PLANTING A CHURCH: LESSONS I LEARNED ALONG THE WAY

PART 1: “Knowing When to Let Go and Move On”

By Christian Watts

In late June of 2009 my wife and I were confronted with the idea of planting a church in our home community.  At the time we were at a ministry crossroads of sorts as we knew God was leading us to leave our current ministry position and serve elsewhere (although we didn’t know where that might be).  In many ways it made perfect sense to start a church in our home community.  For one, there was a lack of Bible believing, Christ-centered churches in our area; secondly, we really didn’t want to move out of the community that we had grown to love; thirdly, we didn’t want to pull our children out of the schools they had been in for several years; fourthly, we knew many people in and around our community that like us were longing for a Biblically sound local church; and fifth, and perhaps most importantly, we truly believed that God might very well be leading us to do this.  There was however one huge problem in that we really had no idea what we were doing.

Long story short, before we knew it we and four other couples were on our way to starting a church.  We set a launch day of September 27, 2009, which meant we had less than 3 months till the church would begin.  Amazingly, all the pieces seemed to fall in place for the new church.  Some examples: We secured an incredible facility to meet in; we were being supported financially by others who were joining our efforts; and we were finding that a bunch of people were excited about having a new church in their community.  It truly seemed God was at the helm of this and that it would not fail!  I had heard that 80% of church plants fail but I was almost positive this would not be one of them.

We launched on Sunday, September 27, 2009 with 190 persons in attendance.  Of course that number dropped off the next Sunday.  However, over the next several weeks we saw attendance increase and begin moving in a positive direction.   By the spring of 2010 we had hired a part time administrative assistant and were working to hire a Pastor of Youth and Children.  Our attendance was averaging 150 persons and it really seemed that this thing was destined to take off.  We were the talk of the town and other church’s around us.  Some churches even seemed to be threatened by our growth.  God was raising up His church in a way that we could have only imagined.

The summer of 2010 went pretty well.  We were able to hire a Pastor of Youth and Children and he seemed to be working out just fine.  However, one thing I had not anticipated was that I was having a problem with my neck that had begun earlier in the year and unfortunately was growing increasingly worse.  In the fall of 2010 I would have the first of three neck surgeries over the course of the next eight months.  All seemed well though and God was still on the throne.

Let me just say here that I could literally write a book about all I learned through both the good and the not-so-good moments over the course of the nearly three years that I pastored this church.  However, that is not what this post is about.  And with this in mind I’m going to jump in the story to the spring of 2011.  God was still working, people were being saved and we were still “alive”.  However, come April, and over the course of just a few weeks, our Pastor of Youth and Children would resign, I would have two neck surgeries, and the perfect storm began to brew that began to show cracks in our foundation and the reality that we were not as strong as we thought we were.  For the first time in our short history, our church was beginning to see a decline.

I remember being in the hospital in early April of 2011 waiting to have my third surgical procedure.  Sitting there realizing that I was going to be out of commission for  an unforeseen amount of time and knowing that an uproar had begun over the how’s and why’s of the youth pastor’s departure.  I had to trust the leadership that I had put in place to lead in my absence but the truth was that they were anything but a tight-knit group.  My hands were tied and there was nothing I could do to rush in and save the day for our ailing church.  I mean, I was the pastor, music minister, administrator, and head elder.  What was going to come of our church without ME?? 

Sometimes it is only when we are at the end of our rope or the bottom of the barrel that we truly depend on God.  I was there and I had no choice but to let go and let Him have it all.  You see, I am one that strongly desires to see God move, to see revival in the land… However, I readily admit that sometimes in my excitement I get ahead of God and begin to go it alone in my efforts and in my strength.  This may get a person through for a while, but when the going gets tough if God isn’t at the forefront of it - it will fail.

As a church we limped through what remained of the spring and summer of 2011.  We saw many folks abandon ship including many of our leaders.  We were however able to bring a part-time worship leader on board which was needed due to my poor health and continued recovery.  Don’t get me wrong there were still many folks who supported us and believed in us… However, without the help of outside support we would be financially in trouble.  I found myself having to work to raise funds to help support the ministry which was by far not my favorite thing to do.  We were still alive but definitely on life-support.

Fall arrived and we were determined to get this thing back on track.  Our leadership had been meeting and it was decided we need to change a few things including our mission statement.  We were going to learn from our mistakes, press on, and work to turn things around.  Over the course of the next several months things seemed to be going in a positive direction, we were even growing ever so slightly.  However, we could not seem to get over the proverbial “hump”.  Truth-be-told I was growing frustrated and was left shaking my head as to what exactly the problem was…

By January of 2012 God was making it clear to me that He was calling me elsewhere.  I really had no idea where or what and didn’t even want to think about the idea of leaving the church God had called me to plant.  However, it was becoming ever clearer to me that God had something else for me… somewhere else for me to serve where I would have an even greater kingdom impact than where I was at the time.  And even though I didn’t know “where” or “what” I knew that if God was leading me somewhere else I had to go.  He could not and would not bless my efforts at the church plant if I were to stay knowing this.  It wouldn’t be right and it wouldn’t be fair to the people there.

Over the course of the next several months God made it clear where He was calling me to be.  And let me say this:  When God lays out the path and gives the direction you have no doubt that He is in it.  Everything just comes together in a way that you know it can only be His leading.  So how did I know that He was leading me to where I am now?  What were the “signs”?  Let me share a few…

1.      Where at the beginning it was evident that God was the sustaining and driving force of the church, we had now come to a place where human effort seemed to be the sustaining and driving force of the church. 

Psalms 127 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain”.  What at one time seemed almost effortless and joyful had become hard work and tiring.  Don’t get me wrong, God’s work can be hard and tiring… However, it was becoming more and more evident that human effort was what was leading the charge which will get you nowhere without God’s leading and provision.

 

2.      God had removed my desire to lead the church.

It would have been unfair and selfish for me to continue serving a church that I no longer felt called to serve.  Whether I started the church or not is not the issue.  I learned a long time ago that if God is not in it or for it - it will go nowhere.

3.      Other church plants with stronger foundations were rising up in and around the community.

God was raising up new, Biblically sound churches in and around our community that had greater stability than we had. 

4.      God was opening a specific door for me to walk through.

Truthfully, the last place I ever thought I would be is where I am right now.  Nothing against where I am right now, it’s just the truth.  It was clear that if this door was opening for me it had to be God.

5.      Things were going on in the life of my family that seemed to indicate that now was a good time to move.

Sometimes you just need a change of scenery.  Other times God allows you to be closer to family that you have been away from for many years.  Both of these were true in our case.

6.      The Pieces of the Puzzle could not have come together more perfectly.

Our house sold in one day (and for 100% of our asking price), we found a house in our new area to purchase and move into immediately, we ended up in the town we never thought we would be but we already liked.

7.      God was at the forefront of our transition.

Our move and transition wasn’t all peaches and cream.  A lot of folks at the church plant were mad at us for leaving and a lot of folks at our new church weren’t exactly sure they wanted this “hip young family” at their church.  However, it was evident that God was in it and that’s all that mattered.

I was saddened to hear that in late December of 2012 the church we had planted had closed its doors.  I had earnestly prayed that the church would establish new leadership and move forward.  However, this was not God’s plan for this church.  I truly believe that if God had wanted this church to survive it would have.  I also believe that the three and a half years God sustained this church wasn’t for not.  All of us who were a part of this effort were being shaped and molded more into what God would have for us to be from being a part of it.  I know for me, God did an incredible work in my life spiritually that has and will make me a better pastor as I serve Him in the days and years ahead.  Some 50 people were saved and baptized over the course of three plus years; people who have now been saved by grace through faith to spend eternity reigning with Christ!   Also, many who attended the church are now a part of the other church plants in and around the community and they take their insight and experience with them.

Was it all for not??  No way!  Everything that happens, God allows to happen for a reason.  And every person that supported the work that began in June of 2009, whether it was monetarily, physically, or spiritually, was a part of God’s plan and was used and touched by Him in the process.  I thank God for the opportunity to be a part of the church He planted and also thank Him for the lives He allowed me to touch and be touch by during that time. 
 
In conclusion let me remind us of the truth found in Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

I know that God allowed a church to be planted and lives to be changed back in 2009.  I also know that He did it for His glory, for our growing, and to bring about His greater good.  I beleive that God allows everything to happen for a reason; and that everything that happens passes through His sovereign hands. 

Christian Watts

2.11.13