Article
The Place of Lament in Church Planting
Lament must have a place in both our theology and our practice of church planting.
A conversation recently has got me thinking about the place of lament in church planting, which may seem an unusual marriage of contradictory ideas, as church planting is often associated with excitement about what might be. The chance to reach a community, to build something new for the glory of God. What does that have to do with the place of lament?! However, living on this side of Genesis 3, all ministry will inevitably involve deep struggle and disappointment. The world, the flesh, and the devil are not simply theories, but daily realities as we seek to step out and serve our God. Because of them, lament must have a place in both our theology and our practice of church planting. Perhaps more of a place than it currently does.
What is lament?
Lament is not moaning, grumbling, or complaining, but rather the practice of, in hope, bringing sorrow, pain, and unanswered questions before our God. It is certainly not a lack of faith, but rather a positive expression of our faith that trusts God enough to bring our questions into His presence. Forty percent of the Psalms are ones of lament, and so we might infer that lament is an essential part of the life of God’s people. At least 40 percent of the time?! In church planting, lament might serve multiple roles. Here are four:
1. Lament as Spiritual Preparation
Church planting is a deeply spiritual endeavour that requires real resilience and dependence on God. We must understand our personal and corporate brokenness. Without lament, planters can fall into a kind of unhealthy triumphalism, assuming that strategy and sweat alone will bring success. However, lament reminds planters and core teams that the work and growth belong to God alone, that hardship is inevitable, and that the cross precedes the resurrection. Suffering now, glory later.
Church planters who learn to lament early will cultivate a culture of prayerful humility and a dependence on God, rather than relying solely on their own abilities and wisdom.
2. Lament as a Means of Identifying with the Community
Church planting is not just about starting a new meeting or weekly service; it is about a new family of God’s people in a new place. Planters, first and foremost, must be pastors. Many communities where churches are planted are marked by pain and deep wounds, whether poverty, addiction, racial or economic division, spiritual apathy, or grief. Planters who fail to lament will struggle to engage and truly enter the pain of the people they are seeking to reach and to serve.
The practice of lament enables church planters to avoid offering shallow, trite solutions to deep wounds. Instead, our lament leads to authentic presence, deep listening, and pastoral ministry that recognizes suffering rather than rushing straight past it. Just as Jesus wept over Jerusalem, a church birthed in lament will be a church that walks with the bruised and broken-hearted.
3. Lament and the Reality of Ministry Failure
The reality of church planting is that, sadly, not all efforts succeed—at least not in human terms. Many, if not most, planters face the discouragement of opposition, of small numbers, financial struggles, relational complexity, and dashed hopes. Some churches do not survive beyond a few years. Without a theology of lament, failure can lead to despair, burnout, or a crisis of faith.
However, as we read the Lament literature within the Scriptures, we always see the reality of Hope. Lament provides a way to honestly process sadness and failure before the Lord without losing hope.
4. Lament that Leads to Hope
Biblical lament never actually ends in despair. With our God of life, even in the valley, even in the darkness, there is always hope. The recurrent pattern of lament moves from raw, painful expressions of grief to a renewed trust in God. The psalmists frequently begin with questions, concerns and complaints: “How long, O Lord?” (Psalm 13:1). As the lament unfolds and moves toward confidence in God’s faithfulness, he resolves: “But I have trusted in your steadfast love” (Psalm 13:5). Despite painful circumstances, planters must cling to what they know of God’s character and purposes, and put their ultimate trust in Him.
For church planters who trust in God’s sovereign purposes, lament creates a pathway to resilient hope. It acknowledges the reality of the hardship but refuses to be crushed by it. This kind of hope sustains planters, their core teams, and their communities, enabling them to patiently endure through seasons of trial and waiting. It matures and grows church communities in Christlikeness.
May those who plant churches learn to embrace both the joy and sorrow of the work, knowing that even in the darkest seasons, the God who hears our lament is also the God who builds His church.
