Here are a few more lessons:
** Number are important---but if you live by the numbers, you will die by the numbers!
I am a numbers guy. I have on file, the attendance from every service we have ever done. We count people, we count salvations, we count baptisms, we count offerings, we count membership numbers. We count everything that can be counted. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact if you don't keep track of things, you are making a huge mistake. BUT, you have to be careful to track patterns as opposed to individual Sundays. For most church planters (myself included), our self-worth is tied to our weekly attendance. If we have a Sunday with a record attendance, we feel great, but if the attendance is low, we go into a funk (this is so unhealthy, and will drive you to an early grave). Look at a quarter rather than a week. Look at things annually rather than monthly. try to look for trends or patterns, you will enjoy the journey a whole lot more.
** Comparison is a killer.
One of the most unhealthy things you can do is to compare your church's progress with someone else. If you compare with a smaller church, it can lead to pride. If you compare to a larger church it will lead to envy and discontentment. You are YOU. You are not someone else. God is fully aware of that! Your church should be unique. If God wanted cookie cutter churches, we would all be the same. God will never judge you based on comparison with another church or Pastor, he will only judge you based on whether you have been faithful in what He has given you.
** Don't limit God
I have found that the only limits I have are self-imposed limits. We say, "we are going to reach our community for Christ", do we really believe that's possible? Our lack of faith restricts the activity of God in our churches and in our lives. God is omnipotent, and sovereign. He is limitless. We need to pray bold prayers. Dream big dreams, and take huge risks to be the leaders that God has called us to be.
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