Wait......Not yet.......

Waiting has to be one of the most frustrating things for church planters.  Here's why; we have vision, energy, passion, and the will, from God, but not the time.  It's like waiting for the Super Bowl to come on, at 8:00 a.m.  Where I live the game didn't come on until 4:30 p.m.  We woke up this Super Bowl Sunday, and my five year old told me, "this is going to be the best day, it's Super Bowl day!"  She had other motivation, we had gone to the store on Saturday to get snacks and she got a cupcake, but not until game time.  So all day, through church, and lunch, she was waiting until game time to partake in the cupcake.  But, we had to wait.

In looking at the calendar it is getting close to being a year since I experienced the call to plant a church.  I have been given vision, and direction, more team members, and a burden for the people of Pierce county.  Yet I have not set foot on the soil that I am going to live.  I seek to do the will of God, but have not yet been allowed to leave.  So what do church planters do when they cannot yet go?  I believe that we can do many things.

First, get ready.  We get ready to go.  I have heard it said, "set your feet in the direction of your church plant."  Boil what you do through what God has given you.  Church planters need to plant a church.  If what you are doing is hindering you to plant the church, stop doing it.  Stop it.  We need to be used in the place where God has us, but it is not of God to sway from the call of God to plant a church.  There will be a time when each planter will have to choose to travel the road away from the life before the call, and start down the road to planting a new church.  Everything you do, ask if it is hindering the church plant, or helping it?  Get ready through prayer.  Ask God what He wants you to do.  There may be some stuff that you may think is hindering you from leaving, when God wants you to do it in preparation of leaving.

Next, raise support.  This may be way outside of what you think of.  There are two main types of support in church planting.  First, and most important, is prayer support.  If you are planting a church, you are going into enemy territory, and you need prayer to accomplish this.  You need people that are consistently praying for our physical, and spiritual well being.  We should be be resting on those prayers.  Second, is the physical support.  The fact of the matter is, church planters are missionaries.  They, we, need some support.  This could be something that church planters shy away from.  Frankly, asking for money is not the most comfortable think you can do.  Most look to Paul and "tent making" to support the church plant.  There is nothing wrong with that.  Look closer at what Paul was doing.  Paul was working in the cities to meet people where they were.  When his team came later, Paul would usually stop working in the town square, and started working on preaching to the people.  So both is really the answer.  Get out there and get some support, and get out and work in the city that God has you in, to work, and meet people. 

Third, is learn what God is doing in the meantime.  I have had my house one the market for almost six months, and it still has not sold.  This does not mean that we are not called, only that He is waiting until His perfect timing.  So what is it that I should be doing?  That is the question that every church planter needs to ask himself in this sort of holding pattern.  Don't think that you have nothing to do if you are not physically in the city of the church plant, God has stuff for us in the meantime.

Don't forget to research the place that you are going.  Ask Pastors what the spiritual state is of the place that you are going.  Call the local Pastors to start a relationship with them.  Don't think that you are the anointed gunslinger, coming to town to save the day.  If you do this, you insult the workers that God already has there, and you need to repent.  As I have heard it said, and written of before, God wants to do something in you, the church planter, more than He wants to do something through you.  There are anointed men in the area that know more than you do.  Draw wisdom from them.  Instead of thinking of building a building, think kingdom minded, and show the Pastors in the area that heart.

So there is much work to be done, before church planters set foot on the soil of the city of the church plant.  Don't let it be overwhelming.  Seek to do God's will each day.  He will tell you what He wants you to plan, work on, and spend your energy on.  Cherish your time that God has given you.  Ask Him for patience.  Enjoy the place you are in.  Personally I love New Mexico, and will miss it.  I plan to do several things before I leave, to enjoy this last season.  I would advise others in this situation to do the same.

In Him,

Cam