ChurchPlanting.com

Resourcing Church Starters

Planting A ‘Go And Do’ Church

Filed under: Church Leadership, Church Planting — editor

"Decide where you want to fit on the missional continuum - become either a come-and-see or a go-and-do church.  A come-and-see church prioritizes its resources (time, energy, money, etc.) toward the building, attendance and membership.  Surprisingly most of these churches espouse believing in outreach, releasing of laity, caring for the poor and giving generously.  Deep down somewhere, doesn’t everybody?  The come-and-see church says these things are important but then doesn’t make them priorities.

The go-and-do church
empowers volunteers to serve
not-yet-converted people.

  1. The go-and-do church allocates 10 to 20 percent of its annual income to serve the poor!
  2. The go-and-do church makes sure that 50 percent of all volunteer hours at the church are invested in folks who don’t even care about the church, aren’t Christians and need to be shown love in practical ways.

We recommend that you take time with your leaders and explain this to them.  One idea: Start giving 5 percent to the poor.  Now.  It will change your life, all your people and especially your leaders."

(The excerpt was taken from Community of Kindness, by Steve Sjogren and Rob Lewin.  Regal Books, 2003; pp. 22-4.)

“You’re In Charge of Pennies, Not Dollars”

Filed under: Church Planting — editor

"One pitfall of good church planters is that they are big-picture people.  This is great in most areas, but not for finances. When your people give you money, they are really giving it to Jesus. It’s special.  You are stewarding money others have tithed.  Taking good care of it is a sacred responsibility.

  • Thank every new giver with a handwritten note…
  • On Monday mornings, evaluate your giving. Compare Sunday’s giving to one-fourth of your monthly expenses…
  • Please, hire a bookkeeper ASAP to balance your checkbook and reconcile your checking account…
  • Always have a bookkeeper open and verify your bank statements…

If you are not accountable for the small things - paying attention to the spreadsheet on a weekly basis - then you will not be accountable for the larger things later."

(Excerpt taken from Community of Kindness by Steve Sjogren and Rob Lewin; Regal Books, 2003. pp. 50-2.)