

I know we can’t change every story but together, we can help make some better.

And some is better than none.

Will you join me?

Visit thismustchange.org to discover more.

Add your name to the list and spread the word.

This effort begins August 17 and runs through November 16.

It’s never too late to get on board!

Frankly, it can’t happen without your help.

Let’s do this!

Grace and Peace,

jason salamun
Project Church

If you’ve ever been to Project Church you will notice it’s more of a friends and family gathering than a religious service.

That’s intentional.

Most people associate church with being a building or an event.

The truth is neither are true.

We are a people. We are a family.

We may meet in various spots (like coffee shops and homes), but the places we meet in and the things we do isn’t the church.

We are the church.

And since the church is a people, we don’t merely invite people to a service but rather, we invite them into a story.

The church is a friends-becoming-family community on a mission to share God’s love and centered around the gospel of grace we find in Christ.

So if you consider Project Church your church, I want you to know that you’re part of the family.  You belong.

If it’s been a while, we miss you and hope to see you again soon.

If you have yet to join us, I want you to know that we’re the kind of family that will always invite people into our story and that includes you.

We don’t care about where you’ve been, but where you’re going.  What are you waiting for?

Join us this week as we gather to connect in community and grow through the gospel of grace.

No empty religious rituals, just an authentic community of grace, truth, mission, and meaning.

All because of Jesus.

A couple more updates for you all..

Podcast

You can now listen to messages online and through podcast via iTunes.

Go here to listen directly.

Click here to subscribe in iTunes.

Facebook

Are you a fan of Project Church on Facebook?  If not, what are you waiting for?

We’re going to be utilizing this space to dialogue over questions and topics in the near future, so get connected if you aren’t already and join the fun.

Check out the discussion tab to converse.

We hope to see you this Sunday morning at 10am at Alternative Fuel Coffee House downtown next to the Firehouse Brewery in downtown Rapid City, SD.

Visit projectchurch.net for more info.

Grace!

For some strange reason, I get a number of questions from people about starting and leading a church from scratch.

I don’t pretend to know it all and have all the answers.  Far from it.

My church is just months old, we’re still in diapers, and we still have much to learn.

But I do have some scrapes, bruises, lessons learned, and sweet experiences to share from the journey so far.

Since I don’t always have time to chat with everyone who contacts me, I thought I’d reply to some of those questions here.

How do you know when you’re called to start a church?

The same way you knew you were to marry your spouse.

That’s the closest analogy I can give.

For me, it was a passion that grew and wouldn’t let me go until I tapped out and went for it.

Tim Keller says there are three questions to ask when testing a calling:

1. Do you have a passion for it?
2. Is there any opportunity?
3. Do the people who know you well affirm this?

If you don’t have a sense of calling, don’t start a church.  Help someone else start one.

What should I do to best prepare myself for starting a church?

The same things you should already be doing as a follower of Jesus: Love God. Love people.

Stick close to Jesus.

Know and live the gospel.  Learn to see the whole world through the lens of the gospel.

Pray and read what God has already said in the scriptures.

Know the scriptures more than you ever did and integrate it wholly into your life.

Check your heart.

Why do you want to start a church? What’s your motivation?

If it’s mere rebellion, it’s mere stupidity.

If it’s out of a passion for people to know, love, and follow Jesus, BINGO, you’re on the right track.

Ministry isn’t for professional, varsity-league Christians.

It’s for the called and qualified messy people who God chose to use for his purpose and glory.

Congratulations! If you’re called to start a church it’s probably because you’re so jacked up that only God can get the credit when something amazing happens.

If you already think you’re spicy, hot stuff, you’re already on the road to ruin.

As the scriptures say,  “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Leading a church is not for ego-driven, know-it-all  jerks.  So don’t be one.

Also, this is huge: Be the spouse and parent you are called to be.

That’s one of the main qualifications to lead a church in the first place.

They are always a higher priority in your life than the church. Always!

In case no one ever told you, your priorities are God-Spouse-Children-Church.

What’s the best piece of advice you heard before you started the church?

I’ll let this quote speak for itself.

“The great Christian revolutions came not by the discovery of something that was not known before.They happen when someone takes radically something that was always there.”  
-H. Richard Niebuhr

Who are your theological influences?

If I were to have a Mt. Rushmore of theological influences (outside the Bible) here’s who would be on it: Martin Luther, C.S. Lewis, Tim Keller, and John Piper.

They aren’t the only influences I have but I’d say they have each made a huge impact on how I view God and my relationship with him.

What books on the church do you recommend?

First, I would read books on Jesus before I did on the church.

After all, he’s the trajectory and purpose of the church.

Too many people want a how-to for the church when really it’s about who-for.

That said, here are some solid books that will challenge your thinking about the church and if nothing else, get you asking the right questions:

Total Church by Steve Timmis & Tim Chester (highest recommendation)

The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch

The Radical Reformission & Vintage Church by Mark Driscoll

The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter & Matt Smay

Reimagining Church by Frank Viola

An Unstoppable Force by Erwin McManus

Missional Renaissance by Reggie McNeal

What’s been your greatest challenge so far?

The biggest challenge has been God’s work in me.

There are days when the toll emotionally, physically, and spiritually is just plain hard.

But it’s also during these times when I learn to depend on God and embrace the community he’s placed me in.

Starting a church is a refining process whereby the person God uses to initiate it is often the one most changed.

I have never been more aware of my own depravity and never been more dependent on my Creator in my life.

And I don’t think that’s such a bad thing.

What would you do different if you could do it over again?

The good news is we’re still in the incubator so to speak, so there’s not much that can’t be undone.

We aren’t a traditional church plant, but if we were, I’d say we’re still in the core development stage.

However, we’ve gone the more organic, non-traditional route meeting in a local coffee house and have a growing gospel-centered church of mostly unchurched people sprinkled with some more mature followers of Jesus.

Our church is still in its infancy stage but we’re in God’s care and we’re committed to becoming more like Jesus and growing into a healthy community full of grace and truth.

I think one thing we could have done better so far, and something we need to do better right now, is raising funds.

Money’s not everything, but reality is, you need it.

There’s many more things we could do for the good of our city (and globally) if we had the financial engine to do it.

But we are in the fortunate situation to still do something about it and that’s where were are right now.

Any other advice?

Read this post I wrote earlier this year and if you have any more specific questions, ask away.

When I was in the military, I was introduced to this term:

Esprit de corps.

It describes what happens when a group of people share a spirit for a common cause.

You can’t force it.

It’s produced through a shared ordeal.

In basic training, we learned you couldn’t go it alone.

You needed each other to get through.

I saw this in my city several years back.

We battled the threat of  losing a major military installation.

The city came together in a way I’ve never seen.

It was beautiful.

We see this on television shows like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

And during the NBA playoffs.

We even see it during national tragedies like 9/11.

A cause creates community.

As a new, start-up church, this is what we’ve discovered so far.

Community isn’t staring at each other in a circle.

It’s standing beside each other on a mission.

Our mission is our cause.

To love God and people.

This is why we gather.

This is why we scatter.

This is how disciples are made.

On the go.

Love is theology on wheels.

It moves. It acts.

Of course, this isn’t an original thought.

Jesus already made it clear in Matthew 5:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“

Jesus is right.

May you experience genuine community.

Esprit de corps.

A city set on a hill.

May your lamp shine.

Not collect dust on a living room table.

May others see your mission of love and be astonished by God.

That’s how community happens.

That’s what community is for.

That’s what being missional is all about.

Other people and places will do a lot of things better than the church.

U2 concerts have better production (and music) than the church.

United Way helps more people than the church.

Disneyworld has more entertaining kids environments than the church.

Neighborhood bars often have better community than the church.

Facebook has a better online presence than the church.

I could go on.

But.

There’s one thing the church has to offer that no one else has.

Grace.

Because of Jesus.

No people or place should outdo the church on grace.

Ironically, it’s not what folks generally associate the church with.

Sad.

Sad indeed.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

As you focus on your systems to improve your church experience.

Remember this.

Someone, somewhere, is doing it all better than you.

But what they can’t do…

Is outgrace you.

Or can they?

I guess the answer is up to you.

On Friday evening, some peeps from Project Church are going to host a family movie night at local elementary school for the students, parents, and staff.

We don’t plan to proselytize them.

Or pimp ourselves.

We just want to love them.

We strongly believe that we are to bring good news, no doubt about it.

But we believe we are to be good news too.

So we’re going to build relational bridges with folks at the school.

565 (or so) students and stories.

Even more parents and staff.

We’ve heard several heart-breaking stories from teachers.

A small sample of many.

These stories need to be changed.

Jesus showed us the way to change a story is to enter a story.

We can’t make all the stories better.

I wish we could.

But we can make a few better.

A few is better than none.

And ultimately, our hope is that they meet the One who puts all the pieces back together.

Who restores stories.

That’s why we enter the story.

To change the story.

I wrote this for my church and thought I’d share it with you all.  Hope you find it beneficial.

Being a Christian is so much more than a mere label, it’s a way of life.  A pattern that’s integrated into everyday life not because we have to but because we get to. Not so much out of religious obligation but compelled by a love for God and people.  Love is what a disciple of Jesus should be known for and these are the rhythms we are striving for.

Follow
Above all, we seek to know, love, and follow Jesus in our thoughts, words, and actions.  In every day and every moment, we look to Jesus as our great King and example.  Following Jesus is a series of next steps, each resulting in us becoming more like him. His footsteps may be large but they mark the path of the life in full.

Sent
Jesus sends us out, on mission, into culture, to be salt and light everywhere we go. In this sense, we are missionaries wherever we are.

Explore
To love God with all our minds means we are to be curious and filled with wonder at what God has revealed- in particular in the scriptures.  By regularly reading the bible, we learn what it means to live the lives we’re meant to live and we are shaped by the very words of God.   We also discover more about our Creator and his creation in all realms of learning through story, wisdom, song, nature, imagination, and more.  However, our highest authority is our divine conversation with Jesus through the reading of scripture.

Eat
We choose not to waste our meals.  We will seek to commune with others when possible and view each meal as a blessing from God.  With each food and drink we consume, we will remember the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf as his body was broken and blood was shed for us.

Presence
We reject any notion that we are to create our own subculture. Instead, we dwell within culture in order to influence, shape, and redeem it. We believe this whole world and everything, and everyone in it, belong to God. Like Jesus, we choose to enter the story in order to change the story.

Listen
We are charged to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. One tangible expression of love is listening. We will take opportunities to hear the stories of others. To rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. We also will listen to God and create deliberate moments of silence and quiet our hearts before our Creator.

Party
Backyard BBQ’s, gathering at the local watering hole, inviting friends to our home for food and fun. These are just a few examples of what it means to party. We choose to celebrate and enjoy life with people inside and outside our community. This is what Jesus did. A good party is like a little drop of heaven on earth and is a way of life for the follower of Christ.

Bless
We are blessed by God to be a blessing to others. This can come in many forms. An encouraging email, a note of appreciation, a kind word, an unselfish act, a helping hand. Wherever your imagination takes you. Being a blessing is to make deposits into the accounts of people. Showing grace is to do so whether someone deserves it or not. We will look to tangibly bless others daily.

Grow
Growth is a natural byproduct of every healthy, living thing. This includes people.  Since growth comes from God, we will continually fix our eyes on Christ, search our hearts for any cheap substitutes to him, and repent of our sin and place them at the feet of our King.  We will seek to live lives of health and wholeness remembering there’s one throne and one source of genuine growth.

Include
The arm of God is big enough to wrap around the whole world. The least we can do is wrap our arms around our neighbor, the people we come across in our daily lives. We will not play favorites based on social status but view all people as equally valuable under an almighty God.  Our community is one where people can belong before they believe and find grace overflowing.  All are welcome to the table.

Pray
We will be a people of constant conversation and communion with God.  As we live our lives, we will pray without ceasing according to God’s will.  We will thank God, worship God, be honest to God, confess our sins to God, listen to God, and always seek opportunities to pray for others.  Our hope is to be the go-to people for prayer in our relational networks without making a big show of it.

Share
We will seek to share our time, talent, and treasure with others. Generosity will flow out of the grace God has given us. We are to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share. We will be an authentic community who shares one another’s burdens with a battle cry that “no one stands alone.”  This is pleasing to God and a fingerprint of a true disciple.

Fight
We will stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves and offer hope to the hopeless. We will fight against injustice and guilt-based religion by our actions and the Gospel.  We agree with scripture and believe for justice to roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.  In serving others, we serve Christ.  We will never forget that our ultimate mission is to bring good news and be good news to those around us.

Romans 12:9-18 (ESV):

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”