Reading: Getting Prepared For Opposition (Slides)

Getting Prepared For Opposition

Henry Reyenga

You Will Face Opposition 

Ephesians 6:12   For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. NIV

Institutional Within

Much of the opposition faced by planters comes from within the plant itself. Many new attendees of a church plant are church people who have relocated to the area and find themselves in need of a church "home." They look for one similar to what they left in the former place of residence. This group evaluates the church plant based on what they left and what they need, not on its missional intentions, and certainly not on its DNA. They want the "brand" they just left. And if it's not, they often don't just leave; they try to change things.

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 133-137). Kindle Edition. 

Institutional Without

Institutional opposition also comes in the form of churches in the area that feel "threatened" by the presence of a newly forming faith community. These churches lack a Kingdom mindset and see this new church as the "competition.”

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 137-138). Kindle Edition. 

If An Affiliated Church Is Located Nearby 

You and your mentor should…

make a "courtesy call" on any affiliated churches already in the area of your new church plant, to speak to the pastor and lay leader(s) together-never just the pastor. Introduce yourself, share your heart and call, articulate your vision and style, and follow with a time for Q and A. The Bible encourages us in Romans 12:18, "if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 141-144). Kindle Edition. 

Cultural Opposition

Countless times, requests to rent or lease temporary facilities are sidetracked, stonewalled, or just plain turned down. Much of this is anecdotal, but multiple church planters have commented on the sense of resistance they felt from the local powers, who make it impossible to rent schools, raise church and state issues, frown on extended leases.

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 147-149). Kindle Edition. 

Spiritual Opposition

You need to understand-starting a new church is not a benign activity. Spiritual resistance is inevitable. We're reminded of Paul's request to the Colossians: "Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ" (4:3).

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 150-152). Kindle Edition. 

Spiritual Opposition

When one attempts to plant a church, it's not primarily about techniques. The planter is venturing into "occupied territory" only to be greeted by forces, seen and unseen, conspiring to work against any movement of God. If you think you can march into occupied territory without resistance, you're wrong. There will be a clash. You can't afford to be naive. A battle lies ahead for anyone with a vision for a biblical, loving, Christ-centered community.

James Griffith; William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 154-157). Kindle Edition. 

Spiritual Opposition

Church planting isn't child's play, and spiritual warfare is more than just a metaphor for the conflict that occurs-emotionally, politically, philosophically. Church planting is critical, front-line, make or break it kind of stuff, and the "enemies" of the coming Kingdom want nothing more than to see good, sincere, talented, gifted, and gracious people get destroyed or wounded (or help in the destruction or wounding of others).

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 158-160). Kindle Edition. 

Check Your Calling Again

Church planting is not a game, nor a challenging job, nor an opportunity to experiment with new forms of ministry. Starting a church, then leading it into maturity, is a calling, plain and simple. And if you aren't called -if you can't speak in some way to the deep, unspoken, inarticulate but clear as spring water conviction that God has spoken God's heart to yours and compelled you to this absolutely insane task-don't do it. Run, don't walk, away from it. It's just not worth it, on any level. 

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 161-164). Kindle Edition. 

The Fix: You Need Intercessors To Pray For You

These are individuals who possess the spiritual gift of intercession and who are outside your circle and mission and can hold you, and your family, up before God and pray for your guidance, wisdom, and the grace to lead.

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 166-167). Kindle Edition. 

Draft An Intercessory Prayer Team 

You need to find people who are called to pray, believers whose primary "ministry" in their daily Christian life is to find a quiet place to offer themselves to God in prayer and intercession on your behalf. These believers are willing and able to keep praying until they have a sense that they have "prevailed." Your intercession team needs believers who have a track record of interceding for others and seeing answers regarding protection, provision, and fruit.

James Griffith; William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 169-172). Kindle Edition. 

The Intercessor Team

Your team of intercessors needs to be "outside your plant" so they can pray deeply without an agenda. Being able to do so allows them some sense of objectivity as well as a sense of emotional and spiritual distance from what you and your team are doing, as well as what fires your goals, dreams, struggles, and fears.

James Griffith; William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 174-175). Kindle Edition. 

Never Take It Personally

Some of your new neighbors will be threatened and put off by your existence. You'll find yourself confronted on every level-culturally, spiritually, theologically, and politically. Your little experiment will bug the status quo. You will be confronted with dangers and perils you never imagined. Doors will be slammed in your face, and you may discover those closest to your heart and plan are working at cross-purposes to you. You must resist it all! And, above all, never take any of it personally.

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 182-185). Kindle Edition. 

Supervisory Comments 

Supervisors set the "spiritual tone" for the behind-the-scenes prayer activities. Those supervisors who fail to understand that church planting is a struggle, a battle, will be easily misled and fail to support the church planter. Far too often, the supervisor listens to those complaining about the efforts of the church planter. There's nothing more regrettable. Your church planter needs to know that you are behind them 110 percent!

James Griffith; William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 187-189). Kindle Edition. 

Coaching Comments

The coach must insist that one of the first actions the planter takes is to recruit an "intercessory prayer team." Have the planter tell you who each person is and set up the means necessary for the planter to communicate prayer requests on a regular basis.

James Griffith;William Easum. Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts (Kindle Locations 191-192). Kindle Edition.