Category Archives: Community

Renovation Church-Join the Movement

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This is an info./follow up letter that was sent out by the leadership of Renovation following our vision cast. If you are interested in being added to the mailing list send “add me” to info@RenovationChurch.net.


Thank you for showing interest in Renovation Church, a new church that is putting its roots down in downtown Atlanta, we hope with your help.

Renovation Church began as a calling on one man, Pastor Leonce  Crump Jr, 2 years ago, and has slowly grown by the grace of God, prayers, and the work of its early-adopters to the point where it is now: the Launch Team Training stage.

What this means is that over the next 22 weeks until the end of October, we will be training the people who show an interest and who feel God is calling them to be the architects of this church to use their God-given talents, skills and abilities, to be the ones who help shape this new church, and launch it as a formal church in downtown Atlanta on January 16, 2011.

What does this mean for you? We are praying and hope you will pray with us as to whether God is leading you to come alongside and use your gifts for his glory in his church, in an area of downtown Atlanta that needs more vibrant, healthy, Christ-exalting and socially conscious people.

Last week was our vision cast and informational meeting where Pastor Leonce laid out the basic vision of the church: who we are, where we are going, how we want to get there.

Joining a church plant is not easy…it’s not for wimps. It requires commitment, faithfulness, and heavy lifting. It is not a spectator sport. If you are at a current church and your skills are not being used, come use them here. If you have a strong desire, like us, to see the gospel of Jesus change hearts and lives in an under-served area, this is the place for you. If you are not currently in a church, consider this your invitation to join a movement in the making.

We need musicians, artists, professionals of all kinds, marketers, web and IT, hospitality, trades, writers, thinkers, risk-takers, culture makers and caring hearts.

We will serve and be made up of, young and old, rich and poor, black, white, hispanic, asian and any other race or culture- or we will consider ourselves unfaithful. The book of Revelation describes heaven as a place where all tribes, nations, and tongues come together in one incredible mass of people, all rescued by the blood of Jesus’ death on the cross, his resurrection from the dead, and his being rightly worshiped as the one true God forever. This is who we expect Renovation Church to be.

The next 22 weeks we will be teaching and discussing doctrine, theology, mission, prayer, evangelism, generosity, passion, the new urban, culture and other pertinent topics to prepare our growing community for the task of launching and going public as a new church, in our own building on Sunday mornings.

This is a biblical strategy, based on Timothy and Titus: that the people of God should be equipped for every good work. Renovation is about doing God’s work: renovating hearts, lives, families, neighborhoods, and the city of Atlanta.

Scripture is clear: the church is not a building, it is people. Wherever we go, God’s people are The Church. They must be equipped, and they must do God’s renovating work.

Are you Renovation?

We will meet each sunday evening at 5 pm- 6:30 at The Stoveworks, 112 Krog st, Suite 5 in downtown Atlanta.

Come for food, connecting, teaching, discussion, and prayer.  As always child care will be provided.

At the end of October we will launch Gospel Communities all over the city:  A Gospel Community is not JUST a Small Group, Bible Study, Support Group, Social Activist Group, or a Weekly Meeting. It can involve these sorts of things, but it doesn’t stop there. These are smaller communities of Renovation people gathering by location to grow, enjoy and live out the gospel, mission and community.

Our website will launch on June 1st, just under two weeks from now. Until then Renovations Blog, http://www.UrbanMissionBlog.com, is a great place to connect with the heart of what we are pursuing, as well as track with the story of where we have been and where we are going.

Will you prayerfully consider committing to Renovation Church and learning, growing, and training with others for the good of Atlanta and the glory of God?

City Prayer for Atlanta

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This morning I had the privilege of spending time with and praying for our city with 8 other men at City Church Eastside in Inman Park. We gathered there, had some good conversation, and then prayed for our city…every hurt, fear and doubt. The pain, shame and broken-ness, and for the gospel to penetrate hearts as God’s Church made His kingdom visible in Atlanta.

Though all of us are pastor’s of current or would be Churches, this time is open to anyone of any denomination in Atlanta who loves the city, and wants to see Christ Kingdom made a reality in Atlanta.The next gathering is Thursday/January – 7th

Come and be a part…for the Church…for the city.

30 People, 9 Ethnicity’s, Brunswick Stew and Jesus

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Last Sunday I saw something amazing…there were nearly thirty people in my home, and among them about 9 different ethnicity’s were represented, only Jesus could construct something so beautiful. A true tapestry of His creation, of His children. God seems to be shaping something much bigger than talent or ability to contrive.

We ate together, shared our lives, read from the scriptures, and worshipped with songs and prayer. It was altogether beautiful. My hope is that as we grow together, in true gospel community, that we would begin to not only invite people to be a part, but extend that reality into every arena of life. This would bring true change to the city.

Renovation Missional Community

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Every other Sunday night we have people in our home to gather around gospel community and the scriptures. This past Sunday went well, but things have definitely slowed down a little since summer hit. Still, we had some time to build community, and share in the scriptures, and I could see  genuine spark in everyone gathered as God deal with their hearts through His gospel.  It is slow going, but I believe we are building a solid foundation.

The best part about Sunday night is my friend Gary was there. I wrote about him on the 11th. It was great to see his face, to share in his triumph over suicide, and to share in his story of moving forward. God is truly gracious to the broken.

Roof Top Party, Random DJ and Jesus

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8puypLast night in lieu of our usual gathering around the scriptures we had an unofficial party on the roof of our loft…it was amazing. Overcast enough that the sun didn’t roast us, but not raining. So it was perfect.

I originally invited about 25 people, all a part, some loosely, or the community bible study I have been doing…but those people invited people, and so from my immediate group there were about 30 people.

We were up there for an hour or so when one of my neighbors shows up and asks if they can join us…or course they could…that was the point. Then he asks if he can play some music. Five minutes earlier I had been wishing for music and asking for a boom box…this guy  leaves and comes back with a DJ cart…complete with turn tables.

So he sets up in the corner and begins to spin, and thirty more people show up…all neighbors of mine. It was great. We had a great time,and several gospel conversations. I cooked, we shared some beverages (some adult beverages), and had a great time living like and talking about Jesus among people who don’t know Him.

Following that I went downstairs and got invited to hang out with a couple, Steve and Jonathan, who live  in our building and didn’t make the party. They were having some folks over, so I had a chance to get to know them a little better, share with them what I do and again, incarnate Jesus with them and Victor and Jeff. They were a bit surprised that I was married…that I was hanging out…that I didn’t hate them. They shared with me how their next door neighbor shunned them for Steve’s b-day party, and most guys figure they just want to pick them up. Very wounding for them. I am glad I could show them something different…be something different…and incarnate Jesus.

No, I don’t agree with their choice to live in sin…but it is sin, like the cheating husband…like the promiscuous girl…like the over sexed guy…like the idolatrous house wife.And though I despise sin, I love wounded and broken people… I love them, because Christ does,and so I showed them that. And I want their friendship, so that they can see Jesus in and through my life.

It is amazing what Jesus is doing in downtown Atlanta, and I am grateful just to be a part of it…….

A beautiful tapestry…a beautiful mess

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My wife and I live in a loft right in downtown Atlanta, in the Grant Park neighborhood. Not to make much of our loft, but we pay over $1000 a month to rent it…yet I look at homeless guys out of my window everyday, even right now.

There are Mercedes Benz and BMW’S parked in our parking lot…yet every other building within four blocks of my loft is burned out, graffiti laden, broken windowed, and boarded up.

There is an exclusive charter school in the center of the neighborhood…yet I hear the fatherless and motherless children running the streets late into the night, and I wonder who cares for them? Who loves them? Who wonders where they are?

There are half million dollar homes around the corner from us, and within two blocks of them are $40,000 foreclosures…an almost paradoxical cross-section of people from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. What is the point of this diatribe?

My neighborhood is a perfect parallel to the beautiful mess that our society isn’t….but could be. The rich dwelling with the poor, the disenfranchised among those with means and power. People of every tribe and nation crammed into a 1 mile radius.

But, here is the mess…these people dwell together, because it happens to be, not by design. They simply coexist, and where they have the opportunity to to do more than that, they rarely do. The wealthy wait for the impoverished to cease being able to afford the cost of living here, and the impoverished slowly waste away, crying out to be woven into the fabric of a society that doesn’t accept their state of being. The beauty is that it is possible…but a tapestry, not a mess is what God intended.

This is the heart of Christ..this is my heart, and the pulse of Renovation Church…Glorifying Jesus in rebuilding the city holistically, through the gospel.

Jesus died to reconcile men to their creator, and people to one another….this is at the heart of the gospel….

This is YOUR shot…freakin take it

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Here is the myth…you, being a good follower of Jesus, a Christian if you will, bring your friend who does not follow Jesus “to church.”

I, being the “professional” stand and give a presentation of the gospel. Your friend hears this presentation from me, decides that life is vacant without Jesus, and Jesus saves them.

Great scenario…not a bad or wrong scenario…but, definitely not the end of the story. And certainly not the best way for you to be fulfilled in your faith.

There are varying reasons why Jesus followers depend on the invite strategy to just “get them in the door, so pastor can fix them!” It’s easier, it’s safer, and less trying…it’s also killing your ability to be the empowered minster of the gospel that God…made…you.

Every week, those of you who follow Jesus, and are not “the professional” spend 20, 30, up to 60+ hours a week where? At work. Not at the place where the church gathers, not at home, but at the place where you bring home the bread. And I am afraid that there are countless hours going by when you could be leveraging that time to share your heart, your faith, your exploding love for Jesus, and His for you.

I know, many of you who would say, “I wake up every morning and pray, God use me today”, and that’s incredible, and if you do that you are far out in front of the pack in trying to activate this faith you hold. But, what if you woke up, and after praying, you sat down, and thought through the culture of your work place. Where are the neutral zones? Where are the safe places? How can I engage someone without risking their job? Without risking mine? Can I start a lunch group? A car pool?  A morning breakfast meeting? How can I share my testimony precisely and effectively? Do I actually KNOW the GOSPEL, and can I spell it out in plain language?

These are questions that you could should be wrestling with so that you can strategically turn your work week into an empowered time of ministry and outreach to a natural market of people that surround you each and everyday…with every hurt…pain…wound…and level of brokenness you could imagine. Share with them this beautiful message of reconciliation, hope, and foreknowing love. Share with them the gospel that regenerated your heart…that changed your life now and for eternity.

Random Update

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A few days ago I wrote a post 3PEOPLE.  3IPODS, 1 Tiny Weight Room. It was pretty funny, but the deeper message of course is that we have forgotten how to connect to people. Well, here is an update. I struck up a long conversation with the guy in that little scenario, and he was pretty cool, and dang talkative. I didn’t get to finish my workout, BUT, we did make a connection, so it was worth it. Just thought I would share that with you guys.

3 People, 3 IPODS, 1 Tiny Weight Room

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I have a small weight room in the bottom of our loft. It’s not great, but it serves the purpose. It amazed me the other day that there were three of us in there, and no one said a word…for nearly the hour we were there.

Now, I am a heavy proponent for not talking in weight rooms, it is actually a major pet peeve when someone tries to shoot the breeze with me when I am getting after it.

But, there was not so much as even a head nod. I tried to throw a few looks here and there to make an effort at connecting, but I had to be careful because I didn’t want either of the other two people (one girl, the other guy (we live in Atlanta)) to get the idea that I was making a move.

Finally, when I was leaving, the girl on the treadmill threw me a half smile, so I waved, and she waved back. We wave now in the halls, and maybe, there will eventually be a “hi”, but…who knows.

The question I am left with, is what happened to genuine human connection? Have we so drowned each other out with IPODS, and internet shopping…banking…etc, that we have forgotten how to have a simple conversation with someone we are in an enclosed space with for over an hour?

What happened to connecting with people? Is this a lost art, or something we just no longer take the effort of time to do?

Would the REAL men please stand up!

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Today I heard/read some stats that even I couldn’t get my brain around.

  • 13 million more women than men in church every weekend in America
  • Our churches are comprised of nearly 70% women
  • When a mom becomes a follower of Jesus, 17% of the time the rest of the family follows, but when dad becomes a follower of Jesus, 92% of the time, the rest of the family follows

Where are the men?!?!? Where are the real, gritty, mean, redeemed men, who are encouraged and pushed to do something crazy and incredible for the kingdom?

We (church leaders) have to make it a point to cultivate strong male leadership, who have an accurate view of biblical manhood. I am not talking about licensed chauvinism, but a correct view of who and what a man should be in his home and in the church.

We need men, the stats prove it. Young men growing up without a father are at higher risk for deviancy across the entire landscape of life. This is not negating the role or spiritual depth of women in our homes or churches, but it’s in black and white. Pop gives his heart to the Lord, over 90% of the time, so does the rest of the family. So it is time to intentionally engage the men of our communities, with a real and gritty gospel, and a honest and hard hitting Jesus. Not the guy from the pictures with the press and curl hair and eye shadow. But the One who worked with His hands and hung out with crazy sword carrying fishermen.

Where are you men? Stand up and be counted!!!!!!