As I prepare to lead a church planting effort in Denver, Colorado, I am meeting with different pastors, planters and friends explaining our plans. If the person I am speaking to has ministry leadership experience, I usually ask if they have any advice for me.
I recently received five minutes of such advice that were worth taking a day off to hear.
Tom Nettles, Professor of Historical Theology at Southern Seminary, was the dispenser of the wisdom. It was simply, clear, godly and biblical, which sums up my experience of Dr. Nettles over all. Dr. Nettles said three main things:
You are a man under authority
“Every planter/pastor is under the authority of the Bible. You are not your own man doing your own thing: you are under authority” - Tom Nettles (paraphrase).
In the world of church planting, where methodologies are bantied about like investment strategies, it is easy for pragmatism to become king. While some such practical discussions are necessary, Dr. Nettles’ reminder to live and minister as a man under authority is an always-helpful word.
The same God who spoke the world into existence, speaks through His Word, a Word that is eternal, inerrant, authoritative and sufficient to equip men for every good work. Every pastor/planter should aim to bring God’s Word to bear on people’s lives so they can live and minister under its authority.
Pastors/planters are not self-commissioned: we are gifted and commissioned by God and recognized by a church/fellow believers. We are sent out as men under authority: Dr. Nettles reminds us that God’s Word is our authority.
Don’t forget the path God has you on/your call
“You will face discouragement as a church planter. Don’t forget the Lord’s work in your life to lead to where you are at. He has walked you through conversations, trials, decisions to get you to the point of planting. Don’t let one discouraging month(s) deter you from that path” - Tom Nettles.
Many church planters and missionaries speak of God’s call to plant/minister. They say that when the going gets tough, what enables you to push through is knowing God has called you to do what you are doing.
While such advice is helpful, I think it runs the risk of being a bit reductionistic or perhaps undefined and potentially misunderstood.
Scripture is clear that God calls people to salvation (Eph 1:4-5; Rom 9) and that He calls all of His people to ministry (2 Cor 5:11-21, Eph 4:12). Scripture also teaches that God calls people to ministry leadership through gifting and desire (Eph 4, 1 Pet 4; 1 Tim 3), a calling that is affirmed by the church/other Christians in those who meet the biblical qualifications for such leadership (1 Tim 3; Titus 1).
One problem with reminding people of God’s call is the way people speak of, and refer to, such a call. Some make it sound like an ethereal, internal-only, gut-level feeling or sense that God has led them to minister in a specific place and role.
While I think such a sense is good, I do not think it is the only thing potentially discouraged pastors/planters can draw on for strength, nor do I think it sums up God’s call to ministry leadership.
Dr. Nettles’ advice reminds discouraged planters/pastors that they can recall the gifting God has given them and how others have confirmed such gifting in them (facets of God’s call). Dr. Nettles’ advice also reminds discouraged planters/pastors to remember God’s providential working in their life that has brought them to where they are.
Many conversations, trials and decisions will likely go into the decision to plant a church and God works in His people’s lives to lead and guide them through such situations. This providential leading and guiding is a source of strength and encouragement in the midst of discouraging times.
One could say this providential working is a part of God’s call and I would be okay with that. But such providential working is not usually in view when people speak of being “called.” Dr. Nettles’ advice helpfully fleshed out God’s call and God’s providential working as sources of strength and encouragement in trying times.
Be Christ-centered
“It is Christ’s church, not your church. Christ died for His church. Every person He died for is a precious jewel to Him. Remember that. There are people out there who will respond to the gospel, to God’s call. What they will respond to is the voice of Christ, so be the voice of Christ to His people.” - Tom Nettles.
The church pastors/planters lead is not their church, it is Christ’s church. And the voice non-believers will respond to with repentance and faith is the voice of Christ revealed in the gospel, not the ingenuity of man.
The reality that Christ’s people are more valuable to Him than they are to a church planter/pastor - so valuable that He died for them - gives the gung-ho, go-get-’em guy a reminder to trust in the Gospel, not his efforts, while also encouraging the discouraged and downtrodden fellow to persevere.
Christ loves His church: we are simply called to tell others about His love and to love as He loves.
I hope these reminders from Dr. Nettles encourage you as much as they did me and may they turn your eyes to our glorious Savior and the God who has saved us in Him.