Church planting: put the right head on

Steve Thomas, Team Leader, European Apostolic Team

 

Worzel Gummidge is a scarecrow. He used to appear on children's TV programmes in the 80's, along with his friend Aunt Sally. He could change his personality by putting on different heads!

As we talk about church-planting, I am pleading that we have the right head on! A head with faith, adventure, enlargement - thinking big written into it!

The following notes are from a talk first prepared for a church-planting seminar in Paris, France. It wasn't the best attended seminar I've ever spoken at, but if the handful of people who attended went out and reproduced even thirty-fold what we sowed in, there would be excellent fruit!

Before we plant.

As we think about 'the harvest' our starting point should be the same as Christ's. Reading various passages in Matthew from 9:35 through 16:31 should provoke some searching questions!

Is our perspective of the harvest the same as Christ's? Do we see our village/town/city as 'hard', perhaps even 'harder' than other places? If so, that which we fear will come upon us! Or is our mindset that of Christ: "the harvest is ready. Let's get the workers out!"

Is our heart for people the same as Christ's? Do we see people, with compassion, as harassed and helpless? Our aim is not trying to make people fit our moulds or to conform them to our beliefs, but to show kindness, grace and mercy, recognising that coming to faith is a process, and seeing love in action is part of the process of people coming to  know the person of Christ?

Is our prayer the same as Christ's? His prayer was for workers: not for "souls" first, but for workers. Workers take responsibility (as Christ did), as part of team, to show Christ's love in many ways.

Is our spirit the same spirit as Christ's? Do we have a generosity of spirit, as seen in Matthew 10.7-10? Giving of ourselves, our people, our time, our relational life, our money? Giving value to those we seek to reach out to?

Are we happy to follow same strategy as Christ's? Matthew 10:11-14 is very pragmatic! Work where people are open and welcoming! Scatter lots of seed! Follow the cloud!

There's nothing wrong with the harvest! Stir up faith in yourself and those you lead! Receive an impartation of faith. Change your mindset! The good news of Jesus can and will break though, for it is the power of God for salvation! The earth will become full of glory of God - that's a certainty!

As we plant

Churches have atmospheres. They take on the character of their leaders. As a leader are you defensive and hard? Or full of faith, with an 'anything is possible' attitude. Watch out - you'll reap what you sow!

Leaders set the atmosphere for churches, but so do dominant national cultural characteristics. In USA "anything can be done" - and with excellence, but in the UK "most things can't be done." British people have a naturally defensive and pessimistic (unbelieving) spirit. What is your instinctive attitude to things?

So, some key attitudes for church planters:

Make disciples! Matthew 28 tells us that the Great Commission is the heart of all we are seeking to do. It is Christ's strategy for taking the world. If you'll make disciples you'll take the world, even if starting small.

Make friends first! Jesus approached people as people, with dignity and grace. How do people find their way into church? Think about routes in that don't present unnecessary barriers.

There may be giants . but we can surely take the land! We need to spy out the land, and find out what is good and what is bad. But then we need to look with eyes of faith! But please, please,  don't become a grasshopper!

Don't despise the day of small things. Church planting is a process. It is going to take some time! Sow and water, and you'll reap a harvest (1Co 3:5-9, Mt 13). Build slowly and steadily - you're there for good and to stay.

Encourage, encourage, encourage! What you encourage, you get more of, so build an atmosphere of encouragement. Is the church half full or half empty? Always on the full side!

Develop a rhythm. You can't do everything all the time. There will be bursts of activity, of prayer, of consolidation. Sow, water, reap. Don't try to do it all at once - you'll kill yourself, and your people!