A guy planting a new church in North Carolina met with me the other day and asked a great question:
"What do you know now that you wish someone would have emphasized to you at the beginning of your church planting process?"
I could have given him 1,000 things that I've tried, wondered about, succeeded at, failed miserably, or was intrigued by, but I narrowed the answer down to three ideas:
1. Develop Leaders-
Don't approach church planting (or ministry for that matter) with the "Lone Ranger" mentality. Studies show that the average person can have a direct impact and influence on approximately 100 people. A pastor/planter is no different. If his direct realm of personal influence gets any bigger than 100 people, then people/issues/opportunities start falling between the cracks. It's no wonder that the average size of the American evangelical church today is hovering around 89 people. They have one guy that is giving all that he has to his calling, and he's maxed out his pastoral ability. A lack of leadership development often impedes the growth of the church and makes the pastor a "jack of all trades, but master of none." Reproducing yourself as a leader is crucial for church growth and discipleship. Fight the mentality that you have to do everything, be involved in everything, and make all the decisions yourself! A high mark of good leadership is the ability to delegate. A strong leadership legacy is the people you have developed to lead in your place.
Next up, Avoid "Ministry Pornography"-
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