2. Launching large can be stressful.
Right out of the gate, you will begin leading a church of 100 or more and be challenged with assimilating and developing people quickly. Criticism will come from all sides and cause additional stress.
When we began the church, I was taken aback by the criticism from other churches. I thought, how could a new church possibly be a threat to anyone? Rapid growth can be suspect to churches who have not experienced growth in decades.
3. Launching large has a higher cost.
Financially, it costs more to launch a large church. You don’t get to ease into the costs associated with start up. You need to rent or purchase equipment for the worship service and children’s ministry. A sound system, video equipment, computers, lights, instruments and children’s supplies are all essentials. You may need a way to transport and store the equipment. Marketing the launch is a large financial commitment as well.
4. Launching large isn’t for everyone.
When I’m coaching church planters, I respond to their pressure points looking through my leadership lens, drawing from the relational and experiential capital that I’ve been banking for years. You won’t have that when you start. If you don’t have the financial resources, people or community capacity to launch large right now, then lead large.
Vision is the heartbeat of leading large. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, people perish.” Churches are dying because they’ve lost their vision. Church plants thrive because vision is all they have! Challenge people, stretch their faith, paint them a picture of a God-sized dream for your community. Let the size of your God determine the size of your dreams.
Leading large and launching large have always been a part of our DNA at The Springs. You will always be re-launching and seeking ways to accelerate momentum in your church! Re-launching provides that breath of life, the vision, excitement and momentum that brings life through the gospel. Twenty years in and The Springs is still re-launching. We keep asking ourselves, “What would we do if we were starting over?”
Launching large is a method that will stretch your faith! But know this one thing: God is always looking for men and women who will risk everything for him. And when he finds them, he uses them to change a generation.
Ron Sylvia (@ronsylvia) is the founding and lead pastor of Church @ The Springs in Ocala, Florida, and director of NEXT Churches: Nuts & Bolts Church Planting. This article was originally published on NewChurches.com, an organization dedicated to helping church plants and multisite ministries thrive.
