Today we complete our chapter-by-chapter blog discussion of the book Church Planting is For Wimps. For those of you who may have just been browsing, you can always join in! Simply pick up a copy of the book and start reading. If you have missed the previous posts, please read my thoughts on chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 6, and chapter 7.
Well, it is hard to believe that we have reached our final week together. Mike has really taken us on a whirlwind tour of his life as a church planter (or would it be more accurate to call him a church restorer?). In any case, Mike doesn’t want to end his book without giving some encouragement and comfort to those who seek to plant Christ-centered churches. He recognizes how difficult it is and how easily it can be to get discouraged. Compound this challenge with the constant pressure to “produce results,” and it can quickly overwhelm the best of us.
So, in his last chapter, he deals with the question of numbers and success in ministry head-on. Mike writes:
“Here is my solution, and in many ways the main point I want to make with this book: I want to redefine extraordinary….
“When you plant a church, you are signing on to God’s plan for God’s purposes. It’s up to you to be faithful as you depend on God’s grace to carry out your appointed task. God will use your labors to do his will. It could be that your congregation is meant to be a larger piece of the overall picture, or it could be that it’s meant to be a smaller piece. Either way, don’t forget the privilege it is to be even a ‘small’ part of God’s marvelous plan. It’s an extraordinary calling” (110-111).
What an obvious truth! And yet how easy it can be to get sucked into the comparison game. How many attended worship last Sunday? What are we going to do now that one of our large families has started attending another church? Why isn’t God blessing my ministry like he is ___________? (full in the blank)
I thank Mike for how he ends his book. It is a nice reminder for me as I seek to faithfully serve my Savior. I pray that I will remain faithful to Christ and focused on His glory in my service to Him!
Do you have any final thoughts?
John Divito
Member, Heritage Baptist Church
M.Div. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
CBTS Faculty fully subscribe to the 1689 Confession of Faith, hold an advanced
degree in their field of instruction, and possess significant pastoral experience.
