Often times pastors/church planters ask me, “What do you wish someone would have told you before you began?” Here are four that I can think of…
#1 - Dream Big…and NEVER apologize for doing so.
Seriously…get alone, ask Jesus to set you on fire, to allow you to see His church as He sees it…to see her beauty and POTENTIAL in your community. And…don’t EVER limit what you believe God can do!!! EVER!!!
#2 - Stop Thinking Your Are Normal.
You’re not…if you were God would have left you alone! Quit trying to be who people want you to be (especially when they say, “my old pastor used to…”) Be who God called you to be. You have GOT to be you!!!
#3 - Stop Trying To “Cut It Off.”
You can’t! I am sick and tired of hearing church leaders (who usually do not pastor) say, “You have to find a way to stop thinking about the church.” IF YOU CAN GET THE CHURCH OUT OF YOUR MIND THEN GOD PROBABLY DIDN’T PUT IT THERE! You can control it…but you will never stop thinking about it. (The Apostle Paul didn’t!)
#4 - Acts Chapter Two Was Intended To Be The Starting Block…NOT THE FINISH LINE!
This is something that has hit me lately…Acts 2:41 was where God began…and His desire was for the church to grow from there. But today we sit around and talk about how to get back there. I think God wants to do more! I think Acts 2 was God saying to us, “I can do this…and SO MUCH MORE…if you will be the church!”