Like you, I need good, solid reasons to give God’s money to any ministry. I am not a pastor; I am a retired businessman. I am also a part of a core team that planted a church. I need good reasons to give outside my church which itself is a church plant. I need good reasons to ask others to give to a church planting network. In the Pillar Network, I believe God has provided solid reasons to support this effort. Those reasons are: To Support a Biblical Vision, To Support an Effective Biblical Model, and To Support Gospel Fruit. To Support a Biblical Vision
When we support a church planting network, we are supporting a biblical vision. “The Pillar Network exists to promote church planting and revitalization in North America by partnering with local churches, individuals, and organizations.” A willingness to support a church planting network must begin with embracing the network’s vision for church planting. The Pillar Network’s vision for promoting church planting is based in partnership and cooperation. We can do more together for the gospel than we can do as separate churches. The Network equips both church planters and church planting churches. It consists of like-minded churches planting churches that are Christ-centered and gospel-focused. Pastors and members are stretched in their faith, and trust in our Savior grows as the vision bears fruit.
To Support an Effective Biblical Model
When we support a church planting network, we are supporting an effective, biblical model for churches planted by the network. This is another reason I support the Pillar Network, because this model is both biblical and effective. It is possible for any church planting network to be one or the other, but it is by God’s grace and leading that this network is both biblical and effective. The New Testament model for church growth was churches planting churches. Too often today churches come into being through church splits.
The Pillar Network has a strong history of equipping church plants and sending churches, such that the viability rate is extremely high. [quote]The Pillar Network has a strong history of equipping church plants and sending churches, such that the viability rate is extremely high.[/quote] The ultimate test is that all involved in church planting are faithful to what God has placed before them.
The biblical model for church planting includes a biblical model for leadership.
- A Biblical Model for Church Leadership
In my experience one of the most important elements in any organization’s success is leadership quality. Through wisdom provided by God, the founders of the Pillar Network have remained steadfast to following some key leadership principles. Those principles include:
- A plurality of qualified elders to lead a church plant
- Significant investment in internships to identify and equip prospective church planters
- Planned growth in new church plants dependent upon a sufficient number of sending churches
- Ongoing coaching and specific evaluation of church planters by network leaders
- Experienced church planters investing their time and experience with new church planters
Leadership recognition and the ongoing development of church planters are crucial tools in growing an effective network. The Pillar Network does these very well.
- A Biblical Model for Ongoing Support
I give to the Pillar Network also because of the many ways church planters and sending churches are supported. There exists a true spirit of partnership and caring for those within the network. Some of the support elements are:
- Monthly coaching calls and regional coaching meetings with strategic targeted topics
- Free resources such as fund-raising training and elder assessments
- A support staff that can provide payroll oversight
- A graphic design support staff
- A job board of like-minded churches to make others aware of staffing needs
- Free resources such as leadership development, budgeting, financial networking, sending strategies, etc.
To Support a Network Where God Is Producing Gospel Fruit
When we support a church planting network, we are supporting a network where God is producing gospel fruit. As we all know, it is God alone who produces gospel fruit. He is using the individuals and churches in the Pillar Network to save souls, spiritually feed those who are saved, and build His Kingdom. Even my small church plant which is part of the Pillar Network has been enabled by God to plant another church. He has allowed us to see a former Jehovah’s Witness to come to Christ. We have been blessed to send out a number of young men to seminaries and families to the mission field. These are the gospel fruit just in my church. But these types of God’s work can be seen all over North America through the efforts of the Pillar Network.
GIVE!
What greater gratification can there be than to participate in God’s church planting work through a network such as the Pillar Network, a ministry that presents a biblical vision, promotes an effective, biblical model, and produces by God’s grace gospel fruit? When we give to this effort, we are partners in an incredible work of God that goes beyond our local churches. [quote]When we give to this effort, we are partners in an incredible work of God that goes beyond our local churches.[/quote]
I give first to my local church. But I also support the Pillar Network. There is great joy in giving to a bigger vision that works well and produces lives changed for all eternity. God is growing our network. Would you prayerfully consider financially supporting what God is doing through the Pillar Network?