How to Plant a Church From Scratch, According to 4 Church Planters
Starting a church from the ground up is not always easy. Take a minute to be encouraged by these four stories.
Church planting has existed ever since Jesus commissioned His disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19).
With the words of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples of Jesus–and the apostle Paul–spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond (according to tradition, Thomas went all the way to India to share the good news).
Over the last 2,000 years, followers of Christ from all over the globe have followed suit. Starting churches in places from Akron to Azerbaijan, Christians continue to follow the example of Jesus and His disciples.
But it’s not always easy.
In fact, church planting is almost never easy.
Ask any leader who founded a church about what it was like to be “ground zero” for a new church plant, and you’ll surely hear stories of miniscule church services, unpaid electrical bills, heavy relational conflict, and more.
You’ll also hear stories of incredible faith, including the prayers and God-encounters that helped church planters persevere through growing pains to see their dreams come true.
In the following article, we’ll take a look at the true stories of four different church-planters who have believed God for the impossible and started new churches.
Susanna Fleming – Church Planter in Boise, Idaho
In the summer of 2016, Susanna Fleming branched out from her home church with a team of nine others, and church-planted in the growing city of Boise, Idaho.
The team was small, but scrappy–and worked primarily on a volunteer basis.
“We spent the whole time renting out spaces,” explains Susanna. “First we met in a house, then we rented out a dance studio. Then we found a church, and rented space from them. We met on Sunday nights.”
“I think it’s a great solution for church plants to partner with a local church this way,” explains Susanna.
Susanna’s biggest lesson from the experience?
“Church planters are always trying to systematize everything,” she says. “You do need to systematize over time, but don't be afraid to just be hyper-relational at first.”
“At the end of the day, nobody really wants to join a system. They want to join relationships.”
Takeaways from Susanna
- Renting space from a local church can be a great way to meet before you have your own building. Meeting on Sunday nights may even be an additional draw for some church visitors.
- You don’t need a massive team–or even a paycheck–to be a part of planting a church.
- Prioritize relationship before you prioritize systems. It’s rare to have more than 50 members at a new church plant. That should give you the bandwidth to be hyper-relational, at least initially.
Alex Moger – Church Planter in Boston, Massachusetts
In late 2019, Alex Moger officially joined the church planting launch team for a new church in Quincy, Massachusetts–less than 20 miles from his home church in Boston.
What the team didn’t know was that their launch year (2020) would see the onset of a global pandemic. “Church” as we know it changed dramatically with the risk of COVID-19 infection.
Alex and a team of 17 others decided to forge ahead anyway, and launched their church plant in the fall of 2020. That meant that the majority of team members would have to move to Quincy, including the small group of families who had a dream of moving somewhere smaller to live with greater intentionality.
“We originally started meeting in the backyard of one of the families,” says Alex. “Then we started the process of looking for an indoor space.”
But COVID made the search for a building tricky. Building rules were still at 25% max capacity, which meant that their small church plant still needed an extra-large space.
“On the final Sunday we met in the backyard, it snowed,” laughs Alex. “That was the sign we needed to move.” After two months of meeting outdoors, they contacted a hotel and started renting out a ballroom for a discounted price. When prices rose again post-pandemic, they shifted once again to a new location.
Today, the church plant meets in a rotary club, adults and children alike. Alex is spearheading college and young adults ministries, and is also acting as interim youth pastor.
Alex’s vision that keeps him going?
“The large centralized church structure doesn’t take in New England,” explains Alex. “Smaller, localized churches with a narrower focus tend to do better.”
“If people from other neighborhoods aren’t coming to us, then we should go to them.”
Takeaways from Alex
- Include kids! If you’ve got young kids (or your teammates do), don’t let that hold you back from planting a church. Including families can be a great way to teach the next generation about the value of stepping out in faith for Jesus.
- Facing a hurdle? You can be agile. COVID didn’t stop Alex and his team from church-planting in 2020. Get creative about overcoming hurdles.
- Know your “why.” For Alex, that’s starting smaller churches that can reach people right where they’re at (literally).
Everything You Need to Run Your Church Plant – for FREE.
Receive online donations, manage your church, and connect with church members and donors.
Sign Up Free
Suzanne Lair – Church Planter in San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico
Suzanne is a multi-time church planter, with 15 years of experience starting two different churches in San Diego and one in Tijuana with her husband Jonathan.
That being said, she knows how to shift strategy according to changing needs and preferences of her target community.
“When we planted San Diego in 2007, it was all about Google Search,” she explains. “In Mexico, everyone goes to Facebook. These days, people go to Instagram.”
“We’ve had to focus on making our Instagram profile really vibrant and learning how to engage followers,” she continues.
Suzanne also knows the importance of team–whether that means being on a team of full-time church planters or a team of full-time professionals who are helping part-time with the church plant.
“We’ve formed two teams and have been on one,” says Suzanne. “In the world of church planting, team is ‘make or break.’ The team dynamic has the power to make it a really negative experience, or a positive experience.”
“Be able to have fun together, laugh, and know when it’s time to turn on and work really hard.”
Team can also look different from season to season (and church plant to church plant).
“There are a lot of benefits to having all of our staff be FT professionals,” says Suzanne. “Our staff doesn’t have to raise support. But that comes with its own challenge because they also have a job and families. People still need to put in the time to get the work that needs to be done.”
Takeaways from Suzanne
- Don’t lean too much on past experience. If you’ve already church-planted, don’t rely too much on “what worked before.” Instead, pay attention to your new target church members.
- Your team dynamic is critical. Prioritize relationship with your team. A positive (or negative) team dynamic has the power to determine your church plant’s success over the long haul.
- Weigh the pro’s and con’s of a team that works full-time in a different profession.
James Racine – Church Planter in St. Paul, Minnesota
In the summer of 2023, James Racine and his wife Katie are launching a church plant in St. Paul, Minnesota. Nearly a year in advance, they had already recruited a 10-person team to join them–with room to grow.
For James, this is a dream 15 years in the making.
“I’ll be 39 years old when we launch our church plant,” says James. “But the initial inklings of church planting came when I was 24, when I entered seminary.”
“I always carried a heart for the church,” explains James.
After serving for several years as Director of the School of Transformation at All People’s Church in San Diego, James and his family are launching out to St. Paul. His team includes people that he has personally mentored and walked with over the last several years.
“As I have been faithfully sowing into this local church, it was a no-brainer for who I would want to come with me,” explains James.
“Provision is in the harvest,” he continues. “Your team is going to be part of the people that you harvest and invest in.”
His final piece of advice for aspiring church planters?
“Build your team before you go.”
Takeaways from James
- Dream of church planting? Be patient. God’s timing is perfect.
- Sow into the local church before launching your own church.
- Invest in your team members–they’ll be a part of the people that you grow and disciple as you plant a new church.
Over to You
Church planting isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is an exciting journey for any follower of Christ. If you feel like God is calling you to plant a church, we encourage you to check out these additional resources on church planting.
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Church planting has existed ever since Jesus commissioned His disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19).
With the words of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples of Jesus–and the apostle Paul–spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond (according to tradition, Thomas went all the way to India to share the good news).
Over the last 2,000 years, followers of Christ from all over the globe have followed suit. Starting churches in places from Akron to Azerbaijan, Christians continue to follow the example of Jesus and His disciples.
But it’s not always easy.
In fact, church planting is almost never easy.
Ask any leader who founded a church about what it was like to be “ground zero” for a new church plant, and you’ll surely hear stories of miniscule church services, unpaid electrical bills, heavy relational conflict, and more.
You’ll also hear stories of incredible faith, including the prayers and God-encounters that helped church planters persevere through growing pains to see their dreams come true.
In the following article, we’ll take a look at the true stories of four different church-planters who have believed God for the impossible and started new churches.
Susanna Fleming – Church Planter in Boise, Idaho
In the summer of 2016, Susanna Fleming branched out from her home church with a team of nine others, and church-planted in the growing city of Boise, Idaho.
The team was small, but scrappy–and worked primarily on a volunteer basis.
“We spent the whole time renting out spaces,” explains Susanna. “First we met in a house, then we rented out a dance studio. Then we found a church, and rented space from them. We met on Sunday nights.”
“I think it’s a great solution for church plants to partner with a local church this way,” explains Susanna.
Susanna’s biggest lesson from the experience?
“Church planters are always trying to systematize everything,” she says. “You do need to systematize over time, but don't be afraid to just be hyper-relational at first.”
“At the end of the day, nobody really wants to join a system. They want to join relationships.”
Takeaways from Susanna
- Renting space from a local church can be a great way to meet before you have your own building. Meeting on Sunday nights may even be an additional draw for some church visitors.
- You don’t need a massive team–or even a paycheck–to be a part of planting a church.
- Prioritize relationship before you prioritize systems. It’s rare to have more than 50 members at a new church plant. That should give you the bandwidth to be hyper-relational, at least initially.
Alex Moger – Church Planter in Boston, Massachusetts
In late 2019, Alex Moger officially joined the church planting launch team for a new church in Quincy, Massachusetts–less than 20 miles from his home church in Boston.
What the team didn’t know was that their launch year (2020) would see the onset of a global pandemic. “Church” as we know it changed dramatically with the risk of COVID-19 infection.
Alex and a team of 17 others decided to forge ahead anyway, and launched their church plant in the fall of 2020. That meant that the majority of team members would have to move to Quincy, including the small group of families who had a dream of moving somewhere smaller to live with greater intentionality.
“We originally started meeting in the backyard of one of the families,” says Alex. “Then we started the process of looking for an indoor space.”
But COVID made the search for a building tricky. Building rules were still at 25% max capacity, which meant that their small church plant still needed an extra-large space.
“On the final Sunday we met in the backyard, it snowed,” laughs Alex. “That was the sign we needed to move.” After two months of meeting outdoors, they contacted a hotel and started renting out a ballroom for a discounted price. When prices rose again post-pandemic, they shifted once again to a new location.
Today, the church plant meets in a rotary club, adults and children alike. Alex is spearheading college and young adults ministries, and is also acting as interim youth pastor.
Alex’s vision that keeps him going?
“The large centralized church structure doesn’t take in New England,” explains Alex. “Smaller, localized churches with a narrower focus tend to do better.”
“If people from other neighborhoods aren’t coming to us, then we should go to them.”
Takeaways from Alex
- Include kids! If you’ve got young kids (or your teammates do), don’t let that hold you back from planting a church. Including families can be a great way to teach the next generation about the value of stepping out in faith for Jesus.
- Facing a hurdle? You can be agile. COVID didn’t stop Alex and his team from church-planting in 2020. Get creative about overcoming hurdles.
- Know your “why.” For Alex, that’s starting smaller churches that can reach people right where they’re at (literally).
Everything You Need to Run Your Church Plant – for FREE.
Receive online donations, manage your church, and connect with church members and donors.
Sign Up Free
Suzanne Lair – Church Planter in San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico
Suzanne is a multi-time church planter, with 15 years of experience starting two different churches in San Diego and one in Tijuana with her husband Jonathan.
That being said, she knows how to shift strategy according to changing needs and preferences of her target community.
“When we planted San Diego in 2007, it was all about Google Search,” she explains. “In Mexico, everyone goes to Facebook. These days, people go to Instagram.”
“We’ve had to focus on making our Instagram profile really vibrant and learning how to engage followers,” she continues.
Suzanne also knows the importance of team–whether that means being on a team of full-time church planters or a team of full-time professionals who are helping part-time with the church plant.
“We’ve formed two teams and have been on one,” says Suzanne. “In the world of church planting, team is ‘make or break.’ The team dynamic has the power to make it a really negative experience, or a positive experience.”
“Be able to have fun together, laugh, and know when it’s time to turn on and work really hard.”
Team can also look different from season to season (and church plant to church plant).
“There are a lot of benefits to having all of our staff be FT professionals,” says Suzanne. “Our staff doesn’t have to raise support. But that comes with its own challenge because they also have a job and families. People still need to put in the time to get the work that needs to be done.”
Takeaways from Suzanne
- Don’t lean too much on past experience. If you’ve already church-planted, don’t rely too much on “what worked before.” Instead, pay attention to your new target church members.
- Your team dynamic is critical. Prioritize relationship with your team. A positive (or negative) team dynamic has the power to determine your church plant’s success over the long haul.
- Weigh the pro’s and con’s of a team that works full-time in a different profession.
James Racine – Church Planter in St. Paul, Minnesota
In the summer of 2023, James Racine and his wife Katie are launching a church plant in St. Paul, Minnesota. Nearly a year in advance, they had already recruited a 10-person team to join them–with room to grow.
For James, this is a dream 15 years in the making.
“I’ll be 39 years old when we launch our church plant,” says James. “But the initial inklings of church planting came when I was 24, when I entered seminary.”
“I always carried a heart for the church,” explains James.
After serving for several years as Director of the School of Transformation at All People’s Church in San Diego, James and his family are launching out to St. Paul. His team includes people that he has personally mentored and walked with over the last several years.
“As I have been faithfully sowing into this local church, it was a no-brainer for who I would want to come with me,” explains James.
“Provision is in the harvest,” he continues. “Your team is going to be part of the people that you harvest and invest in.”
His final piece of advice for aspiring church planters?
“Build your team before you go.”
Takeaways from James
- Dream of church planting? Be patient. God’s timing is perfect.
- Sow into the local church before launching your own church.
- Invest in your team members–they’ll be a part of the people that you grow and disciple as you plant a new church.
Over to You
Church planting isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is an exciting journey for any follower of Christ. If you feel like God is calling you to plant a church, we encourage you to check out these additional resources on church planting.
podcast transcript
Church planting has existed ever since Jesus commissioned His disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19).
With the words of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples of Jesus–and the apostle Paul–spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond (according to tradition, Thomas went all the way to India to share the good news).
Over the last 2,000 years, followers of Christ from all over the globe have followed suit. Starting churches in places from Akron to Azerbaijan, Christians continue to follow the example of Jesus and His disciples.
But it’s not always easy.
In fact, church planting is almost never easy.
Ask any leader who founded a church about what it was like to be “ground zero” for a new church plant, and you’ll surely hear stories of miniscule church services, unpaid electrical bills, heavy relational conflict, and more.
You’ll also hear stories of incredible faith, including the prayers and God-encounters that helped church planters persevere through growing pains to see their dreams come true.
In the following article, we’ll take a look at the true stories of four different church-planters who have believed God for the impossible and started new churches.
Susanna Fleming – Church Planter in Boise, Idaho
In the summer of 2016, Susanna Fleming branched out from her home church with a team of nine others, and church-planted in the growing city of Boise, Idaho.
The team was small, but scrappy–and worked primarily on a volunteer basis.
“We spent the whole time renting out spaces,” explains Susanna. “First we met in a house, then we rented out a dance studio. Then we found a church, and rented space from them. We met on Sunday nights.”
“I think it’s a great solution for church plants to partner with a local church this way,” explains Susanna.
Susanna’s biggest lesson from the experience?
“Church planters are always trying to systematize everything,” she says. “You do need to systematize over time, but don't be afraid to just be hyper-relational at first.”
“At the end of the day, nobody really wants to join a system. They want to join relationships.”
Takeaways from Susanna
- Renting space from a local church can be a great way to meet before you have your own building. Meeting on Sunday nights may even be an additional draw for some church visitors.
- You don’t need a massive team–or even a paycheck–to be a part of planting a church.
- Prioritize relationship before you prioritize systems. It’s rare to have more than 50 members at a new church plant. That should give you the bandwidth to be hyper-relational, at least initially.
Alex Moger – Church Planter in Boston, Massachusetts
In late 2019, Alex Moger officially joined the church planting launch team for a new church in Quincy, Massachusetts–less than 20 miles from his home church in Boston.
What the team didn’t know was that their launch year (2020) would see the onset of a global pandemic. “Church” as we know it changed dramatically with the risk of COVID-19 infection.
Alex and a team of 17 others decided to forge ahead anyway, and launched their church plant in the fall of 2020. That meant that the majority of team members would have to move to Quincy, including the small group of families who had a dream of moving somewhere smaller to live with greater intentionality.
“We originally started meeting in the backyard of one of the families,” says Alex. “Then we started the process of looking for an indoor space.”
But COVID made the search for a building tricky. Building rules were still at 25% max capacity, which meant that their small church plant still needed an extra-large space.
“On the final Sunday we met in the backyard, it snowed,” laughs Alex. “That was the sign we needed to move.” After two months of meeting outdoors, they contacted a hotel and started renting out a ballroom for a discounted price. When prices rose again post-pandemic, they shifted once again to a new location.
Today, the church plant meets in a rotary club, adults and children alike. Alex is spearheading college and young adults ministries, and is also acting as interim youth pastor.
Alex’s vision that keeps him going?
“The large centralized church structure doesn’t take in New England,” explains Alex. “Smaller, localized churches with a narrower focus tend to do better.”
“If people from other neighborhoods aren’t coming to us, then we should go to them.”
Takeaways from Alex
- Include kids! If you’ve got young kids (or your teammates do), don’t let that hold you back from planting a church. Including families can be a great way to teach the next generation about the value of stepping out in faith for Jesus.
- Facing a hurdle? You can be agile. COVID didn’t stop Alex and his team from church-planting in 2020. Get creative about overcoming hurdles.
- Know your “why.” For Alex, that’s starting smaller churches that can reach people right where they’re at (literally).
Everything You Need to Run Your Church Plant – for FREE.
Receive online donations, manage your church, and connect with church members and donors.
Sign Up Free
Suzanne Lair – Church Planter in San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico
Suzanne is a multi-time church planter, with 15 years of experience starting two different churches in San Diego and one in Tijuana with her husband Jonathan.
That being said, she knows how to shift strategy according to changing needs and preferences of her target community.
“When we planted San Diego in 2007, it was all about Google Search,” she explains. “In Mexico, everyone goes to Facebook. These days, people go to Instagram.”
“We’ve had to focus on making our Instagram profile really vibrant and learning how to engage followers,” she continues.
Suzanne also knows the importance of team–whether that means being on a team of full-time church planters or a team of full-time professionals who are helping part-time with the church plant.
“We’ve formed two teams and have been on one,” says Suzanne. “In the world of church planting, team is ‘make or break.’ The team dynamic has the power to make it a really negative experience, or a positive experience.”
“Be able to have fun together, laugh, and know when it’s time to turn on and work really hard.”
Team can also look different from season to season (and church plant to church plant).
“There are a lot of benefits to having all of our staff be FT professionals,” says Suzanne. “Our staff doesn’t have to raise support. But that comes with its own challenge because they also have a job and families. People still need to put in the time to get the work that needs to be done.”
Takeaways from Suzanne
- Don’t lean too much on past experience. If you’ve already church-planted, don’t rely too much on “what worked before.” Instead, pay attention to your new target church members.
- Your team dynamic is critical. Prioritize relationship with your team. A positive (or negative) team dynamic has the power to determine your church plant’s success over the long haul.
- Weigh the pro’s and con’s of a team that works full-time in a different profession.
James Racine – Church Planter in St. Paul, Minnesota
In the summer of 2023, James Racine and his wife Katie are launching a church plant in St. Paul, Minnesota. Nearly a year in advance, they had already recruited a 10-person team to join them–with room to grow.
For James, this is a dream 15 years in the making.
“I’ll be 39 years old when we launch our church plant,” says James. “But the initial inklings of church planting came when I was 24, when I entered seminary.”
“I always carried a heart for the church,” explains James.
After serving for several years as Director of the School of Transformation at All People’s Church in San Diego, James and his family are launching out to St. Paul. His team includes people that he has personally mentored and walked with over the last several years.
“As I have been faithfully sowing into this local church, it was a no-brainer for who I would want to come with me,” explains James.
“Provision is in the harvest,” he continues. “Your team is going to be part of the people that you harvest and invest in.”
His final piece of advice for aspiring church planters?
“Build your team before you go.”
Takeaways from James
- Dream of church planting? Be patient. God’s timing is perfect.
- Sow into the local church before launching your own church.
- Invest in your team members–they’ll be a part of the people that you grow and disciple as you plant a new church.
Over to You
Church planting isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is an exciting journey for any follower of Christ. If you feel like God is calling you to plant a church, we encourage you to check out these additional resources on church planting.
VIDEO transcript
Church planting has existed ever since Jesus commissioned His disciples to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19).
With the words of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples of Jesus–and the apostle Paul–spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond (according to tradition, Thomas went all the way to India to share the good news).
Over the last 2,000 years, followers of Christ from all over the globe have followed suit. Starting churches in places from Akron to Azerbaijan, Christians continue to follow the example of Jesus and His disciples.
But it’s not always easy.
In fact, church planting is almost never easy.
Ask any leader who founded a church about what it was like to be “ground zero” for a new church plant, and you’ll surely hear stories of miniscule church services, unpaid electrical bills, heavy relational conflict, and more.
You’ll also hear stories of incredible faith, including the prayers and God-encounters that helped church planters persevere through growing pains to see their dreams come true.
In the following article, we’ll take a look at the true stories of four different church-planters who have believed God for the impossible and started new churches.
Susanna Fleming – Church Planter in Boise, Idaho
In the summer of 2016, Susanna Fleming branched out from her home church with a team of nine others, and church-planted in the growing city of Boise, Idaho.
The team was small, but scrappy–and worked primarily on a volunteer basis.
“We spent the whole time renting out spaces,” explains Susanna. “First we met in a house, then we rented out a dance studio. Then we found a church, and rented space from them. We met on Sunday nights.”
“I think it’s a great solution for church plants to partner with a local church this way,” explains Susanna.
Susanna’s biggest lesson from the experience?
“Church planters are always trying to systematize everything,” she says. “You do need to systematize over time, but don't be afraid to just be hyper-relational at first.”
“At the end of the day, nobody really wants to join a system. They want to join relationships.”
Takeaways from Susanna
- Renting space from a local church can be a great way to meet before you have your own building. Meeting on Sunday nights may even be an additional draw for some church visitors.
- You don’t need a massive team–or even a paycheck–to be a part of planting a church.
- Prioritize relationship before you prioritize systems. It’s rare to have more than 50 members at a new church plant. That should give you the bandwidth to be hyper-relational, at least initially.
Alex Moger – Church Planter in Boston, Massachusetts
In late 2019, Alex Moger officially joined the church planting launch team for a new church in Quincy, Massachusetts–less than 20 miles from his home church in Boston.
What the team didn’t know was that their launch year (2020) would see the onset of a global pandemic. “Church” as we know it changed dramatically with the risk of COVID-19 infection.
Alex and a team of 17 others decided to forge ahead anyway, and launched their church plant in the fall of 2020. That meant that the majority of team members would have to move to Quincy, including the small group of families who had a dream of moving somewhere smaller to live with greater intentionality.
“We originally started meeting in the backyard of one of the families,” says Alex. “Then we started the process of looking for an indoor space.”
But COVID made the search for a building tricky. Building rules were still at 25% max capacity, which meant that their small church plant still needed an extra-large space.
“On the final Sunday we met in the backyard, it snowed,” laughs Alex. “That was the sign we needed to move.” After two months of meeting outdoors, they contacted a hotel and started renting out a ballroom for a discounted price. When prices rose again post-pandemic, they shifted once again to a new location.
Today, the church plant meets in a rotary club, adults and children alike. Alex is spearheading college and young adults ministries, and is also acting as interim youth pastor.
Alex’s vision that keeps him going?
“The large centralized church structure doesn’t take in New England,” explains Alex. “Smaller, localized churches with a narrower focus tend to do better.”
“If people from other neighborhoods aren’t coming to us, then we should go to them.”
Takeaways from Alex
- Include kids! If you’ve got young kids (or your teammates do), don’t let that hold you back from planting a church. Including families can be a great way to teach the next generation about the value of stepping out in faith for Jesus.
- Facing a hurdle? You can be agile. COVID didn’t stop Alex and his team from church-planting in 2020. Get creative about overcoming hurdles.
- Know your “why.” For Alex, that’s starting smaller churches that can reach people right where they’re at (literally).
Everything You Need to Run Your Church Plant – for FREE.
Receive online donations, manage your church, and connect with church members and donors.
Sign Up Free
Suzanne Lair – Church Planter in San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico
Suzanne is a multi-time church planter, with 15 years of experience starting two different churches in San Diego and one in Tijuana with her husband Jonathan.
That being said, she knows how to shift strategy according to changing needs and preferences of her target community.
“When we planted San Diego in 2007, it was all about Google Search,” she explains. “In Mexico, everyone goes to Facebook. These days, people go to Instagram.”
“We’ve had to focus on making our Instagram profile really vibrant and learning how to engage followers,” she continues.
Suzanne also knows the importance of team–whether that means being on a team of full-time church planters or a team of full-time professionals who are helping part-time with the church plant.
“We’ve formed two teams and have been on one,” says Suzanne. “In the world of church planting, team is ‘make or break.’ The team dynamic has the power to make it a really negative experience, or a positive experience.”
“Be able to have fun together, laugh, and know when it’s time to turn on and work really hard.”
Team can also look different from season to season (and church plant to church plant).
“There are a lot of benefits to having all of our staff be FT professionals,” says Suzanne. “Our staff doesn’t have to raise support. But that comes with its own challenge because they also have a job and families. People still need to put in the time to get the work that needs to be done.”
Takeaways from Suzanne
- Don’t lean too much on past experience. If you’ve already church-planted, don’t rely too much on “what worked before.” Instead, pay attention to your new target church members.
- Your team dynamic is critical. Prioritize relationship with your team. A positive (or negative) team dynamic has the power to determine your church plant’s success over the long haul.
- Weigh the pro’s and con’s of a team that works full-time in a different profession.
James Racine – Church Planter in St. Paul, Minnesota
In the summer of 2023, James Racine and his wife Katie are launching a church plant in St. Paul, Minnesota. Nearly a year in advance, they had already recruited a 10-person team to join them–with room to grow.
For James, this is a dream 15 years in the making.
“I’ll be 39 years old when we launch our church plant,” says James. “But the initial inklings of church planting came when I was 24, when I entered seminary.”
“I always carried a heart for the church,” explains James.
After serving for several years as Director of the School of Transformation at All People’s Church in San Diego, James and his family are launching out to St. Paul. His team includes people that he has personally mentored and walked with over the last several years.
“As I have been faithfully sowing into this local church, it was a no-brainer for who I would want to come with me,” explains James.
“Provision is in the harvest,” he continues. “Your team is going to be part of the people that you harvest and invest in.”
His final piece of advice for aspiring church planters?
“Build your team before you go.”
Takeaways from James
- Dream of church planting? Be patient. God’s timing is perfect.
- Sow into the local church before launching your own church.
- Invest in your team members–they’ll be a part of the people that you grow and disciple as you plant a new church.
Over to You
Church planting isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is an exciting journey for any follower of Christ. If you feel like God is calling you to plant a church, we encourage you to check out these additional resources on church planting.
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