Rise Up: A 3-Day Devotional for Church PlantersSample

When the Why is High, the Cost is Low

Church planting is filled with long days, hard conversations, and moments where you might wonder if all the effort is worth it. But when your "why" is clear, the cost feels so much smaller. Jesus set the ultimate example of enduring hardship because of the joy set before Him—our salvation. He saw beyond the cross to the lives that would be changed forever. As church planters, we’re called to keep that same focus.

When we were planting our church, there were days we felt exhausted from constantly casting the vision. We found ourselves saying the same things over and over—almost to the point of burnout. At one point, I remember thinking, "Do they really need to hear this again?" But then, a new family joined our team who hadn't heard the vision. They were fresh, excited, and hungry to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

It’s easy to assume that everyone knows the vision as deeply as we do, but that’s rarely the case. People are joining your church plant at different stages, with different backgrounds, and they need to hear the heart behind why you're planting. For some, it’s the first time they’ve heard it. For others, it’s the reminder they need to move the vision from their head to their heart.

Keep raising the "why" higher and higher. Share stories of lives changed, communities impacted, and the bigger picture of what God is doing through your church. When your team catches the vision, the cost of serving, sacrificing, and staying committed feels light. Don’t grow weary of repeating yourself. Your "why" isn’t just information—it's inspiration, and it's the fuel that will keep your church moving forward.

Don’t lose heart when it feels like you’re repeating yourself. Your job is to keep the vision front and center. Every time you share it, you’re helping your team remember why they started and why they’re still here. Just like Jesus looked beyond the cross, look beyond the repetition and see the joy set before you—a thriving church filled with people who know the “why” so deeply that it shapes every part of their lives.

Prayer:

God, help me to keep the "why" of this church plant at the forefront of my heart and mind. Give me the endurance to share the vision over and over, knowing that it’s not just repetition, but a crucial reminder of why we do what we do. Keep my eyes on the joy set before me and remind me that every time I share the vision, I’m planting seeds in the hearts of those You’ve called to be part of this journey. Amen.