Ron Edmondson » Missions

One Piece of Advice for Want-To-Be Church Planters

Ron Edmondson — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 12:00:45 +0000

One of my best rules (suggestions) for church planting is don’t try to be a lone ranger. That may work in western movies, but not in church planting. (And even he had Tonto…which makes me question his name…but that’s another post…)

If God is birthing a vision in you, the chances are great that He is birthing the same or similar vision in the hearts of others.

Find those who share your passion for reaching the lost and as you share your vision with them….after you’ve prayed together tons…then, if God is in it…form a team… To be successful you will need buy-in from other people. You may even need to give your vision away to people you trust. (Read a post about that thought process HERE.)

I hear from those claiming to be church planters with a vision who say they have no one to help them plant. My best advice would be to wait until God reveals those people who are ready to share the burden with you.

There will be lonely nights out on the range of church planting…you’ll be glad you have others around to encourage you to stay the course….

Church planters….do you agree? How did you find those who were willing to support your God-given vision?

Friday Discussion: Is Fear an Appropriate Motivator for the Church?

Ron Edmondson — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:00:14 +0000

Is fear an appropriate tool for motivation?

We see it in many segments of society.

Rental car companies use it to sell extras to a rental contract. The skilled agent can make me doubt my insurance. The risk isn’t any larger than when I normally drive, but I sure feel that way after their spill.

We do it to help people lose weight or live healthier. When I see the effects of obesity on the body I’m more inclined to want to stay in shape.

We use fear to get people to wear seat belts, slow down and to deter drinking and driving. The crash dummy has been made famous saving lives by inducing fear.

So, I have a fair question:

Is fear an appropriate motivation tactic for the church?

I would love your thoughts and opinions. I’m a proponent of the “kindness of God leads to repentance” approach to witnessing, but if fear is such a great motivator should we literally be scaring the Hell out of people?

I love a good discussion…so what do you think?

God is Great, Lessons from Sierra Leone

Ron Edmondson — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 11:51:45 +0000

When we were in Sierra Leone Africa earlier this summer we saw some of the most unique and beautiful beaches I have seen anywhere in the world. Interestingly, the people don’t seem to appreciate or enjoy the beauty they have right next to them as much as one would think they do. I can’t help but think if I had this beach in my backyard that I’d be on it frequently. We baptized people at the beach who lived a few hundred feet from the water yet had never been in it before.

On one trip to the beach, as I stood mesmerized by the beauty of perfect blue skies, sand, ocean waves, boulder-sized rocks and mountains in the background, I couldn’t help but ask a native pastor friend if he knew how it all was formed. I know the Creator, but the rocks that line the ocean appear to have developed by volcanic activity and i wondered if one was nearby. I ask him if he knew the make-up of the rocks and how they formed…and if he knew of any volcanoes in the vicinity.

He looked at me with complete sincerity and said very simply, “God is great!”

I was quickly humbled in my search for answers and reminded of a few truths:

1. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. Proverbs 25:2
2. God asked, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” Job 38:4
3. Too many times we look for answers, when “God is great” is enough.

I may not have had to go to Africa to be reminded of this truth, but I’m glad I picked it up while there! Are you looking for answers when the only answer you need is God is great?

Just curious, where’s the most beautiful beach you have ever seen?

Funded and Free: Helping Church Finances

Ron Edmondson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:51:04 +0000

Casey Graham and Joe Sangl have become good friends. Casey and Joe share several things in common with each other. They are both incredibly high-energy, they are both funny (or think they are) and, most importantly, they both share a heart to help churches and people live in financial freedom. Specifically for the church, their desire is for churches to be able to fully fund the vision God has given the church.

As writers of the new book, “Funded and Free”, Casey and Joe combine their practical experience serving on church staffs with their most current experience helping churches and individuals across the nation achieve financial success. In this easy-to-read, practical and concise book, Casey and Joe help us understand the obstacles churches face and how to deal appropriately with finances and debt. Every church leader needs to read this book.

Check out the FUNDED AND FREE website where you can buy 5 copies for $50. This low-cost investment will promote lasting Kingdom rewards. Let your finance team, leadership team, or staff read this book together and get your church headed in a more positive direction financially.

Just curious, how is your church fairing financially in this current economy? Could you use some help?

Soles4Souls Loves Haiti: Sustainable Housing Project

Ron Edmondson — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:12:07 +0000

I love the ministry of Soles4Souls. Their success in doing their mission has been a phenomenal achievement. In fact, I understand a book is being released soon that chronicles their journey over the last five years. I interviewed Soles4Souls founder and CEO Wayne Elsey previously. You can read that interview post HERE.

Wayne has taken a personal interest in Haiti. He’s crying out for Americans to see the need. He’s going to Haiti monthly. Recently Wayne shared a plan he has to help with the tremendous housing problem they have. I thought it was worth sharing here. See this powerpoint presentation on Soles4Souls Haiti project. For more information, contact Soles4Souls through their website.

Soles4Souls Project Haiti –

If you can’t see this, you may need to open it in another browser type, or click on the link. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/47961120/Soles4Souls-Project-Haiti

Have you heard of Soles4Souls?

Caption This Photo: Winner Gets a Free Book

Ron Edmondson — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:00:47 +0000

This is a precious picture from our time in Sierra Leone. I recently returned from teaching pastors in the country and I’m forever changed. You can read a post about the children HERE.

The children wanted to touch us, hold our hands, crawl in our laps, and share love with us. This picture helps share that story.

What caption would you give this picture? Comment on this post with your caption and I’ll pick one of them and send the book The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni. (This is a great book to help frantic families restore sanity to the most important organization in their life!)

Again, all you have to do is comment a caption for this picture. I’ll pick the one I think best captures this image. You have until Tuesday, July 27, 2010 to answer.

(Please understand this winner will simply be based on opinion.)

Also, will you say a prayer for the children of Sierra Leone?

Great Leaders around the World: Lessons from Sierra Leone

Ron Edmondson — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:00:24 +0000

On my many mission experiences in Brazil, often the drug lords were the ones who gave us access into the slums in which we ministered. We were invited to do medical clinics, construction projects, and evangelism. Even though they almost never allowed visitors, since we could have reported their activities to police or warring gangs, they saw value in us helping their people. We even saw many of the drug lords come to a saving knowledge of salvation. In spite of the violent nature of this world, I always saw the actions on behalf of the drug lords as “good leadership”, because they were willing to jeopardize their own leadership, for the good of the people they were leading.

We saw that same type leadership in West Africa. Village chiefs, mostly belonging to religions very opposed to Christianity, allowed us to come into the village and spend time with their people. As a result, we saw many life changes occur.

If leadership is about influence, which I believe it is, then I recognize both these examples as good leadership, and it’s leadership many American leaders could learn from as well. The village and slum leaders were leading smart by allowing us to invest in their people, even when it didn’t directly benefit them personally, and may have even jeopardized them in some ways. In the end, we helped them have happier people to lead. Happier people makes happier communities. Happier communities make a leader’s leadership even more successful…and ultimately…even more secure in their leadership position.

The principle of leadership is simple: Whatever is good for the people one leads is good for the leader. If the organization offers people in it a better life, the quality of the organization improves with more loyal people and a better leader…sometimes even if only in the perception of the people. Great leaders recognize that raising the level of satisfaction among followers helps the organization and the leader.

Have you seen this principle at work in your organization?

Amazing Grace: A Story from Sierra Leone

Ron Edmondson — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:43:53 +0000

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me… I have always loved that song. As one who has experienced so much grace in my life, no other song better captures my heart when I think of God’s love for me.

Chances are good you know the song and love it equally. Did you know it originated in Sierra Leone?

I learned during our time in Sierra Leone that the song was written in this country, actually on an island called Plantin Island. If you are familiar with Ellis Island near NewYork City, where immigrants were processed upon entry into the United States years ago, Plantin Island was apparently the equivalent in reverse. Slaves were kept there while they waited for extradition to other countries where they had been sold.

If you have heard the story of the song, Amazing Grace was written by John Newton, once a sailor working on a ship participating in the slave trade. He fell in love with Sierra Leone, was later converted and became a pastor, and wrote the familiar song, understanding personally the amazing grace of God displayed in his life.

The people of Sierra Leone are proud of this part of their history, in spite of the tragedy of slavery it represents. They recognize the importance and popularity of the song and embrace its origins in their country.

Considering the atrocities of slavery that I know from our country’s history, Amazing Grace has even a richer meaning to me than before I came to Sierra Leone. I’m praying the people of the great continent of Africa more and more understand the true meaning of the song and receive the grace of Jesus Christ, which is truly amazing.

The older i get, the more depth of understanding i have that God’s grace is amazing.

Are you still amazed at God’s grace?

Improving International Relations: Lessons Learned from Sierra Leone

Ron Edmondson — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:07:51 +0000

One afternoon, because we were so close to the boarder of another country, our team stood with one foot in the country of Sierra Leone and one foot in the country of Guinea. In one step, we brought two countries together.

We made the short drive to the border of the two countries during our time in Sierra Leone. Our pastor friends simply asked a question of the Sierra Leone border officials. Could five crazy Americans step over the line into another country, just to say we had been there? The border officials considered the request, then casually walked across an international geographical border to the Guinea border officials and presented our request. Request granted. It was a simple as that. We caused no problems, shook hands with border officials in both countries, took our pictures and went on our way.

The thought occurred to me. What if all International relations were that easy? The word relations is…after all…part of the word relationship. What if International relations were as easy as forming healthy relationships with other people in other countries? Could it be that easy?

I realize much more is at stake than just snapping a few pictures and relationships take more than one person willing to make them work, but I love to dream.

Praying some International relations improve today. Who is with me?

Using Your Influence for Good: Lessons from Sierra Leone

Ron Edmondson — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:00:37 +0000

Throughout our time in Sierra Leone children swarmed us everywhere we went, especially Daniel and Jesse, the youngest two on the trip. Their energy and enthusiasm with the children was highly contagious. They became almost like celebrities in every village.

At one point Jessie admitted she felt guilty for attracting such a crowd. She didn’t want people to think she was seeking personal attention or fame. Daniel agreed with the sentiment.

That’s when the thought occurred to me. Popularity, wealth and power are not all bad. Being “famous” is not necessarily something to be avoided. It may depend on how and for what purpose it is being used.

What occurred to me is that Daniel and Jessie were attracting crowds of children, entertaining them with games and songs, and then leaving them to go to the next village. What they left behind, however, was their influence. Those children in remote villages in West Africa will never forget the love and attention they were shown by these two young adults. They will be running through the streets of their village singing “Jesus Loves Me” because of the experience they had with Daniel and Jessie. They will do push ups, because Daniel taught them how and they will recite cheers Jessie recited and they will laugh and dance…all because two people used their influence in positive ways.

Don’t shy away from the influence God has given you. If it is being used for His glory, rather than for your own, it can be very positive. If your motive and heart is pure, and the glory is pointed towards God, be thankful for the opportunities he gives you.

How are you allowing God to use the influence He has given you?