In the midst of planting a new congregation, with all it's initial ups-and-downs and attention to detail, I recall thinking early on that, "SOME DAY, when we have a building of our own, a full staff, more money and a (fill in your own blank), THEN life will be easier. THEN we'll be able to put the ministry machine into motion and simply maintain it. THEN, life will be easier for the sake of real ministry...."
Oh how wrong I was...but in a good way.
Just like a school kid who says he can't wait to be a grown-up so he won't have to deal with tests anymore, a planter can exhibit that same kind of thinking. Certainly a start-up from scratch is packed with tests to get off the ground--- like a rocketSHIP--- but even in space, astronauts are still encountering situations. Likewise, when Jesus says to pick up our cross and follow him into a life of discipleSHIP, he is inviting us into a missional life, not a maintenance one. A missional life is not easy, but it is excellent. Those missional tests will lead to missional testimonies of God's missional goodness...and the presence of God's goodness always brings a redeeming A++ to all situations!
In other words, as a church plant matures, the tests simply shift from one challenge to another. Tests change, but they don't go away. That's ok, because it means the plant is moving in a relationSHIP--- it's God to the people and the people to God, then God's people to others. This, instead of just establishing a religious institution where the tests are often more mechanical than missional.
Here are some examples...
1). As your ministry plant grows in "people presence," it creates the need for complexities. For instance, going to two or more worship services means more childcare help is needed, more band member time is required, more prayer teams should be trained and even more coffee must be brewed! Establishing two or more services can create two or more different congregations when it comes to fellowship. A disconnection can start, but that's a test that can be passed well. When people say, "I don't know everyone like I use to," you can remind them the most important person that everyone needs to know at your church is--- Jesus. It's not easy, but it is excellent.
2). Over-prepare and do not ignore on-going coaching advice. After the launch and the excitement of the first few months are behind you, coaching is still needed to prepare for the next challenges. For example, many churches get stuck and will stay stuck at 100 people, or 200 people, UNTIL you change your leadership course. The more folks in worship, the more/better leadership is needed to be trained and deployed for the sake of training and deploying others. Don't first see yourself as a chaplain, but as an apostle who breaks new ground and multiplies impact. If chaplains are needed, recruit and train them from the spiritual gifts that are present in your leadership. Great planters are great at investing in people to make them great! It's not easy, but it is excellent.
3). God inspires great ideas...but He also empowers us by His Holy Spirit to implement good ideas into God action. What's a good idea? Usually one that haunts us from our lack of our implementation! As your new ministry starts growing and time passes, be sure to continue creating fresh opportunities for missional movement. What worked last year may not work this year. Our world/culture is changing that fast! With that in mind, don't throw people into ministry like coal into a furnace to run the machine, but train and encourage them over-and-over. Again, it's relationship over religion. It takes longer, but in the long-run, it blesses deeper and wider because it's God's idea of church. So, empower people to pursue great things. Don't hoard the glory, share the glory. After all, that's what God is doing all the time--- sharing His glory with us as we participate in His mission! It's not easy, but it is excellent.
4). Ask yourself over and over, "What can I pursue today if I wasn't afraid of failure?" Don't be one of those pastors who are just trying to survive. Fear of failure or fear of man is always cancelled when we follow Jesus, who consistently reminds us to "Not be afraid, for I am with you always." No matter how discouraging church planting can be at times--- do not lose the faith. The goal of life is not to arrive at death safely, but to show others how to be the kind of Jesus-disciple that rips down dark curtains for His light to shine through. Hey, when was the last time you heard that kind of talk from a pastor!!? YOU are to be the one to declare such truth! Sometimes short-term losses will gain long-term successes. In my up-coming blogs, I will share a few examples of how the Lord imparted into me "bold faith" for the sake of my planting experience.
A missional life is not easy...but it is excellent.
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