You\u2019ll soon discover there are many things you\u00a0can<\/em>\u00a0do when the church gathers together. But what is it that you\u00a0must<\/em>\u00a0do? I believe the answer centers around the preaching of God\u2019s Word (1 Cor. 11-14, 1 Tim., 2 Tim., Titus). Whatever you do, don\u2019t minimize, negate, or lessen the expectation that, whatever else we\u00a0may<\/em>\u00a0do in this church, this we\u00a0will<\/em>\u00a0do in this church: deliver God\u2019s Word!<\/p>\n As I alluded to in the above references, this is one of the primary points of Paul\u2019s letters to his two young pastors, Timothy and Titus. Phrases like \u201cPreach the word,\u201d \u201cTeach sound doctrine,\u201d \u201cGuard the trust,\u201d and \u201cGive attention to the public reading of Scripture\u201d (and there\u2019s more!) indicate that God\u2019s Word is the priority when the church gathers. This is the target for the preacher: To sound the call. Teach the text. Trumpet the message. Otherwise, over time, the church withers and dies from malnutrition because the \u201cchef\u201d isn\u2019t willing to put in the time to prep the meal.<\/p>\n Admittedly, multiple people can do this, and it can be done in multiple ways. So don\u2019t think I\u2019m suggesting a one-man show or a one-way type of communication. But if, deep down, you\u2019re settling for less than your best in the pulpit, stop and take a long, hard look at why you\u2019re in the role of church planter. That role demands, above all else, a heart, head, and hand that prioritizes the preaching of the Word, for this is the means by which God saves and sanctifies His people (Rom. 10:14-15; 1 Thess. 2:13).<\/p>\n Sadly, this is where we had good intentions but seemed to fall short time after time. Looking back, I\u2019m not sure why. At no specific time did we ever think to ourselves, \u201cLet\u2019s de-emphasize prayer.\u201d Yet, that\u2019s what occurred, albeit unintentionally, off and on. Through that cycle, there is at least one fundamental thing I have come to understand: Prayer is hard work!<\/p>\n We often pray, at best, intermittently, usually in a crisis, or when there is a large need. It\u2019s something we utilize to open or close meetings, begin meals, or transition between elements in our services, rather than something we undertake to communicate with Almighty God.<\/p>\n Interestingly, it was the \u201cministry of the Word and prayer\u201d that the early church apostles were\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0willing to abandon in order to wait on tables (Acts 6). Instead, deacons were established, the result being that the apostles could stay focused on the two most important things that church leaders do: preach and pray.<\/p>\n Consequently, God has led us to embark on several key initiatives: Multiple times a year we conduct 40-day prayer campaigns, global mission needs are highlighted in weekly emails at key times of the year, and corporate prayer is becoming a regular, expected aspect of our weekend services. Yes, people praying out loud together, either individually or collectively. This has birthed a culture of prayer among our people.<\/p>\n While a \u201cclear voice\u201d and a \u201cbent knee\u201d are important, so is a \u201cstrong shoulder.\u201d In fact, they go together in church planting. Paul lays this out so well in 1 Thessalonians 2, where he beautifully describes how he delivered God\u2019s Word, as well his own soul (my paraphrase). We need voices that call out for action and hands that show them how.<\/p>\n What I discovered early on is that all three support each other. Consequently, I encourage church planters to use them together like a chain, linking them end-to-end to help them \u201cpull the load\u201d of their work. In other words, as you preach and people respond, serve them the best you can. Pray with them and shepherd them as a brother or father. Because your Spirit-empowered, prayer-soaked preaching will cause hearts to lean in to you and your team, use those opportunities to help them put the Word into action. Do more than preach\u00a0to<\/em>\u00a0them and pray\u00a0for<\/em>\u00a0them: Walk\u00a0with<\/em>\u00a0them toward obedience.<\/p>\n As a result of conversations and encounters with the people of our church, I became even more acutely aware of the specific struggles facing our sheep. Not only did my prayer life get more specific, my preaching became more targeted and my pastoring more intentional. Questions about particular things worked their way into \u201cnormal\u201d conversations. Inquiries about certain issues were \u201cadded\u201d into the regular exchange of pleasantries. It may sound odd to you, but that is exactly how God kept my preaching, praying, and pastoring linked so the shepherd and sheep mutually benefitted.<\/p>\n2. Place a premium on prayer<\/h3>\n
3. Keep preaching, praying, and pastoring connected<\/h3>\n