Finding Church Planters

3 Most Important Factors for a Church Plant to Succeed! Right Plan Right Person Right Place

Leadership is the single most limiting factor to church plant multiplication! We can all think of many metro areas or ethnic groups that need a church. That is good, BUT the necessary ingredient is leadership! Without leadership, we only have wishful thinking.

“Oh, that You would…enlarge my territory.” I Chronicles 4:10

Matthew 9:37-38 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, BUT the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Where do we find: LEADERS? who can raise up churches to reach the harvest…

EGW, Review & Herald 1/14/1868 “The greatest cause of our spiritual feebleness as a people is the lack of real faith in spiritual gifts. If they all received this kind of testimony in full faith, they would put from them those things which displease God, and would everywhere stand in union and strength…

Cont. “…And three-fourths of the ministerial labor now expended to help the churches could then be spared to the work of raising up churches in new fields.”

“It has been presented to me that all through America there are barren fields…What is the matter? The ministers are hovering over churches, which know the truth, while thousands are perishing out of Christ…

If the proper instruction were given, if the proper methods were followed, every church member would do his work as a member of the body…They should be taught that unless they can stand alone, without a minister, they need to be converted anew, and baptized anew. They need to be born again.” GCB

“Our ministers should plan wisely, as faithful stewards. They should feel that it is not their duty to hover over the churches already raised up, but that they should be doing aggressive evangelistic work, preaching the Word and doing house-to-house work in places that have not yet heard the truth.... They will find that nothing is so encouraging as doing evangelistic work in new fields.” Letter 169, EV 382

First place to find church planters?

Pastors with a passion for planting.

Pastoral staff with a vision for planting -Intentionally hire pastor’s with a vision for church planting. NADEI had done an awesome job!

Pastoral staff with a vision for planting -Intentionally hire pastor’s with a vision for church planting. NADEI had done an awesome job! -Cast the vision publicly and make an appeal. This could be done at a worker’s meeting where a church planter is the guest speaker. Work with those God has given the vision and passion to.

Pastoral staff with a vision for planting -Intentionally hire pastor’s with a vision for church planting. NADEI had done an awesome job! -Cast the vision publicly and make an appeal. This could be done at a worker’s meeting where a church planter is the guest speaker. Work with those God has given the vision and passion to. -Intentionally share the vision on an individual basis with pastor’s to bring more on board.

Pastoral staff with a vision for planting -Intentionally hire pastor’s with a vision for church planting. NADEI had done an awesome job! -Cast the vision publicly and make an appeal. This could be done at a worker’s meeting where a church planter is the guest speaker. Work with those God has given the vision and passion to. -Intentionally share the vision on an individual basis with pastor’s to bring more on board. -Sponsor “field trips” to successful SDA church plants for pastor’s you want to bring on board. Sponsor pastors to Seed’s events or attend a Texas Church Planting Rally.

“Upon all who believe God has placed the burden of raising up churches.” Ellen G. White, MM315

Second place to find church planters?

Lay leader with a passion for planting.

Lay leaders with a vision for planting -Pastor Identifies potential church planters within their congregation:

Lay leaders with a vision for planting -Pastor Identifies potential church planters within their congregation: -Vision. They “light up” when talking about great things for God. They believe in a “BIG God who can do BIG things!”

Lay leaders with a vision for planting -Pastor Identifies potential church planters within their congregation: -Vision. They “light up” when talking about great things for God. They believe in a “BIG God who can do BIG things!” -Influence. They have significant godly influence within the congregation and use it to rally others in accomplishing God’s work.

Lay leaders with a vision for planting -Pastor Identifies potential church planters within their congregation: -Vision. They “light up” when talking about great things for God. They believe in a “BIG God who can do BIG things!” -Influence. They have significant godly influence within the congregation and use it to rally others in accomplishing God’s work. -Optimistic Outlook. Obstacles are opportunities! They have a “can do” attitude despite seemingly challenging circumstances.

Lay leaders with a vision for planting -Pastor Identifies potential church planters within their congregation: -Vision. They “light up” when talking about great things for God. They believe in a “BIG God who can do BIG things!” -Influence. They have significant godly influence within the congregation and use it to rally others in accomplishing God’s work. -Optimistic Outlook. Obstacles are opportunities! They have a “can do” attitude despite seemingly challenging circumstances. **Intentional training of the potential church planter through equipping, mentoring and coaching is required. Significant time is invested to develop a successful church planter!

Biblical Counsel Multiplication “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” II Timothy 2:2

Role of Pastor: Church Planter, Equipper and Coach!

“Ministers should not do the work which belongs to the church, thus wearying themselves and preventing others from performing their duty. They should teach the members how to labor in the church and in the community.” Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, p. 291.

Contact information: Tom Evans