I have read some great articles on church planting.  I have been exposed to some good books as well.  I have listened to people lecture and come away encouraged by the possibility and discouraged by the enormity of the task.  And then I did the most educational activity of them all, I became a church planter.  Whoa!  As helpful as the books, articles, and lectures can be, nothing compares to the educational value of getting your hands dirty and feet wet with the work of church planting.  Of all the valuable lessons I have learned and am learning, the number one (absolutely #1!) priority of church planting is this:  Pray to God for Good, Faithful, Available, and Teachable People. 

Money is good to have.  We all know that it takes financial resources to accomplish so many things in the ministry.  Also, meeting space is great to have.  A church plant needs to meet frequently and as it grows the need for space becomes more and more a premium.  Clear direction and vision are important.  If you don’t know where you are going, you will most assuredly get there.  All of these are good and important, but I have learned as I have been living in God’s Church Planting 101 that Faithful People trumps everything else. 

Today I am thankful for the wonderful, encouraging, servant-minded, evangelistic, hospitable, loving, prayful, grateful, and gracious people God has brought together to form the initial stages of our church.  We are a church plant – make no mistake about it.  We have concerns over finances (we need more and we need to discern how to faithful use the finances we have).  We need more meeting space.  Currently we are meeting on Saturdays at a local church, which has graciously opened up their chapel to us.  Yet our goal is Sunday worship and thus we are praying for Sunday meeting space.  However, even as we pray for finances and space, I am overwhelmed and overjoyed with the people God has brought together.   

If I pass Church Planting 101 it will be because I did not take the class by myself.  God graciously sent me good help, faithful and available co-laborers who desired to take the class as well.  Isn’t God good?!