LCMC Blog [by Dan Clites]

LCMC to Offer Church Planting Boot Camp

Mon, 22 Jul 19 00:00:00 +0000

Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ will offer its first ever Church Planting Boot Camp.

Led by LCMC Coordinator for Church Planting Development Dan Clites, this workshop is designed to engage, empower and successfully deploy those who are wired and called to consider starting up a church plant.

Church planters, planters to be, planters in discernment, and spouses, and church leaders are invited.

There is no cost to attend, however those who are interested in taking part in the boot camp must register by contacting Dan Clites by November 1. Meals and housing will be provided by Hosanna! Lutheran Church.

The event takes place November 6-8, 2019 at Hosanna! Lutheran Church in St. Charles, IL. For more information, click here.

Church Planting Retreat to Be Offered During Annual Gathering

Thu, 28 Mar 19 00:00:00 +0000

Discipling: Beginning with the End in Mind

Your church plant has a vision. It is biblical and even ambitious. But if you want to see people living in the reality of that vision some day, you will need to carefully craft a discipling process to that end.

With that in mind, the 2:47 Network is once again hosting a church planters retreat within the LCMC Annual Gathering, going deeper with our guest and keynote speaker, Rev. Greg Finke (Executive Director of Dwelling114).

Current church planters, spouses, and anyone interested in planting are welcome!

There is no additional cost to attend the retreat, however interested persons must be registered for the Annual Gathering.

To sign up for the retreat, email Dan Clites at dan@lcmc.net after you have registered for the Annual Gathering.

For more detailed information on this event, click here.

Church Planting Retreat to Take Place After Annual Gathering

Tue, 17 Jul 18 00:00:00 +0000

LCMC church planters and missional types are invited to The 2:47 Network Church Planting Retreat immediately following the LCMC Annual Gathering at nearby Lutheran Church of the Cross in Altoona, Iowa.

“The Next Generation” discussion starts at 2:00 pm on October 10th, and wraps-up by noon on the 11th.

There is no charge to attend, but lodging and meals are on your own.

For greater details and to register, see The247Network.com/Retreats, or contact Dan Clites, LCMC Coordinator for Church Planting Development, at dan@lcmc.net.

Introducing Rev. Dan Clites, LCMC's Coordinator for New Ministry Development

Mon, 04 Feb 13 00:00:00 +0000

When I was a kid, I dreamed of being an astronaut-- a bold pioneer of exploring outer space and the moon. At the time, it seemed like the coolest job ever with all its intrigue and danger. Trouble is, very few ever received the opportunity and now the whole idea of space exploration is grounded.

Thanks, however, to the LCMC's heart for bold ministry, we can all suit-up and blast-off again with a God dream!

As your new, New Ministries Coordinator (see Service Coordinator Mark Vander Tuig's note [in the upcoming edition of By the Word] for more details), I've been blessed with what I now believe is the coolest job ever--- to serve side-by-side with LCMC astronauts who are hearing Jesus' voice calling them to be pioneers of a space that seems ignored or grounded. By the grace and wisdom of the Lord, together we will plant and develop new ministries across the nation that are effectively focused on reaching the disappeared, the disconnected and the disappointed. This calling is filled with intrigue and danger...and I love it! It is so huge a mission that it will require all of us to radically depend upon the Lord's dream to ignite 1,000 new ministries over the next decade! But, as Romans 8 declares, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

So, why is starting new LCMC ministries important, even urgent?

Eternal life or death are in the balance for those who don't follow Jesus.
Practicing Christians get renewed in the Great Commission to Go and Make Disciples.
Most effective manner to reach new generations, new residents and new people groups with the true Gospel.
Best way to grow quickly and have an immediate Christian-impact in a community.
Fosters new ideas and methods that can benefit other churches.
Challenges and renews the whole Body of Christ to be one in a community.
Triggers mission-mindedness rather than maintenance-mindedness.
Gives a mother church the excitement of giving birth to effective outreach.

Friends: I look forward to firing-up our adventure by meeting many of you at our upcoming San Diego and Birmingham Leadership gatherings. Please register so we can connect and start developing friendships that blast-off a Great Commission movement. Over the next few months I will also be developing and launching new ministry "boot camps"--- opportunities for you to see if church planting is something that you're wired and called to do. My job is to help you get in-line with the Lord's mission, pray with you, coach/equip you and love you like Jesus loves His Church!

Blessings!

Dan Clites

Rev. Dan Clites starts his new LCMC position on March 1st. He has been the planter and lead pastor of Rejoice! in Northfield-Dundas, MN for the last 10-years. Before that, he served Lutheran congregations in Clearwater, Brainerd and Cannon Falls, MN. Before graduating from Luther Seminary in 1995, Dan worked 9-years as a television sports anchor/reporter in Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot, North Dakota. Dan and Joanne have been married 27-years and have two adult daughters, a son-in-law, and a grandson born this past Christmas Day!