Kingdom Placemakers: Becoming Attached to the Place You Help Create

Placemaking is a bottom up approach to shaping a public space.

According to Project for Public Spaces, "Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces. Put simply, it involves looking at, listening to, and asking questions of the people who live, work and play in a particular space, to discover their needs and aspirations. This information is then used to create a common vision for that place. The vision can evolve quickly into an implementation strategy, beginning with small-scale, do-able improvements that can immediately bring benefits to public spaces and the people who use them" (http://www.pps.org/reference/what_is_placemaking/).

There are 11 steps guiding the PLACEMAKING strategy (building a better community):

1. The community (the people of the place) are the experts.

2. Create a place, not a design.

3. Look for partners

4. You can see a lot by just observing.

5. Have a vision.

6. Start with the Petunias: Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper

7. Triangulate

8. They Always Say “It Can’t Be Done”

9. Form supports function

10. Money is not an issue

11. You are never finished.

Read more here on the 11 steps: http://www.pps.org/reference/11steps/

The result is community ownership and excitement. See the quotes below....

"If you’re not building social capital in the community where you’re working, you’re not Placemaking; you’re just reorganizing the furniture."

“Human capital and creative talent increasingly goes where it likes; talent increasingly goes to great places; but talented people become most attached to places that they help create.”

 

As you think about making disciples who make disciples and form a church in a local place, community or neighborhood, how might these steps help along the way?

As followers of Jesus into the neighborhood, we alert people to the reign and rule of God's Kingdom through Jesus. We enter into these public places proclaiming the good news both with our words/stories and by our ACTS (the acts of Jesus followers), demonstrating a kingdom place worth entering into!

Let's be Kingdom Placemakers!

 

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Build a Better Brick Wall

How do you build a better brick wall? Simply, one-brick-at-a-time!

It is easy in ministry to focus on the outcome, the brick wall in this case, instead of, the individual brick(s). You want walls. You don't necessarily want to place bricks and position bricks to form a wall. For example, "I will plant a church." This is the brick wall. Nothing wrong with this. But, be careful in what you are building. You can build a brick wall, but if you don't give attention to the individual bricks to form the wall you may wind up with a wall you never intended. Be careful what type of wall you are building.

The outcome focuses you, but the bricks point to the steps it took you to get there. You need to be more careful in focusing your efforts on placing the bricks (making disciples who make disciples). In working towards building the wall, i.e. planting the church, focus on the simple steps-the individual bricks-you will need to carefully build a better wall.

So, what will it take today to place the brick? What will you need to do today to build a better new church? What are the bricks you will need to place to see new believers come into the Kingdom? Perhaps, the first brick is seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Perhaps, another brick is praying to the Lord of the Harvest for harvest hands in His fields ripe unto harvest. Maybe another brick is walking across the street to introduce yourself to the neighbors? Brick-by-brick a new wall is formed - a better brick wall.

Measure your success in the individual bricks. Set realistic goals in placing the bricks. Keep your focus on the brick and the wall will come together.

So, plant a church- build a brick wall. But please, take time to put the right brick, in the right place, with the right effort and with the the right attitude to get the brick wall God really intended for us to build.

You want to see new churches birthed. Make sure we are making new disciples who will become the church.

What are the individual bricks Jesus is leading you to place to start a new church? Write them down and focus on those individual bricks. Measure your success here.

 

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Three ways to positively step up your personal leadership & engagement

You are going to have incredible opportunities and challenges in your church, church plant, startup, business, etc. During the challenges, the temptation is to disengage. It is easier, instead of stepping up, to step out and pursue the next big thing. Alli Polin of Break the Frame, says:

"Leadership is more than being skilled at driving outcomes, it requires leaders at all levels to engage and bring the team with them on the journey.

Leading for the sake of “getting it done” and “achieving the vision” are far different experiences for both the individual leaders and their team. Pushing actions and solutions, without concern for employee engagement, reduces work to a series of soulless checklists."

He goes on to remind us WE ARE PART OF A TEAM! As a team member and as a leader here are 3 steps you can take to lead and engage during challenges and problem solving:

1. Do Your Homework - not every idea is a great idea. If you have an idea, do,some homework and see if it is a viable solution.
2. Speak Up - share your thoughts an ideas instead of complaining and grumbling.
3. Let Go - Sometimes your brilliant idea, even after you did your homework, will fall flat to a group or the leader. Let it go. Reward yourself for participating, give yourself a pat on the back for "trying" and re-engage your team to accomplish the mission/vision/values of the group.

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