tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32669006110324997622009-11-10T09:27:16.459+08:00learnings and unlearnings of a clueless man on starting a church, leading a tribe, and loving JesusDennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.phBlogger248125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-50198536768228177502009-05-14T07:45:00.001+08:002009-05-14T07:47:15.137+08:00

This would be my last post on my clueless church blogspot siteBECAUSE.........my official website is up. I'll start posting stuff there from now onvisitwww.dennissy.comTHANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-69719301279803884312009-05-09T02:01:00.003+08:002009-05-09T02:11:18.291+08:00

I was in the hospital this afternoon to pray for our member whose dad is in critical condition. While waiting for our turn to enter the ICU, a doctor pass by and stopped and looked intently on me. He stared for around 3 seconds and smiled. He then said the 2 magic words I commonly hear from people who I think I know or knows me:"Pastor..................Victory?"Tonight I dated my wife in Gateway

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-45939358093464411342009-05-07T15:54:00.003+08:002009-05-07T16:08:01.687+08:00

I am now in my new found favorite office: BURGERKING.It is raining so hard in Manila right now that I decided to prepare my sunday message in BurgerKing.If Burger King was a church it would attract a lot of young people. Why?BECAUSE THEY ARE INTENTIONAL IN REACHING THE YOUNGER CROWD.You enter a Burger King establishment and you are greeted with friendly waiters. You see a TV which offers free

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-11496736760781280412009-05-07T00:26:00.004+08:002009-05-07T00:48:57.785+08:00

Watching Manny crushed Hatton revealed some things to me that is necessary for a church planter.1. Study your target. Manny studied Hatton so well that he knew what he needs to do in the ring.We as Christians must study our culture. We are called to be missionaries. We study the people we reach. We can't be like Hatton who did not know Manny's moves.2. Have a game plan. Roach and Manny had a game

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-49474786838176126892009-05-06T23:51:00.006+08:002009-05-07T00:24:35.000+08:00

Now to get into a more controversial blog.Martin Nievera's rendition of Lupang Hinirang has received mixed reviews. Some really really mad and some defending Martin's new rendition of the song.Poor Martin didn't see this coming.Now how does church planting and Martin's song connect?A lot of new church planters and pastors experience the same resistance to change. How do we navigate the rough

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-35992711225219846372009-05-04T09:43:00.002+08:002009-05-04T23:28:41.740+08:00

- I missed pacquiao's fight again.- had our last morning service in New Manila. We would be renovating it to become the HUB for college students in the area. I am excited for the future of our ministry in New Manila.- our youth workers are doing a great job. Hats off to the PASSION ENGINEER - Bojo and his team for building a thriving youth ministry.- our 3pm service was half full - maybe because

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-39214737341707631882009-04-29T19:30:00.003+08:002009-04-29T19:35:44.236+08:00

to be an authentic community - we need to experience friction, chaos and conflict. We can't settle for unspoken matters.I have had conflicts for the past 1 year and 6 months pastoring the church. Some were handled well, some were terribly handled. It is part of the learning process in building authentic community.Our staff knows that when we have organized chaos, it is not because we want to

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-81017644807052272892009-04-29T19:27:00.002+08:002009-04-29T19:30:20.345+08:00

here is what I wrote on my journal after reading Judges 1DRIVE OUT EVERY DISTRACTION OR SIN. DON'T LET THEM STAY.The things you know that are distractions would eat you up slowly if you don't take it away.Are there any sin in me that I need to get rid of? Lust, unforgiveness, bitterness, laziness, mediocrity?

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-11755375757937286592009-04-29T10:16:00.000+08:002009-04-29T10:17:54.009+08:00

Ten Church Planter Essential Qualifications By Pastor Scott Thomas, Acts 29 Director This is a longer blog than normal, but these are the notes from my talk at Exponential 2009 in an effort to serve those who attended and wanted to engage dialogically in the conversation live. The Power Point Handout is found here. Introduction Every young man that considers church planting asks the question,

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-87437071502880207392009-04-28T14:02:00.003+08:002009-04-28T14:09:29.116+08:00

Feel like your church is stuck? What do you do when you don't know what to do?Do what any clueless guy would do: Get the right people to get you unstuck.Jim Collins' Good to Great Principle: Get the right people on the bus, get the wrong people out of the bus and then DRIVE to your destination.When I was stuck with trying to give the right counsel to people who has gone through problems unheard

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-74628675437532850752009-04-27T23:13:00.002+08:002009-04-27T23:18:08.289+08:00

Church planters we must traffic in idea creation!Never be content with how things are. Question the status quo. Don't just say we have been doing this ever since 1934.Church is not a museum of God's greatness but a live event where His Spirit continues to operate and move.In your meetings, brainstorm. Get ideas out of your team!!!Hybels said it this way:In order to land one good idea - you have

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-52458299017918319002009-04-27T22:56:00.002+08:002009-04-27T23:07:19.257+08:00

Every time a church grows it means that there is a greater need to motivate and inspire people to volunteer. It is also a season where we are in a lookout of people who would consider working for the church.One of the things I have learned about hiring is this:never hire a good guy.Always get a GREAT guy to do the job. Don't settle for mediocre people. How do we measure it?1. Is the person a

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-25215978577629898652009-04-27T22:50:00.002+08:002009-04-27T22:56:33.471+08:00

- Last Sunday was SUPERB!- Pastor Christian D preached in the morning and did a great job!- We will be having our last service in New Manila next Sunday. We would be renovating the place and making it a HUB for college students. We are excited for the growth that is going to happen in the next few months.- our campus workers are the best - Bojo, Jonas, Christian and Ethel are simply amazing.-

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-38264849110363699092009-04-24T16:07:00.001+08:002009-04-24T16:12:21.739+08:00

THE SINGLE GREATEST DETERMINANT OF WHETHER FOLLOWERS WILL EVER OWN A VISION DEEPLY IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH THOSE FOLLOWERS BELIEVE THE LEADER WILL OWN IT.- BILL HYBELS

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-39809794773894708632009-04-22T09:34:00.002+08:002009-04-22T09:41:26.414+08:00

If you think of toothpaste, what is the first word that comes into your mind - COLGATE!If you think of copier machine - XEROXIf you think of car safety - VOLVOIf you think of fastfood - MCDONALDSIf you think of your church?Answers may vary but for a church planter we have to decide early on what we must be known for.Some churches are known for their giftings.Prophetic church, Apostolic church,

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-50187402798886245192009-04-20T00:29:00.002+08:002009-04-20T00:37:07.561+08:00

- awesome God, awesome people, awesome worship- presence of God was in our midst!!!- we broke the 600 mark for our 5 pm service. it means we are 90% full. We do have more space for our 3pm service- Nove was GREAT! I hope every worship leader gets an impartation from her- KC and April did a great job hosting today! Lovely couple!!!- The Q YORK are the best Hip Hop Artist in the country!!! Love the

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-83602461127906598572009-04-17T01:36:00.002+08:002009-04-17T01:40:02.247+08:00

Learned this in Axiom, Bill Hybel's book on leadership.When you are going to talk to your people tell them the bad news first, then the good news. Why?Because if you end with the bad news - that is all they are going to remember.I experienced this last night. I had to talk to some of our leaders about a major move that we would be doing next month that would require us to remove something very

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-52505544442357805032009-04-17T00:43:00.003+08:002009-04-17T01:17:56.023+08:00

We launched our 1st ever KITCHEN TALK.Why Kitchen?BESIDES MY BEDROOM, THE NEXT BEST PLACE AN OWNER WANTS TO INVEST IN IS HIS KITCHEN.KITCHEN IS THE PLACE FOR OUR LEADERS. IT IS HERE WHERE WE COOK THINGS UP. THIS IS THE MEETING OF ALL MEETINGS.THE FIRST GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD KNOW WHAT GOD IS COOKING ARE OUR KITCHEN PEOPLE – YOU!KITCHEN IS WHERE THE EMPOWERING HAPPENS.IT IS WHERE LEADERS ARE

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-73132200696454479292009-04-14T15:14:00.002+08:002009-04-14T15:21:28.474+08:00

One of the things I have a hard time answering is the question: What is the secret to the growth of your church. What is the ONE THING you guys do?First of all there is no one thing. There are thousands of things involved in church planting.BUT if there is one responsible for the growth of the church, my answer would be.........ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Seriously, my answer would be ONLY GOD.We started

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-10826629343841114542009-04-13T01:08:00.002+08:002009-04-13T01:20:44.800+08:00

- great time of worship today.- Johann is a rare find!- Bojo had a powerful exhortation after worship- what Christ did for us on the cross still amazes me!!!!- we were almost packed today!- preached on the empty tomb and its application to us- hats off to all our volunteers who never gets tired of serving!!!!- really challenged to up my leadership level as well!- i love Jesus and my family- pray

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-72451051478385298742009-04-11T22:35:00.002+08:002009-04-11T22:46:39.584+08:00

When I think about church, I see my house.The church has 3 parts. The foyer, the living room and the kitchen. ( terms were conceptualized by Andy Stanley)The foyer of the church is our Sunday Services. This is our main door. OUR GATE. If people want to check us out they go to Music Museum on a Sunday afternoon. They see a glimpse of who and what the church is. The foyer is designed to be

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-31038960605994437212009-04-10T23:53:00.002+08:002009-04-10T23:56:59.652+08:00

Pastors and church planters,If there is one thing we need to constantly do its this:MAKE THE BIG ASK.Ask great people to join you on staff.Ask generous people to give BIG and SACRIFICIALLY to the advancement of God's kingdomAsk dedicated people to volunteer for ministries.NEVER STOP ASKING BIG

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-90823944137587142522009-04-10T23:18:00.002+08:002009-04-10T23:24:53.904+08:00

Proverbs says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. This is true in leadership as well. One important leadership trait is the ability to communicate. You could have the grandest vision but if you can't communicate it to inspire your people then your vision would remain a vision.I've blogged about our next challenge in church a few weeks ago. For us to sell this to the church and

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-74931435931000786712009-04-06T09:44:00.003+08:002009-04-11T22:04:37.951+08:00

MEDIOCRITY!You have fallen into the trap that most church planters get into!Remember when you first planted the church. You had a grand vision from God. Most likely you started of having a vision of thousands of people worshiping God every Sunday.WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT VISION?A church would have an average fall out rate of 10% every year. Whether its members who moved to another city or country,

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3266900611032499762.post-84306306291472550732009-04-04T22:57:00.005+08:002009-04-11T22:05:32.804+08:00

I am currently reading a book by Mark Stevens author of "YOUR MANAGEMENT SUCKS, YOUR MARKETING SUCKS, AND GOD IS A SALESMAN"The book challenges us to always ask and question the status quo ( how things are done).Hopefully this challenges us as pastors and church planters to think and ask.

Dennis Sydennis.sy@everynation.org.ph0