Church Planters Quotes & Sayings

The mission that God has given us is a highly relational mission. Jesus said, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you" John 20:21. Jesus came into this world, lived in obscurity for 30 years and then spent three years relationally investing in twelve men, whose charge was to do the same thing by relationally investing in others. This strategy has worked for 2000 years each of us has been touched by someone reaching out to and investing in us relationally, thus advancing the gospel and the mission of God. — Gary Rohrmayer

I still believe in the nonviolent Jesus and the basic human goodness present in all of us. — Martin Sheen

If a church is good at making disciples it will be good at making leaders because in the end, a good spiritual formation plan will lead to an accelerated spiritual multiplication. — Gary Rohrmayer

I don't personally feel a responsibility to be a role model, but as the actor, I do. — Chris Colfer

While I am reluctant to cite sexism as a political issue, sexism certainly can exist. — Michele Bachmann

Missional leaders not only feel the burden of God's mission but they also act on the burden and act upon it sacrificially. Leading a missional church is not for the faint of heart. It takes courage to push yourself beyond your comfort zone and to lead the church beyond it personal limits. Brokenness, inner turmoil and sacrifice will always be part of the missional leader's life. — Gary Rohrmayer

The larger-than-life thing is definitely what I'm after. I've always drawn dark stories. Occasionally, I'll try a perfect hero, but it's a real stretch for me. I like 'em warts and all, and obsessive and weird. — Frank Miller

Before they are preachers, leaders or church planters, the disciples are to be lovers! This is the test of whether or not they have known Jesus. This remains the case today: this cross-love is the primary, dynamic test of whether or not we have understood the gospel word and experienced its power ... It is our cross-love for each other that proclaims the truth of the gospel to a watching and skeptical world. Our love for one another, to the extent that it imitates and conforms to the cross-love of Jesus for us, is evangelistic.
pp. 56-7 — Tim Chester

We're not church planters. We are community planters and, as we work in our communities, we join local churches. — Shane Claiborne

Great leaders are teachable leaders. — Gary Rohrmayer

An angry leader is a scared leader or a hurt leader or a frustrated leader but most of all they are a vulnerable leader. — Gary Rohrmayer

Always do the thing that makes you feel most alive. — Marty Rubin

The change, she knew, was only in herself; she was relieved of deception, and her mind was free to work on its familiar paths. She recognized for the first time that lies worked damage in two directions. — Rosemary Kirstein

As the church get older and older it becomes harder to keep evangelism on the front burner because of all the competing issues that keeps pushing it back. — Gary Rohrmayer

For me, it's more about being there, bearing witness to history, bearing witness to what's happening, what our country, the position our country is taking overseas. I want policy-makers to see the fruits of their decisions, basically, and to try and influence foreign policy. — Lynsey Addario

Hungry is a word that I've been analyzing here of late. It's not hunger that drives me, it's not hunger that needs to drive our football team. Hunger and thirst are things that can be quenched. We have to be a driven group, we have to seek greatness. — Mike Tomlin

Missional leaders understand the power of connecting relationally in their community through personal networking. — Gary Rohrmayer

For church planters, the motivation is not about the romantic or heroic venture ... it is because you realize you can't not plant one. — Dan Kimball

I coach church planters to look at the ethnic diversity of schools and neighborhoods they are near. This will be an indicator how ethnically diverse their congregation can become. — Derwin L. Gray

Leadership is simply a well applied energy burst. If a leader is going to let his energy get depleted through not important and urgent activities that distracts every ministry, then there will not be any energy left to counteract the evangelistic entropy that attacks every church and robs them of their evangelistic effectiveness. — Gary Rohrmayer

One of the landmines that church planters never dodge is the landmine
of leadership development. I will never forget the day when I realized
that there are no such things as 'ready-made leaders'. — Gary Rohrmayer

Effective networkers know how to make a positive first impression. They understand their environment and know want is acceptable and unacceptable conversation and attire. They know how to get people to talk about themselves, their business, their desires and dreams. They know how to tell who they are and what they do in twenty-five words or less, in a way that draws questions out of others. There is nothing more annoying than someone who just talks about themselves and shows little interest in others. Networkers are effective listeners and continually learning about the nuances of their communities and the leaders who serve them. — Gary Rohrmayer

The trees off to the side have been cut down to make a parking lot. You get used to things, he thinks, without getting used to things. — Elizabeth Strout

Effective leaders are good spotters. They are on the lookout for
potential leaders. They have the ability to look beyond other's deficiencies to
see their possibilities. — Gary Rohrmayer

Having a good definition of spiritual leadership is critical to development
of leadership cultural throughout your church. You need to know what you are
shooting for if you are going to hit the target. — Gary Rohrmayer

Every church has a marketing plan! The only difference is that some are better than others! When I think of marketing I think of building a relationship with those within reach of your ministry who know nothing about your church or are disconnected from your people. — Gary Rohrmayer

Leaders are passionate learners. Leaders are always seeking ways to improve themselves by sharpening their skills. They fully embrace the fact that growing leaders lead growing organizations. — Gary Rohrmayer

Something I've noticed. Church planters don't pray for revival. They pray for opportunity, favor with the unchurched and leaders. — Andy Stanley

I think my job is to try and be as honest as I can with what is in my mind and how I feel - I think that's what you're supposed to do, if you're a good writer. So I try to do that. I know I do that. I do do that. — Paul Thomas Anderson

There is nothing better than to have a highly motivated team of leaders focused on than reaching those far from Christ. And yet statistics and our experience reveal that evangelism entropy can creep deep inside a new church within months of its first public service. The longer we are around new churches the more amazed we are at how quickly these mission-focused, vibrant new churches become old. — Gary Rohrmayer

The Thirties are a great mix of everyday glamour and something a bit more practical. — Nanette Lepore

Our enemy attacks the conscience little by little seeking to wear us down and then wears out a leader's resolve to fight the good fight. — Gary Rohrmayer

Missional leaders know that their church will only grow as large as its capacity to provide ongoing care through a network of small groups and ministry teams. — Gary Rohrmayer

Keep at it! Remember marketing is building a relationship! If you use marketing for a year and stop, you cut off your relationship with the larger community. Then you will have to re-start the relationship all over again. The old adage "it takes six to stick" is proven true over and over again. I realized this in year three of our church plant. I think of the hundreds of people that came to our services that had no connection with me or our people because we were willing to build a sustained relationship with them through marketing. — Gary Rohrmayer

Nature-the word that stands for the baffling mysteries of the Universe. Steadily, unflinchingly, we strive to pierce the inmost heart of Nature, from what she is to reconstruct what she has been, and to prophesy what she yet shall be. Veil after veil we have lifted, and her face grows more beautiful, august, and wonderful, with every barrier that is withdrawn. — William Crookes