What are some of the BEST reasons to help launch a church? Here are a few:
1. You’ve been looking for a new church home. Maybe you have just moved to a new area or you have prayed through and feel a peace about finding a new church.
2. Your kids asked you to. I’ve met people who help launch a church because their kids got involved and they got involved.
3. You’re ready for fewer traditions. I know this one could cause some folks to want to fight me. But honestly, I talk to a lot of people who have left the church because of traditions. Now, I don’t think traditions are bad. But I think the worship of traditions is how churches get off track, and it happens all the time.
4. A close friend asked you to pray about it. If that same friend says, “Hey, you have to leave and come join me and help me launch this church,” and really doesn’t have a great reason, well, that’s probably the wrong reason. To leave just to leave is never a good reason. But if you’re asked to earnestly seek God, then that’s different altogether.
5. God has asked you to. When God asks you do something, it’s undeniable. He’s asked you and it will be hard not to follow through. But here’s a warning: Everyone close to you might not understand and support you. Actually, you may get the most pushback from those closest to you. I’ve met people who have had very hurtful conversations with close friends and family over helping launch a church. But if God asks you too, then you have to take that step of faith.
These are all good reasons to plant a church, but the best reason is this: To reach more people for Jesus. To see lives changed by the hope of Jesus. Period.
I love what Stadia says about this: “There are seven billion people on the planet. God loves them all, and He calls us to love them too. How do we do that? God’s plan A is the church, the Body of Christ, God’s local outpost. We need more churches … lot’s of them.”
