10 Keys to Planting a Church [redux]

Bob Hyatt is among the people I watch very closely [in a good way, not a creepy way] and when he writes about church-planting, I'm usually nodding my head as I'm reading it.

Today's topic: 10 Keys to [Sane] Church Planting. This is a must-read for church-planters and a great-to-read for people who call Vox Church home. Here's my favorite part of the post:

"You don't have to have 'big money' to plant a church... In fact, you might be better off without it. [...] I've seen churches struggle because of that damned big money. They 'launch' with a full contingent of paid ministry professionals, the whole Kid's Ministry In A Box™ that they bought at some convention somewhere, and the people show up to see the show."

"And two years later, when their initial bankroll from momma church or daddy church-planting organization runs out, they fold because they have ministry jacked up to artificially high levels, that is, they have more programs and staff and equipment needs than their people can conceivably give for and support... and when that gap between actual giving and budget needs hits, they need to start laying off staff. And that's a spiral that the heavy-initial-investment, programmatic church model can't handle. When the staff starts going, that equates to a cut in services, and the people soon start edging out the back door for some place down the road with something new and exciting (and better funded!) going on..."


The post is more than just about money, that was just the funniest one. It has some really good thoughts on organic church planting and would love some feedback / comments.

source: 10 Keys to Sane Church Planting on bob.blog

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