I recently spent some time with a friend who has been involved in church planting activities. His denomination financially supported his ministry. However, he recently declined such financial support because he believed some of the methodological expectations required unhealthy theological and missiological compromises. “The one who pays the piper picks the tune,” he said.
This brother was not cynical or belligerent. He loves his denomination and continues to remain active within that tradition. He was simply making a point: Expectations come with financial contributions. But to what extent should those expectations come?
Accountability is good and right. A denomination or network would be foolish to give away Kingdom resources without certain standards. Expectations should be expected.
My concern is not with accountability. When I worked for McDonald’s and Burger King, I had to wear the appropriate uniforms for the appropriate places. I knew such expectations existed before I agreed to receive their paychecks.
My concern is in the level of expectations. Church planting is more art than science. At McDonald’s, I had to follow certain methods because the goal was a scientifically determined end result produced by per-determined methods. There was very little art involved in cooking French fries. But such is not the way of ministry.
Evangelicals have come to value contextualization. However, we often place little confidence in the judgment of missionaries in the trenches. This is an incredible irony. We want the new generation to do what we did in our day. It worked for us. But what does Birmingham, Springfield, Richmond, Alpharetta, Lawrenceville, Cleveland, Anderson, Orlando, etc., know about Beijing or Baltimore? Yes, wisdom exists from headquarters representing those who have gone before us. But we should give special attention to the church planters in the trenches. They are experiencing context now, not context then.
Each generation thinks the previous generation is old-school and out-of-touch. Church planters in North America in the 1990s wanted to be like Rick Warren and Bill Hybels of the 70-80s. And the Warrens and the Hybels wanted to be like the Robert Schullers of the 60-70s. A generation of church planters that followed Jack Redford’s publication of Planting New Churches (1978) was ready to pick up The Purpose Driven Church with great gusto and head to the field, leaving Redford’s book to collect dust.
And here is more irony: Each generation wants new things to happen and is open to new methods as long as they discover those methods. Whatever preceded us needs to be overhauled; whatever comes after us needs to be looked upon with suspicion.
For those of you holding this new generation of church planters accountable for the money they receive, remember your past. Give them the flexibility that you likely did not receive from the generation that preceded you. Remember your feelings.
You may be called to pay the piper. Be faithful with that calling. Just don’t pick the tune. Pick the genre. Don’t tell everyone to play “Minuet in G.”
Hi, thanks for this. There’s been a big rise in cross-cultural church planting – people heading overseas to plant churches which is exciting but also comes with the risk and often likelihood of copying the ‘mother’ church but in a completely different context. Here’s a plea from a missionary -https://www.theupstreamcollective.org/blog/cross-cultural-church-planting-a-plea-from-a-missionary?rq=cross%20cultural%20church%20planting
Good word, J. D. Too often we neglect the role of the Word and the Holy Spirit in church planting accoutability relationships. Our concern ought to be with the planter’s heart, motivations, and spiritual growth. A healthy planter will more than likely plant a healthy church. Instead, we often focus on the method, strategy, and to-do lists to the exclusion of the more important needs. These later issues are certainly important, but they are not first order issues when it comes to the mission. It troubles me that we tie people’s hands when it comes to support rather than trusting God’s work in the person in whom we are investing.
Thank you for sharing, Leonard.
Thank you, Alex. I look forward to checking out the link.
Pingback: The One Who Pays the Piper Picks the Tune - The Aquila Report
“As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Methods change depending on where and who we are serving. Methods also may change over time. Principles remain the same.
Thank you for sharing, Durk.