How to meet people where you're planting:
- Meet every single one of your neighbors.
- Hang out at playgrounds with your kids and strike up conversations with other moms.
- Join a book club or the PTO.
- Talk to your waiters.
- Shop at the same places on the same days at the same times.
- Go where the people of your city congregate with the intent to engage people.
- Start a neighborhood playgroup.
- Join a community sports league.
- Get involved at your child's school.
How to best support your husband during the first year of planting:
- Think of things to talk about other than the church.
- Tell him specific ways that you see God using him.
- Take your frustrations about church planting to the Lord before you take things to your husband.
- Maintain consistent time in the Word. Depend on the Lord to meet the needs only He can meet.
- Celebrate small victories.
- Don't tell him what to do or how to do it.
- Get involved in the process. Support his calling.
- Be flexible.
How to figure out your role in all this craziness:
- Always remember that, no matter what you do for the church, your most important roles are disciple, wife, and mom.
- Give it time (like years) to definitively narrow down your ministry role.
- Accept that in church planting you will be a generalist for a long time before becoming a specialist.
- Know that your role will change with each year and stage of church planting.
- Ask your husband for feedback on how God often chooses to use you.
- Be on guard against spiritual attack, specifically discouragement and emotional struggles.
How to maintain your sanity in church planting:
- Maintain consistent time in the Word.
- Once you know someone well enough to babysit your kids, do whatever it takes to establish and keep a consistent date night with your husband.
- Don't be afraid to take time off to catch your breath or get some perspective.
- Establish relationships in the community. Maintain perspective on why you're doing what you're doing.
- Make time to do something that interests you.
- Don't be afraid to pursue counseling or ask for help.
- If possible, find a mentor.
- Don't say yes to every ministry opportunity presented to you.
- Structure your life well.
- Have open and beneficially honest dialogue with your husband about how you're doing and how his job affects you.
Anything you would add to my lists?
--from the archives
