Who is "QUALIFIED" to start a church?

June 2, 2010
Leadership Clip to Evernote
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That is a long standing question that in many ways has shaped the landscape of churches in N. America. We have approached the process of church planting with to many Pharisaical standards that have been ingrained in our systems so long, we need a virus scan to delete them, so we can run fast and hard for the Kingdom!

I want to answer that question from what I see as the biblical model. When ever the Apostle Paul visited a city, he preached the Gospel, saw people get saved, taught them truth, told them to meet together, and pray, and said, "Astalavista baby." Later, he would send Timothy or Titus, back to those communities, recognized leaders, help set up and train their leaders. And wham! A genuine NT church is launched! Simple? You bet cha!

From my perspective the standards that have been instituted by man have greatly limited the freedom of the Spirit to move and call men and women to serve and follow God! I think it’s time we return to the place of faith when we can actually TRUST God for leadership and the Spirit to empower and gift them. Then we empower them and release them to follow their calling!

I know this is so simple but I don’t think God ever intended His plan to grow His Kingdom to be so complicated it would take so many degrees and programs to "love God with all your heart, mind, soul & strength and love your neighbor as yourself."

So. Who is Qualified to start and lead a church? Anyone God says is!

About artie: I'm the lead Pastor at Cornerstone, a Multi-Ethnic church in the heart of Orangeburg, South Carolina. Also the founder of the Comb Network.com, a movement to plant Multi-Ethnic, culturally relevant churches in smaller cities. I direct a gathering of small city leader called "The Sticks."

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  • http://jonathanpearson.net Jonathan Pearson

    Love this post man!

    • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/artiedavis61 artiedavis61

      Thanks bro. You know me. It's gotta b simple!

  • Rob

    This post is a great encouragement! I got all freaked out by a denomination’s district website that went through all the tests imaginable to be sure they had the right planter for the right neighborhood for the right church. I prefer identifying local leaders with a calling from God. Seems more Biblical. Thanks again for the post!

    • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/artiedavis61 artiedavis61

      YOU are so right Rob. That is our philosophy @ thecombnetwork.com We need to make sure we are letting God choose His leaders!

  • http://dare2dreamcwc.blogspot.com Anthony

    Love it! Thanks for sharing this post, it was just the read that I needed this afternoon.

    • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/artiedavis61 artiedavis61

      Thanks Anthony! Always glad to know that it home with someone! Be encouraged my friend. Go after all God has for you!

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Joe_Sewell Joe Sewell

    What else is there to say but "Amen!!!"

    I'll grant that you can add "logistics" to the mix by saying, for example, you can't have two Calvary Chapels (my personal favorite pseudo-denomination) within 10 miles of each other to avoid "competition." Counting the cost of the details is also something that shouldn't be ignored.

    But that's really not about starting a church, is it? Rather, that's all establishing the details of a group that is already actively meeting together.

  • Grant Brunsvold

    Amen!! I’ve always been afraid that we

    make things so much more complex than they are! Thanks for the viewpoint!

    • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/artiedavis61 artiedavis61

      Nothing as sweet as a good ole Amen! Thanks Grant!

  • Roger Goforth

    Dang, and to think I spent nearly 3 years in seminary. Do you think I can get a refund?

    • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/artiedavis61 artiedavis61

      Maybe? You have not because you ask not!

  • http://www.lgallant.blogspot.com Leo Gallant

    I love it, brother! Don’t think Peter, James, and John had degrees. Their credentials were actually commented on by the Pharisees who said, "these guys have been with Jesus!" And that was enough.

    Leo (SC)

    • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/artiedavis61 artiedavis61

      The Best Summary Leo. Love it!

  • http://www.paradoxbiblechurch.org Pen Cook

    Thank you for the great post! Where do the qualifications for an elder in 1st Timothy 3 and Titus 1 come into play? Obvious the call precedes the qualifications (because you will most likely be called before you've been measured) but does not supersede, yes?

    • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/artiedavis61 artiedavis61

      Yes, Pen. God would not call the unqualified. God never talks out of both sides of His mouth!

  • http://www.twitter.com/georgetallmage George Tallmage

    WOW!!! This post was right on time. A topic/subject I have been thinking about lately but didn't know how to put it into words. Thanks for the encouragement.

  • Andrew

    Hey great article, I was just wondering what was up with the starting line album artwork on your blog :)

    • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/artiedavis61 artiedavis61

      You mean the tag line? It means I am always looking for the "missing piece" of leadership, church planting & relationships. Just when you think you have found it, it changes!

  • http://www.emergingleadernetwork.com Tim Mossholder

    Thanks for raising an important question. I work with many young leaders in a denominational setting–and this topic hits home. I think that the "simple church" model would especially be fitting with what you describe as "a genuine NT church". It would allow many leaders (especially younger ones) the opportunity to start a church in their neighborhood, dormitory, etc. without the rigors of setting up a legal entity.

    It IS the legality of organizational churches where some of the difficulty lies. If the "church" is to be recognized as a legal entity, get a checking account, whatever, then issues of liability grow. That's where things get complicated–and where many organizations demand a certain level of training for their leaders in order to deem them as "qualified."

    It would seem that what we need are more environments where the "Timothys" can rub shoulders with the "Pauls" and learn alongside them in the trenches of ministry. This will likely help a younger generation of leaders to be readied for church leadership at a greater level than seminary (as useful as that may be!).

  • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/bendmalmin Ben Malmin

    There's definite truth here. Thanks for having the guts to state the simple. Sure hard work and a basic skill set are important…but wasn't it Jesus who said "I will build my church". Sounds like half of our job is simply showing up.

    We can't take the credit if He's the one doing the work.

    We would win a whole lot more souls and start a whole lot more churches if we would just walk this out.

    Just get there and get started.

    We're moving next month to Baltimore to start from scratch. Sure do appreciate any prayer.

  • http://twitter.com/cajunman4life Aaron

    Wonderful article! I too agree that maybe we get too caught up on the "how"s rather than the "why"s.

    • http://artiedavis.com artie

      Thanks Aaron. I agree. I think we get lost in the how’s, and forget the who! Jesus said He would build His church. And He chooses many unlikely builders in the eyes of man, but God sees the heart!

  • jocojo

    Great post and encouraging. I am a pastor of a church plant who went to seminary and didn't get my "certificate" because I left early to answer what I felt was God's call. I actually feel like I am having to unlearn much of my training in order to be who God called me to be and lead the type of church this community needs.
    While in total agreement that human standards have no bearing on God's call, I think we all should make sure that we never use "God said" or "God called me to…" to get what we want or as the scapegoat for our mistakes or laziness.
    Great post. God bless

    • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/artiedavis61 artiedavis61

      Welcome to the "God called-God Empowered" club my bro!

  • http://Www.emashley.wordpress.com Eric M Ashley

    Even though I have two degrees, I certainly don’t believe that formal education is necessary for ministry/church planting. My education didn’t qualify me to serve the Lord–the call of God did! As I prepare to begin a new church in VA, we want to be on the lookout for those that God has called and equipped. How can a church planting movement take place when we place unbiblical requirements in order to be considered "qualified"?

    Thanks for the great post.

  • http://www.greenvilletransformation.org Tony Moore

    The first time I talked to a denominational leader about planting a church I was rejected because I wasn’t a Type A personality. I an no longer in that denomination. That’s one reason I have avoided joining a church planting group. I needed assistance-not obstacles.

    It is God who calls, equips, and gives the grace.

    • http://artiedavis.com artie

      You are so right Tony! Only God calls and only God can prepare the heart. Thanks for listening to God!

  • http://www.bobbyauner.blogspot.com Bobby

    Anyone who God says is. I love it! Only Christ can build his church and he will do so with those whom have been given a revelation of him. We cannot start a church anymore than we can start a christian. Both must be born from above.

  • pedro

    This is the shortest most impacting exhortation and admonition I have come across.

    A fragrance of the near future!

    The will of God is being done on the earth because A Corn of Wheat fell to the ground and is fast bearing its fruit- truth is indeed, springing out from the earth. Praise God.

    What an inspiring article!