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Planting a Church Without Losing Your Soul: Nine Questions for the Spiritually Formed Pastor
Christianity Today Book Award What does it take to be a church planter or other ministry entrepreneur? Most leaders start out with passion, a sense of calling, and a focus on building ministry skills. Such things might get some results, but they are not enough to sustain a healthy ministry―or a healthy life. Beyond the vocational capacities every church planter needs, there's a range of capabilities more difficult to measure but even more what veteran church planter Tim Morey calls spiritual competencies . Morey provides here a practical guide to spiritual formation geared to the unique needs of church planters. He helps readers answer the questions, What are the spiritual capabilities that I as a church planter need to develop? How might I lean into the work Jesus is doing in these vital areas? Spiritual competencies have to do not just with behaviors but also with the motivations, agendas, and scripts that drive behaviors. Morey explores how church planters can become people who The health of a church or any ministry organization is directly linked to the health of its leaders. Church planters may be used to improvising, but when it comes to their spiritual lives, they can't afford to just wing it. Featuring real-life stories from leaders, suggested practices, and discussion questions in each chapter, this book will equip individuals and teams (and those who coach them) to commit to an intentional plan for spiritual formation―for the good of their churches, their relationships, and their own lives as disciples of Jesus.
192 pages, Paperback
Published December 22, 2020
6 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 16, 2024
A helpful book on the spirituality of church planting.
September 14, 2024
I'm so grateful that the Lord caused me to stumble on this book when I did. Almost five years into a church plant (of sorts), this was exactly what I needed. Beautifully real, unapologetically Jesus-centered, and incredibly helpful. Thanks, Tim!
February 26, 2021
Practical life wisdom for planters to prioritize their spiritual formation and safeguard their wellbeing in the midst of the unique challenges of planting so they can maximize their ministry and be more effective during the formative and fragile early years.
June 5, 2024
Solid book - certainly some things that would be helpful for future church planters (and things I wish I knew previously). The chapters on Failure, Conflict within the church, and Family were really helpful.
At times I thought I was swimming in shallow waters of other books (Imperfect Pastor and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality). Otherwise, a helpful book advocating for health and the long term vision of church planting.
At times I thought I was swimming in shallow waters of other books (Imperfect Pastor and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality). Otherwise, a helpful book advocating for health and the long term vision of church planting.
March 10, 2021
Tim asks probing questions and brings to light ways Church Planters can plan for success. He helps bring to the forefront what is truly important and how we must always remember those things when loving and serving God.
“When it comes to our spiritual lives, we can’t afford to wing it.”
“When it comes to our spiritual lives, we can’t afford to wing it.”
May 20, 2025
if you’re in ministry but especially if you are planting a church, this is a MUST read
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June 15, 2023As leaders and church planters we have had questions. Tim addresses nine questions that reflect many of our concerns in the church planting process. We are planting healthy churches, but ¿are we healthy leaders in the process?, it is an important question in recent years. Thanks Tim for this book, God is using you and your book to make us a “healthier, more vibrant and more fulfilled church planters”.
February 6, 2021
A must read for anyone thinking about starting a church or planning to. Helpful for church revitalization contexts too.
April 13, 2021
Great book for church planters and any pastor for that matter. Tim has a thoughtful approach to ministry and reaching into the heart of pastors.
June 25, 2025
Tim Morey pastors pastors as he asks nine vital questions of ministry leaders. This books does not batter pastors for being unhealthy, prideful, or insecure but uses real stories and practical advice to lovingly assist pastors become more godly, humble, secure leaders of the church. He addresses real issues of how to confront sin, manage local fame, deal with difficult staff, find contentment in the size of your church, and the like. I recommend this book as a must read for all ministry leaders, but especially for young leaders. I return to it often and will forever be grateful to Doug Hixson for giving me a copy when I was just his summer intern. Read it early and often.
July 25, 2021
Such a practical and honest look at church planting. My husband and I read this as we were in the process of planting a church in 2020 and we are thankful for the honesty Tim presents as it gave us a lot to talk about and pray through. I highly recommend this book for anyone serving in a church plant.
May 21, 2024
Excellent advice for church planters! I gleaned many good things from this book. Below are some of my personal takeaways:
Spiritual competencies are as important, if not more, as other competencies.
You as the pastor are not meant to hold all of the church problems. If you try to do what only God can do, you will live anxious and exhausted. Be the Pastor and let God be God.
When Elijah was discouraged, God spoke to him about the physical: food, water, and sleep. The physical is connected to the spiritual.
Overeating and unhealthy eating is common for those in ministry, but it is not good.
Don’t wait until you break. Let God and others help you with your emotional needs.
Many church planters started a church, hoping for the story of someone else, but God might want to write your story differently.
God doesn’t always meet us in the way we want or expect, but He does always meet us how we need.
The number one problem of pastors is isolation.
The main thing you will give your congregation is the person you become – Dallas Willard
Church planters become professionals at “winging it.” The problem is you cannot “wing” your spiritual life.
The church’s strengths and weaknesses mirror the pastors strengths and weaknesses.
Suffering contains the seeds for success.
Church planters often have a mixture of confidence and self-doubt. Humility is needed.
Suffering keeps me humble and aware of the things I do not know.
We fear suffering, but we should probably fear more the absence of suffering.
It seems in 2 Corinthians 12 that Paul’s greatest asset was his greatest weakness – and that very likely could be the case with each of us.
Are you able to embrace the difficulties as a gift from God?
Without suffering, how could we develop empathy – helping people in an understanding way.
Power without love is reckless and abusive. Love without power is sentimental and anemic.
According to a survey at Duke University, 43% of US churches run less than 50 people. Another 24% are between 50-100 people. 21% are between 100–200 people. 10% are between 250-1000 people. And 2% are 1000 or more.
A study from Harvard Institute for religion says the median size of a church in the US is 80 people. Only half of 1% of churches in the US are mega churches (2,000 plus people).
We should focus more on making big Christians instead of trying to make big churches.
We must move from being superheroes to equippers.
If you as the pastor are doing the bulk of ministry, you are doing it wrong. Ephesians 4 teaches that the pastor is to equip others, not just do all the work.
Teaching others to do what you do means you don’t get to be the hero.
Before we deal with difficult people, we must face the issues with the man in the mirror.
If you lose your family, you lose your ministry as well.
Do you want your kids to grow up loving church or hating church? Do you want your spouse to be thankful they married someone in the ministry, or regret it?
To succeed in church and fail in your family is to fail.
As a church planter, you will likely not have as much money as the people in your church, but you do have more power over your schedule than others do. You can use this to your strength to make sure you have time for your family.
Most church planters feel like they can’t get away, but a healthy church needs their pastor to be absent so they can learn to take care of areas. Your family and your church need you to get away.
Spiritual competencies are as important, if not more, as other competencies.
You as the pastor are not meant to hold all of the church problems. If you try to do what only God can do, you will live anxious and exhausted. Be the Pastor and let God be God.
When Elijah was discouraged, God spoke to him about the physical: food, water, and sleep. The physical is connected to the spiritual.
Overeating and unhealthy eating is common for those in ministry, but it is not good.
Don’t wait until you break. Let God and others help you with your emotional needs.
Many church planters started a church, hoping for the story of someone else, but God might want to write your story differently.
God doesn’t always meet us in the way we want or expect, but He does always meet us how we need.
The number one problem of pastors is isolation.
The main thing you will give your congregation is the person you become – Dallas Willard
Church planters become professionals at “winging it.” The problem is you cannot “wing” your spiritual life.
The church’s strengths and weaknesses mirror the pastors strengths and weaknesses.
Suffering contains the seeds for success.
Church planters often have a mixture of confidence and self-doubt. Humility is needed.
Suffering keeps me humble and aware of the things I do not know.
We fear suffering, but we should probably fear more the absence of suffering.
It seems in 2 Corinthians 12 that Paul’s greatest asset was his greatest weakness – and that very likely could be the case with each of us.
Are you able to embrace the difficulties as a gift from God?
Without suffering, how could we develop empathy – helping people in an understanding way.
Power without love is reckless and abusive. Love without power is sentimental and anemic.
According to a survey at Duke University, 43% of US churches run less than 50 people. Another 24% are between 50-100 people. 21% are between 100–200 people. 10% are between 250-1000 people. And 2% are 1000 or more.
A study from Harvard Institute for religion says the median size of a church in the US is 80 people. Only half of 1% of churches in the US are mega churches (2,000 plus people).
We should focus more on making big Christians instead of trying to make big churches.
We must move from being superheroes to equippers.
If you as the pastor are doing the bulk of ministry, you are doing it wrong. Ephesians 4 teaches that the pastor is to equip others, not just do all the work.
Teaching others to do what you do means you don’t get to be the hero.
Before we deal with difficult people, we must face the issues with the man in the mirror.
If you lose your family, you lose your ministry as well.
Do you want your kids to grow up loving church or hating church? Do you want your spouse to be thankful they married someone in the ministry, or regret it?
To succeed in church and fail in your family is to fail.
As a church planter, you will likely not have as much money as the people in your church, but you do have more power over your schedule than others do. You can use this to your strength to make sure you have time for your family.
Most church planters feel like they can’t get away, but a healthy church needs their pastor to be absent so they can learn to take care of areas. Your family and your church need you to get away.
January 3, 2025
Tim Morey’s book “Planting a Church Without Losing Your Soul” is soul-edifying. As a church planter myself, I found his honest and excellent writing — coupled with Godly counsel — personally enriching and encouraging. Of particular benefit and blessing was the chapters on power (4), obscurity (5), and failure (6). These chapters alone were outstanding. However, the way in which they build thematically upon each other offers profound depth on each topic. Multiple friends suggested this book to me. It has become mandatory reading for church planters I get to work with. After reading it (multiple times, even devotionally), I now recommended this book as *THE* book to be read by every church planter, everyone who supports church planters, every member of a church plant, everyone who knows a church planter… you get the point.
Please read this!
Please read this!
February 7, 2025
Powerful reminder of priorities
Planting a church without losing your soul is a powerful read that reminds us of the importance of priority. Church planters, because of their drive to see new ground broken for the Kingdom, can easily lose their souls in the process. Highly recommend!
Planting a church without losing your soul is a powerful read that reminds us of the importance of priority. Church planters, because of their drive to see new ground broken for the Kingdom, can easily lose their souls in the process. Highly recommend!
August 22, 2024
Such an encouraging read! Pointing my heart back to Jesus over and over again. Worth the read for any Christian leader. Real, authentic, relatable. Purchased multiple copies for our elders and pastors.
June 14, 2023
Very good book for those of us who have felt the call of God to plant a church, reading this book was refreshing for my physical, emotional and spiritual life.
July 27, 2025
Great resource for planters and pastors alike
May 17, 2025
Really more of a 2.5. There is wheat, but also chaff.
June 15, 2024
This book was really a helpful read, intended for lead pastors planting churches, but I think helpful for anyone in leadership of a church plant. Or a church for that matter. The tone was generous and kind, the advice concise, easy to remember, and honest, and the suggested resources at the end of each chapter were helpful launch points if a certain topic was particularly intriguing. There were times that I felt that the points were looping back around or when I wasn’t quite sure whose stories were being told, but that may have been from my attention while reading. Overall, I would suggest this book for those involved in church planting.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews