Reading: Who Should Plant Churches? (Part 1) - Slides and Additional Reading

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this session is to provide a basic profile of some characteristics that a successful church planter should possess.  We will highlight the importance of call and some of its Biblical implications; discuss the role of formal education contrasted with vocational preparation; and provide a tool for the planter’s self-evaluation. 

INTRODUCTION

TWO OPPOSING PARADIGMS 

Some propose the following answers: 

a. Formal education | The man who works hard to get rich. 

Faulty information without formal training can cause people to make serious errors. 

b. No Formal studies | Go and “dew” exactly what Joe “duz.” 

If we depend solely on people trained at Traditional seminaries who graduated in seminaries and government accredited Bible institutes, we will never reach the general population. (There are not enough seminary graduates to work with all the people in the world!) 

The opposite sides of the spectrum presented us with a challenge until Christian Leaders Institute came along where you can get both formal ministry training and mentoring for practical experience.

Who should we prepare to plant churches and how do we prepare them? 

How to resolve the dilema?  The man who sharpens his blade

Work hard and intelligently

•       Ecclesiastes 10:10

•       Acts 18:24-28

 What Role Does Formal Training Take?

•       How formal training has helped them?

•       Something that they have learned ‘on the job’  

PRESENTATION OF THE MODULAR APPROACH TO TRAINING CHURCH PLANTERS 

Between the one-day seminar and the four-year seminary is another option of a skill-based, on-the-job-training method known as the modular approach.

CHOOSING THE PLANTER

The job of identifying and recognizing a potential church planter requires that we consider some Biblical and spiritual elements that should be present in the candidate we select.

a.     One mandatory principle | The church planter must be called by God.

“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  Acts 13:1

In his book, “Essential requirements for an effective sermon”, James D. Crane confirms the need for a call from God to those who have a ministry of the Word.  He reminds us of two words that Paul uses in the Scriptures, which communicate revealing qualities of call.  (2 Corinthians 5:18-20 and 1 Corinthians 4:1-2):

•       Dispenser (Oikonos) |  You can’t give what you don’t have.

•       Ambassador | Represents the King’s, not his own interests.

b.    Four points related to the church planter’s call | Arturo Robles writes that the church planter’s call must be: 

1.             Divine:  from GOD

2.             Confirmed:  by oneself & other PEOPLE

3.             Specific:  to a particular COMMUNITY/ministry

4.             Fulfilling: the church planter finds SATISFACTION in doing the ministry God directs him to

 

Areas that the Church Planter is responsible for: (Stetzer) 

Church planter and author Stetzer (2003) emphasizes the responsibilities of the church planter, especially when the church is more than just a dream and is already a reality. He talks about how exhausting the work of the church planter is and suggests that he dedicate no less than fifteen hours weekly to evangelism. He should dedicate ten hours to sermon and Bible study preparation, ten hours to administration and fifteen hours to pastoral care. In the case of the bi-vocational church planter, Stetzer suggests that weekly he invest about three hours for evangelism, two hours for sermon and Bible study preparation, two hours for administration and three hours per week for pastoral ministry. 

Whether we agree with Stetzer or not, keep in mind family time, personal time and other responsibilities and you will have an idea why the church planter needs to be self-disciplined and have great energy for the demands of the ministry. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SUCCESSFUL PLANTER 

Dr. Gary Teja quotes Dr. Charles Ridley, a professor in the doctoral program for psychological counseling at the University of Indiana, recognized as a specialist in evaluation and ministerial selection. Ridley designed an evaluative instrument to determine the characteristics of an effective church planter. The following is a summary of his research. 

SUCCESSFUL CHURCH PLANTERS 

1. ARE VISIONARY 

The effective planter possesses the ability to see opportunities in the midst of circumstances. He sees a clear picture of what the future can and should be and can share it with those who are part of his team. His vision for planting a healthy church will help him persevere in difficult moments. 

Nehemiah saw possibilities in the midst of the desolation of Jerusalem: 

“Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” Neh. 2:3 

“If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.” Neh. 2:5 

Example of Walt Disney: They say that after having finished a part of the great Disney World amusement park, the architect said to Disney’s wife (Disney had already been dead for a while): “What a shame that Walt never saw this.” Walt Disney’s wife answered: “He did see it, way before we ever did.” 

2. ARE SELF-MOTIVATED 

The planter is motivated internally for the task. Areas that concern the planter (Stetzer): 

• Evangelism 

• Preparation of sermons and Bible studies 

• Administration 

• Pastoral ministry 

• Family 

• Personal time 

• Other responsibilities 

3. ARE ABLE TO INVOLVE OTHERS IN MINISTRY 

The planter knows how to include others in ministry so that they feel a part of it. People join in the vision of the new church because the planter makes them an integral part of the mission. 

“Two are better than one…” Ecclesiastes 4:9 

DANGER | More church planters than we’d like try to plant a church alone. They use other people as mere servants who carry out their wishes and don’t make use of the gifts and talents that the Lord has given each of his children. 

KEY | By working in a team, one stays strong in the work and has people to lean on in both good and bad times. 

4. REACH NON-BELIEVERS 

If the purpose of planting congregations is to seek the lost, we need to look for them where they are. 

• Don’t go fishing in the fish tank (or fish bowl or barrel) 

• Jesus said to his disciples, “I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17; Luke 5:10

Illustration of a man fishing in a fishbowl: If the purpose of church planting is to seek the lost, then we should look for them where they can be found. We’re not going to go fishing in a well or a puddle, we’re going to go where the ‘fish’ are. The question each church planter needs to ask is: Where are the ‘fish’ I’m after? 

Remember that a new congregation is going to be nourished by new believers. Jesus said to his disciples: “I will make you fishers of men” (Mt. 4:19; Mr. 1:17; Lk. 5:10). 

Church planters must understand what Jesus was saying and develop this important characteristic in order to be effective, relevant and contemporary in their evangelism. 

5. HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THEIR SPOUSE 

The married planter needs to have the support of his or her spouse. Together they should reach an agreement regarding the participation of each. Though the models and level of support vary, both the church planter and the spouse must be committed to the ministry. 

A serious but common error: 

The worst error a married church planter can make is to underestimate the importance of the spouse’s participation in the ministry. No success in church planting can make up for the failure of one’s marriage. One cannot do battle on two fronts for a long time without losing one side. If you are married, don’t plant a church without the support of your spouse. 

With your spouse: 

a. Ask your spouse how he/she feels about planting a church and what are the gifts and areas of interest are. Ask him/her what things about church planting make him/her uncontrollable. Talk about how you can address these areas. 

b. With your spouse, discuss what his/her involvement will be in the church plant and how you will nurture your marriage despite the demands of ministry. 

6. CAN ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS 

The church planter has the ability to make healthy connections with other people, and has influence due to his/her social gifts. 

The planter relates well to: 

• The team of leaders in the church plant. 

• Those he wants to reach. 

• Community leaders. 

• People in the community. 

• Other leaders. 

People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.