4. Holy dissatisfaction. I really want to be careful with this one. A person in ministry can feel dissatisfied for various reasons. Perhaps it is Monday morning, and no one is shaking your hand, telling you how much they enjoyed the message. That can leave you flat and dissatisfied. It could be that you are just a dissatisfied person in general.

The fact that you're angst-ridden and don't like the church you're in is not necessarily a sign that God has called you to plant a church.

And so I want to be very careful to say that we are looking for a holy dissatisfaction, not a generic dissatisfaction.

I've had plenty of people sit across the desk and tell me they felt called to church planting because they were dissatisfied with where they were. Some were dissatisfied because the church wouldn't give them an opportunity to preach. Well, it may be they didn't give them the opportunity to preach because they had no gifts and skills in that area. But for them, that was a "sign."

There is a big difference between circumstances letting you down and God sending you out. And while negative experiences can be part of God's stirring the waters in your ministry life, it is good to have a mentor in your life who can offer discernment: "Yep, God is finished with you here, and you need to do something new to accomplish His mission," or, "Dude, quit your whining, and get back in there for another round."

5. Family commitment. God will not lead you to start a church if it means you have to leave your spouse and kids.

There needs to be a family commitment if you want to be engaging in your church planting. If you want to plant a church but your wife says, "I'm not getting this from God," sit down and talk with your family. Let them know your intentions.

It should be a cause of concern, however, if there is no affirmation of the gifting or calling within your household. My wife has some veto power in this area. If she senses that it isn't the direction God is leading, I receive that. If God has not led us both in a direction, then neither of us will go in that direction. Church planters can get "drunk with vision" as they are filled with passion and enthusiasm.

If you are married to a godly spouse, God can and will use that person who knows you better than anyone else to red light or green light you.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

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