Planting Space

The Church Planting Assessment Center has become one of the most prolific catalysts for church planters and church planting staff members. Hundreds of church planting candidates have been processed through CPAC over the last few years and nearly every single feedback point is “this is extremely valuable for us.” Assessment centers are held about every [...]

I recently paid $4.40 for a gallon of gas in Chicago, IL.  I never dreamed in my lifetime that I would see that price.  I can remember paying $0.89 when I got my license.  That means gas prices have increased 500% in 16 years.  Ouch!  My family of four now thinks about the price of [...]

I recently talked to a planter about making sure that he honored his family by taking his allotted vacation time this year. His initial thought was to postpone any vacation until after launch because of all the business that happens up to launch. I reminded him that it only gets busier after launch because of [...]

Ed’s interview of Craig Groeschel has been one of our most popular. If you missed it, click here.
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Pre-Launch should be a time of dreaming and strategy, vision and planning. Most planters are big on the dream and small on the details and implementation. That is how it should be, as most people who are ‘maintainers’ don’t have big enough dreams, or at least the moxie to go plant a church.
That being said, [...]

Round 1 Round 2
Round 3 will focus on how to make a home office work well.
IDEA #1 - Wi-Fi Hotspots
If you have a home office wi-fi hotspots will be your best friend.  Plan at least a couple of hours a day out of the house at a hotspot.  This will help you not go stir [...]

I just never get tired of top 10 lists.
Here’s a great one with some insight into church leadership. Of course they don’t all apply, but the top 3 really struck me:

[New Leaders] persist in still doing their old jobs, rather than their new ones. As a result, they don’t delegate; they burn themselves out while [...]

In Round 1, I highlighted some of the benefits of both home offices and rented offices.  Round 2 will focus on ideas to making a rented office work.  Do you have any additional ideas.  Post a comment.
IDEA #1 - Fundraise and then Fundraise some more.
One option is to fundraise the needed money for office space.  [...]

Disclaimer: I’m a frugal guy.
A common question of church planters is whether or not do rent office space.  Let’s start with the advantages of rented space.

An office in a visible place will serve as a great marketing tool.  It lets people know that you are legit.
Office space provides a place to hold meetings, seminars, small [...]

It can be dangerous to make church too much like a business; there are still, of course, some important lessons to be learned. I read an online article at cnbc.com about the 10 biggest mistakes small business startups make. All church planters should pay attention to these things that bring a new business down:
#8 The [...]