Church Planting Training – Part 3

In an earlier post I mentioned reading books and listening to guys who have actually planted churches. By no means do I wish to disparage those who contribute to the formation of church planters in ways that I could not. I am a strong proponent of seminary training and took courses in church planting from men I admire and learned from.

One of those men was Dr. E. R. Jordan, now with the Lord, who as founder and  pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Lansdale, PA was deeply committed to church planting.It was under his ministry that my wife and I planted our first church in Philadelphia in 1982, now called Living Hope Church. I learned much in the classroom but it was nothing compared to what I learned from him.  Much of what I learned was during casual times at breakfast (He always said, "You pray, I pay") or on the phone when I needed advice. He never hovered over the church plant but let me know he was only a phone call away. If you are thinking about church planting have someone you can learn from, pray with, go to when you need help. Believe me, you will need help.