I recently saw a list of 10 Keys to Effective Church Planting. I want to whole-heartedly agree with some and humbly take issue with others (and one in particular)... I don't pretend to know it all- but here are my thoughts as I read through the list. Let's call my reworked thoughts 10 Keys to Sane Church Planting...
The list is:
1. Get on your knees and fight like a man.
2. Team-work makes the dream work.
3. Location, location, location
4. Determine your target audience.
5. It takes big money to plant a church.
6. If you build it they still might not come.
7. Clarify the “win”.
8. Set yourself up for success.
9. Focus on life-giving ministry
10. You get what you expect.
You can see a much more detailed description of these points here
So... in order.
1. Get on your knees and fight like a man.
Aside from the inherent sexism in the way the statement is made, this is a great, great place to start. "Unless the Lord build a house..." :)
2. Team-work makes the dream work.
Yes. It's important to not do this thing alone.
3. Location, location, location
Yeah... Okay. I hear you. I think our outside-the-box meeting space has done huge things for us. But...
I want to differentiate between planting a service and actually planting a community. Planting a service is easy. You just need a bunch of dough, a few people willing to work themselves to death and voila'... and yes, that's all about the location.
Planting a community, however, is a bit more ephemeral... a bit harder to quantify into easy-to-follow steps. It's a partnership between the Spirit and desperate people trying hard to listen to that Spirit. It usually results in a Sunday morning (or other time) gathering, and often people are told about it/invited to it... but that's not the heart of a true community is it?
4. Determine your target audience.
I guess on this one I would just say- Look in the mirror. Expect that the people who will be part of your community will largely look like you. Expect that, but pray for different.
And quit targeting people. I think it freaks them out :)
5. It takes big money to plant a church.
Okay...
If you'll excuse my language, that's a load of shite. And a dangerous lie to tell to church planters. I wish to God (literally) that people would stop saying this. Is it easier to plant with "big money"? In some ways... And I'm really glad for churches that are able to start with a lot of support. Seriously. The fact that someone is willing to put up that kind of money on a venture that statistically has an 80% or more chance of failure is amazing in the best sense of the word. A lot of people are putting their wallets where their mouths are to plant churches.
But.
It's not necessary. You don't have to have "big money" to plant a church... In fact, you might be better off without it.
We had $700 a month committed when we planted our community.
That's it.
But we kept overhead low, we have made due for the past two years with $600 worth of sound system, my associate pastor worked a full time job until this very month... somehow, we managed to launch a vibrant, growing community without big money.
In fact, I've seen churches struggle because of that damned big money.
They "launch" with a full contingent of paid ministry professionals, the whole Kid's Ministry In A Box™ that they bought at some convention somewhere, and the people show up to see the show.
And two years later, when their initial bankroll from momma church or daddy church-planting organization runs out, they fold because they have ministry jacked up to artificially high levels, that is, they have more programs and staff and equipment needs than their people can conceivably give for and support... and when that gap between actual giving and budget needs hits, they need to start laying off staff. And that's a spiral that the heavy-initial-investment, programmatic church model can't handle. When the staff starts going, that equates to a cut in services, and the people soon start edging out the back door for some place down the road with something new and exciting (and better funded!) going on...
Grim? Yeah...
Does it happen to everyone who starts with a big wad of cash? Of course not.
Could it? Oh yeah...
So why not start simple? Let it grow organically...
Different approach, different challenges (for sure)...
But do you need "big money" to plant?
No, no, no. A thousand times no! And you just might be better off with a different approach.
Sorry... got worked up there. I apologize if I stepped on your toes. This one is a serious button for me...
6. If you build it they still might not come.
Amen, brother. So... focus less on building and more on being. Be the kind of community (whether you are 10 people or 100) that others will find loving and welcoming, where they can find God and themselves be found. People will show up for that. You can figure out the bells and whistles later. I say, quit being a builder. Try being a gardener...
:)
7. Clarify the “win”.
Yeeeeahhh... got no idea what this means. I know about setting quantifiable goals and all that. But we're talking people's souls, not numbers. We're talking about community, not benchmarks.
Do your people love God?
Win!
Do they love each other?
Win!
Do they love others outside of your little thing?
Win!
Are you together figuring out how that all works together in community? What that looks like for you as a unique group of Christ followers? Are you feeding people who need food, clothing people who need clothes and generally being Jesus to those God brings in contact with you/your community?
Win, win, win!
Don't have your five-year plan together? No mission statement? No idea what comes next?
Join the club. :)
And don't sweat it.
Do the things Jesus is telling your community to do, love people and trust God to build His church and...
You'll know the win when you see it.
8. Set yourself up for success.
Can't argue with that!
9. Focus on life-giving ministry
Or that!
10. You get what you expect.
And hopefully... a whole lot more.
Amen?
