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Confession of a …. Church Planter?

Orginally published on Thursday, April 26, 2007 at 7:14 AM
by Devin Hudson

Craig Groeschel’s Confessions of a Pastor got me thinking about my own church planting confessions. At Grace Point, we talk a lot about authenticity and keeping it real. I believe that authenticity must begin with the lead pastor. So I have no qualms “coming clean” with our people about my struggles, doubts, and insecurities. I think it helps me connect to the people God has called us to reach.

I also get the opportunity to talk to church planters and young pastors on occasion and I like to “keep it real” with them as well about the realities of church planting – the ups and downs, the good and not-so-good.  Potential church planters need to face the reality of what they are about to go through. For that reason, I have some things to confess about church planting.

Here’s one of the most important: church planting is the most difficult thing you will ever do.

It seems that in the last few years church planting has become the hip thing to do.  I talk to so many young guys that are burned out in ministry or tired of their present church experience and so they are ready to just “go and plant one.” Sometimes this is the right decision and sometimes it is not.  Let’s face it: reactionary decisions can be wise and they can be stupid.  When I decided to plant, I took a long time to pray through whether my decision was a totally emotional and reactionary decision or whether God was truly calling me to move my family across the country to plant a church in Sin City.  Every church planter better go through the same process before you invest the time, energy, toil, and money that is required. Your call better be deeper than just “I’m sick of my present situation” because that will not sustain you or your family when the going gets tough.

Church planting will challenge your faith. It will affect your family. It will attack your quiet time. And it will test who you are as a person, leader, and pastor.  Church planting is difficult. That’s why a large percentage of church plants do not survive and of the ones that do survive, only a hand full of those ever grow beyond a few dozen people.

Our church would be considered a “successful” church plant but here’s the reality: I struggle almost every week with who I am as a leader and who we are as a church.  I am not sure you ever reach a place in this process where you feel like you have arrived and have it all figured out. There is always a church plant that is growing faster, doing more, and experiencing greater success. There is always someone that seems to be a better leader or communicator. People will leave. There is always the fear of what is around the corner. There is always the story of another church plant in your area that did not survive.

Church planting is the hardest thing you will do. No one feels the vision like you do.  No one feels the pressure like you do. No one suffers the disappointments and valleys like you do. No one faces the reality like you do.  It is hard.  There are times when the only thing you have to hold on to is the vision God gave you.  There are times when you wonder “does anyone else get it?” “Can I trust anyone else with the vision?” There are times when you ask yourself and ask God “Am I going to make it?” That’s the reality of church planting.

In his latest book This Beautiful Mess, Rick McKinley challenges church planters to abstain from the “level thinking” that tends to dominate our thinking (it’s all about nickels and noses) and to learn to think in terms of the fact we are a part of a greater dimension known as the kingdom of God. I have to admit this is a constant struggle for me. I am a “levels” thinker, which lends itself to some extreme highs on the “good” days and some deep lows on the bad days. 

Here’s what God is teaching me: church planting is difficult but there is nothing too difficult for God. I know it sounds so cliché to say that, but to be honest, I have a difficult time living that principle.  I have a tendency to try and bear the burden all by myself. And when I do, I am inclined to focus on the difficulties and forget the rewards.

Confession #1: church planting may be the most difficult thing you ever do.  The good news? God is faithful amidst the difficulty.

Devin Hudson is the Lead Pastor of Grace Point Church in Las Vegas.  His blog www.graceisthepoint.blogspot.com is a popular blog among church planters and young pastors and offers keen insight into the ups and downs of church planting.  His authentic and engaging style help prepare church planters for the raw realities of launching a church.  Devin is married and has 3 beautiful children.  He also has an earned PhD in New Testament.


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  There are 7 Comments:

  • Posted by Jan
    Thursday, April 26, 2007 at 12:30 PM

    Gotta disagree.  Re-starting a church is waaaaay more difficult than planting one from the ground up.

    “No one feels the vision like you do.  No one feels the pressure like you do. No one suffers the disappointments and valleys like you do. No one faces the reality like you do.  It is hard.  There are times when the only thing you have to hold on to is the vision God gave you.  There are times when you wonder “does anyone else get it?” “Can I trust anyone else with the vision?” There are times when you ask yourself and ask God “Am I going to make it?” That’s the reality of church planting. “

    I totally relate to this, but add in, having to convince others to change their ways and start making healthy choices when they think they already know what the Christian life is all about and have it together.

  • Posted by shane
    Thursday, April 26, 2007 at 3:32 PM

    I’m torn here a little bit.  I agree with Devin, but Jan has a great point as well.  getting a “church” to switch gears and go another direction is extremely difficult.  I just finished a message series...."change..it’s not a four letter word”.  For way to many in the church change is hard, and of course the cry is..."this is the way we have always done it”!  Like I just taught this past week-God Himself, Jesus Christ tried to institute change, a new Covenant and it cost Him his life.  The Pharisee’s (religious folks today) do not like change or someone trying to wrestle any power away from them and if you try it may cost you your ministry.

    I have done both-I enjoy planting, yes it has it’s difficulties but is void of religious mindsets!!
    My 2 cents.

  • Posted by
    Thursday, April 26, 2007 at 4:27 PM

    Thanks for the added word Jan.  I have actually done both as well. I have “transitioned” two churches and now planted one from scratch.  My opinion remains the same.  Transitioning is difficult in the sense of trying to get people to change, but there is NO pressure in ministry like the uncertainty that comes with starting a church in a different culture from the ground up (especially when you parachute in like we did). At least in an established church you have the “comfort” of a group of people and usually the guarantee of a building, office space, a staff, many people who want to get on board, small group leaders in place, a budget in place, etc..  When you parachute plant, you start with ZERO.  Both are extremely difficult in their own way but I still contend the parachute plant is in a category by itself.

    At the end of the day, we can both agree ... ministry is difficult!

  • Posted by Danny
    Friday, April 27, 2007 at 8:30 AM

    OK, here is an additional scenario for everyone to consider. I planted a church in 1999 that lasted six years. At that time I felt directed by God to close it down and the board agreed.  So here we are nearly two years later and through a lengthy series of events and confirmations I have come to believe and accept that God is directing me to go back to this little town and do it again. How is that for a challenge.  We are in the planning stages right now with a probable start of mid to late summer. Any words of wisdom and hopefully encouragement?

    Danny

  • Posted by Jan
    Monday, April 30, 2007 at 10:28 AM

    Sounds exciting to me Dan! You know the town and it’s culture so that makes you already a step ahead.  I assume you also have contacts established.

    I agree ministry IS difficult, and fun and exciting and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else doing anything else.

    And I get your point about the different culture, but what about an established or even dying church that is in a rapidly changing culture… like the urban church that was started long ago and the community changes or where we are, the rural country folk farmer family style church, where the community is becoming upper class, liberal and artsy.

    Yea, we’ve got a paid for building but we are finding even that’s a deterrent to the community at large.  We have a building with a history and a reputation.  It’s an OLD building too.  And established institutionalized religon is the last thing our community is looking for.

    We’ve seriously talked about abandoning it all and starting completely from scratch in a different location, just to break the barriers.  The only positive is that all who weren’t with us are gone, so we are finally ready to go.  (4 years into ministry here) I cannot think of how a church plant could be harder than this and I’ve been in on establishing 5 different churches from the ground up.

    Anyway, I guess the ministry is hard statement says it all.  Thanks for the article and the discussion!

  • Posted by
    Thursday, May 03, 2007 at 11:13 AM

    Jan:

    Change comes from within. Yes, you probably have to battle a reputation and history, but you have a building nonetheless. You do not have to coordinate with someone else who holds the key to your facility, hoping they will make it on time and wait around incase the power goes out from too much equipment on one circuit. At least you have the option to sell your real estate and look to start over in another neighborhood. That is a luxury many planters would love to have, especially if the property is in a commercially viable area. You can also tell people where you are and they can stop by during the week in need of assistance. Imagine finding a church plant you like that is set up in a school and stopping by on Thursday in need of some advice! (Do you have a hall pass?)

    Yes, changing the direction of a church (restarting?) may be difficult, but at least you have some semblance of staff around to assist. Your worries are if “anyone else gets it” and “can I trust anyone else with the vision.” Those are the ones who have stuck around. With a plant, you have to find them.

    Ministry IS hard. That’s why faith must be strong.

  • Posted by Jan
    Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 9:54 AM

    Just getting back to this and read your response.  Staff?  Nope.  It’s two of us and that’s it.
    Yeah, we’ve done the meet in the hotel thing (for 5 years) so I know what you mean about hauling stuff.  We kept the Sunday School in our van and drove it to church every Sunday.  Setting up and tearing down everything.  I understand completely.

    And when you don’t have one a building seems like heaven.

    But maintaining one and an old one at that sucks a lot of your energy… lawn mowing, watering, shoveling snow, taking care of the plumbing and paying the heating bill sucks a lot of time, energy and money out of your church planting efforts.

    Honestly, though when you’ve got a building full of bats and junk in an upper class neighborhood, not enough money to survive and provide for your family, much less invest in ministry, seems to me it was a whole lot easier being a church planter who at least had a paycheck, and the support of a mother church, then starting over in an established place with an established rep in the community.  If I hear one more time “Oh, you’re at that ANGRY church!” I think I’ll scream smile

    Good disussion. Thanks!

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