BACKGROUND
The banner over the entire conference was that the advancement of the church is the hope of the world. The leadership held out a beautiful, robust vision of church planting in America with a view to the nations both in our midst and beyond our borders–all undergirded and motivated by the supremacy of God’s glory in Christ, the One who is building His church. The importance of church planting today is clear: Even the USA, once assumed Christianized by many, has now become one of the largest, most fertile mission fields in the world. Since 1990, when there were 27 churches for every 10,000 people in the U.S., the spread of churches has fallen behind demographic growth so that there are now only 12 churches for every 10,000 people (Ref: Lost in America, T. Clegg).
THE MAIN THING
The last session, entitled “The Main Thing,” featured Steve Childers walking us through the eight things that every church planter should know before planting a church.
1. A biblical view of success
Childers defined success as “faithfully pleasing God with all the resources and responsibilities He has given you.” Leave the results up to God, and find joy in who you are in Him, not in what you do for Him. Don’t sacrifice others on the altar of success. The book Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome
2. Managing Your Time vs. Managing Your Life
The key is not to prioritize your schedule but to schedule your priorities. The urgent easily crowds out the important. An exalted sense of self-importance (a.k.a., pride) drives workaholicism. The root of anxiety and fear is likewise pride.
Steve recounted that he was personally advised to have one hour a day with his family, totally unplugged (no media). In addition, one day/week. And once a month, two days in a row (with intentional inclusion of his wife). And a minimum of two weeks/year. It takes at least three days away from the stress of a job to really be on vacation.
3. Understand the difference between goals and desires.
Goals are things that are in your control. Desires are things that are outside your control. Work hard on your goals. Pray hard for your desires. Examples of goals include daily Bible reading and prayer for one’s self, wife/kids, and church. Examples of desires include things like “ten conversions over the upcoming year.” But related goals would be things like: We’re going to do an evangelistic training workshop, I’m going to pray daily toward ten conversions, we’re going to knock on 500 doors to get to know people in our community.
4. God is a Father, not just a General and a Master.
Eternal life is to know God (17:3). There is difference between knowing the God of grace and the grace of God. Likewise, we often think of ourselves as soldiers marching in God’s army. There is an element of truth here (Paul referred to himself as a slave of Christ), but we ought not to forget that we are beloved children of God.
Be reminded and encouraged by the picture in Zephaniah 3:17:
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Bill Bright came to speak at RTS right before he died. He said, “I wish someone had told me that God is not just ‘useful.’ He is beautiful.”
5. The way up is the way down.
God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; Isaiah 66:2). God shows strength primarily via human weakness (I Cor 1). God can glorify Himself by our lack of resources or by our renouncing of our dependence upon those resources.
Do not hold your weakness in disdain. Most of us are ordinary people. And “God must have loved ordinary people, for He made so many of them.” (Abraham Lincoln)
6. People or programs
It is hard to lead (programs), but it is harder to love (people). The latter is more vital. Remember Jesus’ conversation with Peter: “Do you love me? Tend my sheep.” (John 21:15-19)
7. Process living vs. product living
“The joy and happiness from the process lasts much longer and can be much more satisfying over the duration of your life.” Discontentment is sometimes cast in the form of objectives (we can’t be happy until we accomplish X). Joy in process lasts longer than joy in the product. Most of life is process. Enjoy the process.
8. Make the main thing the main thing.
Behold the beauty of God. Keep the Great Commandment central (Matt. 22:37-38). Faith working itself out in love. The main thing is not the ministry.