Church Plant

Today I sat in on a church planting network meeting for the metro Atlanta area.  I had never been in a room full of just pastors before.  I learned much just by sitting in on that meeting.  While I am not going to plant a church any time in the near future, it was a very powerful experience to learn that these men were human, just like me.  Pastors need training, pastoral care, and advice, just like the rest of us.  The problem is, where can a pastor turn to be ministered to?  I had never before heard pastors speak about their struggles and failures as pastors in such blunt speech.  It was encouraging to learn that pastors are really just normal people, but it was disheartening to see firsthand the toll that ministry takes on pastors.  Just read 1 Timothy 1:11-16 and it is quite clear that the work can become all-consuming if left unchecked.  Who can do such a task?  God.  God is the one doing the work.  At the end of the day, even those weary church planters find their solace knowing that their efforts do not advance God's kingdom one bit unless God is the one at work through their efforts (check out Philippians 2:13). I pray that God will strengthen those church planters and that He would continue redeeming His people here in Atlanta through their human efforts.