“Should I move? Should I plant again? Should I go somewhere else, because this doesn’t seem to be working as well as I thought it would, and ________________ seems like a great place to plant.”
These are some of the calls I get. And it seems soooo romantic to move from a struggling place to somewhere you are needed and a church or thousands is birthed! The stories of people moving from one location to another and blowing it up for Jesus are the exception, not the rule! <—– Remember that!
I am getting ready [possibly] to plant our 3rd church in the future [6th campus]. All are still doing well and I am currently 4 days from moving back to my home state to sit, listen, and wait on the Lord for what might be next. Read about it HERE.
So with this in mind, here are 8 quick things [outside of prayer, seeking God, supernatural signs, and all of the spiritual things you will write to me saying should be on the list] to assess before deciding if you should move to plant [for the 1st time or 3rd time and when to stay put] and what I believe is the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK:
1. The first thing you MUST DO is read CHURCH IN THE MAKING by Ben Arment. [This is #1, please read it. Best church-planting book I have read in years.] It will help you more than anything I am about to say, and you will read it in a day.
2. Realize that the grass is not greener anywhere else. If it isn’t working here in God’s power, location isn’t always the answer.
3. If your church is still averaging less than 50 adults, you should consider an entire re-launch, because you were not or are not ready to even be a church yet.
4. Have you given it your all for 3 or more years and are you considering moving to an area that you are VERY FAMILIAR with, such as a hometown or area you have spent significant years in? If so, maybe a move is right.
5. Is your family suffering in some way due to this current calling?
6. Do you love God’s church more than God’s people? You can’t love the church like Jesus did. You aren’t called to! You are called to LOVE GOD and LOVE OTHERS, and a church will be birthed out of this, not the other way around!
7. Did you ever have a coach, or do you have a coach? If not, CALL ONE RIGHT NOW AND WORK THROUGH THIS WITH THEM! If you don’t know who to call, then e-mail me: ch**********@gm***.com // let’s talk.
Here is what I believe might be the #1 most important question to ask yourself:
8. If you were to die right now, where would you want to be buried? This is where I would say that you are called to plant a church.
So GO…do what God is asking you to do and may HE DIRECT YOUR PATHS [Proverbs 3.5-6]
