My friend Rindy Walton talked about her experiences with me about a year ago. She was part of a church planting team where the church never even had its first launch service. Know that she sold her house and moved to a different state to help plant this new church. As odd as it may seem, there is much to learn from Rindy and her experience of never celebrating the struggles of church planting with a corporate worship service. Here is how she responded to 10 questions about that experience:
1. On a scale of 1-10, how confident were you in your call to plant a church?
10! There was not a doubt that I was called to sell my house, leave my secure job and travel to move 350 miles to help plant a church. Even now, as things fell apart, there is still no doubt it was the right thing.
2. Were you launched from a parent church, denomination, church plant group, or independently?
We initially were independent, though the lead pastor had participated in a year-long church planting residency. We were then supported by an additional church plant group and denomination.
3. Where were you strongest in your resources (finances, people, equipment, etc.) at time of launch?
We were strongest in preparation–systems, planning, knowledge, learning from other church plants.
4. Where were you the weakest in your resources at time of launch?
We had all the ‘right stuff’ and all the preparations, but we never really invested in or connected with the community. We were new to the area & did not give sufficient time to be a part of the community.
5. Where did you expend most of your time and energy following your launch date?
We never officially launched. We held picnics, a community event & preview services, but we never gained momentum for an official launch.
6. What was your biggest disappointment?
I was so consumed with trying to get everything done, all the systems/processes/day-to-day operations in place that I feel we never really did what I was called to do—reach people. Also, personally, my teen sons saw the ‘negatives’ of churches/church planting and although also have no doubt we were called to do this, they became a bit disillusioned with the church in general.
7. Was starting the church plant, or shutting it down the hardest for you?
Shutting it down was hardest because I felt like if we could have ‘started again’ with all we had learned & everything we now had in place, we could have spent the time connecting with & investing in people.
8. Would you consider (or have you considered) church planting again? Why or why not?
I immediately began volunteering with multiple church plants, offering what I had learned to help them ‘fill the gaps’ that existed. I had learned so much that I had to get involved. I think it helped me to define more specifically what my gifts are, what skills I had begun to develop and to ‘pick and choose’ what I got involved in based on where I felt God was leading. I’m now on staff part-time at a 2 1/2 year old church plant. I definitely have a heart and calling for church planting.
9. What is the one thing you’d tell someone before they got involved in church planting?
Make sure you’re called and you don’t have a doubt, be more concerned about what God is telling you than what ‘the church planting world’ expects. Of course, you have to be sure your family is on board, but more than that, don’t expect them (especially kids) to HAVE to be a part of all the work—keep time separate & don’t make everything about the church plant.
10. What can we as the local church do to be more supportive of church planters?
I don’t think most churches and church-goers really understand what church planting is all about and what it takes. I also see a lot of training for leadership, which is great, but training for the ‘nuts & bolts’ is needed too, not only for lead pastors, but for others on the team.
Thanks to Rindy for sharing her experiences with us! While it may seem uncommon, know that this situation is much more common than you know. It’s just that failed starts like this aren’t often talked about because they are difficult to accept. May this help many others about to get involved in church planting or those struggling whether to keep going when it seems like you’re going no where.
Hey Rindy!
I am so glad that you’ve emerged from the non-launch and got right back into the groove. I know that after I closed the church plant I was doing (circa 2003) it almost killed me. Depression, anger, and the like hounded me for a few years. Working through that, and learning all the lessons God had for me, have made me a much more adept pastor today.
I love you and your family. I hope the boys are well and connecting with Jesus.
–Joe
I was the lead pastor of the church plant that never launched. Rindy’s account is right on. The fact that Rindy and her awesome sons have continued the ministry journey is a huge win for Jesus, the church they’ve connected with, and me too! I love these guys and am glad you interviewed them!
I saw this link on Rindy’s fb page. I was intrigued and came to your blog to read it.
Rindy’s willingness to share openly about her journey is so Rindy…for those who know her…she is willing to allow all to see her transparency and let God bounce her back up again and again.
Every church planter’s story is as unique as the plant.