The expression “you’ve got the wrong guy” certainly applies to why some church plants don’t get off the ground. This doesn’t make you or that guy a bad guy or an incompetent guy or a sinful guy, it just might be that you are not wired up for starting things. Not everyone is a planter. Because we’re Christians and because we have been raised in the most individualistic time in the history of human kind, it hurts to read things like this or even consider if this is possible. Let me go ahead and break your heart before you break the hearts of a whole bunch of other people (including yourself).
Disappointment Road is jam packed with people who are operating outside of their gifting. One of the best and worst trends I see is the rise of church planting. It’s the best because we must do this to fulfill the Great Commission and it’s the worst because it’s teetering on the brink of idolatry. We need to plant WAY more churches as long as they are being planted by leaders who are wired up to start things.
Following Christ and living our life as a living sacrifice is not on the same level as church planting. Trust me, after a few months in, the whole church planting thing that is shiny and sexy now, will no longer be shiny and sexy. Once you give birth to it, you gotta raise it. Let this sink in:
You can and friend if you do, your life will have been lived well. The goal in life is faithfulness to God and that doesn’t HAVE TO include planting a church. There are many churches that need more gifted leaders, even the one you’re currently serving.
I am a HUGE fan of the right planters, planting churches. Again this doesn’t make them extra special or extra gifted, it makes them wired up as a starter and pioneering leader. Planters are opportunists and entrepreneurs. They see opportunity before the crowd does and the possess the courage to prey upon it. Planters who have had the most success have started things before they ever thought of starting a church. That could include a business, a campus, a ministry, a book club 🙂 etc. Do you have a resume of starting?
There is a free and costly way to assess if you might be a potential planter. The free version is to say to 10 good friends “I am thinking of starting a church.” Their response will tell you alot and it’s totally free 🙂 The costly way and best way is to go through a Church Planting Assessment. There are a few out there but the one we recommend and have used is CPAC through Stadia. The investment will be well worth it.
If you are preparing to plant a church, I’m here to help!
Jon
