Some thoughts from my experience and life as a church planter and pastor.

Mistake 1. Preaching basics when they have come to you for something more. Preaching basics to a new church when in fact many of them are not 'new' in the faith, takes people to 'stagnation.' A new church does not always need basic things, but rather fresh insight, a new perspective, something positive rather than condemnatory and life giving more than something that's well worn and traditional. People want 'something more' that is why folks left one church to come to you! They want 'mature meat!' that feeds their spirit and meets a certain need. Pastor, find a need and fill it, it's that simple.

Mistake 2. Giving out job descriptions. People don't need more job descriptions, they already have too many jobs! To get your church working find out what your folks are doing and make what they are already doing  part of their church ministry.

Mistake 3. Believing that you don't need external preachers. Visiting preachers stretch the preacher as well as the congregation. They bring fresh perspective and stop you becoming 'narrow' or 'shut in' in relation to your vision.

Mistake 4. Sticking to a denomination. The internet has broken down walls. If an organisation ties you down, so will your ability to be apostolic. Apostolic by definition means cross community and inter-national.

Mistake 5. Taking on a mortgage to purchase a building before you invest yourself in people and build people. Debt paralyses preachers. A preacher who always preaches about money most often can be found struggling to pay the bills. Here's the deal, if your folks are not contributing then maybe you want the church more than them.

Mistake 6. Attaching yourself to the wrong church. Having a church is one thing, pastoring a church that can pullout of you the 'deep' truth is another. Many preachers live disempowered and unable to get to the next level simply because the congregation is not on the same level as the Pastor.  There are levels of revelation in a man of God than only certain congregations can pull out of him. Find that congregation, it will stop's frustration in your ministry.

Mistake 7. Not being in love with your city. Do you love your city enough to bring change? Do you feel as if you own the city in the spirit? If you don't own it in the spirit you'll never take it in the natural

Mistake 8. Not having a team. If God don't give you a team, don't try to build a church. The first sign that God has called you is he will give you a team.

Mistake 9. Burying talent. Most pastors wont bury their talent. But the strange thing is most pastors bury the talent of those in their congregation. If you are not encouraging others to build a ministry bigger than your's, you are in effect burying 'their' talent.

Mistake 10.  Going into the ministry without a word of God for your generation and an authentic call of God. What's your answer when someone asks you, 'When did God call you?'  What's your answer when someone asks you, 'How did God call you?'  A passion without a calling may bring you success but you'll miss your true destiny.

Copyright 2009 PaulB Thomas.