These points are in no particular order and will probably come off as completely unrelated, thus the title, Random Thoughts.
1. Church Planters should be Fully Committed.
Many church plants fail because the planter is not fully committed. They are planting by putting out feelers to see if a work will take off. This proves that a person is not called. When you are called, like Abraham, Moses, and Paul, you go all the way for it. Because of this truth, I do not believe a church planter should continue to fellowship at their home church on Sunday mornings. Even if you don’t have a Sunday morning service, you should be doing missionary work in the area that you are planting in. If you are not fully committed, there has to be a question if you are really called.
2. The Church Plant should get its own Post Office Box as soon as possible.
Unless a church is being planted with a permanent facility (a building that the church plant already owns), the church should get its own PO Box as soon as possible. Many planters make the mistake of having their home address or somewhere else as their address. The problem with this is that most church plants are mobile for a number of years. The old adage holds true, ‘Work smarter not harder’. If you don’t get a PO Box, you will have to be constantly letting everyone know about your change of address. If you get a PO Box to start, it alleviates this issue and also helps to separate the church planter from the church itself (which is important for IRS purposes).
3. Proximity breeds accountability so live in the town that you are planting in.
The title really says it all. Proximity breeds accountability. You want to live, shop, and be about the community that you are called to. There is no better way to be ‘incarnate’ in an area then to live there. You will meet folks everywhere and those relationships can always lead to fruitful opportunities for evangelism. Commuter pastors often don’t ever really connect with their communities.
4. Although Core Teams are Great, Expect to Do the Work Yourself
Most church planters struggle with their core team’s lack of commitment. Realistically, the church planter should expect to do almost all the work by themselves. I know that doesn’t sound fun, but it almost always works out this way. If the Lord sends you help, praise Him. If He does not, praise Him still. But if you are called by the Lord to plant a church in an area, think it not strange that He hasn’t sent you help. Remember, He called you so walk worthy of that calling.
5. Playing Guitar or Piano will always Be An Asset.
Finding a worship leader is often very hard. Buying a guitar (or a piano) and getting some lessons from someone is a good idea. Even if you have a worship leader, people get sick. If you can learn to be a substitute worship leader, it will make your life easier. When I was an assistant pastor, my pastor told me that I should play the guitar. So I got one for $50 and learned. Even though I wouldn’t say that I’m a gifted worship leader, it sure beats ‘Karaoke’ styled worship.
6. Guard Your Family
Church planting is not only stressful for the church planter, but it’s also stressful to the planter’s immediate family. For this reason, church planters need to guard, protect, and care for their families. A man’s first ministry is to his family. If you don’t tend to them, how can you tend to the flock of God? If the enemy can’t get directly at the planter, he’ll go hard after the planter’s family. Make sure you keep your date night with your wife (and if you don’t have one, you might want to think about starting one!). If you’re a single planter, make sure that you have some accountability as the temptations will come in ways that you never imagined.
7. When You Don’t Know What To Do, Do Nothing.
This is just a great lesson. Oftentimes, we don’t know what we should do and like all humans, we feel that we should be doing something. When you don’t know what to do then you shouldn’t do anything. It’s an amazing thought, but it is God’s will that we do nothing sometimes. We often feel that as church planters that if we have a lot of things to do that the church is going well. But oftentimes we make ourselves busy because WE want to be busy. You don’t have to have a Midweek service to be a successful church. You only need to do what God is asking you to do. But if you don’t know what that is, then realize that you actually DO know what He is asking. He is asking you to wait patiently and not create any Ishamels.
