In his book, Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi focuses on using every opportunity to network and build relationships with people, thus the title. By the way, I highly recommend this book. Ferrazzi’s premise is that when we meet people, we are literally tapping into a new network of people that we were not connected to before. Our new acquaintance has a network that we may now be able to access. I believe it is imperative for you, the church planter to be in at least one face-to-face, church planting network.

In the Cleveland area where I am, SBC church planters are fortunate to have a church planter network which meets on a monthly basis. This network was formed and developed as part of the Strategic City Focus Initative in Cleveland by our local denominational leaders.  The network is a time to get to know one another, learn from one another, and to share resources with each other. We have also had the opportunity to have leaders such as Bob Roberts, Ed Stetzer, Nelson Searcy, and Eric Bryant come to share with this group of a dozen or so planters. It makes those guys feel special when someone who is known on the national church planting stage comes and shares their knowledge.

Church planting networks must be a place where personal relationships are highly valued and promoted. Again, this is another opportunity for the church planter to be around others that can lift him up in prayer and encourage him in the long journey of planting a church. As I have shared and you have read many times, church planting can be a lonely journey, but it is only lonely if we choose it to be. You must take advantage of church planting networks in your geographical area. If there is not a network in your area, start one! Find a couple of other church planters and start meeting with them. They don’t even have to be part of your denomination. I would even encourage you to network with some guys who are not part of your denomination. They will sharpen you and you will sharpen them.