How to get involved in Church Planting

There is a church planting movement happening right now in the United States and around the world. It is causing a rapid multiplication of new disciples of Christ across denominational lines and cultural divides. Experts say that church planting is the number one way to reach unchurched people and make new disciples for Jesus Christ.

C. Peter Wagner says ...

Top 10 reasons to join a church plant

1. If you want to see Jesus do something new and are sick of the status quo.

2. If you dream of being part of something bigger than yourself.

3. If you want to get into a fight/enter a battle for the kingdom of Christ.

4. If you feel a constant itch to see people who don’t know Jesus come to know Jesus and you believe church planting is the best way for the gospel to advance.

Top 10 reasons not to join our church plant

1.  If you’re looking for the next cool thing in town (We want to grow by conversion growth, not church-goer transfer growth).

2.  If you’re a Christian and you don’t like your current church (You will find reasons to not like this church).

3.  If you have a bad track record at churches of being unteachable and causing problems (You won’t change here, you’ll repeat the pattern).

4.  If you’re a consumer wanting to “go to church” 1x a week for a nice show (We are not a Sunday show, we are a community of disciples on a mission).

The Church Exists by Mission

"The Church exists by mission as a fire exists by burning." - Emil Brunner

From time to time, I talk to pastors and church leaders, especially those in the camp of reformed theology, that say things like, “We're a church that's all about discipleship,” or “We're just a church that's trying to go deep.” What I have found over the years is that, much of the time, this is an excuse for them not doing any type of evangelism. I have also found it misleading. I would contend you are not deep as a church or good at discipleship as a church, unless people are getting saved and baptized as a church.

The Gift Bearing Leader

In my book, Leaders Who Last, I propose a definition of leadership. In that definition I state that four responsibilities of a leader are to shepherd, develop, equip, and empower those being led.

It is my conviction that a good leader is more an equipper than a doer. He/she gets more satisfaction out of equipping 10 people for ministry than trying to do the ministry of 10 people. Many times the reason leaders are overwhelmed and over-committed is that they are not equipping others but doing it all themselves.

If Moses' father-in-law were around, he would have the same advice for you and me that he had for Moses (Exodus 18). One of the main responsibilities of a leader is to develop and equip others to make their unique contribution. So, what is involved in doing that? Here are three precious gifts you can give the people around you!