Stop Planting Churches! (and other great tips for church planters)

I am a long-time reader of Steve Addison's blog "Movements That Change the World." Recently he shared lessons taught by Tim Scheuer...

Be up front about Jesus. There are many more people out there than we realize who are ready for someone to tell them about Jesus.

Keep moving. Most of the evangelism Jesus did was harvest evangelism. He went into town looking for responsive people who became a beachhead for the gospel. Paul did the same.

Stop planting churches. Start making disciples. Then help those disciples to form churches in their world.

Cast vision early for simple neighborhood churches.

Stop trying to reach one person at a time. Look for the person of peace and then through them reach networks of relationships.

Don’t focus on “mature” Christians. The newest believers are excited about knowing Jesus. They don’t know that they shouldn’t be sharing their joy with everyone they meet.

Begin with the end in mind. What is it going to take to give every person in Airds the opportunity to respond to Jesus and follow him together?

If you’ve got this far and now you’re saying to yourself, “That nice but door-knocking won’t work in my context.” I have a question:

What will you do in your context to find the .1% or 5% or 55% of people who ready now to respond to Jesus and follow him?

They are out there. Like the woman at the well (John 4), and Cornelius (Acts 10), they will become the first of many.

As a missionary church planting catalyst, I find these to be excellent lessons, and agree whole heartedly with each. We are better at some of these than others. Which resonate with your experience?