Article
7 Point Inspection for Church Planter
A common leadership axiom is “You can expect what you inspect.”
Recently, I discovered I was breaking the law.
Somehow, my vehicle registration slipped through the cracks of my junk-filled personal email account. After my wife was pulled over while driving my car, she told me with loving firmness that I needed to get it sorted out.
Sure enough, I didn’t just need to renew my registration; I also had to have the vehicle inspected for emissions.
Good news: I’m now legally driving again. But it made me think about the value of inspection.
A common leadership axiom is “You can expect what you inspect.” In other words, what you give close attention to as a leader reveals your priorities and leads to how your team directs its energy.
Good church planters find good people and empower them in key areas of ministry. Some, however, afraid of becoming a domineering micromanager, end up being too hands-off.
So let me suggest 7 areas that need continual inspection.
1. Inspect Your Soul.
1 Timothy 4:16 makes this priority clear: “Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
While others may assume that because you’re pastoring and planting a church all is well with your spiritual health. But you know better than that. And so did the Apostle Paul. So, pay close attention to your personal spiritual life. One helpful tool: every few months, practice a Personal Retreat Day.
2. Inspect Your Sunday Processes.
A key to numerical growth in a church plant is “word of mouth” invites. And the key to “word of mouth” invites is often paying attention to the details of the process of interacting with your church (kids check-in, parking, signage, how easy it is to find information, or take next steps).
Even if people like the core of your Sunday service (preaching, worship, kids ministry), they will be hesitant to invite friends if the “process” around the service is clunky. So, inspect it, look for tension points, and see how you can make things easier.
3. Inspect Your Assimilation System.
How will somebody move from being a first-time guest to a second-time guest? How will a second-time guest become a regular attender? How will a regular attender become a member? That’s assimilation.
Regularly inspect and adapt this system so that you are ready to engage the guests that God brings to your church. When you see gaps, fix them. You’ll see more people stick and the church will grow.
4. Inspect the Character of Potential Leaders.
Many church planters appoint leaders that they would never give a role years later. Desperation will do that. After all, you need people to help others.
But be sure to inspect the character of potential leaders. Get time with them. Hear their story. Contact previous pastors. Have your finance person look up their giving. You can survive leaders who are unskilled or inexperienced. But leaders with poor character will damage your church’s fragile culture.
5. Inspect Your Weekly Calendar.
Good news and bad news for church planters: You control your schedule. In most ways, that’s wonderful. But if you aren’t careful, you’ll find yourself as more of a firefighter of problems than a proactive pastor.
About every 4-6 months, a planter should inspect his calendar. Re-assess your top priorities—the few activities that make the biggest difference. Are those getting enough of your best time? Make sure that you’re devoting adequate time to sermon prep, developing leaders, and moving vision and strategy forward.
6. Inspect Your Family’s Needs.
Step one to having your prayers answered is, “Live with your wife in an understanding way” (1 Peter 3:7). With all the big vision you have for your church, don’t forget to have a vision for your family.
Planting is a glorious adventure, but it also involves distinct challenges. Be sure to have conversations periodically with your wife about what she needs, how you can serve your family, and what specific areas of support you each need. Your family is too important to put on autopilot. Keep inspecting.
7. Inspect Your Vision and Effectiveness at Discipleship.
You started this church because you wanted to make disciples. So… how’s that going? Sometimes, planters get so busy reacting to issues, getting people connected, or plugging volunteer holes that they actually neglect discipleship.
Every few months, be sure to pay attention to how discipleship is happening in the church.
- Are people serving?
- How is giving?
- What’s the pulse on your small groups?
- Are Sunday services a combination of challenging and practical?
Don’t assume that just because you’re doing church you’re making disciples.
Like your vehicle, it would be great if inspections in your ministry weren’t needed. But spiritual and church health do not happen automatically. You have to keep inspecting.
When you inspect it and see good things, be encouraged. And when weaknesses are revealed, don’t lose heart. Consider it proof that this church, in fact, still needs you to lead.
