I have yet to read a verse in the Bible that says, “Church Planters are not Shepherds.” In fact, I am yet to come across verses that contain a list of qualifications for a “Church Planter.” Okay okay! Yes, apostolic giftings and Paul, & Philip. Even so, the planter must be a qualified elder. As you know, 1 Tim 3:1-7 & Titus 1:5-9 contain qualifications of a Pastor/Elder. In those passages, Paul doesn’t tell us what a shepherd does but who the shepherd is. So the planter is an elder. Keep that point in mind…. Now let’s learn from the Apostle Peter. In 1 Pet 5:1-11, the Apostle/Elder tells us what a pastor/elder does. The elders are to “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you.” Planters must understand, we are elders. Therefore, we are shepherds. Within the word Shepherd, we find what I believe to be the best church planting strategy. The word gives a path forward. Planter you can plant through shepherding. Brother planter, if you are anything like me, you need some relief from all the “How too’s” and “You musts”. You know what I am talking about. After all those meetings with key community leaders and coordinating all those outreach events, how can you have time for anything else? I want to propose a different way. It may not be as fast. You may not get “results.” But after 30-40 years you will look back with wonder at all that God did!
1. Know the Gospel well. As a planter/shepherd you have to rest in the Gospel. Even when we don’t:) A shepherd gets to spend time with the Chief Shepherd and know him well. Basic childlike faith and godliness are not the shallow end of the pool. As planter/shepherds, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we get rest and power by the finished work of Christ in every area of life.
2. Shepherd your own family well. I think it was Jared Wilson, who said, “You can sacrifice your family on the alter of ministry, but you can also sacrifice ministry on the alter of family.” The planter/shepherd does not want to overstate or understate the importance of family. However, the Bible is clear, if we cannot shepherd the family, we cannot shepherd the church.
3. Prayer and Gospel-Centered expositional preaching and teaching of the Bible must be your work. This is what a Biblical shepherd does. We do the work of prayer and ministry of the Word. This priority cannot be relegated to a small part of our life. If the planter/shepherd finds himself so involved with the city counsel that he cannot pray and study, then his schedule must change.
4. The planter/shepherd gets to model Biblical friendship through the relationships he has with his Elders and leaders. To many planters are lonely. This should not be. The planter need not model relational width over relational depth. Get some friends and hang out. The planter/shepherd, along with the elders/leaders, get to display to the congregation what true friendship and accountability looks like.
5. Disciple 6-8 men a year. Who are you discipling and who is discipling you? This is a question that the planter/shepherd needs to be able to answer. Set up weekly meetings and go through the Bible together. Remember, it is ultimately God who makes disciples, but he can use our busted up methods to grow the people we are discipling.
6. Get to know your people. Do you have people over to your house? Do your people invite you over to their house? Get to know the people who are entrusted to you. I have met far too many pastors that never invited people over and rarely get invited in. Take someone out for coffee. Make some phone calls. Get to know your people.
7. Be faithful in wedding, funeral, and hospital responsibilities. These simple shepherding tasks will not make most church planting manuals. However, for the planter/shepherd, these tasks need to be done with your mind and heart engaged.
It’s kind of like being a part of 4 churches. These four churches get the planters time. Church 1 getting the most and church 4 getting the least. The family is the first church. The Elders/leaders are the second. The men whom the planter is discipling comes in third. The broader church is the fourth church. Plant through shepherding. God’s people do not need or lack Visionaries and Prophets. What’s lacking is Gospel-Centered Planter/Shepherds. So escape the hoopla and step into the long joyful work of Planting through Shepherding.
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