Send Network is a missional family of churches who long to see multiplying, disciple-making churches planted across North America.
We know the importance of training and equipping church planters for this worthy task.
That’s why Send Network partners with sending churches to develop planters in nine essential qualities for faithful and effective ministry.
One of these essentials examines a church planter’s relational health: is he cultivating healthy relationships?
Relationships matter in Christian life.
Church planters and ministry leaders are to set an example in building and maintaining Christ-honoring relationships.
So, what are some key qualities of a relationally healthy church planter?
- He has a strong marriage and manages his household well (if applicable).
- He deals with conflict in a Christ-honoring way.
- He values and develops Christian friendships and brotherhood.
- He treats people warmly and honorably.
- He collaborates with other like-minded people to engage the city.
- He participates in Send Network.
There’s absolutely no way I would have thrived or survived in the journey of church planting without a life-giving brotherhood I had right on the ground there in Memphis, Tennessee.
You know Proverbs 4:23 says, “keep your heart for from it flow the springs of life.”
Another way I like to say it is: find what gives you joy and put it on repeat.
For me, that was playing golf several times a month with this group of brothers.
We would laugh, get sideways with each other when we thought one person was not doing the math right when adding up golf scores, but ultimately these men became a safe place for me to just open up and say, “here’s what’s really going on with me.”
Their godliness, brotherhood, and just all out fun, created an oasis for me to receive the refreshment my soul craved while I was storming the gates in church planting.
I have grown to see that this kind of life-giving brotherhood isn’t just something nice to have, but absolutely necessary.
Church planters need to be good relationally. Having been in pastoral ministry for some twenty years, I have observed many who were great with theology but terrible with people.
That simply won’t work in ministry.
Ministry work is people work.
It’s easy to love the idea of the church, but quite another thing to love real people in the church. This is why we need the regular renewal of our minds! Renewed minds lead to new attitudes, relationships, and practices that are not conformed to this world.
May the witness of Send Network planters be enhanced as we cultivate healthy relationships in deeper conformity to Christ. Let us love, value, honor, and collaborate with others across our diverse network for God’s great glory on earth.