That would seem to be the order of the day particularly for the older denominations where the church population has seen a little decay but a faithful core exists.

It’s pretty hard for these backstreet churches to get excited when there’s all these new kids on the block. It’d be great to see this geneva momentum ‘n synch with other, broader strategies for reestablishing and reequipping old churches (see what I did there, I referenced three boy bands).

-started a night church in Mt Druit with only 10 or so young guys. grew it to 50-60 in two years.
-at st matthias – participated in the starting of 7 or 8 new congregations and personally headed up a team that planted a family congregation.
-not all the plants worked so he has seen both sides of the planting experience.
-in the city he was the start up preacher for City Bible Forum which then built up to 300.
-he’s facilitated the planting of 4 churches in Wollongong region.
-he hasn’t had the kind of planting experience heardy has had in starting and staying long term with a plant. but he has a broad experience at a range of areas.

i actually don’t have a problem with someone heading up a church planting network who hasn’t planted a church… but it doesn’t matter!!! while al hasn’t done the type of plant that heardy has, his credentials look legit!!!

hope this extra info is helpful

soli deo gloria

In my limited experience, vocational ministry involves so much more than biblical teaching and pastoring. They are very important to vocational ministry, but they are not the whole of vocational ministry.

I think that the gifts of leadership and wisdom are of utmost importance, and perhaps we in Sydney don’t give those gifts much thought: consider the wisdom that Solomon asked for, for his role in leadership; Proverbs seems to be the perfect practical outworking of a healthy fear of God. So Soli didn’t turn out so great, but he was known for his wisdom.

I agree that he is a gutsy guy that blokes will follow, but I wonder how qualified he is to give guys a real sense of the difficulties they will most likely face.

While he is having face time with Driscoll, hundreds of other church planters around the world are busy telling non-Christians about Jesus and likely having doors slammed in their face. The Resurgence blog reports that 80% of church plants will fail (source: http://theresurgence.com/church-planters-stop-wasting-Gods-money) but I wonder how much people realise that in the midst of the sexy image the movement has developed.

I think it’s great that church planting is now seriously on the agenda of many churches and denominations, but I’ll be more convinced when it actually takes the next step and results in new churches being planted (especially in areas of Sydney without churches). Even the timing of Al’s appointment to head the Sydney Diocese church planting agency is not ’til next year makes me to wonder just how serious we are about doing hard work.

Thoughts? Comments? Rebukes?

you’re right – from what i understand – al hasn’t planted a church. al has been part of significant ministries – but he hasn’t done what heardy has done in planting a church that keeps planting churches.

2 things:

1) maybe al might plant a church next year???
2) the letter might be sloppy in its wording… regardless – al is the type of guy that many young guys would follow into a battle. he’s wise, godly, ballsy, has a track record in ministry. so i personally don’t think he needs to be a church planter to help lead a church planting network.

do you think it’s a problem??

peaceout

I understand that the letter constituting most of the post was not written by you, but could you please provide some information as to Al Stewart’s qualification as a “church planter”?

@craig – i agree with what you’ve said and the examples you’ve sited.

at this event: http://davemiers.com/2009/02/20/uluru-church-planting-crew/
al made it clear that church planters are not to be “rock stars, heroes, and highflyers” – but that they are to be hardworking “soldiers, athletes and farmers” (2 Tim 2)

one of the things that has come across in the various church planting gatherings is church planting isn’t glamorous – just hard work!

it’s worth noting that this isn’t Acts 29. it’s a new australian thing. heardy and al have been deliberate in setting up something appropriate for our context.

I’ll think about it.

I know cases of people who have applied to be missionaries and have been rejected, and they have become quite bitter about it. This will happen here as well, I suspect.

There are other church planting options for people – aside from Geneva, there is the new Rice church planting arm, and the SydAng church has started a new department for church planting as well. Someone could also just get their local church to sponsor them to plant.

If all these doors were to shut in someones face, perhaps it’s a sign that church planting is not for them..?

I hope it doesn’t turn into an exclusive club that makes some church planters feel like they’re not cutting it (because they don’t conform to the assessment standards of the church planting training network.

But if you agree they have to be discerning, especially considering how scarce resources are, surely there is nothing wrong with an assessment process?

Does this run the risk of becoming an elite club? Lots of people are planting churches, but you can’t make use of these resources without passing their assessments.

Will support of any form be given to those jars of clay who are not going to pass the test, but are doing faithful gospel work?

Admittedly, we have to use discrimination in some matters. I’m just voicing my thoughts, not submitting my settled opinion, not least because this hasn’t started yet.

PS I guess I’m sick of rock stars. Sorry if that’s discouraging to anyone.