I’ve planted three churches. I’ve taught at a lot of church planting conferences too. Rarely does a week go back that I don’t get to talk to guys planting churches and almost always I get asked the question, “if you could tell me one thing about planting a church, what would it be?”
Fourteen years into this crazy thing, I think I can finally answer that question. The best thing you can do is be YOU!
The Problem with Borrowing Vision
I’m so fearful that the large majority of church planters out there are borrowing the vision of others when planting their churches instead of hearing from God and doing what He uniquely has called you to do.
I have even heard a very well known preacher say, “if you don’t have a vision for your church, borrow one.” That has to be some of the worst advice I’ve ever heard. Here is some better advice: If you don’t have a vision for your church, don’t start one.
Pursue Your Own Calling
The last thing your city needs is another church with casual dress, a wanna be rock band, and you casting the same old vision everyone else has cast.
God doesn’t need another ____________ Church, but He does need the church He called you to plant. Quit worrying about what is cool or what everyone else is doing and start doing what God called you to do.
Unique Visions Win
In my previous life, I had the honor of being around a lot of the pastors/churches that everyone seems to trying to copy. I have ate with them, chatted with them, and spoke at their churches and the funny thing is when they started they weren’t trying to be __________ Church, they were secure enough to know God called them to do something unique and they did it. I’m a huge believer that is why these guys are change their cities!
The churches you are trying to copy, weren’t trying to copy someone when they started, they weren’t worried about who thought it was “cool” and they certainly weren’t concerned with whether or not it was the “in” thing to do.
Four Key Steps
- Get alone with God and figure out what He is burning in your soul.
- Take an honest look at your gifts and figure out what vision compliments those gifts.
- Look at your community and figure out what type of church is missing.
- Don’t worry about what everyone else thinks, just do it!
Get Free
One of the most freeing days of your life will be the day you discover the vision God has given you and you quit trying to be something you are not!
About the Author
Great article Gary. As I think about church planting in a few years, the one thing I don’t want to do is try to be like someone else.
Art, thanks. It’s about time for you to plant a church. I figured all us planters you hang out with would have rubbed off on you by now
Great article that transcends just church planting.
Thanks.
So True! I spent the first few years afraid to be me. I knew people like Andy, Erwin, Ed, and Louie so if I just tried to be like them people would like me. It wasn’t until I realized that God made me unique, called me to a unique place to reach unique people. As long as I tried to be someone else I would miss out on who God wanted me to reach.
Jeff, it truly is freeing. Being secure in your vision changes you. It makes you where you can actually enjoy what you’re doing because you aren’t worried about what others think or if you are doing it well, because you just have peace knowing you’re doing what you were created to do.
Why are you only having conversations with “guys” on starting churches? Was that deliberate or a mis-statement ?