I’ve planted a church. I’ve walked streets where the buildings are strong, but the people feel invisible. And I’ve learned something loud and clear: Jesus doesn’t wait for people to come to Him. He breaks into lives, neighborhoods, and communities where He is invited – and sometimes, even where He isn’t.
Church planting isn’t just about starting a Sunday service or filling a building. It’s about being the kind of church that interrupts the normal flow of life with love that looks like Jesus. And here’s the deal: that only happens when the church gets out of the building.
Communities Don’t Wait
An unspoken truth that might need to be spoken more frequently is that communities don’t stop spinning because your church calendar is full. People aren’t waiting for a bulletin or a sermon to find hope. They’re looking at the people around them and asking, “Who’s going to care?”
If you want your church to matter, if you want your neighborhood to see the Kingdom of God in action, you’ve got to stop waiting for them to show up. You have to show up. Boldly. Intentionally. With hands ready to serve and ears ready to listen.
The Church Is a Light, Not a Lobbyist
Church planting isn’t about influence for influence’s sake. It’s not about programs or perks or trying to be the community’s “solution.” It’s about Jesus’ love being tangible in a broken world. That might mean helping with after-school programs, hosting community cleanups, mentoring youth, or simply sitting at tables of influence and listening.
When a church steps into a city with this posture, something amazing happens: people start to see Jesus before they ever hear a word of the Gospel. Neighborhoods start to feel safer. Families start to feel cared for. And slowly, the Kingdom begins to grow, not because of strategy alone, but because of a rhythm of faithful presence.
Start With Listening
But here’s where many churches miss it: if you want to plant a church that transforms, you cannot start with what you want to do. Start with listening. Sit with the mayor. Meet the principal. Talk to business owners. Ask your neighbors where they see gaps, needs, and struggles.
Questions like these can change everything:
- “Where do you see the biggest unmet needs in our community?”
- “What keeps families, kids, or neighbors from thriving?”
- “How can a local church show up in a way that actually matters?”
When you ask, you’re not just gathering intel. You’re showing that Jesus’ love is practical, relational, and real.
Ok I get it. Church planting is risky. Showing up in neighborhoods can feel uncomfortable. Asking tough questions and admitting you don’t have all the answers takes humility. But here’s the punchline: Jesus shows up where the church shows up.The Kingdom doesn’t advance in boardrooms alone; it advances in neighborhoods, streets, and living rooms where His people are willing to step in.
Your Neighborhood Is Waiting
So here’s the challenge for every pastor, church planter, and leader reading this: stop planning the perfect program first. Stop waiting for perfect conditions. Stop talking about “serving the community” as if it’s a theoretical essay.
Get out. Ask questions. Listen. Serve. Love. Repeat.
When the church shows up like that, Jesus doesn’t just bless your efforts. He breaks in. Lives change. Families heal. Neighborhoods start to reflect His Kingdom. And the local church? It becomes exactly what it was always meant to be: a home for the hope the world is missing.
Source: www.derrickhurst.org