Top Ten Reasons Church Planting Sucks

Here is a post I got from Jake's Facebook, after he posted it on his blog after he got it from lofitribe who got it from Pastor Dan from Edmonton.

It describes why church Planting can be tough and why it is hard to give up too.

Here it is:

1. It’s harder than you think - but not in that ways you expect. I expected it to be a lot of work and I expected there to be discouraging times and I expected there would be times I would want to quit, but I didn’t expect that I would spend most of my time doing stuff that I don’t love and doesn’t excite me …

2. It’s more fun than you think it’s going to be. Strap on your helmet, but it is fun. You’re building something from scratch and fighting and winning and failing …

3. There are people who don’t want you to succeed … Identify these people and ignore them …

4. There are people who desperately want to you to succeed … Identify these people and seek them out …

5. It is not easy to figure out who are #3 people and who are #4 people.

6. Weather will kick your ass … There’s not much you can do but be ready for it …

7. You will also schedule something no one will show up for …

8. This is not the church you built in your head … Trying to be the church in your head will kill your joy for the church you have, so kill the church in your head …

9. Don’t take anything personally. People will come to your church and go, and friends will choose to be a part or not … If your confidence and self image depend on the “success” of your church, you are screwed as a pastor and will be a terrible person to live with …

10. Settle the failure question before you start …

Note: Why Church Planting Sucks is an encouraging list because it really does let other planters know they aren’t the only ones experiencing such things! It’s good to know that other planters are experiencing the very same things! Let’s pray for one another, and keep working for Christ’s glory and fame.