At the time of my announcement in Hull, we had a very small core church planting team. It consisted of me, my wife, my three children (plus all of their toys!) and a young man who I had persuaded to join as an Assistant Minister. The plan was for him to learn how to plant a church and then in four years go and do the same thing. We didn't have any money, any more people and no building. But we did have the gospel and we did have confidence a God for whom nothing is impossible.

Considering the atrocious record of this Islamist group, it came as a big surprise when more than 400 Fulanis in Nigeria recently converted to Christianity and vowed to promote peace in their country.

Among the Fulanis who embraced Jesus, seven were even ordained, the Daily Post reported.

The Rev. Copper Sebok, who leads COCIN Church Panyam in Plateau State, made the announcement on April 30 during a meeting attended by the Fulani converts.

Miller covers the process his church underwent in determining their church's story and how they could use this new space to convey their mission, vision, and values. His church's building project helped him discern three key elements that must be considered to clearly communicate your church's unique story within its physical space.

1. Loves

As I reflect on both churches, it is not their size that matters, nor the number of programs they run. In addition to their commitment to Christ and his Great Commission, their focus on making followers of Jesus Christ who pursue Christ-likeness, and their faithfulness to the Bible, I count three things they share in common:

Long-term, trusted clergy leaders