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Am I a church planter?
This is a great question to ponder and pray over. Church planting is not easy.
Mark Driscoll uses 1 Timothy to describe the qualifications of a Church planter as having the strength and fortitude of an ox that can pull a multitude of people in his wake, being able to fight like a dependable soldier of Jesus Christ, train and compete with the precision of a skilled athlete, and work hard like a farmer. (http://www.acts29network.org/sermon/the-ox-qualifications-of-an-acts-29-church-planter/) Clearly there needs to be a high bar for aspiring to lead a Church Plant. Jesus urges us to count the cost of being a disciple (Luke 14:26) and for the purposes of this article, a Church planter.
For me, I knew I was called to some form of Church leadership, but I realised that I was a church planter sitting around a table with David & Philippa Stroud over a meal. David showed me Bill Hybels’ “10 styles of leadership” list and asked some pointed questions.
As we talked, I realised sorting out someone else’s mess as a re-engineering leader would have killed me. The style that grabbed me was Entrepreneurial. Around that table, coffee in hand, I knew I was a pioneer and needed to plant Churches. As I evaluated whether to take on a church that needed a leader or plant a new one, that was all I needed.
Over the last ten years there has been some very helpful research on what Church planters are like. As you read this article, prayerfully work out whether you are a Church planter too.
Todd Hunter of the Vineyard Church movement in the United States did some research into why some of their plants were successful and some failed. He found that the Characteristics associated with successful Church planters are:
• Hard Workers – 100%, but 91% of those that failed also worked hard
• Proven record under supervision or authority 95%
• Sure of their call 95% compared to just 50% of the unsuccessful planters
• An attitude of optimism and faith 95%
• Good social skills, friendly and likeable 95%
• Took responsibility for Church growth themselves 95% compared to 55% of the unsuccessful planters
• Husband and wife felt the call together 90%
• Held the values and vision of the network 90%
• Oversight from other leaders 80%
• A strong marriage 80%
The unsuccessful planters had these characteristics:
• Inability to recruit, train and deploy workers and leaders 95%
• Use of ineffective methods of evangelism and an unwillingness to ruthlessly evaluate the results 77%
• No clear plans or goals – working hard at the wrong things or a lack of focus 77%
• No proven record under supervision or authority 73%
• A nurturer/enabler/facilitator rather than an assertive leader and equipper 68%
• Failed to adequately research and understand the community of the plant 64%
• No trans local support and encouragement 64%
• Unsure of the Holy Spirit’s leading of the Church 59%
• Not willing to take responsibility for Church growth personally 55%
• Success or failure tied to self image, ego, strength problems 55%
• Unsure of call 50%
In a recent Acts 29 blog post (http://www.acts29network.org/acts-29-blog/am-i-a-church-planter/), Scott Thomas reported the top five characteristics of a church planter in an informal survey he conducted at TOAM 2008. In order, they are: Leader/Visionary, Missionary heart, Preacher, Generalist (can do many things as the lone pastor), and Family Man. He also lists 20 characteristics that Acts 29 look for in their planters.
Dr Ridley has come up with a list of ‘13 Knockout Factors for Church Planters’ (http://www.newchurches.com/church-planter-knockout-factors).
1 Visioning capacity
• Being a person who projects into the future beyond the present
• Developing a theme which highlights the vision and philosophy of ministry
• Persuasively selling the vision to the people
• Approaching challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles
• Coping effectively with non-visioning elements
• Not erecting artificial walls or limits either overtly or subconsciously
• Establishing a clear church identity related to the theme and vision
• Believing in God’s capacity to do great things
2. Intrinsically motivated
• Having a desire to do well and a commitment to excellence
• Stick-to-itiveness and persistence
• Having initiative and aggressiveness without the negative connotations
• Having a willingness to work long and hard
• Being a self-starter with a willingness to build from nothing
• Having a high energy and vitality level; physical stamina
3. Creates ownership of ministry
• Helping people to “buy in” and feel responsible for the growth and success of the church
• Gaining commitment of the people to the vision
• Establishing a congregational identity
• Avoiding stereotyping of congregation by imposing unrealistic goals for which it cannot claim ownership
4. Relates to the unchurched
• Communicating in style that is understood by the unchurched
• Understanding the “psychology” or mentality of the unchurched
• Moving and functioning in the “personal space” of the unchurched without fear
• Quickly getting to know the unchurched on a personal level
• Breaking through the barriers erected by the unchurched
• Handling crises faced by the unchurched
5. Spousal cooperation
• Having an explicit agreement regarding each partner’s respective role and involvement in ministry
• Having explicit rules regarding the use of home as an office
• Evaluating the consequences of ministry demands upon the children
• Functioning as a team through individual and collective action
• Having a strategy for dealing with strangers
• Modeling wholesome family life before church and community
• Agreeing upon and sharing the ministry vision
• Deliberately planning and protecting private family life
6. Effectively builds relationships
• Responding with urgency to expressed needs and concerns of people
• Displaying Godly love and compassion to people
• Getting to know people on a personal basis
• Making others feel secure and comfortable in one’s presence
• Not responding judgmentally or prejudicially to new people
• Appreciating and accepting a variety of persons
• Spending quality time with present parishioners without overstepping them for new people
7. Committed to church growth
• Believing in church growth as a theological principle
• Appreciating steady and consistent growth without preoccupation with the quick success factor
• Committing to numerical growth within the context of spiritual and relational growth (more and better disciples)
• Recognizing that non-growth is threatening and self-defeating
• Establishing the goal of becoming a financially self-supporting church within a specific period of time
• Not prematurely falling into a ministry of maintenance
• Seeing the church project within the larger context of God’s kingdom
8. Responsive to community
• Understanding the culture of the community
• Identifying and assessing community needs
• Responding to community needs on a priority basis such that resources are most efficiently used
• Determining successes and failures of other organized religious attempts to respond to community needs
• Not confusing what the community needs with what the church wants to offer
• Acquiring and understanding of the character and “pulse” of the community
• Adapting the philosophy of ministry to the character of the community
9. Utilizes giftedness of others
• Releasing and equipping people to do the task of ministry
• Discerning of spiritual gifts in others
• Matching the gifts of people with ministry needs and opportunities
• Delegating effectively in areas of personal limitation
• Avoiding personal overload by delegating effectively
• Not prematurely assigning ministry assignments before people are adequately equipped
• Not placing unwarranted restrictions on other’s spiritual giftedness
10. Flexible and adaptable
• Coping effectively with ambiguity
• Coping effectively with constant and abrupt change
• Adapting oneself and one’s methods to the uniqueness of the particular church planting project
• Shifting priorities and emphasis during various stages of church growth
• Doing “whatever” is necessary “whenever” necessary
11. Builds group cohesiveness
• Developing a nucleus group or groups as a foundation
• Quickly incorporating newcomers into a network of relationships
• Engaging others in meaningful church activity
• Monitoring the morale of people
• Utilizing groups effectively
• Dealing with conflict assertively, constructively and tactfully
12. Resilience
• Experiencing setbacks without defeat
• Riding the ups and downs (i.e. attendance)
• Expecting the unexpected
• Rebounding from loss, disappointments and failure
13. Exercises faith
• Possessing a conviction regarding one’s call to church planting ministry
• Believing in God’s action
• Having expectation and hope
• Having a willingness to wait for answers to specific prayer requests
To help answer the question, “Am I a Church planter?” look at the characteristics in this article. Talk to people you trust, but recognise it is not just a personality type – some successful planters are extroverts, many are introverts. Deep in your heart is a pioneering spirit and a heart to see lost people come to faith.
Make sure you buy a copy of David Stroud’s Church planting manual!
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