BLP 27. 10 Years Into a Church Plant - Avoid These Mistakes
So, you want to start a church or you're in the first several years of a church plant? Carter and Brandon discuss four lessons lived and learned over the past ten years since their church plant partnership.
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Show Notes
Welcome to BLP. Today, Pastor Carter interviews Brandon Adkins, his partner in planting the church, ten years ago. Brandon is Worship Pastor at Fierce Church.
In this episode, Carter and Brandon discuss four lessons they learned over the years, that in retrospect may seem really obvious, but come from God-given wisdom based on experience.
- Jesus over “likes”. // When you work toward the goal of popularity, especially in the form of social media attention or “likes”, it can distract your mindset and motives from what’s important. Remember the difference from what is fleeting and what is lasting, what is world-pleasing and what is Jesus-pleasing. Whose applause are you seeking? Are you focusing more on image than substance? Sensational stories of amazing kingdom work, while super cool, are also rare and out of the “norm”. Thinking that your work has to be newsworthy can pull you away from the essential: the day in, day out loving, discipling, witnessing and pursuing of scripture. Don’t give in to the lust to feel important, do what’s important.
1 John 2:16 (GNT) Everything that belongs to the world- what the sinful self desires, what people see and want, and everything in this world that people are so proud of- none of this comes from the Father; it all comes from the world.
There can be a lot of “world” in the Church. Demonstrate excellence unto the Lord with your work ethic, your hustle. Awesomeness takes hard work and God is worthy of it, even if no one else notices. Come back to your “why”. Be humble enough to work with the resources you have (as small and imperfect as they may be), in faith, and God will trust you with more.
- Don’t make promises with the purpose of keeping others happy. // Proverbs 29:25 (NASB) The fear of man brings a snare. It’s natural to want to keep others happy, but keep in mind that they will bring expectations and sometimes mixed motives. People will look toward you to do what only God can, but keep pointing people back to God and His power. Be discerning, emotionally neutral, and patient in your decisions to reward or appoint people a position within the church. Invest in Sith robes. Watch for those seeking significance through ministry, God provides validation, positions do not. Shepherd others in their relationship to the Lord, to make sure their hearts and desires are in the right place, and that God is opening doors in His timing.
