by John A. Gross
When my wife, Susan, and I first went to Houston we were enamored with an area on the west side of Houston. The area was called Memorial, an up-and-coming fully developed exclusive area of beautiful office buildings, large homes, mature successful executives, and educated entrepreneurs. This was an aggressive, exciting, fast-paced, moving, and growing area.
Susan and I thought this would be a great section of town to start a fundamental Bible-believing Baptist church. We were young and excited as all young church planters are beginning their ministries. But we soon realized we were not experienced — we were not the successful mature entrepreneur people this area represented. We did not identify with them socially, economically, or experientially. As difficult as it was, we had to admit this area was not our culture, and we did not identify with them well.
One of the first questions we have to ask ourselves when going to a city or an area is: Are we one of them? You may have a desire to reach a certain class or a particular style of people, but whether we like it or not, we tend to reach those who are like us. In America we have cultural and geographical differences throughout the country. The culture represented on the East Coast — Boston, New York, New Jersey — is totally opposite from that of Southern California or East Texas. Have you ever talked to a fellow who went from upper Manhattan to East Texas trying to plant a church? The truth is we have a greater opportunity of reaching those who represent our gifts, our talents, and our experiences.
When starting a church you should take a true honest evaluation of who you are and what your gifts, talents, and experiences represent, and ask yourself, “Who am I?” Not to say that it can’t be done or that it hasn’t been done, but it is very unusual for a person to develop a successful ministry among those of whom he is vastly different socially, economically, and experientially.
The wonderful thing about this discussion is that God has a prepared place for the prepared person. Long before we ever began to think about church planting, God had us in mind. He has allowed your experiences, your education, and your background to prepare you for the ministry He has planned for you. It becomes our challenge to pray, to seek His guidance, and to allow Him to show us the way. With that said, God can overrule all circumstances — for our God is a miracle-working God. He has planted churches in the most unusual places, with the most unusual people, at the most unusual times, under the most unusual circumstances.
And He can do it with both you and me as we submit ourselves to His will and instruction.