5 reasons NOT to start a church...

...or any other ministry. Just because you've been to (insert name of church) and REALLY LIKED it doesn't mean you should start one yourself OR that your town needs one. I know, coming from someone who started a church that is ironic. Just because (insert name of church) started a ministry DOESN'T MEAN your church needs to start one. I've fallen for the trap in ministry before, maybe you have to, of seeing something work somewhere else and AUTOMATICALLY thinking "If we do that we'll get the same results." I've implemented programs, ministries, strategies and the like into youth ministries and churches I've led thinking they will give me the same results (insert church name) got. SO, that being said, here are my top 5 reasons NOT to start a church or any other ministry.

#5 I'm tired of being told what church should be like. HA. We start a church because we're tired of being told how church should be like, so we're going to do it how WE think it should be like. You know what happens as soon as, oh I don't know, five people are coming to your church? SOMEONE IS GOING TO TELL YOU HOW CHURCH SHOULD BE LIKE. Even with the success of Element, we've got our fair share of people, FROM OUR CHURCH, telling us how they think church should be done. That will never go away. EVER! People have opinions, they have preferences, that doesn't make them evil OR give you license to start a new church OR ministry.

#4 I was a good youth pastor (or staff pastor). LOL Funny thing is I WAS A YOUTH PASTOR before this. If you think you want to start a church because you were a good youth pastor and/or you could do church better, DON'T. A lot of guys start churches because they think they can do church better than the one they are already serving in. Did I always agree with my sr. pastor? No. Would I have done some things differently? Yes. Is that my reason for starting a new church. ABSOLUTELY, 100% NO!

#3 (insert name) thinks I could start a church. (insert name) likes my idea. Umm, unless GOD thinks you could start a church and GOD likes your idea you shouldn't do it. And if you are serving in a church and your pastor/leadership team doesn't feel "led" or "called" to do what your idea is, maybe they aren't the ones with the wrong vision. Just saying. Too many churches start and fail, and too many ministries start and stale because someone supports "MY" idea. Note "MY" idea.

#2 It worked for... Willow Creek, Saddleback, Rob Bell, Mark Driscoll, Perry Noble. I don't care if it worked for the Apostle Paul it doesn't mean we'll get the same results. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked "What model of church are you?" What they want to know is, are you doing church like Willow, Saddleback, NewSpring, Mars Hill (either one), or any other successful church. Why can't we do church like Element? I've been influenced by MANY churches and pastors, and most of them you would never know their name. I know of people who attend a church like one listed above, come back to their town and because their town doesn't have one of "those" churches they think one should be started. WHY? Maybe God doesn't want one of those churches in town. He may want you to start one but ONE THAT IS YOU AND NOT RICK WARREN! Now I have used ideas, principles and approaches from guys and churches like I mentioned, but THEY ARE NOT A REASON TO START A CHURCH OR A MINISTRY! What's funny is, typically when someone says we need a (insert name) type church or ministry, they start it and it's NOTHING like (insert name) would have done it. In fact they probably would hate it.

#1 I don't like..."...any churches in my town." "the ministries in our church." "my pastor." "my job." I'll take the last one first. If you don't like your job STARTING A CHURCH WON'T FIX THAT! Nuff' said. I've heard of and spoken to so many guys who use the "I don't like..." method of church planting or ministry adding. You know what? When it comes to something as serious as planting a church or starting a ministry, GOD COULD CARE LESS ABOUT WHAT YOU LIKE? He cares about what YOUR CITY and what YOUR CHURCH umm... I don't know NEEDS! And maybe, JUST MAYBE we don't always know what our church or city needs. If you don't like your pastor try PRAYING FOR HIM, or SUPPORTING HIM. If you don't like the ministries in the church try SERVING IN THEM TO MAKE THEM BETTER. If you don't like any churches in your town, well, tough cookies. It's not a reason to start one. This is by far THE MOST ABUSED REASON for starting churches and ministries in America.

Why did I start a church? Why SHOULD I start a church (or ministry)? Only...ONLY because the voice of God stirs my heart. ONLY! It was scary enough for me to start this church KNOWING that the only reason was that God was asking me to. If I were doing it for any of these other reasons I would be DOOMED to fail and KNOW IT from day one. NONE of those reasons are reasons to start a church. Ok, I'm done. That's been on my heart lately.

For more read this and this.

Listening for the call,

Jeff