How to gain clarity on your calling to plant a church.
My first home had this lone wash line pole in the yard. My wife and I had no plans on using it, so we chose to remove this eyesore from the property. One late summer day I grabbed a shovel and started to dig. And I dug some more. I dug down a foot and still didn’t reach the base of the pole. I thought I was never going to get to the bottom of it.
Maybe you can relate. You may not be literally digging into the ground to unearth a wash line pole. But you have been digging deep into your longings as you consider whether church planting is the right path for ministry. Perhaps like me, you are experiencing a nagging tension between the discontent of one’s inner spirit and the biblical virtue of contentment. Know this, you are not alone in your journey.
Don’t avoid your discontentment; dig into it. As I reflected on my own journey, below are four actions (as well as tips and resources) to help you discern whether church planting is at the root of these longings.
Discover Your Divine Design
Our restless spirit ought to drive us to seek the Spirit of God. God fashioned us (Psalm 139:13) and created us in Christ Jesus to accomplish the works He prepared in advance for us to accomplish (Eph. 2:10). Apart from Christ, we can do nothing so seeking Him first is the best place to gain clarity about you call. Ask the God of wisdom to help you understand the restlessness you are experiencing. As you lean into the Lord, take the time to assess or even reassess your divine design.
One of the resources God used in my own journey was Maximizing Your Effectiveness by Aubrey Malphurs. With the help of this resource, I was able to have a clearer understanding of my divine design. Discovering your wiring for ministry included discovering your spiritual gift(s), temperament, and leadership style. Church Extension Ministries has a free resource, Personal Inventory and Indicator Tests to aid you in discovering how God has wired you for ministry.
Tip: To gain clarity about your call, don’t neglect the importance of the past. God in His wise providence uses our life experiences to shape us for future ministry opportunities.
Talk to a Church Planter
Talking to other planters is a great resource for gaining clarity about your calling. My first church planting intern asked me to help connect with church planters in our area. I intentionally set up interviews with planters from various denominations and backgrounds to provide him a broad perspective. The feedback he gleaned from the planters along with the experience he gained helped him get clarity about his calling. Talk to several church planters and learn from their experiences. If you aren’t sure where to start, feel free to reach out to me and set up a time to talk.
Tip: Watch our recruitment video and meet church planters who had the same fears and questions you may have.
Experiment in the Field
As a former chef, I know firsthand that a love for cooking doesn’t necessarily mean one is cut out for life in a professional kitchen. Before I went off to culinary school, I experimented in the field by getting a job as a dishwasher in a local restaurant. This experience was my baptism into the foodservice industry. Before jumping head long into church planting, seek to gain some field experience.
I had the privilege of gaining valuable on-field experience while I was in seminary. Not only did I minister in a church plant, but I had the privilege of participating in two church planting internships as a seminary student. These test drives provided me valuable church planting experience which confirmed my longings. I was wired by God to serve in the adventurous field of church planting.
Tip: Take a test drive with church planting. Apply to be an intern with Church Extension Ministries.
Confirm Your Calling
After discovering your divine design, talking to church planters, and gaining some experience in the field, the final step is to confirm your calling. Proverbs commends the wisdom of many counselors (Proverbs 12:15 15:22; 19:20). Your wise counselors should be previous and current ministry leaders who know you well. Last but not least, if you are married, one of those wise counselors should your spouse. Lean into each one of your counselors and listen with humility. Be mindful of your strengths as well as your weaknesses.
Tip: Take the Pre-Assessment Profile to help confirm whether God is calling you to plant a church.
By discovering my divine design, gaining field experience, and confirming my calling, I gained clarity on my ministry path. In His grace and providence, the Lord used me to plant two churches, and I now serve in a role where I can mentor other church planters. The digging was deep, but it was well worth the effort!
If you’ve been digging into your discontentment, but you feel like you are getting nowhere, I feel your pain. Hopefully because of reading this post, you will unearth your longings and gain clarity on your calling. Wait on the Lord and discover who He has called you to be.
About the author
Tim is a graduate of Lancaster Bible College (’04) and Missio Seminary (formerly Biblical Theological Seminary). Tim was instrumental in planting Saucon Community Church (2008-2014). He then moved on to plant Forks Community Church which became a particular BFC church in 2023. Tim is the full-time pastor of Forks Community Church and serves Church Extension as a part-time Mentoring Assistant. Tim is married to Tori. They have two sons, Dylan and Adam as well as twin daughters, Emma and Lily. In his spare time, Tim enjoys smoking meat and mountain biking.
0 Comments