Greg Atkinson

On April 1st of this year, I celebrated one year of service and ministry at the Forest Park Carthage Campus as Campus Pastor. I can’t even begin to share with you all I’ve learned and all God has done this past year. When I arrived a year ago, the church was unhealthy, struggling, morale was low and attendance was around 200. God has moved, I’ve made some key changes (including hiring new staff) and we are seeing a lot of momentum. Morale is high.

On Easter of this year, I challenged our people to invite people in their circles of influence to come to church. I wanted us to break the 400 barrier because we had been averaging around 350 people. I told them if we broke 400 on Easter, I would let them shave my head and give me a Carthage blue mo-hawk (our high school’s color). Our new worship pastor said that if we broke 500, that he would get all his hair shaved off. Guess what? We shattered my goal and had over 500 people on Easter – so both myself and my worship pastor got our heads shaved live in front of the congregation the following week after Easter.

I could share stories of life change and the baptisms that I’ve been able to do that are very special and meaningful to me. I could share of how God did a miracle to allow us to purchase a new building for our campus (right in the heart of town – there is no better location in the city) and how we’re renovating it and plan on being in for the Christmas season this year.

I could share of going on a mission trip to Kenya last summer and Haiti this Spring and preaching at our sister church there. My life has been forever changed by seeing third world countries first hand.

I could talk about after having been a student of multi-site churches for years, I now have a year’s worth of experience of seeing under the hood of a multi-site church. I could share of the lessons I’ve learned of being a Campus Pastor – how that transition from 17 years of worship ministry experience has gone. I could talk about the inner workings of a multi-site church and how God used multi-site to allow our 160 year old Baptist church to get younger and reach a different demographic and region by adding modern worship satellite campuses.

I could share about leading my staff, serving on our overall church’s Lead Team or Executive Team and creating a Leadership Team at my campus (including learning the lesson of asking someone to serve on it too soon after arriving and then later having them step down after their true colors showed – then adding new trusted and proven people to our Leadership Team).

So many lessons, so many memories. I will share more soon. I promise. I just wanted you to know what God has been up to over the last year. It has flown by and for those of you that have followed my blog for several years and seen my frequency of posting dwindle down – I think you know how swamped I have been with diving into a new position. My writing for here and other websites and magazines has taken a back seat to my role as a pastor, but it was necessary and needed. I love my church and I’m looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us over the next year of ministry.

I close every service with the following prayer from Ephesians 3:20-21…

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

I’m absolutely loving life in Southwest Missouri! I know I’ve neglected my blog over the last 3 months since I started my new role as a Campus Pastor at Forest Park, but it was a sacrifice that I had to make to keep my sanity. With settling into a new city/moving, new job, the tornado/disaster relief and the work of ministry – it’s been all I could do to occasionally blog for our church’s website and even that has suffered. I hope to get back to regular updates soon.

So, I’m putting together my team here in Carthage, Missouri – a great small town about 15 minutes from Joplin (where the Tornado hit and where our original campus is). Carthage is a unique and special small town (population 15,000-18,000). You can drive 15 minutes to Joplin and have a variety of restaurants, shopping and movies, but we have our own Drive-In Movie Theater on the original Route 66! Pastors at our church get a free annual pass to the Drive-In and all Carthage High School football games in the Fall. Football is big here!

Carthage is also home to Marian Days (currently going on this week. You have to see it to believe it). It’s when 70,000 Vietnamese people come to town and congregate for a week. There are tents and people everywhere! Carthage is also home to the Maple Leaf Parade (happening this October), which is the largest parade in the Midwest and will feature 50,000 people – again we’re a town of 15,000. In the late 20th century, the town began actively courting tourism, emphasizing its history (the Battle of Carthage, Victorian architecture, and Route 66), as well as its proximity to the Precious Moments hotel and store, along with the popular country music destination Branson, Missouri. Did I mention Carthage is also the home of the Precious Moments Park and Chapel, a tourist attraction with paintings and oversized depictions of the popular porcelain figurines? Come visit and I’ll take you on a tour. We are in what’s called the Four States Region of the country and are a short drive from Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, St. Louis, Branson, Arkansas, Kansas, etc. We’re just 6 hours from my old home in Dallas, TX.

So… I’m slowly building my team. Over the last 3 months, I’ve put together a lay Leadership Team. I’ve increased our Student Pastor’s time and pay and I’ve hired a part-time Kids Pastor. Now, for the next crucial step for our campus, I’m looking for an amazing and dynamic Worship Pastor to join our team.

Before I dive into the questions I have for you, let me mention that if you or someone you know is interested or looking for a worship position, please have them contact me. My church email is grega@fpbc.net. You can check out our church website at www.ForestPark.tv (please know we will build a new website in the future) and on Facebook. Forest Park is a dynamic and vibrant church in the Four States Region that is doing some very innovative things here in Southwest Missouri. We’re the only multi-site church that I know of here and we are what’s called a Pacesetter in the Missouri Baptist Convention – that means we’ve baptized over 100 people in a year. Our Senior Pastor has been here 15  years and we’ve baptized over a hundred people each year for 15 years – that’s over 1500 people! We’ve already baptized over 100 people this year and it’s August. That’s a lot for our part of the country. I say this because you need to know that we’re highly evangelistic and have a huge focus on outreach and evangelism.

I think I offer a unique perspective as a boss, Campus Pastor and friend to a would-be Worship Pastor at our campus as I’ve spent the last 17 years in worship ministry, producing worship experiences, serving as a Worship Pastor, Creative Arts Pastor, Tech Pastor, Director of WorshipHouse Media and consultant to some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the country. I’ve had the privilege and honor to consult with some amazing churches, including Outreach Magazine’s Fastest Growing Church in the Country last year (12 Stone in Atlanta). I’ve also consulted and helped churches where Lincoln Brewster, Shane and Shane, Desperation Band/Jon Egan and the lead singer for Building 429 were leading worship. So, I know and have seen worship and the arts done on a high level and I have a true appreciation for what a Worship Pastor does, as well as a heart for worship. I’m a worshiper and when you lead worship at our church, you will look down and see me worshiping and focused on God (not my notes). All that to say, if you want to work for someone that “gets it” – give me a shout.

For the rest of you: What questions do you ask when hiring a Worship Pastor? I have some thoughts, such as:

• What is your definition of worship?
• Describe what worship looks like and why it’s more that music.
• What does it mean to live a lifestyle of worship?
• Do you have a theology of worship?
• Do you have a personal mission statement?
• Explain your call to ministry.
• Explain your specific call to be a lead worshiper.
• Have you studied at a Bible college or seminary? (this can be both good and bad – as far as seminary)
• Do you have a good grasp of the Bible, theology and consider yourself to be of sound doctrine?
• We are a Southern Baptist church with a non-denominational feel (we don’t use “Baptist” in our name and brand ourselves as Forest Park) – however, are you baptistic in your beliefs and in agreement with Baptist doctrine? (This is important to both me and our Senior Pastor)
• Do you play an instrument? Do you lead from an instrument?
• The Bible instructs us to “play skillfully.” Do you work at your craft? Do you exercise your voice and practice your instrument daily?
• How often do you introduce a new song?
• Do you write any of your own songs?
• Do you arrange songs? Do you arrange old hymns and breathe new life into them occasionally? (We don’t do a lot of hymns)
• Can you chart out music for your band? Can you listen to a song on the radio or iTunes and chart it out by ear?
• What are some of your musical influences?
• What are you listening to in your car, office and iPod?
• Can you coach a band and get the most out of them?
• Do you know how to give professional musicians direction?
• Do you know how to give weak or poor musicians direction?
• What are some of your core or favorite songs these days?
• Who are some of your favorite Christian songwriters?
• Who are some of your favorite non-Christian songwriters?
• How familiar are you with media, tech (sound, video and lights)?
• Are you comfortable and competent recruiting and building a team of musicians?
• Are you comfortable and competent recruiting and building a tech team? (We have a Multi-site Tech Director that will train people you recruit. You just need to find them.)
• Flat out: Are you a team builder?
• Are you an equipper or a doer?
• Can you work hard and play hard?
• What are your hobbies?
• Do you have a sense of humor?
• Can you handle pranks?
• Are you engaging in worship and do you connect well with people from the stage?
• Do you engage and connect well with people off the stage?
• Can you administrate and schedule musicians and tech team members weekly?
• How far out do you plan?
• How would you describe your abilities when it comes to creative worship planning and brainstorming?
• Do you plan worship in solo or are you a part of a creative planning team?
• Are you more creative or administrative?
• Are you a people person?
• Are you in a small group?
• Could you lead a small group?
• Would you disciple your worship team and volunteers?
• Are you comfortable in a multi-site environment (most of our teaching is done via video)?
• Have you taken the StrengthsFinder2.0 test? If so, what are your top 5 strengths?
• What are you top 3 Spiritual Gifts?
• Are you looking to settle down and invest in a community for a long time? (This is important as we’ve had some turnover in the past and our church needs some consistent leadership)
• Have you read the book Simple Church? Are you familiar and comfortable with the “Simple Church” philosophy? At Forest Park, we worship, grow and serve – that’s it. No musicals, no Passion Plays, no choirs, no orchestras. SIMPLE.
• Are you passionate about reaching the lost?
• Are you comfortable with an externally-focused church?
• Read through the 3 Lost Parables in Luke 15 and share with me what you think God was trying to get across about His heart for the lost.
• Will you do whatever it takes to reach people for Christ?
• Are you a team player?
• Do you have a strong work ethic?
• Are you driven? What drives you?
• Are you an intentional and strategic leader? Explain.
• Do you have a mentor?
• Do you mentor anyone else?
• How long have you been leading worship?
• Do you get pure joy in leading people into the Presence of God?
• Are you a Mac or PC person?
• Do you use tracks?
• Are you comfortable playing with a click?
• Explain your struggle with pride. I ask because I’ve yet to meet a pastor (Worship Pastor or Senior Pastor) that doesn’t struggle at least a little at some point with pride.
• Do you struggle with porn?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• What would your wife say is a weakness for you?
• What are the last 3 books you read?
• Who are some of your favorite authors?
• Do you know who A.W. Tozer is? Have you read any of his work?
• Who are some of your favorite preachers?
• What’s your favorite movie?
• What’s your favorite sport?
• What makes you laugh?
• Who is the greatest boss you’ve ever had and why?
• What conferences do you go to?
• Who do you think are the leaders in design today (name companies that have a strong brand)?
• Who is your personal favorite worship leader?
• Why are you looking for a new church?

These are just the first questions that popped into my head. What are some questions you’d add? What did I miss? Help me out, friends.

Friends, forgive me. You know I’ve been blogging every day for over 5 years. You may not have put it together, but the church where I moved to and went on staff with is based in Jopiln, MO. Yes – the Joplin that you’ve been watching on TV and hearing about from the devastating F5 tornado that hit on Sunday, May 22nd and changed our life forever.

I’ve been working 16 hour days and have been living in Joplin (though my campus is 10 miles away in Carthage) since the storm happened. I’ve dealt with death, destruction, devastation and also seen some amazing God things and have some awesome stories. Here’s me with Franklin Graham when he came by to check on things at our church (our main campus sits at the busiest intersection in Joplin, MO).

Our church has been partnering with Samaritan’s Purse (a wonderful ministry headed up by Franklin Graham). Here is a video I did for them:

For now, please read my wife’s blog post HERE that will catch you up on everything. Again, forgive me for my absence from blogging. I’ve been swamped.

The following is a video from our friends at Max Lucoado’s church in San Antonio. They came and interviewed some of our church members and staff. This video shows what it’s like here. More soon.

Joplin, Missouri – May 2011 from Oak Hills Church on Vimeo.

Two weeks ago we moved to Missouri and that took an entire week. Last week I was back in Dallas for Catalyst. Yesterday was the first “normal” day  I’ve experienced in a while. Things are busy and crazy as I settle into my new ministry position. I have many thoughts to share about what God is showing me. Please know I love being a Campus Pastor and know I’m exactly where God wants me. More soon.

I’m in a season of life where I’m praying through some huge decisions for me and my family and will probably have some news to announce soon. Whenever I’m trying to discern God’s will for my life, I always go back to what Henry Blackaby taught in his study Experiencing God.

Experiencing God was foundation in my spiritual life and is a study I’ve been through numerous times. In it, Blackaby says that there are ways to know God’s will for a situation in your life. He teaches that God uses Scripture, prayer, the Holy Spirit, people and circumstances. Whenever I’m praying about big things, I look at all 5 ways that God speaks to us.

Scripture

God never contradicts His Word. If what we are praying about doing lines up with Scripture, then it’s in good company. God also speaks to us through His Word and can open our eyes and hearts to new things through reading His Living Word.

Prayer

Prayer is a two-way conversation. Having the discipline to pray is one thing. Having the discipline and sensitivity to stop and listen to God speak is another thing entirely. When we be still and know that He is God and stop talking long enough to hear from Him, great things happen. God can impress a thought, idea or dream in your heart in times of dedicated prayer.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit has guided me countless times in my life. I can’t tell you how many times the Holy Spirit has woke me up in the middle of the night to speak to my heart OR the Holy Spirit won’t let me fall asleep and I lie awake communing with God. When we stop to listen to that still, small voice – God can lead, guide and direct our steps.

People

Simply put: God speaks through people. Many will say God speaks through His Church. I believe that’s true, but I’ve also seen God speak through lost people, troubled people, hurting people, music and movies. God speaks to me in a number of ways. I have had many life-changing conversations with people that God used to lead me.

Circumstances

It’s important that we take our circumstances into consideration when trying to discern God’s will in a given situation. Many times our circumstance can be God’s way of saying, “This is what you need to do.” I’m praying through something big right now and our circumstance is a big part of why I believe God is leading me to something new and different. ]

My prayer for you all is that you will consider these five things when you’re praying about God’s will in your life.

Today, my youngest child, Katie turns 7 years old. What a joy and honor to be her dad. She lights up my world with one little smile. Below is her getting her ear pierced this weekend for her birthday. You can see the tears in her eyes after they had finished and she saw herself in the mirror. I thank God for this precious gift.

This past weekend we went on a family mini-vacation to Charleston, SC. We got to do a ton of fun things and I loved every minute of it. We went through the market in downtown Charleston and I gave each of my kids money to shop for something special. I loved seeing their faces light up. They also had fun exploring downtown and spending a day at the beach.

I started thinking of the Scripture that talks about if I, as an earthly father, love giving good gifts to my children… Wow. I was struck by my Heavenly Father’s love for me and for my family. Read the following verse and reflect on God’s love for you. He truly loves each and every one of you.

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! - Matthew 7:11

As I said in my last blog post, children’s ministry is key to having and creating an irresistible church. It’s one of the big 3 things that I look for as a secret shopper (First Impressions, Children’s and Security). I should also mention I’m a dad of 3 elementary aged kids, so how your Children’s Ministry comes across is huge to me.

When I visit churches, the three things that I must see and look for are… Is your Children’s Ministry clean, safe and secure?

Let’s look at each of the 3 things every children’s ministry must be:

Clean

Germs – every church has them. However, if my kids consistently comes home sick from church, I’m going to catch on and not return. One of the best practices I’ve seen many churches do is to place hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the building and in every classroom. This is wonderful.

When I say “clean”, I don’t just mean germs. I mean neat and well-kept rooms. If a room is messy, dirty and cluttered, it gives me a bad impression as a parent and makes me want to take my kids out of the room or I sit in the worship service thinking about it.

Safe

Every room where children are and playground or outdoor area where children play must be safe. This is a pretty simple concept. You can’t have any jagged edges or rough corners, sharp objects that can poke out a kid’s eye, etc. If your room is not safe, I’m not leaving my kid. For parents that do leave their kid, they may not be able to concentrate and worship during the service because they fear for their child’s safety.

Even worse, God forbid something happens and a kid gets hurt – If your room was not safe and the accident could have been prevented, you and your church will be liable and could get a bad reputation. One single accident or accusation could lead to news coverage and bad PR for the church. Much worse – a child could be hurt or damaged for the rest of their life. Kids are precious and should be protected at all costs.

Safety also includes those that work with your kids. Every kids worker must go through a background check. Period. I was recently talking with a pastor that said none of their kids’ volunteers had been through a background check. I was disturbed and shocked. He knew he needed to change that, but I don’t think he’s moving fast enough.

Safety also includes that you are staffed properly and adequately. If I’m dropping my baby off into a nursery with one volunteer and ten babies, I’m turning around and leaving. Make sure you have a good ratio of kids to volunteers.

Safety also includes the view into the room. Many kids’ rooms have big windows that parents can look into. Also, most churches have windows in their doors or a half-door that allows people to see in, but keeps the children in the classroom. You don’t want kids wandering down the hall.

Lastly, always escort kids to the bathroom (same sex) and make sure they are not messed with, molested or kidnapped. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been able to stand and wait in a kid’s bathroom at a church that didn’t have proper security. This is a nightmare. We must protect our kids and do whatever it takes to see that they grow up without shame.

Secure

When I say “secure”, I’m mainly focusing on the children’s check-in and check-out procedures with a laser focus on their check-out procedure. You need to do whatever it takes to make sure that whoever is supposed to pick up a kid is the one that picks up the kid. I was just talking with a pastor the other day that had a divorced dad pick up his kids without the mom that had dropped them off knowing it. There was a lot of drama and it could have been avoided.

Security also means that every entrance and exit of the children’s area and facilities are covered with volunteers that only let parents in and out. I was just at a great church in California last week that had every single entry and exit covered and it was a beautiful thing to see.

My friend, Tim Stevens, has written about his theory on three growth lids. One of the growth lids that he says every church ought to keep an eye on is children’s ministry. Tim says, “If it looks like a child is entering a room that is too small, understaffed, or unsafe, then the parents will not return.”

Obviously, I look at the kid’s facilities, decor, atmosphere, curriculum, and what my kids think after I pick them up. Creativity goes a long way in children’s ministry and you can never emphasize enough how important that kids’ ministries are FUN. I want my kids to learn about Jesus, but also have the time of their life and love going to church.

These three things I shared today (clean, safe and secure) are just basic building blocks of a next-level children’s ministry and unfortunately, are often overlooked by some churches. If you will focus on the entire experience for your kids, including these three keys, you’ll have an irresistible children’s ministry.

Lately, there’s been a ton of controversy over Rob Bell and his new book Love Wins. I’ve read several book reviews of the book and as I stated on Twitter and Facebook, it gives me great cause for concern. Let me first say that I love Rob Bell, respect him and think he’s a great communicator. I’ll talk more about that in a future blog post. What I disagree with him is in the area of theology, our view of Hell and what seems to be a universalist view (even though I know he doesn’t like that label).

I’d like to point to two great blog posts by people much smarter than I that express what I’ve been feeling for weeks and haven’t put into words, yet. It’s only after much thought and debate that I even write this blog post because I don’t want to be labeled as a hater or critic. Again, let me state: I love and respect Rob Bell. I just hold high the teaching of sound doctrine and feel I need to speak up if someone with a large following leads people astray.

First, on Rob Bell – I’d like to suggest that you read THIS blog post and book review that was posted on ChurchLeaders.com. I thought it was very well done and expressed my concern and a warning about what he writes in his book. I’ll let you read the review yourself and come to your own conclusion.

Second, on Hell – I believe there is an actual Hell and believe the Bible supports that belief. Pastor Mark Driscoll wrote an excellent blog post on Hell and he sums up the Scripture’s teaching on Hell much better than I could. I really respect when a pastor is clear, definite and straightforward. It’s the vagueness of Bell that concerns me. Read Driscoll’s thoughts on Hell HERE and see what you think.

Third, on why I’m not a Universalist – let me share with you three Scriptures that mean the world to me and that I simply can not shake or ignore.

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus… – 1 Timothy 2:5

Jesus is ”‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4:11-12

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

Watch the intro of this interview with Rob Bell on MSNBC and listen carefully to how the reporter explains Bell’s book. He says that all people will go to Heaven and that people can change their mind post-mortem. From the questions that the reporter asks, he is clearly puzzled by Bell’s mixed message of  ”No, I’m not a Universalist”, but “In the end God wins and everyone goes to Heaven.” This is dangerous stuff in my humble opinion. Watch and see for yourself.

This is my humble attempt at not bashing on anyone, but explaining my position and belief on this recent controversy and the issues of Rob Bell’s new book, teachings on Hell and Universalism. My only encouragement to you, my friends, is to search the Scriptures and teach sound doctrine.

“Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way.” ~ A. W. Tozer