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Hiawatha Church | Minneapolis, MN

Chris Wachter
Dec 3, 2010
Series: Church Planting
Categories: Church Planting Articles

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church

My call consisted of primarily three things: 1) Seeing God’s plan for church planting (and kingdom-expansion) in the Scriptures and catching a biblical vision for it, 2) Seeing God’s grace at work in me—over the years—in a way that catered towards lead-pastorship, and 3) Discerning the circumstance: the “planets aligned”—so to speak—a year or so before we planted. A vacant church building became available in a neighborhood my wife and I felt called to years prior. God called friends of ours (Michael and Nicole Devereaux) to partner with us around the same time we felt called to plant. Our sending church felt the leading as well, and all of this timeline-wise transpired as I was finishing seminary and my pastoral internship at my home church. Though there were definitely bumps in the road, it was apparent to my wife and I that God was leading us down a clear path to planting a church in a specific place, in a specific time, with specific people around us.

How did you build up your core? What advice would you give to guys in the core-stage?

We built up our core by offering different kinds of information desserts and events in the context of our sending church (information meetings, prayer-walks in the neighborhood we were going to plant in, etc.). Twenty-five people chose to come along with us from our sending church and a couple others that I had personally talked to about it (I didn’t personally invite them, they just got excited about the church’s vision on some level and committed to helping it launch). My advice to a guy in the core-stage: 1) Cast vision, cast vision, cast vision! (It’s great if people like you, but they should love the church’s vision), and 2) Don’t feel like you have to bring your best friends (in fact, it might not be a good idea to).

What were the biggest challenges you faced in planting your church (and/or currently facing)?

One of the biggest challenges we faced in the beginning (and are currently facing) is how to best contextualize the gospel to those we’re trying to reach. We’ve succeeded at times and failed at others. But overall, walking the fine line between promoting robust biblical-theology and being relevant to lost people is tricky business. We still ask ourselves regularly: how can we be doing this better?

How did you become involved with Acts 29? What have been the biggest benefits of being in the network?

I became involved when other pastors in a local church planting network we’re a part of became affiliated with Acts 29 and encouraged me to do the same. I had already benefited from certain online resources connected with Acts 29 and just loved knowing there were so many others out there trying to preach the whole counsel of God and reach the lost at the same time. Being networked with like-minded individuals is a great ongoing encouragement to me.

What advice do you have for men who are wrestling with the decision to plant?

1. Search the Scriptures (Are you planting a church because you think it's "cool" or because you love the gospel and want others to know it too? Have you caught a biblical vision for church planting?) 2. Judge your spirit (Be honest with yourself: has the “varied grace” of God been dispensed to you in such a way that you can start and lead a church at the highest level? What do others who know you well say about your gifting/ability to do this?) 3. Weigh the circumstance (Are there certain things like financial debt or having a wife not totally on board that would lead you to wait on church planting for now?)

How do you pastor your family?

With my kids, I read the Bible to them, pray with them, and try to help them see the gospel in their daily experiences. I'm also trying to teach them biblical theology at an early age, so that they can see that the whole of Scripture is about the gospel, related to the person and work of Jesus Christ, not bunch of random laws and precepts to follow. With my wife, I talk over my sermon content with her after I preach it (it helps us to have unity and connection with the Word and with what I do for a living). I also strive to embody the gospel as a Christ-figure-husband in the home by serving and leading her gently and lovingly. We pray together regularly too and I try to initiate this as much as possible.

Outside of the Bible, what is the most helpful book you have read for church planting?

Mark Dever’s "Deliberate Church" and Larry Osborne’s "Sticky Teams." They’re not specifically books on church planting but thinking through the issues of gospel-centeredness and leadership was invaluable.

Church Profile: Hiawatha Church
Launch Date: September 3, 2006
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Mission, Vision, Values of Church

Our vision is to glorify God by spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed among our church and out to our city and beyond.

What is your philosophy of community in your church and what does that look like practically in your church? Of evangelism?

Our philosophy of community is to put people in circumstances where they can share the gospel through word and deed with other people in the church and also be on the receiving end of such “sharing,” all for the sake of the church’s edification and perseverance in the faith.

Our philosophy of evangelism is similar, but more outward focused. We strive not only to share the gospel through word with outsiders, but also with deed. We want people to see and experience the gospel in physical form as they’re hearing it in word form. Physical acts of kindness, service, hospitality, and mercy all point to the spiritual salvation Jesus accomplished for us on the cross and therefore have an intentional and strategic place in all our outreach efforts. With that said, everything we do is done to the end that people would hear the good news, for “faith comes from hearing” (Rom 10:17).

What are some examples of God's grace that you have seen in your life and/or the life of your church?

God has been gracious to me in using me and blessing the church in spite of my many weaknesses, bad decisions, and failures. He truly does use “jars of clay” to show that the all-surpassing power of the gospel, at work in the church, is from him and not from man (2 Cor 4:7). Glory to God!