On Monday, I said that there are two abilities that predetermine the success of a church planter. They are:

1 – The ability to recruit a worship leader. (See my post from yesterday.)

2- The ability to raise funds.

Let’s talk about the second ability today. If a church planter is unable to raise funds before starting weekly services, I don’t give the new church much of a chance.

A church planter’s ability to raise funds seems to be one of the most critical indicators of the future church plant’s success. Why? I won’t pretend to understand the depths of this connection, but here are some possible reasons for its truth:

– The skill set it takes to raise funds is the same skill set it takes to lead a church.

– A vision that is clear and compelling enough to prompt people to give to will be clear and compelling enough for people to follow.

– Church planting was never designed to be a solo endeavor.

– Raising funds allows you to launch large which leads to faster growth and more stability in the new church.

– Raising funds forces the church planter to live with greater accountability.

When I sit down to consider whether or not The Journey will support a new church plant, it’s ultimately the church planter who must earn my trust and our church’s missions dollars. My decision is based on that person’s future potential. I’ve found that if the planter is right for the task then God will most likely bless the church.

To help me determine our involvement, I’m always looking for two abilities: The ability to recruit a worship leader and the ability to raise funds.

The pretty packaging of a vision plan, even if complete with a slick DVD, cannot overcome the lack of these two essential abilities.

Nelson

P.S. One of the free resources I offer to any church planter who requests it, is a resource entitled Funding Your Church Plant. In this resource, I lay out a proven process for how to recruit partners and raise money for a new church. You can request it and over $50 in additional resources by clicking 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.