Who can be a CHURCH-PLANTER?
I wrote this for ChurchPlanting.com and it was one of the most popular articles so I thought I should re-post it here.
When you go to plant a church, or are involved in helping others plant churches that question must be asked clearly and plainly. A battery of tests, evaluations and interviews that help guide and determine your âmake-upâ as a planter then follows the question.
But hereâs the deal. We all use those tests (most are the same), we do the interviews and that information is valuable. It takes past successful planters and measures their mutual qualities against the prospective planter. Then there is a pass-fail.
Frankly⦠I hate this. It must be used, but I just think weâre putting God in such a box like that. Now before all my fellow âplanter assessorsâ start throwing stones hear what Iâm saying.
New planters must and should be evaluated, tested, interviewed and assessed. But⦠I think we need to leave room for God. God has and always will use the foolish (some that donât pass all the tests) to astound the wise (those of us giving the thumbs up or down).
Jesus chose the âuntrained and uneducatedâ to reach the world. The most of which would have probably failed some of if not all the tests. Jesus used an unorthodox system of choosing leadersâ¦he chose the ones His Father said to choose.
We need to use all we have to help sharpen and identify future leaders and planters. But, we also need to recognize God can do things and use people we never thought could plant a successful church.
So, I think we should pray earnestly over all those that failâ¦and pass! Ask the Father can this oneâ¦be a Church Planter? Then rely more on the voice of God rather than the planterâs test score.
Just my opinion and conviction. What say you?
17 Responses to “Who can be a CHURCH-PLANTER?”
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Interesting post Artie. I find myself in, shall we say, an interesting situation. The church started in 10/04 as a split from a very conservative/controlling church. It was aimless but survived, largely due to the people who spawned it. I came as pastor in 11/05 and one of the first things we did was meet to craft a mission & vision statement. As an older pastor (54 at the time), I offered stability but also some leadership (I lack many of the “church planter” qualities I suspect). We have thrived, survived a coup that involved an elder and his wife & their small group, and are on the rebound after a horrendous 2009. I have said in the past, “I did not plant this church but sure feel like I did.” So…in all honesty…what am I? Seriously.
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Anonymous says:
Bill, you are a “Resurrector.” A leader that takes that which is dead or dying and breathes life back into it by loving God and people, and leading selflessly. Honestly that is a different type of leadership that a planter.
I am a planter. A resurrector is a leader with great patience, and the ability to ride through the painful places of transition. I don’t think I could do that! I praise God for men like you that can and do!
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Thanks Artie that helps clarify some things. I don’t mind being called that at all. I now have something to say to those who ask me.
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Thanks Artie that helps clarify some things. I don’t mind being called that at all. I now have something to say to those who ask me.
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Michael Reid says: Thanks for this post Artie. You know me and you know my heart. You also know that I would fail most, if not all the assessment tests out there. But, I HAVE TO follow God’s lead. There has to be an allowance for those who are called and still some checks and balances in place to identify those who have called themselves. I suspect that most assessment tests cannot measure the man’s heart…yet that is where God lives.
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Yeah bro! It’s the heart! It’s all about the heart. Now out of the heart flow character, speech, passion and desire. But only God really knows someone’s heart. We can make “calls” based only on what we see that has been done, but never on what could be done! Only God can make that call.
Rogergoforth says: I thank God for men like yourself whom He has placed in my “circle” of support in a season such as this. Indeed, God has chosen the foolish things to confound the wise… and I’m the biggest fool of all. I never thought or aspired to plant a church, nor did I seek to equip myself for such a task. It’s all God, dude. I cannot assume to take any credit for what’s going on down here in this little town. But I want you and your team to know how grateful I am for the guidance and support coming from the Comb Network and the Sticks…
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Thanks Roger, I really appreciate that. Very excited about all you guys are doing. Keep leading BIG in the small bro.
Barry Whitlow says: Church planting, like shelf space at Walmart, has become an option only for the elite few. If you don’t look right, act right, or believe right, you are out. Not even out, you can’t even get an audience with the funding gatekeepers. After two years of seeking ‘real’ funding for an innovative new church, I am now attempting to seek start-up funds from unconventional sources. Has anyone noticed that the world around us is DESPERATE to hear the Good News in fresh new ways that they can relate to? Church planting is a “calling” not a vocation, not a freakin’ business, and because our world is diverse, the churches we plant must be diverse and there must be room for innovation. 70% of the people in my community (10 minutes outside of Nashville) “choose” to attend NO church on Sunday. That 70% breaks God’s heart. When was the last time you went into a church and could have not have guessed pretty close what the format & style would be like? Greet-Sing-Preach-Sing-Repeat-Week After Week. After 10 years of serving churches as a freelance producer I can tell you that overall, not much has changed. My new blog is going to be DeathToSermons.com. Seriously. I’m not even kidding. DEATH TO SERMONS!!
Just came and read, this is wow! I was seek from many
blogs, but here is the best, I love it.
Anonymous says: Just stumbled on the COMB network and man am I blessed by what it is offering. Based on the above I too am a resurrector …yay!. I was a youth Pastor for 15 yrs and then eight years ago took my first church as pastor. It was once a thriving church in a small lake/retirement community in NE Oklahoma. But conflict and power struggles created a rapid turnover of local leadership figures. The final blow was the pastor who swindled a boatload of cash from the church and got busted. The church went supernova and made headlines al the way to Tulsa. A congregation of 200 became a group of 10 over the course of 2 years. When the pastor who came in to clean up was through, I came on board. God has performed a miracle since then. We have overcome our leprous stigma, moved into financial prosperity and have finally passed our 100 mark in attendance in a town of 200. I took 8 years and has shredded and recycled a lot of what I thought was supposed to make a church grow. This church planting thing gets me dreaming about possibilities, but I don’t know if I have what it takes, all I know is there’s more people who need our ministry who are too far away to reach us, yet are sitting in darkness. I’ll be watching COMB closely from now on and plan to get plugged into the network. If you want to read the details of how God led us out of the wilderness you can go to http://www.churchonthelake.org
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Mark, you are a hero! I love guys like you who have enough love to make it “lovingly” stick! Appreciate your story!
Great post – I am a church planter in Surprise, AZ after serving for 11 years in various positions in a church plant in KY. I am personally struggling with whether or not I really “am” a church planter. As your post suggests, I scored fine on all the tests, and even received education with an emphasis in church planting. I believe in church planting. But nearly 2 years here in a completely different culture than KY has me wondering if I am more of a pastor than a planter. This area of AZ is less than 10% evangelical Christian, and many of the “things” that worked in planting a church in KY do not work here.
I appreciate your article – prayerfully God will reveal to me exactly what I am to do so that His name receives the most glory here possible.
-
Wow, thanks for sharing your story Steve. Will be praying for you
[...] Who can be a CHURCH-PLANTER? [...]
Kennyd says: God has and always will use the foolish (some that don’t pass all the tests) to astound the wise (those of us giving the thumbs up or down).
Normally I agree with your posts. I think this time you may have inadvertently mixed up your “foolish” and “wise” descriptions.
In other words, YES, I AGREE WITH YOU!
Signed…A fool for Jesus
Sharon says: I have never considered myself to be a church planter. I am not charismatic, not driven, not an etrepreneur. Yet 5 years ago, God sent me a message: “If you follow me, I will get you where you need to go.” In following, I ended up in my current city, and one step at a time I have been led to start a church.
We have been meeting for just over a year, and have a solid core group of 15. We have the potential of doubling when we start Sunday services in November.
Three years ago my district was going to send me to an assessment, but because there was a man moving to Iowa who had successfully planted a church before, they put my assessment on the back-burner and poured all their time, effort, and upfront cash into him.
It made sense. The district had tried 4 other church plants and they all failed. They needed a win. I am new to this district. I have been a pastor for over 10 years, but I recently changed denominations and I have never pastored a church in this denomination. The fact that I grew a church from 5 people to 40 in a town of 400 did not convince them I could be a successful planter.
My district supports me – they have even paid my way to The Sticks. However, before they give me any support money they are asking me to go to an Assessment. It may not happen until February. I hope I pass. I know I may not.
One thing I do know though – I am doing what God wants me to do. It has happened slowly, and has been confirmed again and again through various different people and situations. So whether or not I pass Assessment, I am planting a church. And may God work in spite of me, because I am in way over my head!
Leave a Reply
Interesting post Artie. I find myself in, shall we say, an interesting situation. The church started in 10/04 as a split from a very conservative/controlling church. It was aimless but survived, largely due to the people who spawned it. I came as pastor in 11/05 and one of the first things we did was meet to craft a mission & vision statement. As an older pastor (54 at the time), I offered stability but also some leadership (I lack many of the “church planter” qualities I suspect). We have thrived, survived a coup that involved an elder and his wife & their small group, and are on the rebound after a horrendous 2009. I have said in the past, “I did not plant this church but sure feel like I did.” So…in all honesty…what am I? Seriously.
Bill, you are a “Resurrector.” A leader that takes that which is dead or dying and breathes life back into it by loving God and people, and leading selflessly. Honestly that is a different type of leadership that a planter.
I am a planter. A resurrector is a leader with great patience, and the ability to ride through the painful places of transition. I don’t think I could do that! I praise God for men like you that can and do!
Thanks Artie that helps clarify some things. I don’t mind being called that at all. I now have something to say to those who ask me.
Thanks Artie that helps clarify some things. I don’t mind being called that at all. I now have something to say to those who ask me.
Thanks for this post Artie. You know me and you know my heart. You also know that I would fail most, if not all the assessment tests out there. But, I HAVE TO follow God’s lead. There has to be an allowance for those who are called and still some checks and balances in place to identify those who have called themselves. I suspect that most assessment tests cannot measure the man’s heart…yet that is where God lives.
Yeah bro! It’s the heart! It’s all about the heart. Now out of the heart flow character, speech, passion and desire. But only God really knows someone’s heart. We can make “calls” based only on what we see that has been done, but never on what could be done! Only God can make that call.
I thank God for men like yourself whom He has placed in my “circle” of support in a season such as this. Indeed, God has chosen the foolish things to confound the wise… and I’m the biggest fool of all. I never thought or aspired to plant a church, nor did I seek to equip myself for such a task. It’s all God, dude. I cannot assume to take any credit for what’s going on down here in this little town. But I want you and your team to know how grateful I am for the guidance and support coming from the Comb Network and the Sticks…
Thanks Roger, I really appreciate that. Very excited about all you guys are doing. Keep leading BIG in the small bro.
Church planting, like shelf space at Walmart, has become an option only for the elite few. If you don’t look right, act right, or believe right, you are out. Not even out, you can’t even get an audience with the funding gatekeepers. After two years of seeking ‘real’ funding for an innovative new church, I am now attempting to seek start-up funds from unconventional sources. Has anyone noticed that the world around us is DESPERATE to hear the Good News in fresh new ways that they can relate to? Church planting is a “calling” not a vocation, not a freakin’ business, and because our world is diverse, the churches we plant must be diverse and there must be room for innovation. 70% of the people in my community (10 minutes outside of Nashville) “choose” to attend NO church on Sunday. That 70% breaks God’s heart. When was the last time you went into a church and could have not have guessed pretty close what the format & style would be like? Greet-Sing-Preach-Sing-Repeat-Week After Week. After 10 years of serving churches as a freelance producer I can tell you that overall, not much has changed. My new blog is going to be DeathToSermons.com. Seriously. I’m not even kidding. DEATH TO SERMONS!!
Just came and read, this is wow! I was seek from many
blogs, but here is the best, I love it.
Just stumbled on the COMB network and man am I blessed by what it is offering. Based on the above I too am a resurrector …yay!. I was a youth Pastor for 15 yrs and then eight years ago took my first church as pastor. It was once a thriving church in a small lake/retirement community in NE Oklahoma. But conflict and power struggles created a rapid turnover of local leadership figures. The final blow was the pastor who swindled a boatload of cash from the church and got busted. The church went supernova and made headlines al the way to Tulsa. A congregation of 200 became a group of 10 over the course of 2 years. When the pastor who came in to clean up was through, I came on board. God has performed a miracle since then. We have overcome our leprous stigma, moved into financial prosperity and have finally passed our 100 mark in attendance in a town of 200. I took 8 years and has shredded and recycled a lot of what I thought was supposed to make a church grow. This church planting thing gets me dreaming about possibilities, but I don’t know if I have what it takes, all I know is there’s more people who need our ministry who are too far away to reach us, yet are sitting in darkness. I’ll be watching COMB closely from now on and plan to get plugged into the network. If you want to read the details of how God led us out of the wilderness you can go to http://www.churchonthelake.org
Mark, you are a hero! I love guys like you who have enough love to make it “lovingly” stick! Appreciate your story!
Great post – I am a church planter in Surprise, AZ after serving for 11 years in various positions in a church plant in KY. I am personally struggling with whether or not I really “am” a church planter. As your post suggests, I scored fine on all the tests, and even received education with an emphasis in church planting. I believe in church planting. But nearly 2 years here in a completely different culture than KY has me wondering if I am more of a pastor than a planter. This area of AZ is less than 10% evangelical Christian, and many of the “things” that worked in planting a church in KY do not work here.
I appreciate your article – prayerfully God will reveal to me exactly what I am to do so that His name receives the most glory here possible.
Wow, thanks for sharing your story Steve. Will be praying for you
[...] Who can be a CHURCH-PLANTER? [...]
God has and always will use the foolish (some that don’t pass all the tests) to astound the wise (those of us giving the thumbs up or down).
Normally I agree with your posts. I think this time you may have inadvertently mixed up your “foolish” and “wise” descriptions.
In other words, YES, I AGREE WITH YOU!
Signed…A fool for Jesus
I have never considered myself to be a church planter. I am not charismatic, not driven, not an etrepreneur. Yet 5 years ago, God sent me a message: “If you follow me, I will get you where you need to go.” In following, I ended up in my current city, and one step at a time I have been led to start a church.
We have been meeting for just over a year, and have a solid core group of 15. We have the potential of doubling when we start Sunday services in November.
Three years ago my district was going to send me to an assessment, but because there was a man moving to Iowa who had successfully planted a church before, they put my assessment on the back-burner and poured all their time, effort, and upfront cash into him.
It made sense. The district had tried 4 other church plants and they all failed. They needed a win. I am new to this district. I have been a pastor for over 10 years, but I recently changed denominations and I have never pastored a church in this denomination. The fact that I grew a church from 5 people to 40 in a town of 400 did not convince them I could be a successful planter.
My district supports me – they have even paid my way to The Sticks. However, before they give me any support money they are asking me to go to an Assessment. It may not happen until February. I hope I pass. I know I may not.
One thing I do know though – I am doing what God wants me to do. It has happened slowly, and has been confirmed again and again through various different people and situations. So whether or not I pass Assessment, I am planting a church. And may God work in spite of me, because I am in way over my head!