Four Loves of a Church Planter #3 - Church Leader Insights

Today is the third installment of posts called “The Four Loves of a Church Planter.” You can find the first two here: Love #1 and Love #2.

Successful church planters love their…

CITY

This is something I have noticed time and time again. The most successful church planters I know really love their city! They think it’s the best place in the world. They enjoy what the area has to offer, work to make it a better place to live, and genuinely care deeply for the people who live around them.

On the other hand, many unsuccessful planters I’ve met through the years don’t have that same love for their city. They are always talking about how bad their city is (too cold in OH, too hot in Phoenix) and how ‘it aint like the place we used to live.’ It’s as if just living there is a burden.

Here’s the truth about this topic: Loving your city is no guarantee of church planting success but not loving it is good sign that you aren’t going to succeed.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. – Matthew 9:36 (NLT)

Church Planter:
– Do you truly believe God has called you to your city for such a time as this?
– Do you ache with compassion for the people of your city?
– Are you committed to making a positive, long term difference in your city or are you dreaming of what it would be like ‘over there’?

Next week we’ll wrap up this series of posts with Love #4.

P.S. Looking for a great way to show love to the people of your city? Check out Reaching Your Community Through Servant Evangelism:
https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p94

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.