3 Church Planting Surprises

Over time, I will be writing much more on here about church planting. It's what we are doing and what I am studying here. With each passing day, I am more excited to plant churches and teach others to do the same.  In this post, I thought I will share the three most surprising things that I have discovered about (simple) church planting since arriving here.  These are things that I am experiencing myself as we work in Masi.  Not just things that people told me can happen.

1. Unsaved people can lead a church. We are empowering people that are yet to make a commitment to Jesus to lead their friends in Discovery Bible Studies. It is thrilling to see the way this propels growth and dedication. What often happens is that they grow themselves into salvation that lasts.  
2. I have personal friends and know many people who have planted churches in America.  It is often under a denomination and through a rigorous process. I know people that take as long at 24 months (plus) to launch a church plant. There is nothing wrong with this. It is beautiful...for some people. However, since we define church in simple biblical terms, we shed the processes and procedures that men create.  This allows us to start a church in 24 hours instead of 24 months.  Sure, we may not have as many dollars in the bank, people in the seats or questions answered when we begin....but it is church nonetheless, and we launched in days, not years. 
3. Many churches talk about planting as something they wish to do in the future.  CCF (our home church) has talked about it for 12 years.  Since we define church in simple biblical terms, we are able to build reproduction into the lifeblood of the church at the beginning.  I am right now a part of a group that is 6 weeks old and already planning for reproduction within the next 6 weeks.  

Do you see the difference between organic church planting and organizational church planting?  One is not better than the other.  Just different.  And sometimes the differences can be surprising.