Church planting

There are many changes in church planting today, and I want to point out some good trends that I see that should be an encouragement to us and the mission we are called to in the world. Trends don't last unless there is a good foundation of support and more people buy into the trends as helpful and good. So I hope you won't just recognize these trends, but embrace them and promote them as far as you are able.

One of the trends is that there is more church planting. It's is getting recognized more, celebrated more, and done more. When I planted my first church in the Nashville, TN area in 1996, the idea of someone going out and starting a church was foreign to most people. As a planter I looked odd to people. People would wonder why I didn't go and pastor an established church. Unfortunately, not all denominations are getting this message.

Some are still focused on fighting and separation over the establishment of new, healthy churches.

Consequently, denominations are losing people who have caught on fire for God and desiring to see a movement they aren't finding in their denomination. So they leave and join a movement and take the Gospel into the world. That can hurt denominations. I would love to see more people stay in their denominations and work for reform. I would love to see them get serious about church multiplication in their own mission and ministry, setting an example to their denominations.

When I was planting a church in Kansas City, MO I went to a church planting boot camp (assessment center). It was a four day assessment on the qualifications and readiness of being a church planter. I was taught that churches should start new churches out of our new churches, and that if you didn't start a church within three years you probably never would start one. I love church planting and want to be about planting new churches, so I went back to Nashville, TN and planted another church five years ago. Today, I am two weeks into a church planting endeavor in Los Angeles, CA. I am meeting with new people everyday... God is faithful...