Solace to the average church planter

I don't have a shepherding or pastoral bone in my body. I spend most of my time with leaders in the church who do the shepherding; I make decisions based on logic; I cringe at the idea of counseling folks; and I often overlook opportunities to care for hurting people. But one of my top spiritual gifts is encouragement. I can't help but spur-on people... It's the way God wired me.

Because of my side-role with the sbcv, I often talk with church planters who are clawing and scraping to keep their heads above water. They're working really hard for too few results... and they're discouraged to say the least. All I can do is remind them of their priceless identity in Christ and their unique gifting...

At Willowcreek's Prevailing Church Conference three years ago, I listened in tears at the back of the auditorium as Bill Hybels talked about the mysterious "Jeremiah calling." The call to a fruitless ministry. The call to simply... be faithful. We were struggling at the time, and I was ready to call it quits. But I'm so glad I didn't. Because through our faithfulness, God turned things around.

The same mysteriousness that shrouds fruitless ministry, which brings humility and desperation before God, should be the same mysteriousness that surrounds fruitful ministry... In the past two years alone, I've watched a founding megachurch pastor get pushed out by his elders... a church plant drop from 200 to 40... a 16-year worship pastor get fired by his church... and at least 3 "successful" church plants come and go.

No matter how savvy we are, our success is only attributable to God. That fact alone, should make us the most humble people on the planet. Any success that we could possibly claim for ourselves, our street smarts, our leadership ability... I'm pretty sure falls in the category of hay, wood or stubble.

Comments

[Henry Judy]

Ben,
That is a great word. Thanks. I need that post. Thanks for email as well. Our God is a great and mighty God and we both live to serve Him. Faithfulness IS the key.
Good Stuff...
Blessings
Henry

[Jon Sampson]

Great thoughts, Ben. Thanks for the perspective ...

[Bryan Smith]

ben...thanks for that reminder...how many of us would trade places with Jeremiah?...God does call us to be faithful...your testimony is awesome...

chill pastor

[Jason]

Thanks, Ben. The valleys always seem to humble me. I strive to remind myself that it is God who gives the increase, not me. It takes human effort, but divine enablement to get the work done. God Bless.

[Andy]

Wow . . . What a great post. I can honestly say it's been a while since I was reminded of such an important truth. Thanks.
Andy

[Carl]

You don't know how on time this post was. Thanks for sharing.

[James]

Really got me thinking. Just got the Lion Chasers book, but haven't started reading it yet. How do you think this thought fits in with Batterson's book, which seems to say the opposite (my judgement by the cover page only).

[Ben]

James, there's an emergence of books lately about taking initiative in our spiritual destinies... Batterson's book, Erwin McManus in Chasing Daylight. I think they're speaking to the fearful, the cautious, the comfortable. But what happens when you chase your opportunity into a pit and it defeats you? This is the question I'm addressing here. These writers are such talented, godly successful men, it's hard to argue. But the truth is, not everyone will reach or is supposed to reach their dreams until Heaven. Hebrews 11 - "These all died in faith never having received the promise."

[carl]

I am about a third of the way through Batterson's book and he is pretty much in line with this post.

He writes extensively about how failure shapes you. He said when he went to start NCC he had no fear because he already failed at church planting in Chicago and he figured he couldn't do any worse than that.