Holy Stubborness

Guest Post by Josh Montague

"Impatience, the refusal to endure, is to pastoral character what strip mining is to the land–a greedy rape of what can be gotten at the least cost, and then abandonment in search of another place to loot." (Eugene Peterson, quoted in Darrin Patrick, Church Planter)

Assessments, books, podcasts, inspirational conferences, and good coaching will teach you many things regarding how to plant a church. You need to raise funding, build and lead a team, build and lead good systems, understand and love your community, preach, evangelize, disciple, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. All are good things, but rarely are you told something that makes you think, "I never thought of that before."

I've rarely–if ever–heard someone quickly mention perseverance as a defining character trait of effective church planters.

I've been in Madison for eight years and have had dozens of potential planters sit down with me over a cup of coffee and ask, "So what does it take to plant in Dane County?" They're usually looking for some holy grail that others on the quest have died trying to find. These enthusiastic, zealous men want to know about effective events or what style of gatherings bring in the masses. And I get the chance to give my standard answer: "Holy Stubbornness." If you're going to plant a church, you need to commit yourself to persevere by God's grace.

Love the Gospel + Love your City + Love the Church. And then hang on tight.

If you love the Gospel and the Church, but not the City, you'll quickly become grumpy and whine about the wickedness of the City and the impenetrability of Satan's stronghold.

If you love the City and the Church, but not the Gospel, you may do some really good social work, but Jesus will be be noticeably absent.

If you love the Gospel and the City, but not the Church, you'll build a para-church ministry that may or may not last, but will more than likely fade away when you do.*

If you love the Gospel, the City, and the Church, but don't persevere, you'll quickly become disenchanted with the mission and give up. Let's say it straight: Church Planting is brutally hard work. It will take its toll on your health and your family, whether you're physically, emotionally, and spiritually prepared for it or not. In Madison, there's a fairly typical story. A dude or team has a vision/dream/Word from God/calling, usually involving 500 people by the second year. They move to Madison and find out it's not Atlanta or Dallas or Lansing, MI (my case). After year one, they're out of money, have 10 people meeting in their living room and are wondering if God still loves them. After year two, they discover via necessity that they love the house church model. By their third anniversary, they've moved back home.

Did they mistakingly discern God's general call (plant churches) for a specific vision (500 in 2 Years or Bust!)? Maybe. Specific visions make for good fund-raising slogans. Sometimes that's it.

Did they mistakingly transfer other experiences/models to this area? Probably.

Did they give up too soon? Usually.

Church planters, don't start unless you're committed for the long haul. Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:9 to "not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Our "reaping" may not follow in the same track as Acts 2:41 or [insert mega-church name here].

Madison doesn't need mega-churches, though. It needs pastors and churches who love the Gospel, love the City, and love the Church come hell or high water. In some cases that will be mega, in others, it will be micro, but for the glory of God, the good of the city, and the love of the church, persevere.

How? Here's a few practical suggestions:

1. Love the Gospel more than you love your idol of church planting success. That's right, idol. Let's call it what it is.
2. Find your identity in Christ more than you find your identity in your ministry.
3. Rely on your general call (plant churches, make disciples) more than a specific vision. General calls are biblical. Specific visions aren't.
4. Be realistic. You're not [insert mega-church pastor's name here]. Sorry to be the one to say it.
5. Learn to lead and love your family, but also learn to enjoy your family. There may be times when they're your entire church.
6. Listen to good coaches, team members, and above all, your wife. She knows you better than you think.*

Elmer Towns once said, "Church planting is like wrestling an alligator. The critter is so slippery and dangerous, sometimes the best advice is, 'Don't get killed!'"

__________

*I'm pretty sure the Gospel, City, Church concept is Driscollian, but I didn't look it up.

*Suggestions 4-6 are essentially taken from Darrin Patrick's excellent book, Church Planter.