Scott Thomas, a dear friend and now director of Acts 29, asked a great question in our pastor’s forum “what are the characteristics of a successful church planter?”

It is amazing how quickly these thoughts come to mind, especially the characteristics I desire to possess more of!

Here they are- not necessarily in order of importance, but for me these are either skills that have helped me, or ones that I know I need to grow in:

1- Profound love for Christ.
2- Knows much about Christ theologically and experientially.
3- Is greatly motivated by the things Christ is passionate about and is able to articulate Christ’s passion to his people.
4- Understands and can articulate the multi-faceted nature of the gospel. How what Christ did upon a Roman Cross 2,000 years ago changes everything.
5- Is able to apply the gospel in a variety of settings- from preaching in every page of scripture, to counseling the broken and lost.
6- Is driven by an awareness that they are caught up in a greater story. Has an awareness of their personal identity having significance because it is consumed into God’s greater story.
7- This then would mean that the persons biblical theology is as strong as, if not stronger than, their systematic theology.
8- A passionate preacher who never preaches an unfelt cross.
9- A good communicator to those who are not Christians.
10- An evangelist with a theological sense of urgency in what he does and says. Someone that always is aware that this sermon may be the last one he preaches before he dies, or the last one he preaches before Christ returns.
11- Someone who does not know how to quit the ministry. The very word “quit” is not in their vocabulary.
12- Yes, this same determination also drives them to be the best husband a wife could be blessed to have. This man will not pimp out his wife for the sake of the ministry.
13- A man that pastors his home well first, then God’s people.
14- A man that learns quickly to listen to his wife when she is concerned about something or someone.
15- A man that has a fierce loyalty for Christ driven by a deep love for Christ. This compels him to preach a bloody cross and empty tomb.
16- A man who realizes that from front to back, everything he does and accomplishes (and yes even the failures) are from God’s hand and by God’s grace.
17- A man who can take an ass whipping well. Someone who is able to genuinely listen to his elder(s) rebuke, even if it has to do with his family or finances (two areas we like to keep those closest far away).
18- A man that will protect the honor and integrity of the women of the church.
19- This man will have a profound respect and love for Christ’s bride. When she is discussed, he mentally stands up and pulls his chair out for her. This man will die to protect Christ’s bride. The way this man treats the women of his church and his wife, are often reflections of how he treats Christ’s bride.
20- Knows how to repent quickly and often before his people.
21- Knows how to ask for forgiveness and is quick to give in whether asked or not.
22- Considers himself a theologian even if he’s only read 10 books. Knows that behavior is the result of what you believe, and so he desires to shape what he believes and knows so that his life will follow.
23- Does not counsel with the law. Does not preach a legalistic/moralistic (follow Jesus example) gospel, which is no gospel at all. Rather, he talks more about what Christ did and how that fixes everything (which is news) rather than how you should act like jesus and follow his advice (which is works).
24- A man that knows that he knows that he is loved of the father by the merits of the son. He is accepted in Christ and therefore obeys him, rather than he obeys him (even simply “doing your duty” as a pastor) to be accepted.
25- A man that knows how to pray hard and long. If this man is not broken over his own sin, how will he be broken over the sins of others. This man should know how to get on his knees in effectual prayer. This man should lead his people in the same.
26- This man should care more for God’s Kingdom, than his own fiefdom. This will allow him to not use power plays and controlling techniques to get something done, and it will free him up to partner with others who have a Kingdom mindset.
27- This man should care more about the doctrine of the Kingdom of God than he does pre/post/amillennialism. His eschatology should be arrived at and driven from his doctrine of the Kingdom and not the other way around. This will radically affect how he views his work here on earth and how he structures his social justice/mercy ministry.
28- This man sees himself as someone moving out (like an apostle- which means sent) rather than someone looking purely in like a chaplain.
29- This man should learn how to read dead guys.
30- This man knows that he is finite, and God is infinite. That he is creature, and God is Creator. That he is sinful, and God is holy. That he needs grace, and only God can provide it. This sounds simple, but is so profound that I find myself gripped by these truths daily.