When the Greeks got the gospel, they turned it into a philosophy;
When the Romans got it, they turned it into a government;
When the Europeans got it, they turned it into a culture; and
When the Americans got it, they turned it into a business.Richard Halverson
Alan (not his real name) started a successful church in a large Northern California community. He worked hard, built up his core group and drew over 300 people to his launch service. By the end of his first year, Alan’s church averaged over 200 in worship. By the end of his second year, his church averaged nearly 400. Alan became a hero to his local denominational leaders. Northern California is difficult soil and Alan’s new church was their most successful start in over 20 years. His ministerial star was rising. Then Alan resigned at the end of his third year. He was not leaving to lead another church. In fact, he was completely leaving professional ministry to enter the management trainee program with Taco Bell Corporation. People were shocked.His friends, colleagues, and even a few fans tried convincing Alan into giving ministry another chance. Their reasons were admirably motivated: God equips gifted people like him to advance the kingdom. Alan understood and appreciated their concerns. But he was not budging. The reasons he cited are all too familiar. The pressures to succeed made him miserable, the church increasingly demanded more time away from his family, and he felt spiritually barren. Furthermore, Alan did not like what he or the church had become. The church was like a spoiled child demanding their needs be met and giving nothing back. Alan drew a large crowd, but felt like he was doing it alone. He was seeing very little life change in an outwardly growing crowd on Sundays. Physically, emotionally and spiritually disillusioned, he had enough. He wanted out, so he quit.
Most, if not all, church planters wrestle with at least some of the issues Alan faced. Admittedly, most don’t quit. But many limp along nearly broken under the pressures to succeed. Some church planters so singularly focus on the task of creating a congregation that they forget to build a church and guard their own spiritual lives. When this happens, both the planter and his church suffer. Let’s look at two practices that can help planters avoid a spiritually dry and disillusioned ministry.
Alan’s ministry faltered because he allowed the Gospel to bow to a culture that extols the success of the individual. If we are to stand firm against this gale force wind, the committed leader must work for God.
- The committed leader does not work to build his church, but to build God’s church.
- The committed leader does not work to enlarge his congregation, but to grow God’s Kingdom.
- The committed leader does not work to earn a living in this world, but to earn a reward in eternity that cannot be taken away.
- The committed leader does not work for the glory of Man, but for the glory of God.
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“Success” may be the shrewdest of enemies in church planting. Because of “growth,” one can be encouraged to change strategy to lead to more “growth.” I was at a church plant that had numerical success and experienced the same burnout “Alan” did. While the servant heart worked fine in a storefront church of 150, I needed a lot more than that (so it seemed) in a more established church of 600. The Purpose-Changing Church is a sure-fire recipe for burnout.