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Here’s another shameless plug for my new book “Momentum: God’s Ever-Increasing Kingdom” which was published by Strang/ Creation House and released on Tuesday. I had a blast seeing one thousand pastors get free copies at a conference last week in North Carolina!
It’s available at Amazon and all the other usual outlets but you can get it even cheaper here. If you have a blog, I’ll send a second copy to you for free (for your pastor, staff or leadership teams or whoever) if you devote a blog post to it with a link back to the MomentumHandbook.com website. Email the blog link to me at steve@momentumhandbook.com
This really IS a handbook on momentum for church leaders, ministry leaders and others who want to see kingdom increase in their midst. Since I published a little 29 page booklet on momentum in 2003 I’ve been dialed in on this subject particularly as it relates to my world of church planting and church growth. There is not much out there on this topic and that’s what makes this book so unique and timely. It’s full of insight and encouragement.
Maybe a glance at a few of the chapter titles will stir your interest even more; “Relentlessness“, “Small Beginnings“, “Discerning the Pace of the Spirit“, “Stopping a Stampede” and “Removing Obstacles Downhill the Momentum Snowball.”
It was a huge honor that my friend Pastor Chris Hodges, who pastors America’s fastest growing church according to Outreach Magazine, said this:
Steve Hickey gets it right! One of the greatest needs of the local church is to grab hold of kingdom momentum. But Steve does not just talk about momentum; his church has it. So climb in, buckle up, and get ready to take a ride!
Author and church leader Larry Kreider commented that “the chart on page 113 alone is worth the price of the book.” On that page I name 23 things that stifle momentum and 23 things that stoke it.
Just to give you a taste, one of the stiflers of momentum is hope deferred. Discouragement will put the damper on everything. Most church leaders I know are wired for great kingdom exploits and many times those hopes are deferred. I encourage you to celebrate early wins! Even the small ones!
Working with those who fight addictions, we have learned to rejoice in all the little milestones. What a mistake to wait until a person is sober for several years before declaring victory! A man who gave his life to the Lord last week told me just today that seven days have gone by since he had his last drink. What a victory! And what a mistake to hold back any celebration until he reaches some other milestone. Happy churches are churches that celebrate all the time. People will work toward parties. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life” (NIV). The Message renders this verse, “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.”
There is nothing like a changed life to enhance momentum. Testimonies of victory stir something deep in us and give us faith for greater things. They ought to be told at the onset of every staff meeting and be frequent features in our worship services. Celebrating our wins is a sure way to make the most out of what God is doing in midst. No matter how insignificant your progress appears, celebrate anyway.
You’ll have to get the book to see the other 22 momentum stiflers. You can order it here. Check out momentumhandbook.com… feedback is welcome!
A big big plug here for my friend Pastor Dino Rizzo‘s new book – Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution Through Serving, published by Zondervan. Dino pastors Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, LA.
A couple weeks ago Church at the Gate joined Dino, Healing Place Church and over 245 other churches in 15 different countries in a week of serving our communities – doing simple acts of kindness for the glory of God. Check out the servolution.org website. Here’s a video recap of the seven days of servolution… it’s great check it out.
At CATG we gave away 450 free hot dog lunches in our parking lot over three days time at a huge multi-block neighborhood garage sale. I really didn’t think opening the church restrooms up for serial-rummage sale people was a big deal – but when you got-a-go you are real thankful! We offered free-prayer and gave out brochures. We also had teams doing sand bags up in Fargo.
Isaiah 58:10 says “if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday sun.” Buy a dozen copies of Dino’s book, pass it around your church and watch what God does!
Ways & Means 