Church planters are a nomadic people. More hunters/gatherers than farmers. It’s the nature of the animal – no secured home base, so change happens. In our first few years we met in four locations before settling into the fifth – a facility we’ve been spending our Sundays in for several years now.
Now our church is looking to get into our “own” place. Not as owners (two words: Southern California), but as the primary lease-holders on a space that would be ours 24/7. This is a big move for us on multiple levels – moving our worship time from Sunday evenings to Sunday mornings, subleasing to other churches/outside groups, responsibility for general upkeep, etc. It kind of feels like we’re growing up and leaving the folks’ house.
We are in the midst of negotiations, and already the growth lessons for me are priceless. A sampling:
- Mission trumps real estate. This whole process involves a lot of cost, and it has clarified for us what is really important. If a potential space’s cost would inhibit our ability to plant more churches and do good work in Mozambique, it’s not the right space.
- Stuff is expensive. Prepare for everything to cost more than what you thought. Build in margin.
- Faith. Things almost come together, then fall apart, then come together again. Remember God is at work; don’t get caught up in the roller coaster of day to day happenings (good counsel to remember in church planting in general, come to think of it).
- Prayer and fasting. As Wesley said, “God does nothing apart from prayer and all things by it.” The real battle is spiritual. Fighting involves a team of leaders on their knees.
- Info. Keep the church informed, praying, prepped, moving together. With all the moving pieces it would be really easy to get out of step with one another and miss the opportunities for service, outreach, and ownership that come with a move.
The learning curve is steep, and this is just in the run up! What lessons does Jesus have for me as we are living in the new reality?
