15 Traits of an Effective Church Planter

Before departing for Jerusalem, Paul assembled the elders of the church in Ephesus for a time of spiritual leadership training and strengthening for the work of the ministry. These men were pioneering a work and Paul sought to continue their development as leaders in this new church plant.

In Acts 20:17–38 the Holy Spirit records the fifteen traits of an effective church planter Paul shared with these men that enabled them to be productive in their church planting labor for the Lord.

1. He Is Faithful in All Seasons (v. 18) 
Church planting pastors experience many different seasons of labor during a church plant. Each season is unique, but necessary to both the formation of character in the pastor and to the spiritual make up of a new church family. Church planting pastors learn how to be faithful during all seasons of ministry.

2. He Is Humble in His Labor (v. 19) 
Although Paul had much to glory in humanly speaking, an outstanding of his ministry was his humility. Learn to be humble before the Lord and honest before all men.

3. He Is Compassionate (v. 19) 
Compassion goes a long way in a church plant. Many people are tired of Satan’s deceit and abuse. They are hungry for unconditional love and acceptance. In many cases, compassion is the only thing able to make a difference in a broken life (Jude 22).

4. He Wins Souls and Disciples Them (v. 20) 
The key to a successful church plant is the salvation of souls and grounding new believers in the faith. Trading members from church to church does not result in a strong church plant. Frankly, the opposite is true. Win people to the Lord and teach them the Word of God!

5. He Is Totally Committed (v. 24) 
Church planting pastors determine to never quit and trust God to see them through. Paul was not moved by any season of ministry or by any trial or evil of the devil.

6. He Is Faithful to His Calling (v. 26) 
Do not get sidetracked. Stay faithful. Your calling is to the souls of men and it is to this endeavor that you must commit your fullest attention.

7. He Cares for Himself Spiritually (v. 28) 
Do not neglect your walk with God as a church planting pastor. You cannot efficiently lead God’s people when you are not following God. There will be times when you will have to get alone with God and care for your spirit before you can go and care for someone else’s spiritual life.

8. He Cares for the Flock Spiritually (v. 28) 
The heart of a shepherd is for the welfare of the sheep. Likewise, the heart of a pastor is for the spiritual growth and conditioning of the flock of the local church. The pastor labors for the individual development of each member with one fixed goal in mind “…until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).

9. He Is a Shepherd to the Flock (v.29)  
A shepherd feeds, protects, and guides his flock. Watch out for wolves; they take many shapes, sizes, and ages. Deal with them, for they will not spare the flock. Church planting pastors must have a bias for action in this area.

10. He Discerns Division from Within (v.30)
Not only will wolves threaten the flock from without, but men will arise within the church and try to draw away the flock. A church planting pastor will discern error and quickly deal with it.

11. He Is Content (v.33)  
Learn to be content with the simple things in life. A church planting pastor and his family learn how to be content with the basic provisions of food, raiment, and shelter (1 Timothy 6:8).

12. He Is Hard Working (v.31–32; 34) 
You will never see a church planted or established without hard work. Being a pastor requires hard work (1 Timothy 3:1), but being a church planting pastor requires a willingness to go beyond. Paul told the Corinthians that he would “…very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved” (2 Corinthians 12:15).

13. He Is Sacrificial (v.35)
Keep a sacrificial spirit. Be willing to give all in order to see souls saved and a church established. There is a price to be paid for starting a soulwinning church, but the price is not your integrity, your spirituality, your family, or your character. Our family has always strived to lead the way in giving. Teaching an attitude of sacrifice is one thing, but displaying one is a lesson all to itself.

14. He Knows How to Pray (v.36)  
Paul taught the men he instructed to depend on God through prayer. Many times in the work of church planting, you will be faced with impossible situations. The impossible only becomes possible through the portal of prayer. Take it the Lord and leave it there! Over and over again!

15. He Has an Older Mentor in the Faith (v.37-38) 
The elders at Ephesus had a healthy bond with the Apostle Paul. We ought to lean on the counsel and help of our older mentors in the faith. Beware of following solely the counsel of the younger men around you—balance your counsel with older, seasoned men in the ministry. Rehoboam fell into the trap of youth by not following wise counsel in 1 Kings 12:8, “But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him.”