My buddy is speaking on church planting on the subject of Myths of Church Planting and emailed me and asked me to share some of the myths I've encountered in my first 20 months of planting. Here is my reply:
Here you go...
Myth: It takes money to plant a church. Truth: It takes a man with courage and conviction. Money doesn't raise itself.
Myth: Play to your strengths: Truth: Staff to your strengths. People people can't do it without Project people.
Myth: Play to your strengths: Truth: Staff to your strengths. Project people can't do it without People people.
Myth: Coaches help some. Truth: When your coach says develop teams and you fly solo, you're an idiot.
Myth: Building (planting) a church is sexy and cool. Truth: Foundations aren't sexy. Concrete and ugly form board aren't sexy. But neither is stopping to repair the crappy house you built too quickly without counting the cost.
Myth: If you plant and water, God will cause the growth! Truth: You can't deny the Law of the Farm. You can plant. You can water. But if you can't wait, you'll either dig up good seed (quit too early) or yell at the seed to grow (go nuts) or pull up something that isn't ready to produce fruit (shallow church).
Myth: You only thought you had dealt with your father wound, people pleasing and fear of man issues before you plant. Truth: You haven't.
Myth: If you don't delegate, you'll struggle. Truth: If you don't delegate, you die.
Myth: Church Planting is Hard. Truth: Church Planting is Brutal.
Myth: It is all about relationships. Truth: Today I started a relationship with a young couple named Pete and Staci. They moved here from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You know why they came? They saw the signs that I was too proud to put out the first 8 months of planting.
Myth: It isn't about Sunday morning. Truth: It's not if you don't hold a gathering on Sunday morning.
Myth: It is not about the numbers. Truth: If you are counting people, salvation, baptisms, Life Groups, healed marriages, etc... IT IS ABOUT THE NUMBERS! If you are counting how many cats your church members own, it's not about the numbers.
Myth: Church Planting can be time consuming. Truth: Church Planting can idolatry.
Myth: If you have plenty of money, you'll be fine. Truth: I've never had plenty of money so I have no idea...
Myth: If you plant a church without the support of your wife, you'll fail. Truth: If you plant a church without the support of your wife, you'll get divorced and then fail.
Myth: You will be tempted and tested when you plant a church. Truth: You've not seen tempting or testing until you plant a church! The devil would rather kill a baby than a grown man! He will attack you and your church with all the fury of hell. He hates new, creating, and birth. It is the opposite of status quo, destroying, and death.
Myth: It is just a season. Work hard and your wife and kids will be okay. Truth: If you ever put God's bride above your bride, God's family above your family, your bride and your family will resent you. If they resent you long enough, they will despise you.
Myth: You need good worship, good preaching and good kids programs on Sundays if people are going to come. Truth: If they don't have a place to serve (ministry) and people to serve with (community) they might come, but they won't stay.
There are plenty of others that I will share later...
Myth: It takes money to plant a church. Truth: It takes a man with courage and conviction. Money doesn't raise itself.
Myth: Play to your strengths: Truth: Staff to your strengths. People people can't do it without Project people.
Myth: Play to your strengths: Truth: Staff to your strengths. Project people can't do it without People people.
Myth: Coaches help some. Truth: When your coach says develop teams and you fly solo, you're an idiot.
Myth: Building (planting) a church is sexy and cool. Truth: Foundations aren't sexy. Concrete and ugly form board aren't sexy. But neither is stopping to repair the crappy house you built too quickly without counting the cost.
Myth: If you plant and water, God will cause the growth! Truth: You can't deny the Law of the Farm. You can plant. You can water. But if you can't wait, you'll either dig up good seed (quit too early) or yell at the seed to grow (go nuts) or pull up something that isn't ready to produce fruit (shallow church).
Myth: You only thought you had dealt with your father wound, people pleasing and fear of man issues before you plant. Truth: You haven't.
Myth: If you don't delegate, you'll struggle. Truth: If you don't delegate, you die.
Myth: Church Planting is Hard. Truth: Church Planting is Brutal.
Myth: It is all about relationships. Truth: Today I started a relationship with a young couple named Pete and Staci. They moved here from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You know why they came? They saw the signs that I was too proud to put out the first 8 months of planting.
Myth: It isn't about Sunday morning. Truth: It's not if you don't hold a gathering on Sunday morning.
Myth: It is not about the numbers. Truth: If you are counting people, salvation, baptisms, Life Groups, healed marriages, etc... IT IS ABOUT THE NUMBERS! If you are counting how many cats your church members own, it's not about the numbers.
Myth: Church Planting can be time consuming. Truth: Church Planting can idolatry.
Myth: If you have plenty of money, you'll be fine. Truth: I've never had plenty of money so I have no idea...
Myth: If you plant a church without the support of your wife, you'll fail. Truth: If you plant a church without the support of your wife, you'll get divorced and then fail.
Myth: You will be tempted and tested when you plant a church. Truth: You've not seen tempting or testing until you plant a church! The devil would rather kill a baby than a grown man! He will attack you and your church with all the fury of hell. He hates new, creating, and birth. It is the opposite of status quo, destroying, and death.
Myth: It is just a season. Work hard and your wife and kids will be okay. Truth: If you ever put God's bride above your bride, God's family above your family, your bride and your family will resent you. If they resent you long enough, they will despise you.
Myth: You need good worship, good preaching and good kids programs on Sundays if people are going to come. Truth: If they don't have a place to serve (ministry) and people to serve with (community) they might come, but they won't stay.
There are plenty of others that I will share later...
