Church planters can’t be “copy cats”.
My first six months in Greensboro were spent reading every book on church planting I could find. I constantly read the blogs of church planters who I thought were “cool” and “successful”. I read so much my mind got cluttered. I could have attempted to regurgitate what I read into Vintage. But God called me to start a movement and movements can’t flow out of regurgitation.
Don’t misunderstand. There is much to be learned from those who’ve gone before us. Every planter needs a coach. Every planter should soak up all he/she can from those whom God has blessed. But at some point you have to seek God for what He is calling you to do. Don’t allow all the reading and advice rob you of your uniqueness.
Your ministry will most likely contain many elements you’ve learned from others, but they must be filtered through your personality and individual calling.
