Jesus said in Luke 2:10 to pray for workers in the harvest. Why? Because the harvest is plenty – it’s wide, it’s vast, there are so many people out there – but the workers are few. And God uses people. Even Jesus sent teams when it came to accomplishing His mission!
One of the main traits of a church planter is being able to recruit. This doesn’t mean sheep-swapping or trying to take people away from other churches. This means going and finding missionally minded people to come leverage their lives in the work God has called you and set you out to do. This work is people work; people disciple people. You can’t grow a church or reach a community properly unless you have a team.
We see Jesus commission people to go in groups; He sends people out in teams. This obviously is done best through the local church. Jesus said Himself that we are to pray for more laborers to go. So, planters, we should pray for a team and then also for more planters to go plant more churches. Our prayer life should not just consistent of “Lord, please bless my church,” but “Please send more people to plant more churches.”
Here are two compelling reasons to recruit a church-planting team.
1. A team helps reach lost people
We need believers with us to accomplish the work because lost people can’t reach lost people for Christ. Only believers can reach lost people for Christ! Then, hopefully, established churches will reach other communities through church planting. Part of our job needs to be finding people – going out there and asking people to be a part of this mission – to give a short amount of time to help you establish the church and get the work going.
2. A team provides encouragement
Planting a church can be really discouraging, so you have to have a team around you. People will reject you. People will make you feel foolish. People will discourage you at times. This reality should not slow down our work. One of the keys to persevering through the discouraging times is having people around you who will encourage you, pray for you and love you. These are people you know have your back.
Our work is to do the will of God and faithfully be about the work He has put before us. When it comes to disciples being sent out, that never has been a solo effort. Every single church plant should have a shared vision of carrying out the Great Commission in its local context. Your job is to take it and go!
Rally people around that vision. Ask them to come with you and help, to give their lives and see themselves as missionaries. Recruit them not as people who attend a church and go home, but as team members, local missionaries serving with you to answer Jesus’ prayer that laborers would be sent into the harvest.
Adapted from the Sending Church Masterclass, which provides training and development for kingdom-minded leaders and churches. Understand your church’s role and get practical help reaching the nations with the gospel, one church at a time. To start the class, click here.
Published May 3, 2023
