Are you using the city or ministering to it (5 warning signs)...

Hey church planters,

Recently, I realized some of you are entering into relationships with people and cities and whether you realize it or not, are using instead of ministering to those whom you are building relationship with. Let me explain... if your reason for planting a church in a specific area is anything except love for the people and the Gospel that will save them, your motivation is sinful and you need to repent. As a church planter, your biblical role (i.e. 1 & 2 Timothy) is to serve others and preach the word. In order to serve you must first love. I have heard some of you complain about "burnout" brought on by a realization that things were not how you thought they would be. You can't make payments on your homes because your church is not growing fast enough. You don't feel respected by the intellectuals and wealthy in your area. And worst of all, your role as an Pastor/Elder is hard even though you did everything you could to research an area to plant where incomes were high and the feel of the community would be simply Stepford ("What a scam!"-The Pink Fish). Follow the life of the Apostle Paul through his writings and you will quickly see how nothing is promised in ministry except hardship and the beauty of Grace in the face of any situation. Below I posted 5 warning signs that you may be "using" instead of "ministering":

1. If in researching an area to plant you were more concerned with the economic state than the spiritual state of the population...

2. If your own financial situation dictates your decisions as a pastor...

3. If your own identity is wrapped up in what the people in the church you planted think about you...

4. If your church's identity is wrapped up in what other people think of it...

5. If you are more stressed about your church's growth then the spiritual state of the individuals in your church and in the city around your church...