Video Transcript: Scoping Out Your Church Plant

Before we really get too deep into this church planting class, it's good to scope  out the type of church, you're going to plant in a lot of ways that starts now in  your imagination. Its core in your foundational thinking, to basically start asking  yourself, Who am I called to reach? So who are you called to reach? Now, first  of all know that in every place, there are geographic villages, and there are  people, group villages. And it's very important to make this distinction. I  remember, when I planted my first church, occasionally, we would get a biker  that would be taking his Harley right into our church parking lot. And I noticed  that very few of these biker types stayed. And I noticed there was a church  planter in the area, who had lots of bikers. In fact, he himself owned a Harley  Davidson motorcycle. And it seemed like they connect there. And at first, I was a little bit offended by that. And then through mentorship, and also talking with that church planter, I realized that that particular people group village of bikers, they  really understand that biker leader, and together they reach people in a village of influence. And that's how life is there are villages and then there are churches  that are within your village of influence. So start as you think about scoping out  your church plant, start thinking, what would your village be like? Now, some  people say, Well, I'm just going to reach the village as is and many villages are  basically the same people group villages well, and you'll find that they can be  large numbers like suburban areas, and so forth can be very large people  groups, just start being aware of it. Dennis Crumbly, says, given that prayer is  the first thing in leading you to plant, just about any city in any state is ripe for  the harvest. However, you may not be the right farmer for that particular field. So he says, you know, really know thyself know who you are, and know who you  are called to influence. And we'll be talking more about that in this class. Next,  really come from a perspective of we understand each other for us, in many  successful church planters in it is the city or close to the city where we grew up.  Once you think about the place and the way you grew up, the people with which  you have influenced the culture to which you are already accustomed for God to train you and send you back there makes perfect sense. Now what he's  basically is saying, he's restating the ideas, you're probably closest to the  people group of who you are raised to be. Many times throughout the worlds I've traveled, I've seen missionaries come into an area is very, very different. And if  they do not pass off indigenous leadership, it's like they move to a place that  they're not and you'll see that their church is, relatively speaking, very small and  funded by outside sources in America, but they're not indigenous. If that same  missionary church planter would go back to his village in America, he would find  a lot more success because he understands those in his life. Now, I'm not  against the mission movement, God has mightily used the mission movement.  But more and more and more missions is becoming more and more indigenous  as the word of God is spread all over the world. And this principle is very, very  important. You know, as we think about this topic, what I'm encouraging you to 

do is to visit new churches. Now is the perfect time while you're learning about  church planting, to visit as many church plants are you as able that's what  Crumbly says. Although it is always good to visit established churches whenever possible. Remember that new churches in established ones are completely  different. Take plenty of notes, ask questions, make appointments with lead  pastors, and do as as much due diligence as possible to to gain real, reliable  insights and knowledge during this period. Remember the old adage that says  there ain't no such thing as a dumb question. It's true. If you think it, go ahead  and ask it. You'll be thankful you did another words in this church planning class. If you're thinking about planting a church, talk to your mentor, find a mentor in  church planter in your area, even if you're not planning on playing Ending  planning on planting a church. Now would be a good time to talk about the topic  just to get informed about church plans, visit it, visit some other churches in your area. Your local vision will start forming what you will actually be doing, whether  you realize it or not, will be shaping the vision, the philosophy, the core values,  the mission, solidifying the governmental structure that will be in your new  church. Yes, visiting other churches is just that important. You can go to many of the church plant seminars and round tables if you like, and they are all over the  place. But I promise you this, you will gain tons more information by going and  watching on a normal Sunday when the rubber meets the road. So as you're in  this process, before you're even thinking about your church plant, visit other  church plants, talk with pastors and mentors who love church planting. Here's  another very important thing to remember right now, before you even embark on church planting. You're going to work, it's going to be hard work. And the  question is, are you called to sacrifice? When asked about ministry, a great  pastor and friend of mine always responds, how do you spell ministry and he  says W R O K, Work. There's no other statement that can be any truer when it  comes to planting a church. Tie. Many leaders have been deceived in a fully  prepared by what ministry will be and look like during the first few years of the  new church. I know for myself as a church planter, that it's about work. Now,  when I say this, I did not mean workaholism , I did not mean that you put your  family on the shelf member, they're the first and most important church. But  remember, it's going to be about work. You know, a friend of mine who owns a  good size company was telling me about the type of people that work out at their company and the ones that don't. And what he was telling me is, is the people  who work out are the people with fast pace, who when they they work hard, they get things done for not plodding around as a church planter, that's your attitude,  are you called to sacrifice and there's like a rebellion inside of all of us, that  doesn't give ourselves totally to getting something done. You know what it is  you're at home, you know, you should do the chores, you just don't feel like it, or you're working and you know what you should be doing, you should be meeting  that person, you know, go to the gas station, meet a person, but you won't, 

because there's that rebellion. But work work work is one of the things that really bring out great church planters, and to come in to love your work. Here's another thing that you want to consider right now. It may not be the people you think. I  know that many leaving Bible schools with high hopes of attracting the top  leaders of their community on the first day of a church plant. But unless they are relatives or close friends, it's probably going to be that other group of people. In  other words, don't think you haven't figured out there'll be so many miracles  along the way, people you have never met before. And at first, it can be  frustrating. But it may not be the people you think. So it's about asking God to  help you reach those who need God. Dennis Crumbly says I asked for the  disgruntled the bruise the offended and guess what? I got exactly what I asked  for. We literally have to get it dedicate to Wednesday services to teach people  how not be awkward. You want to know something else. God showed us that if  we would open our church to the people that no other church wanted. He would  fill them with people that every church really wanted. It just sounds like God, is  in it. You see, that's how it is. As we're reaching people, God brings who we  really want. Now, I will tell you that among churches that plant to the rich people  there are bruised, disgruntled and offended. The poor people there are bruised,  disgruntled and offended in every social class. There are disgruntled, bruised,  offended. And right now is the time to ask God God. We want to be your  ambassadors and reach who you want us to reach. I said that very slowly. But it  comes down to that starting to pray now about who God is calling you to reach  and pray that God will bring them in. Here's another thing before you get into  church planting, will you do anything that needs to be done? Now this is different than the the question of just hard work. It's what type of work will you do? It was  very common to visit families visit hospitals, study, pray run errands, such as  pick up supplies for the bathroom, have a council session counseling session,  then go pick up building supplies from Lowe's. That's a building retailer in USA  for the renovation or don't demolition, demolition, um, that was going to happen  at the building. You just signed a lease on all of this by noon, think of it errands  counseling, bathroom supplies, you know, as a church planter, when you start  you're the only church you and possibly your spouse and family. The next issue  in to really settle upon is are you bi-vocational or vocational? The reality is, is  whatever the answer to that question, all the rules are in you to start. My first  year as church planter. I was a pastor, visionary, evangelist, counselor  fundraiser, Bible teacher, Team Leader, Carpenter, electrician, plumber, air  conditioning repairman, Demolition Man, a floor guy, a consultant, negotiator  and mediator, a pickup and delivery guy, a janitor, wash your dishes and make  our coffee. And of course, a writer of checks. Now in all of this, is that something for vocational or bi-vocational, if you're bi-vocational, you have another job. So  for you, it's gonna be very important that you had help and all these roles. If  you're vocational many times, you're doing all these things. Now, there's a 

danger in each. If you're vocational, you start getting used to doing all these  things, you never share the stage with others. If you're bi-vocational, certain  things may not just get done. So you're you're always in that tension of making  more stages for people to help your leadership. And remember this, the team  will form. Sometimes I always think it's like, amazing. You do this? And  somehow God will bring people? And my answer is yes, he will. And it is a  miracle. I have that at Christian leaders Institute. Sometimes I think, well, I find  these next supporters and donors that support this ministry. So we keep it free,  that we can go into other languages that we can keep planting churches all over. And I have the same truth that a church planter will have. I just pray, I trust God,  I meet people, I help others get on the team to share ministry training worldwide. And somehow the team the all of the team will form Crumbly says, at times, you  will feel overwhelmed at all of the things that have to be done and the questions  in question, what you have gotten yourself into, that's normal. But if you follow  along with me throughout the rest of this book, Crumbly encourages you, you  will find out very quickly how to raise up great teams of leaders around you how  to accurately intentionally and correctly give them ownership of the ministry by  coming back to bite you later on. You know, Crumbly is a great resource. And in  this class, there are going to be many resources. And these resources are about how to accurately intentionally incorrectly build up ownership in the ministry God may be calling you to. I want to end by just giving you this church planter  expectation that Crumbly talks about in his fascinating if you think about it, only  5% of church planters time is going to be about preaching. So just make sure  you really realize that yes, become a very effective preacher, pro communicator,  evangelist for the gospel. But remember that when you plant a church, the  largest percentage of time is manual labor. And there's meetings and visiting  and means and visiting are all about people. So really, you've got large, the  most segment is actually people then work then preaching. So as you think and  pray about church planting yourself or as you think about what a church planter  does, understand that a church planter is about listening to God. reaching  people, developing a team of people, a lot of hard work, a lot of people, a walk  with God. All of the things come together to plant a new church in the village  your call to reach