THE JOHNNY APPLESEEDS OF CHURCH PLANTING
Leadership Forum
April 1, 1984
Fruitful churches, like fruitful trees, don't usually spring up on their own. Someone-whether a Johnny (Appleseed) Chapman or a church pioneer-has to sow the seed.
What are the secrets of starting churches? LEADERSHIP brought four experienced church planters together in Minneapolis to talk with editors Dean Merrill and Marshall Shelley. The participants:
-Arthur Fretheim recently retired after planting six Evangelical Covenant churches in Minnesota, New Mexico, and Illinois.
-Victor Fry planted Missouri Synod Lutheran churches in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Maple Grove, Minnesota, before accepting a denominational position, where he has overseen the development of six new congregations.
-Kaye Pattison, who supports himself as a businessman, has planted four Conservative Baptist churches in the Denver area and is currently leading a Bible study he hopes will develop into number five.
-Robert Ross planted two churches-in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Austin, Minnesota-before going to his present congregation, First Church of the Open Bible in Waterloo, Iowa.
Leadership: Does church planting demand a special breed? What kind of person is cut out for pioneering a new church?
Arthur Fretheim: Anyone who intends to plant a church must have three things: (1) vision, the ability to visualize the future church, which will provide a goal to strive for; (2) enthusiasm, because as Paul said, "If the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare for battle?"; (3) perseverance, because there will be many lean days-lonely, small days. You have to remember those are God's days, too.
Robert Ross: A positive attitude helps, too-being friendly and able to genuinely enjoy your people.
Kaye Pattison: When Jesus told his disciples that the greatest among you ...
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