by Trace Martinez
If you had the privilege of knowing Clint Clifton, you understand what I mean when I say he was a true pioneer. In countless ways, Clint broke through barriers into new territory, both in the Kingdom work he did and in life as a whole. I can recall often questioning whether Clint and I were looking at the same situation. He had a very distinct way of putting all the chips in, so to speak, not on what he was able to accomplish, but what he had learned God was able to do.
My own church planting journey began with a very impromptu, God-ordained conversation with him and Colby Garman. In that conversation Clint managed to introduce himself (we’d never met), cast the vision for the church planting work God was starting, and invited me into that work by telling me how I was the guy to do this work. That was a 30-minute lunch and a life changing experience. But that was Clint Clifton. His passion for church planting, fueled by his deep love of the gospel, allowed him to take bold steps of faith on what seemed like a daily basis.
Many of us are not like that and need a bit more time and space and a clear path. And by God’s grace, Clint succeeded in taking all he had learned over years and years of church planting and put it into one book. That book, Church Planting Thresholds, is an invaluable resource. So, if you’re on the path toward church planting or raising up a church planter, and you are hoping to stumble into a resource that will make the process as clear as possible, it does exist.
I have used this book on many occasions over the years both as a guide and a litmus test. A guide in the sense that every step of the church planting journey is mapped out. The very name of the book points to the strategic nature of the approach. You take one step, then another, eventually reaching the threshold of that particular stage before proceeding onto the next. It sounds obvious, but there are so many things to consider when starting a church, and the order matters.
That’s the beauty of this book. It outlines the necessary thresholds at each stage along the path toward planting a healthy church, but the specifics of those thresholds are up to the planter and the sending church. This is a framework in which to operate. Each situation is unique, and each planter comes equipped with different skill sets. The reason this book is so powerful is because anyone in any setting can apply the principles and stages outlined and find a clear path toward planting.
We are not meant to do much at all on our own in the Christian life, especially as a leader. That said, inviting people into our lives and on the journey is a necessary part of church planting and a key aspect of Thresholds. Who are the people in your life that will pray and fast with you as you labor to step forward toward each threshold? Find people who can speak into your life and help you leverage every tool at your disposal. Simply put, this book should be at the top of your list of tools.
My encouragement to anyone considering church planting is to stand on the shoulders of spiritual men, like Clint, who learned hard lessons that you and I don’t need to repeat. That’s not to say we won’t mess it up along the way. We will. However, on a journey with countless pitfalls and traps, we need the best map possible to stay on track. Godspeed on your church planting expedition, and I pray that the Lord would build His church through you.