I run across more and more church staffers who can't get past their senior pastor's opposition to church planting... and I know it well. I was highly discouraged from planting and even forbade from planting in my hometown. But hindsight shows that God was in it all along, and now my former church is our greatest supporter. Here are 10 principles I learned about earning a senior pastor's blessing:
- Understand it's a learning process for him
I was the first pioneer, so patience was key. He hadn't read all the books I'd read or heard all the stories. In fact, as a survivor of several attempted coups, he was prob holding onto his own church for dear life. His opposition wasn't for the reasons I thought it was. - Be respectful of old wineskins
Jesus said new wine goes into new wine skins, but he never condemned old wine or old wineskins. Last time I checked, old wine was more valuable. Big mistake I saw other planters make ~ they criticized established churches ~ the forerunners ~ to justify their own ideas of how church "should be." - Help him see his legacy through planting
I drove around taking pictures of all the churches that had been started by our 200 year old congregation to reveal our already-rich heritage of church planting. Turns out, every 50 years, our church had planted a new one. Go me. =) The fiftieth year was about to come round...
part 2 coming...
What do I know... BUT, I think your last point is huge. This could be the huge mentoring role an older pastor can play with younger planter/pastors as well, passing on that wisdom, real world ministry exp, leadership principles, etc.
Posted by: jason allen | May 25, 2007 at 12:06 AM