As a church planter, you need to be more comfortable with risk, and other things, than a regular pastor. But the most important things for church planter are the most important things for a pastor:
- You are all to be a minister of the word. Not build church by programs or personal relationships. Spend a lot of time to study God's word. Have a special concern for the gospel itself.
- Be very clear on what it means to be converted and to be a member of the church. Perhaps it's a little easier in Australia for people to recognise that they are not Christians? But in the US we need to work hard at that, so people don't assume they know what it means to be a Christian.
- Don't be slow or backward to raise serious issues that are basic. Everything you do in the Christian life is a matter of working out these basics.
