For a practical guide to sharing your faith in everyday relationships, see our personal evangelism guide for ordinary church members.

For a biblical framework for handling conflict well, see our church conflict resolution guide.

For a complete collection of church planting resources for small churches, see our church planting resources hub.

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By Brent Lacy

Not everyone who wants to plant a church should plant a church.

That is not a discouraging statement. It is a protective one. Church planting is one of the most demanding callings in ministry. A person who plants without the right gifts, the right preparation, and the right support will not just fail personally, they will leave a trail of people who trusted them and were hurt by the experience.

Here is a practical self-assessment for prospective church planters.

The Calling Question

Church planting begins with calling. Not ambition. Not a desire for independence. Not frustration with your current church. Calling.

A genuine call to church planting is typically confirmed by multiple sources: a deep personal conviction, affirmation from people who know you well, a specific burden for a particular community or people group, and the gifts and character that church planting requires.

If you are considering church planting primarily because you are frustrated with your current church situation, that is not a call. That is an exit strategy. Address the frustration first.

The Gifts Assessment

Church planters need a specific combination of gifts. Not every gifted pastor is a gifted church planter. Assess yourself honestly in these areas.

Evangelism.

Church planters must be able to reach unchurched people. If your ministry has been primarily to existing Christians, you need to honestly assess whether you have the gifts and the heart for evangelism that church planting requires.

Entrepreneurial leadership.

Church planting requires building something from nothing. This is different from leading an established congregation. Planters need to be comfortable with ambiguity, able to make decisions without consensus, and willing to take risks.

Resilience.

Church planting is hard. There will be seasons of discouragement, conflict, financial stress, and loneliness. A planter who cannot sustain their faith and their calling through difficulty will not survive the first two years.

Relational intelligence.

Church planting is fundamentally relational. The planter who cannot build genuine relationships with unchurched people will not build a church.

The Character Assessment

The biblical qualifications for church leadership in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are almost entirely character-based. Before you assess your gifts, assess your character.

• Are you above reproach in your personal life and your marriage?
• Are you managing your household well?
• Are you free from the love of money?
• Are you able to handle conflict without becoming quarrelsome?
• Are you well thought of by people outside the church?

A church planter with great gifts and poor character will build something that eventually collapses under the weight of their own failures.

The Readiness Assessment

Beyond calling, gifts, and character, church planting requires practical readiness.

• Do you have a sending church? A church plant without a sending church is a church plant without accountability, support, or a safety net.
• Do you have a financial plan? How will you support yourself and your family during the plant? Have you planned for bi-vocational ministry?
• Do you have a core team? A church plant without a committed core team is a pastor without a congregation.
• Have you been assessed? Most denominations and church planting networks offer formal assessment processes. Go through one before you plant.
• Is your spouse fully on board? Church planting will cost your family significantly. Your spouse needs to be a genuine partner in the calling, not a reluctant supporter.

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