Money: The Most Critical Issue in North American Church Planting?
In the church planting courses that I teach, I used to play a guessing exercise with my students. On a particular day near the start of the semester, I would come into the class and begin asking the students what was necessary for a church to exist as a church. I would start the exercise by asking if certain absurd concepts were a necessity (i.e., piano and organ, a lectern, carpet, business meetings, etc.). Next, asking for their response, I began to state more culturally cherished concepts (i.e., a Bible written in the language of the people, worship leader, youth ministry, etc.). At some point during the exercise, I would ask how much money was needed for a church to exist as a church, and then I would ask how much money was needed to plant a church. Of the many times I used this exercise, I do not recall a time when any student stated that money was ever needed for a church to exist, or for a church to be planted.
The purpose of this article is to address the relationship between finances and church planting. Based on my observations and research, the number one most commonly mentioned critical issue in North American church planting today is the lack of money. This article is divided into three major sections. First, I will describe the two most common areas mentioned whenever church planters speak of the need for money. Second, I will offer some theological and missiological reflections on this critical issue in North American church planting. Finally, I will suggest several responses to this critical issue. Overall, I have learned at least one thing from my work in this area of church planting: When it comes to money, many church planters are concerned about it and willing to talk about it.
