Church Planting: Why I Started a Church

Some time ago, I received this question: “Why did you start
your own church when you moved to Moscow? I am working in ministry in my church,
but I am considering being a pastor. How do I know if I should leave this
church to start my own or stay and keep trying to minister to the people here?”

We came out to Idaho from Michigan to spy out the land in
February 1971.

In October ’72, fifteen months after we arrived, I was asked
to substitute at the Grange church, which my family had been attending. In the
meantime, we had been holding an afternoon house church in our home. In
1976, we shut down the afternoon house church because we did not want to
compete with Community Evangelical Fellowship, the Moscow church that we
started from the Grange in September 1975 because the congregation there was
growing. The Grange grew and divided/planted again in 1976. I pastored both
churches in Pullman for one year until another pastor was able to join us. The
other church I pastored until I retired from preaching in 2018.

When we left Ann Arbor, I told Bessie that if the best
evangelical church in the U.S. were in Moscow, we would not join it—because if
the church sees that you have anything on the ball, they put you to work in the
things that do not save, edify, or glorify. Since we were in the business of
saving, edifying, and glorifying, we would not become members. We would
fellowship (attend church every Sunday) but not join.

We are not opposed to starting churches. I do not think that
they should start with musical chairs but with new converts. Talk to those who
are interested in starting a new church with you. Could they pray some people
into the kingdom?

Concerning whatever church you are in now, I will guarantee
that there is at least one hurting Christian there who wants to be back in the
joy of God’s salvation. There is also someone in the church or in town who
wants to be saved so badly he is ready to fall off the vine. This sinner is so
ready he does not need an evangelist to reach him. Pray for contact with these
two people.

Remember Jesus’ teaching. You are called to be
misunderstood.

“All this I have told you so that you will
not fall away” (John 16:1).

“Blessed are those who are
persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people
insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because
of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward
in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before
you” (Matt. 5:10-12).

“To
this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example,
that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21).

The fruit is there. Quit
fighting; eat it with joy. If you leave your church, you will only change the
size of your frying pan. Leave when they are boiling the tar and plucking the
goose. By that time, you will leave living, thriving fruit behind.