Pioneer Pastors ⛰

Hi Pioneers,

As millions anticipate the upcoming eclipse, let’s look to Jesus and find our brave faces!

The LORD emphasized a directional phrase for me going into Q2: FRESH WINDS for NEW FIELDS!

I’d like to focus on the Fresh Winds part now…

Now is NOT the time to DROP our anchors. Now is the time to PULL UP our anchors and CATCH the Wind!

The Winds of the Holy Spirit are blowing across the entire earth! These winds are bringing about many changes, yet they are also releasing and revealing many Sent Ones into these new/ prepared fields.

We must not assume that doubling down where we are is always the best plan of action. (There are times and seasons for different approaches as well.)

Imagine a sail boat, tied down to the dock. When the Mighty Holy Spirit is blowing FRESH WINDS, it’s time to catch it!

When we look at Jesus, we find our brave face! That’s my prayer for you.

Catching Fresh Winds doesn’t mean that we must be impatient, impulsive or immature. You can prayerfully process big decisions and plan the due diligence according.

However, the motive of our hearts will tell if we’ve already dropped our anchors or if we’ve pulled them up. Remain open, because the LORD may refresh you AS YOU GO!

Here To Pioneer With You!

Peter

PS - Schedule a strategy session today!

Hey Pioneers!

I'm hosting an important Live Workshop for Church Leaders who care about the future of Church.

In fact, I'm not even posting about this on my social media platforms, because I'm hoping that you help me fill it up.

Church Uncharted: 6 Shifts Ministry Leaders Are Processing Now To Shape An Unshakeable Kingdom-Seeking Vision In Their Contexts

Friday, March 15 (10:30am CST)
Encore: Monday, March 18 (10:30am CST)

Learn more and RSVP by clicking here.

Here To Pioneer with you!
- Peter Burchfield

Hi Pioneer Pastors,

Lifting you up today!

Today is Valentine's Day (2/14/24), so let me emphasize the importance of valuing your marriage along with strengthening the marriages around you.

VALUING MARRIAGES AS YOUR MINISTRY

• At the end of the day, the LORD died on the cross because He deeply (completely) LOVES His Church! May we move beyond just operating out the the doctrine of marriage into living from a revelation of marriage.

• Make your marriage your ministry. (This next paragraph is aimed at the men, but the women can benefit from this principle as well.)

• Sadly, there are many Church Leaders who have competing affections for TWO BRIDES - their wife and Jesus' Church. The reality is that we are never meant to stand in Jesus' place as Head (or Husband) for His Church. We do not marry the Bride for ourselves, but we prepare people to loving honor the LORD as a bride cherishes her husband. We should never sow doubt in our marriages as to where our real ministry lies.

• It's heart-breaking (and destructive) when Church Leaders choose their vocational ministry over their marriage (ministry). If you see a failed marriage (whether overt or covert), their approach to ministry could have a flawed foundation. It can be restored by the LORD, but this issue will not go away until it is dealt with by the Holy Spirit in a life-giving way.

• As wonderful of vocational ministry work (or even bivocational church movement work) is, your marriage is your ministry! When we do our job, Jesus gets the glory - and the Bride!

STRENGTHEN THE MARRIAGES AROUND YOU

• Strengthen the leaders in your community by serving their marriages. (There is no sense of favoritism of hierarchy being implied here. Being married doesn't make someone more important or more spiritual.)

• This is quite an overlooked issue in many leadership communities! We ASSUME that the leaders in our communities have great marriages, because they are the ones who minister to everyone else with us. However, that is simply not kind to those marriages.

• One of the kindest things you can do for the leaders in your community is to SERVE their marriages, realizing that A) it is their unique ministry and B) it is under attack!

• If you want the LORD to build His House, make His Presence your prize! If you want to grow your large-group attendance, focus on kids and teenagers. If you want to influence your city, make room for young professionals and the arts. If you want to steward your donor base, connect with some Boomers! Having said all that, if you want to strengthen your leaders, serve their marriages!

MARRIAGES ARE UNDER ATTACK

• The first assault in the Garden of Eden was against a marriage. Leaders experiences pains and pressures just like everyone, but the unsuspecting reality is that their marriage is the thing that's actually in the enemy's scope... not all the other stuff. That other stuff are just trying to get at the marriage.

PRACTICALLY SERVE YOUR LEADERS' MARRIAGES

• Think/ pray about ways you can practically strengthen and serve the marriages in your leadership community context.

• If you could do something nice for your leaders, give them time to invest or energize their marriages! For example, setup free, excellent child-care for them. Offer marriage counseling opportunities. Send them to conferences as a team of married couples. Etc.

Okay, I'm out of time for now, but give your leadership community a strong vote of confidence by praying and strengthening their marriages.

Here To Pioneer with you!
- Peter Burchfield

PIONEER MOVEMENTS is in the works!

I'm developing a course about finding + funding the future of Church.

In summary, it's part discipleship, part entrepreneurship. My motivation is to prepare leaders to follow Jesus in a unique and needed way that pioneers Church movements.

Thankfully, I enjoyed a lot of content work for this course in January, so the work is coming along. Please say a prayer, and stay in touch!

- Peter Burchfield