“Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not.” – Jeremiah 45:5 There’s a subtle disease that infects church planters somewhere between the first core team meeting and the fifth year of ministry. It’s not burnout, though it often leads there. It’s not heresy, though it distorts our theology. It’s an identity crisis so complete […]
When You Become Your Church: The Identity Crisis Every Planter Must Face Read More »
After a decade of decline that left many wondering if the church planting movement had run its course, something remarkable is happening. Acts 29 grew from 125 men in the pipeline to over 450 in just two years—more than tripled. The Presbyterian Church in America planted 54 new works in 2025, their highest number in
Seventy percent of church conflicts that reach crisis level involve elder board dysfunction. Not the culture. Not the youth pastor’s wardrobe. Not the worship style. Elders who cannot disagree well. This statistic from Lifeway Research should stop every church planter cold. You’re pouring your life into a new work, building a launch team, finding a
When Elders Disagree: Why Conflict-Killing Leadership Multiplies Churches Read More »
We can execute a launch strategy perfectly while our souls are wither.” Church planter Luke Simmons dropped this grenade in a recent article, and it’s still ringing in my ears. After fifteen years of watching church plants launch with fireworks and fizzle within eighteen months, I’m convinced he’s identified the epidemic beneath the statistics. The
Why Character Beats Strategy: The Forgotten Foundation of Church Planting Read More »