training…
church planting is a unique ministry…it seems as if everyone thinks they are a church planter…deacons/elders giving you trouble…start a church…get fired…start a church…want to change worship styles and the church rebels…start your own…
the truth…not every called pastor is called to be a church planter…there are a specific set of skills and systems that go into starting a church…and a being a successful pastor does not always prepare you for being a successful church planter…
ask yourself…”have i ever started a club, business, ministry with no money…no members…no staff…?” if you haven’t starting a church is difficult…”have i ever had to live by faith…” i’m not talking about faith that the sun will rise tomorrow…or that the children will obey…or get into college…i’m talking about faith that if God doesn’t touch someone’s life my family may not eat this week…or the mortgage might not get paid…if not planting a church is going to be difficult because your faith in daily provision will be tested…”have you ever cast vision that other’s attacked as being unrealistic but you did it anyway?…”have you ever had friends in ministry turn on you?”, etc, etc.
if you are called you also need to be equipped…you may even need to check out to see if church planting is for you…Clark Howard encourages people that are considering starting a business or franchise to go and work in that industry before starting the business… i think that is good advice for a church planter…go work for or volunteer as a staff member before taking on the role of lead church planter…at the very least find someone to walk you through and help you prepare for planting a church…
to that end…WRC is doing it again…starting August 14…the next School of Church Planting begins…if you’re interested…give me a call or email me… starting our 6th year of preparing church planters to launch well…770 222 2125…ext 333, jima@westridge.com
prepare yourself for the task ahead…
