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Common Mistakes Church Planters Make
My friend David Putman had a great post recently on some of the most common mistakes that church planters make. With his permission, here’s a re-print of it:
Common Mistakes Church Planters Make
Research has varied when it comes to the number of churches planted that don’t survive. I have seen reports that suggest failure rates as high as eighty percent and as low as ten percent in some networks. Regardless of what the actually number might be, one failure is too many especially when it’s your church plant. In a recent conversation with one of our church planting residents here are several of the common mistakes we discussed.
Rushing Ahead!
One of the defining moments in my life took place about twelve years ago. I was spending the day with Lyle Schaller. Coming off a recent church plant I couldn’t wait to hear his critic of our church planting methods and processes. I will never forget his comment, “David the problem as I see it is most of you quick start church planter types are driven by calendar when you ought to be driven by milestones.” That one statement turned my little church planting world upside down. What I’ve learned through my own experiences is when you don’t achieve certain critical milestones prior to launch you can end up with a premature church plant with tons of unhealthy systems. When this happens your plant can often stagnate and take years to overcome (more on milestones in upcoming blogs).
Underestimating the Cost!
When it comes to church planting it most often is going to take longer then you think, require more resources then you imagine, and you are going to pay a higher cost then you anticipate. Often as church planters we are guilty of what we often call at churchplanters.com as being intoxicated by vision. When you are intoxicated you fail to listen to others, think clearly, and make good decision.
Not Taking Time Off!
First of all let’s dispel the myth that you can plant a church without paying the price. I can think of nothing that comes with a higher price. Church planting comes with a high price tag. Because of this you have to make taking care of yourself a high priority. Taking regular time off to refuel your emotional, relational, physical, and relational gauges is essential to longevity and impact. For the last nine years I have been part of a church plant that has grown from an idea, to a vision, to a church of 2000. Unfortunately I am just learning to pay attention to my own vitality. Fortunately I have a wife that has been incredibly patience and honest with me. I am yet to find a church planter worth their salt that doesn’t have to work hard at this.
Hanging on too long!
When you give birth to a new church it is your baby. The church you planted begins with a vision God put in your heart. When you first plant everything begins with you. However, there comes a time when you must let go of control and empower others. Church planters that don’t develop the skill of enabling and empowering others seldom grow beyond the core group. You may launch your church. You may reach 50 or 60 people, but you usually end up stuck. If you fall into that category you are likely hanging on to tight and to long. The most effective church planters understand the importance of raising up leaders and building teams.
Not having a coach!
Church planters are the R&D Department of our current missional movement. They understand that we learn our way into the future. As we move forward we assess our failures and successes and we build off of them. Like Churchill we understand the importance of “moving from failure to failure without losing momentum. Church planters surround themselves with other leaders and learners. I was reminded of this when Will Henderson our Australian church planter returned from an ACTS 29 learning experience where they advocated that every church planter needs a minimum of five coaches in their lives. Years ago when Ed Stetzer and I worked together on a major church planting initiative called the Nehemiah Project he conducted some research that indicated that our best church planters were involved in a mentoring relationship with others on a weekly basis. The interesting thing was at the time all of our mentoring programs were set up on a monthly system. Yet those who were leading at a higher level and having greater impact surround themselves with multiple coaches.
Great thoughts David!
P.S. For information on my upcoming Tele-Coaching Network for Senior Pastors, click here.
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Q & A - Re-Launch
Hi, it’s Kerrick Thomas again - Executive and Teaching Pastor at The Journey and co-author of Launch. Nelson asked me to share my answer to this recent question about re-launching a church:
Q: I recently came across your book “Launch: Starting a New Church from Scratch,” and was hoping for some assistance.
I have recently become the pastor of an older church that is on its last legs. Our attendance is very low currently and the church has been declining for years.
However, those who are still around have expressed a renewed passion lately to make a real Kingdom difference in our community and the consensus is that we are ready and willing to do “whatever it takes.”
With that in mind, we are trying to put together a strategic plan to “re-launch” the church - not to dismiss the church’s history, but to demonstrate our renewed vision to reach this community for Christ.
I know your book was about “launching” a new church, but could you give me any advice on how to re-Launch this one?
A: Thanks so much for the question. My suggestion is that you follow the “Launch” model and pick a strategic launch date for your weekly services.
Back off of that date by 6 months and do 6 monthly services leading up to that launch date. Ask those who have been attending to join you in the endeavor to re-launch and be part of your new “Launch Team.”
Then use the monthly services and creative “come-back events” (fun events like cook-outs, movies, etc. between the monthly services) to recruit people to be on your launch team.
The entire goal of the launch team is to successfully launch the weekly services. So, you are not focusing on discipling your launch team, but on equipping them to serve and prepare for the beginning of the church.
We lay out this process in Launch and I suggest that you do the same thing in your re-launch as a normal church planter would do in an initial launch.
I hope that helps - please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help!
P.S. You might consider getting your hands on the 2-Day Launch Conference that Nelson and I taught for ideas of what to do and how to prepare your launch team.
Here’s a link to grab The Launch Conference on CD.
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Q & A - Best Launch Date?
It’s Kerrick Thomas here again, Executive Pastor and Teaching Pastor at The Journey and the co-author of Launch and Activate with Nelson. He asked me to share this recent answer to a question from Launch:Q:You guys said in Launch that when launching Journey, looking back you would have rather launched in February instead of in Easter as you did. What were the determining factors for that correction?
A:The reason that February is a more attractive launch date to us than Easter is because if you launch on Easter you only have a few weeks before summer roles around and attendance gets dicey. We found that out the hard way when we had some weeks down at 35 during our first summer.
There are two big advantages to launching in February (the week after the Super Bowl but before President’s Day is a good week):
1) February is a good month for attendance (people aren’t traveling and many are thinking about starting something healthy and new at the beginning of the year)
2) When you launch in February you have a natural “2nd launch” coming up at Easter. So - you launch big in February and then get a 2nd bounce on Easter Sunday. That helps before summer hits.Hope that helps answer your question!
God bless…
Kerrick
P.S. If you’re thinking of or in the process of starting a new church (or know someone who is), check out The Launch Conference on CD:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p83&navicat=45 -
Four Loves of a Church Planter #4
Today is the final installment of “The Four Loves of a Church Planter.” You can find the first three here: Love #1, #2, and #3.
Successful church planters love the…
PEOPLE IN THEIR CHURCH
I talked last week about the importance of loving your city and the people of your city, but today I’m talking specifically about the people in your church. It never ceases to amaze me the spite and disdain that I sometimes hear from church planters toward the very people we’re called to shepherd.
We have to keep in mind what a privilege it is to be a part of God’s mission in the world and that we are in the “loving God and loving people” business (remember Matthew 22?). It isn’t always easy but if you signed up for easy, starting a new church probably isn’t the right move for you.
In spite of the challenges, conflicts, and pains that inevitably arise, I can honestly say that I have never met a successful church planter who didn’t care deeply for the people of his church.
Here’s the truth: It is only through cultivating a love and concern for the people of your church that you will find satisfaction and success in church planting (and ministry in general).
Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly — not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. - 1 Peter 5:2 (NLT)
Church Planter:
- Are you praying daily for the growth, health, and well-being of the people of your church?
- Will you closely monitor your attitude toward your church people over the next week?
- Do you need to repent of any resentment or bitterness in this area?I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of posts as much I have. May God bless each of us and our churches as we work to keep our hearts properly focused.
P.S. Are you getting ready to start a new church? Check out The Launch Conference on DVD:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p92&navicat=45 -
Four Loves of a Church Planter #3
Today is the third installment of posts called “The Four Loves of a Church Planter.” You can find the first two here: Love #1 and Love #2.
Successful church planters love their…
CITY
This is something I have noticed time and time again. The most successful church planters I know really love their city! They think it’s the best place in the world. They enjoy what the area has to offer, work to make it a better place to live, and genuinely care deeply for the people who live around them.
On the other hand, many unsuccessful planters I’ve met through the years don’t have that same love for their city. They are always talking about how bad their city is (too cold in OH, too hot in Phoenix) and how ‘it aint like the place we used to live.’ It’s as if just living there is a burden.
Here’s the truth about this topic: Loving your city is no guarantee of church planting success but not loving it is good sign that you aren’t going to succeed.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. - Matthew 9:36 (NLT)
Church Planter:
- Do you truly believe God has called you to your city for such a time as this?
- Do you ache with compassion for the people of your city?
- Are you committed to making a positive, long term difference in your city or are you dreaming of what it would be like ‘over there’?Next week we’ll wrap up this series of posts with Love #4.
P.S. Looking for a great way to show love to the people of your city? Check out Reaching Your Community Through Servant Evangelism:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p94 -
Four Loves of a Church Planter #2
Last week I kicked off a series of posts called “The Four Loves of a Church Planter.” Here’s a link to the first post in case you missed it:
http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/blog/2009/04/02/the-four-loves-of-a-church-planter-1/The next love of a successful church planter is their (drumroll please)…
SPOUSE
We have all read and spoken about the painful and damaging ravages of divorce, and how the divorce rate in the U.S. is at 50% or above. Many of us have even shared the more painful statistic that the divorce rate within the church is equal to that of the rest of the country. However, did you know that the divorce rate among pastors is also 50%?
Does that bother you?
It should.
Here are a few other jarring stats for you from a 2006 study:
- Almost forty percent of pastors polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry.
- Eighty percent of pastors’ spouses feel their spouse is overworked.
- Eighty percent of pastors’ spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.
- The majority of pastors’ wives surveyed said that the most destructive event that has occurred in their marriage and family was the day they entered the ministry.These statistics are not an indictment on serving in ministry so much as on how we choose to serve in ministry. Failure to prioritize your marriage and cherish your spouse is a recipe for disaster in ministry and especially in church planting, the consequences of which reach far beyond your family to your church, your community, and our collective witness for Christ.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her - Ephesians 5:25 (NLT)
Church Planter:
- What boundaries have you set up to protect your marriage and your spouse?
- How are you intentionally and regularly cherishing your spouse?
- What needs to change in your life and routine to “love your wife as Christ loved the church”?P.S. Are you preparing to plant a church? Recently planted? How is your spouse feeling about that? Here’s the link to “Is My Husband’s Call My Call,” a resource that my wife Kelley and I put together specifically for you (the downloadable version is 50% off this week):
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p165&navicat=53&navisubcat=111&naviprod=165 -
The Four Loves of a Church Planter #1
This morning I’d like to start a new series of posts about something I have been thinking about for a while. In coaching, training, and observing hundreds of church planters over the years, I have noticed a few things that all successful church planters have in common.
It’s not going to be a series of posts about worship styles, haircuts, or how many people are following them on Twitter. No, the commonalities I’ve seen across the board in church planters who are knocking it out of the park deal with matters of the heart.
I’m calling this “The Four Loves of a Church Planter,” and the first love of a successful church planter is:
GOD
Simple, right? It seems so elementary, but the drive to plant a church that will make disciples and expand God’s Kingdom has to begin with a heart fully devoted to God. In an era when church planting has become the popular thing to do in many circles, we can never lose sight of this fact.
Even in the most “successful” new churches there will be days when the only thing you can fall back on is your love of God and your desire to obey Him. A successful church planter makes his relationship with God first priority and leads out of the overflow.
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” - Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT)
Church Planter:
- What is your motivation to do what you’re doing?
- Who is behind your drive to succeed?
- What do you need to do today to be sure that you aren’t “forsaking your first love”?Check back next week for Love #2 (between now and then see if you can guess what it might be)…
P.S. Speaking of what church planters love, don’t forget that we love church planters. That’s why we offer over $75 of resources for FREE to church planters. Here’s the link:
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Church Planting Q & A - Post-Launch
I’m wrapping up a series of Church Planting Q & A’s today that I started a couple of weeks ago. I hope you’ve enjoyed this Q & A series as much as I have. And THANK YOU to all who joined me for the Launch Conference in Baltimore last week.
I love to hear and answer questions from church planters, so as we wrap up this series of questions remember that you can always click the “Ask Nelson” link to the right of the blog and send in your own. That being said, here’s today’s Q & A:
Q: What do you typically see in the numerical drop after a new church’s launch? We are only three weeks in and have gone from about 230 locals to 175 locals to 155 locals the following week… is this normal? The weather these weeks were horrible and we were on winter break, but should I expect it to go down more? Any strategic thoughts on how to reverse that trend? (BTW, we have effectively done follow up on all of this… using your Fusion assimilation process).
A: A drop after launching is natural. When we launched The Journey, we went from 110 to 55. Just stay strong on the follow-up and don’t let up on evangelism. Encourage your people to invite their friends. And Easter - the church planter’s best friend - is only a couple of weeks away.
You can utilize Easter as your 2nd launch so that maybe you can have over 200 or 250 there. If you haven’t done so already, download my FREE “How To Maximize Easter” e-book and check out some of the other resources we have to “maximize Easter” to make the maximum Kingdom impact on Resurrection Sunday.
P.S. If you just couldn’t make it to the LIVE Launch Conference, check out the Launch Conference on DVD:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p92&navicat=45 -
Church Planting Q & A - First Baptism
I “launched” a series of church planting Q & A’s last week in celebration of springtime here on my blog and in preparation for tomorrow’s LAUNCH Conference in Baltimore. Here’s today’s question…
Q: We only launched our new church a few weeks ago we and we already have close to 20 people who’ve indicated a first time decision to follow Christ. How far into this process do you recommend having our first baptism?
A: Get a baptism on the schedule. You might wait until the summer and try to have a big one and get as many people to participate as possible. But if you think you have a dozen or so people who you think are ready now - it can be a big boost. We’ve done them at the beach (our biggest that we do once a year), in the swimming pool of a health club, and we’ve used borrowed space from other churches.
When you do have a baptism, be sure to promote it and teach on why people should take that step. And then be sure to capture that event in pictures and video. We always create a video with music from our baptisms to use to promote upcoming baptisms.
P.S. Only 1 day until the 2009 LAUNCH CONFERENCE in the Baltimore, Maryland area. If you want to come you can still register now: https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p235&navicat=27
P.S.S. If you’re a church planter, I’d like to give you some FREE RESOURCES (over $75 value). Just click here: http://www.churchleaderinsights.com/resources/church_planters.php
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Church Planting Q & A - Launch in Different Cultures
Here’s today’s church planting Q & A:
Q: I planted a multi-ethnic church in Seattle area about 8 years ago and it’s going well. God now has relocated me to plant a church in Los Angeles area but it is a Korean speaking church.
I’m contemplating attending the one-day Launch Conference in Baltimore on March 17th. Before I make a commitment to attend I need to answer the question: Is this conference going to help a church plant that deals with different cultures and different background?
Thank you for your ministry and thank you for your commitment.
This is a great question!
We have seen that the Launch Conference has helped ethnic church plants as well
as English speaking church plants. In fact, the Launch book is soon to be released en Espanol (see image).The principles outlined in Launch are not designed for any particular culture. They are practical principles that church planters have used in their context to launch large and keep growing.
I’m very confident that your new church will benefit from this conference. So here’s my promise to you: If after the conference you don’t believe that your church plant has benefited in any way, I’ll refund your registration fee. Just email me and tell me why and I’ll make it happen. No questions asked.
** LAUNCH CONFERENCE 2009 is only 5 days away! I hope you will register to join us in Baltimore next week. You can do so here: https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p235
Have a great Thursday!
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Church Planting Q & A - First Membership Class
With the beginning of spring just around the corner and the new growth that comes with it, I’d like to do a series of “Church Planting Q & A’s” here at the blog.
It also just so happens that my only scheduled Launch Conference for 2009 is coming up in just about a week - next Tuesday, March 17 - in the Baltimore, Maryland area. If you are a church planter or a leader of a church that is planting other churches, I hope you’ll register today and join us in the Charm City!
In celebration of spring time, the CLI Team and I will be answering a number of your church planting questions over the next couple of weeks. Anyone involved in starting a new church knows that time is of the essence, so I’ll try to keep them short and sweet. Today’s question is:
Q: When do you recommend church planters to have their first membership class after launching? How far into the process?
A: We would not recommend doing a Membership Class before 8 months after launching. In some cases we’d recommend waiting at least a year (depending on size). But we would say don’t worry about doing the work to get together a Membership Class too early in the process.
The truth is, you need some time for your new church to begin to gain its identity so you can have something real to say at the class anyway. And you want your first membership class to be a good one!
P.S. If you are thinking of joining me for the Launch Conference keep in mind that space is limited, so if you are able to make it I recommend you register now.
Here’s the link:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p235&navicat=27
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I Love Church Planters!
I’m honored to be a part of an incredible lineup of speakers today at the ChurchPlanters.com Conference near Atlanta. There is something exhilarating about being in a room full of people who are so passionate and driven by God’s call on their lives that they are stepping out to start new churches all over the country. I love to think about how many lives God will change through the faithfulness of the church planters I am with today!
I’m talking today about one of my favorite topics: the importance of building healthy systems to manage a growing church. The biggest of all the reasons why I love church planting is because it is effective: church plants reach more people than existing churches. However, without the right systems in place, even the most passionate and gifted church planter will struggle to lead a growing church.
If you don’t mind, please take a moment to pray for me and all of us at this conference (speakers and attendees). Thanks!
For more information on church systems, click here to download my FREE “Healthy Systems, Healthy Church” Report.
P.S. I will be leading the LIVE One-Day Launch Conference in the Baltimore area on Tuesday, March 17 (my only one for the year). Click here to find out more or to Register Now.
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ChurchPlanters.com Conference 2009
It’s hard to believe that it is almost halfway through February! It may have snuck up on you, but it’s not too late to get your team tix to ChurchPlanters.com 2009! It’s only $99 per person,
and with Valentine’s Day already upon us, don’t forget that spouses come for FREE!Go to churchplanters.com to check out the incredible lineup which includes Bob Roberts, Ed Stetzer, Nelson Searcy (yep, yours truly), Troy Gramling, Reggie Joiner, Tony Morgan, Ben Arment, Gary Lamb, Will Mancini, Matt Evans, David Putman, Shawn Lovejoy, Larry McCrary, Brian Bloye, and many, many more.
On February 23-24, 2009, we will come together at Mountain Lake Church outside of Atlanta, GA for what will undoubtedly be the best ChurchPlanters.com conference to date. As it does every year, this event will sell out so reserve your seats today!
Go to churchplanters.com to register and to find out all the details.
I’ll see you there!
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Q&A: How Do I talk about Preview Services?
Question: How do you pitch preview services best. I’m clear on not using the terminology “preview service” or “practice service”. Do you go with like a “try it before you buy it” or “test drive” theme? Any advise on how you advertise this and personally invite?
Kerrick Thomas my co-author on Launch:Starting A New Church from Scratch answers:
First of all - we never call them “preview” because that doesn’t sound like the “real” thing. We always call them monthly services. We say…we are going to have 6 monthly services leading up to the launch of weekly services on….
We are straight forward in how we talk about it. Remember - an unchurched person won’t be thinking like that. They’ll think - this church is pretty cool - they only meet once a month :-) And if someone asks - just tell them you wanted to start services as early as possible and monthly services was the best way to do it.
Remember - what you want to sell is the series that you teach through the monthly services. So, join us on the following dates as we talk about how to get rid of stress in your life, about who Jesus really was, about what the bible says about relationships, etc. Let people know you are working toward and building momentum toward the launch.
But as far as promotion - just promote the teaching series, dates and locations and mention that weekly services launch on that specific launch date.
Hope that helps!
Kerrick
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Last Call: NEW Church Planting Tele-Coaching Begins Thursday
The latest round of Church Planter Tele-Coaching begins this Thursday, December 11. Don’t miss this opportunity for hands-on coaching where you’ll learn to:
* Launch Large
* Launch Quickly
* Raise Funds
* Develop a Staff Team
* Reach the Unchurchedand so much more! Plus hands on guidance and advice in real time as you launch your new church. And, of course, you’ll receive hundreds of dollars in resources from Church Leader Insights during your network so you can apply everything you learn.
To learn more or download an application click here.
Since this coaching opportunity is by phone there’s no travel, hotel or airfare costs other than the 2 hour phone call each month. If you’ve never experienced tele-coaching you’ll be amazed at how much you can learn each month (and all the mistakes you’ll be able to avoid!).
Hurry, only a couple of spots are still available. We must receive your application by noon on Wednesday, December 10 since the network starts the next day.
Nelson
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Are you a portable church?
Since 2002 we’ve meet in portable locations – nine different locations to be exact. From schools to renovated funeral homes (not recommended) to cinemas to off-broad theaters to concert venues. I love being portable and I love the benefits of being portable (keeps the entrepreneurial spirit alive, mobilizes more volunteers, keeps you fast and fluid, frees up money for evangelism, etc.).
Recently Bob Franquiz and I sat down and recorded a new resource entitled The Portable Church Challenge. I had hoped to send the CLI family an email about it today and offer it for purchase but there have been some delays in packaging.
But, my delay is your gain – I want to offer you the complete resource as a download at a big savings. But more on that in a minute.
In the new resource, Bob and I discuss
The Portable Church Challenge: 10 Commandments for maximum growth in a portable location is the ideal resource for sustaining growth in a portable facility.
And lead you through:
- Finding committed servants who take ownership in the church
- How to cast vision to fund your portable church
- Learn to keys to hiring gifted staff that thrive in a portable church
- How to be innovative with the facility you meet in
- Transforming any environment into a place of worship
- Understanding what does and doesn’t limit you as a portable church
- Learning to focus on what matters most
- And much more!Building a church is about building people. Don’t let facility keep you from becoming the church God wants you to be!
As I mentioned there is a delay in the CD production but the full 2-hour download with all the supplemental resource is available now. It will regularly sell for a $67 investment but I want to give it to you as a pre-sale for $20.00 off. Simply enter this special code: blog112 when you check out. Here’s the link to the download.
The Portable Church Challenge - Complete Resource Download - Save $20.00 - Click Here
Remember, enter this special code before you check out : blog112
This code will expire in one week.
Nelson
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Q & A: How Does a Church Plant Obtain 501(c)3 Status
Here’s a frequently asked question we receive from church planters:
Do you have any resources available on applying for 501(c) 3 status. when to, how to, etc.? I would like donations to our church plant and tithes to be tax deductable.
Scott Whitaker, Director of Training and Events for CLI answers:
You have a great question. We encourage church planters to file for 501(c)3 status. It assists with credibility and confidence in having tax deductible status. Here is the link from the IRS website http://www.irs.gov/publications/p557. You will find the instructions and answers to any other related question on their site.
Don’t feel overwhelmed by the process. You may check with a CPA, non-profit lawyer, or a denomination (if you’re affiliated with one) on having them file it for you. It can be done yourself, but it may be better for you to pay someone else depending on your church plant resources. We highly recommend these guys: http://www.churchlawgroup.com/Thanks Scott! Hope that helps.
Nelson
P.S. If you are a Church Planter, we have over $75 in resources to give you, just click here.
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Church Pitfalls (Part 5)
Bob Franquiz, Guest Blogger:
#5 - I thought I knew everything - Just about every church planter I’ve ever met is a little cocky. Some are just confident in their calling and others are down right arrogant. I was a punk kid who thought he knew everything when I really knew nothing.
I believe one of the greatest assets of a church planter is being sure of his calling. But we can’t let that cause us to get to the point where we aren’t teachable. God opposes proud people but gives grace to the humble.
Hard times tend to beat arrogance out of people. Then we start to think we don’t know anything. Then wisdom and maturity set in and we get develop a sober estimation of ourselves. It’s a lot easier is we just start here.
If you’re interested is hearing about some other Church Planting Pitfalls, check out this resource Nelson Searcy and I did on the subject.
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Church Pitfalls (Part 4)
Bob Franquiz, Guest Blogger:
#4 - I was trying to be someone else - Here’s what I didn’t realize when I first started in ministry, that Jesus didn’t save us to clone us. God created you to be you. When we started our church, I was 26 years old, and I was desperate to know how a Senior Pastor acted. So I did what I knew: I wore a tie every Sunday, I taught the way I was taught to, and I said “Praise the Lord” and “God bless you” in all the right spots.
What was the result? I was miserable. I hate wearing ties. I had different ideas about teaching and communicating than my instructors and all the Christianeze was about to make me puke.
So I decided to be myself. I put away the ties. I started communicating in a way that was suited to my gifts and I started talking like a normal person. In the end, I was much happier and the joy of ministry came back when I decided to be me.
If you’re interested is hearing about some other Church Planting Pitfalls, check out this resource Nelson Searcy and I did on the subject. If you’re a church planter interested in coaching, click here to be part of my new tele-coaching network exclusively for church planters! I have a couple of spots left.
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Church Pitfalls (Part 3)
Bob Franquiz, Guest Blogger:
#3 - I had a hard time saying “no” - When we stated Calvary Fellowship, the last thing I wanted to do was say no when someone asked me something. What resulted was getting roped into commitments I didn’t want to be part of, agreeing to start ministries I didn’t feel called to, and allow people into positions of influence that had no business being there. The result: chaos.
If you’re a leader, “No” is your best friend. “No” means you’re clear about what you’re called to do and what you aren’t called to do. “No” means you’d rather please God than people. “No” means you’re confident in who God has called you to be. “No” means you’re willing to upset a few for the sake of reaching many. I encourage you to passionate about what you say yes to, and say “no” to everything else.
If you’re interested is hearing about some other Church Planting Pitfalls, check out this resource Nelson Searcy and I did on the subject. If you’re a church planter interested in coaching, click here to be part of my new tele-coaching network exclusively for church planters! I have a couple of spots left.
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