Building vs. Planting, Part 3

We’re examining reasons that churches choose NOT to plant new churches…

Selfish reasons…
Elaboration on this particular point could go on and on and cross over into the other reasons that churches choose not to plant, so I’m going to try to keep it relatively brief without letting us off the hook. Living in a consumer-oriented culture, we are all used to “having it our way.” Because of that, companies and manufacturers produce goods and services that will appeal to the consumer. If they didn’t do that, they wouldn’t make money. Period.

However, the problem arises when we as consumers transfer those same attitudes and expectations onto the church.

We expect this organization to cater to us and our needs and wants. Ifit doesn’t, then we will find one that does. If a particular churchseems to be asking too much of us (i.e, it costs too much), then wewill find one that expects little and exists to make us and ourfamilies happy. To entertain us. To provide for us. That’s great for
capitalism, but it’s death for faith.

Because we are selfish people, we have projected onto our churches ourown needs, wants, and desires. It’s difficult (and can I say rare?)that you find a family or individual who deeply comprehends that churchis not about them. It’s about God. Every gathering of Christians isintended to be a strategic, influential, grace-oriented andothers-centered community where lives are being transformed, hurts arebeing healed, addictions overcome, and true needs met. A church isintended to be a people whom God has planted in a community todemonstrate His character, power, love, and offer for forgiveness.

God’s plan and desire for His Kingdom to be built is lost to us in theselfish demands we have for church to be done “our way.” We choose thebest children’s and youth programs over the group of people mostcommitted to extending Christ’s kingdom. We choose activity over depthand information over transformation every time.

We are selfish.

Planting a new church requires incredible sacrifice and spiritualcommitment. It requires that we look at our community first and our ownchurch last. It requires us to continually resist the urge to measureour success by our size. (How many churches that are growing are addingnew believers, and how many are just receiving members from otherchurches?) Planting a new church requires training new leaders, andmost churches are deeply incompetent at training new leaders. The samefolks run every committee, team, and task force.

We are selfish.

We’d prefer for our church to get bigger and bigger, thus proclaimingto other churches… “we’re the best!” Yay! We’re winning! Just look atwhat God is doing here!!… Is it God or is it consumerism? Before youbuild that family life center or that new sanctuary, ask yourself thetough questions…

• Why are we doing this?
• Is this biblically right?
• Who are we not reaching already?
• What would it look like for us to start a new church or new group?
• How can we cooperate better with other churches?
• What do we define as our needs?
• Are we training new leaders?

We’ll continue with next two reasons that churches choose not to plantin a later post. Thanks for reading this far! I’d appreciate yourthoughts and comments.