The Church Plant Calling

Life Community launched on October 28th of 2012. Our launch service had over 100 people in attendance was full of excitement, and many of those people (who we met for the first time) have now become dear to me and my family and crucial to our church plant. But to say that the church began on October 28th is a stretch. In all reality, the process began six years early through "the call".

When speaking of "calling" many people get very confused. Did God speak audibly? Did you see some flashing sign in the sky that said "plant a church"? Why is a call even necessary, why can't we just press forward? Much has been written about the call of God, and I would encourage you to pick up Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God for a better understanding of that. For me, I do believe the call of God is crucial for the planter and the planter needs to be called to this task.

I received my initial calling to preach the Gospel at the age of 13. The call to preach took many forms throughout high school, college, and post college days. I traveled as an evangelist, supplied preach, and served as pastor in two established churches, all the while feeling that I was being obedient to the "call of God".

But my call to church planting came in addition to this original calling to preach. For me, the church planting calling started as a slow ember that eventually took the form of a blazing forest. I'll never forget how that first ember began to glow. At the time, I was living in Louisville Kentucky (this was before I moved back to my college town to Pastor my first church), when I stumbled upon an article entitled "LOST IN GEORGIA". It was a small article written by the Georgia Baptist press about the need for new churches in the Bible belt. Wait a minute? New Churches in the Bible belt? You heard right!

The article opened my eyes to declining and stagnant churches. Sadly, the Bible belt seemed to be eroding from the inside out. The article began to speak of a need to return to the Great Commission to plant effective evangelistic churches (even in the heart of the Bible belt). If this was true in Georgia, was it true of Kentucky? Did Kentucky, a state with over 2000 southern Baptist churches need more churches? (Perhaps I’ll write more about this in the future). God used that article to burden my heart for new work ministry, and did He ever burden my heart.

Over the next six years, the calling begin to intensify. This desire grew stronger and stronger. At the time it was almost maddening. Having to wait to do this was not very fun, but at the same time the waiting was very good for me and for the church plant. As the calling burned stronger and stronger my desire for learning about church planting grew stronger and stronger too. I went back to seminary through Liberty University to complete my MDIV. I was so grateful for the church planting classes I took in my MDIV course., which introduced me to the writings of Elmer Towns, Aubrey Malphurs, Ed Stetzer, and Peter Wagner. In addition to this, I listened to many podcasts (Nelson Searcy and Ron Sylvia podcasts were some of the most beneficial that I heard). (One interesting note: A Church Planting class required me to write a mini church plant prospectus, which I kept. When I had to present a real prospectus before a denominational board, remnants of that original class project were found).

The call of the planter is necessary before planting a church. Why? Because it's madness if you don't have it. Lack of funds, lack of leaders, lack of facilities, and a constant testing of patience. If you're not burdened by God you DO NOT NEED TO DO THIS! But if God has called you...be ready....b/c you will echo Jeremiah's call.

"But if I say, "I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot" Jeremiah 20:9. You won't be content until you do it. Here's some tips about God's call for planting.

1. Understand exactly what God has called you to do- Are you the leader of this new work? Do you understand you will have to leave some things behind as a result of this calling? Are you ready for a life change? Are you willing to learn what you need to learn to fulfill his calling?

2. It seems like God likes to make church planters wait- Planting is all about patience. You will be waiting to get funding, waiting for launch, waiting for small groups, waiting for chartering (that's where we are currently). So in the early days when receiving the call, God may have to keep you patient and keep you focused.

3. Learn while you wait- Gobble up every book, podcast, and conference you can before you plant. When the work actually begins, you won't have time to read, you won't have the money for conferences, and your Iphone won’t be used for podcasts, it’ll constantly be ringing! Read! Read! Read! I encourage you to pick up Aubrey Malphurs book on Planting Growing Churches (or any of the books I have listed in the column on the right).

4. Understand God's timing- I received the call to plant 6 years before our church launched. God had a reason for this. There were people that I needed on this team that were not even in Owensboro at that time and I needed to grow personally. If you are currently waiting, believe me, God has a reason for this. Maybe you need to learn more, maybe someone else isn't ready, maybe you need to save money for the future, but don't forget that God's timing is always the best. Just try not to go crazy as the fire is burning in your bones...because you might.

5. Your Spouse needs the calling too- If you’re spouse is not on board…you’re a dead duck in the water. Don’t move forward until she has clearly heard from The Lord as well. Don’t trade a marriage for a church plant.

God is still calling His children to plant Churches….has he called you?