I have seen the future and his name is Pastor Stephen Chandler. I often get asked who is the next Steven Furtick? My answer will now be Pastor Stephen. He and his co-pastor wife Zai lead Union Church in Glen Burnie, MD, just outside of Baltimore. His passion is to see people discover their God-given destiny and united to their purpose. With God’s leading, they have built an incredible church.
Tonight I was in attendance as he spoke at the church’s The BLDRS Conference. This conference talks about what is needed from a leadership, staffing, systems, volunteer, and funding perspective to build a great church.
Pastor Stephen’s message was on what is required to break growth barriers at all levels and do so in a way that gives you a sustainable ministry which lasts decades. It was as fine a message as I’ve heard in a long time.
To give you an example of his preaching and leadership prowess, the following are 44 leadership quotes on building a great church. Just to give some context on what you are about to read:
- Relationship – Your personal relationship with God. For example, God and Abraham.
- Family – Your staff, leadership team, and inner-circle.
- Nation – The church you lead.
- Movement – The impact you are making in your city.
Now onto the comments,
- “One of the things about builders is God can accomplish your vision while (also) fulfilling someone else’s at the same time.”
- “Union Church is an overnight success a decade in the making.”
- “It’s something to have people believe in you. Especially when you don’t believe in yourself.”
- “Our first Sunday we had 331 people show up… Over the next ten weeks I grew that church to 70 people.”
- “The first year of not growing is feeling it out. The second year of growing maybe there’s sin in my life. About year three I ask those questions you ask when your dreams are delayed.”
- “You know you have a bad church when you can’t give it away (in a merger).”
- “God, if you grow this church, I will not forget what you did… I’m going to remember and help someone else break through the barrier they’re stuck at.”
- “God was using my story as part of His purpose.”
- “Stephen (prior to his stoning) was not explaining the history of his people. He’s explaining why he is willing to die.”
- “Before we can build a church, God has planned how we build.”
- “God says before I build a church, I have to build a relationship.”
- “Now that I have a relationship with Abraham, I have to build a family.”
- “Persecution is the birthplace of miracles. If you want to see a miracle in your life, you’re not going to find it on easy street. You have to be stretched in your faith.”
- “Whatever you’re building, it’s got to be a relationship first. From relationship it has to go to family and then a nation and then a movement.”
- “I have to build according to the blueprint. You’re not making it up as you go along.”
- “If you don’t build down (foundation) before you build up, the building will crumble.”
- “Don’t build quick, build right.”
- “Don’t put people on the Board of Trustees just because they’re rich when you don’t have a heart for the house.”
- “It’s amazing how many pastors have built churches they don’t like.”
- “I must embrace the mess of building.”
- “There is no such thing as building something for God and it be clean and easy.”
- “There’s such a temptation to have top-talented people who are not family. The way to know they’re not family is I can’t shape their life. They want to use your church to fulfill their plan for their life.”
- “Relationship starts with me. My relationship with God has to be white hot with God and I have to demonstrate it and demand that with the people around me.”
- “It’s hard for me to be white hot when I’m in the green room for the first two songs.”
- “We’re not just building a great church. We’re building great lives.”
- “How’s your marriage? Why are you always asking me for a raise? Are you in debt?” – Questions for staff.
- “The leaders around you are family. Those around them are their family, but you’re nation.”
- “The excellence of their systems and the capacity of their leaders determine the success of all nations.”
- “Where building is most messy is with that leader.”
- “If multiple strong leaders leave the same department, it’s the leader.”
- “I will never get from nation to movement without surrendering my preferences and personality. Some of what we’re building is what we prefer, not what will turn this city upside down.”
- “Every movement has a uniform. It’s called church merch. Every movement has a sound and language. It’s called an album. Anyone can start a movement.”
- “We’ve been so trained in how to make a movement and we don’t know how to have a family.”
- “When you’re young keep your mouth shut and let the fathers speak.”
- “Whenever a ministry stumbles they neglected the staff.”
- “We’re copying families and we don’t know if it’s a movement. I’m not finding innovation from somebody who’s been at it five years but forty-five years.”
- “Jacob and Esau wanted to be sons but not family.”
- “I can’t build what I can’t see.”
- “I’ll never be able to build relationship if I don’t see myself as a son.”
- “Do I see myself as a person worth following?”
- “I’ve got to see myself as a revolutionary. I’m leading a movement. I’ve got to be a disrupter. I don’t always go with the crowd.”
- “Follow me because I’m going somewhere that’s going to turn this city upside down.”
- “God does not despise small beginnings but He doesn’t stay in small beginnings.”
- “Who God calls He anoints. It may be a small start but it won’t be a small finish.”
What an incredible message! You can listen to more of Pastor Stephen by clicking HERE.
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