Rope Factory Church | Warragul, Victoria, AUS

• Peter Cavanagh
• Jun 7, 2011
• Series: Church Profiles
• Categories: Church Planting Articles, Latest News

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church

I was swept into churchplanting on a visit to Mindanao in the Philippines. My wife and I trained as cross cultural churchplanters and relocated to Vietnam.
This was a tour of duty that almost destroyed us. Returning to my home town we slowly started picking up the pieces.

About this time I first heard of Driscoll and A29. My heart burned to plant churches that both loved the Bible AND used culture well as missionaries... but the failure of our mission to Vietnam had left me depleted and our marriage barely hanging on.

I took a job in a tiny town and we attended the church.
Three significant things then occurred.
1. Driscoll visited Australia and at that conference my wife reconfirmed with me our joint desire to plant a church in God's timing.
2. My wife and I were invited to visit an unbelieving family in the small town to present the gospel. As I drove up to the house I felt God say strongly to me "A church will begin in this house."
The following week a church was planted in the house I mentioned and the story began...

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

Because we launched immediately following institutionalized heresy we were running before we knew it. This meant that we were very slow to take people into the core. It was extremely difficult to negotiate what the churchplant would be after we had begun. There was a struggle for leadership which first needed to be resolved. When we finally began sharing a biblical, clear vision people came on board mainly based around long term relationships or excited by the prospects of a churchplant.

My advice is... don't do it this way! Have clear leadership from the beginning and a clear vision mapped out. Spend time with nonpressure hospitality with anyone who could be interested long before beginning weekly meetings.

But at the end of the day it will be a struggle. Do what needs to be done. If you find yourself in some weird situation that you didn't foresee (for example under house arrest - see Paul in Acts 28) don't stop the mission, figure what you CAN do in the given situation and push on.

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

-My own sin. Particularly fear and anger.
-Getting my marriage on track.
-My no#2 guy got diagnosed with cancer.
-Leadership contentions were definitely the most exhausting challenges. We have had them relating to issues from both emerging church liberals as well as church growth proponents.

One of our biggest challenges has been prioritizing our few resources and time. Particularly not burning out the few in the core group who put in.

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

Through listening to Mars Hill Podcasts. When the heresy situation hit the A29 guys were supportive in giving advice over email.

Three benefits are the resourcing, the relationships and the assessment.

Being able to ask questions and see what other people have done in the coaching is great.

It is also a great blessings to be part of something which is big when most of the time we are busting our guts working with a small bunch of people in the Shire where we are from (think Hobbits and you get it!). Just knowing that we are linked with others in Australia and around the world fighting much bigger fights is a great blessing to us.

The A29 application/assessment process was both brutal and essential for me; a three hour grueling interview followed by a dozen prerequisites spread over 10 months. As I reflect on it now I praise God for the work he did in me and my wife through this time. My anger has turned into compassion through the grace of God. Although personally humbled throughout the process I now stand more confident in what God has called me to be... a church planter not needing to be ashamed but qualified for the work and hits which are to come.

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

Laborers don't get the final decision about which field they work in, pray that the Lord of the Harvest sends out workers into His harvest and then obey Him.

If you have the desire train hard like a soldier, athlete and farmer in the word, prayer and living with Christ.

Minister to unbelievers and believers in some capacity now, don't put it off until the plant begins.

What’s the most important thing you’d want to share with a new church planter?   

Listen and try the churchplanting theories, be quick to repent from your own dumb ideas, but at the end of it all seek Jesus; seek to fulfill his desire for you and trust Him when things you have worked for seem to die infront of your eyes.

I believe our church was literally planted in the early mornings as I walked throughout our town and talked to God throwing every care and question into His hands. This is the work of a church planter... to walk with God and subsequently lead others into that walk with Him. Never forget that your greatest asset is being an adopted child of God.

How do you pastor your family?

I pray hard for them, make time every day to cuddle, talk, read the Word together. During church we sit together for communion and talk about it. I take one of my daughters with me when I speak at places and talk it through with them and get them to help etc.

I became accredited to teach the "Toolbox Parenting" course so that I could discipline and disciple my kids better.
My kids love me reading Narnia books to them.
I have a date with my wife and one daughter each week.

I try to put myself out to relieve my wife from stress and occationally confront her simply and straight forwardly about her sin. I try to repent openly when I sin against any of my family. This has become a joy as repenting becomes easier for everyone when I set the tone.

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

Driscoll's "`Confessions of a Reformissional Rev" got me going.

Church Profile: Rope Factory Church
Launch Date: February 2011
Location: Warragul, Victoria, AUS

Mission, Vision, Values of Church 

The Rope Factory Church "A chord of three strands is not quickly torn apart" Ecclesiastes 4:12

Loving God
Making Disciples
Planting Churches

Our Vision is to be a healthy churchplanting church both in the Shire and the City. Not only do we envision seeing the churchplant in our country town growing with health, our vision is to see a church planted in the CBD of Melbourne which supports churchplanting in country areas throughout the 5 regions of our State. Secondly we hope to plant a church in one of the hamlet's in the Shire (less than 5K pop'n).
I.E. Churchplanting in Town, City and Hamlet.

Some of the things we value highly:
The Bible, prayer, preaching, compassion, sustainability in finances, perseverance, creativity.

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

The first night we had Theology at the Pub a young alcoholic guy I knew came in. Over a couple of months He was saved in an amazing display of God's grace. He was our first baptism.

We had a miracle with a young woman with spiritually oppressive issues was saved and delivered radically. Her de facto family became our first wedding at the Rope Factory Church.

In regards to my own life I think it is a miracle that I can lead and preach to my flock. It is a privilege I didn't think I would be given again. God has been kind and wise with me.

How can we pray for you?

Please pray for our city churchplant The Exchange. We have taken many hits in the last six months. It is hard to persevere. Pray for more workers, elders, deacons, deaconesses. Thanks