Biggest Church Planting Mistakes:
1. Rushing ahead
2. Underestimating the cost
3. Violating the Sabbath
4. Hanging on too long
5. Not having a coach
From "Most common mistakes church planters make" by Shawn Lovejoy and David Putnam, both of ChurchPlanters.com
Murphy, Those are great principles and mistakes we are all vulnerable to. By the way, I’m now a certified CoachNet coach, already coaching U.S. church planters, and would love to be involved in coaching foreign missionaries since that is still very much where my heart is. Coaching is not consulting or counseling. Coaches assume that those being coached are “whole” and that they (the coach-ees) are the experts. We offer an encouraging relationship, and help with reflection, goal-setting, prioritizing, and accountability. I wrote a paper of coaching in Church of Christ missions for my doctoral program that I can make available. I’m a part of the Ordinary Wayfarer Group; our web site will be launching soon, but for now, just put church planters (or any missionaries) who are looking for a coach in touch with me at anthony@albanychurch.net.
Hey Anthony! That’s exciting! I will pass the word around. Blessings and peace to your family!
Murphy
Murphy,
I think #3 and #5 are most significant and thought about the least. I love that Anthony is coaching now….awesome. Anthony, you have alot to offer missionaries!