The #1 Mistake Church Planters Make When Launching a New Church
Did you know that the majority of church plants fail within the first year?
Why?
Because most church planters start churches without a clear calling from God.
In order to plant a healthy church, you have to know that you are undeniably called by God to do so. Period.
So, for those of you planting a new church...do you know for sure that God has called you to this work?
As you reflect on your answer, it may help to understand some sources of improper calling. These "improper callings" are reasons, voices, or emotions other than God's calling which have prompted the idea of starting a new church.
There are dozens of sources for improper callings, but here are the ones I see most frequently:
- Unemployment
- Anger or resentment toward another pastor
- Disgruntled staff
- Easier than searching for an existing ministry position
- Parent or grandparent started a church
- Ego
- It’s the “in” thing
If you think you may have allowed an improper reason, voice, or emotion to prompt the idea of starting a new church, back away now. Spend some more time with God. Seek the advice of someone in ministry who knows you and can help you gain some perspective.
On the other hand, what if you know that you have been called by God? In that case, you can act boldly and decisively in any situation. The first year of a new church is not easy. Often, the assurance of your calling is the only thing you have to stand on, so making sure you’ve been called is absolutely crucial.
I want to help you on your challenging—but rewarding—journey of starting a new church. As a church planter myself and a coach to hundreds of other church planters, I’ve discovered some battle-tested answers along the way—and I've put together a collection of FREE resources ($149.00 total value) that will help you start your new church healthier and more effectively than you thought possible!
You can access the free Church Planters resources here:
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/churchplanters
God’s vision for your church’s impact is far larger than yours. By learning to identify and avoid these mistakes in your new church, you can cooperate with Him to reach more people, faster than you ever thought possible!
I’m committed to doing everything possible to help you launch your new church for God’s glory.
Your partner in ministry,
Nelson
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Nelson Searcy is the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. By God’s grace, he identified and developed the Eight Systems of a Healthy Church® that he has used to coach over 5,000 churches in the US and around the world to adapt those eight systems to their unique ministry fields, resulting in great health and growth.
Nelson regularly coaches pastors online and in-person through the Church Leader Insights and Renegade Pastors Network ministries that he founded. He also leads several annual pastor in-person conferences and online training events. In ministry for more than 25 years, Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.”
