What if Church Planting was Free?

Church Planting: Mark Jackson
Tuesday, July 1, 2008

About twenty-five years ago, I received an invitation from a small rural church to serve as an interim preacher. When I accepted, they began to apologize for the small amount they could pay me and wanted to make sure I could afford to come (the last preacher they had invited had declined because of the expense).

The money was really not enough to buy gas much less pay for wear and tear on my vehicle. However, my wife and I made the two hour drive every weekend and did the best we could to minister. After six months, they found a pastor and our ministry came to an end. That church is still going strong today.

Thinking back on those times, it really did not cost me anything to make all those long trips every week. I had the privilege of being involved in people's lives and seeing growth take place. I do not miss any money that was spent and have the peace of knowing that I served God.

Today, many churches would like to participate in starting a new church but a major roadblock is always the resources: people, money, time, a meeting place, etc. There always seems to be some reason why the present is not a good time to help plant a church. The investment that eleven churches made in the early 1950s, when our association was formed, has now grown to over fifty churches. I think it is a safe assumption that none of these pioneers regret having made great investments in the work of starting churches, but only feel a deep satisfaction in knowing that they served God.

In the Heart of Kansas, we have a partnership of churches, our state convention, and the North American Mission Board who are willing to join together to start churches. The opportunity before us is great and some would say the investment required is also great. I am convinced that in twenty-five or fifty years no one will remember how much it cost to serve God. We will only have the deep satisfaction of knowing we served God or the even deeper regret that we missed a great opportunity.

Give me a call today so we can discuss how a partnership can be forged to start new churches in our association.