I recently had a young man call me and ask me about my experience as a church planter. I realized that I have gained some interesting insights. As this Vertical Church journey continues, there have been some learnings that I have gained that are necessary for new churches to have impact. It is my hope that people who are considering becoming a part of this evangelical effort to start churches, look to these words for wisdom. I have discovered that there are some best practices that will provide guidance for all those who are headed toward this kind of apostolic work.

It is important to note that not all churches or church planters are the same. Everyone faces different challenges regardless if in an urban setting or a rural one. Impact is the main word I want to focus on. What I have discovered is that there are 3 keys to becoming achieving significant impact in any context.

The first key seems simple, but it is critical, Vision with Holes. Vision is one of the first things someone will ask you in Christian circles. Everyone wants to know your vision, or what is God showing you that He wants you to accomplish. The mistake is that we can often too quickly try to fill in gaps or holes that God has not yet given us insights on. We can fall prey to the thought that as a pastor we must have all the answers. The truth is, one of the most spiritual things a new pastor can say is, “I don’t know”. Holes in a vision allows for God’s continued guidance, wisdom, people, etc. It keeps us dependent on what God is doing right now. Things shift based on spiritual attack, a leaders health, team dynamics, and so on. Vision with holes allows for the things that God doesn’t tell us up front. Believe me, there are things that God doesn’t tell us up front!

The second key can more easily be overlooked and that is the planter’s Unique Gifting and Abilities. God calls us to do works that we are wired to do. When God created the church planter, He knew the work ahead. When God brought the planter and his wife together He knew what they could accomplish together. I love how scripture says, “God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 God knows not only every hair on our heads, but He also knows the special abilities He has empowered us with. It is nearly impossible to lead a church for which you’re not suited. If a pastor has a bent toward music, leadership, or even something seemingly unspiritual like athletics, God will mostly use how He has created them to give them a specific way to function in ministry.

The last key is the Community Context. This component is critical because church planting is like reading the Bible, content without context can lead you to the wrong conclusions. A planter must understand the community in which this church is located. What are the felt needs? (This is what people complain about and usually ask for first.) Then they need to know the real needs like, spiritual looseness, hopelessness, or corruption. It’s nearly impossible to impact a city, town, or area without understanding the spiritual and natural challenges. What is the history of the area? Have there been any spiritual movements there in the past? Who is already doing good work there and how can you work with them? These are the questions that must have answers if a church is going to make a lasting impact.

These 3 components will give you a triangulated approach that will help create impact. Look at the model below to see how these components work together.

If you have 1 or even 2 keys without the other(s), then a church is more likely fail in its mission. The greater issue for me is that there will be churches that exist in communities that will not care about them. This is not about sustaining a healthy church or even growing a church. This is about having a church that matters to the people they are there to serve. The success of a church is based on many factors, but the impact of a church on its surrounding community can be summed up with these 3 keys. Even if a church doesn’t make it, and many don’t, at least a planter can walk away with their heads held high knowing that they made a difference.