Lessons Learned: Part 1

We are two years into church planting now. There have been some great times and some tougher times. Both of which with some big time lessons learned. We've done some things right and we've done some things wrong. I get emails from church planters all over that ask questions as they are trying to learn. I thought I would share some of the lessons I have learned as it relates to Real Life. This things may or may not be appropriate for you and your church but they were for us.

What we've done right:

• We've done everything for God. In doing so, we have devoted ourselves to reaching people that could not be reached by other ministries. We have never asked a person to leave a church to come join us. In fact, every person that has ever come here from another church has been a problem. They have had an agenda that did not match with our vision and have left.
  
• We choose to focus on people who need a relationship with God and with each other. We are overly social and almost always have food around. We made the choice to not offer a program for everything because we want people to connect in small groups and serve at church. Not having lots of programs has COST US some people who look for a program based church. It also means saying no to people way more than we say yes. Because we've done this we see more people than ever getting connected at social events and through small groups. Our small groups have not only become a discipleship program, they have become a steady tool for ministry and healing.
• We've kept it simple. We do 4 things...Good messages that everyone can understand, great worship that is culturally relevant, a great kids ministry, and we intentionally build up relationships. We do have one more thing coming in the fall but it's still a big part of our DNA.
  
• We accept everyone as they are no questions asked. We believe that if we can connect people with God that the Holy Spirit will draw and convict a person from the inside out to become more Christlike.
• We have shared leadership in the church. Church should never be a one man show. I will not do it all.
  
• We allow people to try out serving opportunities with no strings attached.
• We have never solicited funds from outside our church. If God doesn't provide we simply will do without or wait until he has provided. As a result, we have made budget every month but one (December of 2008.) We are actually ahead of budget for 2009!
• We got outside counsel. I cannot see how anyone could ever plant a church successfully without a coach. You cannot afford to not have one. Our coach saved our butts more times that I can could ever thank him for. Keith you were awesome dude...I seriously owe you man:)
• We waited on God. I got the vision for planting 2 years before I left my previous church and started the process. Wait for God to clear the way. Trust me, when it's really time you'll know it....
• We took no one from our old church with us. Unless your church sends you to plant. do not take their people. God isn't going to honor that. If he's calling you to plant and he's gifted you to do it he'll bring people your way and you don't need someone else's sheep.

Over the next few days I'll talk about some things I have done wrong.....cause it hasn't always been pretty :)