A few years ago I began the application process to become a church planter with a national church planting organization. I quit the process when I found out that I had to be willing to raise a minimum of $100,000 per year for three years.
Is it just me, or does that seem like a lot of money to plant a church?
I know, I know, that amount includes your personal income, advertising and equipment costs, and a place to rent. But still…$100,000? This is made worse when you realize that 70% of all church plants fail.
So I decided then and there that I was not going to plant a church “that way.” I wasn’t sure what way I would plant a church, but I could not, in good conscience, attempt that route. Besides, of the 30% of church planters that succeed, the vast majority are Type-A and extroverted. I am neither. Statistically, even if I had been able to raise $300,000, I probably would have been one of the 80% that fail.
During the last two years, I have been working toward planting a church using no money whatsoever. We have moved twice in that time, and have had to start over from square one each time.
But this week, I obtained $150 for my church planting efforts. I have a few ideas on how to spend this money, but first wanted to ask you what you think.
If you were planting a church, and only had $150 to do it, what you would buy? What would you do? How would you spend that money?
Here are the rules for this scenario:
- You don’t have a sending church.
- You don’t have a core group, unless you count your spouse and grade-school children.
- You will not be getting more money.
- You don’t know anyone within 20 miles, except a few of your neighbors, and all you really know of them is their name and their jobs.
- You don’t have a building to meet in, other than the home you are renting, if you choose to meet there.
So, what do you think? How should I spend the $150?
