One of the popular books on dating was a book called “True Love Waits”. It is about a change in the way people approach dating. This past week I read a great interview of Tadd Grandstaff who bought up some great points on church planters. One thing I see needs to happen with young church planters is that they need to wait before they go plant. I mean really, “Why Not Wait?” What’s the big rush?
What Waiting Does For You
1. Waiting Prepares You – To many young pastors are running straight into church planting without building the necessary leadership traits, skills and maturity that are necessary.
I know there are some quick learners but truth is I really don’t think you come into your own as a communicator until after for or six years of practice. There is also a false reality of thinking that just because you are the Lead Pastor you are able to lead men or women twice your age.
The size of the vision needs a leader who is large on the inside. Even though Jesus could go into the temple and amaze the religious leaders at 12 with His knowledge, it wasn’t until He was mature at 30 until He launched out into ministry.
Biblical knowledge does not equal life maturity and wisdom.
2. Waiting Prepares The Vision – I believe there is a specific vision that God has for your heart. We are seeing a tremendous rise in church planters who are seeing the glitz and glamor of church. I’m not doubting that there may be a call to do it. I just believe many are circumventing the time line of preparation of the vision.
As I have gotten older the vision God has placed in me over the years has crystallized into a clear picture that is burned inside. Paul with all of his training and teaching still spent many years in waiting for the vision to begin to become a reality.
3. Waiting Allows God To Prepare The Way – There are many areas that need to be in place as you are setting out to plant a church. Sometimes the waiting allows God to better prepare the way. John the Baptist spent many years laying a foundation for the message that Jesus was going to deliver.
Remember God is working in the background on the vision He has for your life.
Bottom Line: Waiting can help produce a stronger and more vibrant church as well as potentially create a more stable foundation for your church to stand on.
Jason Curlee is the Lead Pastor of Life Church in Corpus Christi, TX, a church launching in 2008. You can read more from him at Making Difference Makers and at his Personal Blog.
Relevant Christian 
Jason,
Thanks for the link to my blog. You have some very good points. I think your right on point.
Boyd
Jason…you have some good points here…however…it is a difficult thought for me. I was taught that we should be doing something…as Pastor John Osteen put it..”jump out and do it, and see if God breathes on it”. It can be a challenge sometimes but that’s kind of my mentality.
I know of some people who wait so long and end up doing nothing.
Thanks Boyd…Jimmy I understand your point as well….some people end up waiting so long and end up doing nothing. So true.
I wonder how many jumped out to soon without the tools to succeed and ended up failing….not because God didn’t breathe on them but because they were not prepared. It is a little double-edged…I do believe sometimes you must take a risk and just walk by faith.
I often wonder if Moses had been strategically placed in Pharaoh’s household to lead them out in a different way than it ended up happening. Moses jumped the gun and because he felt he failed ran and ended up waiting 40 years. What would have happened if he would have responded differently? Maybe he was placed so close to Pharaoh to just walk them out without having Egypt totally ravaged.
Course we will never know. My point is getting some ministry experience or partnering with a church who wants to plant or launch other churches could be give someone experience the really need. Don’t just jump out there cause you are seeing the “cool, successful” side of church planting.
Jason…good points all.
I can indentify with the second paragraph…I have jumped out before it was time…and got my rear handed to me.
In all honesty…that has been my hardest lesson to learn this past year….the waiting….oh my gosh the waiting is driving me crazy….but I have determined this time to do it when I feel God has made me ready…..OR…is He waiting for me to be ready???????
It can all be soooooo confusing.
Waiting and listening for God’s voice.