Reimagining Church Planting

Insights from Nick Warnes on discernment, adaptation, and sustainability

Published
los angeles

When Nick Warnes, founder and executive director of the church planting network Cyclical Incorporated, met Bobby, he recognized a familiar story. Bobby was hurting from a rough megachurch experience and had joined Cyclical LA’s ecosystem for potential church planters. Nick, drawing on his extensive experience in nurturing new Christian communities, guided Bobby through a process of healing and discernment. Within a few short months, Bobby and his friend Inés would go on to plant The Church We Hope For, launching just as COVID-19 began to reshape our world.

For Nick, Bobby’s and Inés’ story of adaptation—from in-person gatherings to online connections and back again—exemplifies the kind of agile leadership that he believes is crucial for the future of church planting. In a recent episode of the Pivot Podcast, Nick shared this story along with his wealth of experience and insights on developing leaders for new Christian communities. 

His approach, honed through years of hands-on work with church planters, challenges traditional notions of church planting and offers a fresh perspective on how we can participate in God’s ongoing work in the world.

Discernment: The Foundation of Church Planting

Nick reminds us that the journey of church planting begins with discernment. “If you try and start a church without discerning a clear calling to start a church, then most likely the life cycle of that church is gonna be shorter than maybe it could have been,” he explains. This process isn’t a solitary one; Nick emphasizes the importance of what he calls a “multi-tiered relationship network.”

This network includes:

  • Therapists
  • Spiritual directors
  • Coaches
  • Mentors
  • Practitioners
  • Fellow discerners

The goal is to create a supportive community that can help potential church planters navigate the complex process of discerning God’s call. Nick draws on John Calvin’s concept of interior and exterior call, encouraging planters to find alignment between their personal sense of calling and the affirmation of their community.

Adapting to Context: The Key to Relevance

One of the most striking aspects of Nick’s approach is his emphasis on contextual awareness and adaptability. He challenges the notion that there’s a one-size-fits-all model for church planting, instead encouraging leaders to become “detectives of the divine” in their specific contexts.

Consider the story of Yosem, who is planting Sojourners Community Fellowship in Granada Hills, Los Angeles. Nick describes Yosem as a highly qualified leader with multiple degrees, including an MDiv, a master’s, an MBA, and he’s currently finishing his PhD. Despite his impressive credentials, Yosem is described by Nick as “the most thoughtful, kind, humble, gentle pastor I’ve met.”

Yosem initially didn’t think he would stay in Los Angeles, but felt called by God to start a church there. He joined Cyclical LA’s starters group and has been working on creating a culture for an internationally and intergenerationally diverse community.

In a strategic move that demonstrates contextual awareness, Yosem is focusing particularly on college students who are away from home and feeling homesick. This focus on “sojourners”—people temporarily away from their homes—gives the church its name and shapes its mission. 

On the other hand, a lack of contextual awareness can create significant disconnects between the church planter’s vision and the reality on the ground. For example, Nick shares about the time he was having a conversation with a church planter who was adamant he wanted to start a diverse church in a rural context.

“I love and appreciate diversification of rural contexts, but I just asked him the simple question, is your context diverse?” Nick recalls. “And he quickly realized, no, there actually isn’t a ton of diversity here. Being realistic about the expectations of your particular context [is important].”

Look for God’s Presence and Action

In order to embrace contextual awareness, church planters must become keen observers of their communities, looking for signs of where God is already at work. 

This involves:

  • Spending time in the community: This means more than just living in the area. It involves intentionally exploring different neighborhoods, attending local events, and immersing oneself in the rhythms and culture of the community. As Nick suggests, it’s about “actually paying attention to what’s happening in the particular parish or context, looking for stories of God’s abundance.”
  • Building relationships with diverse groups of people: This goes beyond superficial interactions. It means engaging with people from different backgrounds, age groups, and walks of life. Nick’s emphasis on “multi-tiered relationship networks” can be applied here, encouraging planters to connect with a wide range of community members, from local leaders to marginalized groups.
  • Identifying unmet needs and opportunities for service: Asking questions and listen deeply to community members. What are their struggles? What are their hopes? Where do they see gaps in services or support? Nick encourages planters to look for “stories of God’s abundance” in the community, which often manifest in opportunities to serve and meet needs.
  • Being willing to adapt plans based on what you discover: This is perhaps the most crucial aspect of contextual awareness. Nick shares several stories of adaptability, including the example of the church that shifted its focus when a planned intergenerational community turned out to be a retirement community. As Nick puts it, “This is the abundance that has been presented to us. So we’ve got to make a pivot on the type of church that God’s inviting us into.”

Sustainability: Rethinking Church Economics

In today’s changing landscape, financial sustainability is a critical concern for church planters. Nick challenges traditional models of church finance, encouraging planters to think creatively about generating income and managing expenses.

“Decentralizing income streams is something we spend a lot of time on,” Nick shares. This might involve encouraging bivocational or co-vocational ministry, exploring non-traditional funding sources, or rethinking salary expectations for church leaders

Nick shares a powerful example of a church planter who started selling dice as a side hustle, initially aiming to make $500 a month. Within a year, the venture had grown so significantly that it allowed him to focus more time on ministry.

Widening the Circle: Who Can Plant Churches?

One of the most encouraging aspects of Nick’s approach is his belief that church planting is not limited to a specific personality type or skill set. “More people can do this than we would have ever thought possible,” he says.

Traditionally, church planting was often seen as the domain of charismatic leaders with extroverted personalities and entrepreneurial skills. However, Nick challenges this narrow view. He has seen successful church plants by people who are introverts as well as extroverts, leaders with multiple degrees and those without formal theological training, folks with various cultural and ethnic backgrounds, women and men, and young leaders as well as those with more life experience.

He adds: “A lot of these are skills you can learn.” This opens up church planting to folks who may not feel naturally gifted in areas traditionally associated with pastoral leadership.

Finally, Nick encourages a mindset shift in denominational structures to accommodate this wider range of potential church planters. He sees this as an opportunity for denominations to “achieve the goals that they’ve set for themselves” by embracing diverse leaders and models.

As we look to the future of church planting, Nick Warnes offers a vision of hope, innovation, and faithful participation in God’s ongoing work. By emphasizing discernment, adaptability, sustainability, and missional focus, he challenges us to reimagine what church planting can look like in the 21st century. Whether you’re considering planting a church, supporting church planters, or simply interested in the future of Christian community, these insights offer a roadmap for thoughtful, contextual, and Spirit-led ministry.

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