If there’s one thing I’ve learned in church planting, it’s to expect the unexpected.

It seems like the spiritual warfare is always a little more intense when it comes to the birth of a new church.

This past Sunday was no exception – we were launching The Journey Church in Boca Raton (click here for details).

About a half-hour from our Grand Opening service (and with people already waiting in the lobby to worship), our sound board blew up.

It just completely quit working.  No early indications, no warning signs – it just quit.

So I did the only thing I know to do when it comes to fixing sound boards…. I PRAYED!

And I sent out a few text messages asking others to pray as well.

Thankfully, one of our sound techs was prepared with a nice 80’s-era 8-channel mixer, which ran our entire setup for over 550 people (with a few slight adjustments).

The service even started on time!

If you’re planting a church or trying to do anything else to push back the darkness and expand God’s Kingdom, be prepared for expect a little spiritual warfare along the way…

You may have heard me say this before, but one of my early ministry mentors told me once, “If you go too long without meeting the devil head-on, you might be heading in the same direction!”

Thank God that He is greater than anything the enemy can throw at us.

Nelson

P.S. If you’re a church planter, I’d like to give you over $149.00 in FREE Church Planting Resources – to download yours now, CLICK HERE.

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.