On Mission: Venture Church

[featured_image]I love training and coaching church planters!

It’s thrilling to see and hear how God is working as they work to start churches by making disciples.

Venture Church: On Mission!

Charley Carpenter, church planter in Bozeman, Montana, participated with us in a training in June 2011. He shares how God is working as they are on mission with Him…

One thing that we discovered through our Preview services was that we naturally grew faster than anticipated just by word of mouth and we loved seeing that kind of growth. With that in mind, we had the opportunity to do some mass mailings in town and put a piece of paper in every mailbox in the city. Unfortunately, this would have cost us around $12,000 that we don’t have and didn’t fit “who we are.” As we wrestled with this decision, we knew that God didn’t want us to do it (at least not now). So, we announced it at our last preview service and set it in stone. The very next morning, I got a phone call from a radio station here in town that offered us $3,800 worth of advertising for $300 just because we are a part of the Downtown Bozeman Association (DBA). Then on Tuesday, I got a call from the Newspaper saying that we get huge discounts on ads because of the DBA as well. It is amazing how God works and how He takes care of every little detail. I can’t believe I still think I might have a better plan than Him at times. He is so good!

Venture Church is a great example of a church making a difference right where God has placed them. I know a lot of church planters who end up spending money they don’t have on advertising. It’s often a tough decision. That’s why I was so amazed when Charley wrote that “we knew that God didn’t want us to do it.” That’s a step of trust.

Church planters need to cultivate a deep trust in God. He is working all around. It’s His work – and He will see it through to completion.

Charley has a great perspective…

It is amazing how God works and how He takes care of every little detail. I can’t believe I still think I might have a better plan than Him at times. He is so good!

Proverbs 3:5 tells us – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.”