Imagine the following scenario. A church plant starts up. It has sound expository preaching, the right administration of the sacraments, biblical church discipline, regular evangelism, and joyful fellowship, but many empty seats.
A year later, the situation looks similar. The growth is slow, almost a whisper. Pressure begins to mount. Funds are drying up. The seats need to be filled. Then the reality sets in: The old way is not working. Remember the Waylon Jennings song: “Did old Hank really do it this way?” Well, the church planter may start to ask, “Did Paul really do it this way? Because it doesn’t seem very effective. We need something more up-to-date. We need something that will attract people. Something that will produce a spark.”
Are there any church planters who can resonate with this story?
