Church Planting Part 4 of 4

 

“44 PRINCIPLES ON CHURCH PLANTING” (PART 4 of 4)

 

34.            Once you start a church, many of your ministry friends will turn on you. That is because you have now become the competition. It comes with the territory. Do not take it personal.

35.            Being a tremendous preacher alone is not going to build a church membership. Some of the greatest preachers that I know of, may have only a handful of people. Genuine increase comes from God.

36.            Do not be too common with the church members or they will not respect you. But, do not be too aloof, or they will not be able to relate to you.

37.            You are a Shepherd. Visit the hospitals, pray for the sick, go to the jails, tend to the elderly and orphans. As your ministry grows, you will have to delegate. But the people should yet have some means of receiving the prayers and encouragement of their pastor.

38.            Do not be too deep and spooky. (an example of “spookiness” would be an unbalanced emphasis on “gifts” vs developing “fruit” or character). You are a Shepherd not a mystic. Stay balanced.

39.            You just got started. So, you do not need a dozen armor bearers. Treat (and talk to) your armor bearers as adults, not as your personal servants. Do not be so demanding on your armor bearers time that they neglect family, personal time and time with God.

40.            If you are involved in scandal after scandal; do not get mad at the people and say “church people are messy.” No, YOUR LIFE is messy and you should clean it up. That is YOUR FAULT, not the people’s. Take responsibility. Be integral, be ethical and most of all “be ye holy.” You want to be known as a man/woman of God; not a scammer or con artist.

41.            Do not open a church to obtain money to pay bills or child support. First, stop having babies out of wedlock. Second, get a job. A church is not your personal bank. Do not make a habit of borrowing money from your church members.

42.            Be careful spending tons of money on “master classes” to learn about church planting; only to get “warmed over” info that someone pieced together (i.e. plagiarized) from Google. Do not be taken advantage of.

43.            Be watchful seeking to have the “covering” of the latest “celebrity” minister. Today’s “celebrity” will be tomorrow’s “has been.” Do not seek that status. Seek to be effective and most of all, to be in God’s perfect will. Plus, having the covering of a celebrity ministry is NO guarantee at all that your church will grow or attract new people. Again, increase comes from God.

44.            Do not build a church on downgrading denominations. Denominations were here before you. And, they will be here after you go off the scene. Fight the devil, not other Christians.

 

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