Dave Gibbons is the senior pastor of Newsong Church, an international multi-site church with 8 campuses located in California, Texas, Mexico, United Kingdom, India, and Thailand. He is an entrepreneur and owns YangDang and Xealot. And he is the author of The Monkey and the Fish.

ABOUT NEWSONG CHURCH

Year Began: 1994
Locations: 8 Campuses – Irvine, CA / Culver, CA / Fullerton, CA / Dallas, TX / Mexico / London / India / Bangkok

10Q WITH DAVE GIBBONS

1Q = What is Newsong Church’s chain of command from the senior pastor to the church volunteers?

The Leadership Team comprised of both volunteer leaders who represent the congregation and support staff guide the church but all under the submission to the Holy Spirit. The congregation affirms major decisions.

2Q = For big decisions, what is Newsong Church’s decision making process?

Depends. The big decisions can originate from our members or from the leaders of the church. But eventually, there is affirmation with Leadership teams, Management teams and the congregation.

3Q = How does Newsong Church market itself?

Mostly word of mouth and via technology.

4Q = What is the most effective thing Newsong Church has done to reach people?

Created an ethos that is dependent upon the Holy Spirit and empowers the people to be the front line of God’s movements locally and globally.

5Q = What is your leadership style?

Intuitive and collaborative.

6Q = Your book, The Monkey and the Fish, discusses third culture. What is it?

Third culture in a word is Adaptation. In two words, Painful Adaptation. The longer definition is “the mindset and will to love, learn and serve in any culture even in the midst of pain and discomfort.”
A short view of this can be found at 3culture.tv.

7Q = What is a Third-Culture Church?

It’s a church that is able to flow with the Holy Spirit, choosing to live out the two great purposes of the church: Loving God and Loving Her Neighbor. The Neighbor though being someone NOT like you even someone you would hate or not want to forgive. It’s a church that chooses obedience over passion  as well as radical sacrifice over comfort.

8Q = How can a church become a Third-Culture Church?

This process is definitely the work of the Holy Spirit! To ask people to enter into pain and suffering, eat foods they don’t like, hang out with people that make you uncomfortable is counter-cultural. I would say the key is for the one who does get it to start living out the third culture life. Personally, before the movement became church-wide, I felt God telling me I had to live it out more intentionally. So my family and I moved out to Bangkok. It starts with leadership and prayer.  As one engages real suffering and poverty, clarity emerges.

As you live out third culture, invite others with you on the journey. I still remember taking a group of friends with me on a third culture vision trip about 5 years ago. We have never been the same. The impact now goes beyond personal to people all over the world. These men embody third culture.

It’s a journey there are many other ideas contained in the book.

9Q = What is the greatest ministry lesson you have learned?

The Primary Task of a Leader is to “build trust and bear pain.”

10Q = What is the best advice you have for church leaders?

Explore the world. Listen, Observe, Ask Questions. Do it now. Then be willing to give it all away to act upon what you experience. The whole time praying, “Father, break my heart with the things that break your heart.”

Be sure to check out Church Relevance’s “10Q” category to read previous 10Q interviews.

At Innovation3, Dave Gibbons of NewSong Church (Irvine, CA) discussed how our world has changed and is changing but how the church can adapt.

There are new rules being created. Things have changed. How do we navigate the change?

There is hope. The church can find hope in these four things:

1. Bad news is better than no news. Bad news  defines reality. No news still leaves us in a bad economy but without an understanding of our circumstances.
2. Scarcity brings clarity. As things are taken away, we go back to “why do we exist as a church?”
3. Waste less. The landfills are 30% less than they used to be when we were wealthier.
4. When darkness occurs, that is when the church can shine.

Are you adaptable?

When Jesus said love your neighbor, he was not saying love someone like you. He was telling the story of the good samaritan - someone that is not like you.

5 Contrarian Ideas to Focus on:

1. We need to move towards fueling creativity versus just preseerving our current culture.
   When you look at your church, how much of your budget goes towards innovation? We must fuel creativity.
2. Focus on the fringe.
   Typically, our movements have been about focusing on the masses. How can we reach the most people? Instead, focus on the marginalized. Create something different than you. People see God in you when you minister in a way that is against your personal preference.
3. Develop holistic and sustainable approaches rather than simple, quick fixes.
   Think long term. Not 5 years but ten generations. Maybe we are thinking too micro, and we need to think macro.
4. Think Intersections
   Place yourself at the intersection of multiple cultures that will heighten your ability to learn.
5. Seek God and pray.
   There is no way that you can be artful unless you are connected to the Holy Spirit. Learn how to listen to God.