Starting New Churches On Purpose (2)

I’m gonna share some ideas from Ron Sylvia’s book, Starting New Churches On Purpose, and process them out loud and see what you think. Here’s one:

Ron has some great thoughts on a church planter’s calling:

“Calling” is a fuzzy word that has been watered down, and mystified in the ministry. How can you define it to someone? A calling is personal; it’s the voice of God in your life. Henry Blackaby writes in Experiencing God, “If you have trouble hearing God speak, you are in trouble at the very heart of your Christian experience.” A calling comes from a relationship – not with vocational training, nor simply a career path. Many church starters fail because they have misunderstood God’s calling for their life. God loves them, and may have called them to ministry, but not to start a church.

My favorite line in that is, “A calling comes from a relationship.” Hearing the voice of God doesn’t come out of a quiet walk on the beach, or climbing a mountain, or asking Him to increase His volume. It comes out of a relationship. Out of a consistent, honest, growing, intimate relationship.

So, do you have that? If not, please don’t start a church. Because without that relationship I doubt you’ve heard God calling you. And even if somehow you’ve heard that call, without that relationship your church should fail and you will die.