I like to talk about church planting... and we have quite a bit going on, right now, in this area.
But I have become so much more aware, recently, that it's not at all about planting churches... but it is about planting the Kingdom life among people... It's about people... it's about God's life being planted and nurtured within people... it's not about churches. Churches, or gatherings, take place as a secondary result of the Kingdom being planted into the lives of people.
As we have attempted to "coach" others in "planting churches," we realized that we were focusing on the wrong thing. Those who were "church planting" became focused on "the gathering." Who would come to "the gathering." What would people do at "the gathering." How should "the gathering" be structured. And we were missing the whole point.
The point is people.
So, we began to re-focus on what it's about. We began to talk about caring for, nurturing, helping, loving, shepherding, praying for... people. Period. Who are the people in your life that you are called to be involved with. Pray for them. Love them. Deepen your relationship with them. Then, if there are a couple of those people who would benefit from some sort of gathering, then fine... begin to gather with them because that is what is best for them. In other words, keep the focus on loving people and what's best for those people you are called to love. Don't just love people who might come to "your" gathering... just love people... all of them. Become a Kingdom person who simply sows kingdom life into those around you. As you love them, some may eventually gather with you and some won't. That's beside the point. Love them all and be a kingdom person to all of them. Plant Kingdom life into people, nurture that life, water that life... and only gather with some of them if the gathering enhances that process.
Be the church everywhere... gather the church when it's best for the church... and we will become "church planters."
