(ThyBlackMan.com) Are you trying to learn more about how to start a church? If yes, you should check out our helpful guide by clicking right here.
The lost are everywhere. They’re in your city, your neighborhood. There are people walking around pretending like they are whole, but they are broken inside. They need Jesus, and God has called you to tell them about Him. God has called you to start a church. But you don’t know the first thing about starting a church. Well, stay with us as we give you a quick crash course on how to start a church.
Study Theology
While it’s not strictly necessary to go to seminary to become a pastor, people will take you a little more seriously if you have at least studied some theology. Keep in mind if you want to associate with a specific Christian denomination, that organization may have specific 
requirements for their pastors that you will need to meet. However, God can prepare you in many ways for preaching, so don’t let yourself get boxed in by earthly definitions of “sufficient schooling.” That being said, a solid understanding of the Bible is crucial. Whether you get that through seminary school or personal study is up to you.
Create a Launch Team
Starting a church with no members will be quite a challenge, so before you start shopping for buildings, start building a community. Start a small group focused on Bible discussion and prayer. Seek out members who are not only passionate about learning but also passionate about sharing the Gospel and reaching out to others. Once you have a solid core group. It’s time to start your conversation about starting an actual church. Define who you are — your “brand” of Christianity. While there is only one God and one Jesus, there is much variety among his children. Different people have different ways of worshiping and understanding God. Your unique way will work for some, but not others.
Start a Non-Profit
Once you have defined your church spiritually, it’s time to take care of the legal details. Give your church a name and incorporate it with your state. From there you can apply for non-profit status. This is important for tax-exemption. It also means that your member’s contributions will be tax-deductible. This paperwork is tricky and important so you may want to consider having a lawyer sort out the details.
If you want to affiliate with a denomination or network, this is helpful as they will often have resources that can help you get started. Just be careful to choose one that aligns with your vision for your church. Check into technology and resources like Icon Church Management that can facilitate the logistics of running your church. Now, you just need a place to meet. Remember, it doesn’t always have to be your own church building when you’re just starting out.
That’s it! Now you know how to start a church from scratch. Even if you still feel nervous, step out in faith. If this is something God has called you to do, He will bless your endeavors. Don’t get discouraged if there are setbacks, with the devil working against you, there most certainly will be. Just don’t give up and faithfully run the race to which you have been called.
Staff Writer; Carl Barker
