Continuing yesterday’s post…
#3 - The Faith Test
Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God.
SO…if your vision seems “impossible,” if failure is absolutely certain unless God somehow gets involved…then I would say that you are probably on the right track.
(Please remember that there is a fine line between faith and stupidity…which is why it is SO essential to make sure you have heard from God and didn’t just eat some bad pizza!)
AND…church planter…the further along you get in the process the larger the steps of faith He commands us to take. Don’t EVER make the foolish assumption that one day the decisions somehow “get easier.” If we are walking with God He will always lead us to the place where we are desperate for Him!
#4 - The Commitment Test
There is a HUGE difference between a group of people who LIKE your church and then those who are actually committed to it…and sooner or later (usually better if you do it sooner) you’ve GOT to ask for commitment.
So many pastors are scared to do this because of a fear that they might scare some people away. Let me make you a promise…YOU WILL! BUT…as pastors and leaders in the church it is not our job to DO all of the ministry…but to train and equip the body to serve the body (see Ephesians 4:11-12.)
Too many professional church attenders are used to going somewhere where they “have their needs met” rather than being involved somewhere that allows Jesus to use them to meet the needs of others. Don’t be afraid to ask for a commitment early and often…Jesus wasn’t! (See John 6) Yes, He did lose some…but the ones who stayed with Him were able to see more happen and accomplish more than they ever dreamed possible. (See the entire book of Acts!)
#5 - The Focus Test
As the church grows there will be a temptation to do “more.” Questions will begin to arise such as…
- “When are we going to start a mid week service?”
- “When are we going to start a school?”
- “When are we going to start a mens/womens/singles ministry?”
- “When are we going to (FILL IN THE BLANK.”
For some reason church world has fallen for the lie that as a church grows it needs more programs and activities…which is why SO many churches get stalled out and stop growing. NOT because these programs are necessarily evil…but because they are simply not in the vision of what God wants for that particular church.
Every church planter/pastor needs to ask themselves this question, “Can God trust me with success?” BECAUSE…having success in ministry often leads to people completely losing their focus and they lead the people into being busy rather than being godly.
That is why a church planter has to KNOW what God has called him to do before he ever launches…because EVERYONE who walks in the doors of a church plant has a vision for it…and if you don’t KNOW what God wants (or if your scared to say no) then your vision will get hijacked and you will eventually be the pastor of a church that you hate!
He saved you…He called you…He has equipped you and He will sustain you…so focus on HIM and do what HE says!