The Work of a Planter: Plant Team

Over the next few weeks, we'll discuss the work of a church planter.  We'll talk about the developmental steps from concept to "launch" and even to sending out from your body of believers to plant another church.

When we consider the work of a church planter, we quickly realize that the work is tough.  Not only is the work tough, but it can also be very solitary.  Many young planters take off with only their family and their passion, two great things to be sure, but might they be better prepared if they had a team?

Team ministry is very common in North America.  Many churches have a preaching pastor and a youth minister.  Sometimes a worship leader is part of the team as well.  The issue for church plants is that they often do  not have the funds to plant with with more than one paid staff position.  And truthfully, that staff position is almost always part-time until a large enough tithe base is built up.

Often church planters must rely on members of a plant team to provide the team aspects of their ministry at their plant site.  A team not only provides support and encouragement for the planter and his family, they also allow the planter to delegate certain tasks so that his time can be more devoted to prayer, the Word, and the mission of gathering God’s lost sheep from the city.

In developing a team, a planter must be very clear about the non-negotiable aspects of his vision for the church God has called him to plant.  It is true enough that this may scare some team members off, but we must remember that a unified team (think John 17) is going to be more effective and more supportive of one another...even if it is slightly smaller.  In church planting teams, quality trumps quantity every time.

A second consideration is gifting.  A planter who is administratively challenged may need to seek out a team member who has some administrative gifting.  A team member who is musically gifted AND theologically astute can be a great asset for a church plant.  The truth is that no planter, in and of himself, is gifted in every area for ministry.  We all need help and support from the people that God has put into our lives and into the lives of our church.  These are the ones who will stir US up toward love and good works.

So, planters should be praying for their team members (even before you know who they are).  Pray that the Lord would give you wisdom in recruiting and humility in your evaluations of what you need to enhance your ministry abilities.  Those who are not called to plant should pray about their involvement in future plants.  If we really believe that the local church is God’s vehicle for spreading his fame from neighbors to nations, we should be supportive of biblically faithful church planting endeavors.  Sometimes that means finances, but for team members, it’s time and willingness to follow the Lord out on a limb...in all Judea and Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth!

Soli Deo Gloria

Planting Sites and Links

Today I'd like to share some links that I think are helpful.  


Church Planting Village is the North American Mission Board's primary planting site.  It's a great place to learn how you can help partner with current planters through the cooperative baptist systems that are already in place.  Through the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention many church planters are supported and resourced throughout the world.


The North American Mission Board website is a great place to keep up with the work of the SBC specifically in North America.  Linked on that site, the Send North America information is very informative and was a key resource in forming the Justification of Church Planting document posted earlier.


The Resurgence is a site that is full of resources for planters and pastors.  


9 Marks is a great site for pastors and laymen.  A biblical theology drives their authors and a desire to see biblically faithful churches is something that resonates with us here at Neighbors to Nations.


Finally, Desiring God is one of my favorite sites on the web.  Not only do you have access to articles and sermons by John Piper for the past several decades, you also have access to any book produced by Desiring God ministries for FREE in pdf format.


I hope you find these sites edifying.


Soli Deo Gloria

Qualified to Plant Part 4: Instructor and Defender of the Faith

Our final post in the series on the qualifications of a pastor/planter will deal with Titus 1:9.  It is interesting that Paul now shifts from character qualifications to some competency considerations.  Of course, at the root of the competency is the commitment to the Word which could certainly be considered a character trait.  Paul writes:

He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (Titus 1:9)

So the qualified planter must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught.  There is so much truth in this clause.  My eye is first drawn to Paul's declaration that what he has taught to Titus and Timothy has been trustworthy.  Just as the Lord taught it to Paul, Paul has taught the men that he sent out to shepherd the churches.  The theological term for what Paul is referring to is apostolic authority.  That means that those who were taught by Christ have been given authority to deliver His words to the Church.  This was one of the three qualifications for canonization.

Paul is concerned that they hold firmly to the trustworthy word AS TAUGHT.  Back then, just like today, there were men who were diverging from the Gospel in many different ways.  Many taught that righteousness was achieved through works of the law.  Some taught that there was a higher or hidden knowledge that was required to understand the text.  Paul is saying that what he said was trustworthy exactly as he said it.  Many of his letters are written to combat regional heresies.  In Galatians he writes:

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10).

The Gospel must be held firm because it will be attacked.  It was attacked in the first century and it is attacked today.  The Gospel is scandalous to the watching world because we're saved not of works and effort, but of faith and grace.  The hero dies for the villains.  We are totally dependent upon Him for our salvation and sanctification.  The Gospel obliterates the self-centeredness that society (then and now) thrives upon.  

So a qualified pastor/planter will be able to uphold the Gospel even through attacks.  And the end goal?  He'll be able to teach those under his care.  It's not enough to grasp sound doctrine, an overseer must be able to instruct in sound doctrine.  This is integral in the development and maturity of Christians at ever stage of their walk.  We are to be constantly delving into the depths of the text and our guide on this journey is a biblically qualified pastor.  A high calling with great responsibility to be sure.  And when the attacks come, the pastor/planter is able to defend right doctrine and edify those in his care.  When public attacks are made, public defenses are necessary.  This is a task for which the Lord, in His grace, equips His children.

For a refresher on the Gospel: What is the Gospel?

For a great discussion on how the Gospel is to be defended, please see Albert Mohler's A Call for Theological Triage and Maturity.

May the Lord bless us as we strive to hold fast to the trustworthy word, teach sound doctrine, and defend the faith.

Soli Deo Gloria