I’ve supervised dozens of church planters and you have identified many of the complications. Your personal account underscores the cost planters often pay. Thanks for publishing this.
I'm so grateful to come across your writing and thoughts and look forward to engaging. We began a church about to hit its ten year anniversary-- and did it entirely as lay-led, with no outside funding (though we later benefitted from a national grant, significantly less than the numbers you mention). (methowepiscopal.com) It has also been exhausting-- and incredibly fulfilling. We rent space in another church. My husband and I are entrepreneurs and so can manage aspects of digital work etc (we began Zooming in COVID and have continued). This is a very important conversation-- happy to be a part of it.
I only discovered your substack a couple days ago, but have since read about half of all your posts.
I would like to hear from your experience, what would you have done differently if you were a middle manager in a churcha planting entrepeneurship? I mean, someone supervising a church planter but, at the same time, knowing the institutional pressures and needs.
Did you read my “church planting exit report?” Those include 3 thoughts. Beyond that, I would say the on-the-ground-leader must have control over funds, albeit with accountability and oversight. Regarding systems, I’ve seen where a board is established quickly with external leaders, then slowly transitions to local persons on a planned scheduled. I think this would be prudent. For as long as my project was, it never incorporated as a legal entity. I think that would have helped somewhat.
We established a "steering committee" (essentially a vestry but since we aren't run by clergy we thought we should call it something else) with governance procedures in place re terms, etc. that has been really helpful.
I’ve supervised dozens of church planters and you have identified many of the complications. Your personal account underscores the cost planters often pay. Thanks for publishing this.
I'm so grateful to come across your writing and thoughts and look forward to engaging. We began a church about to hit its ten year anniversary-- and did it entirely as lay-led, with no outside funding (though we later benefitted from a national grant, significantly less than the numbers you mention). (methowepiscopal.com) It has also been exhausting-- and incredibly fulfilling. We rent space in another church. My husband and I are entrepreneurs and so can manage aspects of digital work etc (we began Zooming in COVID and have continued). This is a very important conversation-- happy to be a part of it.
Thanks for sharing this.
Jesus does not ask us for "success". I imagine him saying, "Well done, my faithful servant."
Hi, mr Richmond,
I only discovered your substack a couple days ago, but have since read about half of all your posts.
I would like to hear from your experience, what would you have done differently if you were a middle manager in a churcha planting entrepeneurship? I mean, someone supervising a church planter but, at the same time, knowing the institutional pressures and needs.
Did you read my “church planting exit report?” Those include 3 thoughts. Beyond that, I would say the on-the-ground-leader must have control over funds, albeit with accountability and oversight. Regarding systems, I’ve seen where a board is established quickly with external leaders, then slowly transitions to local persons on a planned scheduled. I think this would be prudent. For as long as my project was, it never incorporated as a legal entity. I think that would have helped somewhat.
We established a "steering committee" (essentially a vestry but since we aren't run by clergy we thought we should call it something else) with governance procedures in place re terms, etc. that has been really helpful.